Lilly Faye's Movie Review: Still Alice, starring Julianne Moore, Kristen Stewart, and Alec Baldwin

Dear Readers,

In Still Alice, Julianne Moore plays a professor of linguistics diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease at age 50. Still Alice does a good job of showing the progression and the devastating effects of the disease from both the patient's and the family's point of view. Of course, no movie can fully portray the prolonged heartbreak the disease causes in real life.

The movie is based on the novel, Still Alice, written by Lisa Genova, who has a Ph.D in Neuroscience.

Julianne Moore has won many awards for her performance in this movie, including a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Academy Award.

Dizzie: She did an excellent job, but the role was well within her capabilities. I don't think it was a big stretch for her, Boss.

Lilly Faye: That's what happens with an actor as good as Julianne Moore, Diz. She makes it look effortless. I thought she gave a moving and sensitive performance.

The real surprise was Kristen Stewart, who plays Alice's youngest daughter. This was her best performance, by far. Maybe she learned a thing or two from working with Julianne Moore.

Frank, please tell everyone what you made for dinner.

Mr. Frank: Pan-fried sockeye salmon sauced with brown butter, capers, and slivered almonds. I served it with new potatoes, and a wedge salad consisting of iceberg lettuce, avocado, and dried cranberries, topped with blue cheese dressing.

Dizzie: I'm sorry, Frank. I don't get the excitement over wedge salad. It's just a big chunk of iceberg lettuce.

Mr. Frank: It's a mid-century classic that's back in style. Huff.

Alfie Cat: I loved the salmon, and the whipped cream on the fresh berry parfait.

Dizzie: I missed my chips. Why can't we have chips every night?

Lilly Faye: I loved every bite of the entire meal, Frank.

Mr. Frank: Thanks, Doll.

Lilly Faye: You can watch the trailer for the movie by clicking here:  Still Alice.

Time to rate the movie, boys!

Dizzie: I give it One and a Half Paws Up!

Mr. Frank: Two Paws Up! I liked that many of the scenes revolved around food.

Alfie Cat: Two Paws Up! I stuck around for it, so it must be good.

Lilly Faye: Two Paws Up! The acting was excellent all around.

Dear Readers,

Still Alice is very well done, and definitely worth seeing if you're a teenager or an adult. I don't think younger children would get much out of it.

While it isn't an uplifting film due to its subject matter, Still Alice isn't nearly as grim as I expected it to be, either.

Love,

Lilly Faye

Lilly Faye's Movie Review: Big Eyes, starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz

Dear Readers,

Big Eyes is the true story of artist Margaret Keane (Amy Adams), and her second husband, Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz). Walter was a consummate salesman who took public credit for Margaret's work.

Margaret's paintings of sad waifs with oversized eyes were a cultural phenomenon in the 1960s. Big Eyes is about Margaret's journey from a meek, shy woman dominated by Walter, to a self-confident woman who finally stands up for herself, laying claim to her life's work and reputation. I won't give away how Margaret does that, but it's my favorite scene in the movie!

Big Eyes is directed by Tim Burton, who has long been a collector of Margaret Keane's work.

Dizzie: In addition to her famous waifs, Margaret Keane also painted many portraits of cats and dogs, Boss!

Lilly Faye: That's right, Diz. Also, there's a pretty Toy Poodle in the movie.

You can watch the trailer for the movie here:  Big Eyes

Amy Adams won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Margaret, and Christoph Waltz was nominated for his portrayal of Walter.

Lana Del Rey also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song. You can hear it here: Lana Del Rey--Big Eyes

Lilly Faye: Frank, tell everybody what you made for our movie night dinner.

Mr. Frank: Shrimp and Orzo with fresh tomatoes and basil, lemon broccoli, and garlic bread.

Alfie Cat: What did that have to do with the movie?

Mr. Frank: Nothing. But I got a good deal on the shrimp.

Lilly Faye: For anyone wondering how closely the movie hews to the truth, here is an excellent October 2014 interview with Margaret Keane in The Guardian newspaper:  The big-eyed children: the extraordinary story of an epic art fraud

Lilly Faye: I can't imagine letting anyone else take credit for writing the blog. It's the expression of my own creativity, and I pour my heart and soul into it.

Time to rate the movie, boys!

Dizzie: Two Paws Up! It made me want to find out more about the truth behind the movie.

Mr. Frank: Two Paws Up! As both a chef and a tuba player, I like stories about the artist's struggle.

Alfie: I'm abstaining. I left the room as soon as the shrimp was gone.

Lilly Faye: Two Paws Up! The actors did a great job, and I loved the 1950s and '60s fashions. I only wish I'd tried out for the role of Margaret's Toy Poodle.

Dear Readers,

Big Eyes is a fascinating look at the true story behind a cultural phenomenon, and a heartening story of a woman learning to stand up for herself. I recommend it.

Love,

Lilly Faye

June Mailbag, Summer Fun Edition

Dear Readers,

We've got a lot of mail to answer this month, so let's dive right in. 

Dear Lilly Faye,
I really suffer in the heat. How can I look stylish in this warm weather?
Signed, Ginger

Loose clothing is the answer, Ginger. You're in luck, '70s fashions are back in style. Peasant blouses, palazzo pants, and maxi dresses are all the rage. And of course, a pair of cute sandals goes with everything. 

