Out of nowhere - watching a movie, hearing a song on the radio, flipping through pictures, talking to a friend - and BAM you're transported to somewhere in your past. The smells and sounds and feelings all come rushing back. This isn't deja vu, it's just a memory. Sometimes it's a bad memory, sometimes it's a happy memory, and sometimes it just "was".
Yesterday I was watching Saving Mr. Banks, the story of how Walt Disney finally convinced P. L. Travers to sign over movie rights to Mary Poppins. Overall it was a sweet story despite some controversy as to how closely, if at all, it was from fact.
There are parts in the movie meant to tug the heartstrings, others that would reasonably stir old emotions, but the moment it hit nothing on the screen was deep or spectacular. Walt was standing in front of Disneyland welcoming Travers to the park. Suddenly it spilled over me not just being in THAT park but also in that time frame. Okay I wasn't even alive in 1964 but at some point in the late sixties I was taken to Disneyland. I remember the perfectly manicured hedges shaped into characters and I definitely recall standing on the bridge to Sleeping Beauty's castle. By the way the castle was HUGE. At the same time I was remembering my first experience there I was also struck with a simultaneous track of the last time I visited. Sleeping Beauty's castle, by the way, had shrunk.
Nine years ago I took my kids on an awesome west coast road trip that included a day in Disneyland. If I had any doubts niggling in the back of my mind about blowing my retirement on that trip it was all erased in one flush, sitting in my livingroom, watching this movie about the making of Mary Poppins. Did I mention that I love and adore Mary Poppins?
It was all just so... happy. The tears trying to escape my eyes were not mournful, just happy. Something right happened in my life and this little segment on screen reminded me of it
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Friday Fragments - March 15, 2013
Ah, the Ides of March. What shall today bring?
Surprised to see me? Yeah, I've been MIA for a couple of weeks, sorry. It's crazy time at work - isn't every spring like this for me?
****
Last Sunday I took my lovely daughter to see The Great and Powerful Oz. It was wonderful and we both enjoyed it. The movie was the prequel to The Wizard of Oz. It had some quirks to it, Chinatown threw me for a loop, but overall stayed true to the original including having the parts in Kansas in black and white and Oz in color.
What's funny is that my supervisor took her daughter to see it at the same place only a half hour later! Of course we never passed since she was in a different room, but it definitely made for interesting lunch chatter the next day. She felt the same way about the move and was happy to spend some time with her daughter as well.
****
... and that's as far as I got. Today, Wednesday March 20th, is the first time I've managed to get back to this page!
I'm going to hit post and declare a blog hibernation for myself. I should resurface in late April.
See ya on the flip side
Surprised to see me? Yeah, I've been MIA for a couple of weeks, sorry. It's crazy time at work - isn't every spring like this for me?
****
Last Sunday I took my lovely daughter to see The Great and Powerful Oz. It was wonderful and we both enjoyed it. The movie was the prequel to The Wizard of Oz. It had some quirks to it, Chinatown threw me for a loop, but overall stayed true to the original including having the parts in Kansas in black and white and Oz in color.
What's funny is that my supervisor took her daughter to see it at the same place only a half hour later! Of course we never passed since she was in a different room, but it definitely made for interesting lunch chatter the next day. She felt the same way about the move and was happy to spend some time with her daughter as well.
****
... and that's as far as I got. Today, Wednesday March 20th, is the first time I've managed to get back to this page!
I'm going to hit post and declare a blog hibernation for myself. I should resurface in late April.
See ya on the flip side
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
And the winner is...
As I posted last night, I did watch the Oscars but skipped the red carpet. I also recorded it so I could fastforward through the rambling speeches and the commercials. I was able to watch the 3.5 hours in a little over one hour. By the way, it was scheduled to run only three hours and that's what my DVR captured. Thank goodness I was actually watching it while it was still recording. It was clear it was going to run late so I recorded the next program as well and managed to capture the most important part of the whole night.
I had only watched three of the nominated movies - Argo, Lincoln, and Brave. And yes, all three won something.
For the categories I'm recording:
Best Animated Feature - Brave
-This is full length feature. I actually did watch the winner for Best Animated Short - Paperman. It was really cute and is worth sitting through for the few minutes. Another nominee was Holy Guacamole - goofy but definitely not as good as Paperman.
Brave was a fabulous cartoon and it was nice to see one where the princess isn't an orphan or whose mother is dead. I has a great message about respecting and valuing your parents.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Les Miserables
-As I posted a few weeks ago, after watching the 1934 version of Les Mis I am very excited to watch this latest release. I was really pulling for Sally Fields in Lincoln to win supporting actress but just seeing Ann Hathaway in the snapshots it was clear she deserved the award. I like Ann Hathaway a lot and am very excited to see her win such a prestigious award. She has more nominations in her future, that's for sure. As for Sally Fields, she should be coming up for a lifetime achievement recognition, don't you think?
Best Actor in a Supporting Role -Django Unchained
-Coworkers saw this movie and were upset with the excessive use of the "n" word. It's a Quinten Terrantino movie and of course he took it too far, he always does. It took me over a decade to sit down and watch Pulp Fiction - when it first came out on VHS I had turned it off in the first 10 minutes, revolted by the gratuitous drug use. When I did watch it all the way through I understood the brilliance of this movie. Kill Bill vol 2 (saw 2 before vol 1) was an immediate hit for me, but I do understand why people hate the Kill Bill movies - excessive, grotesque violence. I'm prepared for excessive-ness in this movie. I will either love it or hate it - no in-betweens when dealing with ol' Quinten.
Best Actress in a Leading Role - Silver Linings Playbook
-This is another movie I would want to see even if it wasn't on my list.
Best Actor in a Leading Role - Lincoln
-Daniel Day Lewis was absolutely incredible in Lincoln. It was almost unfair to have anyone nominated against him. He transformed into Lincoln and was everything that an actor would want to achieve in their art. The movie was fabulous, but to see it just to witness Lewis' portrayal of Lincoln is worth the cost of an over-priced theater ticket. And yes, go now, while it's still in the theaters. Fabulous.
Just so you're not surprised like my husband, this is not a biography of Lincoln's life or a chronicle of the Civil War. It features the last months prior to Lincoln's death as he rallies the senators to ratify the 13th amendment. There is a good amount of back and forth and I really enjoyed watching Tommy Lee Jones kick ass in the senate debates. For some this could be a snooze-fest since there isn't much battlefield action, high speed chases, or random roundhouse kicks. You've been warned.
Best Movie - Argo
-As you can tell, I really liked Lincoln. I actually thought it was a better movie than Argo, but Argo was pretty gosh-darned good and clearly the judges at the Academy thought it was worthy of being the best movie of 2012. I won't argue too loudly, it was after all an intriguing story. It was incredibly suspenseful even though we know the outcome since it's a true story (they get out alive). Right up to the end, safe escape was a dicey prospect. For the diehard action fan, Argo may be somewhat "satisfactory" at least better than Lincoln, there is shooting, grumpy crowds pounding on a car, and yes a chase scene.
I have tossed around adding to my list the categories for Director or maybe Writing. I figure when I get close to exhausting the ones I've already added to my list then I can venture down this path - chances are they're already on my list for other nomination categories.
I had only watched three of the nominated movies - Argo, Lincoln, and Brave. And yes, all three won something.
For the categories I'm recording:
Best Animated Feature - Brave
-This is full length feature. I actually did watch the winner for Best Animated Short - Paperman. It was really cute and is worth sitting through for the few minutes. Another nominee was Holy Guacamole - goofy but definitely not as good as Paperman.
Brave was a fabulous cartoon and it was nice to see one where the princess isn't an orphan or whose mother is dead. I has a great message about respecting and valuing your parents.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Les Miserables
-As I posted a few weeks ago, after watching the 1934 version of Les Mis I am very excited to watch this latest release. I was really pulling for Sally Fields in Lincoln to win supporting actress but just seeing Ann Hathaway in the snapshots it was clear she deserved the award. I like Ann Hathaway a lot and am very excited to see her win such a prestigious award. She has more nominations in her future, that's for sure. As for Sally Fields, she should be coming up for a lifetime achievement recognition, don't you think?
Best Actor in a Supporting Role -Django Unchained
-Coworkers saw this movie and were upset with the excessive use of the "n" word. It's a Quinten Terrantino movie and of course he took it too far, he always does. It took me over a decade to sit down and watch Pulp Fiction - when it first came out on VHS I had turned it off in the first 10 minutes, revolted by the gratuitous drug use. When I did watch it all the way through I understood the brilliance of this movie. Kill Bill vol 2 (saw 2 before vol 1) was an immediate hit for me, but I do understand why people hate the Kill Bill movies - excessive, grotesque violence. I'm prepared for excessive-ness in this movie. I will either love it or hate it - no in-betweens when dealing with ol' Quinten.
Best Actress in a Leading Role - Silver Linings Playbook
-This is another movie I would want to see even if it wasn't on my list.
