2 Snouts Up for "You Kill Me"

(:)(:) for You Kill Me, directed by John Dahl (Red Rock West) and starring Ben Kingsley and Tea Leoni in theaters everywhere. First of all, haven't we had enough of the hit-man with a heart of gold genre? I know I have. I love The Sopranos tv series as much as, probably more than, the next guy, but it's got to stop.

Under no circumstances let your wanton love of the genre, or even, as in our case, your love of Buffalo and 12-step groups, to lead you to break down and see this absolute dog of a film. Nothing about this movie which centers on a "Buffalo" hit-man forced to move to San Franciso to enter a "12-step program" and meets a "girlfriend" works on any level.

The quotes above are used advisedly. I will address them in turn. First "Buffalo." I married a Buffalo boy, went to law school and lived here for 3 years. I'm in Buffalo now. The movie was filmed in Winnipeg where they managed to find a house and some snow that look like Buffalo. Ben Kingsley, however, is not even vaguely believable as a member of a tiny Buffalo "Polish" mafia. He doesn't look or sound Polish or Buffalo in any way. Nor do the other actors in the Polish gang. They don't even sound midwestern, or Great Lake-ish broadly defined. There is no sense of place created by any of the other unrealistic, sometimes downright Canadian-looking, outside shots.

Secondly, "12-step program." Traditions of anonymity prevent me from sharing all the reasons that I know this, but let's just say no 12-step program worth its salt would rally to help a man who kills people for a living stop drinking so that he can kill people better. Theoretically, it's a funny premise, but it works on NO level. My husband has never set foot in a 12-step meeting and found it ludicrous and stupid.

Thirdly, "girlfriend." It simply stretches credibility to the breaking point to assume that gorgeous (if thin) Tea Leoni, playing a successful television ad exec in San Francisco, would be so desperately lonely (because all men are gay) that she is reduced to dating a self-proclaimed drunken hit man who works part-time in a funeral home. There is no chemistry between them and while Leoni gamely makes the most of her lines and seems to have fun with this irredeemable script, nothing can rise above the basic idiocy of the plot.

If you're desperate for movies about hit men, watch Gross Pointe Blank (1997) starring John Cusack and Minnie Driver, directed by George Armitage, which was fresh and funny, despite its hellish premise. Or I give you permission to watch the over-rated and predictable, yet entertaining alternative, Analyze This (1999) starring Billy Crystal and Robert DeNiro directed by Harold Ramis which at least works on its own terms.

Four Snouts Up for You Tube--CNN Presidential Debate

(:)(:)(:)(:)for the You Tube--CNN Democratic Presidential debate last night broadcast on CNN. I found this a very refreshing and sometimes disarming debate to watch. Anderson Cooper did a surprisingly good job of moving through the new format where the Democratic presidential candidates responded to crudely produced You Tube video questions (displayed on individual computer screens in front of each candidate along with a small subscreen for the television audience--presumably the quality was too low to blow them up to full screen size).

What made the debate disarming was the candor of the questions. I'd judge that at least 50 percent of them were questions I simply would not want to field as a front runner--and only a few were out and out softballs. For example, a question directed to Hillary: how do you justify the possibility of two families (Bush and Clinton) dominating the white house for 28 consecutive years? Another: would you work for the minimum wage if that's what the presidency paid?

Some were cute but policy-oriented, a snowman asks "how will you address global warming so that my son can live out a normal life?" Others quite odd, two "good old boys" commenting on the speculation about Al Gore getting into the race. Wondering, "does that hurt y'all's feelings?"

This was actually the first debate I've watched this year. I thought that Edwards comported himself extremely well, with bold decisive answers on health care, nuclear energy and other issues. He seemed to genuinely enjoy the format and the questions and took it all with good humor. Frontrunners Obama and Clinton had a lot more to lose.

All this talk about Obama being a progressive seemed ludicrous to me after watching this debate. Obama seemed visibly uncomfortable to me. As far as I'm concerned he waffled on everything from health care to nuclear power to putting his kids in private school.

