tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62785072011-11-04T12:27:59.401-04:00Random thoughts and digressions from Tom Varnum, a high school English teacher.Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.comBlogger391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-16259534293287029332011-09-11T17:12:00.000-04:002011-09-11T17:12:36.545-04:00

I wrote the this essay in the week following the attacks. Never forget. "Now We Understand"

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-17543939797157381382011-08-25T16:00:00.003-04:002011-08-26T09:40:56.225-04:00

Image via WikipediaOn the Waterfront reminded me a lot of Casablanca. Not because of the plot, acting, etc., but because this film influenced so many others. It was more complex than I had thought, especially with the relationship between  brothers Terry (Marlon Brando) and Charlie (Rod Steiger) Malloy. Brando plays a washed up boxer who works on the docks and as muscle for the local mob boss

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-48327810847954209142011-08-06T21:15:00.000-04:002011-08-06T21:15:53.622-04:00

Cover via AmazonThis one kind of snuck up on me. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. Listed as #95 on the AFI Top 100, The Last Picture Show (1971) absolutely needs to be higher. As one of the first "teen" movies, LPS was more shocking at its release than American Pie or Animal House. I think the highlight for me was the stylized direction of Peter Bogdanovich. The sense of desolation

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-36994153037943520852011-07-26T13:10:00.000-04:002011-07-26T13:10:30.731-04:00

Image via Wikipedia "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille." If you haven't seen many Billy Wilder films, I urge you to check some out from your local library. Sunset Blvd. (1950), number 16 on the AFI Top 100, is one of his best. His look at the shallow nature of Hollywood was considered groundbreaking in 1950, and it still has significance today. Along with The Player (1992), it's one of the

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-58332958655406695922011-07-14T12:20:00.000-04:002011-07-14T12:20:23.290-04:00

Image via WikipediaAs I continue to work my way through the films I have not seen in the AFI Top 100, Singin' in the Rain (#5) was the highest rated on the list. I understand that the singing and dancing was something special, but as far as musicals go, this one would not be at the top of my list. For my money, White Christmas would be at the top of my musical list. To me, Singin' in the Rain is

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-20084887200885204622011-07-07T21:50:00.000-04:002011-07-07T21:50:51.792-04:00

Cover via AmazonAs my summer tour of the AFI top 100 continues, watching 1950's All About Eve (#16 on the list) was one of the most enjoyable experiences so far. It still holds the record (now tied with Titanic) for most Oscar nominations, and I can see why. Both female leads - Betty Davis as Margo and Anne Baxter as Eve - are excellent, but neither won the Oscar. They split the "Best Actress"

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-6670447086303685742011-07-05T10:10:00.000-04:002011-07-05T10:10:54.960-04:00

Cover via AmazonDouble Indemnity appears to overflow with movie cliches, until you realize they weren't cliches in 1944. The femme fatale, the stilted dialogue, the narration are all common tools now, but in '44, they were something new. Fred MacMurray plays a cynical insurance agent who sees an opportunity to bilk the company he works for and run away with a frustrated housewife, played by

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-77134423859686465882011-07-03T23:15:00.000-04:002011-07-03T23:15:35.852-04:00

We were at a baseball game (Nashua Silver Knights) and listened to the same old patriotic songs. If I was running the show, here are some alternatives I'd play: For those of you who understand that "Born in the USA" is NOT a patriotic song, try this one Bruce wrote after 9/11 - Image via Wikipedia"The Rising" Instead of "God Bless America", how about the song Woody Guthrie wrote in response to it

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-15237099514658904072011-06-30T11:08:00.000-04:002011-06-30T11:08:36.232-04:00

As my son and I watched the beginning of Cabaret (1972), number 63 on AFI's top 100, he got his first look at Joel Gray as the Master of Ceremonies. Joel Grey as the Master of Ceremonies "He's creepy looking." he said. From the mouths of babes (well, at 12 he's  not exactly a babe). As I continued to watch (he wandered off to his PS3 shortly after the first scene), his words crept (pun

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-23885757913146583852011-06-25T15:18:00.000-04:002011-06-25T15:18:53.400-04:00

Cover of The Apartment (Collector's Edition)Number 80 on AFI's top 100 list is The Apartment (1960). I think it should be higher. It's a great romantic comedy in the old school tradition (i.e. no gratuitous nudity or language - in fact none at all). It features great writing (Academy Award for Best Screenplay) and acting, with excellent performances by Jack Lemmon and a young Shirley MacLaine.

