Webbready

The first day of May was wet and warm, but the rest of this week is cool, as though it were April. Still, it is time for spring cleaning and for sunshine as summer is just around the corner.

Usually, April is a month which is a transition month, one that is warm enough to be spring but not consistent enough to schedule events. It’s more predictable than March, and I am of the belief that after this weekend, winter will be behind us once again.

Leaves will soon be on the trees and spring will return once more.

The weather turned cold, but has heated up again. Spring has returned and the days continue to lengthen.

It is late February, but the temperature is in the high 60’s for the week, so this warm weather is an unexpected bounty of nature. I am happy for the weather and the lack of snow.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Production Company: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Director: Gareth Edwards
Screenplay: Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy
Story: John Knoll and Gary Whitta

Star Wars is a name that is embedded into pop culture so deeply that it has escaped the bounds of the films that make up its core. Still, the franchise best known for the series of films that brought us unique characters joined with a brilliant design, a vibrant soundscape, impressive action, and a thrilling score. While there are interconnected movies and television shows that flesh out this universe, the core movies are considered to be the essence of the franchise, and even when the franchise misfires, its characters are certainly not forgettable.

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is the most recent attempt at fleshing out the Star Wars universe, and unlike other tie-in material, this film is marketed as an essential companion piece to the main movies.  The entire plot of the movie hinges on an intriguing question: “How did the rebellion get the plans to the iconic Death Star in Star Wars?”  From there more questions follow, such as “What was the rebellion like?” and “How did the politics of the Empire lead to iconic battles seen in the films?” This film attempts to answer them while trying to tell a distinctive story of its own.

It starts impressively enough with an opening scene of a scientist, Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), taken away from his family as his young daughter, Jyn is forced to hide from Imperial troopers.  The story then skips several years later with Jyn fully grown (now played by Felicity Jones), in Imperial prison.  The audience is then taken to a back alley to be introduced to Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), and soon we are taken to another location, and another location as these movies tend to do. The coherence in the story is quickly lost, which hinders the emotional payoff of these different threads.

Technically, this movie is amazing, especially with the digital re-insertion of actors in their prime.  In fact, I was substantially more impressed by the computer generated characters than the one, fairly obvious body-actor recast.  From a special effect standpoint to the sound of the movie, this is a pleasure to watch and listen to…if you’re not trying to pay attention to what is going on.

The immediate problem with this film is like the prequels, the conclusion is foregone.  Any victory will be temporary at best given the decisive battle occurs in a near 40-year old move, and yet the plan will succeed in part because the plot demands it. Unlike the prequels, the characters are completely flat in spite of the immense potential for dramatic irony.  For all of the annoyance of certain CGI creations, they were memorable; no one will ever forget Jar-Jar Binks.  Here, only the droid K-S20 (Alan Tudyk) came across as true, unique character of his own, although the guardian partners (Donnie Yen and Jiann Wen), if fleshed out a little more and given a true character arc, would have stood out.

In fact this movie feels like three different movies stitched together.  The first third is typical Star Wars fare, except crammed so much in a short period of time that exposition replaces character dynamics and makes the plot as clear as mud. Jyn and Saw Guerrera’s reunion is especially egregious on this front.  The second is a tense moral dilemma that the protagonists are handily absolved of firsthand.  The third is a war movie/heist hybrid, except without the clarity necessary to make the action scenes work.  Because of this I spent nearly the entire movie confused.

There are also some problems with the visual direction at times, especially in action scenes.  Some of the visual confusion is intentional to illustrate the “fog of war” but the vast majority of it is unclear visual imagery. What makes Star Wars so appealing is that even if an audience member can’t follow the story, the events that are shown on screen are coherent, enhancing the tale that is told. “Rogue One” does not do this.  Instead, it rests its entire weight on its premise; take it away and this is a below average blockbuster movie, with nothing of its own to stand on.