Hillary put decades of waffling experience to use, waffling much better than Obama and coming off like the pro she is. She didn't make me want her to be President, just more fearful that we might have to contend with her as the nominee.

Of the lesser candidates, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson and Joe Biden were all pretty impressive. Dodd especially good on the environment. Richardson was passionate on covering undocumented workers for health care, clearly campaigning for the latino vote. Biden was excellent on the war and wierd but effective on gun control. Kucinich was sweet with his comb-over and ernest face.

Garcia vs. Parra--How Republicans Don't Serve Their Constituents II

And another thing about Republicans in the California legislature, they don't vote their district, even when they win a tough election. They cow tow to a minority of the party instead of their constituents. Case in point Bonnie Garcia (R-Palm Springs). In 2004 she picks off a Democratically leaning Assembly district in a squeaker of an election. You'd think she'd be watching her back, voting somewhere near the middle, giving her constituents what they think they'd be getting from a latina legislator.

Well, in her first term, she might have given the Democrats like two tough votes (maybe she was one of the budget votes). Those two votes, coupled with telling the public that she wouldn't kick the Guvernator out of bed, got her labled a "moderate" from the press.

But the rest of the time, she's right there with the Republican pac(k): anti-
environment, anti-consumer, anti-working family, right down the line. She rides this "moderate" label into an easy victory for a second term. Now, the budget is late and she's showing no signs of moderation.

Contrast this to Nicole Parra (D-Bakersfield)who campaigned as a progressive in a hotly contested Democratic primary in 2002, won the general election by a coupla hundred votes and then proceeded to become a "50 percent vote"--meaning she votes the right way 50% of the time. The other half of the time she's voting like a Republican (see above).

Why is that Republicans are called moderate just for flirting with the Governor and the Budget and Democrats actually worry about watching their back with constituents?

My guess is that the answer is a combination of corporate money and lazy media. The media is complicit in this, never pointing out that Republicans routinely vote against the interests of average people. And many legislators want an excuse to sell out to big corporations which means for tow the Republican line, or move over to it.

Three and a Half Snouts Up for "the Golden Door" at the Crest Theater

(:)(:)(:)(;) for The Golden Door directed by Emanuele Crieslese in Italian, now showing at the marvelous Crest Theater in downtown Sacramento (and probably at a theater near you). This film makes captivating cinematic choices as it centers on a fascinating subject: a turn-of-the-last-century Sicilian family's long travel to the new world (indeed the original Italian movie title is Nuovomondo).

I loved the verisimilitude (which, btw, Stephen Colbert, is the original "truthiness" there was no need for you to coin a new word), the faces, the guttural Italian, the eccentricities of the voyage. I was fascinated by the entry process at Ellis Island.

My single favorite moment in the movie is when the men are settling into their bunks on the ship and our Sicilian protagonist observes that it is weird to be surrounded by "foreigners." His bunk neighbor explains that they are all Italian. The concept of a national identity as Italian seems completely new to him. My guess is that this is extremely realistic and a fascinating change of identity that occurred as a result of large-scale immigration.

In the end though, there was too much unspoken, too many unconnected threads for me to be completely wrapped up in the story. At times I felt like I was watching a movie at an immigration museum, instead of a feature film. True, the surreal segments depicting an immigrant's idea of the boundless wealth of America were far from museum-fare, but I also felt pretty distant from them.

I suspect that fans of the more ponderous abstract European films would find more than enough plot and character development to go around. I didn't ... quite. Still, I highly recommend seeing the film if only because of the subject matter.

Why Ain't Schwarzenegger Got No Environmental Coattails in his Party?

Despite lots of lip service and some actual action from the titular head of the party, Republicans in the California Legislature continue to vote in lock-step against pro-environment measures. Leading me to wonder, why doesn't Schwarzenegger have any followers in his own party?