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-75762965348113629072011-06-20T10:16:00.001-04:002011-06-27T10:30:19.682-04:00

Cover via AmazonThe African Queen -- John Huston's take on the "river journey" film, still holds up today, as both an adventure and a romance. I found myself comparing this, unfairly of course, to Casablanca because of Bogart and his battle with the Germans (different war, I know). His character is much different, though. Rick Blaine would have tossed Rosie (Katharine Hepburn's character)

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-30505720346419536372011-06-12T15:37:00.000-04:002011-06-12T15:37:14.080-04:00

Image via WikipediaIt wasn't next from the bottom of the AFI 100, but I happened to notice it at the library, and, having just watched The Fighter, I grabbed Raging Bull. I'm glad I did. At number four on the list, it was the highest rated film I had yet to see. I love Scorcese anyway, and he didn't disappoint. De Niro and Pesci were as advertised, but I thought Cathy Moriarty stole many of the

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-86060499314784882632011-06-12T15:05:00.000-04:002011-06-12T15:05:40.133-04:00

Image via WikipediaOne down, many to go. As epics go, it fit the bill, but even at 3+ hours, there were holes in the film that bothered me. He goes to Rome, and all of a sudden he's this expert chariot racer? Up to that point in the film, he hadn't even seen a horse! More back story on the friendship between Judah and Messala would have been nice as well. It seemed that William Wyler (the

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-53614077586255397912011-05-31T20:52:00.000-04:002011-05-31T20:52:57.187-04:00

So the summer is almost upon us, and I've decided on my goal. It won't cost anything (which is good in my case), and it should give me some motivation for writing in my blog. I'm going to try to view as many of the AFI (American Film Institue) Top 100 films as I can. I'm going to borrow them from the local library, so I won't have to buy/rent them. I'm a movie geek, so I've seen many of them

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-47360136325806239012010-03-21T22:09:00.001-04:002010-03-22T15:01:30.448-04:00

Image by leoncillo sabino via Flickr Last Tuesday afternoon around 2:30, my son injured his right wrist while playing with his friends. I was there when it happened, so I called Harvard Vanguard in Chelmsford, MA (his primary care physician), and they were able to schedule an appointment with a Dr. Melo within the hour. He was in quite a bit of pain, but he was comforted by the fact that

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-32870592893473445742009-10-23T08:02:00.006-04:002009-10-23T08:57:04.160-04:00

Image via WikipediaNow that the right wing outrage has died down after the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama, maybe we can take a more objective look at what it means. Granted, it may have been a little premature to nominate him a month after taking office, but perhaps it was his campaign and his philosophy not his administration which caught the eye of the committee.After

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-36383363138841433452009-09-29T21:07:00.001-04:002009-09-29T21:09:51.699-04:00

Image by Simbe90 via FlickrI ripped through this in about three days, so it certainly kept my attention. Some of the running around D.C. smacked of National Treasure, but I didn't mind.The trove of arcane historic trivia was almost overwhelming, but the new characters added to the mix. The whole thread of "Noetic" sciences seemed a bit forced, as did the epilogue, which seemed very preachy.Some

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-79363119152412718332009-08-30T14:41:00.003-04:002009-08-30T14:47:05.948-04:00

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeAdventureland was a major flashback experience for someone from that era (like me). Eisenberg really draws the viewers sympathy as the recent college grad forced to "slum" for a summer at an amusement park while his friend backpacks through Europe. I thought Stewart would have more fun playing against the "good girl" type she has earned from Twilight, but she was

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-69253072003275991962009-07-22T14:22:00.008-04:002009-07-25T11:38:44.049-04:00

So Sarah Palin resigns as Governor of Alaska. Is anyone really surprised? It's like a career minor leaguer getting called up to the bigs for a few months and then getting sent back down. As Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz said recently in the Boston Globe, “Any day in the big leagues is a better day than in the minor leagues...’’ Governor Palin discovered this following the Obama victory in

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-91762129308564392562009-06-26T14:54:00.009-04:002009-06-26T15:38:20.715-04:00

Image via WikipediaUnlike many of my fellow children of the '80's, Jacko was not the soundtrack of my youth. I was more of the U2 / R.E.M. / Bruce Springsteen type. Granted, he was a huge pop star, but the emphasis should be on WAS. People should not be comparing his death to John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison or Jimi Hendrix.All these artists passed at or near the height of their powers.

