"It's Complicated" review

Over the years I have been seeing, and enjoying, more and more romantic comedies.  I say that for better or worse since the demographic for this type of flick is women over 40.

My pattern continues, though, with my enjoyment of It's Complicated starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin.  I thought it was a funny, intelligently made flick, easily good enough to pass two hours on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

I saw the movie with my 24 year-old niece who also liked it.  I guess when you get the likes of Streep, Baldwin, and Martin together for some clever, tightly-knit ensemble acting, it's tough not to like.

That trio, plus the perky screenwriting of director, Nancy Meyers (who has two similar movies to her credit, What Women Want and Something's Got To Give), the result is a product that -- if not totally fulfulling, then has enough pleasing qualities to recommend.

Jane Adler (Streep) has been divorced for ten years from Jake (Baldwin), though their three grown-up children give them reason to see each other ocassionally. When their youngest son graduates from college, Jane and Jake start up an affair that shows them sneaking around with the energy and multi-layered emotions of 20-somethings, although of course we're talking 60 year olds here.

"I went out of my comfort zone, but I found out that it's not all that comforting," Jane explains to her circle of advice-giving female friends (Mary Kay Place, Rita Wilson, Alexandra Wentworth).

It's nice to see Meryl Streep playing the leading romantic lead -- actually the "babe" role. We haven't seen that since The River Wild in 1994. Yet Streep handles the role magnificently and gives a sexy performance as the uncertain, jaded ex-wife.  She's got crinkles in her smile but her huge personality makes her instantly appealing.

Steve Martin plays a nerdy, overly sensitive architect who is building an addition on Streep's beautiful countryside house.  The two find themselves drawn toward each other almost against their better interests.

Alec Baldwin is the spice in the middle.  As ex-husband Jake, Baldwin is a hoot as a hefty, mostly inconsiderate cad who has remarried a much younger, model-quality woman (Lake Bell) but realizes Jane, his first wife, is much more suitable for him and goes for a renewed and restored relationship.

All the antics play off this simple premise.

So the movie might be called It's Complicated, but it's really a story about trying to undue mistakes from our past and starting over -- albeit thirty years later.  Nothing more than that.

But who from my generation can't relate to that?  Even if you don't have an ex-spouse like me, we all have ex-significant others who can easily slip into those parts in our minds.

I feel like many things could have gone wrong with a movie like this, but they don't.

The lush settings bothered me.  Why do characters in these type of movies always have to have perfect houses, drive the coolest cars, live in idyllic settings, etc? How come there are no people of color in this movie -- anywhere? Why does a certain likable character (John Krasinski, who plays a son in-law) happen to be just in right spot at the right time in order to set the action into its spiraling frenzy?

But hell -- I can suspend reality for the sake of fun (Baldwin says in the movie, "Fun can never be overrated.")

 It's Complicated has already been nominated for three Golden Globes (best comedy, best screenplay, best actress [Streep -- who else?]), so maybe I'm onto something with this positive review.

The movie is ALMOST irresistible -- nothing heavy, kind of predictable, but with laughs galore over a subject that many people fret and fuss about.

I give it three stars out of four.

Kilter and the KitchenAid Mixer

Most years I wind up giving my wife some type of jewelry for Christmas.

This year I lucked out, however.  I think I've gotten away with giving her a "practical" gift -- a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer.

Maybe this is a guy thing vs. woman thing rearing its cyclical head, or maybe my wife has come to her senses about our domestic needs and financial challenges on holidays, or maybe a little of both. 

All I know is I'm happy to have to found and purchased the type of mixer she had been talking about.  When she said, "Oh honey, please consider this my Christmas present," I thought to myself, "Sweet!"

Plus, I think she really meant it.  There was nothing to read between the lines to the effect of, "This is what I say, but not what I mean." 

No sir, I'm clear and free on this.