Two recent examples of Republican legislative insanity:

1) in the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee last week, amidst a huge scandal at the state Air Resources Board, Committee member Senator Tom Harman (R-Costa Mesa) praised AB 233 by Assemblymember Dave Jones which would require the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to develop and adopt a comprehensive plan for the enforcement of ARB's diesel emission control regulations and increase penalties for violations of idling restrictions. He made a lengthy statement about the need for these improvements and for cleaner air. He then proceeded to vote "No" on the measure. Fortunately there were enough Democrats on the committee to pass the measure without his vote.

2) Assemblyman Cameron Smyth (R-Glendale) whose official bio brags that he is "the Vice Chair of the important Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee" routinely praises pro-environmental legislation that comes before the committee. He talks openly about the need for protecting the environment and then he proceeds to vote "no" or "stay off" the same legislation. "Stay off" is Capitol-speak for failing to vote, the effect of which is the same as a no vote on the legislation whether in committee or on the floor.

Having lived in the northeast part of this country for a time, I have compassion for the assemblymember. Mr. Cameron Smyth, dear, I wish to inform you that there are parts of New York state in which you can play tennis, drink cocktails at the club, and vote for the environment to your hearts' content all the while retaining your safe Republican assembly seat (note: you must continue to rail against public employee unions no matter what).

But as to Mr. Harman and the rest of the California Republicans: take a freakin' clue, people! Your constituents want to breath clean air, drink clean water and have their children play on non toxic play equipment. Some of them may even want to see an animal or tree once in a while, to shoot it if nothing else. You're term limited. You'll be out of a job soon. You have hardly a prayer of getting elected statewide with your voting record on the environment (to say nothing of health care). Why not grab the political cover of your party's only popular and dynamic figure and watch his back in the legislature then ride it to victory statewide?

And, Ah-nold? Why not back a slate of pro-environment candidates against these jokers in the next primary? They do nothing for you!

SF's De Young Museum and Green's Restaurant on the Luckiest Day of the Year

(:)(:)(:)(:) for Golden Gate Park's newly refurbished De Young Museum. Gorgeous building, eclectic but huge collection. Admission is expensive, spring for the audio tour and plan to stay a while. Don't miss the Bay Area Beat room or the post abstract modernists or whatever they're called. Also very powerful is a piece comprised entirely of the charred remains of one of the Southern Black Baptist churches that were fire-bombed. Take a trip to the top of the tower for a spectacular view of the city.

(:)(:)(:) for a forgettable meal at Green's Restaurant. At $48 prix fixe menu, this famous vegetarian restaurant delivered not one memorable dish (and we tasted virtually everything on the menu. However the atmosphere and the setting (right on the water at sunset in the Marina, reconditioned army barracks) are unforgettable. Outside our window as we were seated, "hello, I'm Tom, I'll be your blue heron this evening."

The company, conversation, wine and food were all tasty and enjoyable too.

Three Snouts up for Frisco Institution--"Beach Blanket Babylon"

(:)(:)(:) for "Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon" at Club Fugazi in San Francisco's North Beach. The best part about this play is eating at Il Pollaio, a North Beach long time hole-in-the-wall around the corner from the play at 555 Columbus Avenue (near the corner of Green) which I give four snouts (it would need atmosphere to get another snout). Il Pollaio has an unforgettable eggplant salad with an amazing amount of garlic (imperative to share it with your date if you want to get laid that night), spectacular sour dough bread, crispy perfect roast chickens and fresh lovely salads (also a gorgeous waiter). Our meal for two came to $32 including tip with wine.

The play on the other hand, is notable only for its institution-ness, gigantic headdresses (the Tina Turner hair must have been 8 feet high) and some outstanding vocal talent. Otherwise, it's strictly pitched at mainstream American tourists, nothing that wouldn't get put on CBS primetime. I also surprisingly found it vaguely homophobic and overtly racist (Bill says it wasn't homophobic, just run of the mill gay jokes, references to Gavin Newsome-style weddings, Brokeback Mountain and King Louis being gay because he wears pink all were HILARIOUS, gag).

