What I Learned from Gravity

I was lucky enough to see a preview of the film Gravity a couple of weeks ago through the USA Film Festival.  My brother went with me.

NOTE:  I invited my niece to join me but when she cancelled my brother was conveniently the first one to text me his availability.  The McDaniel siblings like free stuff, people.

Now normally the USA Film Festival does advance screenings of more limited release films -- not blockbusters starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, so this was an unusual film for them and I hopped right in to get a reservation for 2 seats front and center.  The Film Festival had warned us to leave our cell phones and any other recording devices at home and John and I obliged.

Because I'm a donor to the Film Festival, we get reserved seats and don't have to wait in the long line -- LOVE that.  When John and I arrived at the AMC NorthPark they checked my purse and wanded both of us looking for recording devices and/or firearms. 

NOTE:  We passed. 

The press members finally arrive and the film is about to begin, but before they start (usually at screenings there are no previews) a big guy in a suit walks out and gets the audience's attention.  He explains that no recording devices may be brought out during the film and that he and his team will be watching with night-vision goggles throughout the screening.  When he says this, some people giggle, but the man quickly looked them straight in the eye and very seriously said "Hey -- this is not a laughing matter.  My job is to protect this film and I am very serious.  We are protecting this film."

Wow.  I have not stopped thinking about this statement.  I am protecting this film.  It is my job to protect this film.

I wish that all parents felt this way.  Good ones know that protecting children is their job -- in fact, it is the job of every single one of us.  We are all required by law to report child abuse and neglect in Texas.

NOTE:  To report in Texas call 1-800-252-5400.  If you are not in Texas, the Texas hot line can give you information for your state or neck of the woods (a little Al Roker for you).

If only we took child protection as seriously as film protection.

P.S.  Gravity is great -- see it.  And of course it had lots of birth/mother imagery.  You can take the girl out of the office, but you can't ever take the office out of this girl...

An Out of Shape Old Lady's View of Sports in America

Hey, everyone -- it's Chick Lit Luncheon week, so I'm late in posting the blog this week.

NOTE:  If you aren't attending the Chick Lit Luncheon benefiting Community Partners of Dallas tomorrow, you're WAY too late -- we are completely sold out.  What fun!

Back to the post (post brag):

A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to have been able to attend a USA Film Festival screening of 42 the life story of Jackie Robinson and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey.  The film stars Chadwick Boseman as Robinson and Harrison Ford as Rickey and they are both marvelous.

I really don't follow sports except the Mavs and honestly, if the Mavs aren't winning, I'm not watching and sometimes not even then -- check out my previous blog post about my ability to control the wins here:  http://blog.paigemcdaniel.org/2011/05/controlling-mavs.html

Of all spectator sports, I'd say baseball is my least favorite (other than golf -- super boring).  It just moves too slowly for me (although hockey moves too fast for me -- I can never follow the puck), so while I had heard of Jackie Robinson and knew he was the first black major league player prior to seeing 42, that was about it.

The film was a real wake up call for me and I saw true guts and what it is really like to turn the other cheek when confronted with extreme prejudice.  Both Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey (who Chadwick Boseman told us was nick-named "The Mahatma" -- yes, Chadwick attended the screening and spoke to us in Q&A after -- I know you're jealous -- don't hate!) faced the most horrific bigotry, but they knew that non-violence was the answer to integrating the major league.

It is a film every kid, teen, and adult needs to see. 

It is interesting to me that Mark Cuban even says he would consider Baylor's star woman player Brittney Griner to try out for the Mavs.

I wonder what Jackie and Branch would think about that.

Go see 42 -- it opens next weekend, April 12.  Take your family with you.

Some Monsters are Real

Halloween is tonight and it always gets me thinking about scary stuff.

At Community Partners of Dallas only Vanessa, Pam and I like scary movies (27% of the staff).  I mostly like the ones like The Sixth Sense or Rosemary's Baby, but I'll go to Paranormal Activity if someone will go with me.  I think it's fun to be scared and yucky stuff doesn't stay in my head like it does for others.

NOTE:  I absolutely love scary stuff on TV.  Dexter, American Horror Story, etc.  Give me a night in and an episode or two on the dvr and I'm in heaven (or hell, of course)...

Last night I didn't watch a scary show on TV, I met people who lived one.

Every Tuesday night, CPD holds group treatment therapy for child victims of sexual abuse.  The program is called Heart and the kids and their non-offending family members meet and talk about what happened to them and how to get on with their lives.

I can't imagine ever getting over such a violation, can you?  These kids know what real terror is.  What degradation feels like.  They know what monsters look like, smell like, sound like.

And that's a movie I never want another child to see.