Hmm, I wonder if I'm too short to wear floral print bell bottoms? 

Cali: Don't forget to drink plenty of water, use sunblock, and lay in the shade whenever possible, Ginger.

Lilly Faye: Thanks, Cali. 

Next, Ralph asks:

Do you have any safety tips for swimming at the beach?

Dizzie, my blog intern, is a Portuguese Water Dog, so I'll let him answer this one.

Dizzie: Hi, Ralph. Never swim alone, always obey the lifeguards, and if you get caught in a rip current, don't try to fight it. Swim parallel to the shore until you are safely out of it's grip. Also, no matter how thirsty you are, don't drink the ocean water.

Lilly Faye: Thanks, Diz. The next letter says:

Dear Frank,
I'm a big fan. Do you have any suggestions for a healthy summer dessert?
Love, Lil Dot

Mr. Frank: I'm really into grilled fruit this summer, Lil Dot. 

Peel and core a fresh pineapple, and cut the fruit into one inch cubes. Wash a couple of handfuls of strawberries, remove the stems, and slice the larger ones in half. Leave the little berries whole.  

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a hot skillet. I prefer a cast iron skillet, myself. You can also make this in a pan on a hot grill outdoors. 

Toss the pineapple cubes in the pan, and stir once to spread the butter evenly and make sure every piece of pineapple is touching the bottom of the pan. Leave it alone for a few minutes while the pineapple caramelizes. Then toss in the strawberries and a handful of red seedless grapes, and give it all a good stir. Lightly sprinkle ground cinnamon over the fruit.

Let the fruit cook a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, until all sides of the pineapple are caramelized. It's done! Don't add any sugar or sweetener of any kind. The fruit will be very sweet on its own.

Lilly Faye: That sounds good, Frank. I hope you'll fix some for me.

Mr. Frank: Anything for you, Doll.

Lilly Faye: Our last letter is from our own Alfie Cat:

Now that summer is here, the endless days of hunting and fishing are growing monotonous, and all my favorite shows are in reruns. I could use some new ideas for summer entertainment.

Lilly Faye: I'm going to throw this one over to Ceecee.

Ceecee: There's no need for you to be lonely and bored, Alfie. Come on over and spend time with me.

Ceecee: I'll share my beach reads with you. We can form our own summer book club for two.

Lilly Faye: How about that, Alfie? Alfie? Alfie seems to have disappeared.

Well, that's all for this time, folks. Keep writing, and we'll keep answering your mail.

Love,

Lilly Faye

Lilly Faye's Movie Review: Interstellar, starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine

Dear Readers,

Interstellar is set in the near future, when worldwide crop failures, drought, and a 1930s-type Dust Bowl have humanity scrambling to find a new habitable planet for the human race. A secret NASA project sends Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a former astronaut, now a farmer, on an interstellar search mission via a wormhole.

What did we learn from the movie, boys?

Mr. Frank: Gravity seems to be the answer to everything.

Alfie Cat: Big deal. Cats have been defying gravity for eons.

THUD!

Alfie Cat: Oof! What happened?!

Lilly Faye: I think love is the answer, Frank. Interstellar is all about love as the motivation for survival against all odds.

Interstellar isn't just about science and space travel. It's also about multi-generational family relationships. I found that heartwarming.

Dizzie: I found myself invested in the characters, Boss. And I couldn't figure out how the movie was going to end, which is unusual for me.

Lilly Faye: That's true. Thirty minutes into every movie, Dizzie predicts how it's going to end.

Dizzie: And I'm usually right! 

Lilly Faye: Interstellar is an intense and suspenseful movie. It has magnificent visuals, and an excellent musical score by Hans Zimmer. The music alone kept me on the edge of my seat.

Mr. Frank: Aren't we going to talk about the dinner I prepared?

Lilly Faye: Of course, Frank. Tell our readers what you made for us this week.

Mr. Frank: I made Cajun Shrimp and Rice with Andouille Sausage. I also made homemade corn muffins, as an homage to Matthew McConaughey's character, who grows corn in the movie.

Lilly Faye: Too bad Dizzie ate most of the corn muffins before the movie even started!

Dizzie: It's a long movie, 2 hours and 48 minutes! I needed to keep up my strength. Think about bringing more muffins next time, Frank.

Lilly Faye: You can watch the official Interstellar trailer here.

The moviemakers did an excellent job of recreating the look of the 1930s Dust Bowl. You can learn more about the actual historical event here: Ken Burns' The Dust Bowl.

Time to rate the movie, boys!

Dizzie: Two Paws Up! I really liked it.

Frank: Two Paws Up! Although, the subject of crop failure and lack of food diversity is the stuff of nightmares for a chef, like me.

Alfie Cat: Two Paws Up! For its focus on time, space, and relativity, subjects near and dear to any cat's heart.

Lilly Faye: Two Paws Up! For themes of love, and the triumph of the human spirit.

Dear Readers,
If you like movies about families, adventure, and space travel, you'll enjoy Interstellar.

Love,
Lilly Faye