Some of the political humor was funny though--we liked the designated hot bod girl as Nancy Pelosi singing Leader of the Pack in all leather on a motorcycle backed up by Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein (who was, I confess, a man in drag). Also liked an Elvis-style Bill Clinton with massive hair getting in the way of Hillary's election by flirting with every woman in sight (I forget what they sang).

For some reason seeing this play reminds me of my friend Abe Opincar's take on the city, "San Francisco is full of Americans pretending they're in Europe and Europeans pretending they're in America."

This play has an audience full of mid-western and central valley-ites (California's midwest) pretending they're in San Francisco.

A health care advocate's take on Sicko

(:)(:)(:)(:) for Sicko directed by Michael Moore now playing in theaters everywhere (I hope). Even though Ralph and Mike are at odds, I consider this another great Nader date movie--Bill and I and the two or three other couples who both worked for Ralph Nader are so blessed to have this genre.

We loved this film. I laughed, mostly I cried, and I walked out with a renewed sense of how much of a crucial difference in real people's lives it would make to have national health insurance.

As someone who spent a decade working for almost every major organization in the country that fights for universal health care, I expected to agree with this film; I didn't expect to learn much.

I was wrong on both counts. I didn't agree with all the film-maker's choices and I learned a few things. If Michael Moore's goal was to make a film which could convince mainstream audiences that they'd be better off under national health insurance, he could have shown a little more restraint. In France he should have stopped short of showing us the amazing state-funded childcare and laundry services and in Cuba, he should have simply pointed out that a poor nation like that can afford good health care. By setting up a totalitarian society as an example, he risks undermining his whole point: we can do this here in America, national health insurance is compatible with a capitalist democratic system.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm not the target audience here. My resume reads like that of a socialist girl scout. From 1992 to 2002 I worked as an advocate for single payer health care for Public Citizen, Physicians for a National Health Program, Neighbor to Neighbor and the California Nurses Association.

My father was an activist college professor who marched for Democratic Socialists of America. He used to say a socialist "is a communist with 3 children." At age 12, I stood in Balboa Park for hours collecting data for a study I was doing about people's views on publicly-funded programs.

What I learned that day was later confirmed as a health care advocate, most Americans still think they hate Socialism and government-run anything, even while they depend upon the fire department, library, post office and schools. I have even heard people in focus groups say, I kid you not, "let the government keep its hands off of my Medicare."

In other words, Americans want national health insurance...without the government.

What I learned in this movie was that I carry a buried pain in me from living in a society that has been duped by doctors and HMOs into not taking care of its own.

With health care reform likely to fall apart on the California legislature's watch yet again, and a compromised Hilary Clinton a leading contender for U.S. President, what Moore most accomplished for me is to revive a latent dream of mine to move to Paris and become a deliriously happy ex-pat.

See the film, and join me on the Left Bank.

A bientot, enjoy the Fourth of July!

Three and a Half Snouts Up for Evan Almighty

(:)(:)(:)(: for Evan Almighty directed by Tom Shadyac, starring Steve Carell playing in theaters now. I loved this movie, yet I give it only 3 1/2 snouts out of a possible five. Why? Because I can tell that not everyone is the target demographic: people who used to live in Buffalo and DC and focus on politics who now focus on God--in other words, me.

Other critics have panned it as being too expensive to make, not funny enough and too didactic. I found it charming, disarming, thought-provoking, hilarious and fun and I don't know or care how much it cost to make. It cost me $6.50 to see at a matinee.

I think it helps if you go to the film thinking you're seeing a spiritual film, rather than a comedy. For a spiritual film it is side-splittingly funny. For a comedy, it's disturbingly spiritual. This is also a perfect family film--kids will enjoy the animals, Steve Carell's weird beard and the wild boat ride. My kids will like the environmental message.

And everyone's got to like Morgan Freeman as God--as far as I'm concerned, Morgan Freeman is God.