These are strange times. I keep going back and forth between being thrilled that things are cancelled so I can settle in and get a movie in and being sick of my couch. In many ways the shelter in place orders are a cinephile’s best friend and I have certainly made the most of it which got me thinking about how movies can get us through rough times. Movies can show us a way to understand a problem or try out solutions to see how they fit. In a time when TV and distractions are a bigger part of our daily life, what we choose to watch can make a difference in our mood and outlook....

They all deserved the Oscar, well maybe not Al Pacino… I love Hollywood award shows. All of them. I love seeing the stars and celebrities dressed up and walking the red carpet. I know it is all a show, even the shows are an act of sorts, but I love them anyway. I used to watch the entire show even when they ran so late I didn’t much care who won anymore....

Is that the best you can do? Why, yes…yes it is. Competition can be a hard concept to live with. It pushes us to do our best to “win”, but can also create an emotional crash when we “lose”. Yes, losing can be a good lesson and create motivation, but social media, reality TV, and other media formats have made failure an excuse to laugh at someone instead of a learning experience. And no one likes to be laughed AT....