James Hathaway – Page 61

Travel: Wisconsin to San Francisco, on the road again, Part 2

Finally a little time to catch up on more discoveries while on the road. Yesterday, in Kearney, NE we stumbled upon an old Post Office building that has been transformed into an art museum.

This small venue houses a surprisingly good mix of art. Traditional, contemporary, photography and a small sculpture garden. Best news, it is free! If you are in the area, it is well worth a look. Better yet, plan your visit around the Sandhill crane’s annual migration in March and April when 80 percent of the worlds Sandhill cranes stop here during their migration.

Here are some of our favorite images from their collection.

A contemporary piece made from folded felt on end.

This colorful piece is made from razors, lighters, pens, and brushes.

There was an impressive collection of photos from National Geographic. We liked these.

Mr. De Mille, we are ready for our close up!

I an here from my Delta Dental appointment.

We loved this vintage black and white photo.

And of course two stunning original oil paintings by local artists!

Travel: Wisconsin to San Francisco, on the road again.

Greetings to all!

This is the beginning of day three on our return to San Francisco. Our apologies for the lack of posts. After the scenic country roads of Wisconsin, our route takes us along I-80. A hectic route with thousands of trucks of all shapes and sizes. Unbelievable “over sized” trucks with massive cargo loads. Large numbers of under skilled drivers have made for tense driving. While the freeway conditions are generally good, two lanes in each direction seems sorely inadequate for the traffic load.

It is just 6 AM local time and pitch black outside. The long days of summer seem to have disappeared overnight. Hopefully this will self correct as we travel into Mountain Time today.

In the mean time, here is a quick update on sites along the way. We started in Hartford, WI with our first stop for breakfast in the state capital of Madison. A charming town that we will explore more next time we are at the lake house.

Our next stop was Dubuque, the oldest city in Iowa, founded by French miners in 1788.

Mississippi River where Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois meet.

Blocks of old brick warehouses are now part of the business district.

After a night in Des Moines, Iowa, Omaha Nebraska was our next stop. Omaha is no longer the home of massive stockyards. Today the downtown area is revitalized by its old warehouse district and proximity to the Missouri River. It is now filled with trendy restaurants, shopping and loft apartment/housing.

One of many warehouse district buildings now retail and housing

Lincoln is the state capital and home to the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. In close proximity to University’s stadium is the cities old warehouse district. Now an active center for shopping, dining and new housing. We had a really good Indian lunch at a place called The Oven.

More from Kearney, Nebraska and Laramie, Wyoming soon.

Movies: Wish Upon, Dunkirk, Valerian

Wish Upon

This PG-13 Fantasy/Thriller is clearly targeted to the preteen/teen audiences. It is not a new story. In fact, it is one of the oldest stories in the entertainment genre.

The acting is just OK, maybe a weak passing grade but otherwise uninspiring. Joey King, Ryan Phillippe, Shannon Purser and Ki Hong Lee are the headliners.

We selected “Cliche”, “Stereotypical” and “Predictable” from the “Top voted Tags” list to best describe this film.

Don’t feel too bad if this makes it to your miss list. It might be worth a look if you are on a long flight and need some help passing the 1 hour, 30 minute run time.

Rating

Dunkirk

Most folks of a certain age or knowledge of 20th century history will recognize the name Dunkirk from WWII when, in 1940, Germany invaded France. This invasion cut off British, French, Belgian and Dutch troops, leaving more than 400,000 trapped on Dunkirk Beach.

This film is arguably the best movie ever made on the topic. It is an intimate view from the soldiers point of view. The audible and visual production of what it was like and how it sounded are the most noteworthy from our perspective. It makes for a stunning auditory and visual experience.

The genre is listed as Action, Drama, History, War with a PG-13 rating. (Not sure how that happened! We would caution it is not suitable for young audiences.) The run time is 2 hours.

The cast includes Harry Styles, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Kenneth Branagh, along with a dozen other young British actors.

We will make early predictions for Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Original Score, Cinematography, Special Effects, Costume Design, Sound and Sound Editing.

Rating

Valerian & the City of a Thousand Planets

Oh my! Where to begin?! It is an epic size story by Director Luc Besson. (Remember The Fifth Element?!) This time he has a $200 million dollar budget and special effects are front and center.

It is set in the 28th century in a city called Alpha, where thousands of life forms coexist when a dark force threatens to disrupt the peace. The story gets muddled up quickly. The script focuses on two main characters, played by Cara Delevingne and Dane DeHaan, who are determined to defend the city with an arsenal of superpowers. The plot slips in and out of one implausible scene to another.