Best Actor in a Leading Role - Lincoln
-Daniel Day Lewis was absolutely incredible in Lincoln. It was almost unfair to have anyone nominated against him. He transformed into Lincoln and was everything that an actor would want to achieve in their art. The movie was fabulous, but to see it just to witness Lewis' portrayal of Lincoln is worth the cost of an over-priced theater ticket. And yes, go now, while it's still in the theaters. Fabulous.
Just so you're not surprised like my husband, this is not a biography of Lincoln's life or a chronicle of the Civil War. It features the last months prior to Lincoln's death as he rallies the senators to ratify the 13th amendment. There is a good amount of back and forth and I really enjoyed watching Tommy Lee Jones kick ass in the senate debates. For some this could be a snooze-fest since there isn't much battlefield action, high speed chases, or random roundhouse kicks. You've been warned.
Best Movie - Argo
-As you can tell, I really liked Lincoln. I actually thought it was a better movie than Argo, but Argo was pretty gosh-darned good and clearly the judges at the Academy thought it was worthy of being the best movie of 2012. I won't argue too loudly, it was after all an intriguing story. It was incredibly suspenseful even though we know the outcome since it's a true story (they get out alive). Right up to the end, safe escape was a dicey prospect. For the diehard action fan, Argo may be somewhat "satisfactory" at least better than Lincoln, there is shooting, grumpy crowds pounding on a car, and yes a chase scene.
I have tossed around adding to my list the categories for Director or maybe Writing. I figure when I get close to exhausting the ones I've already added to my list then I can venture down this path - chances are they're already on my list for other nomination categories.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Movie Monday - More Bette Davis
Okay, okay, maybe I've been a tad harsh on Bette Davis. Then again watching What Ever Happened To Baby Jane (1962) should not be one's introduction to the actress. Unfortunately the next thee movies featuring her were of similar caliber. Seeing Watch On The Rhine (1943) has changed my opinion.
I'm not sure what year it's supposed to depict, but I think it's before America entered WWII. An American woman (Davis) returns to her parents' home with her German husband and their children. They had been underground for several years part of the resistance against the Nazi's. Meanwhile another visitor to the home happens to be part of the American Nazi movement. Neither officially reveals themselves but a little poking around uncovers their secrets.
Bette still portrayed a wealthy woman from a well-to-do family, but she wasn't nearly as pretentious as she has been in other movies. Her character was a loving mother, a supportive wife, and a devoted daughter. This time it was her character's mother who was overbearing.
Besides seeing Bette Davis play a nice and charitable character, I liked watching this movie because it wasn't an eye-gouging drama. It was a suspenseful mystery and an overall good story.
Bette was nominated for best supporting actress, but Oscar went to Paul Lukas as best actor.
I'm not sure what year it's supposed to depict, but I think it's before America entered WWII. An American woman (Davis) returns to her parents' home with her German husband and their children. They had been underground for several years part of the resistance against the Nazi's. Meanwhile another visitor to the home happens to be part of the American Nazi movement. Neither officially reveals themselves but a little poking around uncovers their secrets.
Bette still portrayed a wealthy woman from a well-to-do family, but she wasn't nearly as pretentious as she has been in other movies. Her character was a loving mother, a supportive wife, and a devoted daughter. This time it was her character's mother who was overbearing.
Besides seeing Bette Davis play a nice and charitable character, I liked watching this movie because it wasn't an eye-gouging drama. It was a suspenseful mystery and an overall good story.
Bette was nominated for best supporting actress, but Oscar went to Paul Lukas as best actor.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Movie Monday - A Little Bit of Humor
I like nearly any type of movie, no specific genre ranks above the others, except humor. If I can laugh, then I'm sucked in. And I guess I should confess that my standards are quite low - toilet humor, puns, kid humor, and yes, I like the 3 Stooges. That last one really throws women for a loop, but yes, I am a fan. I'm so much of a fan that I can tell you that I prefer the episodes that have Curly, not Curly Joe or Schemp. By the way, I watched the 2012 Stooge movie and laughed my ass off. If you know of anyone that likes the old time Stooge classics this will definitely tickle their funny bone.
So how about a higher caliber of movie?
Ball of Fire (1941) - a house of professors take in a woman to study her speech as they compile an encyclopedia of current street vernacular. The woman is hiding from the mob and hilarity ensues when they find her and the professors try to protect her. Some of it is a little predictable, but it's light hearted and good for a few chuckles.
My Sister Eileen (1942) - small town girl moves in with her sister in New York, living in a shambles of an apartment. I didn't write down any of my observations on this movie except "funny". I vaguely remember it because of the extremely small and very horrible living conditions. It was a romantic comedy with lots of pitfalls, misconceptions, and a few deceptions.
The Goodbye Girl (1977) - another cramped apartment saga with budding romance. There is a struggle over who actually should live in the apartment as it was sublet to a friend while the ex-girlfriend continues to live there. The two grudgingly live together as they look for other living arrangements. There is lots of humor as they intentionally annoy each other.
Tootsie (1982) - I remember watching this in the theater when it came out and roaring with laughter. Have you not seen it??? An out of work actor resorts to pretending to be a woman to land a part to pay his bills. He becomes a big hit and is stuck being a woman.
I'm always delighted to find a funny movie on my list. They're a nice break from the drama, intensity, and sappiness of the other Oscar nominations.
So how about a higher caliber of movie?
Ball of Fire (1941) - a house of professors take in a woman to study her speech as they compile an encyclopedia of current street vernacular. The woman is hiding from the mob and hilarity ensues when they find her and the professors try to protect her. Some of it is a little predictable, but it's light hearted and good for a few chuckles.
My Sister Eileen (1942) - small town girl moves in with her sister in New York, living in a shambles of an apartment. I didn't write down any of my observations on this movie except "funny". I vaguely remember it because of the extremely small and very horrible living conditions. It was a romantic comedy with lots of pitfalls, misconceptions, and a few deceptions.
The Goodbye Girl (1977) - another cramped apartment saga with budding romance. There is a struggle over who actually should live in the apartment as it was sublet to a friend while the ex-girlfriend continues to live there. The two grudgingly live together as they look for other living arrangements. There is lots of humor as they intentionally annoy each other.
Tootsie (1982) - I remember watching this in the theater when it came out and roaring with laughter. Have you not seen it??? An out of work actor resorts to pretending to be a woman to land a part to pay his bills. He becomes a big hit and is stuck being a woman.
I'm always delighted to find a funny movie on my list. They're a nice break from the drama, intensity, and sappiness of the other Oscar nominations.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Movie Monday - Dark Victory
Yeah, yeah, I know, it's not Monday. I also haven't posted for an entire week, so it is, sort of, Monday for me. It's my first day back to work after a four day weekend. Hopefully this was enough of a break to get back to rolling at full steam.
Dark Victory (1939) is another Bette Davis movie. She again plays a self-centered socialite, but this time she's almost endearing. Her voice seemed less grating and the overly dramatic acting was nearly acceptable. I actually liked this movie. A woman experiencing vision problems is diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. She goes through the painful steps of denial into acceptance. Of course there is a love story to muddle the situation. As I said, it is endearing and you do feel for her and her friends.
It was refreshing to watch Bette Davis play a nice and pleasant character. She should have done it more often.
Dark Victory (1939) is another Bette Davis movie. She again plays a self-centered socialite, but this time she's almost endearing. Her voice seemed less grating and the overly dramatic acting was nearly acceptable. I actually liked this movie. A woman experiencing vision problems is diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. She goes through the painful steps of denial into acceptance. Of course there is a love story to muddle the situation. As I said, it is endearing and you do feel for her and her friends.
It was refreshing to watch Bette Davis play a nice and pleasant character. She should have done it more often.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Friday Fragments - January 11, 2013
Okay, has everyone successfully transitioned to writing and typing 2013 instead of 2012? I'm doing okay so far, but of course I haven't had to write a check either. So we'll see how true this stands in a couple days.
Yesterday was the grand announcement of this year's Oscar Nominees.... AND I MISSED IT! I watch the news in the morning so I always hear when they make the announcement but yesterday I was busy watching Hello Dolly. grrrrr And then I spent all day with Hello Dolly humming through my head. While I was in bad mood. It's really a bad combination and will probably shade my review of it.
The movies nominated for best picture, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, and animated feature are as follows (in no specific order and several received multiple nominations, but I'll only list them once):
Armour
Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Beast of the Southern Wild
Silver Linings Playbook
Django Unchained
Zero Dark Thirty
Les Miserables
The Master
Flight
The Impossible
Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph
The Sessions
I've only seen three so far.