Well, the mixer was not free, of course.  It was $288 at Kohl's after several discounts.  I guess I should consider that not so bad as well, since we both heard our neighbor talking about how, "All decent mixers are at least $400."

I had no idea.  $40 okay.  But $400?

In past years I have given my wife a Bulova watch, which she promptly dropped in a bathtub of water; brooches and pins, which she only wears once a year if that; a set of bracelets which I've never seen her wear, and various earrings which I don't see much, either.

I've scored only one time with these kind of presents.  About five years ago I gave her a pearl necklace, and she wears that quite often.

But that's it.  Sometimes I think she just likes to see all this stuff sitting in her jewerly box, untouched and proud, the same way I like to collect old bottles.

I fault myself more for this gift-giving awkwardness than her.  I just don't have a feel for jewelry.  I've never worn jewelry myself except for an inexpensive Seiko watch, have no idea what the "brands" are, and have no idea about "cuts" or "grades" of jewelry.

That is a good KitchenAid mixer, though.  Has ten speeds.  A splash guard.  A strong handle to lift the bowl.  Many attachments.  Looks attractive with its black color.

Just what the little lady at home needs.

Eastwood is Kilter's Badass Boy

I'm so glad Clint Eastwood has been selected as GQ magazine's "Badass of the Year" for 2009.

Not that I care about GQ magazine -- I've never bought an issue and probably won't buy this one, either.

But it's an excellent photo which I think captures Eastwood's rustic charm and no-nonsense outlook on life.  It looks prominent on the newstands as I walk past every day.

If anyone is deserving of such an award, it's Eastwood, for maintaining quality work over such a long period of time and coming through it all relatively unscathed.  He looks grizzled as a senior citizen, but still standing tall.

His list of memorable movies is staggering.  I've seen a lot, but nearly not all.  A few of my favorites are Grand Torino, Space Cowboys, In the Line of Fire, The Bridges of Madison County, Unforgiven, Tightrope, and of course, all of his Dirty Harry films.

Most of these pictures he directed.  His only Oscar was for directing Unforgiven in 1992 -- long overdue.  There is virtually no one respected more in Hollywood today, especially now that his latest film, Invictus, about Nelson Madela and the South Afrcian national soccer team, has gotten good pre-release buzz.

What I'm missing are his early gems:  Play Misty For Me, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, and A Fistful of Dollars.

But it doesn't matter.  Add up all the components of his life (including being mayor of his town, Carmel, California), Clint Eastwood is my badass type of guy.

He was notorious for running around when he was younger, though Tiger Woods' list of low-life dalliances with strippers, go-go girls, and cocktail waitresses make Eastwood look like a choir boy.

He was married for 31 years to Maggie Johnson, which fell apart during his relationship with actress Sandra Locke in the 1970's.  They never married.  Though he said he "used to find meaning" in pursuing women, when he married Dina Ruiz in 1996, he said, "I never thought I'd find contentment in monogamy.  But I got there, and it feels good."

Though it's a May-December marriage (he was born in 1930, she in 1965), it appears to be working.

I also like the fact that Eastwood is an outspoken maverick, providing us with many notable quotations.  Who can forget, "Go ahead, make my day."

"You've got to ask yourself one question.  Do I feel lucky?  Well, do you, punk?"

"I tried being reasonable, it didn't work out."

"If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster."

"They say marriages are made in heaven.  But so is thunder and lightning."
"There must be a hundred reasons why I shouldn't blow your head off; right now, I can't think of any."

Kilter Visits Moravian Christmas Putz

Our friends invited us to see a traditional Christmas Putz last night (shown above) at a church in my current town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvana.

"Putz" is from the German putzen, meaning "to clean," or "to decorate."  Thus, a Putz is a decorative, miniature-scale village set up during the holiday season, which tells the story of Jesus' birth.  It is narrated either live or by tape (ours was by tape) with appropriate spiritual / choral music playing in the background.

