tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17758289034888438012024-03-15T21:11:47.287-04:00The Windham Eagle EntertainmentThe Windham Eagle Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07713971722368846385noreply@blogger.comBlogger606125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-36480558941947565932024-03-15T02:03:00.035-04:002024-03-15T02:03:00.138-04:00Easy to propagate plants are meant to be shared<i>By Kendra Raymond </i><br /><br />I don’t know about you, but I have a bit of a penchant for grabbing opportunities to propagate plants for little to no cost. The challenge of growing a full plant from a tiny cutting can be an enjoyable and rewarding journey. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDoSOzCHpJH3Lm-rXs4d_Pf9cZfUYoM7M1-nbCToJpC4wtsgVslaoXMcf6hM-db40IsISu_pxRrc6-UIymyDGVyS3kV0Wwkb08T7upojJnNRd8wzUmlAoLTwoceBDm34-ayRvh-zg4TlC3BgcQ6_GVsiFoKGd-c88D7JEFfJYF-fN8r8Ap3WopYq2XT6vE/s4032/IMG_9166.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDoSOzCHpJH3Lm-rXs4d_Pf9cZfUYoM7M1-nbCToJpC4wtsgVslaoXMcf6hM-db40IsISu_pxRrc6-UIymyDGVyS3kV0Wwkb08T7upojJnNRd8wzUmlAoLTwoceBDm34-ayRvh-zg4TlC3BgcQ6_GVsiFoKGd-c88D7JEFfJYF-fN8r8Ap3WopYq2XT6vE/w300-h400/IMG_9166.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A healthy citronella plant which has been<br />propogated by cuttings is shown. <br />PHOTYO BY KENDRA RAYMOND</td></tr></tbody></table>Recently, I found myself at the auto parts counter face to face with a mono-color spider plant. Having never seen this type before, I politely requested a “spiderette” from the clerk, who muttered, “Whatever turns you on”. Well, I was pretty delighted marching out of the place with my license plate bolts and a ready-to-plant cutting. <br /><br />Many plants can be propagated by cuttings, which means you snip off a section and place it in a medium such as water or soil. To grow, the plant must eventually produce roots to anchor itself, take up water and nutrients, thus becoming established. If your plant thrives, the process can continue, and you can root endless plants for yourself or to share with others. <br /><br />As a professional horticulturist, I can attest to the value of home plant propagation. My daughter is well-known in her circle of friends for gifting various rooted plants. This is an inexpensive way to share something that you have invested time and love to cultivate. She enjoys visiting thrift shops and yard sales to find quirky planting vessels that fit the recipient’s personalities. <br /><br />A Purdue University Extension publication lists the benefits of propagating by rooting as: <br /><br /><div>** The new plant will be identical to the parent plant. Plants grown from seed will often be different from the parent plant and from each other.</div><div><br /></div><div>** Propagating a new plant via cuttings avoids the difficulties of propagating by seed. Additionally, some seeds are difficult to germinate, taking two to three years for the seedling to appear. <br /><br /><b>What types of plants are best? </b><br /><br />Some plants can reproduce by cuttings and others cannot. If you wish to root cuttings, it is essential to be aware of the species that will respond to this method. Some of the easiest selections are: pothos, monstera, jade, spider plant, snake plant, jade, hoya, African violet, and ivy. When in doubt, or to learn more, check out the gardening.org list of 40 top plants to propagate here: <a href="https://gardening.org/houseplants-you-can-propagate-from-cuttings/">https://gardening.org/houseplants-you-can-propagate-from-cuttings/</a> <br /><br /><b>How do I take the cuttings?<br /></b> <br /> Choose a healthy well-established plant that can withstand the loss of a small section. I just use a set of kids craft scissors and snip a bit off the tip. This can be a leaf and a bit of stem, or a larger section of stem can be included. It is a good idea to make your cut where leaves connect. The freshly cut section can be dipped in a commercial rooting compound or not. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.momentumme.com/careers" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="800" height="277" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/momentum.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b>What about the rooting? </b><br /><br />The type of plant you hope to grow will determine the best rooting method. Plants like geranium and spider plant enjoy being placed directly into soil. Choose a specially designed starting compound which contains the right amount of air and nutrients to grow roots. Make a small hole with a pencil or your finger, pop the plant below the soil surface and before you know it – poof, a new plant. I have been cultivating a scented geranium (Citronella) all winter. It is growing like wildfire, so every couple of weeks I take a cutting and plant it directly into its own pot. The cutting encourages lateral growth, and the new plants continue to grow from the base. <br /><br />Other plants will respond well to rooting in water. Plants such as African violet and monstera will root from just one leaf. Once the roots emerge, simply plant in potting soil. A snake plant can be a lot of fun to grow. Cut a leaf section and place it in water. This is one of the easiest plants to propagate. <br /><br />With all propagating operations, keep your plants in diffused sun, average humidity, and warmth. <br /><br />“A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.” - Saint Basil<br /><br />Texas A&M University has published a fantastic guide for beginning propagators: <br /><br /><a href="https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamental/a-reference-guide-to-plant-care-handling-and-merchandising/propagating-foliage-flowering-plants/">https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamental/a-reference-guide-to-plant-care-handling-and-merchandising/propagating-foliage-flowering-plants/</a> <</div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-28405320564167238892024-03-08T02:00:00.004-05:002024-03-08T02:00:00.134-05:00Syfy’s ‘Resident Alien,’ a strange but worthwhile winner<i>By Matt Pascarella<br /><br />Rated: TV-14<br />2 seasons on Netflix with a third season currently airing on the SyFy channel</i><br /> <br /> It’s a mystery within a mystery. It does get a little weird in spots. When an alien’s ship crashes in the small town of Patience, Colorado, the alien takes the form of Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle, who has a cabin by the lake. In order to do so, the alien kills Vanderspeigle and throws his body in the lake.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NofGGC1aWq8QecvZHoWMGwYtR9cAZ73wiObpbTmcI-chb8T41URWgsqL_urKxy6vJRc0gdF0zJ_uZihE5VksR_Ghumh0uzJhnTFaWiM5F6EmcI2m774-1IAuAxctkx4GGCg20_B7ENEdCdhru_TOQsX5xBMz4s6bDvB2qbeheXyn42t3usxvppIQ2G2K/s940/Resident%20Alien.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NofGGC1aWq8QecvZHoWMGwYtR9cAZ73wiObpbTmcI-chb8T41URWgsqL_urKxy6vJRc0gdF0zJ_uZihE5VksR_Ghumh0uzJhnTFaWiM5F6EmcI2m774-1IAuAxctkx4GGCg20_B7ENEdCdhru_TOQsX5xBMz4s6bDvB2qbeheXyn42t3usxvppIQ2G2K/w276-h400/Resident%20Alien.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>When the town doctor, Sam Hodges is found murdered, the town calls on Vanderspeigle to solve the murder, but he has to learn how to fit in his new human body. I know this sounds a bit out there, but I enjoyed this very much, and it’s not as gory/violent as it sounds.<br /> <br /> This Syfy original stars Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Levi Fiehler, Elizabeth Bowen, Judah Prehn, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Meredith Garretson, Gary Farmer, Gracelyn Awad Rinke and Jenna Lamia.<br /> <br /> The alien’s mission was to drop his device on Earth and go back home.<br /> <br /> “Nobody in their right mind would live in a place like this, unless they have something to hide,” says alien Harry (Tudyk) at the start of the series.<br /> <br /> After the alien assumes the body of the actual Harry Vanderspiegle, he learns to talk by watching “Law & Order.” He becomes mildly obsessed with Detective Lennie Briscoe and in one episode later in the series even dresses, and acts like the detective, using very similar speech patterns and mannerisms.<br /> <br /> One of my favorite lines was when alien Harry says, “A birthday party is just a participation trophy.”<br /> <br /> Town Doctor Sam Hodges is found dead and the local sheriff and medical professional Asta (Tomko) and Mayor Ben Hawthorne (Fiehler) ask alien Harry to help figure out how he died. Alien Harry knows in order to survive and complete his mission he must fit in. Alien Harry’s awkward movements and responses to questions or statements he might not fully understand made me root for him, despite the fact that his goal is to vanquish human life.<br /> <br /> The actual Harry Vanderspiegle is at the bottom of the lake near his cabin. The alien must also find his body before it washes ashore.<br /> <br /> Despite his weirdness, he does make friends with Asta and others in the town. And then there is Max (Prehn) who can see alien Harry in his true form and knows he’s an alien.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.gorhamsavings.bank/product/indexed-advantage-money-market/?utm_source=Windham+Eagle&utm_medium=Banner&utm_campaign=Indexed_Advantage_weeklies&utm_content=Runner" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="800" height="242" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/gorhamsavings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> This is based on the Dark Horse comic of the same name by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse. I don’t know how closely the show follows the comic, but before watching this, I had only seen Alan Tudyk in a couple movies and didn’t think much of him. After seeing him play alien Harry Vanderspeigle, I have a whole new appreciation for his talent. <br /><br />He is only made better by his great supporting cast. His “alien” mannerisms and dialect make this fun show that much funnier. There is mild language and sexual content. It has a great soundtrack with a lot of endearing, sweet moments. Harry learns what it means to be human and maybe even develop a feeling or two.<br /> <br /> Detective Lennie Briscoe gives it two thumbs up. Kung! Kung!<br /> <br /> Currently airing on the Syfy channel, with the first two seasons available to stream on Netflix and all seasons available to stream on Peacock. <<br /> Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-2085288876506284802024-02-23T02:08:00.001-05:002024-02-23T02:08:00.135-05:00‘A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks a moving portrayal of imprint of one man<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Not rated <br />Runtime: 1 hour, 29 minutes </i><br /><br />Author. Filmmaker. Photographer. Gordon Parks was first hired by Life magazine where he told the story of Harlem gang leaders through photography. Parks said he himself might have picked up a gun or a knife if he hadn’t found the camera first. While he also wrote books and directed films, maybe most notably “Shaft,” photography was Parks’ major form of expression. This documentary has interviews with past individuals who worked with Parks and present individuals, of a younger generation, who are inspired by him and chose the camera as their weapon as well. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKlJm8vuP-47WuGZXTEYHCU8nk-__neubB9Y9D9dqbGhpfMB7vDaDzdr9xLyqDD-zPseh6ElhJ9AkCAWMa8PYVTLutxLq_RbTuI4HlzHsXJBtpflMkhcyDS2FgPZSZ5SbIEoznVvdu3KVJ9OrAuTghJeef2awOfx_TzkpyXxhYGflj8wzjIBfQb99m2p3/s675/Choice%20of%20Weapons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKlJm8vuP-47WuGZXTEYHCU8nk-__neubB9Y9D9dqbGhpfMB7vDaDzdr9xLyqDD-zPseh6ElhJ9AkCAWMa8PYVTLutxLq_RbTuI4HlzHsXJBtpflMkhcyDS2FgPZSZ5SbIEoznVvdu3KVJ9OrAuTghJeef2awOfx_TzkpyXxhYGflj8wzjIBfQb99m2p3/w266-h400/Choice%20of%20Weapons.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Max’s “A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks” stars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Devin Allen, Maurice Berger, Jelani Cobb, Latoya Ruby Frazier, Nelson George, Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, and Anderson Cooper, along with archival footage of Parks and others. <br /><br />The documentary opens with photographer Devin Allen talking about wanting to pursue art and how his pursual of art started as a personal journey, but the deeper he got the more powerful he realized an image can be. <br /><br />In Baltimore in April 2015, there were riots and protests over the arrest and death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray. Allen was in Baltimore and snapped a shot of the rioters which later found its way to the cover of Time magazine. Allen credits Parks for his interest in photography. <br /><br />Parks used photography as a way to express his feelings about racism. He was from a dangerous part of Kansas and had seen several of his friends die from gun violence. <br /><br />He became an observer and understood what was going on around him. He started his photojournalism career by selling pictures to the newspaper. He found value, interest and art in ordinary people and shone a light on them during a time when African Americans were being put down. <br /><br />Parks took a photo of cleaning woman Ella Watson and through his photographs, Parks shows he understands the humanity of his subjects. <br /><br />Latoya Ruby Frazier photographed reactions to the Flint water crisis in 2016. She photographed a mother and daughter, and her images were representative of the work of Parks. <br /><br />Parks’ first big break was a piece on gang leaders in Harlem for Life magazine. <br /><br />“No one is a gangster 24 hours a day, they have a family,” said Parks. <br /><br />In 1949, Parks was hired as the first African American to the staff of Life magazine. By the 1950s, Parks was an established photographer and tried to use his camera to capture things he experienced as a young, African American in America. <br /><br />Through his images, he wanted to show that segregation was not benign. His work demanded America take a look at itself. <br /><br />Parks covered everything from segregation to fashion to photographing Malcom X and Muhammad Ali. <br /><br />He directed the 1969 film “The Learning Tree” and 1971’s “Shaft,” which was a big success. <br /><br />Parks wanted to keep moving forward and his photographs remain timeless to this day – sometimes, unfortunately, telling similar stories. His photography continues to inspire. <br /><br />Before coming across this documentary, I had never heard of Gordon Parks. I knew the old adage of “a picture is worth a thousand words,” but Parks’ work takes that to a whole new level. His photography during turbulent times in American history evokes so much emotion in the experiences African Americans were going through during these times. This is a heavy, but very moving documentary and made me see and think about certain photographs he took in a different way. While this documentary is immense, it’s definitely worth watching. We can take so many photos today and not think anything of it, so seeing Parks capture important imagery during key points in history gave me a greater understanding of the importance of a well-timed photograph. <br /><br />Two thumbs up. <br /><br />Now available on Max. <Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-7005857880176643172024-02-16T02:15:00.005-05:002024-02-16T02:15:00.140-05:00District 2 honors fourteen WHS musicians to perform in festival concerts <i>By Jolene Bailey <br /></i><br />Music is all around us and is a deep passion for many. For 14 Windham High School students, their passion for music and talent was rewarded with their selection to perform in the District 2 Music Festivals, sponsored by the Maine Music Educators Association. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipPQVrNb90Y2vQLXcUXfRUI6gWnFM52oGpw2G9EzlH2LGWZ4yzpDDdK33_6lnwEQiz8ddwY-wJh3PVqZY5WtXeXMapidy1_RW_y-GbdVSXVB4lvZrC8GSCQsY5TDI6W3ALT2JpA6b8hbCYu-OfhTBOcfNGPrdOWbFM48nkxAfMjzuujE6JSIsrEPa3v7u/s2000/District%202%20Music.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="2000" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipPQVrNb90Y2vQLXcUXfRUI6gWnFM52oGpw2G9EzlH2LGWZ4yzpDDdK33_6lnwEQiz8ddwY-wJh3PVqZY5WtXeXMapidy1_RW_y-GbdVSXVB4lvZrC8GSCQsY5TDI6W3ALT2JpA6b8hbCYu-OfhTBOcfNGPrdOWbFM48nkxAfMjzuujE6JSIsrEPa3v7u/w400-h223/District%202%20Music.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2024 District 2 Vocal Festival musicians perform in concert<br />Jan. 24 at the Windham High School Performing Arts<br />Center. The choral group was made up of students from<br />across the Greater Portland area and included 12 students<br />from Windham High. Three WHS students also performed<br />in the District 2 Instrumental Festival concert Feb. 2<br />at Deering High School. SUBMITTED PHOTO </td></tr></tbody></table>Student auditions for the annual event were held at the Greater Portland high schools last fall and only the finest performers were honored with selection for district concerts. District 2 is a music organization which invites students to perform in band, chorus, orchestra, and jazz with students teaming up to perform at festivals vocally and instrumentally. <br /><br />The District 2 Vocal Festival Concert was performed at Windham High School on Jan. 26-27 and the Instrumental Festival was performed Feb. 2-3 at Deering High School in Portland. <br /><br /><div>WHS students honored with selection to perform in the District 2 Vocal Festival for chorus include Ashlynn Cuthbert, Lily Lundberg, Laura Bearce, Abi Coleman, Karly Day, Sasha Funk, Ava Dickson, Jacob Lowberg, Stuart Gabaree, Lochlin Post van der Burg, Nick Davenport and Ralph Leavitt.</div><div><br />Three WHS were honored with selection to perform in the District 2 Instrumental Festival are Ellise Gallop, Rowan Cummings and Nick Davenport. <br /><br />“District 2 is a way to grow yourself as a singer, but it also forces you to be social and meet a bunch of new people who enjoy the same things as you” said WHS sophomore Ava Dickson, who was honored with District 2 selection for chorus this year after also being selected last year as a freshman. <br /><br />Dickson has been involved with music ever since her early days of childhood. She is also a performer in the Windham Chamber Singers and can often be spotted in the theater at school. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://Christophergerrity@gmail.com" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="800" height="138" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/mainerealestateexperts-chris.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />“The audition process can be stressful if it's your first time, but the judges in each room are very supportive and once you're in the audition room your nerves just go away,” said Dickson. <br /><br />Before the auditions, each student is given a variety of songs and sheet music for different levels to learn. <br /><br />“As soon as I get my music, I try to listen to each song a few times to get myself comfortable with the rhythms, and I mostly practice on the weekends,” said Dickson. “The most challenging song we had to sing was probably Dies Irae, as this song was in a different language so it took time to make sure I was pronouncing everything correctly.” <br /><br />2024 District 2 Vocal Festival performer Ashlynn Cuthbert is a freshman at WHS. She said she will treasure the experience and the new friends she made with performers chosen for the District 2 Festival from other schools. <br /><br />“District 2 is not a competition. While the auditions are sometimes competitive, the overall idea of the festival is communities coming together to make great music,” Cuthbert said. “To make things into a competition would be against that ideal. I love that it is not a competition because it just shows that music is supposed to bring people together, not separate them.” <br /><br />Cuthbert also was honored with selection to perform in District 2 festivals at the middle school level as a seventh and eighth grader in the past but worked intensely this year to do well during her audition and in performing at the festival concert. <br /><br />"I practiced a little bit each night, increasing each night as the festival got closer. Some nights I would just listen to the pieces, others I would sing along, and some nights I would sing it with the accompaniment” said Cuthbert. <br /><br />She said she was humbled to be included among the group of outstanding high school students performing this year. <br /><br />“District 2 is like the culmination of all the talent and hard work of the choirs in our area. The people who have been accepted into this choir that only lasts for a couple days truly hold it as something to be proud of,” Cuthbert said. “The energy and vibe that stems from that is indescribable. You can also feel the passion and excitement in the rehearsal room because everyone in there has worked so hard to get to that spot.” <</div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-22270377832292572042024-02-09T02:13:00.004-05:002024-02-09T02:13:00.145-05:00‘Argylle’ a fun ride that will keep you guessing<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: PG-13 <br />Runtime: 2 hours, 19 minutes <br /></i><br />This movie takes place in or around “The Kingsman” universe, but I’m not familiar with that universe and enjoyed this film immensely. I wasn’t asking myself a lot of questions that may have been answered in previous movies. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJRXxiEJNgaO1kjIhP9ckdlIHO8e7-59T148kDrQegFJF_O0GB-m3hfp5ycuFOrtDI_bmhtfb1fa8cu2M6Ph7ibLFL_merxNOQzkiSx7uFJ2B2Tn37rqBSggaEdQ3XCTuehG0XYOsq29zvq9JQdtsDAZHhyphenhyphenlGIIHITRPSE-DXsZhIjaQIRWUVeYtEb7Wt/s1350/Argylle.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJRXxiEJNgaO1kjIhP9ckdlIHO8e7-59T148kDrQegFJF_O0GB-m3hfp5ycuFOrtDI_bmhtfb1fa8cu2M6Ph7ibLFL_merxNOQzkiSx7uFJ2B2Tn37rqBSggaEdQ3XCTuehG0XYOsq29zvq9JQdtsDAZHhyphenhyphenlGIIHITRPSE-DXsZhIjaQIRWUVeYtEb7Wt/s320/Argylle.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div>Elly Conway is a popular writer who likes to keep to herself. Her “Argylle” series tells the story of a secret agent and a global spy network that unintentionally begins happening in real life. She is approached by an espionage agent, Aidan, who wants her to tell him what happens next in her series, so he can stop Director Ritter and protect the world. However, there may be things Aidan isn’t telling her. <br /><br />“Argylle” stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, Samuel L. Jackson, John Cena, and Catherine O’Hara. <br /><br />Elly Conway (Howard) is a successful writer of the spy series “Argylle” and is finishing a reading where an enthusiastic group has many questions about the series. <br /><br />This movie begins with action right away. Elly has finished book five in her spy series. Her mother (O’Hara) really wants to know what happens. She tells Elly the book isn’t ready and needs another chapter – readers can’t be left on a cliffhanger. <br /><br />Ellie is struggling with the ending. She decides to take a train (she has a fear of flying) to visit her mom. A guy sits down next to her – despite her mild protest – and asks if she’s read the “Argylle” series. He (Rockwell) quickly recognizes her; his name is Aidan. He works in espionage. <br /><br />As it turns out, no one on the train can be trusted and Aidan helps Elly and her cat Alfie escape. He tells her it’s bear-hug-o’clock as they escape from the train. <br /><br />Elly wakes up in a cabin and Aidan tells her all about Director Ritter (Cranston) and what he is trying to do. Aidan says that her books have been predicting events in real time. He thinks Elly’s imagination is the key to stopping Ritter. <br /><br />She is weary of trusting Aidan, but he seems legitimate. The two go to London. <br /><br />Aidan wants to know how book five ends. As Elly is trying to help, they are located by Ritter. It’s a race against time to figure out what happens. Elly is onto a clue. <br /><br />Aidan and Elly find something in a lock box. Ritter is not far behind. <br /><br />Elly overhears Aidan on the phone and wonders if she is in trouble and if Aidan really is who he says. <br /><br />Elly’s mother and father meet her in London. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="mailto:sjcemployment@sjcme.edu" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="529" height="320" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/saintjosephs.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />Aidan warns her more bad guys are coming. She and Aidan go to France where they meet Alfie (Jackson). <br /><br />Alfie says it’s time to meet the real Agent Argylle. The bigger the spy, the bigger the lie. <br /><br />She and Aidan head to the Arabian Peninsula. Ritter is still following them. <br /><br />This is a great movie. It had action, humor, a lot of twists and turns, all coupled with an all-star cast who give stellar performances. I was guessing until the very end; “what’s really going on here?” The movie is a little on the long side, but it kept me engrossed and waiting to see what would happen next. It’s one of the better mystery movies I’ve seen in recent years. There is extremely mild language, and I didn’t think it was overly violent. <br /><br />Parts toward the end were a little silly and overdone, but I think that was on purpose. See this on the big, big screen – you won’t regret it. Stick around past the credits for an extra scene that sheds light on ... well, you’ll have to see that to figure that out. <br /><br />Two cat backpacks up. <br /><br />Now playing only in theaters. <Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-5525889334035931642024-02-02T02:08:00.008-05:002024-02-02T02:08:00.131-05:00Raymond Ski Program offers outdoor winter adventure for children <i>By Kendra Raymond</i><br /><br />Keeping kids active during the winter months can be a challenge. Luckily, the Raymond Ski Program is around to solve that problem for some lucky area youngsters. Sponsored by the Raymond Parks and Recreation Department, the group provides opportunities for children to learn more about skiing while also improving their skills.<br /> <br /> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWa11kzmA3P0dOwLgQboDGZHkqz5HhpLFypX9vim16Jq9A2B2i_SnsKy05XAio4Qxy4OxGIRDA3Xvv6MxFfZmlxZlM1EWTBrjnmqzORqZE48-1joOZtXTx4K0QWsnKdJ5HbZosv2C7w0V7BAXS3NAyjEmu83DJRNk4e0dY2JDpvMFTUhojpig4qvO2n9f0/s1600/Skiclub_1.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWa11kzmA3P0dOwLgQboDGZHkqz5HhpLFypX9vim16Jq9A2B2i_SnsKy05XAio4Qxy4OxGIRDA3Xvv6MxFfZmlxZlM1EWTBrjnmqzORqZE48-1joOZtXTx4K0QWsnKdJ5HbZosv2C7w0V7BAXS3NAyjEmu83DJRNk4e0dY2JDpvMFTUhojpig4qvO2n9f0/w300-h400/Skiclub_1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raymond Ski Program participants have fun<br />while riding on the Raymond Parks and<br />Recreation bus to Pleasant Mountain in<br />Bridgton for an afternoon of fresh air and <br />healthy activity on the ski slopes there.<br />COURTESY PHOTO </td></tr></tbody></table>The ski club kicked off its season recently. The five-week program meets after school each Friday for an exciting evening of skiing. Kids and volunteers ride in a donated bus to Pleasant Mountain in Bridgton for an afternoon of fresh air and healthy activity.<br /> <br /> Raymond Parks and Recreation director Joseph Crocker said that the ski season had a slow start this year due to the less-than-ideal skiing conditions, but things are picking up now and the participants are enthusiastic.<br /> <br /> “Anyone that is participating is pretty excited,” Crocker said. “We tend to see that with skiing.”<br /> <br /> To save on costs, the group partners with skiers from RSU 14 in Windham to get a discounted group rate. Most of the participants have their own gear, but equipment rental is also provided at an added cost. <br /><br />The kids can practice their skills or choose to add lessons, which is extra. <br /><br />“Because of the amount it costs, we try to keep it as low as we can to keep it affordable,” Crocker said.<div><br /></div><div>According to Crocker, there are 23 participants in the Raymond Ski Program this year and there is an enrollment cap. He said that numbers are a little lower than in the past. However, the program is in its rebuilding phase after the pandemic and its momentum is growing.<div> <br /> Students in grades 2 through 8 are encouraged to join. Typically, the bus leaves around 3 p.m. from Raymond Elementary School and Jordan-Small Middle School and returns around 7:45 p.m.<br /> <br /> As with many youth organizations, the help of adult volunteers is needed and welcomed. <br /><br />“We primarily rely on volunteers for chaperoning. We really value their time,” Crocker said. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://town.manager.@raymondmaine.org" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="493" height="400" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/raymondhw.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><br />Helping with students can be rewarding for both the volunteer and the child. It is also a great opportunity for local high school students to gain volunteer hours. There are 12 volunteer positions that must be filled for the program to run. <br /><br />Ski chaperones get an added perk receiving a free lift ticket on the day they volunteer, Crocker said.<br /> <br /> The deadline for this year’s ski club has passed but it’s never too early to start thinking about next season. Typically, sign ups close about two weeks before the season starts, because of the paperwork and onboarding involved.