Bad parenting admission: I like to scare the everliving shit out of my children. This is the stand-in-a-dark-corner-and-jump-out-at-them-screaming-BOOOO type of scaring. I'm sure it grew out of peek-a-boo when they squealed with delight as babies and then spiraled horribly out of control. It's an on-going game of gotcha, and yes, they get me plenty of times. An easy kill is quietly standing at the bathroom door and smile when someone opens it. You have to be super stealth quiet to pull that off, but that's not so hard if someone is finishing a shower, just be patient and the pay off is glorious. A few weeks ago, instead of standing at the bathroom door I hid behind The Teenager's bedroom door. And I had to wait a mighty long time because he decided to venture into the kitchen and lollygag. I was waiting so long that I was nearly about to burst into giggles and give myself away. But I got him and he responded with a fabulous high pitched yelp. So satisfying! And then there was this morning... oh this one will be hard to live down and I'm sure payback will be grand. I was just getting out of bed when I heard him come down to the basement (where I sleep). I hurried over to the laundry room door and stood in the dark. In the basement that terrifies my fifteen year old because he's convinced it's haunted and I can't really dispute that claim with mysteriously swinging doors and weird sounds that emit from exactly where I chose to stand. I didn't have to do a single thing, not even say "boo". And to see him jump out of his skin, stomp the floor ten times, and come up for air, was almost... ALMOST... pathetic. He didn't laugh; I had really rattled him and it was very early in the morning. But I'm sure he's plotting. Not that he has to work very hard at it, I am, after all, incredibly easy to startle.
As I said, yesterday was not really a good day for me so I insisted that my coworkers go out for Mexican. It was a brilliant move. Four of us crowded in a booth at a modern looking taco shop, laughing as if we were tipping back margaritas. It was cathartic and definitely made the rest of the day go smoother. I declared that Mexican food is happy food. By the way, in the same conversation we decided that Chinese food is comfort food. Do with that what you will, but on this day I needed a boost of happiness. It worked.
Yesterday was the grand announcement of this year's Oscar Nominees.... AND I MISSED IT! I watch the news in the morning so I always hear when they make the announcement but yesterday I was busy watching Hello Dolly. grrrrr And then I spent all day with Hello Dolly humming through my head. While I was in bad mood. It's really a bad combination and will probably shade my review of it.
The movies nominated for best picture, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, and animated feature are as follows (in no specific order and several received multiple nominations, but I'll only list them once):
Armour
Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Beast of the Southern Wild
Silver Linings Playbook
Django Unchained
Zero Dark Thirty
Les Miserables
The Master
Flight
The Impossible
Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph
The Sessions
I've only seen three so far.
Bad parenting admission: I like to scare the everliving shit out of my children. This is the stand-in-a-dark-corner-and-jump-out-at-them-screaming-BOOOO type of scaring. I'm sure it grew out of peek-a-boo when they squealed with delight as babies and then spiraled horribly out of control. It's an on-going game of gotcha, and yes, they get me plenty of times. An easy kill is quietly standing at the bathroom door and smile when someone opens it. You have to be super stealth quiet to pull that off, but that's not so hard if someone is finishing a shower, just be patient and the pay off is glorious. A few weeks ago, instead of standing at the bathroom door I hid behind The Teenager's bedroom door. And I had to wait a mighty long time because he decided to venture into the kitchen and lollygag. I was waiting so long that I was nearly about to burst into giggles and give myself away. But I got him and he responded with a fabulous high pitched yelp. So satisfying! And then there was this morning... oh this one will be hard to live down and I'm sure payback will be grand. I was just getting out of bed when I heard him come down to the basement (where I sleep). I hurried over to the laundry room door and stood in the dark. In the basement that terrifies my fifteen year old because he's convinced it's haunted and I can't really dispute that claim with mysteriously swinging doors and weird sounds that emit from exactly where I chose to stand. I didn't have to do a single thing, not even say "boo". And to see him jump out of his skin, stomp the floor ten times, and come up for air, was almost... ALMOST... pathetic. He didn't laugh; I had really rattled him and it was very early in the morning. But I'm sure he's plotting. Not that he has to work very hard at it, I am, after all, incredibly easy to startle.
As I said, yesterday was not really a good day for me so I insisted that my coworkers go out for Mexican. It was a brilliant move. Four of us crowded in a booth at a modern looking taco shop, laughing as if we were tipping back margaritas. It was cathartic and definitely made the rest of the day go smoother. I declared that Mexican food is happy food. By the way, in the same conversation we decided that Chinese food is comfort food. Do with that what you will, but on this day I needed a boost of happiness. It worked.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Movie Monday - Les Miserables
Shhh... I know it's really Thursday, sorry.
Maybe I was watching something different? I could have sworn I had seen Les Miserables - a black and white film about a drab court case in old timey France over a stolen loaf of bread. It could have been something else, I fell asleep. I have no idea what I'm confusing this with. And this is why I keep a detailed spreadsheet.
Then the 1934 version of Les Miserables appeared on TCM. Robert Osborn gave an introduction before the movie rolled and he explained this was actually THREE movies, accounting for the four hours. And it was in French with subtitles. Mon Dieu!
So let's quickly summarize the 900 reasons I was going to hate this movie:
1. I had "seen" a later version and hated the story
2. 1930's version - movies before 1940 are typically difficult for me to enjoy with over-the-top, gushy acting.
3. Subtitles
4. LONG ASS MOVIE
5. Did I mention subtitles?
Ready to snuggle down to a snooze-inducing event, I resigned myself to finally watch this movie.
And damn, if I didn't absolutely love it.
It did take several days to make my way through the four hours... remember I spare the men in the house from enduring my Oscar movie indulgence by watching my movies in the morning before I leave for work. The Teenager just walked through the livingroom asking why I watch so many Barbara Streisand movies (I'm currently watching Hello Dolly)? Purely by accident, I assured him. Although I am impressed that he knows Barbara when he sees her.
Back to Les Mis, I haven't seen the stage production. I never understood the hype. Like I said, I thought I had already seen the movie. It did take four hours to showcase a man released from prison, change his thieving ways, and be constantly pursued by a cop determined to put this criminal (once a criminal, always a criminal) back behind bars. Meanwhile, the havoc wrecked by another swindling man who destroys everyone in his path. Who is the real criminal?
I hopped over to Wikipedia to ensure I had a few facts correct about this movie and I realize that what I watched was the 1934 longass version, not the 1935 Oscar nominee. You know what? I don't regret it. As Wikipedia explains, this 1934 version is the most true adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel. Since I didn't read the novel, having seen the truest film adaptation is a good thing. Now I feel I will better appreciate any of the other versions, and evidently there are several? And to be honest, I'm sort of excited to see the latest version now hitting the screen. Of course I won't see it in the theater - yeah good luck pulling The Husband in for that!
Yes, look this up and watch it. It's a really good story, well told. If you hate subtitles like I do, they're a minor inconvenience. Or learn French.
Maybe I was watching something different? I could have sworn I had seen Les Miserables - a black and white film about a drab court case in old timey France over a stolen loaf of bread. It could have been something else, I fell asleep. I have no idea what I'm confusing this with. And this is why I keep a detailed spreadsheet.
Then the 1934 version of Les Miserables appeared on TCM. Robert Osborn gave an introduction before the movie rolled and he explained this was actually THREE movies, accounting for the four hours. And it was in French with subtitles. Mon Dieu!
So let's quickly summarize the 900 reasons I was going to hate this movie:
1. I had "seen" a later version and hated the story
2. 1930's version - movies before 1940 are typically difficult for me to enjoy with over-the-top, gushy acting.
3. Subtitles
4. LONG ASS MOVIE
5. Did I mention subtitles?
Ready to snuggle down to a snooze-inducing event, I resigned myself to finally watch this movie.
And damn, if I didn't absolutely love it.
It did take several days to make my way through the four hours... remember I spare the men in the house from enduring my Oscar movie indulgence by watching my movies in the morning before I leave for work. The Teenager just walked through the livingroom asking why I watch so many Barbara Streisand movies (I'm currently watching Hello Dolly)? Purely by accident, I assured him. Although I am impressed that he knows Barbara when he sees her.
Back to Les Mis, I haven't seen the stage production. I never understood the hype. Like I said, I thought I had already seen the movie. It did take four hours to showcase a man released from prison, change his thieving ways, and be constantly pursued by a cop determined to put this criminal (once a criminal, always a criminal) back behind bars. Meanwhile, the havoc wrecked by another swindling man who destroys everyone in his path. Who is the real criminal?
I hopped over to Wikipedia to ensure I had a few facts correct about this movie and I realize that what I watched was the 1934 longass version, not the 1935 Oscar nominee. You know what? I don't regret it. As Wikipedia explains, this 1934 version is the most true adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel. Since I didn't read the novel, having seen the truest film adaptation is a good thing. Now I feel I will better appreciate any of the other versions, and evidently there are several? And to be honest, I'm sort of excited to see the latest version now hitting the screen. Of course I won't see it in the theater - yeah good luck pulling The Husband in for that!
Yes, look this up and watch it. It's a really good story, well told. If you hate subtitles like I do, they're a minor inconvenience. Or learn French.
Friday, January 04, 2013
Friday Fragments - January 4, 2013
Whew, the whirl wind of the holidays is finally over and now we can recuperate. I hope everyone had a splendid time... and if not that you find a way to make up for it.
New Year's Eve was a spectacular party with friends. It's been a very long time, too long, since I've laughed like that. Laughter is truly good for the soul.
