A Scorcha!

My Rating System    

4 Dunkies-Wicked Awesome; Add to DVD/Blu-Ray Collection

3 Dunkies- Wicked Good

2 Dunkies-  I’d rather be at Fenway during a rain delay.

1 Dunkie- I’d rather be stuck on the Red Line during the morning commute.



I'm giving The Heat 3 Dunkies. If you've seen the trailers and read the reviews then you already know the movie stars Sandra Bullock as the uptight FBI agent and Melissa McCarthy as the Boston detective. It's your typical buddy cop flick except this time it's two females in the lead roles.  It's rated R for a reason as it's a bit raunchy and lots of F-bombs are dropped but it all works. Melissa McCarthy is typically awesome in the role of Detective Mullins. Just when you think she's over the top with her verbal jabs she displays a sincerity in her delivery that pulls you back in. Bullock and McCarthy have a fun rapport that makes you think they had a great time filming this movie.
    It's obvious the movie was shot in Boston and the supporting actors prove it. There is a scene where Bullock as Special Agent Ashburn is talking with Mullins' brothers at the dinner table. They ask her if she's a narc and she doesn't understand them because of their thick Boston accents. Normally, I hate scenes when the Boston accent is so exaggerated for laughs but this time it felt natural and I did laugh out loud.  It probably didn't hurt that Joey McIntyre was in the scene too. What can I say, I'm a little biased.
    So, to sum it all up, go cool off and see The Heat.  I guarantee you'll have a few laughs.


Oh wait, one more thing...I saw the movie at the AMC Theaters in Braintree.  The theaters now have reclining chairs! When did that happen?  It was so comfortable. I would definitely recommend seeing a flick there at least once.


 

Still Strong

Photo by J. Stanish

 

I spent some time in town today and visited the memorial on Boylston Street. The Mayor's office recently announced the items would be removed in a few days and archived for a future memorial site.  It's been just over two months since the marathon bombings.  In those two months, we've been pleasantly distracted by a tremendous Bruins playoff run and a good start from the Sox but it still doesn't erase what happened in our city.  We're reminded every day when we see the Boston Strong logos adorning buildings, trains, buses, cars, hats and t-shirts. We're reminded when we stroll down Boylston and see the words Finish Line painted on the street. And we're reminded at the memorial site where hundreds of sneakers hang on the fence and thousands of messages of love from all over the world are scribbled in notes to the people of Boston. Stay Strong.  We have and we will.

 

Photo by J. Stanish

 

Photo by J. Stanish

 

 

 

Donations to The One Fund Boston can be made to:

 

https://secure.onefundboston.org/

 

All donations assist the families who lost loved ones and those who were severely wounded in the attacks.

 

 



Train Trek

South Station       J.Stanish

I have a love/hate relationship with South Station.  I love it in the afternoons and hate it in the mornings.  Like many commuters, mornings are not my friend.  It takes a little time for me to ease into the daily grind. I always feel a slight dread when the automated voice announces "next stop, South Station".  That announcement is like a second alarm clock forcing me to buck up. Time to trudge through the terminal with the other weary commuters. We walk past the big board listing all the day's destinations. Every time I see the board I want to turn around and hop on a train to New York or somewhere else.  
The afternoon is a different story though.  I usually have a bounce in my step and a relaxed attitude as South Stations's lovely granite facade welcomes me into it's grand terminal. I read the big board once more listing all the destinations and wait for my train to depart. Time to go home and not think about the office. I'll do it all again tomorrow. That is unless the big board beckons me to play hooky.  I think I feel a sick day coming on.