Movies 2009

December 30, 2009 by  

In 1977, my dear friend Gloria Boileau and I were attending the National Speakers Association Annual Convention in Anaheim, CA.  On the last night at the awards banquet gala she said to me, “We need to get our picture taken with the Oscar because we are going to go to the Academy Awards.  (On the stage stood a huge 10 foot Oscar statue) And I said to myself, “Yea, right.”

Gloria & Susan 1997

Gloria & Susan 1997

Gloria has always thought BIG! Bigger than life at times it seems to me. Fast forward two years later and I get a call from Gloria saying, “I have two tickets to Martin Scorsese’s Oscar Party at the Beverly Hills Hotel. You want to go?” I was speechless. (One of the very few times in my life)
I share that experience in my presentations when I am talking about the importance of goal setting. I say, “It has been said that if you don’t have goals you will end up living your life based on someone else’s goals. And if that’s the case, make sure you hang out with people who have really good goals!”

That was one of the best days of my life. To watch the Academy Awards on over sized screens in the ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel with so many stars was incredible. And then to stand on the red carpet behind the BBC afterward and watch all the limos pull up with all the stars who were returning from the awards ceremony was just beyond my wildest dreams. Miramax held their private party in the bar (which we tried unsuccessfully to crash) but we did get on the set of Bill Maher’s Politically Incorrect in the lobby. We got pictures with his scheduled guests, William H. Macy and Rod Steiger.

Me & Rod Steiger

Me & Rod Steiger

I have always loved watching movies. I am probably more tolerant than most. I have never walked out of a movie theater. (I have turned them off at home if they were just so bad I couldn’t watch anymore) I don’t discriminate. Violence and foul language aren’t a problem for me. I try to keep an open mind and seek to understand why someone would make the movie they make.

Since 2000, my movie buddies and I have seen at least one movie almost every week. When we are not watching the latest releases at the theater, we are catching up on the one’s we missed at home. We rarely watch TV shows. And when we do it is usually a season later on DVD, although we do have a DVR. Favorite TV shows include 24, Lost, Six Feet Under, Dexter, The Tudor’s, and Damages.

So far for 2009, my overall favorite movie is “Julie & Julia.” I think Meryl Streep is the finest actress of this generation and Amy Adams is just blossoming! I have loved everything she has done since I first became aware of her in Junebug.

“The Hangover” has to rate because it appeals to all generations. It’s the male version of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” It played all summer and into the fall and brought in over $277,000,000 Definitely a “guy movie” but very funny and clever.

“The Blind Side” was another great movie. Sandra Bullock was voted the 2009 top performer by the theater operators. She is another of my favorite actors. “The Proposal” was cute and since “All about Steve” got panned by the reviewers I waited for it on Netflix. I didn’t think it was all that bad.

My favorite movies for 2009: It’s Complicated, Up in the Air, Invictus, Young Victoria, Star Trek, An Education, Hurt Locker, The Boys Are Back, Inglorious Basterds, 500 Days of Summer, Men Who Stare at Goats, Revolutionary Road, The Reader, Taken, Sunshine Cleaning,  The Taking of Pelham 123, The Bad  Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

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