GOTTA DANCE

This was a fun and inspiring documentary about a senior hip hop dance team put together to entertain during half time at NBA basketball games. There was only 1 man, Joe, and he was the least rhythmic of the group. He eventually got all the moves right but his body was wooden. However, he and his wife swing dance and jitterbug and he could "cut a fine rug" with that style; Joe was light on his feet and smooth and had lots of rhythm.

All the team members had to be at least 60 and most were in their 70's and several ladies were in their 80's including Fanny, a petite short Phillipino.

The film included not only their performances at the games but their practices and how the dancing and the discipline and the team work changed their lives.

Great show. Its out on video.

NORTH - TUCSON, AZ

I was prepared to dislike this restaurant because it is "hoity-toity", its one of Tucson's "in'' restaurants that serves the 'beautiful' desert dweller people, it's expensive, it proclaims its innovative fusion foods and is advertised as a modern eatery (i  regard this word with much reservation, similar to the words ristorante, bistro, and  caffe.

However, i was pleasantly surprised at the deliciousness of my lunch. I had a chicken salad panini though the sandwich was not served on grilled pressed focaccia bread. Loads of tender and moist chicken was piled on a wonderfully tasty bun which itself was light and didn't overpower the poultry. On top of the chicken was  herbed aioli (another word that i regard dubiously), melted provolone or was it brie? and finely chopped kalamata olives. It was a fantastic combination. My side was crispy potatoes (instead of asparagus) and they were superb; and yes, very crispy with a light dusting of parmesan cheese. Bread was brought to the table with sundried tomato butter. This was $9.

The restaurant is mostly  glass and metal and not much in the way of a themed decoration; unless the cold atmosphere is necessary to coordinate with the name of the restaurant. The tables are very very close together which wasn't a problem for lunch as the place was only 1/3'd full but they were so close i could reach out my hand to easily snatch bread from the next table.

The hostess and waitress, especially the former, were fawning and pretentious and haughtily submissive. The hostess greeted us and led us to our table as if we were being granted an audience with the Queen Mother or Elton John. The waitress also checked in with us asking for any requests and wanting to get our opinion on the food much too frequently.

 i will be going north again, however,  but only for lunch.

REAL STEEL

Even though this movie had thin character development, a predictable plot, hokey sentimental scenes (think father and son re-united after 11 year scenes), a story line that has been told many times before (a heavy metal Rocky film), and so-so music, it was one of the most fun and entertaining and exciting movies i've seen. So a solid 10 from both bill and I.

Hugh Jackman is the lead actor and he has never looked so handsome, lean and mischievous as he did in this movie. The story takes place in the future when robots are the boxers; not humans and these robots are wonderfully inventive. Jackman is Charlie, a ne'er - do - well, always out of money manager for a robot who in the opening scene loses a fight putting Charlie further into debt to the bad ass owner of the show. And naturally, Charlie puts his robots together and repairs them in a gym that is run by a very attractive lady who has the hots for him but is starting to reach her limit of patience with his non-rent paying status.

Charlie gets re-united with his son - a very good actor and charming and smart mouthed without being annoying - after 11 years and the son is the catalyst for Charlie's re-emergence as the manager of a top rated robot called Atom. The fight scenes are incredibly exciting with a lot of humor.

The theater was filled with loudly responsive audience members so there was a lot of cheering, yelling, fist pumping and clapping.