beware

I was hanging about the Westpark transportation hub awaiting my bus driver yesterday (the bus was sitting at the terminal but the driver was inside chatting) and I couldn't help but notice a bus-side ad for the the upcoming John Travolta movie. I don't remember the name of the film, nor do I much care, but I did spot the the yellow MPAA warning banner in the bottom left of the huge poster. The film is rated R for "violence and pervasive language". I'm no rhetorician, nor did I have access to my OED at that moment, but I was fairly confident in thinking that pervasive language meant lots of words. So unless this is a rendition of The Jazz Singer I'm not sure how the warning would affect the audience. Exactly how the MPAA came up with a phrase such as that to indicate anything of interest is beyond me. Isn't that sort of like saying that the film is rated PG-13 because it contains a "duration of minutes"? Or maybe it's rated NC-17 for an "encumbrance of sex".

I did get through two films on DVD this week: The Band's Visit and The U.S. vs. John Lennon. I haven't quite sorted out Visit in my head but it was very enjoyable. This afternoon I headed to the talkies to see Sunshine Cleaning with Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, and Alan Arkin. First and foremost, there is no Alan Arkin movie, or role, that I don't like; I could watch him forever. Amy Adams, after seeing her in Junebug, instantly became a favorite. The movie reminds me a lot My Big Fat Greek Wedding for one reason - it doesn't feel the need to rip out your heart at some point. But, don't think that if you loved Wedding, you'll love this film. There's some dark stuff going on but the inevitable 'holy shit' moment never materializes. In fact, we've become so Pavlovian in our expectation of that moment that when it doesn't occur we absolutely stunned. How could they not do something horrendous to my senses? It's a bittersweet film that ends perfectly with Blunt's character (sister) on the road and Arkin and Adams' characters (father and daughter) together in life once again. A fine film and great acting. It's worth a Netflix if you aren't one to take in films.

I've pulled my laundry from the line just as the rains came. That's something from something.