The super star here is the special effects. They are stunning, constant and ground breaking. These elements overshadow every other aspect of the film.

The rest of the cast is practically a who’s who of Hollywood but you hardly notice any of them. (Except Rihanna, whose depiction of “Bubble” is quite provocative!)

It is rated PG-13 but much of the story is not really suited for children. The genre is noted as Science Fiction and Action. The run time is 2 hours, 17 minutes.

All said, this film will undoubtedly garner several Oscar nominations in technical categories.

Rating:

Travel: Wisconsin Automotive Museum, Hartford, WI

Another discovery! We stumbled on a delightful museum dedicated to custom, luxury Kissel automobiles built in Hartford, Wisconsin from 1906 until the depression in 1931. 35,000 cars were produced, only 150 are known to survive today. Many of those are on display.

There are other notable automobiles from the region including Nash, Hudson, as well as rare displays of Pontiacs, Studebakers, Chevrolets, Fords, and others.

There is also a huge model train display just off the lobby. Arguably the largest we have ever seen.

It was a big surprise to view the 250 ton steam locomotive #1003 built in 1913. Add a racing car exhibit and loads of period memorabilia and you have a grand venue to explore.

Bonus: It is only 3 miles from our Lake House.

Several Kissel vehicles of all types and restoration.

A nice collection. Some have exterior “Suicide seats”! Another one caters to golfers with built in golf club features.

A nice selection of Nash cars. Did you know? All front seats reclined fully for “camping”.

Truly an impressive selection of vintage vehicles.

A local racing corner hosts the Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame.

Here are a few of our other favorites.

And just for giggles…

Wisconsin Automotive Museum, 147 North Rural Street, Hartford, WI 53027.

Door County, Wisconsin

Our family encouraged us to check out Door County during the summer season. For those of you not familiar with Wisconsin, Door County is a narrow peninsula north of Milwaukee about 150 miles. It juts into Lake Michigan.

It is a bucolic region of agriculture, lush woods, vast orchards, charming little towns, beaches, marinas and vistas of Lake Michigan. It was the perfect place to relax, explore the rural surroundings, shop for crafts and related goodies.

The summer weather was a bit cooler in the mornings, slowly rising to balmy afternoons and an occasional thunderstorm at night.

It is well worth the drive if you are in the area. Here are some of our favorite images.

J&J

Pelicans jockey for position in the late afternoon near Sturgeon Bay.

Downtown Sturgeon Bay with shops, eateries, and businesses catering to locals and travelers alike.

After coffee in Carlsville, we traveled north to Egg Harbor. The public art in most hamlets and villages caught our attention.

Coffee, a meal, shopping for goodies, art or fashion. There is something for everyone.

An overlook at the charming village of Egg Harbor.

One of several pieces of public art in the small park above the marina.

This piece is loaded with images that challenge the imagination.

The western coast of the peninsula is peppered with little hamlets and towns, each with its own character and natural beauty. Travel slowly for even more discoveries.

Clever and beautiful gardens are everywhere.

At the northern point of the peninsula, one can catch the car/passenger ferry to Washington Island. Note: the island is small and the car and passenger tariffs seemed unnecessarily expensive. We opted to continue our journey southbound on the east side of the peninsula where we discovered quiet local beaches and views.

The ferry to Washington Island runs frequently at the Northport Pier.

We stumbled upon the town of Sister Bay, famous for the goats munching grass on the Swedish Restaurant made famous by Al Johnson.

Safe travels to all! J&J

Movies: Spider-Man: Homecoming, Maudie, War for the Planet of the Apes

FINALLY, some movies worthy of attention, albeit, not neccessarily for everyone’s interests. All very different. All worthy of consideration depending on your tastes. Enjoy!

Spider-Man: Homecoming

This was a most intriguing, although often confusing, rendition of the Spider-man by Marvel. Intriguing because this Spider-man is funny, friendly and down to earth with a sense of himself. Confusing because the mentor, Tony Stark, is an overbearing, butt-in-ski that seemed out of place and unnecessary for this film.

The story flows along with a fresh easy feel. Natural, somewhat light hearted. Tom Holland is brilliant in the role of Spider-man. Michael Keaton brings star power to the role of Vulture, although this viewer felt he was more of a distraction than evil doer. There is a long list of actors that include notable roles by Donald Glover, Tyne Daly, Chris Evans, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jennifer Connelly.

