Unhealed Wound – Page 102 – Passion for Art, Movies, and Culture

“The Help”– “Telling the Truth Can Be a Revolutionary Act”

Written by diana on September 27, 2011. Posted in movie reviews. 7 Comments on “The Help”– “Telling the Truth Can Be a Revolutionary Act”

Based upon the best-selling 2009 novel by Kathryn Stockett, “The Help” is a vision of a divided America that is consistent, sometimes terrifying, in its insulting, insinuating dehumanization of African Americans. This movie is also easy-to-like –problematic but ultimately winning–and has now earned a huge $154.4 million in box revenues. Skeeter (played competently by Emma Stone), a young white journalism major who has recently graduated from the University of Mississippi, has returned home to Jackson to find that Constantine (Cicely Tyson), who raised her, no longer...

“The Debt”–Did We See the Same Movie?

Written by diana on September 20, 2011. Posted in movie reviews. 4 Comments on “The Debt”–Did We See the Same Movie?

In this remake of a popular 2007 Israeli movie, the genre label “espionage thriller” is an understatement. The movie opens in 1997, as shocking news reaches retired Mossad agents Rachel and Stefan (married to each other but now divorced.) Then “The Debt” moves quickly and chillingly between the 1960’s and 1997, in search for the Surgeon of Birkenau, a doppelganger for Mengele, the infamous Nazi general who masterminded the medical butchery of the Holocaust. Helen Mirren, playing the courageous Mossad operative Rachel Singer, appears in 1997 for a book-signing...

“The Fighter”–A Knockout

Written by diana on September 11, 2011. Posted in movie reviews. 3 Comments on “The Fighter”–A Knockout

The 2010 blockbuster and critics’ darling, “The Fighter”, won Academy Awards for best supporting actor (an astounding Christian Bale) and best supporting actress (the masterful Melissa Leo). However, I hate boxing movies, especially the tawdry “doormat turned boxing champion” variety we have seen in movies like “Rocky”. This movie, however, is more in the genre of “Raging Bull” or “Million Dollar Baby”, movies in which “boxing” is a metaphor for the volatility of punches that life can throw to anyone, especially...

Lolo Restaurant–What’s not to like?

Written by diana on September 7, 2011. Posted in Restaurants. No Comments on Lolo Restaurant–What’s not to like?

A few weeks ago we dined at a very small Mexican/Spanish fusion restaurant–Lolo (3234 22nd Street, San Francisco)– that had an innovative menu of succulent morsels, aka tapas, that even foodies like us could find nothing to criticize. This tiny, dark restaurant with cramped tables seating no more than 45 people had friendly service and a quirky, humorous decor–one wall is filled with hanging spoons. The key for us whenever we order a lot of small plates–appetizers, soups and salads–is to test the chef’s skills. So, a tapas restaurant is our idea of culinary...

Picasso–Multiple Images of the Master

Written by diana on August 30, 2011. Posted in Art, Unhealed Wound. 5 Comments on Picasso–Multiple Images of the Master

Opening on June 11 and closing on October 9, the deYoung Museum in San Francisco continues to host an exhibition of more than 100 masterpieces of Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) from Paris’s world-renowned Musée National Picasso. The Bay Area exhibition is made possible only because of the Musée’s temporary closing for extensive remodeling. I have seen the collection in Paris, of which there are more than 5000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, and collages, an almost overwhelming experience. About two percent of that collection is now on view at the deYoung, demonstrating some but...

Perbacco Ristorante– “Good Times”

Written by diana on August 24, 2011. Posted in Restaurants. 3 Comments on Perbacco Ristorante– “Good Times”

On our visit to San Francisco last weekend we decided to dine at Perbacco ristorante and bar, specialists in Northern Italian cuisine with a focus on the luxurious and lush regional cooking of Piedmont. Loosely translated from the Italian as something like “wow” or “good times”, Perbacco did not disappoint. We had a sumptuous food extravaganza of traditional dishes presented stylishly with perfection in seasonings and freshness of ingredients. The space is large and elegant, a perfect choice for any special occasion or just a treat. For us it was our anniversary and...