Raising Cain

Titel: Raising Cain / Cains många ansikten
Genre: Thriller/Mysterium
Land: USA
År: 1992
Regi: Brian De Palma
I rollerna: John Lithgow, Lolita Davidovich, Steven Bauer, Gregg Henry

Handling: Jenny Nix, gift med barnpsykologen Carter Nix, blir mer och mer orolig över sin mans tvångsbeteende kring uppfostran av deras dotter. Men hennes egna vänsterprassel med en gammal flamma gör att hon missköter sina moderliga plikter ända tills några kidnappningar i området får henne att vakna till.

Omdöme: Brian De Palma har haft en svängig karriär som regissör, men en sak är säker - hans stora inspirationskälla är Alfred Hitchcock. Vissa gånger blir det kanske lite övertydligt, men det är trots allt kul att se och han har gjort ett flertal "Hitchcock-filmer" med blandat resultat. Oftast blandar han in drömmar och mardrömmar i historierna vilket gör att man efter ett tag inte längre vet vad man ska tro på. Det är något han gör här och effekten av det hela blir tyvärr att man då är beredd på att vad som helst kan vara en dröm.



Men filmen har också dess starka sidor. Det han lyckas bäst med är fotot som bjuder på några fina vinklar och framförallt en väldigt lång kameraåkning som håller på i flera minuter och tar oss mellan flera våningar där tre personer ständigt är i rörelse och pratar hela tiden. Riktigt skickligt utfört. Den andra saken som står ut är slutuppgörelsen som är riktigt elegant ihopsatt med det fallande regnet, slow motion och klippningen som gör att man får till det hela. Annars är det John Lithgow som får spela ut hela sitt register i tre roller som bör uppmärksammas. En halvmysig film, men inte en av De Palmas bättre då den är för ojämn.

3 - Skådespelare
3 - Handling
4 - Känsla
3 - Musik
4 - Foto
--------------
17 - Totalt

Betyg:
IMDb: 5.6

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Titel: Breakfast at Tiffany's / Breakfast at Tiffany's
Genre: Drama/Komedi/Romantik
Land: USA
År: 1961
Regi: Blake Edwards
I rollerna: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Martin Balsam

Handling: Holly Golightly är en charmerande excentrisk playgirl i New York som är fast besluten att gifta sig rikt. Till lägenheten ovanför henne flyttar en författare som "sponsras" av en förmögen kvinna. Han blir genast betagen av Holly och gör allt för att få henne att inse att han är den ende rätta för henne.

Omdöme: Denna klassiska romantiska dramakomedi kretsar kring den vilda tjejen Holly Golightly som kommit till New York från landsbyggden. Hon bor ihop med sin katt utan namn och hennes favoritplats är utanför juveleraren Tiffany's tidigt på morgonen när gatorna är tomma. Paul Varjak är en författare som flyttar in i lägenheten ovanför henne och snart har de skapat en vänskap mellan varandra som kan ha djupare känslor under ytan.



Audrey Hepburn är bedårande att se i dessa romantiska filmer med sitt utseende och sitt sätt att vara. Det är inte svårt att tycka om henne, även om karaktären hon spelar här inte är den trevligaste man sett, men ändå charmig. George Peppard står inte ut på samma sätt, men spelar genomgående kontrollerat. Hade gärna sett en ung James Stewart i hans roll, hade varit helt perfekt. Filmens handling kretsar kring dessa två, men deras relation är inte så uppenbar då båda har intressen på annat håll, som är mer komplicerade än man först tror. Hon har även en bror i armén som hon inte sett på många år och som hon saknar. Därför kallar hon bl.a. Paul för Fred, som hennes bror heter.



Filmen börjar som en komedi och jag tycker väl inte den fungerar så bra som detta. Det är ändå Blake Edwards som står för regin och han gjorde bara några år senare Rosa Pantern-filmerna som är riktigt roliga. Däremot kommer filmen mer och mer in på ett mer dramatiskt spår som tillsammans med deras känslor för varann gör att filmen växer. Man dras då lätt in i filmens andra halva och även om man sett liknande historier tidigare, har denna en speciell dragningskraft som man får genom Audrey Hepburn och framförallt den underbara musiken.



Den Oscarsbelönade musiken av Henry Mancini är verkligen underbar och när man hör titelmelodin "Moon River" till scenerna med Audrey Hepburn smälter man nästan. Det är en oslagbar kombination som vem som helst bara måste uppskatta. Och när man kommer fram till den klassiska slutscenen då regnet faller, musiken spelas och ja, jag ska inte avslöja mer, men det är filmmagi och ger rysningar. Jag kan bara hålla med de som tycker att det är bland de bästa sluten man sett i en film. Och titelmusiken kan jag inte sluta tänka på - enkel, men suverän.

