The Seventh Son (movie critique)

Seventh Son

The choice for the weekly movie for the Friday Movie Mavens and The Travelling Toe was slim pickings but "The Seventh Son" was selected based on the fact that Jeff Bridges was one of the stars in the movie and he certainly has a long track record of being in some good movies. The movie is based on a novel by Joseph Delaney.

Random House

Joesph Delaney on You Tube

Jeff plays a character named Gregory, who is identified as a "spook" sort of a magical knight who kills witches and other evil beings.  Having lost his last apprentice, Gregory locates Tom Ward, (played by Ben Barnes), who is a seventh son of a seventh son.  Gregory pays Tom's father a pouch gold coins to purchase Tom as his new apprentice.  As they start to leave, Tom's mother gives him an amulet for protection for the road ahead.  

Jeff Bridges

Ben barnes

Gregory is on a quest to kill the queen witch, Mother Makin, played by Julianne Moore, who looks very fetching in the black leather bustier that is part of her wardrobe.

Julianne Moore

In the mid-evil world that Gregory and Tom journey through, it seems to be full of monsters, witches and all manner of weird creatures.  During the course of their travels, Tom meets and begins to fall in love with a young girl, Alice, who turns out to be a witch.  

As the movie plods along, the wizard buster and the queen witch meet to battle it out with Tom and Alice caught in the middle.  How does it all end?   What does the part does the amulet play in the scheme of things?  Well, dear readers, by now you should know that The Travelling Toe does not reveal the ending as you must find out for yourself.

Sometimes Jeff does have a tendency to mumble along with the British accent required, but the mustache he sports is reminisce of Don Quixote. The rating for this movie is PG.

The Travelling Toe gives this movie one pinkie toe up with a toe ring and one corn pad.




Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional movie critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes only.

"Tru" at Dallas Theatre 3

Truman Capote

The Travelling Toe and two friends journeyed to Theatre 3 in Dallas to see the play "Tru".   The play written by Jay Allen Presson is based on the life and times of Truman Capote.  This play has Texas roots as Ms. Presson was born in San Angelo.  The play originally debuted on Broadway in 1991. The role of "Tru" was played by the always entertaining Jaston Williams, of Tuna, Texas fame.   He does an amazing job of bringing the character of Truman Capote to life. You can hear Truman's unusual vocal timbre in Jaston's portrayal.  There is one intriguing line after another and Jaston is the master of throwing them out to be savored by audience members. 

Here are just a few quotes from the play that The Travelling Toe was able to make note of:

         I'm back in town and am armed and dangerous 

         I've been to 7 parties in 2 days 

         Good taste is the death of art

                    I'm the Poet Laureate of the lavatory wall

                   I'm famous for being famous

          I collect paper weights, books and plaster cats

           I like to talk to myself about myself

In the play, Tru is often on the phone talking to some unknown person about the situation going on in his life.  Tru is struggling with being shunned by his former "friends" due to the publication of the first chapter of  his new book,"Answered Prayers".  It details secrets of the lives of the rich and famous and they are not pleased with what Truman has written about them in this book.  He also talks about his unusual childhood and upbringing with 3 maiden aunts in a rural town in Alabama and then going back to live with his Mother in New Orleans.  Tru talks about his alcohol  and drug habits and how many times he has "dried" out but only to slip back into old habits.  

Truman was born on September 30, 1924 in New Orleans and passed away in Bel-Air CA.  During his life time, he wrote at least 19 books.  His three top selling books were, "In Cold Blood" in 1965, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" in 1958 and "A Christmas Memory" in 1956.

This was an entertaining and fun play with a hint of a dark side.  Jaston was brilliant in his role and Ms. Presson write some wonderful dialogue.  Well worth the small price of the ticket.


Theatre 3 Dallas

Jaston Williams as "Tru"

Jay Allen Presson

Fort Worth Zoo

FORT WORTH ZOO

Photo courtesy of the Fort Worth Business Press

A female giraffe, born Jan 11, 2015, at The Fort Worth Zoo, is making her first public appearances just in time for Valentine's Day.   Notice the heart shaped marking on her neck.   So far she has not been named but the Fort Worth Zoo says they will make that announcement on their Facebook page.

