moon rivers (moonrivers)

years ago, local television in chicago, a town heavy with catholics, made a big deal out of a film representation of the miracle at lourdes, france, something i had never heard of or knew about. the lead actress demonstrated through the story the power of simple faith...and i learned from that performance, i learned about the power of art to transform lives. and the lead actress, in the meager performance of her duties, lead that class in my book. she died today, 12-17-2009, Jennifer Jones, and i never got the chance to personally thank her.
thank you, Jennifer.

everything you may have heard about this is ungloriously true, a gritty unromanticised look at a life under the radar, indeed under the nose of the richest country in the world, ever dreaming for a slice of "the good life". and altho Mariah Carey surprises, and that they will need to invent an Oscar better than the Best Actress Oscar for Mo'Nique's on-the-button visceral take on urban motherhood, still it's Gabourey Sidibe's anti-Hollywood, anti-pretense, anti-ego portrayal of maligned innocence that is 1) so hard to even watch that it is a anti-theatrical event in itself and 2) unforgettably resonant.

does she love him, or that other guy...was she for real back then in paris, did she really love him or...or...just who the fuck is victor lazlo anyway? she lets him know, but he is all too human and insists on hearing the stupid words as well...and it's not until he lies to himself that he "gets it", when he says, "it doesn't take much to see that..." when in fact it's taken him, well, since paris to see. we never really KNOW if anyone ever loves us...we have to trust, and this is maybe the only hollywood movie that leaves us with that...making it perfect.

the greatest musical ever made, uh, science fiction, uh, fantasy, uh, romance, uh, oh...nevermind, this one's essential americiana for the baby boomer set and it's resonance resonates far more than my poor command of the language can give justice to. let's just enjoy!