I’m
finding it very difficult to find time to write on Frail Deeds and it has
everything to do with the people I’m with and the place I’m at; all for the
very blessed of reasons. We’ve ushered the new year in here in the tropical paradise
that is Playa Las Lajas. Our condo has been the site of a mini family reunion
of my Favorite Panamanian’s immediate family. As predicted that meant almost
non-stop laughter over the past couple days, mostly involving my brother-in-law
and Tia Loca. As the two youngest of my wife’s siblings, they have made it
their life’s goal to torment the other as often and as thoroughly as possible.
I love it and not just because it takes Tia Loca’s focus off her second favorite
target, a certain gringo blog writer.
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| New Years Eve at the Beach |
The
downside of the holiday was the arrival of nearly half of the condo’s
residents. We’ve been incredibly spoiled over the past few years by having the entire
complex almost entirely to ourselves for long stretches so it is definitely out
of the ordinary sharing. While there has been an increase in the string bikini
quotient (always welcome), it does feel a bit crowded. We also had a group of
youngsters (in their 20s) who wanted to greet the new year by power drinking on
the beach form early morning for nearly 24 hours. They were insular but polite.
We also had a celebrity that I am supposed to be impressed by. He is a big deal
in the reggae rap world, so you can understand my ignorance. I will have to
channel the lessons we’re constantly preaching to the granddaughters about “sharing”.
We danced away New Years Eve in the condo. I took a break from the festivities
to prep the turkey for the next day’s big meal.
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| Beach Time with Brother in Law |
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| New Years Eve |
For
some reason, beyond understanding, my turkey dinner has become legendary within
my wife’s family which makes it a requisite when we return each year. Our condo
has a very small oven so that adds to the challenge. At least this year we remembered
how to turn the damned thing on, taking apart the bottom part and lighting the
innards and then hastily replacing them before things get too hot. We were
looking forward to the usual fireworks but this year’s edition was a little feeble.
Being surrounded by these fine people more than made up for the lack of explosions.
We had a veritable feast late in the evening, just prior to New Years.
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| Wife with her Mom and Siblings |
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| Late Night Dinner |
I
was able to get the super streamer to tune into the Times Square countdown and
a cork made a small dent in the living room ceiling. I tried calling both of my
kids but neither answered. They know me and probably had their phones
specifically on silent for that eventual late night call. As parents of very
young children, sleep is important, but c’mon New Years!!! I luckily remembered
to pack Alka Seltzer which made the initial morning beach workout of 2023
feasible although the waves seemed to take a particular pleasure in tormenting me
a bit more.
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| Early 2023 Waiting for Fireworks on Balcony |
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| 1st Sunset of 2023 |
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| Bro in Law and Wife Left Yesterday |
As
promised/threatened what follows is my rundown of the best and worst movies I
saw this year. I am an unashamed movie nut.
Each year I pontificate on the best and worst from only the movies I
went to see. I’ve also included what I considered to be the worst movies of the
year, because that’s almost more fun. You won’t find my movies on many critics
top ten for the year because we go to the movies for different reasons. I go to
be entertained not to judge. I’ve also chosen a quote from each of the top ten
movies. As you can see I lean heavily towards action (and science fiction) but
I think these films are a lot more mainstream than the out of touch film
critics whose top tens are usually incomprehensible and barely entertaining. If
nothing else the films below (except for the bottom two) were hugely enjoyable.
Again this is only one man’s opinion and reflects only the movies I saw this
year.
Best Movies
#1 - Bullet Train – biggest
surprise of the year. I knew I was going to like it, but this film blew me away
with so many clever gimmicks, twists, and turns. Loved all the unlovable characters
and hilarious cameos. Brad Pitt in maybe his best and quirkiest role ever.
Ladybug:
[referring to Lemon] Well, he seemed like a decent guy.
Kimura:
He shot me.
Ladybug:
Me too. Twice. Still, he had another side to him.
#2 -
Avatar: The Way of Water – It’s an almost impossible task to follow up a
once in a generation type movie with an adequate sequel but James Cameron did
it, even though it took him the better part of a decade. The return to Pandora was
a thrill ride where you quickly forget it’s all computer generated and no one
is ever truly dead.
Quaritch:
[to Neytiri] I owe you a death.
[Neytiri snarls at him]
Quaritch:
You're not leaving are you, Jake? Knowin' I'm out there. Knowin' that I'll
never stop. I'm coming for you. And when I do, I'll kill your whole family.
Jake Sully:
Then let's get it done.
#3 - Top Gun Maverick – This
movie led the pack for most of the year. It appropriately ages the original characters
and brings incredibly realistic combat scenes. Tom Cruise proves that whatever
else he might be, he remains a true movie star and he delivers.