It was only twenty minutes long, but twenty minutes well spent.  As the story moves along, different areas of the panorama are highlighted, from the angels hovering in the sky to the shepherds in the fields to the nativity scene to the Three Kings to Herod's Temple to the village of Bethlehem (Israel), all circa first century.

Many of the Putzes that operate each year are built anew from scratch, like this stock photo shows:

I'm not sure if ours was rebuilt this year, though I heard the hostess say, "We traveled to the Poconos over the summer to collect fresh moss in the mountains for the scenery."  So maybe it was.

If you live in Bethlehem (PA), "the" denomination is Moravian (the oldest protestant denomination, going back to 1386, well before Martin Luther).  The Moravians are the originators of the "Putz" concept -- which is kind of like a massive train set layout, but without the trains.

So with this type of history behind it, it was appropriate to see this performance at a local Moravian church, alongside other friends and some elderly folks from a nearby nursing home whom we helped get into the building via their wheelchairs.

A central feature of the display is the traditional Moravian star, also know as the Star of Bethlehem:

We have one of these stars, a large version, that we hang over our front door every Christmas season.

Our friends, my wife, and I went out for drinks and Buffalo chicken wings afterward which helped seal the evening, making it classified as "very satisfying."

My wife and I like to "do" at least one Christmas activity every holiday season (like singing in a performance of The Messiah, or attending a choral concert of sacred music).  I guess the Putz will serve as this year's activity, since we're so busy with my mother now living with us.

Kilter's Religious Denomination Apologizes to Native Americans

What's a little 400-year rift?

In a story carried last week by both the New York Times and the Daily News, my religious denomination, the Reformed Church in America, has formally apologized and reconciled with Native Americans.

The charge?  Massacring and displacing the Indians during the era when white Dutch and British folks began settling America.

In the AP photo above, leader Curtis Zunigha (left) is shown shaking hands with Rev. Charles Morris of the Fort Washington Collegiate Church of Manhattan.

(Fort Washington Collegiate is my former local church.  But I don't know Morris -- he was hired in 1995 after I got married and moved to New Jersey.)

This was the first time the RCA has apologized.  I hope other denominations follow.  I would say the apology is about 399 years overdue.

On a symbolic level, the apology works for me.  It's outrageous this tragedy happened at all, but since I wasn't around before 1954, I can only do my part to see that justice is served now.

(the following are partial excerpts from the Times' rendering of the event:)

''We consumed your resources, dehumanized your people and disregarded your culture, along with your dreams, hopes and great love for this land,'' the Rev. Robert Chase (another RCA minister) told descendants from both sides. ''With pain, we remember our part in these events.''

The minister spoke on Native American Heritage Day at a reconciliation ceremony of the Lenape Tribe with the Collegiate Church.  The Collegiate Church, started in 1628 in then-New Amsterdam as the Reformed Dutch Church, is the oldest Protestant denomination in America.

The rite was held in front of the Museum of the American Indian in lower Manhattan, where Dutch colonizers had built their fort near an Indian trail now called Broadway, just steps away from Wall Street.

The Collegiate Church was considered the ''conscience'' of the new colony, whose merchants quickly developed commerce in fur and grains -- till then, the turf of the natives.

Surrounded by Lenape Indians, the Dutch colonists ''were hacking men, women and children to death,'' said Ronald Holloway, the chairman of the Sand Hill band of Lenapes, who lived here before Henry Hudson landed 400 years ago.

The Indians dispersed across the country, eventually ending up on government-formed reservations. On Friday, some came from as far away as Oklahoma.

During the ceremony, Chase embraced Holloway and, as symbolic gestures of healing, the two sides exchanged wampum -- strings of beads used by North American Indians as money or ornament. A boy representing the Lenapes and a girl from the Collegiate Church put necklaces on each other.

While Friday's ceremony exuded warmth and openness, accompanied by an Indian drumming circle and the haunting sound of a wooden flute, the feelings leading up to the reconciliation were mixed.

