Fohnhouse.com | Movies, TV, Art & Entertainment: The Descendants ...

The Descendants (2012)

It?s been seven years since Alexander Payne?s last feature, the acclaimed and award-winning dramatic comedy Sideways. He?s returned to middle age crises for his new film, with George Clooney leading the cast, and it?s proven to be an awards magnet.
Hawaii lawyer Matt King (Clooney) is reeling. His wife is in a coma after a powerboat racing accident, leaving him to take responsibility for his daughters, 17-year old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley) and 10 year old Scottie (Amara Miller). He?s also planning the sale of a large piece of land that his family have looked after for generations. When he discovers that his wife is dying and that she was cheating on him, he decides that it?s time to start taking care of things.Payne?s a filmmaker known for not flinching from unpleasant truths. The man behind Citizen Ruth, Election, About Schmidt, and Sideways has a history of making comedy dramas with sharp teeth. So it?s a bit of a disappointment to find The Descendants is somewhat toothless. It?s certainly entertaining and sometimes quite moving, but it?s content to keep the darkness at the edges instead of really engaging it. The film is at its strongest when Matt confronts his problems head on, and given that the film starts with Matt?s narration telling us that people in Hawaii are just as screwed up as everyone else, it seems strange that The Descendants is so laid-back for most of its running time.Clooney?s been given awards recognition already for his performance as the passive Matt. It?s an effective, subdued portrayal of a man struggling to connect with his children for pretty much the first time and generally start taking an active role. Matt is in a constant see-saw between what?s acceptable and what?s not, and trying to figure out where he needs to set boundaries. His relationship with his daughter Alexandra is one of the film?s high-points, as she is still identifiably a teenager but she is also able to take on the responsibility that Matt is incapable of. The character?s growing up is not in any way exaggerated or unbelievable. Woodley is excellent and as deserving of attention as Clooney, and she works wonderfully with Miller.But Payne never really scrapes deep enough beneath the surface. While it?s refreshing to see a drama in which the lead doesn?t have to break down and fracture completely, things progress a little too neatly and simply here. There are too many overly familiar elements of family drama, from the unnecessary narration to stock characters like the stoner boyfriend (Nick Krause) and the angry father-in-law (Robert Forster). ?But the film improves in its final third, with impressively written and performed, honest scenes featuring Matthew Lillard (Scream) and the always-excellent Judy Greer (Arrested Development).The mellow tone matches the Hawaiian setting and it?s certainly an enjoyable, often surprisingly funny watch. However, we would have liked Payne to go a bit deeper.Verdict: An entertaining drama that?s a little shallow but enjoyable nevertheless. Shailene Woodley?s definitely one to watch.

JH

Source: http://fohnhouse.blogspot.com/2012/02/descendants-2012.html

brock lesnar retires new years wake forest wake forest insync old dominion ufc results

Court won't release CA gay marriage trial videos (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO ? A federal appeals court refused Thursday to unseal video recordings of a landmark trial on the constitutionality of California's same-sex marriage ban but said it needed more time to decide if a lower court judge properly struck down the voter-approved ban.

Siding with the ban's supporters, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled the public doesn't have the right to see the footage that former Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker had produced with the caveat it would be used only by him to help him reach a verdict.

Chief Judge Walker "promised the litigants that the conditions under which the recording was maintained would not change ? that there was no possibility that the recording would be broadcast to the public in the future," a three-judge 9th Circuit panel said in a unanimous opinion.

The 2010 trial over which Walker presided lasted 13 days and was the first in a federal court to examine if prohibiting gay couples from marrying violates their constitutional rights.

It was open to the public and received widespread media coverage, so the recordings would not have revealed any new evidence or testimony.

Walker, who has since retired and revealed he is in a long-term relationship with another man, originally wanted to broadcast the trial in other federal courthouses and on YouTube.

The U.S. Supreme Court forbade him from moving forward with that plan after the ban's sponsors argued that distributing trial footage could subject their witnesses to harassment.

