WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

This movie is about the relationship of a mother, Eva played by a magnificent Tilda Swinton and father, Franklin acted by John C. Reilly with their only son, Kevin. He is a difficult and secretive and angry and contrary and increasingly violent person. The movie starts with short scenes of Franklin and Eva's romantic union and marriage and continues with the birth of Kevin until he is about 18.

You know right from the start that he has committed some horribly physically violent act against many of the town's residents but not until the end are the details revealed. I've never seen a film like this; showing in superbly and blisteringly honest scenes the growing dysfunction of a child and the effects on the family unit especially Eva, the mother.

It was a hard film to watch and the tension was unbearable at times.

The only criticism i have is that the music seemed intrusive (it was country western-ish) and too loud. We both rated it 10+.

SUSHI TEN - TUCSON, AZ

We were very satisfied with this Japanese restaurant. The atmosphere is festive and upbeat and even though i don't eat fish (except for albacore tuna sandwiches) i really enjoy watching the creations of the sushi chefs. There were several large groups of people so it was noisy in spite of the carpet.

Bill had a salmon teriyaki bento box and really enjoyed it. I had vegetable tempura. It didn't come with rice so Bill gave me some of his but it was quite dry so i 'returned' the offering. The breading on the vegetables was light and the dipping sauce good but i didn't care for the selection of veggies; too many asparagus spears and green pepper wedges which i don't like and/or can't eat. So that left me with just a broccoli, sweet potato slice, 1 mushroom and an onion ring. oh, poor me - like i was going to starve!!

Both entrees came with miso soup and either a bowl of soybeans or a salad.

We will be back but next time i'm going to try the chicken yakisoba noodles.

RENEE'S ORGANIC OVEN - TUCSON, AZ

Renee, the co-owner of this restaurant which i recently reviewed, responded to my blog and graciously offered to refund my money. i very much appreciate this and the gesture certainly demonstrates excellent customer service and reflects the owner's commitment to customer satisfaction.

PROMETHEUS

This sci-fi movie by Ridley Scott was entertaining but not mind-blowing or awesomely unique. I got a tad confused (not unusual for me) as to the reason for the spaceship's journey to a moon in the solar system. It turned out that some of the idealistic scientists aboard wanted to discover the source of DNA-life but the man who was funding the expedition (a superbly disguised and made-up Guy Pearce) wanted to find the key of immortal life. Ho-hum was my reaction.

The acting was good; Charlize Theron was the stern and dominatrix commander and the man who played Stringer Bell in that fantastic and excellent series The Wire was the captain. Michael Fassbender played a Spock-like character; he always had knowledge and answers but was emotionless.

The special effects were good (we did not see it in 3D) but not wow-level. I wasn't scared at all and i had no feeling of impending doom or paranoia. I think the best scene was when one of the scientists was found  to be pregnant with an alien life-force and her desperate attempts to abort herself. That was tense and pretty thrilling.

Bill gave it an 8 and i gave it a 6.5.

RENEE'S ORGANIC OVEN - TUCSON, AZ

The service was good. The restaurant is small (they take reservations) but nicely decorated with a burnt umber (remember that color from your 144 crayon box?) and with "uplifting" messages on boards - Eat well. Feel good. take a dog to lunch.

but the food was nothing special and was way expensive for the portion size. I was looking at what the other diners were eating and they also had entered the culinary land of tiny.

Carol and I shared some herbed bread sticks; good but not extraordinarily good. The bread came with a marinara and a ranch dip. I ordered a large salad (their  sandwich/salad menu is not very big though they do have a nice selection of pizzas). this salad consisted of some spring mix, a few cashews and about a 1/4 of an avocado. It barely covered the surface of a saucer; a saucer the size of one that would come with a cup of coffee!

I was going to remind the waiter that i had ordered a large salad but was informed that the dwarf miniscule imp-sized lillliputian and puny offering set in front of me WAS the large salad. This was priced at $9.50.

I can't understand why there was a steady stream of people eating there with those  puny portions and at that price. but i think the draw might be the current state of america's bellies which have suddenly developed the need to be without gluten and without lactose and without too high of a glycemic index and to be without carbs but also to only eat grass fed animals and chickens that have gone through psychotherapy and are in pens with politically sensitive and like minded chickens. and this restaurant panders to all of that.