Fort Worth Zoo Facebook

This baby is the third generation of her family living at the zoo.  She is with her grandmother, mother and an aunt.  She is the 15th giraffe to be born at the zoo since 1991.   Of the 15 baby giraffes born here at Fort worth Zoo, 9 have been sent to other accredited zoos as part of the species survival plan.

What a cutie!   That is some neck to hug, but The Travelling Toe thinks she has the best 
foot-ware around town!


Fort Worth Zoo


Species Survival Plan


Giraffes - National Geographic


Giraffe Conservation Foundation

Texas Camerata - Musical Performance

Texas Camerata

The Travelling Toe recently attended a performance presented by Texas Camerata at the Piano Pavilion at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.

Texas Camerata specializes in what is called Early Music and Baroque Music.  The group has been in existence since 1990 and are celebrating their 25th anniversary season.  Inquiring minds wanted to know what does camerata mean ,well dear readers it means a small chamber orchestra or choir.

The musicians of Texas Camerata play instruments that are characteristic to this  time period.  Because of the age of these instruments, they often need re-turning.  The players for the concert according to the performance program were:

Violin                                                                                               Double Bass
Kristin Van Cleve                                                                           George Dimitri
Ellen Lovelace

Viola                                                                                               Flute
Donna Hall                                                                                     Lee Lattimore

Violoncello & Viola da Gamba                                                  Harpsichord
Karen Hall                                                                                        Brad Bennight


Paul Leenhouts was the feature guest artistic director.  He also transcribed and edited the works performed as well as playing beautifully on the recorder.  Mr. Leenhouts is the director of the Early Music Studies & the Baroque Orchestra at University of North Texas.  It is enjoyable to watch Mr. Leenhouts play as he shows his love and joy of these type of music to those of us lucky enough to be in the audience.

The entire program presented was  both interesting and enjoyable evoking many emotions from joy to sadness and back to joyfulness.  The Travelling Toe was thoroughly entranced with the music played and the dedication of this entire musical group.

One favorite was the solo piece,  titled "Passacaglia" from 1690, that was played by the harpsichordist.   The last piece, the passacaglia from "Concert pastorella con due flutts",featured instead of 2 flutes, one flute and one recorder. It was an ooutstanding piece.

The Travelling Toe loved the entire performance!   BRAVO!!!!

                                             Texas Camerata Performance Program 
                                                   Saturday, February 7, 2015
                                           

Texas Camerata
web site

Some of the composers for the program:

George Muffat
France

Johann Heinrich Schmelzer
Austria

Antonio Bertali
Italy

Johann Christoph Pez
German

Baroque Music was composed and played approximately from 1600 - 1750.  This era of music followed the Renaissance era.  The music was played with new instruments and different techniques.  The size, range and playing was expanded.  Baroque music established opera, cantata, oratorio, concerto and sonata.  The word Baroque comes from a Portuguese word meaning irregular in shape, such as a pearl.  It is a negative description of the ornamental music of this time period.   But The Travelling Toe is happy to report that Baroque lives on!

The Wedding Ringer (movie critique)

The Wedding Ringer

With some trepidation, The Travelling Toe ,along with the Friday Movie Mavens, headed to the local multiplex to see "The Wedding Ringer".   The Travelling Toe was concerned that the movie would be geared towards the urban young man target audience full of fart jokes and bathroom humor.  Surprisingly the movie was pretty funny and did not have too many gross jokes.  

The premise of the movie is that Doug Harris, played by Josh Gad, is getting married and can not find any male friends willing to be his best man as well as any his groomsman.  The wedding is just weeks away and Doug is desperate.  Through the wedding planner he is referred to Jimmy Callahan played by Kevin Hart, who is CEO of BMI - Best Man Inc.   Jimmy's job is to provide best man services as well as groomsmen for socially challenged guys.

Josh Gad

Kevin Hart

The groomsmen Jimmy selects for Doug are a rag tag, mismatched group of the strange, weird and freaky.   However, Jimmy has a plan and starts pulling all these fake friendships off - at least appearance wise.  One of the funniest bits was when all the pictures were manufactured at different local spots to appear that Doug and his friends were having exotic adventures and travels together...such as sky diving, scuba diving and even mountain climbing.