3 - Skådespelare
3 - Handling
4 - Känsla
4 - Musik
3 - Foto
--------------
17 - Totalt

Betyg:
IMDb: 7.8

Cisco

There has been a gaggle of baby knitting going on over here - a very important little person is coming into the world and I've made it my personal mission to instill a high wool tolerance, nay, dependence on the little one.

Also - baby stuff can make anyone feel like a super knitter - little projects that give you the similar types of construction satisfaction (sometimes) as larger garments, take about a tenth of the time, and give you an excuse to play with all those beautiful yarns you were saving for something special but didn't have enough of to make anything substantial with. Works for me!


Now, Cisco. Here's a project that is almost too cute for it's own good. You know, the project that makes you giggle as you work because it's so darned cute... and because you know that any little head when wrapped in little ears like this will be ten times more likely to induce cute-baby-sighs.

Pattern: Cisco [Free Pattern from the Berroco Design Team] [Ravel it!]
Materials: "Lazy Daisy" Handspun light-worsted-weight 2-Ply Merino from Pigeonroof Studios; Scraps of Solid Brown Cascade "Cash Vero" for trim and I-cord
Size: With my very limited knowledge of baby sizing... I'd guess this came out to fit around a 6-12 month old
Needles: US 8/5mm circulars (the piece is knitted flat)
Start Date: March 1, 2009
Finish Date: March 8, 2009

The original pattern is written for various brightly colored yarns, striped together. I opted for a more subtle self-striping look. As I always say, when the yarn can do the work for you - just let it. And when you have the chance to put a little handspun to good use (with garter stitch) - do it.


I had just enough handspun left over from this hat to make a miniature - and the big bonus? The original hat was made for the baby mama... meaning yes, we have a matchy-matchy scenario on our hands. I love it. [See a photo of the un-knit handspun here]

There are some fun and clever little construction details on this - like the formation of the ears, mitered forehead point, and shaped back-of-head portion. All pieces are knit flat, but picked up and worked directly off of one another, so no seaming is involved (brownie points).


Aside from the difference in yarn choices, I only made a few small modifications to the existing pattern. I omitted the stockinette center peak of the forehead - I liked the look better keeping it in garter, and rather than using YO increased, I worked raised bar increases to omit holes. I trimmed the whole thing in a solid contrasting color - one ridge of garter stitch with a bind off in purl from the RS. I left 3 live stitches at the base of each earflap as I was binding off and made them into I-cord. I made the I-cord just long enough to tie, but not so long as to be a dangling nuisance for parent or child.

I thought the ears, being the absolute best part of the little piece, needed a little extra pop so I worked a crochet chain in the darker solid around each ear to emphasize their shape. I think they look much better with it than they did before.


What a little gem of a pattern this is - highly recommended and definitely worthy of getting of the regular-baby-knits list if you ask me! Thanks to the lovely ladies of the Berocco DT for another winner!

Diary of a Makeup Artist.. Fingers Crossed.. Entry #10

I pitched an idea for a t.v. show to a friend of mine who is general manager of a studio here in town. This friend has had the pitch for a while. Well we finally met briefly today and said friend is on board and pitching it to the big dogs very soon. Keep your fingers crossed X X !!

Diary of a Makeup Artist or Makeup Tip #1.. Reluctant Advice Entry #9

visit my site www.maryrc.com

So I've been asked more than once... "What is your favorite makeup?" This is not an easy question to answer. If I had not taken my vow to NEVER sell makeup again, perhaps it would be an easy shout out.

After working at a makeup counter by shear circumstance, my experience showed me that one product is not for everyone. I became the worst Beauty Advisor because I liked to tell the truth, and that doesnt help your paycheck. Be wary of "Counter Girlz and MAC bots" they have quotas and sales goals to meet. What they don't tell you is that God made us different in so many ways, including our body chemistry and style. I find myself saying the following time and time again...

"My first rule of makeup is... There are no rules. If you can slap it on in 5 minutes or less and feel ready for the day, then baby you look marvelous. It's all about confidence and how you carry yourself."

"What works great for me, may not work for you. Some women can only use Oil of Olay and some can only use Chanel. So I say start at the drug store and work your way up. Just because it has a hefty price tag doesnt mean its perfect for everyone."
I'm not a brand junkie, except for maybe Christian Dior for work, but I don't personally wear the stuff. Foundation seems to be a difficult one for everyone... am I right? I was in Wal-Mart the other day and a lady was buying foundation and asking her husband to pick out the color! He was so not into it. I stepped in and handed her my card. She had a beautiful colored skin that not a single line could duplicate. I have the same issue, not one single color matches my skin, in fact I belive this is the case for most women. I always use more than one color of foundation at work.

My advice: Buy two shades that you can mix. I do this daily. I have two bottles, one light and one dark, one is a bit more olive and the other more pink, I fall somewhere in between like the lady in Wal Mart. I put a bit of both, depending on the season and my tone determines how much of each I add to the mix, on the back of my hand and mix with my finger. I dont totally totally mix it, I like to use the lighter bit under my eyes and down the ridge of my nose, then I really mix and cover the rest of my face. Maybelline is my foundation of choice these days... Age Rewind... works for me..