One visit here was enough for me.

ZIVAZ MEXICAN BISTRO - TUCSON, AZ

This was our second visit here and we were just as satisfied as on visit #1. The ordering is done at the counter and the menu is both on printed sheets and on big boards near the entrance. then after ordering and getting a number, you help yourself to drinks.

The service is good and the portions are large and attractively arranged on the large platters. On neither of our visits was it crowded so it was a pleasant atmosphere but since the tables are fairly close together and the floors are tile i can imagine it would be a screeching din on a busy night.

the chips are tri-colored (why do the red seem to taste better?); there are 2 kinds of salsa and both have a bite. Bill ordered chicken in an orange achiote sauce which was excellent. it came with 2 spears of grilled pineapple; a salad, black beans and rice. I got chicken en mole which was very good; just enough heat. The chicken was very tender in both our entrees. my dish had the same sides minus the pineapple.

they also have lots of beef and pork and fish entrees and an extensive appetizer menu. For sure, we will be back.

THE EGG CONNECTION - TUCSON, AZ

I ate breakfast here with my friend, Chris and the food was better than i remembered it. I had scrambled eggs with ham (too much ham for the portion of eggs), delicious crispy and spiced home fries, raisin cinnamon toast, and a heaping bowl of fruit (strawberries, honeydew melon, canteloupe, bananas and watermelon).

In fact, I ate too much and had a horrendous gas/indigestion bubble to the left of my belly that had to be worked out by walking through the antique store we went into after eating. This didn't thoroughly restore my GI health though so i roamed the aisles of Bookman's. All that print helped a lot.

Chris had a patty melt and a large plate of fries which looked actually like real potatoes. We were both satisfied with our meals, the service and our table (after playing musical chairs at the beginning.) The prices are reasonable also.

FAT GREEK 2 - TUCSON, AZ

This restaurant has started a summer senior discount; 50% off one entree when you pay full price for another one. Usually when we want Greek food we go to Fronimo's but Fat Greek is usually our second choice though not as good or as inexpensive. Last night's visit bore out my reasons for not eating here more often.

I've never seen it so busy.  Lots of tables and all the booths were filled but the service was good. I ordered a chicken gyro platter and Bill got a pork souvlaki entree. the portions are really large and you get a choice of side. Bill ordered the salad and i got the Greek fries only they weren't greek fries but re-heated limp starchy tasting fries. The salad was wonderfully fresh with lots of feta cheese and tomatoes though as i've noticed on other visits; the dressing is scant and not very flavorful. One time i asked for some additional dressing but that didn't help; it just added an oily taste - not flavor.

Their pitas are thicker and more doughy than Fronimo's also. However my chicken was great; very tender and marvelously spiced. Bill liked his pork but said it was a tad chewy; tasted like a cut up pork chop.

When we want/need a change from Fronimo's and the summer senior discount is stiil active we'll be back.

MEN IN BLACK 3

If you watched and enjoyed the first and second men in black you will love this movie. Its hard to describe the film if you haven't seen the other ones. Its a combination of a very clever story (in this one, Agent J (Will Smith) had to go back in time to prevent the death of his partner, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) - the younger K is played by Josh Brolin who is absolutely perfect in his mimicry of Jones's voice tone and facial expressions; excellent casting since Brolin and Jones both share the same general body and head type and shape.), witty rapier fast dialogue, bizarre alien creatures, characters that are unique and eclectic, and lots of humor.

The music store owner who assists Agent J to time travel was wonderful and Griffin, a fast-talking fella who can predict the future was played by the lead actor in A Serious Man a recent film by the Coen Brothers. He also acts in Boardwalk Empire. Oh and Bill Hader from SNL is Andy Warhol. (Agent J had to go back to 1969 to rescue his partner).

Very entertaining film with some good belly laughs. I can't give it a perfect 10 because towards the end there was too much sentimental mushy stuff between Will Smith and Josh Brolin. Bill and I gave it a 9.