The Last Legs of Sunset 5

It's always sad when one of your favorite movie theaters is going under, even if you haven't been there in years. You remember films you loved and hated there, the friends and old beaus you saw and argued about the films with, etc.

I had time to kill last week while my car was being repaired so I ventured over to Sunset 5. Hardly anything is left! Virgin Megastore is an empty shell, no more Buzz coffee, no more CPK - pretty much nothing but Sunset 5 and Crunch gym (where they first offered pole dancing classes).

Once Arclight and Landmark hit the scene they robbed from Sunset 5's indie fare, getting the most popular titles in that market. Leaving only the runts of the litter at Sunset 5. I had only heard of one title there and chose the French film - A CHRISTMAS TALE - because of Catherine Deneauve and I also hoped I'd be transported to beautiful Paris via an engaging tale that afternoon.

Not so much. Catherine played a distant mother and grandmother who smoked cigarettes and showed off her stunning legs whenever possible. Her despised (even by her since birth) son becomes the only one who can donate bone marrow to save her life and is invited to Christmas for the first time in years by his suicidal teen-age nephew.

Ominous music and titles introduce each day that week which consist of wife swapping, fist fights, booze and more cigarettes, crying jags mixed with intellectual ponderings, and talk of the new girlfriend having an ass like Angela Bassett. Unfortunately, none of this was ever engaging. I never cared.

It made me long for "Home for the Holidays" or even an afternoon escape with "Four Christmases".

Oh well, found a good mechanic and that was worth the price of admission!

"The Scream" Sunset

LA's sky looks like the background of Edvard Munch's master painting "The Scream" right now. Streaked lines of fuscia, purple, burnt orange, yellow and deep blue in random order.

Incredible!

I'm sure it's still residue from the fires. But from tragedy and ashes, beauty can arise.

Or maybe it's a brilliantly colorful chaotic bkgd to the current world events.

Whatever it is - if you are in LA - run outside NOW!

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE - the year's first must see!!!

On deadline for a project (I can tell 'cause I'm running errands with mad scientist hair and not bathing before the sun sets) so I'll write more on SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE later.

An incredibly beautiful, sometimes dark and life affirming film all at once. A modern fairy tale with Danny Boyle's signature kinetic and visual style. See it when it comes to your town - it's a cross-over film like LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL and AMELIE. More on it to come...

Nosy Nelly Tours and Scores at McMenamin's Edgefield!

Okay - it is a glorified vacation video.

That said, you are going to get a gander at THEE GREATEST PUB RESORT ON EARTH!!!

Check it out here:

Amazing Sight

So yesterday morning I saw a dude on a unicycle with a coffee in one hand, books in the other AND he was unicycling down a hill during rush hour! He must be both highly balanced and insane!

Haven't blogged in a while - got my real estate license and some funny stories to tell with that one about our ghetto word association practice sessions in Santa Ana.

Gotta study the issues now! But my two cents are yes on 1A (high speed rail) and on R (subway - we need it badly!).

NOOOOOO on Prop 8! And go OBAMA!!!

My Life as a Guru

Here's the latest Nosy Nelly installment as I reinvent myself as a house guru.

Obviously, I am voting NO on prop. 8. Don't make Ellen return her wedding gifts ;)

Walks With Harvey

Things spotted this week:

An older Asian woman softly hitting her butt against a palm tree while a younger Asian woman opened her arms up and out to a palm tree right next to it.
What's with all the tree stuff? Does this have to do with chi? If you know, let me know.

A Hispanic man sleeping face down on the ground in front of a psychic/palm reading house on 6th street/Wilton.

The bed of a pick-up truck jam packed with old televisions - some were huge, just no plasmas.

An African-American dude pulling out of a pkng lot with the rap music turned up BOOMING LOUD. The rap lost its tough effect as it was booming out of a Mini-Cooper. Not so gangsta.

One flute practice and two piano practices.

A bunch of Hispanic kids at a ballooned birthday party. They shouted "puppy, puppy" and walked with gleaming eyes towards Harvey. Unfortunately, I am still teaching Harve how to react to kids (he gets lungy, playful bitey) so I had to lead him off to the children's dismay.

The pooch down the block leaning out of the second floor window. I'll post the picture next time. He's a calm dude perched up there, takin' it all in.

Two Asian woman looking like beekeepers as they wore ultra long visors with material draped around it and their faces. You could only see glimpses of their eyes if you approached them straight on.

An older man walking with a cane up a Griffith Park trail to the observatory. It was super hot and I was ready to turn around when I saw him. Realized I needed to get it in gear and persevere!