Billy Crystal is The Artist

Were you as happy as I was when Billy Crystal opened the 84th Oscars?  Certainly you were.  After an 8 year gap bigger than the Grand Canyon, it was a blessing to have Billy back.  No one can replace him, and be a hit host, unless you can raise the dead Bob Hope or Johnny Carson.  Loved his salute to the now defunct Kodak Corporation, christening the building where the awards ceremony was held,  as the Chapter 11 pavilion.  Were you surprised The Artist won?  You should not have been.  It was the best film throwing us all back in time in  this high tech gadget age to a simpler era.  Yes, there was crime, mobsters, liquor, sex, love, drugs and debauchery back in the Roaring Twenties, but thank God we didn't get updated every 3 nano seconds to remind us how screwed up we are.  That would take another 9 decades.  Congrats to Christopher Plummer, a grand old man, at 82.  Overlooked so often in the past, now he is so relevant.  Where was Jack Nicholson?  Oh, that's right George Clooney has taken his place, along with Brad and Angie.  Hey!  What was that remark Crystal made about Billie/Angie?  Oi vey!  With Mr. Pitt no more than 20 feet away.  Billy, you sure know how to hurt a guy.  Let sleeping dogs lie.  And speaking of them, how 'bout that Uggie?  It's the year of the Dog.  Forget that 'ole Chinese Dragon.  He's so last month ago.  And hats off to Marty.  Hugo is playing down the street at the Mt. Pleasant Theatre. Yes, I'll get there eventually.  If you haven't seen all 9 top films, there's no time like the present.  Enjoy~!


Betsy Balega
February 26, 2012   

The Winter that Ain't Happenin Baby!

Well, 2 days ago Puxatawny Phil, my old neighbor, in Pennsylvania predicted 6 more weeks of winter.  His cousin Wiarton Willie, to the north agrees to disagree this year.  Usually these 2 Psychic Rodents agree but not in 2012.  Phil senses more snow, ice, perhaps even, dare I say, an Alberta Clippr. Dear Old Willy begs to differ.  Wil says spring is a swing around the corner.  I must agree with the Canadian groundhog.  Why you ay?  Well, how about because in Toronto our temps have been in the 40's this winter, albeit farenheit not celsius and that's still okay with me.  Yes, more to confuse Canadians this winter.  This is the Winter That Ain't.  It ain't too cold, it aint too snowy, it's ain't bad at all.  My deepest heartfelt sympathies goes out to our brothers and sisters in Europe, who are living through a deep freeze.  Somehow dear old Toronto has been spared this fate.  No matter where you are reading this, having a fantastic February.

Betsy Balega
Febryar 4, 2012