kitties, many movie reviews

We had a lovely lazy Sunday morning (12/23) before Michael left for a few errands while I headed downstairs to try to make this a very productive day.  I kicked off Miss Scarlett, and continued to work on the borders of my FPF.  When my honey got home, he made me a smurfy breakfast: 

to keep my energy up while I was working  :~).  

By the time I finished for the day to head upstairs, I had the first (white) border on the FPF quilt:  

and had made the second and final black border:  

My quilting was done on the first Prayers & Squares quilt: 

and I had several more blocks completed of the last retreat quilt:  

Of course, my babies were with me the entire time.....squished in their bed:

I’d call that a very good day!

***MMR – Michael’s Movie Reviews ***

(a plethora of reviews for your reading pleasure)

THE GREEN BOOK – Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali star in this movie and two more different people you could not put together in this very different “road picture”.  Ali plays Don Shirley, a brilliant black pianist (during the 1960’s) whose concert tour through the deep south is in dire needs of a bodyguard.  He hires Tony Lip (Viggo), a tough talking bouncer from the Bronx.  A relationship develops as they travel from one city to the next and each learns to appreciate the qualities of each other by the trip’s end.  Why a black artist chose to travel the south in the 60’s, and what The Green Book is, are just 2 of the things I learned from this movie.  A true story, well acted, funny, sad, heart warming and one of the best movies I have seen this year!  I give it FIVE fat quarters out of FIVE!!

CREED II – Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lungren.  The movie is a boxing, revenge, and family story.  Adonis Creed, son of the late Apollo Creed, has become the heavy weight champion and Drago’s son (Apollo Creed fought Drago in an earlier movie and was killed by him) is compelled to fight the son of Apollo!  So, the revenge match is set up – son against son.  The boxing scenes are well choreographed and not for the faint of heart.  And behind the boxing are sub-plots about Rocky and Adonis, Adonis and his wife and baby, Adonis and his mother and even Drago and his son.  All comes to a head in the second (yes, second) Adonis vs Drago match-up!  The plot is predictable, but it is presented well and worth a viewing.  I give it 3 at quarters out of 5.

THE MULE – starring and directed by Clint Eastwood.  Another movie inspired by true events!  Eastwood plays a man whose lifelong business and passions (growing day lilies and his flower shop) have failed.  He is also estranged from his whole family (wife and daughter) and now he is poor and alone.  At his granddaughter’s pre-wedding party, he hooks up with a man who gives him a card to contact someone who needs a driver.  This leads to him becoming a ‘mule’….a person who illegally transports drugs from state to state.  The story revolves around his new ‘job’ and his relationships with his family.  It’s a complex story interwoven with DEA agents and family, drug cartels and the ending is thought provoking.  Well acted (with a cameo by Andy Garcia).  Clint Eastwood (at 80+) is outstanding and so is this movie.  I give it 4 fat quarters out of 5.

ROBIN HOOD (2018) = Jamie Foxx as Little John (all other main characters played by relative unknowns!)  This is NOT your father’s Robin Hood.  Even though this movie bears little resemblance to the original, it’s almost like a prequel.  It’s full of action, a twisty plot, some romance, and unbelievable stunts!  Arrows fly, horses jump, cardinals want to take over the English government and Robin Hood has to save the day!  If you don’t care about historical accuracy, this is a movie you can enjoy with a bucket of popcorn and a soda!  I give it 3 fat quarters out of 5.

This is an incredibly thorough, thoughtful and informative piece….but it is also very scary when you realize (if you haven’t already based on everything that has been happening) the personality of the person in charge of our country.  And the revolving door of people being fired continues: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/22/us/politics/trump-two-years.html