ITALIAN Daydreams

One thing that I learned this year is that I absolutely HAVE to travel to Italy! I have been fortunate enough to travel to some of Europe, but never to Italy.  To quench my desire to visit there, I have been having my own Italian Film Festival -- I started with, of course, Under the Tuscan Sun.  Italy is as big a co-star of that movie as anyone.  The country should have been nominated for a best supporting actor award as it gave the most seductive performance!

   

Then I found the movie "Pane e tulipani" - a movie in Italian with subtitles about a beleaguered Italian woman who restarts her life in Venice.

 

Next, for a change of pace I watched "Three Coins in the Fountain" -which is a charming 60's era movie/travel log for Italy, the Trevi Fountain and all things Italian. 

   

Tonight I had a knitting project to finish and was looking for a movie to play in the background and found "The Good Woman" filmed entirely in Amalfi, Italy.  That alone was enough to convince me to watch it!  I liked the movie, but I LOVED the setting and the villas were amazing.

    

Now I am watching a made for TV movie called "A Secret Affair".  It is a pretty cheese-y romance novel/movie, but it begins and ends in Venice and that is good enough for me!

   

I don't know that I'll ever get to go, but I'll keep my hopes high!  In the meantime, let's hear it for Netflix........and ITALY!

 

FALLING IN LOVE WITH A MOVIE

Have you ever fallen in love with a film?  I am thrilled when that happens.  I got a gift this morning via Netflix; I fell in love with a movie.  I wasn't looking to fall in love, I didn't expect it -- but it happened anyway.  I found a small, simple, underrated, under promoted movie that I am falling in love with.  I use the term falling because after watching it once I am infatuated with the story, the writing, the acting, the actors, the music, and the subject matter. I am smitten and know that I will watch it again. The movie is "The Answer Man".

This is one of the most charming movies that I have seen in a long time. It was released in 2009, and didn't make a blip on my movie radar. However, Jeff Daniels is at his best and so is Lauren Graham and the rest of the cast. The story, the way it is directed, the lighting, the cinematography, the music and the characters are wonderful -- not to mention the subject matter of spirituality and cynicism in our world.

Kudos to John Hindman for his direction. I can't help but think that Mr. Hindman has been a student of Woody Allen's films. There is a sense of humor to the film, and a sense of angst, and a sense of searching for the answers that nearly all of Allen's films contain.  

The last time I felt like this was when I saw the movie "The Holiday". It is another one of my favorite enchanting movies -- you know the type, a movie that seems like visiting with a friend when you watch it.  These movies make you feel safe and happy after seeing them.  Here is a list of my Top Five:

1.  The Holiday

2.Hannah and Her Sisters

3.  Alice

4.  Singing in The Rain

5. Sleepless in Seattle

I enjoy good cinema of most types, but when I want the reassuring comfort of a movie that wraps its arms around me and gives me a hug, these are some of my favorites.  And, if you have Netflix, check out The Answer Man -- my new favorite. I would enjoy hearing from you if you watch this movie -- let me know what you think, and let me know if you have any films that give you the "warm fuzzies".  

Flower of the Day

HAPPY MAY DAY -- May 1, 2012
I was going to do a flower of the day, because tomorrow is always a new day and I have a wonderful collection of pictures of flowers.  But somehow life, school plays, "The Prom" and work took priority to my blogging.  Today is the first day of May, and we had nice surprise rain here in sunny CA. Any time we get rain after March here, it is like a special little gift from Mother Nature.  I think since today is a special day, I will post pictures of two different flowers!
The first photo is of a foxglove:

Digitalis purpurea

Did you know that:  The term digitalis is also used for drug preparations that contain cardiac glycosides, particularly one called digoxin, that are extracted from various plants of this genus.

Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia

I hope that you enjoyed these lovely photos.  Remember to click on the photos to get the best view.  Enjoy!