Reflections on films, politics, and everything else.

                                                                     Photo courtesy of the author On Friday, my husband and I went to the Wexner Center to see the Todd Oldham exhibit (if you have the time and means, I’d highly recommend seeing it before it closes on April 15). With the café open, we decided to fuel up before embarking on the exhibit. Just as I was about to chose a table, I saw John Waters (yes, that John Waters ), sitting by himself with a shopping bag from the gift shop, with two books (one of R. Crumb, not a shocker there), doing what so many people do these days – staring at his phone. I sat at the closest table and then wondered what to do. Could I approach? Should I? And say what? I not very subtly took out my own phone and snapped a picture of him just as, ...

Photo courtesy of the author It’s interesting how time changes our views. When I was in college the first time around, it seemed a fine thing to not always get the assigned readings done. Many of the times what seemed like my best grades were due to being freed up from the facts in the readings. Of course now, I wonder if I might have gotten even better grades by having a clearer understanding of the issues that would have allowed me to respond and challenge what was said in a more coherent way. Just like I’d now prefer the President of my country to actually read his daily briefings himself and know what he’s talking about rather than just making stuff up and hoping he’s right . Recently I heard a podcast with Robert Reich who mentioned that a large number of strangely divergent people were born in 1946 ( the Baby Boomers ). His rationale for this was that they were the product of their fathers coming back from World War II in 1945. What I found most interesting a...

                                                                Frances McDormand in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”Fox Searchlight Pictures I rather belatedly saw the front-runner for Best Picture of this year’s Academy Awards, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri . When the film first came out, I heard mixed responses, and put off seeing it. I did find it curious that it seemed to have staying power that other films weren’t having, even without special effects and explosions. Immediately after seeing the film I liked it more than I thought I would. Even more interesting is that I keep thinking about it. I’ve seen all the other best picture nominees this year, and while I enjoyed them all, this one I think will last with me the longest. On the surface, the film seems simple – a mother has h...