Favorite Things Swap...so fun!

CHECK THIS OUT!

Swapping was such a blast!  If I could have afforded it I'd have sent a box 10 times bigger with some of my favorite things.  If I could have sent Rob Pattinson dressed up as Edward, I'd have done that for all my friends.  LOL  But alas, this is the box I sent to Jaime in Wisconsin.

Here are the treasures Jaime sent me.  We have so much in common!

Muppets Take Manhattan - I love the Muppets, we've been on a You Tube Swedish Chef kick lately.

Hatari starring John Wayne - This will be new for me, there are so many old movies I'm itchin to see, and now I have one.

Books - Keeping Faith by Jodi Piccoult and Swapping Lives by Jane Green - SCORE! I've not read either of these, I am soooo stoked!

Homemade Bath Salts - I am a total bath junkie!  It's a thing for me.  I am looking forward to relaxing thanks to Jaime.

Cucumber Melon Hand Lotion - Smells yummy.

Animal Crackers and Tropical Mike and Ike's - A girl after my own heart, NO chocolate!

Candles - And zero crazy scents, clean and flowery!  I cant do food or musky scents.

THANK YOU JAIME!

And thanks to  Mamarazzi!

I'm definitely doing this again..

Your report card: “plays well with others”

A teacher wrote on her web page that she had “thrown the whole concept of ‘grading’ out the window and will now be awarding final marks based on attractiveness and charm.” Spoken, tongue in cheek, like the experienced teacher and mom that she is!

Isn’t it what you suspected of some of your teachers and many of your classmates and colleagues, though? When teams were chosen for games or work assignments, did you hope not to be among the last two grudgingly picked? What if you were the last job candidate standing, only because the others were ex-cons or tax evaders? Would you get “voted off” the island? Some people say they won’t use Internet dating sites because of rampant superficiality and judgments based on outward appearance. How mortifying to be graded on how you compare with others, instead of the special experience, knowledge, potential, and character you bring to the table.

You must admit that that’s the way of the world. The best-dressed, the slim, the young, the suntanned blonde, the popular – they always get the dates, the jobs, and the awards. Good Morning America found that indeed, men would not make passes at girls who wear glasses, at least not until they’d interacted socially a few times. We really are judged on appearance and behavior, attractiveness and charm, not necessarily on how we’ve performed or our potential to improve a situation. And there’s always a cuter person than you to compete with.

Yes, that’s the way of the world. But we, thank God, are not of this world! In fact, we are foreigners traveling here, and the kingdom of God (a spiritual realm) is our home. Our Lord “does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV.

In times of perceived injustice or disappointment, anyone who’s part of a church fellowship has heard this old saw (and may have used it, too!): “Don’t look at the people – look at Jesus!” This is meant to be an encouragement or comfort, but when you think about it carefully, it’s neither. We are not perfect people. We are wounded. We are sin-sick and in need of healing. But we are Christ’s body, joined together under Jesus, our head. If we can’t look at the members of Christ’s body and see Him represented, then something is very wrong. We have a responsibility, as individuals and as part of the whole, to uphold one another. Stones and mortar. Muscle cells and collagen. Papier maché and glue. Up and up – to the sky.

“I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:1-7 NIV.

Notice that none of those “worthy” characteristics is a work of the flesh that we can check off our personal report cards as having earned a score or progressed to another grade level. They are qualities that are gifts of the Holy Spirit. They constitute inner beauty and soul value, not, as the teacher joked, “attractiveness and charm.”

When we think of evangelism, we think first of tent meetings, PowerPoint sermons in a city church or under the stars in Ghana, and mass baptisms. We think of mission projects that support outreach by ministering to physical needs as Jesus did in His messianic role. But nurture is evangelism, too, and although it can mean continued Bible studies or chapel building, nurture as evangelism is about building up human relationships. Building up a family of God that respects, supports, advocates, protects, and feeds its own relatives. Without nurture, we shrivel and die. We need to think about the other side of the report card, the side about community service, our interaction with teachers and classmates, our ability to “play well with others.”

The final exam of this life (Matthew 25) is not your presentation of doctrine, prophetic interpretation, or skill in making appeals, but your heart’s response to the weak, the helpless, the trapped, the sick. It’s not what you know or how you performed, but Who you know and what He performed.

What does the Lord see when He makes our report card and looks at the heart? We often suspect that He’s writing out D’s and F’s for behavior and correct theology. But because of His grace, forgiveness, and mercy, He sees the tender heart of flesh that He has healed of its stony hardness. He sees the soft place where He writes His will for our daily lives. He sees how far we’ve progressed in life lessons. He takes delight in us, sings and dances over us, and not only gives a passing grade (“Whew! I barely squeaked through the pearly gates!”), but gives us a commencement, award ceremony, celebratory banquet, a crown – and eternity to continue our discovery of grace.