<br /> <br /> The healthychildren.org website suggests that children who spend time outside are physically healthier, are more engaged in learning, have better behavior, and are mentally healthier. And the book “Balanced and Barefoot” by pediatric occupational therapist Angela J. Hanscom discusses the importance of outdoor play and freedom of movement to children’s cognitive development. In today’s world filled with screens and sedentary lifestyles, Hanscom offers practical and fun activities for kids of all ages and locations.<br /> <br /> Winter Kids is a Maine non-profit designed to encourage kids to get outdoors in the winter. With resources such as outdoor story walks, snowshoe loan, an App, family day, and Learn Outside Guide, there is something for just about everyone. The Winter Kids website says that their goal is to help children and families enjoy healthy and fun outdoor winter lifestyles while nurturing a connection to the natural environment.<br /> <br /> The Raymond Ski Program does just that. Not only are the kids out in nature, but they are actively engaging in fitness, interacting with other youth outside of school, meeting new people, and learning a skill. All ability levels are welcomed, and the atmosphere is inclusive, welcoming, and supportive.<br /> <br /> If you would like to help out with the ski program, contact the Parks and Rec director by email: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1775828903488843801/4167564112310133512">joseph.crocker@raymondmaine.org</a> . Chaperones and other support are always welcomed. Crocker said, “Volunteers are key to our program. We couldn’t do it without them”.<br /> <br /> Have a child that is interested in learning more about the ski club? Visit the Raymond Parks and Recreation website: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1775828903488843801/4167564112310133512">https://raymond.recdesk.com/Community/Home</a> or on Facebook under Raymond Parks and Rec. <br /> <br /> For more information about Pleasant Mountain Ski Area, visit https://www.pleasantmountain.com/ <</div></div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-80414526021665799882024-01-26T02:00:00.000-05:002024-01-26T02:00:00.151-05:00Review: Expectations for ‘Wonka’ fall short<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: PG <br />Runtime: 1 hour, 56 minutes </i><br /><br />Wonka is a man who simply wants to make people happy by giving them chocolate. And only a select few have a problem with it. After quickly spending his savings, he is conned to stay at Mrs. Scrubbit’s boardinghouse despite being warned by an orphan, Noodle, to read the fine print, of which there is a lot. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zwNjSZOPzRdSiAbh2l03Ub_dJMD6ILZS1iw72kqxNe0_js1mSVY4qxKRekcFW9eZ1mY9py8HOA0ztMJqK8Jec6hRYcUxXyKa5RhCLIlxTDj06r46ZhfGxIOAQqXAaKbRclXUI-vk4FDFKd5apYz5ZLNmbKcyhZbYpzPdpP-PO3Yv8_iaIss_Apt6XO1r/s743/Wonka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="495" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zwNjSZOPzRdSiAbh2l03Ub_dJMD6ILZS1iw72kqxNe0_js1mSVY4qxKRekcFW9eZ1mY9py8HOA0ztMJqK8Jec6hRYcUxXyKa5RhCLIlxTDj06r46ZhfGxIOAQqXAaKbRclXUI-vk4FDFKd5apYz5ZLNmbKcyhZbYpzPdpP-PO3Yv8_iaIss_Apt6XO1r/s320/Wonka.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>In order to pay off his debt he sells “Hoverchocs,” a chocolate that enables people to fly. Crooked rival chocolatiers, one of whom is Mr. Slugworth, try to put him away. He befriends Noodle and promises to help her escape the clutches of Mrs. Scrubbit. <br /><br />“Wonka” stars Timothee Chalamet, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Matilda Tucker, Olivia Coleman, Calah Lane, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Matthew Bayton, Freya Parker and Keegan-Michael Key and Hugh Grant. <br /><br />Willy Wonka (Chalamet) wants to show the world his chocolate. He has nothing to offer but chocolate and a hatful of dreams. He has big plans to make a fortune when he arrives in Victorian England. <br /><br />However, these plans fall through when he runs out of money and is swindled when trying to stay at a boardinghouse by Mrs. Scrubbit (Coleman) for not reading the fine print of a very lengthy clause. He is warned to do so by Noodle (Lane), an orphan working at the boardinghouse. It is later discovered that Wonka is illiterate; Noodle begins to teach him how to read. <br /><br />When Wonka arrives at the Gallery Gourmet, he hands out magic chocolates called “Hoverchocs,” which make a person fly after being consumed. <br /><br />Police call Wonka a disturbance and feel threatened by him; so, they decide to get rid of him. <br /><br />When Wonka was younger, he wanted to be a magician. It was his mother (Tucker) who made chocolate, but died before she could see him follow in her footsteps. He never found the secret to his mother’s chocolate. <br /><br />A chocolate cartel, made of rival chocolatiers, including Mr. Slugworth (Holdbrook-Smith) force Wonka to leave town, but he bands together with Noodle and offers her the deal of a lifetime of chocolate. They plan to escape when Wonka discovers his chocolate was stolen by an Oompa Loompa (Grant). <br /><br />Wonka learns of a secret chocolate stash and gets everyone working off debt from Mrs. Scrubbit’s boardinghouse to help him. <br /><br />Meanwhile, Mr. Slugworth is doing everything he can to make Wonka go away. <br /><br />Going into this movie, it’s hard not to naturally compare it to the 1971 “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” starring Gene Wilder; and I think the less said about Johnny Depp’s version, the better. I guess when I think of Willy Wonka I think of an older man, and that is not the portion of the story being told here. Oh, and I should warn up front this is a musical, and while most of the songs are somewhat catchy, I wanted more story and less singing. Chalamet’s portrayal of the chocolate-obsessed visionary who wants to bring happiness to a very chocolate-obsessed town is good ... but not great. I can’t quite put my finger on what is missing. I enjoyed the backstory of why he wanted to become a chocolatier and I thought the ending was a sweet one (no pun intended). <br /><br />I am not a fan of Hugh Grant, but did enjoy him as a single Oompa Loompa, who is not imprisoned by Wonka, but rather a nuisance to him because he steals his chocolate. As a whole, the movie is a little on the weak side and I thought it dragged a bit in the middle. Unless you are a fan, there’s no reason to see this in the theater. <br /><br />Three-quarters of a chocolate bar up. <br /><br />Now playing in select theaters. <Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-62769680075237282024-01-19T02:00:00.004-05:002024-01-19T02:00:00.133-05:00Little Free Libraries provide great community resources <i>By Kendra Raymond </i><br /><br />Have you noticed random decorated boxes on lawns around town? Maybe you are already a “Little Free Library” patron? Whether a newbie or seasoned consumer, everyone can reap the rewards of this free book opportunity right in our community. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kLtBw7wGCBZdcj5XS9138b9e2BxmHQ9GkCCJm7fZMqtBAp6LVN53FrUq0eJqM9TLRD8xAFqTs_gyAn6fmpvBLYkNBUqv0ssRqqClNyXJQfpGODjieBabcEZOqoY0efQ_LaHp_4gP1O-dnKF6x-4RvSIDVKeRgmderst-rKmO6CELRd7pUje6gGxYV-RP/s4032/IMG_8142.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kLtBw7wGCBZdcj5XS9138b9e2BxmHQ9GkCCJm7fZMqtBAp6LVN53FrUq0eJqM9TLRD8xAFqTs_gyAn6fmpvBLYkNBUqv0ssRqqClNyXJQfpGODjieBabcEZOqoY0efQ_LaHp_4gP1O-dnKF6x-4RvSIDVKeRgmderst-rKmO6CELRd7pUje6gGxYV-RP/w300-h400/IMG_8142.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Little Free Library is shown in a Raymond<br />neighborhood. The concept is growing in<br />popularity across the Lakes Region because<br />of its simplicity and resident interest in<br />reading. PHOTO BY KENDRA RAYMOND</td></tr></tbody></table>A Little Free Library is a permanent structure, located at a home or in a public area. Each is filled with books that have been donated. The premise is that you can take a book and leave a book. However, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to this book resource. So, if you need books, or have extras, it is all perfectly acceptable. <br /><br />The Little Free Library website explains their purpose as a mission is to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book-exchange boxes. <br /><br />“Our vision is a Little Free Library in every community and a book for every reader. We believe all people are empowered when the opportunity to discover a personally relevant book to read is not limited by time, space, or privilege. This is accomplished by providing book access 24/7, encouraging new libraries to open especially in high need areas, supporting diverse books, and engaging community partnerships,” a website statement reads. <br /><br />Former Raymond resident Cinda Roy started the Hawthorne House Little Free Library in Raymond back in 2018 which includes a separate library for children’s books. Roy has since moved away, so several other residents have stepped up to keep an eye on it. <br /><div><p class="MsoNormal">Hawthorne House Trustee Ed Kranich built the original structure.</p></div><div>“The library is maintained by me and a few other Hawthorne House trustees,” Kranich said. “There is not much involved with maintaining it. I check it periodically and if there are not many books I put some more in there.” <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.shermans.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="505" data-original-width="800" height="202" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/shermans.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><b>How do I find one? </b><br /></i><br />The first step is to visit the LFL website, or better yet download the App. It is easy to enter the town you’d like to search for using the magnifying glass icon at the top of the page. The system will show a map of the area, with pins pointing to each library, including the address. At present, there are three listed in Raymond and Casco and several located in the Windham area. It is also possible to come across a LFL that has not been registered in the system. Don’t forget that there are Little Free Libraries everywhere. When travelling, it can be fun to explore what LFLs in other towns may have to offer. <br /><i><br /><b>Do I need to share a book? </b></i><br /><br />Nope, it is completely acceptable to simply select the books you want and take them. Kranich says that some people who take books from the library replace them, but it isn’t mandatory. However, a good LFL patron should be responsible and replenish libraries when you are able. Most everyone has a few books lying around collecting dust that could be moved along for someone else to enjoy. Kranich said that one of the tenets of the Little Free Library is “take a book, leave a book,” so that’s a good mantra to keep in mind. <br /><i><b><br />What types of books? </b></i><br /><br />The books you will find in a LFL can vary quite a bit. While some locations have themes, most include a variety of selections. Oftentimes, you will see fiction, non-fiction, biographies, cookbooks, or children’s books – the possibilities are endless. LFL believes in the importance of offering diverse books as well to grow our understanding and empathy. <br /><b><i><br />What if I’m interested in starting one? </i></b><br /><br />It is a fairly simple process. Begin by choosing a safe and legal location that is easy to access. Next build or purchase a library enclosure. You will need to register your Little Free Library and purchase an official charter sign. Then, by setting up your steward account, the library will be up and running and located on the map. Now spread the word. <br /><br />“I think it’s been a good thing,” Kranich said. “Encouraging people to read more books is a good thing.” <br /><br />Here’s some great resources as you get started:</div><div><br /></div><div>Little Free Library website: <a href="https://littlefreelibrary.org%20/">https://littlefreelibrary.org </a> <br /><br />Download the Little Free Library mobile app: LittleFreeLibrary.org/app <br /><br />Check out LFL on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. <
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-89151494556823272612024-01-12T02:00:00.001-05:002024-01-12T02:00:00.141-05:00‘The Family Plan’ a family friendly comedy, with action<p><i>By Matt Pascarella</i></p><i>Rated: PG-13 <br />Runtime: 1 hour, 58 minutes </i><br /><br />Dan Morgan is a used car salesman with a family and wife, living in Buffalo, New York. He’s gotten into a bit of a routine, which he’s become comfortable with, but his wife Jessica wants something to shake things up. Little does she know, Dan has a secret. <div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzaGVMSG5pdhDMLyagpXnOIy6oi_33nCZO66WG0eiaBMoN2bGXIxJ-tymsy143y6agCtigRBi2lgQyhB9HX6cwL5EJBbAFxMcJzeSj4BkGy-VtqZ8DlQ-yFlELXVZLkpnMf76AXYt2s27O0RR_YyiapsEVMXbQ0h9-bToGFoY6JJ4__8IctMrx13q5Dkr/s529/TheFamilyPlan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzaGVMSG5pdhDMLyagpXnOIy6oi_33nCZO66WG0eiaBMoN2bGXIxJ-tymsy143y6agCtigRBi2lgQyhB9HX6cwL5EJBbAFxMcJzeSj4BkGy-VtqZ8DlQ-yFlELXVZLkpnMf76AXYt2s27O0RR_YyiapsEVMXbQ0h9-bToGFoY6JJ4__8IctMrx13q5Dkr/w273-h400/TheFamilyPlan.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>When he realizes he’s being followed and a couple of people try to attack him, Dan takes his family on a cross-country trip to Las Vegas where he plans to reveal who he is really is ... or was. This action-filled comedy is a fast-moving adventure that I enjoyed. <br /><br />“The Family Plan” stars Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, Zoe Colletti, Van Crosby, Iliana Norris, Vienna Norris, Maggie Q, Ciaran Hinds and Said Taghmaoui. <br /><br />Used car salesman, Dan (Wahlberg) has a less-than-excited family of three kids and wife, Jessica (Monaghan). Dan and Jessica are celebrating their 18th anniversary. <br /><br />Jessica tells Dan he is a creature of habit and wishes the family was more spontaneous and traveled more. She feels trapped and wishes their lives were bigger. <br /><br />When Dan backs down from a confrontation, he later feels bad about it. <br /><br />While at the grocery store, Dan gets in another confrontation, but this time he doesn’t back down. <br /><br />As it turns out, Dan is not who he says he is. He doesn’t want to let his family in on his true identity. He gets a call from past-associate Augie (Taghmaoui) and Dan tells him to meet him in Las Vegas in three days. <br /><br />As it turns out, Dan’s kids, Nina and Kyle (Colletti and Crosby) aren’t doing what they say they are. <br /><br />Dan is being followed again but outsmarts them. <br /><br />He frees his family from the shackles of technology with the flick of his wrist. <br /><br />Back at his home, someone is looking for him. <br /><br />Despite all the people following Dan, this trip slowly brings the family together. <br /><br />Nina gets revenge on a cheating boyfriend. A laser tag game between Dan and Kyle helps them learn about each other. <br /><br />“You conned me; you’re a laser tag savant,” said Kyle. <br /><br />“No, I was a kid in the 80s,” said Dan. <br /><br />Despite this, Dan still hasn’t told his family his secret. He tries to at dinner, but struggles. <br /><br />Dan and Jessica are attacked in a Las Vegas hotel room, and now Dan has to come clean. <br /><br />Dan tells them they cannot go back to Buffalo. The family gets upset. <br /><br />Jessica will take the kids and is leaving first thing in the morning. Jessica meets Dan’s ex-girlfriend who holds the family captive. <br /><br />More secrets are revealed, and decisions need to be made. <br /><br />This movie is action-packed, but not bloody. It’s fast paced and has twists and turns at many corners. It’s very fun and sincere. One of my favorite things about this movie were baby Max’s reactions and facial expressions, especially during the supermarket scene. It carries the message that regardless of how lame you think they might be, family is important and will be there to support you. It reminded me that if you feel you’re stuck in a rut, it’s never too late to do what you want and be who you want. This one is a winner, Marky Mark. <br /><br />Two disposable cameras up. <br /><br />Available on Apple TV+. <</div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-47528305432461598502024-01-03T02:02:00.000-05:002024-01-06T08:07:17.170-05:00 Oldies Dance Group raises $10,416 for Ronald McDonald House<i>By Ed Pierce </i><br /><br />YORK COUNTY – Rock n’ roll music is as popular as ever and as evidence of that, the Oldies Dance Group raised more than $10,000 during its latest dance to support the Ronald McDonald House of Portland. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSfKBHXdLSRNY7N5ItFc32Lb6mnWSgdGPcZvSr5LPW1hzqTTOiBbeD-MJN0aWxnU5Pizj88uVW9XKx7Qx4rzOl6hWJdFMY8-DzeRqyULg7UDuve9ZTLZ8Fqg-z95p9aqIqqpSgViKOekMdQMdSEfniWhuHb24Uju4hCWs-jOZrBIECMrYoe0uXVfw6ZUs/s1080/Oldies%20Dance.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSfKBHXdLSRNY7N5ItFc32Lb6mnWSgdGPcZvSr5LPW1hzqTTOiBbeD-MJN0aWxnU5Pizj88uVW9XKx7Qx4rzOl6hWJdFMY8-DzeRqyULg7UDuve9ZTLZ8Fqg-z95p9aqIqqpSgViKOekMdQMdSEfniWhuHb24Uju4hCWs-jOZrBIECMrYoe0uXVfw6ZUs/w400-h200/Oldies%20Dance.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Members of the Oldies Dance Group Committee present a <br />check for $10,416 to Ronald McDonald House of Portland.<br />From left are Helen Vadnais; Ray Gagnon; Katherine Russo;<br />Bruce Martin; Wendy Twitchell; Elvis Presley; Ian Tovell,<br />Development & Marketing Director for the Ronald<br />MacDonald House of Portland; Diane Dubois; Janet <br />Sparkowich; Gail Cole; and Debora Berry.<br />SUBMITTED PHOTO</td></tr></tbody></table>The organization’s 22nd dance in 15 years on Oct. 7 at the Eagle’s Hall in Biddeford sold 355 tickets in just four days and earned $10,416, pushing the total amount that the Oldies Dance Group has raised through its dances for the Ronald McDonald House to $110,416. The Ronald McDonald House provides comfort for the families of pediatric patients in Maine and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and enables family centered care to ensure that family members are fully supported and actively involved in their child’s care. <br /><br /><div>“It’s very gratifying that the public keeps coming back time after time to our dances and we can’t thank them and all of the businesses and individuals who continue to make this the largest community fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House of Portland,” said Bruce Martin, Oldies Dance Group organizer. “It truly shows their care about others and a strong commitment to assisting sick children in Maine and their families.”</div><div><br />According to Martin, the rock n’ roll dances hosted by the Oldies Dance Group twice a year remain wildly popular, and the generosity shown by the community to support the fundraising mission of the Oldies Dance Group is exceptional. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://mainelyvetdentistry.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="740" height="320" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/mainelyvet.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><br />“For those who question if people still love rock n’ roll music and a night out of dancing, the fact that we continue to sell out each dance demonstrates they haven’t forgotten this great music and sure love getting out on the dance floor,” Martin said. <br /><br />The next Rock n’ Roll Oldies Benefit Dance will be the 23rd dance hosted by the Oldies Dance Group and will be held from 7 p.m. to midnight April 13, 2024, at the Eagle’s Hall, 57 Birch St., Biddeford. Tickets are just $10 and sell out quickly as seating is limited. <br /><br />Martin said that rock n’ roll music links generations in the community and that the dance playlist includes songs that everybody knows, loves and is familiar with. <br /><br />“These dances really are just a great night out to have fun, socialize with friends, listen to great music and dance to your favorite songs,” Martin said. “It’s heartwarming to be a part of something that supports such a worthy cause.” <br /> <br /> For additional information, to purchase tickets or to volunteer, call Bruce Martin at 207-284-4692. <<br /> </div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-76481733811224696992023-12-22T02:00:00.006-05:002023-12-22T02:00:00.150-05:00Peacock’s ‘Genie’ will get you in the holiday spirit<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: PG <br />Runtime: 1 hour, 32 minutes </i><br /><br />This is no “Aladdin” or “Kazaam,” but it will leave you feeling good with the spirit of the season. When Bernard misses his daughter’s birthday, his wife decides to take their daughter to her mother’s place through the holidays. Bernard happens upon a jewelry box that releases a genie who grants him unlimited wishes. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwejxpT4O0wAfy0Pq0S9gCI37csGHUt65UcNK8bMn9g0wnf1QMJc13J-a4ucx1Rt2L77ZmDJSgobwEo61hpuGifBnJLWiTKK4NZwpaWCUpWK58or4dcnctfjgYDJii-MKMWmRfCiePdJTTlUbx2IhS7xW_X-zSqZx1YGu5ZHdbm8sqBwVh6w2hOhc3dFLG/s675/Genie.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwejxpT4O0wAfy0Pq0S9gCI37csGHUt65UcNK8bMn9g0wnf1QMJc13J-a4ucx1Rt2L77ZmDJSgobwEo61hpuGifBnJLWiTKK4NZwpaWCUpWK58or4dcnctfjgYDJii-MKMWmRfCiePdJTTlUbx2IhS7xW_X-zSqZx1YGu5ZHdbm8sqBwVh6w2hOhc3dFLG/w266-h400/Genie.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Bernard needs to decide if he can make time for his daughter and wife before it’s too late; maybe the genie, Flora, can help. With a great soundtrack featuring Otis Redding, Louie Armstrong, Stevie Wonder, Solomon Burke and Bubba Sparxx, this movie is an all-around winner. <br /><br />‘Genie’ stars Melissa McCarthy, Paapa Essiedu, Denee Benton, Jordyn Mcintosh, Alan Cumming, Marc Maron, LaChanze and Ellen Cleghorne. <br /><br />Bernard (Essiedu) misses his daughter, Eve’s (McIntosh) birthday and afterward his boss (Cumming) fires him. <br /><br />Bernard’s wife Julie (Benton) decides they need some time apart through the holidays. <br /><br />Alone in his apartment, Bernard rubs a jewelry box and releases Flora <br /><br />(McCarthy), a genie who grants him unlimited wishes – as is the custom, that three wishes stuff is for fairytales. <br /><br />Flora explains she was put in the box by an angry sorcerer many, many years ago and Bernard’s wish is her command. <br /><br />Bernard explains his problems to Flora; she sweetly offers to kill his boss, but Bernard turns her down. <br /><br />Flora said that wishes cannot change people’s feelings and you cannot time travel. <br /><br />Flora and Bernard travel to see Julie at her mother’s house. It does not go well and ends up solving nothing. <br /><br />Julie’s mother says that silence and solitude will make Bernard realize what’s important. <br /><br />Back at the apartment, Bernard introduces Flora to pizza. <br /><br />“It’s just a triangle of red bread,” she says. <br /><br />After taking a bite she says, “This is Heaven.” <br /><br />Flora then discovers Spot-iffy, as she calls it, in this funny scene. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/shermans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="505" data-original-width="800" height="202" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/shermans.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />When Bernard and Flora go shopping, Flora gets a new outfit and discovers hand sanitizer which she finds zesty. <br /><br />Bernard explains Christmas to her. As it turns out, Flora knew Jesus and thought he was kidding about the whole Son of God thing. <br /><br />“Christmas is also a time where kids learn all about disappointment,” says Bernard. <br /><br />Bernard uses his wishes to do some good. Flora joins in. <br /><br />When the two go to a movie, she falls in love with Tom Cruise. Then she strikes up a thing with Lenny the Doorman (Maron). <br /><br />Bernard can be there for Eve and Julie. They have ice cream together, but Bernard is less-than-thrilled when they are joined by Julie’s childhood friend. <br /><br />Later, a surprise visit from Bernard’s family only complicates matters. <br /><br />Flora suggests “WWTCD – What Would Tom Cruise Do?” a Wishion Impossible mission to get Julie and Eve back. She suggests Bernard spruce up his apartment. <br /><br />When the Louvre discovers the Mona Lisa is missing, (because it’s in Bernard’s apartment), it could be trouble for Bernard. <br /><br />Eve gets to spend the night with her dad. Afterward, Julie and Eve have a nice dinner at Bernard’s apartment. Julie wants to talk about what their relationship might look like long-term. <br /><br />A fire breaks out in the apartment, the Mona Lisa gets noticed and Bernard and Flora are taken to jail. Flora takes some excellent mug shots. <br /><br />This is one of Melissa McCarthy’s best performances. Flora is such a fun <br /><br />character. This is a feel-good movie the whole family can watch around the holidays. It’s definitely worth signing up for Peacock just to see this movie. As far as I’m concerned, it’s worth buying this movie and not signing up for Peacock, sorry NBC. <br /><br />It’s a nice, happy story about the power of friendship and what’s really important in life. It gets a little emotional at times and shows that with effort – and a little magic – second chances are possible. I watched this twice and enjoyed it as much the second time as I did the first time. <br /><br />Two Tom Cruise sweatshirts up. <br /><br />Available to stream on Peacock or to buy.< Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-39843010240698417182023-12-15T02:24:00.001-05:002023-12-15T02:24:00.134-05:00Collaboration between students ignites passion for reading<i>By Lorraine Glowczak </i><br /><br />The Raymond Elementary School (RES) library was filled with intergenerational bibliomania on a Friday afternoon in late November as 10 Windham High School (WHS) students traveled to Raymond to read books to third grade students, eagerly waiting in anticipation. The 25-minute “read to me’ experience fostered a love for the written word and built a sense of community and mentorship between the two schools. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI7rQWs1Dr5u1m2V7McM35WilvNJn89U7F-OKf2ETMzfNQmxgXjZqdxZc982WTd_wfP94UtdaPqjDp_Mo5XfcPtGOxDBu1qyaBRvmoE5NdJyeLEmdC1rdegQFu5y4aH_SzPcmzcggnXFjwmzUyZG6A-UTybAkJNjolOdNp5S83YxQOazUnIPg0-f59UIVx/s1670/Book%20with%20third%20grader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1670" data-original-width="1260" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI7rQWs1Dr5u1m2V7McM35WilvNJn89U7F-OKf2ETMzfNQmxgXjZqdxZc982WTd_wfP94UtdaPqjDp_Mo5XfcPtGOxDBu1qyaBRvmoE5NdJyeLEmdC1rdegQFu5y4aH_SzPcmzcggnXFjwmzUyZG6A-UTybAkJNjolOdNp5S83YxQOazUnIPg0-f59UIVx/w301-h400/Book%20with%20third%20grader.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During a recent reading adventure, third-grade<br />students from Raymond Elementary School<br />were enthralled as Windham High School<br />students read to them. Beatriz De Sturdze,<br />a third grader, right, attentively listened<br />as WHS senior Lydia Wilson read<br />'Horton Hears a Who' to her class.<br />PHOTO BY LORRAINE GLOWCZAK </td></tr></tbody></table>The 25 third graders, who were divided into groups of five and paired with a high school mentor, had the opportunity to listen to and then discuss books from popular childhood literature. This cooperative event was spearheaded by Valerie Carpentier, WHS Library Media Specialist. <br /><br />“I initiated this collaboration between the high school and RES to empower all students in their reading,” she said. “I was building upon the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Read to ME Challenge that begins in February every year. I hope to increase the program to include more students within the district very soon.” <br /><br />According to the DOE website, The Read to ME Challenge is a month-long public awareness campaign to promote childhood literacy in Maine. The Challenge is an opportunity to contribute to a child’s literacy growth by reading aloud in any language to one or more children for at least 15 minutes a day. <br /><br />Carpentier also mentioned that countless research shows reading out loud to children helps develop their language skills, early literacy, as well as their social-emotional intelligence. <div><br /></div><div>"Pairing all that wonderful learning with being read to by a high schooler has such a positive impact on children,” she said.