The party's host has opened their home to us quite a bit over the years. We felt bad for all the times they paid for firewood. They didn't believe us that there was wood to be had, so one day we came across a GIGANTIC pile free for the taking. So we took. And delivered. It was several weeks ago and said it was an early Christmas present. Monday night we had the opportunity to stand around the fire pit, in the freezing cold.
Between the smoke, yelling over the crowd, and laughing I sounded like a very sick seal the next morning. And smelled like a walking campfire... one of my most favorite scents EVER.
It was hard getting back into the swing of things. Even though I really haven't been away from work more than a few days, our office has been topsy turvey for the last three weeks. Today was the first day I really felt like it was back to normal. My supervisor reviewed all of my current projects and pointed out how much I've got going on. I guess that might be part of the stress I'm suffering that is now exhibiting as annoying dry skin patches the dermatologist prescribed an expensive oil to heal!
Watching Diners Drive Ins and Dives we saw a recipe for chicken confit (I always thought it was "comfy" and yes, I did take French in high school). It's an old method where you cure the meat with salt and then cook it low and slow in oil. The TV show then skillet fried the meat, which is what we did. It was amazing. The bones fell off the breast, completely clean of meat. We had three breasts left over (because we always cook extra for left overs) and I very easily shredded them for fajitas. We will definitely be doing this again! I did a little research on confit cooking and it can be used for all sorts of meat which we will be trying as well.
Today I'm going to suggest a movie to avoid - Killer Joe. I have a very warped sense of humor, enjoy some really sick entertainment, and am very hard to offend. This movie crossed every line and I was left disgusted. Even hubby was asking WTF. I'm pretty sure somebody will pick it up, like we did, and think the description sounds interesting. WALK ON BY. You have been warned. If your husband insists on watching it (because advice of some insane blogger is no reason to impact your household) take up knitting or scrubbing the crud behind the bathroom sink knobs. Anything. And by all means DO NOT let kids watch it.
Here's to more posting, more reading, more commenting! Happy New Year!!!!!!
New Year's Eve was a spectacular party with friends. It's been a very long time, too long, since I've laughed like that. Laughter is truly good for the soul.
The party's host has opened their home to us quite a bit over the years. We felt bad for all the times they paid for firewood. They didn't believe us that there was wood to be had, so one day we came across a GIGANTIC pile free for the taking. So we took. And delivered. It was several weeks ago and said it was an early Christmas present. Monday night we had the opportunity to stand around the fire pit, in the freezing cold.
Between the smoke, yelling over the crowd, and laughing I sounded like a very sick seal the next morning. And smelled like a walking campfire... one of my most favorite scents EVER.
It was hard getting back into the swing of things. Even though I really haven't been away from work more than a few days, our office has been topsy turvey for the last three weeks. Today was the first day I really felt like it was back to normal. My supervisor reviewed all of my current projects and pointed out how much I've got going on. I guess that might be part of the stress I'm suffering that is now exhibiting as annoying dry skin patches the dermatologist prescribed an expensive oil to heal!
Watching Diners Drive Ins and Dives we saw a recipe for chicken confit (I always thought it was "comfy" and yes, I did take French in high school). It's an old method where you cure the meat with salt and then cook it low and slow in oil. The TV show then skillet fried the meat, which is what we did. It was amazing. The bones fell off the breast, completely clean of meat. We had three breasts left over (because we always cook extra for left overs) and I very easily shredded them for fajitas. We will definitely be doing this again! I did a little research on confit cooking and it can be used for all sorts of meat which we will be trying as well.
Today I'm going to suggest a movie to avoid - Killer Joe. I have a very warped sense of humor, enjoy some really sick entertainment, and am very hard to offend. This movie crossed every line and I was left disgusted. Even hubby was asking WTF. I'm pretty sure somebody will pick it up, like we did, and think the description sounds interesting. WALK ON BY. You have been warned. If your husband insists on watching it (because advice of some insane blogger is no reason to impact your household) take up knitting or scrubbing the crud behind the bathroom sink knobs. Anything. And by all means DO NOT let kids watch it.
Here's to more posting, more reading, more commenting! Happy New Year!!!!!!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Movie Monday - Nuns and Christmas!
I've watched two movies, almost back to back, about nuns. They were aired by TCM as part of their celebration of Christmas. I'm not so sure what either of these two movies had to do with Christmas other than Christianity.
Let me step to the side and discuss Christmas movies. I never wanted to like It's a Wonderful Life mostly because everybody and their dog loves it - pretty much a formula for me hating something. But dammit, I really do like It's a Wonderful Life. It's a nice wholesome story, with a nice message. It's funny, and heartfelt, and just... nice. And in case you are thickheaded like me, it's a twist on A Christmas Carol with a more modern theme and less spooky - those ghosts always freaked me out.
Elf is another family friendly movie, driving home the Christmas message of brotherly love. It's super cute and very funny but I fear a lot non-kid-toting adults may have missed it. Basically a child ends up being raised as an elf in Santa's workshop, but when he grows up he decides to find his biological family. He is a misfit in both worlds.
The one movie could watch any time of the year, over and over and over again, is Christmas Vacation. I laugh my ass off every single time. The Griswold gang is their crazy selves but my favorite is the crazy aunt with her cat and that jello mold with Meow Mix. I don't know how you can't laugh.
So, about the nun's... like I said I'm not sure what either of these have to do with Christmas, but I liked both of them.
The Nun's Story (1959) takes Audrey Hepburn's character leaving her family's home to join a convent through her struggles as a novice and assuming her vows. This happens before World War II and deals a little bit with the impact of war. This is quintessential Oscar material as it shows a person's growth, development, and questioning her life path. It bored the ever living snot out of my husband as he walked through the room and tried to avoid the screen. Yeah, it was a little slow, and it was heavy on the churchy music. What I found intriguing, though, is the process of becoming a nun. I'm not Catholic and the chicks in the penguin get-ups are more than a little mystifying to me. In the end, I decided, you know besides not being Catholic, that I would really suck as a nun. I am really bad about following rules and they are really strict about them rules! It was intriguing, educational (to me), and overall a nice story.
Come To the Stable (1949) was soooooooo not the movie I was expecting. I thought it was going to be about the birth of Christ. Nope, nothing of the sort. At the end of World War II, two french nuns arrive in Bethlehem, New York and end up staying in a converted stable on a mission to build a children's hospital. The one nun is completely driven by faith and seems to bulldoze everyone in the sweetest manner possible. As the owner of the stable asks, "you don't expect to stay here?" the nun responds, "why thank you for asking!" And she manages to do that to everyone she encounters. I liked this movie almost as a natural follow-up, sort of, to The Nun's Story. It's like the first one is about going to school and the second one is what you do after you graduate. That's rather simplistic, but the two do fit together. This one has a lot of humor and even though you're pretty sure they will succeed in getting the hospital built, it's not a clear path.
Let me step to the side and discuss Christmas movies. I never wanted to like It's a Wonderful Life mostly because everybody and their dog loves it - pretty much a formula for me hating something. But dammit, I really do like It's a Wonderful Life. It's a nice wholesome story, with a nice message. It's funny, and heartfelt, and just... nice. And in case you are thickheaded like me, it's a twist on A Christmas Carol with a more modern theme and less spooky - those ghosts always freaked me out.
Elf is another family friendly movie, driving home the Christmas message of brotherly love. It's super cute and very funny but I fear a lot non-kid-toting adults may have missed it. Basically a child ends up being raised as an elf in Santa's workshop, but when he grows up he decides to find his biological family. He is a misfit in both worlds.
The one movie could watch any time of the year, over and over and over again, is Christmas Vacation. I laugh my ass off every single time. The Griswold gang is their crazy selves but my favorite is the crazy aunt with her cat and that jello mold with Meow Mix. I don't know how you can't laugh.
So, about the nun's... like I said I'm not sure what either of these have to do with Christmas, but I liked both of them.
The Nun's Story (1959) takes Audrey Hepburn's character leaving her family's home to join a convent through her struggles as a novice and assuming her vows. This happens before World War II and deals a little bit with the impact of war. This is quintessential Oscar material as it shows a person's growth, development, and questioning her life path. It bored the ever living snot out of my husband as he walked through the room and tried to avoid the screen. Yeah, it was a little slow, and it was heavy on the churchy music. What I found intriguing, though, is the process of becoming a nun. I'm not Catholic and the chicks in the penguin get-ups are more than a little mystifying to me. In the end, I decided, you know besides not being Catholic, that I would really suck as a nun. I am really bad about following rules and they are really strict about them rules! It was intriguing, educational (to me), and overall a nice story.