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-62602550046239590232009-06-19T15:48:00.004-04:002009-06-19T15:53:05.771-04:00

I enjoyed the scene where he rocks out to "Detroit Rock City" on Rock Band. Other than that...It cost us $1 to rent this at a Red Box. Probably twice as much as it was worth.Image by BenLucier via Flickr

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-28782018952643717412009-06-14T21:20:00.009-04:002009-10-23T13:24:11.112-04:00

I've just recently descended into the circle of hell that is facebook and have enough trouble keeping up with that. I've taken IQ quizzes (genius, of course), listed my five favorite everythings, found out that I drive women wild (thank you, Captain Obvious) and reconnected with people who never really interested me in the first place. Now you want me to update my "followers" on my every move?

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-89217255561219415732009-06-11T13:28:00.007-04:002009-06-12T11:54:58.912-04:00

Cover of Prague: A NovelPat Conroy bills Arthur Phillips's novel Prague as "one of those books that help define and identify a whole generation, in the same way that Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises introduced his own lost generation.” While the novel held my interest after a slow start, I don't think it's quite in the same ballpark as The Sun Also Rises.My main problem with the

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-30535579594991867412009-05-30T18:34:00.004-04:002009-05-31T10:31:42.458-04:00

Image via WikipediaAs much as I enjoyed the original Night at the Museum, this one didn't do much to change the formula. Some of the slapstick routines dragged on a little too long (once the monkey hits him a few times, the humor fades). Amy Adams was a breath of fresh air as Amelia Earhart and she was a more interesting character than Ben Stiller's. The scene where Stiller and Adams wander

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-68658806434531483832009-02-25T20:42:00.002-05:002009-02-25T20:46:53.736-05:00

Image via WikipediaAfter finishing my 12th season as a varsity high school basketball coach, some people have asked me what it is about basketball that is so interesting. Well, after you read this article by Chris Ballard from Sports Illustrated, you'll know why.http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/points_after/posts/52661-a-game-to-grow-into

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-32452954912531648382009-01-30T12:47:00.003-05:002009-02-11T12:21:44.551-05:00

Image via WikipediaO.K., stop me if you've heard this tale before...A young boy who is looked at as being "different" is raised in the South by a single (or nearly so) mother, who gives her son a mantra to live by.The boy grows to a man and falls in love with a hometown girl, but society and fate intervene and keep them apart for many years.The man wanders through 20th century American history

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-74279034707101013332009-01-18T17:54:00.001-05:002009-01-18T17:54:55.736-05:00

Here's my son sledding on a track we made.

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-73588669258259239422008-11-19T19:32:00.005-05:002008-11-19T19:56:05.692-05:00

By the time I recovered from the headache induced by the frantic editing of the initial chase scene, I was already annoyed by this film. Maybe I'm just a Bond purist (Live and Let Die and Diamonds are Forever being my personal favs), but I like my Bond to show a little personality. Daniel Craig's laconic performance for the first three quarters of the film didn't do it for me. Until he

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-27110164425457674852008-07-05T17:37:00.002-04:002008-07-17T10:05:05.769-04:00

After 8 visits in 4 years, here are some observations:the attention to detail continues to amaze me. We ate at the Maya Grill at Coronado Springs for the first time, and the decor was so detailed. From floor to ceiling, the place was decorated in the theme. Even places where very few people look, everything was appointed.the cast members are sometimes TOO nice. When we arrived at the SSR

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-16741363129316061282008-05-23T21:54:00.002-04:002008-05-23T21:59:46.401-04:00

My son (he's nine) plays youth baseball in Dracut, and my wife and I usually sit in the same place for every game. We plunk down our camp chairs behind the backstop so we get a good view of the game. We end up chatting with the umpire between innings. It's usually a high school student trying to make a few dollars to keep gas in his car. We've learned most of the players names and cheer for