<div><br />A few students were willing to share their experience of the day including third grader Beatriz De Sturdze. The young bookworm said that her mentor made the afternoon of storytelling fun and interesting. <br /><br />“She actually used a funny voice and spoke louder and raised her voice up and down while she told the story.” <br /><br />De Sturdze said that her mother reads to her every day, but it was fun having another person to look up to. <br /><br />“She made me want to read more because of her funny voice,” she said. “It made me giggle and laugh.” <br /><br />An avid reader and third grader Kieran Allen shared a different experience. <br /><br />“It was sort of like an adventure,” Allen said. “I read sometimes on my own but there are times it is nice to take a break and have someone I don’t know read to me. It’s nice to just listen to the story and relax.” <br /><br />De Sturdze’s reading mentor, WHS senior Lydia Wilson, said her participation in this collaborative opportunity was two-fold. <br /><br />“I decided to take part in reading to the RES students because I like kids,” Wilson said. “But not only that, I was a RES student and I wanted to go back to see the teachers and the spaces where I first learned to read myself.” <br /><br />According to the Nationwide Children’s® pediatric organization, reading with young children can help them develop a skill they will use for the rest of their lives while fostering a love of an activity that also enhances brain development. <br /><br />“Children who are exposed to reading before preschool tend to develop larger vocabularies and are more likely to succeed during their formal education. If a child is not proficient in reading by third grade, they are at a higher risk for not graduating from high school,” the organization’s pediatrics say. <br /><br />Carpentier plans to increase the reading program to all elementary schools in the district and to become a regular occurrence throughout the school year. It’s her goal to spread the love of reading and connect the school communities on a greater level while building bridges between younger and older students, fostering a culture of mentorship, compassion, and a shared passion for the written word. <</div></div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-66698210667863876002023-12-08T02:04:00.001-05:002023-12-08T02:04:00.136-05:00‘The Holdovers’ tells a good, but somewhat flat story<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: R <br />Runtime: 2 hours, 13 minutes </i><br /><br />Every year at Barton Academy, students, faculty and staff depart the campus for a two-week winter break; but there are always an unfortunate few who have nowhere to go for the holidays. They are known as the holdovers. Curmudgeonly professor Mr. Hunham draws the task of staying with this group over the break. <div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WTXNBynPugs_DMRzJAI6Qwh6EToUHI1bOLgCHe_EAunnG-YWfqb2ytvfHY9KLn4tPsLskJzrFEvEmtpyoyDorrn3ncWmmi-jdrQmUrQQmJyH5BSQPSRgZNrWkcAYuwKNw5o5NHZLHf5HdFBXNcglpueXyQfTUgdxRRh-JmJFLXcyGSMF_1FkMR5FA8ox/s1481/The%20Holdovers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WTXNBynPugs_DMRzJAI6Qwh6EToUHI1bOLgCHe_EAunnG-YWfqb2ytvfHY9KLn4tPsLskJzrFEvEmtpyoyDorrn3ncWmmi-jdrQmUrQQmJyH5BSQPSRgZNrWkcAYuwKNw5o5NHZLHf5HdFBXNcglpueXyQfTUgdxRRh-JmJFLXcyGSMF_1FkMR5FA8ox/w270-h400/The%20Holdovers.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>When a chance skiing trip gives four out of the five students the ability to leave campus for the break, Hunham, Tully and cafeteria manager Mary are left by themselves. How will they pass the time? Can they maintain their cool and sanity and maybe learn from each other? <br /><br />“The Holdovers” stars Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa, Carrie Preston, Brady Hepner, Ian Dolley, Jim Kaplan, Michael Provost, Naheem Garcia, and Andrew Garman. <br /><br />It’s 1970 and the students at Barton Academy are ready for their two-week winter break. <br /><br />Cranky professor Paul Hunham (Giamatti) has pulled the duty of staying with four boys who are the holdovers and will not be leaving campus for the break. <br /><br />Angus Tully (Sessa) is looking forward to going to Saint Kitts over the break when he receives an unexpected call from his mom that she and his stepfather will not be coming to pick him up. He is now one of the holdovers. Also staying is cafeteria manager Mary (Randolph) who recently lost her son in Vietnam. <br /><br />One of the boy’s fathers arrives to take everyone skiing. Everyone is able to go except Tully, who is now stuck at the school with Hunham and Mary. <br /><br />Tully is upset about this and attempts to run away. Hunham catches him, but in the process, Tully dislocates his shoulder. They go to the hospital. <br /><br />Afterward, Hunham and Tully go to a diner where they run into Ms. Crane (Preston) who invites them to her Christmas party. Hunham is skeptical to go but he is talked into it. <br /><br />On Christmas Eve, Hunham, Tully, Mary and Barton custodian, Danny (Garcia) attend the party. While there, Hunham and Ms. Crane have an interesting conversation. <br /><br />“I used to think I could prepare them for the world, provide standards and grounding ... but the world doesn’t make sense anymore; it’s on fire” said Hunham. <br /><br />Crane says if that’s true, now is when they most need someone like him. <br /><br />Mary breaks down mourning the loss of her son and she, Tully and Hunham leave early. <br /><br />On Christmas, Tully suggests a field trip to Boston. However, he has a secret ultimatum. He wants to visit his father who is in a psychiatric hospital. Hunham reluctantly agrees. <br /><br />I don’t think you need to see this in the theater unless you are really interested in doing so. It’s long and didn’t have the holiday cheer I was looking for. It has moments of cheeriness and humor, but there are also more somber moments, like Mary mourning the loss of her son at Ms. Crane’s Christmas party, or when Tully meets his dad. <br /><br />Paul Giamatti’s portrayal of this character is good; I found him to be incredibly obtuse and irritating at times; sometimes you just felt bad for him. There is a bit of language in this movie and very brief nudity. It has heartfelt moments, such as when Tully dislocates his shoulder and Hunham takes him to the hospital, or what happens at the end. Despite its length, it does tell a consistent story that doesn’t drag much. It did make me feel good at the end. <br /><br />Three-and-a-quarter stars out of five. <br /><br />Now playing in theaters and available to rent. <</div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-58479085660713059392023-11-22T02:04:00.000-05:002023-11-22T02:04:00.141-05:00‘Elemental’ another home run for Pixar<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: PG <br />Runtime: 1 hour, 47 minutes </i><br /><br />Element City has many residents, air, earth, water, and fire. Ember, a fire element, immigrated to Element City with her parents Bernie and Cinder Lumen. Bernie runs a shop where he sells a variety of goods. He has promised his shop to Ember someday. When Ember damages a pipe in the shop’s basement, it causes a leak and city inspector Wade threatens to close them permanently. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcjB8t1S5Lf_OQHLS3P_zZ-iJMmlwLPHlFwQKukuXDgiCtacdsun7UGQAPjJ93zhpophtNB8OaIN7SUtCEWIAdrw3LQcbYihAD5HuXQX9rrTzkghw3GhyphenhypheniCKSHaAaa-wEAHnMu7i3THvGwd-vysd5mip4FUYLDzia9687IjljGWQ4kvvKAS5SyxUH4wiu/s1080/Elemental.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="788" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcjB8t1S5Lf_OQHLS3P_zZ-iJMmlwLPHlFwQKukuXDgiCtacdsun7UGQAPjJ93zhpophtNB8OaIN7SUtCEWIAdrw3LQcbYihAD5HuXQX9rrTzkghw3GhyphenhypheniCKSHaAaa-wEAHnMu7i3THvGwd-vysd5mip4FUYLDzia9687IjljGWQ4kvvKAS5SyxUH4wiu/w291-h400/Elemental.jpg" width="291" /></a></div>Wade falls for Ember, but she is very focused on saving her father’s shop and is not interested in a relationship. The two band together to find a way to patch the leak and save Bernie’s shop. Along the way, Wade learns that Ember has other dreams that don’t include running her father’s shop. Will Ember tell her father how she really feels? Can Wade and Ember save the shop? <br /><br />The new film “Elemental” stars Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie Del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Catherine O’Hara. <br /><br />Bernie (Del Carmen) and Cinder (Ommi) arrive at Element City where they face xenophobia because elements aren’t supposed to mix. They are unable to find a place to stay. When they finally do, Cinder gives birth to Ember (Lewis). <br /><br />Bernie runs a shop called “The Fireplace” which has been promised to Ember someday. Ember has a bit of temper when it comes to dealing with customers. Bernie tells her when dealing with a tough customer, take a breath and make a connection. <br /><br />Bernie is sick and cannot run his shop forever. He tells Ember if she can manage a big sale the shop is having without losing her temper, the store is hers. <br /><br />Ember cannot do this; she loses her temper and breaks a pipe in the basement. City Inspector Wade (Athie) stops by, notices this and writes Ember several citations which could close the shop forever. <br /><br />Ember tells him if the shop gets shut down it would crush her father, who worked hard and sacrificed a lot to give her and her mother this life in Element City. <br /><br />It’s too late; Wade already submitted the tickets. The two go to Wade’s boss Gale (McLendon-Covey) and try to strike a deal. Gale says if they can find the source of the leak and patch it, the citations will be forgiven. <br /><br />Ember and Wade go looking for the source. Wade learns Ember might not want to take over her father’s store but is afraid to tell him. Ember is softening toward Wade. Ember finds a way to patch the leak, but it won’t hold forever. <br /><br />Wade tries to convince Ember to tell her father. <br /><br />“Embrace the light while it burns because you don’t have forever to say what you need to say,” said Wade. <br /><br />Bernie announces his retirement, but Ember still doesn’t want to tell him. <br /><br />Ember tells Wade it’s over ... but it might not be. <br /><br />Pixar usually does a phenomenal job with movies appealing to kids and adults, and “Elemental” is no different. It deals with some heavier themes than a Pixar favorite like “Toy Story” did. And expect a lump or two in your throat. <br /><br />This is a fantastic movie the whole family can watch together. It has a great message about following your heart and not being afraid to go after what you really want. It’s a nice love story, but not too lovey-dovey. While it took me in an unexpected direction, I would recommend it. <br /><br />Two Vivisteria flowers up. <br /><br />Available to rent and on Disney+ <Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-53724562989069860052023-11-17T02:00:00.003-05:002023-11-17T02:00:00.131-05:00Watercolor Workshop on tap at Raymond Village Library<i>By Kendra Raymond</i><br /><br />Located in the heart of town, the Raymond Village Library hosts a variety of events throughout the year and a watercolor workshop is in the queue for early December with more excitement expected for the new year.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV954d1I1pWWZ6lmWEBxsly7OdNUWwQ0puIbbzLHUszORkN2DeqK4USmKLMgyMAwK-jj1eK1g7WrmieCnGfbe2yViLKzkdVqp0EqsL16zpXpLB1o5ETUckFrfNQCSn91-0KP4-d82PFSLYRMPLbf-XZA2pZVX0u2BEOYShWy9sIEvsJMb4U6lapEKXG-zs/s1526/Watercolor%20Workshop.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1526" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV954d1I1pWWZ6lmWEBxsly7OdNUWwQ0puIbbzLHUszORkN2DeqK4USmKLMgyMAwK-jj1eK1g7WrmieCnGfbe2yViLKzkdVqp0EqsL16zpXpLB1o5ETUckFrfNQCSn91-0KP4-d82PFSLYRMPLbf-XZA2pZVX0u2BEOYShWy9sIEvsJMb4U6lapEKXG-zs/s320/Watercolor%20Workshop.png" width="320" /></a></div>The library staff at RVL are committed to providing educational and engaging gatherings for patrons of all ages.<br /> <br /> Local artist Cathy Dodge will lead a watercolor painting session from 1 to 3 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 4 where you can create your own art to take home. This is a great opportunity to learn something new, hone your existing skills and maybe even create a meaningful holiday gift.<br /> <br /> Dodge’s work has been featured during RVL art exhibits in the past. Trained in oils and watercolor, her work specializes in the still life of subjects such as flowers and seashells.<br /> <br /> Librarian Rachel Holden says there is a limit of eight participants, so early registration is recommended by calling the library at 207-655-4283 for this 18-and-up event. Best of all, the workshop is free of charge and all materials are provided.<br /> <br /> The Raymond Village Library shares its mission statement on its website as follows, “The Raymond Village Library is a community based informational, educational, and recreational facility dedicated to providing quality library services and resources in a welcoming atmosphere. The library will be responsive to the changing needs of the community, cooperate with other entities and strive to fulfill its role as a service oriented, dynamic library.”<br /> <br /> RVL offers many regularly scheduled gatherings including Baby Storytime and Preschool Storytime where babies and tots can enjoy short stories, songs, and crafts. These one-hour gatherings foster an approachable appreciation of books for youngsters in a casual and fun setting.<br /> <br /> Book Group meets on the last Monday of the month at 5 p.m. in person and by ZOOM, excluding December (because of the holiday season). Participants can expect some great titles, lively discussions, and plenty of access to the month’s book selection check out at the circulation desk.<br /> <br /> Bridge Group is held every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon. Attendees can play bridge and occasionally mahjong, socialize, and utilize the library resources.<br /> <br /> Holden says that attendance at weekly events is down a bit during winter months but should pick back up in summer.<br /> <br /> For those less inclined to venture out to the library in person, the RVL website serves as a portal to several on-line services such as CL newsstand where you can access magazines, Kanopy, a movie streaming service, and LearningExpress, a career and educational program funded by the Maine State Library.<br /> <br /> The RVL annual summer book sale has become an iconic event and is typically well-attended. Books are organized by genre at this outdoor sale. Donations are accepted year-round. A smaller selection of titles can be purchased during the on-going indoor sale as well.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gerrityisyourrealtor.com" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="800" height="138" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/mainerealestateexperts-chris.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> Friends of the Raymond Village Library is a recently incorporated non-profit group. Their mission is to help support the library by sponsoring events, purchasing items, and raising awareness about the library’s offerings. Meetings are open to the public, and anyone with a RVL card can become a member.<br /> <br /> A lesser-known resource offered by RVL is a discount opportunity to visit Maine museums and parks. Holden said, “(This program) offers a variety of discounts and/or free passes to parks, museums, and things like that. We are lucky to offer these resources.”<br /> <br /> By simply calling or visiting the library, families can receive free admission to Coastal Maine Botanical Garden, Railway Village and Museum and Southworth Planetarium during summer months, and a discount at Maine Wildlife Park.<br /> <br /> Families of up to four people can receive half price admission to the Children’s Museum and Theater in Portland year-round. A Maine State Parks pass is also available, via a pass which should be displayed in your vehicle’s windshield.<br /> <br /> Raymond Village Library is located at 3 Meadow Road, just off Main Street in Raymond.<br /> <br /> The library is open daily, excluding Thursday and Sunday. They will be closed Thanksgiving weekend, early on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. Check out the website for their hours, as they do vary. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1775828903488843801/2783049953013343127">http://www.raymondvillagelibrary.org/</a><br /> <br /> Friends of the Raymond Village Library can be contacted via email: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1775828903488843801/2783049953013343127">friendsofraymondvillagelibrary@gmail.com</a>. Donations and volunteering are encouraged. <Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-91095357665069796062023-11-10T02:14:00.040-05:002023-11-10T02:14:00.141-05:00Windham High School presents musical comedy ‘Spamalot’<i>By Masha Yurkevich </i><br /><br />It’s the season for Windham High School’s annual musical and this year, they have prepared for us Spamalot, a comedy and musical about King Arthur and his knights in the search for the Holy Grail and the problems they run into along the way. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnsU18n5wbWAYHci7y8VPgSh1X4Xs9V6d92kWkp87qlfa0mAgvpC2-glXOnA6CHTi1EQpiIQZ8JOewuxJS2tjvnU2-9f9dWO-TUaWcNJ5W5XuUD6U5GsmgD4NixgyagwwXYO7ndN0IqNPwYZeOPuTwGbz0UZqJhoCusJELjWJD1c78SoqLsV-hPx9OOmu/s2722/Spamalot%20cast.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1894" data-original-width="2722" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnsU18n5wbWAYHci7y8VPgSh1X4Xs9V6d92kWkp87qlfa0mAgvpC2-glXOnA6CHTi1EQpiIQZ8JOewuxJS2tjvnU2-9f9dWO-TUaWcNJ5W5XuUD6U5GsmgD4NixgyagwwXYO7ndN0IqNPwYZeOPuTwGbz0UZqJhoCusJELjWJD1c78SoqLsV-hPx9OOmu/w400-h279/Spamalot%20cast.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windham High School's production of the musical comedy<br />'Spamalot' based on the Tony Award-winning Best Musical<br />and the 1975 cult-classic film 'Monty Python and the <br />Holy Grail' opens Friday at the Windham High<br />School Performing Arts Center. SUBMITTED PHOTO</td></tr></tbody></table>The show will be held at the Windham Performing Arts Center at the high school and will run for two weekends: Friday Nov. 10 through Sunday Nov. 12 and Friday Nov. 17 through Sunday Nov. 19. The Friday and Saturday performances are at 7 p.m. and the Sunday shows are at 2 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for students and seniors. <br /><br />Director Rob Juergens says that Spamalot is uniquely British in its outlook and style of humor. <br /><br />“It is a show that I have been wanting to do for years, because I love the movie it is based on, Monty Python and The Holy Grail,” he said. <br /><br /><div>Juergens role is to provide an overall vision and structure for the show. Important input also comes from the Musical Director, Dr. Richard Nickerson, and the Choreographer, Vanessa Beyland.</div><div><br />“The costumer and the set designer also have key roles, and it is my job to make sure all the elements coalesce to provide a consistent picture,” says Juergens. “In addition, I focus on the blocking and acting aspects of the musical.” <br /><br />Ashlynn Cuthbert is a freshman and plays Sir Lancelot in Spamalot. <br /><br />“I am relatively new to theater, this being my third show, but ever since I started, I have loved the feeling of performing live, as well as getting to be a person that you would not normally get to play,” says Cuthbert. “I decided to be part of this musical in particular this year because Spamalot is so very different from any other musical you will ever experience. The comedy is such that you will laugh either because it's a genuinely good joke, or because it's so ridiculous that you can't help but laugh. Plus, as an actor, it is such a great way to learn how to play different roles in different styles of theater.” <br /><br />For Cuthbert, her favorite aspect of Sir Lancelot is the difference between the Lancelot people know outside of the show, and how he is portrayed in the show. <br /><br />“I love trying to connect the two different sides of the character. It's also very fun to play with a sword and mess around with it on stage,” she said. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://whstheater.tix.com/schedule.aspx?orgnum=5931" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="516" height="320" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/whs.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><br />Molly Plati, a junior, plays Patsy and is also the Student Producer for the production. <br /><br />“I have been involved with the musical since freshman year so naturally I was excited to audition,” says Plati. “When Spamalot was first announced I was not familiar with the show. However, my parents were thrilled. That night we watched Monty Python's version and instantly I was excited. The dry humor and overall hilarity of the show is what really drew me in.” <br /><br />Plati’s favorite part about playing Patsy is the tap number I have at the beginning of the second act. <br /><br />“Patsy is a full comedic role and has many silly moments,” Plati said. “I love playing the funny character because I love making people laugh.” <br /><br />King Arthur is played by junior Stuart Gabaree who said that he has always felt that he gravitates toward humor when it comes to expressing himself. <br /><br />“I had never watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail before auditioning, but I had heard of it. I got together with some friends and finally watched the film, and I feel like from that point forward I was sold on the show,” he says. “The humor was up my alley with the way some things barely make any sense at all. Weirdness and randomness has always been my thing.” <br /><br />His favorite part about his role is how he is not allowed to hold back with it. <br /><br />“The role calls for me to be the most stuck up, self-centered, egotistical, and dimwitted king there ever was,” he said. “I am able to ham it up and overact to a concerning degree. This might be my only chance to do such a thing, so I am going to take it.” <br /><br />Senior Kaitlyn Farrin plays Sir Robin and is a Student Director. <br /><br />She has been doing theater for the past eight years and has truly grown to love it. <br /><br />“I decided to do Spamalot in particular because I love comedy and I was drawn to the crazy musical numbers,” said Farrin. “My favorite part of my role is how ridiculous and energetic it is. I've always preferred playing more comedic roles, and Robin is definitely one. I love being able to be goofy and make people laugh.” <br /><br />Windham High School musicals have a strong reputation for high-quality productions. <br /><br />“People should come to this show to support live, local theater,” says Juergens. “There is no doubt that this show will be an absolute blast.” <</div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-1469383725120921462023-11-10T02:00:00.004-05:002023-11-10T02:00:00.135-05:00‘Freelance’ film doesn’t quite deliver to full potential<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: R <br />Runtime: 1 hour, 49 minutes </i><br /><br />Mason Pettits has always wanted to help people. He became a lawyer but found that just wasn’t for him. So, he enlisted in the Army and became a special forces operative. He found his life now had purpose. Until, one day his helicopter was shot down and he injured his back. He went back to being a lawyer which is crushing his soul. When he lands a freelance gig to protect a journalist who is interviewing the man who shot down his helicopter, he is taken on an action-filled journey of modest proportions. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZfKdcsL7OwK-3MY4Sx5LXzfwhyphenhyphenik5wtEYtxELXaNwp8S1JIjkVZYBAk02THpdygBM5WeInOj-x2KJiz0Q8ebhyphenhyphenSfAdEBPTkhdkj8NT-4GXM2TfbABUbKnW7ZzqzMMuy7OIfb0-dHMwJiwEla_4_jBFBZcfNdZYW0MJLNW9x8HlkzoXT-H3PPZm5oKWv2/s667/Freelance.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZfKdcsL7OwK-3MY4Sx5LXzfwhyphenhyphenik5wtEYtxELXaNwp8S1JIjkVZYBAk02THpdygBM5WeInOj-x2KJiz0Q8ebhyphenhyphenSfAdEBPTkhdkj8NT-4GXM2TfbABUbKnW7ZzqzMMuy7OIfb0-dHMwJiwEla_4_jBFBZcfNdZYW0MJLNW9x8HlkzoXT-H3PPZm5oKWv2/w270-h400/Freelance.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>“Freelance” stars Alison Brie, John Cena, Alice Eve, Christian Slater, Marston Csokas, Juan Pablo Raba, and Molly McCann. <br /><br />Mason Pettits (Cena) has returned to being a lawyer after being in the Army and having his helicopter shot down which injured his back. He’s not happy with being a lawyer. When Sebastian Earl (Slater) offers him a freelance job to protect journalist Claire Wellington (Brie) who will interview Paldonian President Venegas (Raba) Mason reluctantly accepts, although Venegas may have had something to do with his helicopter being shot down. <br /><br />Mason and wife Jenny (Eve) are having problems. They separate. Mason heads to Paldonia with Claire. When a coup breaks out, their vehicles are attacked. Mason takes charge and saves Claire and Venegas. Mason wants to leave; Claire wants to stay and get the story of a lifetime. <br /><br />A short time later, Mason and Claire split from Venegas. Claire says this is her chance for a Peabody Award. Mason says you can’t get a Peabody if you’re dead. <br /><br />Claire gets separated from Mason. As Claire is about to be attacked, Mason interferes. They all meet back up with Venegas. They all learn more about each other and their situations. Claire interviews Venegas. <br /><br />Claire and Mason kind of have a moment. <br /><br />Mason finds out the real reason he was sent here. Jenny wants Mason to come home. Mason tells Claire they’re headed for the border. Claire is captured. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.egcu.org/personal/personal-checking/rise-high-yield-checking.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="454" height="320" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/evergreenrise.jpg" width="182" /></a></div><br />All along, Venegas’ nephew was trying to kill him. Mason and Venegas travel together; they need to save Claire. <br /><br />The only expectation I had going into this movie was that it be half comedy, half action. It’s more action than comedy. I was looking for a light-hearted movie and, unfortunately, this isn’t it. However, it was better than I expected, and the story is relatively fast-moving with little drag time. No disrespect to John Cena – he may read this – but I felt like his character could be interchangeable with any big action star. <div><br /></div><div>You could easily put The Rock or Schwarzenegger in there and it would be almost exactly the same movie. Cena can be a very funny actor and I feel like his talents weren’t fully represented here. Alison Brie shows she is no longer naïve Annie from “Community.” As a heads up, this movie is pretty violent in parts with some language. It’s a decent action-adventure, but I don’t see any reason you need to see it on the big screen. If you do see it on the big screen, stick around through the credits for outtakes.<br /> <br />Two and a half out of five stars. <br /><br />Now playing in theaters. <</div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-44268665780754082402023-10-27T02:02:00.016-04:002023-10-27T02:02:00.134-04:00‘Talk to Me’ horror flick a bit overwhelming<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: R <br />Runtime: 1 hour, 34 minutes </i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24MPNRVNtGFQ2sPxXbFnimyAdeEjUYUSBdaDlfxVP0IB2dzr-y2UG5ZJELrt0yNlDUTl0WbfNwbsLc7EvZWUrkqvqyelT-6jUrdQm2RZInIltMxzIU5WmHzIbCyxHjldpp8xIz6LmAAUWYVpH90dlcc9AYME-PauyZGnZEixfP24ADwyx37si0fZtzS-v/s1080/Talk%20to%20Me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="788" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24MPNRVNtGFQ2sPxXbFnimyAdeEjUYUSBdaDlfxVP0IB2dzr-y2UG5ZJELrt0yNlDUTl0WbfNwbsLc7EvZWUrkqvqyelT-6jUrdQm2RZInIltMxzIU5WmHzIbCyxHjldpp8xIz6LmAAUWYVpH90dlcc9AYME-PauyZGnZEixfP24ADwyx37si0fZtzS-v/w291-h400/Talk%20to%20Me.jpg" width="291" /></a></div>At a party, Mia and her friends Jade and Hade’s brother Riley play a game where you hold an embalmed hand and say, <br /><br />“Talk to me.” <br /><br />Your body becomes possessed momentarily and what or who you see is anybody’s guess. When things get out of hand after Riley plays, Mia must find a way to save him, all while having visions of her own. This was an OK horror movie, but I found it complex and kind of busy, with almost too many intense things happening. <br /><br />“Talk to Me” stars Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Miranda Otto, Zoe Terakes, Marcus Johnson, and Ari McCarthy. <br /><br />At a big party, Cole (McCarthy) is looking for his brother. When he eventually finds him, his brother has marks on his body and says, <br /><br />“They’re inside me.” <br /><br />After this some very serious stuff happens. <br /><br />Mia (Wilde), who recently lost her mother, convinces her friend Jade (Jensen) to go to a party. Jade’s brother, Riley (Bird) goes with them. At the party, Mia plays a game that has gone viral where you hold an embalmed hand and say, <br /><br />“Talk to me. I invite you in.” <br /><br />Mia becomes momentarily possessed and sees visions of dead individuals. You need to stop after 90 seconds otherwise the spirit will stay with you. Things at this party get creepily out of hand. <br /><br />The next night Mia wants to try it again and this time, Riley plays and things get very strange and grotesque. On a side note, this is a very violent, bloody scene which took me by surprise. <br /><br />Riley is injured and Mia gets blamed. Mia realizes that there is still some sort of presence with her; she sees visions of her mother in mirrors. <br /><br />She wants to see her mother again so bad that she plays the game on her own. <br /><br />In the hospital, Riley gets worse. This scene is pretty gross, so be forewarned. <br /><br />Jade and Mia go to talk to Cole about how to save Riley. Mia has a plan about how to bring him back. <br /><br />Mia continues to see her mother who has a warning for her. <br /><br />This is a dark, heavy at times, gruesome horror movie. A lot happens that, as much as I wanted to, just couldn’t get into. I will say, it was good, but was more creepy than scary and may have held more gravitas on the big screen. I also found it to be a little confusing. There were good and evil versions of people and sometimes, more toward the end, it was hard to figure out who was who. The end left me with questions. On the plus side, if you are looking for a reasonably decent movie to watch on Halloween, this might be the one for you – if you’re interested. Otherwise, I’d recommend something else like “Smile” or “Us.” <br /><br />Only one flickering candle up. <br /><br />Now available to rent. <<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Century",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-78154029783220139922023-10-13T02:08:00.004-04:002023-10-13T02:08:00.159-04:00Netflix’s ‘Happiness for Beginners’ a feel-good story about challenging yourself<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: TV-14 <br />Runtime: 1 hour, 43 minutes </i><br /><br />Helen and Mike have been divorced for six years and Mike is having a harder time letting go. He calls and texts Helen more frequently than she would like. Helen decides she needs to challenge herself and signs up for a wilderness survival course, where they hike part of the Appalachian Trail. Along the way she learns more about what she is capable of and even runs into an old friend of her brother’s, who she may have underestimated. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ecYe3gZlboaLQucSKdA1Nq_D5_56Bn4YJTZ-NamrWkyN8NIR299Z7I7CobNEn904jH-xvRb6zr_UMIFY4rHIoxDmUsLQv4GQ-EtIbDD99yNrlHLmzDADSN9zdMHQJOEKtTwiyoIzyu1V4ZkB5ceLCLT1j60-FyT2zaMRIZb6rONnIeHR9So9lp5EjZxY/s506/HFB.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="405" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ecYe3gZlboaLQucSKdA1Nq_D5_56Bn4YJTZ-NamrWkyN8NIR299Z7I7CobNEn904jH-xvRb6zr_UMIFY4rHIoxDmUsLQv4GQ-EtIbDD99yNrlHLmzDADSN9zdMHQJOEKtTwiyoIzyu1V4ZkB5ceLCLT1j60-FyT2zaMRIZb6rONnIeHR9So9lp5EjZxY/w320-h400/HFB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>“Happiness for Beginners” stars Ellie Kemper, Luke Grimes, Nico Santos, Blythe Danner, Ben Cook, Shayvawn Webster, Julia Shiplett, Gus Birney, Esteban Benito, and Alexander Koch. <br /><br />Helen (Kemper) sits alone at a party while groups of people dance around her. She gets a text from her ex-husband, Mike from whom she has been divorced for six years. <br /><br />Helen is planning a wilderness survival tour of part of the Appalachian Trail because she feels she is stuck in a rut and wants to stop breaking promises to herself. <br /><br />At this party, she runs into Jake (Grimes), her brother’s best friend. Jake says he remembers when she used to be fun. She insists she’s still fun.<br /><br />Helen has experienced a lot of grief and loss over her life. <br /><br />When she starts orientation for the hike, it has a real motley crew of hikers. Their trail leader, Beckett (Cook) is more than a little intense. Helen realizes that one of the hikers is Jake. <br /><br />Starting out, Beckett points out a lot of the things Helen does wrong. <br /><br />As the hike goes on (it’s multiple days and nights) Jake and Helen bond. After more time, Jake admits a hard truth to her. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://mainelyvetdentistry.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="740" height="320" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/mainelyvet.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><br />When a hiker gets injured and breaks their leg, it’s Helen who helps him and makes her way back to basecamp to alert the rest of the hikers and Beckett. <br /><br />She heads home a little better than when she left. But what about Jake? They had a connection during their time hiking the Appalachian Trail, but what does all that mean? Could Helen have underestimated Jake? What’s next? <br /><br />After my last review, I was looking for something lighter and more upbeat and I definitely found it. This is based on the book of the same name by Catherine Center. I should have noticed from the movie’s poster this was a romantic comedy. However, it’s not an overly lovey-dovey movie. It can be heavy at times, but I found it very positive, uplifting, while being a bit funny, too. The soundtrack is a good one. Aside from the romance aspect of the movie, the characters who go on this adult hike of the Appalachian Trail are looking to make a change or prove something to themselves. They discover people are more than the sum of their parts. I’d recommend this movie. <br /><br />Two water bottles up. <br /><br />Now streaming on Netflix. <Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-69201228577043343192023-10-06T02:20:00.027-04:002023-10-06T02:20:00.153-04:00Windham Center Stage Theater begins preparing for Christmas production <i>By Masha Yurkevich </i><br /><br />With the production of "The Importance of Being Earnest" closing last month, the Windham Center Stage Theater (WCST) has shifted gears and is now starting to prepare for their Christmas production, “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some)” which will run from Dec. 8 through Dec. 17. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNHZZpJlgls0N15IlCB8r7F95l_SR648AhIfAnCsxsuSlHBKmPAQDNSjLUW4DLsNI6V6lvnxuo2-Yqa7UlCHVz5PQ_L26Nz-wEgt6rBY24EggZtdH6YoMfeZGLNxYC-gv1CuSz9EsKTrbgGci2IHOQn9L3dlRzUTs31dqTt27aQVGzDzFuqaDzYO6tV4n/s720/EVERY-CHRISTMAS-STORY-EVER-TOLD-AND-THEN-SOME-Comes-to-Theatre-Tallahassee-1694507854.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNHZZpJlgls0N15IlCB8r7F95l_SR648AhIfAnCsxsuSlHBKmPAQDNSjLUW4DLsNI6V6lvnxuo2-Yqa7UlCHVz5PQ_L26Nz-wEgt6rBY24EggZtdH6YoMfeZGLNxYC-gv1CuSz9EsKTrbgGci2IHOQn9L3dlRzUTs31dqTt27aQVGzDzFuqaDzYO6tV4n/w400-h200/EVERY-CHRISTMAS-STORY-EVER-TOLD-AND-THEN-SOME-Comes-to-Theatre-Tallahassee-1694507854.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As a show with only three roles, this new production promises to be one of the highlights of the year for the theatrical troupe. <br /><br />“Three actors have decided that instead of doing yet another production of “A Christmas Carol” they are going to tell another Christmas story… or rather, all of them,” says Mel Quackenbush, Vice President of the WCST Board of Directors and the director for the “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some)” presentation. “Rudolf, Frosty, even George Bailey make an appearance in 90 minutes of hilarity and hijinks.” <br /><br />Quackenbush says that this production is special because it has a small cast which is always fun and takes traditional stories that we all know and love and turns them on their head. <br /><br />The roles are very fluid and adaptable to be played by anyone of any age, race, gender, or physical ability, she said. <br /><br />Loosely speaking there is one actor who plays as the “serious actor” and who simply wants to do their planned production of “A Christmas Carol” and their two friends who are doing their best to do anything else, Quackenbush said. <br /><br />This show has not been cast yet. In-person auditions will be held this week and Zoom auditions can be arranged by contacting WCST either through our social media or by emailing the theater at <a href="mailto:windhamcenterstagetheater@gmail.com">windhamcenterstagetheater@gmail.com</a>. <br /><br />“This show will have an eight-week rehearsal schedule, which is fairly standard,” says Quackenbush. “The biggest challenge for a show like this is making sure the chemistry of all the actors is very strong. With such a small cast if one actor is even a little off on the timing of their lines or misses their mark it really shows so the other actors have to be very adept at covering each other’s slips while making sure the show stays quick-witted and on track.” <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.egcu.org/personal/personal-savings/share-certificates.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="454" height="320" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/evergreenshare.jpg" width="182" /></a></div><br />Quackenbush says that everyone should attend this production because it’s going to be a great time with 90 minutes of comedy and shenanigans the whole family can enjoy. And it even includes a sing-along of Christmas songs. <br /><br />Tickets for “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some)” are $15 for adults and $12 for children and seniors. The show will be at the Windham Town Hall, located at 8 School Road. Dates are Dec. 8 to Dec. 17 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The Friday and Saturday shows are at 7 p.m. and the Sunday shows are at 2 p.m. <br /><br />According to Quackenbush, tickets will be available on the WCST website, which will open for presale during the week of Thanksgiving. Tickets may also be purchased at the door. <br /><br />Following this production, WCST will stage the children’s show “James and the Giant Peach Jr.” in March 2024, to be followed by “The Music Man” which will run in May 2024. More information about those productions will be available soon. <br /><br />“We believe that theater is for everyone,” says Quackenbush. “If you’ve been acting your whole life or if you’ve never set foot on a stage before but always wanted to, we would love to be the place where you can do that. We are working diligently to be a place of joy and inclusivity. Don’t want to be on stage but still want to work in the theater? We are always looking for volunteers, props masters, set builders, sound designers and the like. Reach out, we can find somewhere for you to be.” <Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-37723715869603920492023-09-29T02:08:00.004-04:002023-09-29T02:08:00.143-04:00‘The Nun II,’ a somewhat scary movie, which offers unexpected occurrences<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: R <br />Runtime: 1 hour, 50 minutes </i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBLuiwxnWmeggKwKhURseYxUOWfYr7Gczs-_YVHrX2cZjsNTju1927j4zfEPA78ofAzGNb80MquAp9lBmB9nMG_jQNhHaEf3frqc0s51DXmvS_4lmbffdrs8JQ55Y84dg6rt4bYbMvu99vnqzBqAWAW7DadKrKYsq8BH0oOXgDQ2W6dbk3E9A1T0lAYc8/s472/The%20Nun%20II.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="338" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBLuiwxnWmeggKwKhURseYxUOWfYr7Gczs-_YVHrX2cZjsNTju1927j4zfEPA78ofAzGNb80MquAp9lBmB9nMG_jQNhHaEf3frqc0s51DXmvS_4lmbffdrs8JQ55Y84dg6rt4bYbMvu99vnqzBqAWAW7DadKrKYsq8BH0oOXgDQ2W6dbk3E9A1T0lAYc8/w286-h400/The%20Nun%20II.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>It’s close enough to October, that it’s time for a scary movie – or two. As part of “The Conjuring” movie universe, “The Nun II” is the sequel to the 2018 movie. In France in 1956 a priest is mysteriously killed. Sister Irene returns in this movie and is told by the Cardinal that she is the only one who can stop the demon, Valak. The demon is responsible for a series of deaths across Europe. I enjoyed this movie on the big screen and although it’s not one of the scariest movies I’ve seen, it did have me jump in my seat a few times. <br /><br />“The Nun II” stars Taissa Farmiga, Storm Reid, Bonnie Aarons, Jonas Bloquet, Katelyn Rose Downey, Anna Popplewell, Maxime Elias-Menet, Suzanne Bertish, and Peter Hudson. <br /><br />It opens in France where an altar boy, Jacques (Menet), notices something peculiar in the shadows after serving in a mass. He quickly realizes there is an evil presence in the chapel. He witnesses Father Noiret being viciously killed. <br /><br />After these events, Sister Irene (Farmiga) is told by the Cardinal she is the only one who can deal with the demon Valak because of her previous experience with the demon. She travels to Tarascon, France with Sister Deborah (Reid). <br /><br />At the convent, where there is also a boarding school, a student makes a delivery and sees Valak possess handyman Maurice (Bloquet). Later bullies pick on and lock student Sophie (Downey) in the chapel. The girls told Sophie that the Devil is always there, you just have to look. Valak is in the chapel, but Maurice intervenes and helps Sophie escape. <br /><br />Sister Irene is shown where Father Noiret was killed, and discovers she has a connection to Maurice. After looking for Jacques, and coming up short, she sees the presence of Valak at a magazine stand in a visually very cool scene. Valak appears to the headmistress after she encounters a possessed Maurice. It doesn’t end well for her. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://rjgrondin.com/aggregate" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="800" height="287" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/grondin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Sister Irene and Sister Deborah meet with a librarian who tells them he thinks Valak is looking for a specific relic, a pair of eyes, and that is the key to getting rid of the demon. <br /> <br /> Valak attacks Sister Irene and Deborah through Maurice. They tie up Maurice. Sophie, schoolteacher Kate (Popplewell), Sisters Irene and Deborah must now find the relic and stop Valak before it’s too late. <br /><br />I want to be scared when I watch a horror movie and while I was startled, I didn’t find this that scary. While this movie is a bit gruesome and violent in parts, I found it over-the-top in some of the scarier parts, usually when Valak makes its presence known. <br /> <br />On the plus side, I thought this was quite suspenseful, with the creepy music often leading up to sometimes shocking events. It featured a few moments that really caught me off-guard. It had me jumping in my seat a few times and overall, I would recommend seeing this on the big screen for the maximum horror effect. <br /><br /><div>Two thumbs up; make sure you stay through the credits. <br /><br />Now playing only in theaters. < <br /><br /> </div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-21710659770353365452023-09-15T02:04:00.020-04:002023-09-15T02:04:00.140-04:00Review: ‘Champions’ more about team and less about wins<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: PG-13 <br />Runtime: 2 hours, 4 minutes <br /></i><br />Marcus Marakovich is an assistant coach for the collegiate basketball Iowa Stallions. He has an incident where he pushes the head coach. He’s thrown off the team and spends a night in jail after driving drunk. The judge then imposes a sentence of 90 days of community service at a local recreation center where he will coach a team of individuals with developmental disabilities. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCN4pAOkw9gCwbum952__nbCitA2fxZ6epIUpYhPjUx_dCBnjI485GV2c7Atvq_vetXdktfiVMBJzH7mjXHeZxxnNpA38jJ32mFUs6dwAGplwf0wAAPJacy4ysqGqBK34ORB8jOxllm6f3VExibyt0qqRJ6JXDn5CyEw2gurWyOJ4bNRkFRF5WdSXcwClM/s1080/Champions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCN4pAOkw9gCwbum952__nbCitA2fxZ6epIUpYhPjUx_dCBnjI485GV2c7Atvq_vetXdktfiVMBJzH7mjXHeZxxnNpA38jJ32mFUs6dwAGplwf0wAAPJacy4ysqGqBK34ORB8jOxllm6f3VExibyt0qqRJ6JXDn5CyEw2gurWyOJ4bNRkFRF5WdSXcwClM/w278-h400/Champions.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>Can this big-time coach find a way to give back to this team? This comedy has a lot of heart while also being funny. <br /><br />“Champions” stars Woody Harrelson, Kaitlin Olson, Ernie Hudson, Matt Cook, Madison Tevlin, Joshua Felder, Kevin Iannucci, Ashton Gunning, Matthew Von Der Ahe, Tom Sinclair, James Day Keith, Alex Hintz, Casey Metcalfe, Bradley Edens and Cheech Marin. <br /><br />Following an incident where Iowa Stallions coach Marcus Marakovich (Harrelson) pushes head coach Peretti (Hudson), Marcus hits a police car while driving drunk. After spending a night in jail, he is offered a deal by the judge instead of more jail time – 90 days coaching a recreational basketball team of adults with developmental disabilities. Marcus is not thrilled about this but accepts. <br /><br />Coach Perretti tells Marcus he knows the game but needs to cultivate relationships. The recreational team is a good place to start. <br /><br />When he meets the team, most of them are open to him, except Darius (Felder). Johnny (Iannucci) takes a liking to him and as it turns out, Marcus has already met Johnny’s sister, Alex (Olson). <br /><br />Recreation Manager Julio (Marin) tells Marcus the team doesn’t have to be the Lakers, but they need to feel like a team. <br /><br />Marcus finds out the previous coach quit partway through the season and it devastated the team. <br /><br />The more time Marcus spends with the team, the more he realizes they are more capable than he originally thought. Despite this, he’s not the most encouraging to his players during games. <br /><br />Over time, he begins to bond and connect with them. One such moment is when he convinces Johnny, who is afraid of water, to take a shower. <br /><br />The team wants to make it to Regionals, so they cannot afford any forfeits. <br /><br />When a pipe bursts in the gym, Marcus takes the practice outside to a local court where they challenge a group of players after being referred to in a derogatory way. <br /><br />When Marcus’ 90 days are up, he stays with the team. They are one win away from the Regional Tournament. Marcus also has an offer from the NBA he plans to accept.