Here comes the sun…
I love me some pretty clouds at dusk.
Dawn and dusk…
Blog
December at the wetlands…
Brown pelican.
Pelican in flight…
There have been quite a few pelicans at the wetlands recently.
I think they look like dinosaurs.
A Southern California December day…
Become ungovernable.
The only snowflake in sight.
These two know each other. The pelican is begging. The fisherman obliged.
Here he is, with a tad more dignity. This is a brown pelican with his breeding plumage.
Saddleback, looking good.
#1 winter sport with the locals.
At the local craft emporium…
The official greeter in a festive mood.
Best wreath of the season, right here.
How she suffers…
It’s terrible what she endures.
Choices, choices…
I decided to choose a pair that matches my hair dye.
Seasonal…
We don’t have a ton of Christmassy nature around here, but by gum, we’ve got trees with red berries on them!
Nothing says “holiday season”…
…like a trip to the dentist…
At the local Chinese joint…
There was a line.
He endorses the three-item combo.
Like the sign says…
This is where the cast-offs from the Island of Misfit Toys end up.
2023 Movie Diary, Part 23
67. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES (1987)
Behold, the gold standard for perfect casting. Steve Martin and John Candy, both at the top of their games, are magical together in a holiday buddy film with heart. It’s not all perfection…the casting of Martin’s wife would be disastrous if she had more screen time, and it’s got possibly the worst score ever dumped on a classic film. But these are minor bumps in the road. What a joy this movie is.
Verdict: A holiday standard.
68. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946)
One of the most perfect and moving films ever made. That’s all I can say, really. If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor. It’s one of those movies that can make you a better person simply by viewing it.
Verdict: Inductee, Laurie’s Cinematic Hall of Fame
69. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (2022)
While I found this film’s desperate need to be wacky tiresome at times, I have to say that at movies are so derivative, it’s a minor sin, and easily forgiven. Because as crazy as it is, it hangs together, and delivers the goods with insight, wisdom, and most heart. Does the fact that this film won a Best Picture Oscar, indicate that Hollywood is going to change its ways? I choose to have hope.
Verdict: Highly enjoyable if you can take its manic style.