Weekend, etc.

Sunday, we went to a baseball game. Christy's work was giving away tickets to the Indianapolis Indians game at Victory Field. I've been to Victory Field a few times and it's always a treat. Of Triple-A clubs, they must have one of the nicest home fields.

It was hot, but not as bad as it has been and the rain held off other than a few refreshing sprinkles. We rooted, rooted, rooted for the home team and the Indians won, beating the Toledo Mud Hens 6-1, sweeping the three-game series with Toledo. That's right, "Mud Hens."

I was a little worried about heading downtown with the Brickyard 400 happening same day, but traffic wasn't a problem coming or going.

[Click on any picture for a larger version]




We got back into Anderson early enough that we decided to go to a park in our downtown area. They've got an area with water fountains that people can run through and play in. Hannah quickly made friends with a girl about her size who enjoyed sticking her whole head and face directly in the path of the fountains. Now, Hannah still screams "bloody murder" when I dump water over her head in the bath to rinse out the shampoo, but some stranger makes it look like fun and suddenly she'll take it right in the face from a high-pressure nozzle like a circus clown! Go figure.




Monday, Hannah's daycare had a cookout/pitch-in at a local park. It was nice to get to meet a few of the parents of Hannah's playmates.





Films Recently Watched:

Just a general note about my "Films Recently Watched" entries. Forgive me for not doing the standard reviews on these films I watch with a plot synopsis, etc. It isn't always just a case of being lazy. There are at least two films in this post alone (The Sullivans and Brief Encounter) where virtually any explanation of the plot would lessen the impact of watching the film versus going in knowing nothing about the story. Other times, yeah, I'm just lazy, so waddaya gonna do 'bout it?

Bambi (1942) dir. by David Hand. Produced by Walt Disney.

Born Yesterday (1950) dir. by George Cukor
I speculated that Judy Holliday, who plays the leading female role in this film probably should have gotten a 4th place finish at the Oscars in 1951. Well, she was good, but I still don't think she deserved the Oscar. Judy Holliday was spot on in her role as the dumb blonde in this picture, but Gloria Swanson in Sunset Blvd. would have easily gotten my vote.

1941 (1979) dir. by Steven Spielberg
Several funny gags, to be sure, but generally, a misstep for Spielberg.

Predator (1987) dir. by John McTiernan

The Sullivans (1944) dir. by Lloyd Bacon
If you've never seen this and don't know the story on which this film is based, I recommend that you just watch it with no knowledge about the story going in. I think it would have played better for me that way. It's a very sweet story, and a true one at that.

Fantasia (1940) dir. by James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, Ford Beebe, Norman Ferguson, Jim Handley, T. Hee, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield, Ben Sharpsteen. Produced by Walt Disney

Escanaba in da Moonlight (2001) dir. by Jeff Daniels
This was highly recommended to me by my tween-aged Nephews, Tyler and Anderson. As soon as I picked up the DVD at the library, I turned it over and noticed the rating: "PG-13 -- For Uncultured Humor." I guess I should have known what I was in for. Very odd. Sorry boys, this one won't be making my top 250. Original music by Alto Reed, and yet, not a saxophone to be heard; I kid you not.

Brief Encounter (1945) dir. by David Lean
What a simply wonderful piece of filmmaking! These "romance" films don't always connect with me, but this one did. The two David Lean films with which I was familiar going into this one were Lawrence of Arabia and The Bridge on the River Kwai. Brief Encounter is far from these two epic adventure films, but mesmerizing, none the less. Stunning!

An appropriate quote that came up recently on my Google Personalized Home Page; "Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired." --Robert Frost

Friday Night Lights (2004) dir. by Peter Berg
What was up with the camera constantly zooming in and out during this film? The hand-held camerawork just didn't work for me. The movie was OK. Give me Hoosiers anyday, though. It has more heart.

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) dir. by Michael Moore
I'm happy to live in a country where a film like this can be made (and distributed).

The Lost Weekend (1945) dir. by Billy Wilder
Another "Best Picture" winner. Only about 40 left to go!