"The 9th Circuit correctly ruled that when a trial judge makes a solemn promise, as Judge Walker did by assuring the parties that the trial video would not be publicly released, the judiciary must not be allowed to renege on its pledge," said Austin Nimocks, a lawyer for the coalition of religious conservative groups that sponsored Proposition 8,

The 9th Circuit still must resolve the more substantive issue of whether Walker correctly struck down Proposition 8 on federal constitutional grounds. The appeals court panel heard arguments on that issue a year ago but does not face a deadline for making a decision.

A coalition of media organizations, including The Associated Press, and lawyers for the two couples who successfully sued to overturn Proposition 8 in Walker's court had petitioned to have the Proposition 8 trial recordings made public on First Amendment grounds.

Jack Stokes, a spokesman for the AP, said the news organization had no comment on the ruling.

Walker's successor as the chief U.S. district judge in Northern California, James Ware, agreed in September and planned to unseal the videos. In its Thursday ruling, the three-judge 9th Circuit panel said Ware had erred and ordered the recordings kept under seal.

The panel also refused to return to Walker a copy of the recordings that Ware gave his colleague upon his retirement last year. Walker had used snippets of footage in public talks about the value of broadcasting court proceedings.

Gay rights advocates said they wanted to use the recordings to try to puncture political arguments used by opponents of same-sex marriage.

Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, who serves on the board of the group funding the effort to overturn Proposition 8 in court, has written a play called "8" based on the trial transcript and interviews from the 2010 court fight that will have its Los Angeles premiere next month.

"The fact that (the marriage ban's backers) have gone this distance to keep the tapes from the American public, what it has done and increasingly will do, is inspire efforts that we will help lead to make sure the public knows what happened in the courtroom," said Chad Griffin, president of the American Foundation for Equal Rights.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120202/ap_on_re_us/us_gay_marriage_trial

snowman playstation network down martin scorsese houston astros google music 2013 ford escape stop online piracy act

Rise To The Challenge Of Making Improvements To Your Home ...

There has been a decline in consumer confidence in the building and construction industry. This may be the same reason why many are now doing home improvements by themselves.

Why not? A little knowledge of the technical aspects combined with the eye for creativity is enough to do the home improvement on your own.

Why are people turning to do-it-yourself home improvements?

Many construction workers who do not have a lot of experience or expertise in construction or home maintenance are out there right now trying to work on these homes across the country.

As a result, homeowners are finding that the jobs are not being completed to their satisfaction. Sometimes they are even prepaying for services that do not get done or are not part of the plan.

You do not have to rely and pay someone to improve your home. Why not try to do it yourself?

You can enhance your homes existing concrete surfaces using acid stains, acrylic stains, epoxy paints, and scoring techniques.

If you are tired of looking at dreary gray concrete, there are some easy projects for the serious home improvement do-it-yourselfer to give your patio, driveway, garage, etc. a refreshing new look.

Decorative concrete work costs double or even triple that of regular concrete. This is why many people cannot afford it.

There are inexpensive ways to decorate concrete after it has cured without having to pay skilled tradesmen.

Acid based concrete stains are becoming more and more popular for coloring concrete surfaces. They chemically react with the material to produce permanent color with variegated or mottled appearance like that of marble. This results in a natural, elegant looking surface.

Water based concrete stains are an alternative to acid stains and are much more user friendly because theyre much less toxic. These stains do not chemically react with the concrete; they are absorbed into the surface pores and act like a dye. The big advantage of water based stains is the wide array of colors available.

If you want to venture beyond the basic staining of concrete, consider using some scoring techniques to create patterns on the surface.

You can make your concrete look like a tile floor for example. It is up to your imagination. An angle grinder with a 4 inch grinding or cutting wheel is the ideal tool for this.

The important thing to remember when scoring is to draw the pattern on the concrete first and make sure you are satisfied with the way it looks because scoring is irreversible.

Epoxy paints make an excellent coating for garage floors and basement floors. Many commercial floors have epoxy coatings because of their durability and resistance to chemical spills as well as their appearance.

In recent years, however, it has become very popular for residential use with an increasing availability of different colors. This is not a difficult project, but the key to successful application is surface preparation.