Come To the Stable (1949) was soooooooo not the movie I was expecting. I thought it was going to be about the birth of Christ. Nope, nothing of the sort. At the end of World War II, two french nuns arrive in Bethlehem, New York and end up staying in a converted stable on a mission to build a children's hospital. The one nun is completely driven by faith and seems to bulldoze everyone in the sweetest manner possible. As the owner of the stable asks, "you don't expect to stay here?" the nun responds, "why thank you for asking!" And she manages to do that to everyone she encounters. I liked this movie almost as a natural follow-up, sort of, to The Nun's Story. It's like the first one is about going to school and the second one is what you do after you graduate. That's rather simplistic, but the two do fit together. This one has a lot of humor and even though you're pretty sure they will succeed in getting the hospital built, it's not a clear path.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Friday Fragments - December 21, 2012
Aha! We survived the Mayan apocalypse. So, are you disappointed or relieved? Personally, I think we missed a golden opportunity to consume massive amounts of Mexican food. We thought it was a grand idea at work but we had a whole buffet of food left over from the potluck the day before. Maybe on Wednesday when we return we'll celebrate the Mayans.
Last weekend my older son got married. It was a beautiful wedding and a very fun reception.
After much coaxing my daughter got the teenager on the dance floor.
Of course the star of the show was my grandson, the ring bearer
He promptly passed out
Daddy posing by him
Because our groom had been a ring bearer 20 years ago and also passed out at the reception
Movie suggestion for the Christmas Season - The Bishop's Wife. I see it's scheduled to play a couple of times on TCM today (Sunday) at 7pm and midnight. I thought it was a sweet film that captured the Christmas spirit very well. Please make a point of looking for it.
My plan for the weekend is to make cookies!!!! Hubby doesn't want me to go overboard, except of course, to make plenty of peanut butter. I figured I will make the batters and probably use only half of each, freezing the rest. Then I can have fresh baked cookies later on. We'll see. I might just go overboard after all.
May everyone have a very merry Christmas!
Last weekend my older son got married. It was a beautiful wedding and a very fun reception.
After much coaxing my daughter got the teenager on the dance floor.
Of course the star of the show was my grandson, the ring bearer
He promptly passed out
Daddy posing by him
Movie suggestion for the Christmas Season - The Bishop's Wife. I see it's scheduled to play a couple of times on TCM today (Sunday) at 7pm and midnight. I thought it was a sweet film that captured the Christmas spirit very well. Please make a point of looking for it.
My plan for the weekend is to make cookies!!!! Hubby doesn't want me to go overboard, except of course, to make plenty of peanut butter. I figured I will make the batters and probably use only half of each, freezing the rest. Then I can have fresh baked cookies later on. We'll see. I might just go overboard after all.
May everyone have a very merry Christmas!
Monday, December 17, 2012
Movie Monday - Animated Feature
Animated Shorts has been an Oscar category for decades, but the feature length animation has only been a category since 2001. And that is a crime. All of those fabulous full-length cartoons denied recognition. Such a shame.
One of the all time best animated features, in my book, is Aladdin (1992). Aladdin and The Little Mermaid (1989) were constant fixtures in my home - books, tapes, blankets, sheets, pillows, pillow cases, action figures, stuffed animals, balls, cups, bowls, plates, socks, pants, shirts, bookbags, folders, pencils, Christmas ornaments, underwear, hats, temporary tattoos, stickers, balloons, gift wrap, and maybe a few other items that escape my memory. Of course both movies were played ad nauseum for many years at my house. My daughter is still gaga over The Little Mermaid and the songs linger in my memory. But Aladdin was the superior movie, and ranks over any that I've seen. We had the great fortune of seeing Aladdin in the theater in 1992. While nearly every movie I see is via rental viewed on a television, some are simply meant to be seen on the big screen. When the opportunity presents itself through a re-release, make a point of seeing Aladdin IN the theater. The first time the genie rises out of the bottle is one of the most impressive things you'll ever see in a movie. He is HUGE and totally fills the screen. It's incredible.
Toy Story also missed nomination contention because it came out in 1995. It too was a spectacular film with a great story. There were many other animated features that missed the opportunity. At least Shrek (2001) received its proper recognition and was the first to win "Animated Feature". I think, though, Toy Story was the one that finally broke the Disney domination of the animation field opening it up for Oscar consideration. Last year Toy Story 3 was the first animated feature to receive a best picture nomination. I suppose that may have been to make up to Pixar Studios for not nominating the first Toy Story - it did deserve it, too.
I'm still muddling through the other nominees. Wallace and Gromet, Cars, Happy Feet have been fun to watch. The Triplets of Belleville (2003), however, was pure torture. There was no dialog, this is even worse than being foreign language with subtitles! You're forced to watch it. I decided since there was no dialog that I could fast forward and still catch the essence. It's about a little boy who wants to ride in the Tour De France and is kidnapped by a bookie. It's convoluted and stupid.
I can't wait for the 2012 nominees. I haven't seen any new animated features this year so... oh wait, I just watched Brave. I bet it receives a nomination, it was really cute and FINALLY the princess isn't an orphan (a running theme of all princess cartoons). The other nominees will be entertaining to watch, I'm sure.
Most people without small children don't watch cartoon movies and they are truly missing out. The big Disney and Pixar movies are really great stories that have a lot of adult humor and are not dumbed down for the sake of their younger viewers. I strongly insist everyone take a trip through the children's section at their video store (or Netflix) and pick up some of these titles.
One of the all time best animated features, in my book, is Aladdin (1992). Aladdin and The Little Mermaid (1989) were constant fixtures in my home - books, tapes, blankets, sheets, pillows, pillow cases, action figures, stuffed animals, balls, cups, bowls, plates, socks, pants, shirts, bookbags, folders, pencils, Christmas ornaments, underwear, hats, temporary tattoos, stickers, balloons, gift wrap, and maybe a few other items that escape my memory. Of course both movies were played ad nauseum for many years at my house. My daughter is still gaga over The Little Mermaid and the songs linger in my memory. But Aladdin was the superior movie, and ranks over any that I've seen. We had the great fortune of seeing Aladdin in the theater in 1992. While nearly every movie I see is via rental viewed on a television, some are simply meant to be seen on the big screen. When the opportunity presents itself through a re-release, make a point of seeing Aladdin IN the theater. The first time the genie rises out of the bottle is one of the most impressive things you'll ever see in a movie. He is HUGE and totally fills the screen. It's incredible.
Toy Story also missed nomination contention because it came out in 1995. It too was a spectacular film with a great story. There were many other animated features that missed the opportunity. At least Shrek (2001) received its proper recognition and was the first to win "Animated Feature". I think, though, Toy Story was the one that finally broke the Disney domination of the animation field opening it up for Oscar consideration. Last year Toy Story 3 was the first animated feature to receive a best picture nomination. I suppose that may have been to make up to Pixar Studios for not nominating the first Toy Story - it did deserve it, too.
I'm still muddling through the other nominees. Wallace and Gromet, Cars, Happy Feet have been fun to watch. The Triplets of Belleville (2003), however, was pure torture. There was no dialog, this is even worse than being foreign language with subtitles! You're forced to watch it. I decided since there was no dialog that I could fast forward and still catch the essence. It's about a little boy who wants to ride in the Tour De France and is kidnapped by a bookie. It's convoluted and stupid.
I can't wait for the 2012 nominees. I haven't seen any new animated features this year so... oh wait, I just watched Brave. I bet it receives a nomination, it was really cute and FINALLY the princess isn't an orphan (a running theme of all princess cartoons). The other nominees will be entertaining to watch, I'm sure.
Most people without small children don't watch cartoon movies and they are truly missing out. The big Disney and Pixar movies are really great stories that have a lot of adult humor and are not dumbed down for the sake of their younger viewers. I strongly insist everyone take a trip through the children's section at their video store (or Netflix) and pick up some of these titles.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Movie Monday - Big Accents
Have you ever considered the bad guys in movies? I think it makes sense that for decades our biggest boogie man has been eastern European. During the 40's and 50's German accents were rather devilish and they continue to pop up, but the king of all bad guy accents in the movies has always been Russian. Hell, even Bullwinkle's nemesis was Boris and Natasha.... "Borrrrrrris and Nataaaaaaasha". It just sounds evil, doesn't it?
Ninotchka (1939) was a Lenonite communist come to Paris to sell the royal jewels back to the Grand Duchess. Ninotchka was a stern Russian with no humor, no frivolity. She was all business and looked down on capitalist excesses. Her visit to the Eiffel Tower was utilitarian to observe architecture and she was insistent on taking the stairs instead of the elevator. She meets a man who shatters her beliefs. This is really only a love story, but they wove in social commentary mostly about the evils and ignorance of communism.
As far as an Oscar nomination it was for best actress. I've come to learn these nominations are for parts that display transforming characters. Ninotchka was a completely different person at the end of the movie compared to the one we met at the beginning.
It was definitely a light-hearted movie and a welcome change from some of the more serious topics that litter my list.
As I watch more recent movies I notice we no longer have a clear-cut bad guy. Occasionally a Russian or other eastern European will be among the hitmen. Germans still have that ominous accent that recalls some old feelings, but usually that is reserved for war movies like Inglorious Basterds (2009). Did anyone watch that one? It was a bloody farce that as best as I can tell was to amuse teenage boys who really didn't understand World War II. Yes, I laughed, but more often than not I cringed. The only reason it received any nomination was because it had big actors in it. Men Who Stared at Goats may as well received a nomination if we were honoring famous actors, but I guess that wasn't "big" enough.