''After 400 years, when someone says 'I'm sorry,' you say, 'Really?' '' Holloway said before the ritual. ''There was some kind of uneasiness. But then you've got to accept someone's sincere apology; they said, 'We did it.' We ran you off, we killed you.' ''

In New York City, the Collegiate churches are composed of four congregations including the landmark Marble Collegiate Church on Fifth Avenue led by the late Rev. Norman Vincent Peale.

The church plans to sponsor educational activities and exhibits to teach children history -- including the Indian reverence for preserving the purity of the land taken over by the Dutch colonists.

Kilter Likes the King Neptune Statue

I am a fan of public art and in particular, public sculpture.

There's something powerful and pleasing about a large work planned and executed with the intention of being situated in the public domain -- outside and accessible to all.

Such is the case with the King Neptune statue located along the beachfront in Viriginia Beach, Virginia (pictured above).

My wife and I recently stayed in a hotel overlooking this guy.  My fascination was keen to check him over and find out as much as I could about the piece and its circumstances.

The statue was dedicated in 2005 and the artist is Paul DiPasquale (amazingly, a local artist).  It is 34-feet high and constructed mainly of bronze.

A tourist brochure about Virginia Beach describes the sculpture's aura well:  "It stands at the gateway to Neptune Park and the threshold to the sea.  Surrounded by the creatures of his realm, mighty trident in hand, Neptune’s heroic visage honors the maritime legacy of Virginia Beach while also standing as a vivid reminder of the community’s duty to respect and protect our natural blessings."

I would add the statue is colossal and a little intimidating to stand under.

But that makes it a grand work of art.  Nepune's gaze hovers strong and strident toward the ocean.  His attention seems to be on much larger subjects than the groups of admirers who frequently stand around him.

The way his hand clasps that sea tortoise is evidence enough of his strength.  I like the way his upper body rips and twists out of the concrete pedestal.

He is quite alive.

It appears King Neptune's creation arose from a festival looking for a centerpiece.

The Neptune Festival in Virginia Beach has been going on for some 36 years every September (a good way to generate revenue beyond Labor Day, no doubt).  It features activities like wine tasting, sand sculpting, a parade, arts & crafts show, fireworks, and a daily "beach bash" -- probably meaning a spreeful ploy to get young people to display as much of their buff bodies as they dare.

We were there earlier this month, in November.  So craziness was at a lull.

But we may come back next year if we can remember to bring plenty of dollars.

Kilter's Infomercial for Hilton Hotel, Virginia Beach

The following will probably be seen as an informercial for the Hilton Hotel Oceanfront in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

But it's not.  I'm only trying to tell you I had a great mini-vacation there last week.  If you're ever in the area, this hotel is tops.

My wife and I always take off somewhere for a week every year, but this year we missed (too busy).  So three days and two nights at the end of the year had to suffice.

This place was so relaxing and enjoyable that we barely felt the need to GO anywhere -- that is, beyond the rooftop hot tub and the restaurant on the first floor.  Perhaps if this was "the high season," I would have wanted to venture out more to see the throngs and thongs.

But being November, the crowds were thin.  We were there for the comfort of the facility only.

I had never been to a Hilton before.  But I can tell you Paris Hilton's family has done an excellent job.

The hotel looks and feels and even smells new (it's probably 15 years old, but the staff keeps it super clean).  It has 290 rooms on 20 floors, making it the tallest hotel on Virginia Beach's oceanfront strip.

The lobby is gorgeous with high ceilings and casual seating, with attractive artwork and photographs of local beach scenes.  There was piped-in music featuring artists like Andrea Boccelli.

My wife and I requested, and recieved, early arrival.  I had booked a "cityview" room for $125.  The clerk explained that for $45 more, "I can give you the best room in the hotel."  We went for it and weren't disappointed.

The room on the 14th floor was spacious with a king-sized bed, flat-screen TV, large windows, and a big bathroom with an overly large shower (read:  good for two people).  The motiv was what I might call "stylish rustic," -- lots of wood, lots of curved edges, with no glitz or tackiness.

