third day....

still a kind of shaking off of the Fringe activity. Admit it, cityboy, it is strange to have much less structure in your days. But things are looking up. Lots of interesting movies on the horizon (that is the weekend). As for yesterday:
Went home after stay at library and slept. Awoke, somewhat tired, determined to see the movie at the Bunin, by Ira Sachs, "Little Men" . Caught the 5:15 showing, theater only about one third full.
I found the movie annoying. There are some good scenes in it, but there is something in Sachs' world view that turns me off. Plot centers around a family whose father owned a house in what is now a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in Brooklyn (what neighborhood isn't ?) But Sachs never gives us specifics. The plot turns on the dress shop on the first floor of the house, run by a hispanic woman who is paying for lower rent then what the neighborhood is charging. Of course, the father could have put it in his will that she remain at that rent, but that is never considered in the movie. Instead the well meaning father is pitted against his sister in trying to be fair to the shop owner. It is also about the relationship between the son of the owners and the son of the shop owner, coincidentally the same age. In the end, father and son reconcile, the woman is forced out (where does she go? Never explored)  and I guess gentrification is here to stay. No input re neighborhood people or how they perceive the shop---other forms of gentrification in the neighborhood, the store and the house are totally isolated. A real chance to explore and make a statement about gentrification that Sachs missed completely. Does he think his audience does not want to think about that?  it is also a slow framed movie, each frame seems alone, no flow, as I found in the great "Sudden Fear".
Left, thought I might go to Brooklyn or La Flaca, but again fatigue set in. So what to do, I did not want to return home at an early hour. Luckily the Met outdoors was showing The Daughter of the Regiment, and though it is an opera that in no way interested me, I decided to stay and watch it, after all it was free. Glad that I did, it was really enjoyable---Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Flores performed with such gumption and commitment; they had no problem with being goofy and looking "clunky"; they were always in motion. I can't imagine Sutherland and Pavarotti in their hay day doing more than making this opera into a beautifully sung concert while Dessay and Flores (loved his energy)  gave it everything they had. Stayed long enough to see the late (and great) Marian Seldes do her role in the beginning of Act II. Did not stay till the end, but saw enough to keep me going, I returned to the apartment around 10, which was basically the right time.
Again did not have a good sleep, woke up a few times, was at loose ends (what else could I be at 4 in the morning?) and wandered about my stamina for today. Not sure what the rest of the day will bring. Film Forum has Stray Dog---I really should see it, but might try just for an interesting evening without a movie. Also, final time to go to Staten Island to see the young Yankees, just don't know if I am up for it.
Possible meeting with my friend Adam about starting a discussion group tomorrow, will fill you in....