In a Nutshell: A Portrait of Elizabeth Tashjian

This documentary tells the story of Elizabeth Tashjian, a true eccentric, who owned and ran the Nut Museum in Old Lyme, CT for many years in her home. She was famous and appeared many times on the Johnny Carson Show among others. This documentary starts in her later years, as she is experiencing difficulties with the town for not paying her property taxes.

It is a sad and touching documentary which was filmed during the period when she loses her home. Tears welled up in my eyes. Her spirit, however, was not completely crushed. Ms. Tashjian is a strong willed woman with a unique flair.

The issue that this movie makes the viewer think about, and not in a heavy handed - preachy sort of way is caring for our elderly who have no one to care for them.

90

Crash

A mainstream movie about racism... the idea of it made my skin crawl. Starring Sandra Bullock - dry-heaving soon joined the crawling skin. Needless to say, I was surprised by this film. Racism is often a difficult topic to make a film about - it is so complex and no one is immune. Most movies have addressed this topic by presenting the viewer with two-dimensional characters, those that are racist who are then bad and those that are not who are then the heros of the film. Crash goes much deeper into the issue of racism by having every character and moment be a 'grey area'. Terrible things happen to all of the characters in the film, but their reactions are what is the most disturbing, and they, my friends, are true to life.

Sandra Bullock does a fantastic job playing a snobbish DA's wife who the viewers can only hate. Don Cheadle plays a conflicted detective.

It could have been better - but was still good enough for a recommendation.

85%

Latin Kings: A Street Gang Story

This documentary about King Tone, the head of the Latin Kings in NYC during the mid-1990s leaves a lot to be desired. Unlike most subjects of documentaries, King Tone just isn't very personable or interesting. The movie follows his leadership and his criminal charges. I was very excited about watching this, as I have been interested in the Latin Kings for years, but greatly disappointed by the film. I wish that there had been more on the history of the Latin Kings and less about King Tone. It is a sad story, which left me feeling sorry for his family, but not him. I wouldn't recommend this documentary to anyone.

60

Vallejo Ferry

OK, another review of something other than a movie, but I had to take note of another great service experience. The Bay Link Ferry from San Francisco to Vallejo is just great. It is clean, spacious and fast. One of the operators on the boat told me that the ferry gets up to 40 MPH on a good day. It went so fast and only took 40 minutes to get from SF to Vallejo.

Big up to BayLink Ferry Service!

95

DMV

While this is not a movie review, per se, I will review the California DMV on Fell Street. I made an appointment and went today and registered my car in under 10 minutes flat. Now that is not what I was expecting at all. The woman who handled my stuff was funny and helpful. I was shocked. I kept waiting for some insane fee, or some long line to stand in. Instead, all I got was exceptional service, with a smile.

(I did make an appointment which made things faster)

100!

My Fiend Klaus Kinski

"I was staying in a hut with a midget woman with one eye, ten children and 150 Guinea Pigs..."

This fantastic German documentary traces the friendship of Klaus Kinski and Herzog Werner, through both their personal and professional lives. It is fantastic, with wonderful scenes of Kinski raging and freaking out on everyone around him. I wished that there was more about Kinski as a man, not just as an actor, but him as an actor was completely fascinating.

It makes you want to not only re-watch 'Aguirre, Wrath of God' but everything else these two did together.

95

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

A neat French thriller starring Audrey Tautou as a young artist. The first half of the film you follow her as she becomes obsessed with this man she is having an affair with. It is not as suspenseful as it could be - but has a neat turn at the end.

85

Nobody Knows

This movie was absolutely fantastic. It felt so real through the entire film, as if you were watching a documentary. The children in the film provide the viewer with outstanding performances that are realistic and gutwrenching. This is a heartbreaking film, which caused tears for this viewer. The fact that this is based on a true story, makes it even more powerful.

95

Description (from Netflix.com):
Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda's touching film follows the empty lives of 12-year-old Akira (Yûya Yagira) and his three younger siblings (Ayu Kitaura, Hiei Kimura and Momoko Shimizu) after their mother abandons them in a tiny Tokyo apartment. Pragmatic, determined and wise beyond his years, Akira manages the household as best he can -- but eventually the money runs out, and the children must find new ways to survive. Based on a true story.

Elf

A sweet, funny movie about a human who was raised by elves. The jokes are sweet and it made me chuckle. I loved James Caan - he was wonderfully awful.

80