Being on 31st Street, the Hilton is considered part of the "north beach scene," which is the "new" part of town.  All of Virginia Beach seems to be in front of you when you look out the window of the room.

One side faced the ocean, a beautiful view from our walk-out balcony.  On the other was the aforementioned view of the town, equally impressive.  I'm not one for closing drapes, so we let the sun shine in!

The outdoor hot tub on the rooftop was heated to a nice 104 degrees which neutralized the chilly mid-November air temperature.  It had a marvelous view because through its frameless windows was the ocean.  Hence, the adjoining pool (which of course WAS too cold at this time of year) is dubbed the infinity pool.

On the ground floor is a seafood restaurant called Catch 31 -- stylish, attractive with outdoor firepits, and great food.  I ate a three-course meal paired with its own wine.  The service was attentive and every employee seemed to have exiquisit training.

Why go anywhere?
Okay, on the second day we rented bicycles and peddled up and down the shoreline, and we walked in the sand and touched the ocean.

But other than that, we really DIDN'T go anywhere.

When we woke up on Wednesday morning, heavy rains were pelting the windows.  It was the remnant of Hurricane Ida.

Virginia Beach got pounded.  The waves of the ocean were thrashing and churning.  A 40-m.p.h. wind was blowing palm trees sideways.

As we crossed the lengthy Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (17 miles) in almost no visibility, with waves beating along the pilings and windshield wipers going full blast, we laughed about it because it was better than crying.

We joked, "This is just like what God told the phophet Elijah in 1st Kings 19:  "Go back the same way you came."  There was just one way in; one way out.

Sure enough, blue signs along the highway guided us back home safely, the ones that said, "Authorized Hurricane Evacuation Route."

On the radio came a tribute to the Veterans, because it was Veteran's Day.  They played a hymn popular during World War One whose lyrics were:

"Almighty Father, strong to save

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave

Who biddest the mighty ocean deep

Its own appointed limits keep

O hear us when we cry to Three

For those in peril on the sea."

By the time we got home, there was no more rain at all.

Update on World Trade Center Museum NYC

(The following is written by Joe Daniels, director of the upcoming World Trade Center Museum in New York City.  It was sent to me via email, but too important not to share.)

The spaces of the National September 11 Memorial Museum are taking shape in the form of steel and concrete every day.

The Museum, designed by Davis Brody Bond Aedas, will preserve original World Trade Center historic assets and incorporate them into the architectural design, creating a powerful and contemplative experience. The Museum’s primary exhibition spaces will be located at the base of the site enabling visitors to encounter authentic remnants of the World Trade Center.

The architectural design of the Museum helps to demonstrate the scale of the buildings, the enormity of the devastation, and the void that was left in the wake of the attacks. Key artifacts -- such as the slurry wall, the column remnants of the Towers, the "Survivors’ Stairs" and the last column to be removed from the World Trade Center site at the end of the recovery efforts -- speak to survival and resilience, reminding us of the human capacity to endure and overcome tragedy.

The Museum will house interpretive exhibitions and public programs that will honor the victims of the September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993, terrorist attacks, preserve the history, and provide historical context for 9/11, its aftermath and continuing implications. Our Museum staff is working with designers Thinc LLC and Local Projects on developing compelling exhibitions.

We invite you to learn more about the Museum’s architectural design by visiting our website to view updated renderings and recent construction photos. We also encourage you to find out how you can help contribute to the preservation of 9/11 history through our various programs and initiatives. Family members and friends of victims are encouraged to share mementos, photos and text, and to record remembrances that will help build the Museum’s Memorial Exhibition, honoring the individual lives lost on September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993. Learn more here.

Everyone has a 9/11 story, please join our efforts by sharing yours. Visit  911history.org  to learn more.



Best Wishes,
Joe Daniels
President & CEO