There were so many days during this past winter wherein I desperately wondered if we had become trapped inside some kind of Rankin/Bass stop motion animation sick joke, and we would remain in North Pole limbo with Rudolph, the Abominable Snowman and Burl Ives for all eternity. Does this sound a little preposterous? Perhaps, but I don't think I was the only one slowly unraveling with the fall of every snowflake. Now, the first days of summer are here.
One of the things I have always enjoyed about Chautauqua County and Western New York in general is how much we truly revel in the fleeting summertime we are like flowers photosynthesizing the bejesus out of each and every ray of sunshine. If there is an outdoor deck we can dine on, we're there; if there is a sidewalk to peddle our bicycles on or walk with our dogs, we're all over it. No lake or creek is too cold to swim in; no situation deemed too inappropriate for flip flops. We appreciate the warmth and sweet Vitamin D like no other population I'm aware of.
Squeeze every last drop out of this summer. And don't waste another minute!
Article Photos
Photo by Justin Goetz
Elvis Costello will be at the Erie Canal Harbor in Buffalo on Saturday.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
To get a registration form, email LHS at information@lakeshorehumanesociety.org and put "Registration Form" in the subject line. The fee is $15 and helps support the Lakeshore Humane Society.
GET OUT OF TOWN
www.ticketmaster.com. The Erie Canal Harbor is located at One Navel Park Cove in Buffalo.
REEL TALK: "Super 8"
I had the best birthday ever, you guys. Last Friday as I passed the quarter-century mark, I was given this incredible portable Corona typewriter made in 1913 (born right in Buffalo, on the corner of Franklin and Swan streets), went to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, perused some shops and had a delicious dinner. One of the best parts of my day, however, was seeing one of the most excellent movies I've seen in years that captures exactly what celluloid storytelling should be all about: "Super 8." Don't miss this one.
At first glance, "Super 8" appears to be yet another overhyped creature feature with spectacular special effects and not much else. Not so. What sets this film apart is the narrative at its core: a family's struggle to overcome a devastating loss, first love, friendship, and an experience with the unknown so terrifying that the only appropriate response is projectile vomit. The movie manages to be simultaneously heartfelt and incredibly exciting. My pulse was racing and my heart was in my throat during the big initial action scene that starts it all: as a group of pals is filming a zombie movie for a student film contest, they witness an inexplicable phenomenon that puts them all in danger. There are some very strong performances by the child actors in this film especially newcomer Joel Courtney, scene-stealer Riley Griffiths and Elle Fanning (there's definitely something in that Fanning family gene pool).
"Super 8" is for the fans of those great '80s classics like "E.T." and "The Goonies," it's amusing, sweet and a little scary all at once, combined with edge-of-your-seat suspense and action found in modern big-budget blockbusters. I would recommend it as a family film but many scenes would be too frightening for young ones I blame Steven Spielberg, whom I hold responsible for the fact that I still sometimes sleep with a light on as a direct result of seeing "E.T." as a child.
Be sure to stay for the credits.
"Super 8" is now playing at the Dunkirk Movieplex.
WATCH THIS
"True Blood" returns for season four on Sunday at 9 p.m. on HBO. Check out the trailer for the new season online it looks like more of the show's trademark sexy violence than any mere mortal can handle. If the new season is anything like the last one, I'm guessing we're in for even more outlandish characters in every incarnation imaginable. The sheer volume and variety of supernatural creatures in "True Blood" is bordering on insane. Scratch that it already is insane. What else could they possibly throw into the mix? Unicorns? Leprechauns? Sasquatches?
Perhaps this isn't a time to complain I just read that season five may be the show's last. Creator Alan Ball would rather go out on a high note. While I love the show, I may have to agree. In the meantime, however, let's raise a bottle of Tru Blood and toast to the beginning of a long-awaited new season. Oh, the cliffhanger!
April Diodato is the OBSERVER Lifestyles editor. Send hot dish her way at adiodato@observertoday.com.
