La Gran Fiesta in downtown Scottsdale (Nov. 5th) had more live music and dancing. Loved the Mariachi Band.
Every community has events like this and in a way the look the same, stage shows, actors food and artist. Its like everyone had there minds and decided to be hospitable to one another. I wonder what is the cause of other stuff, like being angry, greedy, hostile to one another or just unpleasant.
If we want pleasantness in the world why not stage a world wide Fiesta that last for a year and if it doesn’t work we can always go back to being unpleasant.
This past Friday (Nov. 11, 2011) we were at TEDxPhoenix and was reminded of of how much creativity and talent exist and that it pays to venture off from your normal track. Was introduced to the singing voice of Michelle Blades, a local artist, who I knew nothing about and whose voice I found to be totally enchanting.
I don’t believe any of us could ever know everything that going on in their own community so I recommend that we all do something a little each week and be surprised and please by what we find.
Music Live – Some of the Best Moments in Life
I hope we never come to the time when all we can listen to is studio produced music and listening to it over a set of head phones. Live music has a way of bringing people together. Questions of beliefs, politics, education, race, nationality and all the other things we use to separate our selves from one another just totally disappears when we are all gathered together listening to live music. People get in dance without concern about how they look, who looks better and the big are they doing it right. It a chance for an honest exchange of emotions. “It’s a beautiful thing!”
The truth is that in order for this country, or any country wanting to call its self great, must have cities that are hubs of diverse culture, new ideas and learning. Cities without art and it’s vibrancy are not cities. Without art there is no soul, there is no communication, there is no appreciation. Cities without art become a place to bypass or flyover. The short sightedness of various factions in our Government (US congress if you are reading) and that of some citizens, who believe that cutting funding for programs like National Endowment for the Arts or NPR , lack an understanding and appreciation for how empty their lives would be if these programs did not exist.
“The American”, starring George Clooney, is a good film with a familiar story line. Starting for me with “The Mechanic” the 1972 film with Charles Bronson or more recent “Transporter” series, all following the fastest gun in the west theme, “Hired Guns” can never retire and find peace. What makes this film spectacular and worthy of repeat viewings is the combination of Clooney’s understated performance and the director’s (Anton Corbijn) eye for breath-taking beauty.
The photos available from this movie are limited and mundane, which is unfortunate. This film is so visually impressive that it overshadows any short comings in the plot and is worth seeing more then one.
Michael Caine has had one of the most consistent acting careers, having been featured in over 100 films and more if you include TV, walk ons etc. He has been working his craft for sixty plus years and we might expect that he would be tiring, or wanting to phone in his performance. That has not been the case. His are always consistent and good, at times “great”- he is a good hire for any director
Michael Caine in The Quiet American-photo by Phil Bray
This weekend, catching up on the many films that I had never seen, I took a look at Harry Brown, which recalled for me Michael Caine as Harry Palmer in the Ipcress Files, both reluctant warriors.
Harry Brown co-stars Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer in what might be considered your standard revenge thriller or even “let’s” take back our neighborhood story, which it is sort of, but what makes this movie different is Michael Caine’s performance and the soundtrack. So a hand should be given to the director Daniel Barber, for taking a classical theme and making it more interesting.
Two of Michael Caine’s movies that stand out for me are Hannah and Her Sisters the perfect movie and the Quiet American. Others that I am still fixated with and will watch over and over are “The Hand” and “Dress to Kill”. There are probably another 40 films that he has made that I enjoy watching and find something new and different about his performance, Michael Caine, good guy.