The genre is listed as Fantasy/Science Fiction. It is rated PG-13 and runs 2 hours, 13 minutes.

Rating

Maudie

This film is base on real people and events. It is a story beginning in the 1930’s in Nova Scotia. It is a recreation of a story seemingly from another world with different standards and values. The strained relationship between two lead characters is often difficult to watch and yet compelling at the same time.

Leading actors, Sally Hawkins is the scullery maid and folk artist, Ethan Hawke is the damaged fishmonger. Together they deliver powerful depictions of their characters. Kari Matchett and Gabrielle Rose have the only other significant roles although there are a half dozen other actors rounding out the cast.

While this film is rated PG-13 there are a few intense scenes that may not be appropriate for youngsters. The genre is listed as Drama/Romance and runs one hour, 55 minutes.

Rating

War for the Planet of the Apes

This third in a series of “Apes” films is the best to date. To be clear, it is also the darkest and most violent of the series. These overtones make for realistic and sobering viewing. We have no idea how they maintained the PG-13 rating.

That said, in this rendition, you will no doubt be cheering for the Apes instead of the horrific depiction of humans. This film is action packed, heartbreaking and visually powerful, often all at the same time.

There is a huge cast. Andy Serkis is Ceasar and prolific Woody Harrelson plays the Colonel. Our favorite character, Cornelius, is played by actress Devyn Dalton. Don’t ask us how they do it but they do it exceptionally well along with the 16 other lead characters.

It is listed as a Science Fiction/Drama and runs a riveting 2 hours, 22 minutes.

Rating

Travel: Friends, Family and the Lake

It has been a little under two months since we arrived in Hartford, Wisconsin and the family lake house on Pike Lake.

John and I have had the place to ourselves for the most part. It already feels more like home now. There also have been a few larger gatherings of friends and family when the house is a hive of activities, comings and goings, laughter and chatter, communal meals and libations, the beauty of the lake, boat rides and that joyous laughter only children can make.

Families: Barinek, Charles, Burns, Schunk, Rusniak, and Kutz.

John & Brianna Albright (note: expecting December 2017!)

But there have also been those peaceful moments of tranquility and time for reflection and contemplation. Dreaming and exploring. Basking in the pleasure of a beautiful sunrise, the morning chatter of a multitude of birds. One forgets how adorable a baby chipmunk can be. How joyful is a hopping squirrel gathering morning goodies. The grace of a grey crane taking to flight.

To be sure, we miss our urban lifestyle that feels so comfortable to us. We recognize how much we take for granted. Convenience, seemingly endless variety, access to so many natural treasures, the ever changing diversity, cultures and entertainment.

Mostly, we recognize how very fortunate we are to have so many friends and family around us. It is though we experience Thanksgiving every day, with every contact, telephone call, Skype/FaceTime, note card, or gathering.

J&J

PS: A big heartfelt THANK YOU to Jennifer and Matthew for making us so welcomed.

Movies: The Beguiled, The House, The Big Sick

Special Note: So far this summer movie season has been a bit of a disappointment. In the last five weeks we have seen three one globe movies and three zero globe movies. The few theaters that run International and Independent movies are showing films we have already seen (and reviewed). So we are starting to look farther afield without a lot of encouragement.

The good news is we keep discovering new places to explore. The weather has cooled nicely from the heat of June. On the 4th of July Pike Lake had amazing private fireworks from five points on the lake. We joined our neighbors for drinks and smores! Fun!! (Sorry, no pixs.)

The Beguiled

The long awaited release of this movie was prefaced by accolades and awards to Director Sofia Coppola. Overall, she is very talented and much deserving. That said, this remake of the 1971 Southern Gothic, starring Clint Eastwood and Geraldine Page, has the look and mood of a distant fairy tale. It hardly connects to the grotesque reality of the then Civil War.

The acting is respectable. Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell are mostly believable leads. Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Angourie Rice and Oona Laurence all play boarding students at a girls school set in a Southern Plantation mansion.

It feels more like a play than a movie and, for us, it just misses the cinematic high bar. The genre is listed as a Drama/Thriller. It runs 1 hour 34 minutes. It is rated R for sexuality. Clearly, we had higher expectations and were disappointed.

Rating 1

The House

It is a shame when proven performers like Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler default to crude juvenile antics to improvise for a flawed script and a nerdy concept.

Seemingly middle class family living in a middle class environment with a daughter accepted to the college of her choice. Counting only on a failed scholarship from the City, the parents improvise to raise money for the daughter’s higher education.