Eastern Promises (2007) was another bloody movie, but it was a good chase, who-done-it movie. It was present day Russian mafia chasing after a man in America. And while Russians were bad guys, one was also the victim. I liked this movie, it was one Hubby and I watched together and both enjoyed. It was filled with lots of action and wasn't predictable, although I think Hubby did guess the ending at one point - that's a regular debate between us while watching movies.
We seem to be reaching these days for a new bad guy. I saw the new Red Dawn last week and while they tossed in a cameo of an evil Russian, the bad guys were North Korean. We definitely have a lot of movies about battles and conflicts in the Middle East but movie makers are tap dancing around making a blanket statement. A Middle Eastern accent is not a definitive bad thing, and maybe that's a good thing. Any more, though, I think the most consistent bad guy is home grown.
Ninotchka (1939) was a Lenonite communist come to Paris to sell the royal jewels back to the Grand Duchess. Ninotchka was a stern Russian with no humor, no frivolity. She was all business and looked down on capitalist excesses. Her visit to the Eiffel Tower was utilitarian to observe architecture and she was insistent on taking the stairs instead of the elevator. She meets a man who shatters her beliefs. This is really only a love story, but they wove in social commentary mostly about the evils and ignorance of communism.
As far as an Oscar nomination it was for best actress. I've come to learn these nominations are for parts that display transforming characters. Ninotchka was a completely different person at the end of the movie compared to the one we met at the beginning.
It was definitely a light-hearted movie and a welcome change from some of the more serious topics that litter my list.
As I watch more recent movies I notice we no longer have a clear-cut bad guy. Occasionally a Russian or other eastern European will be among the hitmen. Germans still have that ominous accent that recalls some old feelings, but usually that is reserved for war movies like Inglorious Basterds (2009). Did anyone watch that one? It was a bloody farce that as best as I can tell was to amuse teenage boys who really didn't understand World War II. Yes, I laughed, but more often than not I cringed. The only reason it received any nomination was because it had big actors in it. Men Who Stared at Goats may as well received a nomination if we were honoring famous actors, but I guess that wasn't "big" enough.
Eastern Promises (2007) was another bloody movie, but it was a good chase, who-done-it movie. It was present day Russian mafia chasing after a man in America. And while Russians were bad guys, one was also the victim. I liked this movie, it was one Hubby and I watched together and both enjoyed. It was filled with lots of action and wasn't predictable, although I think Hubby did guess the ending at one point - that's a regular debate between us while watching movies.
We seem to be reaching these days for a new bad guy. I saw the new Red Dawn last week and while they tossed in a cameo of an evil Russian, the bad guys were North Korean. We definitely have a lot of movies about battles and conflicts in the Middle East but movie makers are tap dancing around making a blanket statement. A Middle Eastern accent is not a definitive bad thing, and maybe that's a good thing. Any more, though, I think the most consistent bad guy is home grown.
Friday, December 07, 2012
Friday Fragments - December 7 2012
How is everyone's holiday preparations? Ours are kind of on hold as my son's wedding is next week. I try not to think about things like this because I blow them out of proportion with anticipation. It's really exciting but if I don't focus on it then I will be able to enjoy it even more. The surprise of how the day will unfold will be a million times better than anything I could ever concoct in my head. And I'm one of those people who gets disappointed if things don't go as I anticipate - so I've taught myself to stop anticipating. It took a long time to learn that and even longer to make it happen.
Chicken strips seem to be the epitome of bad eating... hmm... maybe it's hamburgers... so chicken strips are a close second. But I have to say I do like eating them. What I don't like are the pressed meat variety. I want a genuine hunk of meat, batter dipped, deep fried. As we contemplated dinner one night I quipped I wanted chicken strips. And that's what we did, but homemade ones. They were fabulous and I want to make them again. We used boneless breasts, cut into chunks, dredged and floured like regular fried chicken. It was faster than traditional fried chicken, especially with these mutant huge chicken breasts available in the grocery store. I feel almost brilliant for making them. It's the basic stuff, isn't it?
What was the last movie you watched? It doesn't matter if it was in a theater. In my book a movie watched in any venue counts. Cable, online streaming, and movie rentals have opened a whole world of entertainment to us. For me cable is relatively new. I didn't spend my teen years in the 80's watching MTV videos because my parents were sheer evil, denying me this basic NEED. I do regret not seeing all of the videos my contemporaries saw, but I definitely appreciate the access now. Instead of catching up with all of the videos from my deprived teen years, I'm now watching more movies than any civilized person should. I'm watching the full gambit of Oscar contenders to crappy B films. And I'm loving it. It's only a phase which one day will pass. Oh I will eternally love the film medium of telling a story, but this obsession with movie marathons will l eventually subside.
As I write this To Kill A Mockingbird is playing. The Teenager is reading this for English class. I suggested that if he wanted to boost his grade to ask his teacher if he can write a paper comparing Mockingbird to the Sand Lot. He looked at me like I was crazy - more work??? He knows he needs to do some extra credit, but I added that teachers LOVE compare and contrast stuff like that. Is that cheating? Knowing how teachers think? It's just bizarre enough he might do it. We'll see...
I think this has been a fairly random post - definitely the stuff of a proper Fragmented Friday!
Chicken strips seem to be the epitome of bad eating... hmm... maybe it's hamburgers... so chicken strips are a close second. But I have to say I do like eating them. What I don't like are the pressed meat variety. I want a genuine hunk of meat, batter dipped, deep fried. As we contemplated dinner one night I quipped I wanted chicken strips. And that's what we did, but homemade ones. They were fabulous and I want to make them again. We used boneless breasts, cut into chunks, dredged and floured like regular fried chicken. It was faster than traditional fried chicken, especially with these mutant huge chicken breasts available in the grocery store. I feel almost brilliant for making them. It's the basic stuff, isn't it?
What was the last movie you watched? It doesn't matter if it was in a theater. In my book a movie watched in any venue counts. Cable, online streaming, and movie rentals have opened a whole world of entertainment to us. For me cable is relatively new. I didn't spend my teen years in the 80's watching MTV videos because my parents were sheer evil, denying me this basic NEED. I do regret not seeing all of the videos my contemporaries saw, but I definitely appreciate the access now. Instead of catching up with all of the videos from my deprived teen years, I'm now watching more movies than any civilized person should. I'm watching the full gambit of Oscar contenders to crappy B films. And I'm loving it. It's only a phase which one day will pass. Oh I will eternally love the film medium of telling a story, but this obsession with movie marathons will l eventually subside.
As I write this To Kill A Mockingbird is playing. The Teenager is reading this for English class. I suggested that if he wanted to boost his grade to ask his teacher if he can write a paper comparing Mockingbird to the Sand Lot. He looked at me like I was crazy - more work??? He knows he needs to do some extra credit, but I added that teachers LOVE compare and contrast stuff like that. Is that cheating? Knowing how teachers think? It's just bizarre enough he might do it. We'll see...
I think this has been a fairly random post - definitely the stuff of a proper Fragmented Friday!
Monday, December 03, 2012
Movie Monday - Pondering Nominations
I'm still stumped. Why do some movies get the Oscar nomination and why are others overlooked? It seems that certain actors are almost automatic bait. You know the names - Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Katherine Hepburn, Marlin Brando, Jack Nicholson, Robert DiNiro, Sally Field, Sissy Spacek, Leonardo DiCaprio... When one of these heavy hitters is in the cast the nominators seem to perk up.
And that really is not fair.
Yesterday I watched Cape Fear (1991) in which Robert DiNiro received the best actor nomination. Okay, I really liked this movie. It was incredibly suspenseful, filled with lots of twists and turns, and ultimately it had a tidy ending. And you had to wait until literally the very last minute of the movie to see that tidy ending. Now I liked it, and yes, Mr. DiNiro did a stunning performance as the bad guy, but was that really among the BEST acting of ALL the movies that year?
I doubt it.
What about Four Weddings and Funeral (1994)? Again, a movie I liked, but BEST PICTURE nomination? Really? Was it because Hugh Grant was a big deal in the mid-90's? Somebody wised up in that department because ol' Hugh turned out to be a one trick pony. Need goofy, but sweet English guy? Dial up Hugh. Now Bridget Jones Diary (2001) was worthy of the Best Actress nomination, but notice Hugh Grant didn't get a nomination in either film.
As I've mentioned before I'm not a fan of Bette Davis. I've seen about four of her movies and all of her characters are the same - whiny, prissy, and self-centered. I guess back in the day the politics of the movie world made it so actors like Bette were always front and center. Jimmy Stewart? Yes, by all means, he was a brilliant actor. His characters had depth and he played them to their fullest. I've yet to see one of his films I didn't like. Bette? Total crap. Her last film, Whales of August (1987) still had her in a role like all of the others. AND the movie was a ho-hum - two elderly sisters spending the summer in their old family seaside home waiting for the whale migration. They were sisters, still fussing at each other 80 years later.
