Sunday, July 09, 2006

Michigan in the Movies

Last night, I watched The Upside of Anger, with Joan Allen, Kevin Costner, and two appearance by "the Grand Poobah" (Arthur Penhallow, who's been the grand voice of Detroit's 101.1 WRIF radio for over 35 years)

It's a baseball movie.
Well...not really.

It's a movie _about_ baseball.
No, that's not right, either.

It's about what an old baseball player does after retirement.
Um, kinda.

What it's really about is a middle-aged woman with 4 daughters and their life. Costner's character is only a part of that life.

It was really fun to see the scenes set at the WRIF studios, to have lots of cars with Michigan license plates, and for several shots to be at the University of Michigan. I had to keep pausing the movie to look at details. Fortunately, I was watching alone so I could even find that they went to a Farmer Jack store for their groceries! (that's where I used to get some of my groceries when I lived in Clawson and Royal Oak)

Saturday was a big day. First, I came back to Tanta after a couple of days in Cairo. Then I helped with our Conversation class, observed while my director taught a class, and watched the World Cup 3rd/4th place match between Germany and Portugal.

Today, I'm spending a bit of time on the Internet and chatting with my nephew. After that, I'll go to substitute for one of our other teachers in her class and then go to watch the final World Cup match between France and Italy after that. I'm pulling for France to win, but I'll be sad either way b/c it's been really wonderful to watch such great matches. Now, it's back to music videos and American movies on the TVs of most cafes.

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