<br /> <br /> After Marcus talks to Darius, he agrees to play for them. <br /><br />However, they don’t have the money needed to travel to the tournament. Marcus and Alex have an idea. <br /><br />This is a funny, charming, awkward, emotional feel-good movie. It has a great message about teammates playing for each other and not to discount or overlook someone just because they have a disability. It has mild language and sexual situations, watch out for the sprained finger scene toward the end. “Champions” can be defined in many ways, not just by winning it all. This one is worth a stream. <br /><br />Two thumbs up. <br /><br />Available on Amazon Prime and to rent. <Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-55484354200667214352023-09-01T02:02:00.004-04:002023-09-01T02:02:00.141-04:00‘You Hurt My Feelings’ a heartwarming drama-comedy<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: R <br />Runtime: 1 hour, 33 minutes </i><br /><br />When novelist Beth overhears her husband vehemently saying how much he doesn’t like her current novel, it upsets her and makes her question what else he could have been lying about. This drama-comedy deals with the hard truth of being honest with one another, not just our significant others, with sometimes subtle, sometimes dark humor. Julia Louis-Dreyfus gives a solid performance in this sincere movie. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwBw1IXyPIrSaNp1-SfjmSPCApiXyChDqHMQPNy8P-KZ8YCsulNwn00c2WiS_PD_2Z4vlkpNm6mHOatj6uDon2bP1cr8EaxeJiZS6Nk4bNuOKbkdvsG2MtaUWZ7Jo9q5dIOvwPIdJaKkPFBh3D5qrb5KpKspXWtLi79QDhN2rlGNgD7D907-4GeiIbN5_/s3001/YHMF.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3001" data-original-width="2026" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwBw1IXyPIrSaNp1-SfjmSPCApiXyChDqHMQPNy8P-KZ8YCsulNwn00c2WiS_PD_2Z4vlkpNm6mHOatj6uDon2bP1cr8EaxeJiZS6Nk4bNuOKbkdvsG2MtaUWZ7Jo9q5dIOvwPIdJaKkPFBh3D5qrb5KpKspXWtLi79QDhN2rlGNgD7D907-4GeiIbN5_/w270-h400/YHMF.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>“You Hurt My Feelings” stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins, Arian Moayed, Owen Teague, Amber Tamblyn, David Cross, and Jeannie Berlin. <br /><br />Beth (Louis-Dreyfus) is a published author and teacher who has written a memoir and is working on her second book, a work of fiction. She is married to Don (Menzies) who is a therapist. Her agent doesn’t think her second book is as strong as her first. <br /><br />When Beth and her sister Sarah (Watkins) overhear Don telling Sarah’s husband, Mark (Moayed), how much he really dislikes Beth’s second book, she is upset. She’s been working for two years and has given Don many drafts to read and every single time he says they are good. Beth says her hands are numb and she thinks Don probably doesn’t respect her or understand why she teaches. Beth says she needs Don’s approval. <br /><br />Sarah admits to lying to her husband from time to time when he is part of something she doesn’t think is good. <br /><br />When their son, Elliot’s (Teague) girlfriend breaks up with him, he visits them and brings up the topic of trust. Beth is very cold toward Don. <br /><br />The fears of being not good enough are only reinforced when she discovers no one in her class has read her first book. <br /><br />Beth finally confronts Don during a dinner with Sarah and Mark. She says she might stop writing altogether. <br /><br />Don claims what she heard was taken out of context. Beth says she can never trust him again. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fieldingsoil.com/_index.php" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="740" height="320" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/fieldings.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><br />Each of the characters in this movie struggles with not feeling good enough; although Beth is the only one who overhears someone bashing her work. <br /><br />While this drama-comedy was funny, it’s not like my sides hurt from laughing, but it may bring a tear to your eye. We all may have told a small lie to protect someone’s feelings. It’s a hard subject to broach. I found this movie relatable in that it’s an uncomfortable experience that may be pretty common. How do you tell someone you care about you may not like something they did? <br /><br />Beth’s mother (Berlin) is a funny character and I related to adult children dealing with their older parents. I can’t say I felt like a solution to what Don did to Beth was reached, I think they just moved on. Julia Louis-Dreyfus gives a fantastic performance which in no way reminded me of her Seinfeld role as Elaine Benes. This is worth a rental, and I give it two thumbs up. <br /><br />Available to rent on most major streaming platforms. <Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-5849675132404075742023-08-18T02:00:00.029-04:002023-08-18T02:00:00.140-04:00Review: ‘The Out-Laws’ action-packed silliness<i>By Matt Pascarella </i><br /><br /><i>Rated: R <br />Runtime: 1 hour, 35 minutes </i><br /><br />What if you suspected your to-be in-laws were current bank robbers? What would you do? This is exactly what happens to Owen when he meets his fiancé Parker’s parents, Billy and Lilly, whom he suspects robbed the bank where he is manager.<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSlPAFv2FLedNJc1fx70ssVbKSCkLgJkY3y4kXCAcwohqTCDUsqsve2eBl2YGCgMDWRMpkZCcV-h1ARdK8oy9VVD_SU_nZaiX0x3lSfHmpd0jY0kUDORkDlhVwj6hR6Dj2y1CP_Ay4r4lMM9-yBJHIL3jYy3QRhEsFEL-_HYS_swKB7vOPcGE2BaElZAjM/s666/The%20Out-Laws.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSlPAFv2FLedNJc1fx70ssVbKSCkLgJkY3y4kXCAcwohqTCDUsqsve2eBl2YGCgMDWRMpkZCcV-h1ARdK8oy9VVD_SU_nZaiX0x3lSfHmpd0jY0kUDORkDlhVwj6hR6Dj2y1CP_Ay4r4lMM9-yBJHIL3jYy3QRhEsFEL-_HYS_swKB7vOPcGE2BaElZAjM/w270-h400/The%20Out-Laws.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>His intimidating in-laws know he’s on to them, and he’s having trouble proving their guilt and his innocence. When Parker is kidnapped by Billy and Lilly’s boss, Rehan, he must work together with his in-laws to save his to-be wife from a gruesome fate – all in time for their upcoming wedding in this outlandish comedy. <br /><br />Produced by Adam Sandler, “The Out-Laws” stars Adam Devine, Nina Dobrev, Pierce Brosnan, Ellen Barkin, Michael Rooker, Poorna Jagannathan, Richard Kind, Julie Hagerty, Blake Anderson, Lil Rel Howery, Lauren Lapkus, and Dean Winters. <br /><br />Owen (Devine) and Parker (Dobrev) are getting married. Owen is mapping out the seating chart for the wedding using a variety of action figures. When Parker asks if there is room for two more seats, Owen is psyched her parents are coming; he’s never met them. Parker is less than thrilled and says her parents can be a bit much. <br /><br />Despite Owen’s parents (Kind, Hagerty) not being crazy about Parker, he is excited to meet her parents. He assures her it’s OK if her parents are a lot. <br /><br />“Have you met my parents?” said Owen. “I only picked Medusa and Skeletor [as representatives for his parents in the seating chart] because they don’t make Stalin and Lizzie Borden dolls.” <br /><br />When Parker’s parents, Billy (Brosnan) and Lilly (Barkin) arrive early, it’s a surprise. To say they’re intimidating is an understatement. <br /><br />Billy, Lilly and Owen all go drinking and Owen tells Parker it was like hanging with the cool kids. <br /><br />Later, Owen’s bank is robbed, and the robbers know Owen by name. Detective Oldham (Rooker) has been tracking notorious criminals, the Ghost Bandits, for years and he suspects this is their handywork. <br /><br />After carefully considering several details from the robbery coupled with initially meeting Billy and Lilly, he thinks they may have robbed his bank. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://maineoptometry.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="800" height="236" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/maineoptometry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Billy and Lilly’s boss, Rehan (Jagannathan), tells them she wants more money than the $1 million they’ve already given her, otherwise Parker is in trouble. <br /><br />While Agent Oldham is tracking the Ghost Bandits, he finds the equipment they used to rob Owen’s bank in the trunk of Owen’s car. Owen turns them in almost immediately and Agent Oldham wants him to wear a wire. <br /><br />While Parker and Owen are cake tasting, Rehan bursts in and kidnaps Parker. <br /><br />Owen tells Billy and Lilly they need someone familiar with how to get in and out of bank vaults in order to get the rest of the money they need to save Parker. The three come up with a plan to rob the heavily secured Atlas Reserve Bank run by Phoebe King (Lapkus).<br /><br />I liked this movie. It was funny in parts with a lot of action; the scenes in the cake shop and the cemetery are intense. It is a little raunchy, with mild violence, a little bit of blood, and moderate language. While there are many great actors in this movie, Richard Kind in typical Richard Kind fashion is over-the-top ridiculous, especially when working with Agent Oldham. I felt like it started strong and lost a bit of momentum as it progressed, but this is still a fun one. <br /><br />The fifth James Bond gives it two thumbs up! <br /><br />Available to stream on Netflix. <</div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1775828903488843801.post-44387256328285264952023-08-04T02:02:00.039-04:002023-08-04T02:02:00.139-04:00Disney’s ‘Haunted Mansion’ a fun ride on the big screen<i>By Matt Pascarella <br /><br />Rated: PG-13 <br />Runtime: 2 hours, 2 minutes </i><br /><br />Gabbie and her son Travis are moving to and starting over in a new house, Gracey Manor, with the intention to open a bed-and-breakfast. When strange things begin happening in the house, they are both convinced it’s haunted. They soon call on a dream team of experts to help rid their home of these unwelcome guests. <div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVOsWybWU7Bk0IUE23ueBlbDVY9nalCJKhYHnVu7AakCM0PMpiwFoeWnmt4a3GFqD8aYycVSzxN2lvnUgG_0cu0rVL8Fir6t8_t-j4UOxtss0bYKyHpwO6W_KmbuQyAN0ddcVwTGLvm0ZH-9n1ZxYPYjCr6PaKwvVEsYV88Eenqr0fxix6hiNvheppEZR/s844/haunted-mansion.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVOsWybWU7Bk0IUE23ueBlbDVY9nalCJKhYHnVu7AakCM0PMpiwFoeWnmt4a3GFqD8aYycVSzxN2lvnUgG_0cu0rVL8Fir6t8_t-j4UOxtss0bYKyHpwO6W_KmbuQyAN0ddcVwTGLvm0ZH-9n1ZxYPYjCr6PaKwvVEsYV88Eenqr0fxix6hiNvheppEZR/w273-h400/haunted-mansion.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>They enlist the help of Ben; an astrophysicist, Father Kent, Harriet; a pyschic, and Professor Bruce Davis. They must join forces to banish the Hatbox Ghost, also known as Alistair Crump in this spooky adventure. <br /><br />“Haunted Mansion” stars LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chase Dillon, Jared Leto, and Charity Jordan. <br /><br />Ben (Stanfield) is a grieving astrophysicist who developed a camera to detect dark matter. After the loss of his wife, Alyssa (Jordan) he takes over her ghost tours, despite being a non-believer. <br /><br />When Gabbie (Dawson) and Travis (Dillon) move into Gracey Manor to open a B&B, they discover their house gets frightening, especially after midnight. They call on Ben to see if he can photograph some ghosts with his “ghost camera.” Ben meets Father Kent (Wilson) who has considered doing an exorcism on the manor. <br /><br />Gabbie tries to convince Ben that setting foot in her home could change the course of his life. Ben’s not buying how scared they are. After being in the manor, Ben experiences strange occurrences at his apartment and now believes the ghost may have followed him home. <br /><br />He returns to the manor and Gabbie and Travis tell him the hauntings have gotten worse. Ben thinks they need an exorcism, but Father Kent is hesitant. <br /><br />After Ben explores the house on his own, he says they’ll need more help. They bring in Professor Bruce Davis (DeVito) and psychic Harriet (Haddish). Professor Davis has newspaper clippings detailing the deaths that took place in the manor. <br /><br />While examining the attic of the manor, they find an old trunk with a crystal ball which houses Madame Leota (Curtis). The group finds a secret séance room and contact the spirit of William Gracey, who owned the manor previously. She explains there is a terrible evil that was summoned long ago; this is Alistair Crump (Leto). If Crump is not banished, the ghosts will remain at Gracey Manor. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://towsebago.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="800" height="208" src="http://www.thewindhameagle.com/ads/towsebago.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Crump wants Ben as his last soul. A reverse séance is performed, and Ben goes looking for Crump. <br /><br />Crump locks Gracey Manor down, but Ben, Travis and Father Kent have escaped, and traveled to Crump Manor, now a historical site with guided tours, to stop Crump. In Crump Manor, Travis finds Crump’s hat, which can be used as part of the ritual to banish Crump. <br /><br />One of my favorite rides at Disney World is the Haunted Mansion. This movie has many elements from the ride, from changing picture frames to rising walls, and just an overall air of spookiness. It’s not super scary, though I did jump in my seat once. This is a perfect pre-Halloween treat. It’s funny and sweet in places, but the realistic abundance of ghosts may be too scary for younger audiences. I really enjoyed this action-packed movie and its special effects. Pay attention to the background in Gracey Manor for anything unusual. If you’re a fan of the Disney ride, haunted houses and ghouls, you have to see this one on the big screen. <br /><br />Crump Manor tour guide Vic gives this movie two thumbs up. <br /><br />Now showing only in theaters. <</div>Ed Piercehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17564979619787200118noreply@blogger.com0