There are better sister movies out there - Crimes of the Heart (1986) really captured the interplay of sisterhood way better than the Wales of August. And yes, I recommend Crimes of the Heart highly. Southern women sporting 80's fashion in over-the-top frilly house, protecting the one who had killed her husband. It's funny, sweet, and very endearing. Yet, it too had big name actresses: Diane Keaton, Sissy Spacek, Jessica Lange, but they're all solid actresses and the story was good.
Last year the movie "Goon" was completely overlooked. Folks, this is an incredible movie. It is a total riot and I do believe there was some really good acting. Okay, maybe that's pushing it, I am an amateur movie reviewer after all. Haven't heard of it? Time to shoot over to Netflix. It's a hockey movie with a rebel player who manages to piss off nearly everybody. Both hubby and I liked it a lot and found it really funny. And yes, with good acting. It has raw language and some brutal plays on and off the ice, but it's HOCKEY, that shit is expected! If you can laugh at a bloody tooth sliding across the rink then you'll survive this movie. If you're squeemish like me, cover your eyes.
And that really is not fair.
Yesterday I watched Cape Fear (1991) in which Robert DiNiro received the best actor nomination. Okay, I really liked this movie. It was incredibly suspenseful, filled with lots of twists and turns, and ultimately it had a tidy ending. And you had to wait until literally the very last minute of the movie to see that tidy ending. Now I liked it, and yes, Mr. DiNiro did a stunning performance as the bad guy, but was that really among the BEST acting of ALL the movies that year?
I doubt it.
What about Four Weddings and Funeral (1994)? Again, a movie I liked, but BEST PICTURE nomination? Really? Was it because Hugh Grant was a big deal in the mid-90's? Somebody wised up in that department because ol' Hugh turned out to be a one trick pony. Need goofy, but sweet English guy? Dial up Hugh. Now Bridget Jones Diary (2001) was worthy of the Best Actress nomination, but notice Hugh Grant didn't get a nomination in either film.
As I've mentioned before I'm not a fan of Bette Davis. I've seen about four of her movies and all of her characters are the same - whiny, prissy, and self-centered. I guess back in the day the politics of the movie world made it so actors like Bette were always front and center. Jimmy Stewart? Yes, by all means, he was a brilliant actor. His characters had depth and he played them to their fullest. I've yet to see one of his films I didn't like. Bette? Total crap. Her last film, Whales of August (1987) still had her in a role like all of the others. AND the movie was a ho-hum - two elderly sisters spending the summer in their old family seaside home waiting for the whale migration. They were sisters, still fussing at each other 80 years later.
There are better sister movies out there - Crimes of the Heart (1986) really captured the interplay of sisterhood way better than the Wales of August. And yes, I recommend Crimes of the Heart highly. Southern women sporting 80's fashion in over-the-top frilly house, protecting the one who had killed her husband. It's funny, sweet, and very endearing. Yet, it too had big name actresses: Diane Keaton, Sissy Spacek, Jessica Lange, but they're all solid actresses and the story was good.
Last year the movie "Goon" was completely overlooked. Folks, this is an incredible movie. It is a total riot and I do believe there was some really good acting. Okay, maybe that's pushing it, I am an amateur movie reviewer after all. Haven't heard of it? Time to shoot over to Netflix. It's a hockey movie with a rebel player who manages to piss off nearly everybody. Both hubby and I liked it a lot and found it really funny. And yes, with good acting. It has raw language and some brutal plays on and off the ice, but it's HOCKEY, that shit is expected! If you can laugh at a bloody tooth sliding across the rink then you'll survive this movie. If you're squeemish like me, cover your eyes.
Saturday, December 01, 2012
Friday Fragments - November 30, 2012
Okay, truth be told, I'm writing this Saturday night. What can I say, I've been busy.
Today was the Cans Film Festival put on by a local theater chain collecting for our food pantries. For 5 cans we can see a movie for free. If we bring another 10 cans we get a pass for a movie in the future. So we each brought in 15 cans and after we watched the first movie we ran to the grocery store for another round of cans. We now have four passes to be used in the next couple of months. The only catch to it is that it's only valid Mon-Thurs. That sucks but we'll cope.
We watched Red Dawn and Argo. And liked both. I was a fan of the old Red Dawn so I was a little leery of seeing the remake. Gotta say the new one is awesome. Korea is the occupying force instead of the Soviet Union, the kids are in Spokane instead of small town Colorado, and most of the fighting this time is in the city instead of in the woods. The story lines are the same and if you like action movies, this is a must. Argo was the true story about 6 escapees from the American embassy in Tehran 1980 and how the CIA fakes a Canadian movie production team to get them out. It was VERY suspenseful and I really was on the edge of my seat through most of it, although I think I was startled more times in Red Dawn. I'm quite sure it will get an Oscar nomination this year.
My family's Thanksgiving gathering was last Saturday and quite simply, it was exhausting. And not in a good way. As I was recapping with a friend on Monday, I wondered why getting together with this group is not as easy and laid back as getting together with my friends. And the crazy thing is, all but one person in this assembly is pretty much as laid back as anybody you'll ever meet. I guess that points in the direction of the one not-so-laid-back person. I always chalked up my holiday stress because I was pulled in multiple directions, having to keep an eye on my children, or a multitude of other excuses. Clearly I need to rethink my attitude for future gatherings and prepare for the mayhem differently. You would think after twenty years of this crap I would have realized this sooner.
Guess what came out of the oven an hour ago? FRUITCAKE!!! I'm telling you, homemade is absolutely nothing like the neon-green crap from the store. The smell alone can put you in the holiday mood.
Today was the Cans Film Festival put on by a local theater chain collecting for our food pantries. For 5 cans we can see a movie for free. If we bring another 10 cans we get a pass for a movie in the future. So we each brought in 15 cans and after we watched the first movie we ran to the grocery store for another round of cans. We now have four passes to be used in the next couple of months. The only catch to it is that it's only valid Mon-Thurs. That sucks but we'll cope.
We watched Red Dawn and Argo. And liked both. I was a fan of the old Red Dawn so I was a little leery of seeing the remake. Gotta say the new one is awesome. Korea is the occupying force instead of the Soviet Union, the kids are in Spokane instead of small town Colorado, and most of the fighting this time is in the city instead of in the woods. The story lines are the same and if you like action movies, this is a must. Argo was the true story about 6 escapees from the American embassy in Tehran 1980 and how the CIA fakes a Canadian movie production team to get them out. It was VERY suspenseful and I really was on the edge of my seat through most of it, although I think I was startled more times in Red Dawn. I'm quite sure it will get an Oscar nomination this year.
My family's Thanksgiving gathering was last Saturday and quite simply, it was exhausting. And not in a good way. As I was recapping with a friend on Monday, I wondered why getting together with this group is not as easy and laid back as getting together with my friends. And the crazy thing is, all but one person in this assembly is pretty much as laid back as anybody you'll ever meet. I guess that points in the direction of the one not-so-laid-back person. I always chalked up my holiday stress because I was pulled in multiple directions, having to keep an eye on my children, or a multitude of other excuses. Clearly I need to rethink my attitude for future gatherings and prepare for the mayhem differently. You would think after twenty years of this crap I would have realized this sooner.
Guess what came out of the oven an hour ago? FRUITCAKE!!! I'm telling you, homemade is absolutely nothing like the neon-green crap from the store. The smell alone can put you in the holiday mood.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
My Geeky List
Coworker Anna is highly amused by my spreadsheet of movies. It wasn't sufficient that I merely keep a list and check off the movies I've seen. Nope, I had to geek it up and record WHEN I've seen it, IF I like it, WHAT it was about, and then, of course, enter formulas to count how many and figure percentages.
This silly list is actually helping me. One, it keeps me from watching movies I've already seen. Not that I'm against re-watching movies, I do it all the time. I do, however, want to avoid watching dreadful, boring movies all over. And with my crappy memory I get about fortyfive minutes into a movie and I start to wonder if I've seen it already. Well by then I have to finish watching it because I don't remember how it ends!
This morning I started to watch Mona Lisa (1986). It hit me about 10 minutes in that I'd seen it before. I sat through another 15 minutes and yep, I think I have actually watched this TWICE before. I fast forwarded through to the end and that was enough for me to declare I've watched it in November 2012. Did I like it? Not really. Was it worthy of a best actor nomination? Not really. What was it about? A man falls in love with a prostitute who is in love with another woman. Sorry, telling you about the other woman is probably giving away too much. I don't care. This movie will get lost in the shuffle which is where it belongs. It certainly has been lost in my brain's files and I will be happy when it slips away again.
My list also helps me now that I'm stepping forward and sharing my thoughts on movies I've seen. I can't report on a movie as soon as I see it so keeping some notes is necessary.
This silly list is actually helping me. One, it keeps me from watching movies I've already seen. Not that I'm against re-watching movies, I do it all the time. I do, however, want to avoid watching dreadful, boring movies all over. And with my crappy memory I get about fortyfive minutes into a movie and I start to wonder if I've seen it already. Well by then I have to finish watching it because I don't remember how it ends!