Over 20 actors cannot salvage this “comedy” from the bottom of the barrel. The script is just as bad. Silly slapstick, crude humor, tacky dialog, stupid antics, horrid stereotypes are not worthy of an audience. We just wish we knew in advance.

It’s rated R for a long list of reasons: language, sexual references, drugs, violence, and nudity. The genre is Comedy and runs a very long 1 hour, 28 minutes.

Rating

The Big Sick

Pausing to contemplate this film shortly after viewing, I imagined comparing this film with a horse race. Lots of advance excitement before the film opened. Then a mad dash of energy as the characters charged out the gates. Then that long back stretch where things are confusing and the viewer is disparately trying to connect all the dots as quickly as practical. Then a few surprises and disappointments rounding the last corner. Then a surge of energy and a satisfying ending.

There is a score of actors filling the scenes, some funny, some stoic, some old and some new. Most notable are Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano and a brilliant Kumail Nanjiani. It gets accolades for its insight into Pakistani immigrants and their family struggles. It is also a powerful story about enduring love and perseverance.

It is rated R for language and sexual references. The genre is listed as Comedy/Romance and runs 2 hours, 4 minutes.

Rating

Travel: Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, Wisconsin

Every once in a while you discover a real jewel, something unexpected, a discovery that just makes you feel joy and fortunate for the discovery. This was how we felt when we went to the Museum of Wisconsin Art.

It is small enough to navigate through the galleries in a couple hours or less. It is varied enough to satisfy most art interests: something old, some new, some contemporary and some things avant garde. There is a little gift shop with some impressive items.

There are also a variety of “workshops” of interest to the community. During our visit there were creative workshops for young children and next door a room of seniors listening to an art appreciation talk.

It is definately worth a visit if you are in the area.

205 Veterans Avenue, West Bend, WI 53095, www.wisconsinart.org

There are several galleries of Wisconsin art. Here are some of our favorites.

There was a preview of a photographic exhibit coming to MOWA.

And for your next visit…

The archives waiting for their next exhibit.

Movies: Baby Driver, The Hero, Beatriz at Dinner

We have been a bit frustrated by the lack of access to many summer releases. There are fewer movie theaters than we are used to, especially foreign and independent films. Those theaters we have identified are often many miles away.

That said, we were pleased to discovery another Landmark Theater gem, The Oriental in Milwaukee’s East Side.

Six massive Buddha with green eyes watch the movies with audiences.

The original lobby fully restored to another era.

Exterior of the Oriental Theater in Milwaukee.

Now on to the movies!

Baby Driver

Every once and a while a film is released that is truly unique, innovative and ground breaking. That is exactly what Writer/Director Edgar Wright delivers with the newly released Baby Driver.

The driving scenes are among the best ever. In our opinion better than Bullet and the Fast and Furious franchise.

The acting is impressive for the most part. Ansel Elgort plays Baby in his best role to date. Lily James is believable as the love interest. Jamie Foxx plays his best bad guy in a long time. And Kevin Spacey plays another bad guy oh so well.

It’s rated R for strong language and violence throughout. The genre is noted as Action, Adventure, Comedy and Drama. It runs 113 minutes.

Rating

The Hero

Straight up, Sam Elliott delivers his best role in decades. In this role he spends his time reliving his good ole days and smoking marijuana. But then there is some life changing news that changes everything (but I’m not going to tell you what it is. No spoiler here!)

The story and screenplay was written for Mr. Elliott but the acting makes it believable. Laura Prepon gives a stellar performance as the younger woman. Krysten Ritter is the angry daughter. Nick Offerman is the drug dealer sidekick.

The genre is Drama/Comedy and is likely to be appreciated by mature/senior audiences. It is rate R for drug use and adult subject matter. It runs 93 minutes.

Rating

Beatriz at Dinner

This is a unique and thought provoking film. Salma Hayek gives a compelling portrayal as a Mexican born holistic masseuse and healer now living in Los Angeles. After her car breaks down at a wealthy clients home, she is invited to spend the evening at a dinner party where the wealthy guests share in what becomes a serious culture clash.

The small cast includes an almost unrecognizable Selma Hayek as Beatriz and John Lithgow as the Trumpian Billionaire. Jay Duplass as a wealthy realtor and Chloe Sevigny as his wife. David Warshosky as the host and Connie Britton his wife.

Strangely enough this film is listed as a comedy instead of a social commentary. It is rated R for strong language and one scene of violence. It would not be suitable for young children. The run time is 83 minutes.

Rating