Jyms of Wyzdom for Mid-November 2019

Movies: We have now seen both Harriet, the superb telling of Harriet Tubman’s journeys to free slaves some years before the Civil War…as a Conductor on the Underground Railroad. A gripping and intensely moving film. * And we saw Motherless Brooklyn, the two and a half hour film written, produced directed and starred in by Edward Norton. I’d say that he has “made his bones” as a first rate director. Look for Oscar nominations for script, director, actor supporting actor and best picture. I am not kidding…it’s that good. *

For your calendar: They Shall Not Grow Old, Peter Jackson’s rescue, restoration [including colorizing] and direction of WWI battle film into a gripping, devastating, moving…oh, add your own adjectives…film. It is back at the Regal on Saturday, December 7, Tuesday, December 17 and Wednesday, December 18. I have bought the DVD and will show it at some point for Film Forum. On the really big screen, it is historic and brilliant.

Our only purpose in life is growth. There are no accidents. [Psychiatrist Elizabeth Kubler-Ross]

Met Opera in HD: Next up for opera fans is a new production and Met premiere of Phillip Glass’s Akhnaten on Saturday, November 23 at 12:55, Regal Cinema. It stars Anthony Roth Costanzo, a counter-tenor, in the title role. At Butterfly On Nov. 9, they showed a good preview scene. I don’t care for most music of this kind, but I am looking forward to it, anyway, kind of like I am looking forward to Wozzeck only because I am convinced it will be better as an opera than the unfinished, brutal play that is nearly un-producible!

My life-long obsession with ancient Egypt goes back to high school when I gained status as a weird nerd for doodling hieroglyphics on my class notes…

A woman I graduated from college with told me plastic surgery was vulgar, that lines were a sign of character, that it’s beautiful to age. I said bull. Character is internal. If you want to present yourself to the world with a face-lift, why the hell not? Many women approaching 50 don’t feel glamorous; they feel invisible. I think they mean sexually invisible, but if they send out the right vibes, they won’t be. [Writer Judith Krantz]

Reading: A recent book I recommended has become the latest pick for Oprah’s Book Club: Elizabeth Strout’s Olive, Again. Excellent reviews in Time and NYT. I’m still finishing up Love and Home, two of Toni Morrison’s novels I found I had not read. Isn’t this what winter is for? Reading…

The holidays are quickly approaching, so watch these pages (Friday Bulletin) to keep you in touch with OLLI doings. I think I can hint that we will be having TWO Winter Film Forum events, on Fridays, with lunch breaks. Stay tuned…that’s all the hint you can have for right now.

Those docs, they always ask you how you live so long. I tell ‘em: “If I’d known I was gonna live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” [Musician Eubie Blake]

Until the clock chimes again…

Jim