Adm. Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky:
The Navy needs Maverick. The kid needs Maverick. That's why I fought for
you. That's why you're still here.
Maverick:
Thank you, Ice, for everything.
Adm. Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky:
One last thing, who's the better pilot, you or me?
Maverick:
This is a nice moment, let's not ruin it.
#4 - The Banshees of Inisherin – The
boys from Bruges (at least the actors), are back in a scarily funny drama about
the price of friendship. Two friends on a 1920s Irish island compete to see who
is the biggest idiot when one decides they will not be friends anymore. Colin
Farrell shines as a completely hapless fool incapable of understanding just
about anything.
Siobhan Súilleabháin:
He won't be bothering you no more.
Colm Doherty:
That's a shame. That's the most interesting he's ever been. I think I like
him again now.
#5 - The Fabelmans – Spielberg’s
ode to, well, himself but more so an exploration of a young man finding his voice.
A poignant look at a dysfunctional family producing a genius but still, as always
with Spielberg, staying focused on the meat of the characters.
John Ford: When
the horizon is at the top, it's interesting. When it's on the bottom, it's
interesting. When it's in the middle, it's boring as shit! Got it?
Sammy Fabelman:
Yes, sir!
John Ford: Good
luck to you. Now get the fuck out of my office!
#6 - Unbearable
Weight of Massive Talent – A complete sendup
of Nicholas Cage by . . . Nicholas Cage.
Impossibly funny as he makes fun of himself for the entire movie even going as far
as to pick a fight with a younger version of himself. For all those of you who
thinks he takes himself too seriously, fall down funny.
[upon being shown a crudely made statue
of himself firing two guns]
Nick Cage:
Is that supposed to be me? It's... grotesque.
[beat]
Nick Cage:
I'll give you $20,000 for it.
#7 – Prey – The
best predator movie ever featuring a young plains Native American girl against the
big guy. Great attention to detail and non-stop tension with a bunch of dead
Frenchmen.
Itsee:
We have him.
Naru:
No. He has us.
#8 - Jurassic World Dominion – Virtually
every uneaten character that was ever in a Jurassic movie returns for this epic
thrill ride of conclusion. A great pairing of the original film’s heroic couple
with the latest version but the dinosaurs are still the stars.
Ian Malcolm:
We're racing toward the extinction of our species. We not only lack dominion
over nature, we're subordinate to it.
#9 - Thor Love & Thunder – It
might try to poke a little too much fun at itself but Thor returns to form with
a highly entertaining fight against the god killer. The return of Natalie Portman
is a great move with their rekindled love story finally given a resolution.
Although I did miss Loki.
Thor:
Once we bring the children back, we shall feast!
[everyone cheers]
Thor:
...Not on them!
[everyone goes quiet]
Thor:
We don't do that any more. That is a dark part of our history.
#10 - The Batman – I
don’t know how they keep scoring by rehashing yet another Batman origin story
but this works on so many levels. Robert Pattinson provides real depth to this
version of a tortured Bruce Wayne. I think this movie surprised me the most
this year.
Batman:
Our scars can destroy us, even after the physical wounds have healed. But if
we survive them, they can transform us. They can give us the power to endure,
and the strength to fight.
The
Worst Movies of 2022
Don’t Worry Darling – I
don’t know how you make a stinker with this quality of a cast but they managed
to do it. Probably not the worst movie of the year but certainly the most disappointing.
Halloween Ends – Definitely
the worst movie of the year. This felt like amateur hour in Haddonfield. Laurie
Strode deserved so much better in her final filial showdown. Hated it.
2022
Superlatives:
Best
Comedy: Unbearable Weight of Massive
Talent
Best
Horror Movie: Barbarian
Best
Drama: The Banshees of Inisherin
Best
Romance: Three Thousand Three Thousand Years
of Longing
Best
Action: Top Gun Maverick
Best
Special Effects: Avatar: The Way of
Water
Best
Scene of the Year: So many scenes on
Bullet Train where Ladybug tries to counsel people trying to kill him qualify but
it has to be the final scene in the movie when the ultimate diesel gets her comeuppance
from a Lemon driven tangerine truck.
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RECURRING CHARACTERS:
ABFA – Amazing Best Family
Athlete - my daughter
in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter
#3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel -
second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue
about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut
Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor
of the big river; Curbside Girls – close
friends of my daughter acquired during him her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which
grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of
course); FBR - First Blog Reader -
first granddaughter; First Friday –
celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene
Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene,
NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend
since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife –
her US sisters, my wife is the 3rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew –
son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia
member; PanaGals – female relatives /friends
of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin
Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we
have lived & their spouses; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate– high
school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the
Grandpuppy, son's dog; Soxfather -
my brother in law; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course
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