Keeping Up

Hello everyone!

What a crazy week and a half it has been. We had a round of stomach flu make its way through our house, with Rich being the last to succumb, just this past Wednesday night. This did afford me the opportunity to view two more films, as going out was not an option with our current level of exhaustion. Last weekend, I watched "Ratatouille," and last evening Rich and I viewed the documentary, "Man on Wire."

I am feeling a strange connection to the French people, as three of the five movies that I have viewed are all at least partially set in France. I found "Ratatouille" to be charming. Every once in a while, one has to enjoy a good animated flick, and this film definitely fit the bill. It is the story of Remy, the food-loving rat, who makes his way to Paris, only to find out that his favorite chef is dead. He develops an unlikely alliance and friendship with Linguini, the garbage boy for the late chefs restaraunt (He is also the illegitimate son and unsuspecting heir of said late chef). Through Linguini, Remy is able to exercise his culinary passions by directing Linguini to cook amazing recipes, all from under his chef's hat. There is great food, a bad guy, and love along the way, making for a fun flick that you can watch with kiddos or alone. I loved it and will have to add it to my DVD collection.

"Man on Wire" was a total departure from most of the films that I have viewed, and I must say that I may be looking out for more documentaries. This film chronicled the story of Phillipe Petit, the insane man who snuck into the World Trade Center towers and strung a tight rope across and then walked on it for 45 minutes. It was a very complex story that made me mull over passions. This man was so passionate about wire walking that he risked his life over and over again to do what had previously been considered impossible. He loved it more than those who were important to him, and yet, even those people supported him and were in awe of the beauty of what he accomplished, despite the risks. It had subtitles and brought back all of the people who were involved in him pulling off this feat, including his first love. It showed how this "coup" changed the lives of all involved, bringing some together and tearing others apart. The cinematography was breathtaking, as were the still photos that were shared. There were several moments where I think that I forgot to breathe. A secondary, and most surely unintended point that struck me, was watching the construction of the twin towers. September 11, 2001 had such an impact on me, and it was eerie to see all those men celebrating the completion of the towers. They had no idea that a quarter century later, their work and many lives would be destroyed. If you have Comcast On Demand, go check out this film under the free section. It is well worth the hour and a half.