The bride, Gretchen Palmer, played by Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, is totally unaware of the problems revolving around her.   As the wedding day arrives, only chaos arrives at the altar.

Kaley Cuoco-Sweating 

Do Doug and Gretchen really get married or are there more adventures ahead for Doug?  You will just have to see this movie and find out as The Travelling Toe will not spoil the fun for you.

As the movie is ending one of the groomsmen, Lurch, played by Jorge Garcia delivers the funniest throw away line.   The Travelling Toe hopes that you have a laugh at it as well!

Jorge Garcia 

Mortdecai (movie critique)

Mortdecai

The Travelling Toe wonders how many more quirky roles Johnny Depp can play in his career.   He has been The Mad Hatter, Tonto, Barnabas Collins, The Big Bad Wolf, and Edward Scissorhands just to name a few.  Well, dear readers he has added another one to his repertoire - Lord Charlie Mortdecai, with an elaborate mustache upon his face.

Johnny Depp

The Lord is in deep financial peril as his taxes of a vast sum are late being paid to the British Government and he is about to lose the family estate.   He seems inapt of making any type of  deal that would save his estate.  But his wife Johanna, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, is so much smarter than Charlie or his friend, a MI5 agent, played by the very handsome Ewan McGregor, that in the end she saves the day....or does she??????????  The plot of the movie centers on Lord Mortdecai trying to locate a stolen painting that contains the account number of a secret bank account full of Nazi gold that was stolen during the World Ward II occupation of Paris. Needless to say others are also after this same information and the gold.

Ewan McGregor

Gwyneth Paltrow

Lord Mortdecai's valet, Jock, played by the debonair Paul Bettany, who not unlike what Bates would do on Downton Abbey, always as the Lord's back no matter what or who is after them - as well has having a bit of hanky-panky with lady friends or even strangers on a plane for that matter!

Paul Bettany

The action moves from London to Russia then to Los Angeles and back to London.   It was clever how they were able to let audience members know where the plane was heading next. The last travel bit was very funny.

This is not a movie for everyone but the Friday Movie Mavens did find some chuckles along the way.   The movie is rated R for language and sexual material.  

The Travelling Toe awards this movie 1 pinky toe with polish and a painted flower on it.

One final hint about the movie, one of the production companies is Odd Lots Entertainment.

Odd Lot Entertainment 

Odd Lott Entertainment

Downton Abbey



Disclaimer:   The Travelling Toe is not a professional movie critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes only.

Rosedown: A Louisiana Plantation Home

Rosedown Plantation House

Rosedown Plantation Home

During a recent road trip to Baton Rogue, Louisiana, The Travelling Toe and 2 friends embarked on a tour of Rosedown, a lovely plantation home.   The grounds and gardens for Rosedown are just amazing.  It is easy to get lost walking down one trail or another.   But the joy is that each pathway takes you to a water feature or a garden sculpture.   One of the best features of the property were all the oak trees that lined the entrance way from the house to the street.   The oak trees were as massive as the ones at Oak Alley. We did take the tour of the house that was offered and it was interesting to learn about the history of Rosedown and the various families that had lived there.   As with many families of that time period, most died from illnesses that were unpreventable at the time  - such as malaria.  The house fell upon hard times but was later purchased by a family from Houston, TX and lovingly restored in the 1960's.

If you have the opportunity to visit Rosedown, do take the tour as it is only $10.00  and is certainly worth the time and money.   Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and explained how the house came to be and then how it was re-born.  

Bathroom facilities are nice and well cared for, and have easy access.   And of course the trio travelers had to visit the gift shop.  It is lovely and has many interesting items to pursue and purchase.  The Travelling Toe has a fondness for books pertaining to the region that is visited as well as refrigerator magnets and was not disappointed in the quest.

The merry band of intrepid travelers visited Rosedown, October, 2013.  One last note, Rosedown is part of the National Park system.  

Oak Ally

Oak Alley Plantation Home


Baton Rouge LA


St Francisville Antebellum Plantations Home Tours


National Park System