Epoxy paints have also become available in a water based form making it safe for the do-it-yourselfer and ideal for indoor applications. They cost a little more than stains. For a 400 square foot garage, youll spend about $200 for the materials needed for this project.

See? You do not have to spend money to have your home improved. You have the capability to do it yourself. With some instructions and a little bit of work, anyone can turn boring concrete into their own masterpiece.

If you want to find out more about room divider and interior design ideas, then visit Maynard First?s site full of tips for living in comfort and style, even if you are on a budget.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 2:00 pm by Maynard First and is filed under DIY. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://centired.com/2012/02/rise-to-the-challenge-of-making-improvements-to-your-home-yourself/

bowl schedule barry bonds hazing colton harris moore hurd hurd christopher hitchens

Artist C?ndido Bid? Brings Dominican Republic Alive

For the uninitiated, the Dominican Republic is more than just golden sandy beaches, tropical forests and a Jurassic Park-esque setting. Beneath its surface, there is a world of rich culture, intriguing history and most of all, world-class contemporary art.

Dominican Republic is home to world famous contemporary artist C?ndido Bid?, whose work had earned him international fame in Europe, the United States and the Middle East. His works were highly sought after by foreigner collectors scattered in the five continents and have even earned him awards such as First Prize in the 12th Biennial of the Fine Arts (for his work ?Los amantes de la aldea?). As one of the most famous artists in Dominican Republic, he not only introduced art to the Dominican Republic ? he also introduced DR to the world.

Born in the central town Bonao in 1936, Bid? had always been inspired by his hometown. Native Wildlife, countryside and nature were elements that were well reflected in their work. With the use of oil, crayon and gouache, he gave his paintings a sense of joy, freshness, tenderness and poetry.?He liked to reflect the faces of fruits, flowers and the sun in the Antillean Caribbean landscape. His paintings reflected a love for the people of his country. Bid? was totally devoted to his drawings and paintings, with the sole intention of giving the best of himself and his art. Sadly, he passed away just this March, leaving a legend behind him.

If you?re interested in learning more about Bid? or his art during your Dominican vacation, visit the Museum of Modern Art in Santo Domingo where a collection of his best works are on display. To dive deeper, head to Bonao, Bid??s hometown.?Candido Bid? founded the Museum in the Plaza de la Cultura of Bonao, where his works are on permanent display along with those of other great Dominican painters such as Guillo P?rez, Elsa Nunez and Alonso Cuevas.?You?ll also get to see works by American painters like Orlando Vallejo and Alfredo Sinclair. While in Bonao, you can also visit the painting school that was set up by Bid?. With the intention of providing arts education, entertainment and cultural services to the community of the Cibao, he truly contributed immensely to the artistic development of his hometown.

Photo | SpecialKRB

Source: http://passportto.iberostar.com/2012/02/artist-candido-bido-brings-dominican-republic-alive/

world series game 4 turkey the walking dead the walking dead turkey map walter isaacson walter isaacson

Obama Improves in Ohio (Taegan Goddard's Political Wire)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/194345812?client_source=feed&format=rss

twas the night before christmas norad santa epic beard man new york jets nfl standings giants vs jets ny jets

House GOP bill would cut small business taxes

WASHINGTON (AP) ? If the bill makes no exceptions, that means the reduction would apply to 99.9 percent of the nation's 27.3 million firms, according to Census Bureau data for 2008, the most recent year available. Companies of that size employ about half the country's 121 million paid workers, the Census data shows.

While there is no formal definition of a small business, most industries use 500 employees as the cutoff, as does the Small Business Administration when it conducts research, according to a Treasury Department paper issued last summer.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-02-01-Congress-Small%20Business%20Taxes/id-ce95da295c7945a4960868019d9c0012

john lackey ed lee ed lee garmin nuvi 1450 tommy john surgery colorado weather alcohol poisoning

February Movies (omg!)

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_february_movies072653206/44351004/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/february-movies-072653206.html

muammar gaddafi muammar gaddafi lord monckton lord monckton andy kaufman october 21 2011 ohio