Three sentence movie review: Southside with You

southside_with_you

This is a very delightful first date movie, as well as very nice period piece.  The young Barack Obama is what was then probably referred to as “charmingly persistent” in his wooing of the much more hesitant Michelle Robinson.* Plus it had a recitation of a poem by Gwendoyn Brooks (which I, too have memorized) and also paintings by Ernie Barnes, who I was not at all familiar with.

Cost: $9.50
Where watched: Cinema 21 with Matt**

*In the 80s this was charmingly persistent. Seen today it’s more of an experience where the woman sets very firm boundaries and the man walks all over them.  Which made this movie kind of uncomfortable to watch.

**With whom I had a very “Who’s on First” conversation:
“And on Thursday, I’m going to watch Southside with You.”
“With me?”
“No, Southside with You.”
“I don’t understand.  With me?”
“No, the date movie with–”
“Oh!  That movie.  I want to see that.”
“You want to see Southside with You with me?”

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2016/southside_with_you.html

Trump Art gone. So is the building.

Remember how just a few weeks ago there was Trump art plastered outside of this building?

I return for another movie and *gasp* the building is gone!  I’m not sure why I’m gasping anymore as this is probably the 700th* demolished building in Portland this year, but I did have that weird, “something is off” here feeling.IMG_5875

*700 is a made-up number.  Could be true though.

Temporary quick trip to the Airport

On the one hand, we can easily take public transportation to the airport.  On the other hand, it takes a long time.  We’re nearly at the end of the Yellow Line and our trip consists of going to the Rose Quarter (into town) and then transferring to the Red Line which takes us to the airport (back out of town).  Meanwhile, a drive to the airport is a straight shot down Columbia Boulevard and takes nearly no time at all.  I’ve often wished for a bus that would do the Kenton-to-Airport route.  I wonder if it would pull more people from Vancouver.

But right now there is major track work in the Rose Quarter which means all the lines have been a jumble.  (The Yellow Line is mostly fine, it just isn’t running as often.)  The Red Line now runs on the Yellow Line to Kenton and then people can take a shuttle bus to the airport.  So here it is!  My quick trip to the airport.IMG_5870

Too bad I don’t have any flights scheduled.  If there are no construction delays, this will be done by September 4.

Three sentence movie reviews: Return

return

The always-good Linda Cardellini and the always interesting Michael Shannon team up as a couple trying to put their life back together after Cardellini returns from a deployment.  This movie continues the tradition of being a not-quite-there attempt to depict the drawbacks/realities of the endless Iraq/Afghanistan engagement.*  Solid performances, slow plot, overall kind of just there.

Cost:  free via work-sponsored Netflix.
Where watched: at home.

*I think there needs to be some distance from a war to really “get” it on film.  And since this one is still going on, it’s difficult to have any distance.

 

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2012/return.html

Spotted on an Oregon car

IMG_5868

I’m an Idaho girl by birth and coming of age.  But I think I’ve always been an Oregon girl at heart.

I’m also intrigued by this sticker thing.  Did she get it made?  It seems very specific.   Hmmm.  There seems to be a t-shirt.  And for those Oregon girls in Idaho there is this hoodie.  In fact there are a bevy of Idaho-themed choices.

Three sentence movie reviews: Swiss Army Man

swiss_army_man_ver2

“I’m not sure what review I read, but that was NOT the movie I thought it was going to be,” said my movie-going companion.  I was well aware what I was getting into, having listened to/read several reviews and I was interested to see where I landed on the like/don’t like spectrum.  I found this to be the most unique movie I’ve seen in some amount of time, but this quality did not make for a pleasurable viewing experience.

Cost: $4.00
Where watched: Academy Theater with S. North.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2016/swiss_army_man_ver2.html

More hiking in the Gorge: Horsetail Falls

At the beginning.IMG_5827

The eponymous falls.IMG_5828

Thanks to this interpretative sign, I now know the different types of waterfalls.  From left to right:  Horsetail Waterfalls, Plunge Waterfalls, Segmented Waterfalls.IMG_5829

Would you like a photo of some lichen?IMG_5834

Matt stands under the 80 foot Ponytail Falls.  Of note, this picture took much waving of hands (I was quite far away) and several photos taken because the water kept blurring.IMG_5836

Like in this example.IMG_5842

Better.IMG_5843

Looking through the falls. IMG_5845

Pretty green hanging ferns.IMG_5846

Poor Glenn.  If he was still alive we would more-or-less be the same age.  The article from the Oregonian said he and his friend were hiking when this happened.IMG_5847

Downed tree or shaggy wizard?IMG_5849

More falls.IMG_5850

Tall bridge! With interesting anti-flag sticker I didn’t notice when I took the picture.IMG_5852

Blurry picture, but very cool tree growing out of a nurse log. I love how long the roots are.IMG_5853

Guess what this group of falls is called?  Just guess!IMG_5854

Did you guess Triple Falls? You are right!IMG_5856

Some cairns.IMG_5858

Timer photo shot.IMG_5859

This is the mouth of the Oneonta Gorge.  People were hiking back into it.  IMG_5860

Tunnel!  This was once part of the Columbia River Gorge Highway.  Imagine driving your Model T through this tunnel!  The interpretative sign told me that this was a difficult tunnel to make due to how the rock disintegrated easily.   If memory serves, they solved this problem by reinforcing everything with concrete and that made it all good.  Guess what explains this better than me?  The internet!  You can read about construction by going here.  Scroll down to Design and Desription to find a better explanation.IMG_5865

Lots of rock.  Which I now have been reminded is basalt rock.  Also known as “dice” rock.  Me and geology.  We don’t get along so well.IMG_5866

This was yet another good Gorge hike.