What should you call a Star Wars movie that is set in the Star Wars universe, but features Star Wars characters on the periphery, has muddy action, a muddy plot, and bland characters? Neither “A Star Wars Story” nor a good movie.

It’s a new year and there is a new beginning for the next 364 days to follow. Here is to hoping events will turn out positively.

Another year is about to close, and yet the more things change, the more they stay the same. This blog remains empty aside from the occasional burst of expression.

Perhaps that is the way of life.

On a recent trip, I visited two of my out-of-town relatives who were in facilities for the long-term care of people who could not care for themselves. These names vary. Some are considered “skilled-nursing facilities,” others are called “long term acute care facilities” and finally, some are labeled as “rehabilitation centers.” However, there is a term, albeit not genteel, that describes them aptly.

Nursing homes.

There are some who are admitted to nursing homes for long-term rehabilitation. These people have a capacity to recover, but cannot perform rehabilitation at home. One of my relatives is in this position and may even be out of the facility as of this writing.

Another relative is not so lucky. She is among those who are admitted because they have chronic 24 hour care needs that cannot be met by families. Many of these faces, usually older, populate the halls or the full beds in the rooms.  Despite the perception that nursing homes are solely for those stricken with dementia, many are very much within their right minds, but they simply cannot use their bodies in ways to care for themselves. I have never been to jail, but I will admit these places are prisons. For the ones who are not lucky enough to improve, nursing homes, despite the efforts of the staff, are literal death traps. The people within cannot leave and will likely die there.

It concerns me that for all the causes célèbre that get attention, that those living in nursing homes are considered forgotten.  Celebrities will take time out of their day to stage a photo-op for sick children, and some even make it a point to regularly personally visit.  Other groups, be they veterans, cancer survivors, domestic abuse victims, the homeless, and even companion animals will tug at the heartstrings.

However, when it comes to those who are in nursing homes, there is no large-scale collective effort to make sure their needs are met.  There are agencies and ombudsmen, of course, and no one will publicly vilify those who reside in these facilities.  At the same time, there are few famous faces who will make it their mission to ensure that every resident of nursing homes be treated fairly. Instead, responsibility falls solely on the family, which can be unfair. Not every person is able to take in a sick relative and give round-the-clock care, and in many cases, there is no immediate family that can do that.  If we would not blame a child’s family for bearing a child with a chronic condition, why blame people for the condition of their parents?  If we can help orphans, why not help the childless as well?

I cannot start such an effort.  I have neither the talent nor the resources to even begin, but as a matter of practicality, someone has to.  As a our population ages, those of us who are lucky enough to be alive and walking around may soon find ourselves in the unlucky category, and it will not be possible to sweep the growing lump of dirt under the rug any longer.

This Saturday, I had the privilege of visiting Baltimore and went to a restaurant, Bo Brooks.

Normally, I would not have dined at this establishment as I do not venture out of town often and to Baltimore even less often. However, this restaurant was recommended by one of my relatives, and I am glad I took the recommendation. The food was excellent! I ate fries with a delicious crab meat sauce and lobster ravioli that filled my stomach to the rim. It was delicious food, cooked, seasoned, and presented splendidly. The service was wonderful as well.

Obviously, this is a rare treat as my budget and my geography do not allow me to become a regular visitor of Bo Brooks. Still, I got to live a little, and that was nice.

Normally, when summer ends, the temperatures fall.  Sometimes they plummet.  Other times they float and sway downward like falling leaves. However, by the end of September, I am usually debating as to whether or not to turn on the heat, or just to head off winter’s approach just a little bit longer.

Summer, this year, has decided to give a long goodbye.

I know summer will leave soon.  The days have already grown shorter and the leaves on the trees are changing, albeit a little slower than they normally do.  I can feel the crisp coolness in the air.  It will be time for jackets and later boots — just not yet.

Summer is letting me down easy and I can’t complain.  I’m going to miss this weather and I want to savor the warmness as long as I can.