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-51596594481488953662006-11-14T20:46:00.000-05:002007-05-25T11:49:08.762-04:00

Yeah, it's been a while...Well, we got what we asked for. The Dems have taken over the House and the Senate. Pelosi's ready to call for troop withdrawal and investigate Halliburton. Hillary stocks her war chest; Barak continues with the Hamlet routine (to run or not to run). Rummy's searching the help want-ads (not for long, I assume) and one can only hope that someone's taken Foley's cell phone

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-1123037953262038792005-08-02T22:54:00.000-04:002006-11-09T09:37:50.108-05:00

Well, I think the Academy got this one right. As good as Sideways and The Aviator were, this one was better. Eastwood and Freeman bicker like an old married couple and it's hilarious. If someone tells you this is just a movie about boxing, don't buy it. The father/daughter relationship which develops between Eastwood and Swank takes it to the next level. The ending is rather melodramatic,

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-1123037632985036012005-08-02T22:42:00.000-04:002006-11-09T09:37:50.004-05:00

Chronicles, Vol. 1 by Bob DylanThis was just a tease to whet our appetite for the other volumes. He has four chapters, none of which are in chronological order (would we expect any less from Bob). He begins with his arrival in NYC, then moves to the late '80's work with Daniel Lanois, then goes back to his years in Minnesota and then to his breakthrough at Columbia Records. His style is fairly

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-1122405202154589742005-07-26T14:41:00.000-04:002006-11-09T09:37:49.942-05:00

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. RowlingMuch better than the previous book. Rowling has a good take on teenage behavior regarding friends, sex, etc. It will be curious to see if the tragic ending remains tragic, or if certain characters return (like Gandalf) or make an appearance (like Obi-Wan) in volume seven. The plot was better in this one, avoiding the extraneous sub plots which

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-1120182244784965952005-06-30T21:27:00.000-04:002006-11-09T09:37:49.886-05:00

I haven't seen Million Dollar Baby yet, but it must have been good to beat out this film for Best Picture. Scorcese knows biopics (see Raging Bull). Leo channels Howard Hughes as part Rain Man, part Cast Away. Blanchette deserved her honor with her portrayal as Hepburn. It was long (2 hr. 50 mins.), but kept the interest as we followed Hughes into his own personal hell.I loved the colors used

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-1120181210414823112005-06-30T21:07:00.000-04:002006-11-09T09:37:49.766-05:00

Just hearing Julia Roberts talk dirty was enough to recommend this film. After viewing, I'm left wondering which character is the most reprehensible. Clive Owen's (he should be the next James Bond) character was a manipulative brute, but at least he was honest. Jude Law as the hopeless romantic seeking total honesty from everyone but himself was the most devastated by the whole mess. Natalie

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-1086889477632168572004-06-16T21:15:00.000-04:002006-11-09T09:37:49.706-05:00

I come to bury Ronald Reagan, not to praise him. Even the most liberal democrat cannot deny Ronald Reagan's skill as a politician. He had a vision and a strong set of principles from which he would not deviate. Unfortunately, his vision and principles left many in our nation behind. If you watched the funeral procession down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capital Building, did you notice a rather

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-1082049372994878092004-04-15T13:32:00.000-04:002006-11-09T09:37:49.591-05:00

After trying to explain to my naive students (is that redundant?) why people want to come to this country ("Why can't they just stay in their own country?" was one bright comment), I thought back to my recent trip to D.C. and the things I experienced. I started off at the Holocaust Museum and then worked my way around the mall in a counter-clockwise direction. This is what America is all about.

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6278507.post-1073144176586296972004-01-03T10:34:00.000-05:002006-11-09T09:37:49.523-05:00

Ever watched a movie with a five year-old? There were fewer questions in the Watergate hearings. "Who's that? Why is he doing that?" "What's her name?" "Where is she going?" It's maddening. But these are the easy questions to answer. Recently, we watched Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean. We skipped over the more violent scenes. Ah, the joy of DVD. "Are they bad guys?" he asked as the

Tom Varnumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03165990093741807761noreply@blogger.com0