This morning I started to watch Mona Lisa (1986). It hit me about 10 minutes in that I'd seen it before. I sat through another 15 minutes and yep, I think I have actually watched this TWICE before. I fast forwarded through to the end and that was enough for me to declare I've watched it in November 2012. Did I like it? Not really. Was it worthy of a best actor nomination? Not really. What was it about? A man falls in love with a prostitute who is in love with another woman. Sorry, telling you about the other woman is probably giving away too much. I don't care. This movie will get lost in the shuffle which is where it belongs. It certainly has been lost in my brain's files and I will be happy when it slips away again.
My list also helps me now that I'm stepping forward and sharing my thoughts on movies I've seen. I can't report on a movie as soon as I see it so keeping some notes is necessary.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Movie Chat - Oppressed People
You would think the topic of oppressed people would be a favorite subject of the Oscar nominating committee, but overall that is not the case. We don't see much about the oppression, war, and extermination in Bosnia. There are a few movies nominated such as Hotel Rwanda (2004) and Invictus (2009) about the brutalities and inequity found in Aftrica. American slaves and Indians both seem to be missing from the rolls while the plight of southern blacks in the first half of the 1900's is only recently getting attention The Color Purple (1985) and The Help (2011). Slumdog Millionaire (2008) is the only one about India since the 40's.
Yet the nominating committee does salivate over Nazi's and their concentration camps. I gave that issue a lot of pondering and have come to the slightly unfair conclusion that it's because the movie production companies been dominated/owned by Jews. It's not that these movies are undeserving, they are poignant stories performed by very talented actors, just that we are lacking representation of all of the other oppressed, repressed, and outright down-trodden people of the world.
Of the movies I've seen, these are somehow associated with the Jewish experience in World War II:
Ship of Fools (1965)
Voyage of the Damned (1976)
Cabaret (1972)
The Boys From Brazil (1978)
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) - reviewed November 9
Life is Beautiful (1998) - reviewed on November 23
The Reader (2008)
Mr. Skeffington (1944)
There are more, these are only from a quick scan of my geeky list.
Oh yeah, Sofie's Choice (1982)
Seriously, I watched The Reader today and when the Nazi trial came up I literally groaned. Remember, I don't typically read the synopsis before watching because I like the surprise (ha). So when I find a movie that highlights a different group I get a little excited.
One like, Persepolis (2007), has been lingering in my head since I watched it. First I have to warn you why I shied away from this movie for a very long time - it's a foreign language cartoon, an artsy one at that. I have tremendous disdain for the artsy crap - just tell the story without the interpretive dance and goofy symbolism... I like thoughtful, intelligent symbolism, not goofy symbolism. When the girl was deflowered, there were flowers falling from the sky. Seriously, blah!!! And then subtitles???? Come on. That means I have to read and watch? How can I play on the internet with all of that going on?
And yet
I liked it. It is about a girl in a very liberal, 1970 something, prewar Iran and how she had to adjust to the new rules of an increasingly oppressive regime. It really made me consider what people living in Iran have had to cope with over the years, that not everyone is crazy, anti-American, bomb-toting maniacs. Maybe a cartoon... sorry, "animated feature"... is the only medium to properly tell her story. My imagination managed to fill in the gaps and I guarantee the picture I built in my mind is as strong as anything I've ever watched on a screen. If for no other reason, you must watch this movie to fall in love with her grandmother who puts jasmine blossoms in her bra every morning and soaks her breasts in ice water to keep them perky! Grandma was loaded with all sorts of fabulous advice and lived a no-nonsense, take no crap, life. With women like that in your life, you're doomed to be headstrong and independent. And I do like stories about strong, feisty women, even if they're told through sub-titles in an artsy monochrome cartoon.
Yet the nominating committee does salivate over Nazi's and their concentration camps. I gave that issue a lot of pondering and have come to the slightly unfair conclusion that it's because the movie production companies been dominated/owned by Jews. It's not that these movies are undeserving, they are poignant stories performed by very talented actors, just that we are lacking representation of all of the other oppressed, repressed, and outright down-trodden people of the world.
Of the movies I've seen, these are somehow associated with the Jewish experience in World War II:
Ship of Fools (1965)
Voyage of the Damned (1976)
Cabaret (1972)
The Boys From Brazil (1978)
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) - reviewed November 9
Life is Beautiful (1998) - reviewed on November 23
The Reader (2008)
Mr. Skeffington (1944)
There are more, these are only from a quick scan of my geeky list.
Oh yeah, Sofie's Choice (1982)
Seriously, I watched The Reader today and when the Nazi trial came up I literally groaned. Remember, I don't typically read the synopsis before watching because I like the surprise (ha). So when I find a movie that highlights a different group I get a little excited.
One like, Persepolis (2007), has been lingering in my head since I watched it. First I have to warn you why I shied away from this movie for a very long time - it's a foreign language cartoon, an artsy one at that. I have tremendous disdain for the artsy crap - just tell the story without the interpretive dance and goofy symbolism... I like thoughtful, intelligent symbolism, not goofy symbolism. When the girl was deflowered, there were flowers falling from the sky. Seriously, blah!!! And then subtitles???? Come on. That means I have to read and watch? How can I play on the internet with all of that going on?
And yet
I liked it. It is about a girl in a very liberal, 1970 something, prewar Iran and how she had to adjust to the new rules of an increasingly oppressive regime. It really made me consider what people living in Iran have had to cope with over the years, that not everyone is crazy, anti-American, bomb-toting maniacs. Maybe a cartoon... sorry, "animated feature"... is the only medium to properly tell her story. My imagination managed to fill in the gaps and I guarantee the picture I built in my mind is as strong as anything I've ever watched on a screen. If for no other reason, you must watch this movie to fall in love with her grandmother who puts jasmine blossoms in her bra every morning and soaks her breasts in ice water to keep them perky! Grandma was loaded with all sorts of fabulous advice and lived a no-nonsense, take no crap, life. With women like that in your life, you're doomed to be headstrong and independent. And I do like stories about strong, feisty women, even if they're told through sub-titles in an artsy monochrome cartoon.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Friday Fragments - November 23, 2012
How was your Thanksgiving??? Mine was great. All of the essentials were present - turkey, pie, and family. We will be repeating the process with my side of the family on Saturday.
The only thing I had to bring was dessert - and not a pie because that was already covered. Okay, little kids were going to be present so Rice Krispy Treats is pretty easy and always a hit, right? Yeah, I've made them with stale marshmallows in the past with no problem but this time was not so successful. It was more like Rice Krispy BRITTLE. Even my teenager said they were horrid. That's okay, I've been wanting to make my fruitcake recipe without the fruit. OMFG, that also turned out horrible. I didn't toss it out, but soaked it with amaretto and have managed to create something palatable, but not appropriate to bring to a house of teetotalers.
Finally, I broke down and whipped up pumpkin bread. I cannot even begin to describe the heavenly scents in my house. The teenager turned up his nose, convinced it was going to taste like shit. He did manage to choke down a tiny crumb after some coaxing... and ended up with two servings on his plate. Hubby found the recipe when looking how to improve Bread Pudding. He found one from Alton Brown that used pumpkin bread instead of a stale loaf of white bread. The bread pudding was divine, but we also discovered this easy bread recipe was tasty on its own.
Alton Brown's Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Are you participating in Black Friday? I have managed to sleep in and have no plans to leave the house. Our shopping this year will be online.
My sullen teenager reared his head in this endeavor as well. He has spent the last several weeks bemoaning the need of a new Xbox so he can play the latest release of Halo (which he is also lacking). As we scoured the Black Friday ads he discovered large flat screen TV's in his price range. Suddenly his priorities have changed and he is in DIRE NEED of a new TV. The measly 32" currently residing in his room is simply insufficient for his gaming and viewing pleasure. Poor thing.
Oscar Movie update: I've started to dedicate my Monday posts to discussing my movie watching adventure so make sure to come back and read more. The one pick I have to offer you this week is Life Is Beautiful (1998). Usually I go into these movies blind, unaware of the topic. Sometimes it burns me and other times, like this, I am pleasantly surprised. Had I even known the synopsis I would have been prepared for something wildly different. It was about a Jewish family taken to a concentration camp. Yet, it was more about the man and his incredible view on life, how he swept his wife off her feet and later how he kept his son shielded from the atrocities going on around them. I smiled quite a bit and even giggled a few times. It was truly a touching story (and true).
Christmas preparations are now underway. Time to listen to carols, pull out decorations, shift through wrapping paper, and send out cards. Are you ready? I'm certainly not. Of course I never am ready. Ever.
The only thing I had to bring was dessert - and not a pie because that was already covered. Okay, little kids were going to be present so Rice Krispy Treats is pretty easy and always a hit, right? Yeah, I've made them with stale marshmallows in the past with no problem but this time was not so successful. It was more like Rice Krispy BRITTLE. Even my teenager said they were horrid. That's okay, I've been wanting to make my fruitcake recipe without the fruit. OMFG, that also turned out horrible. I didn't toss it out, but soaked it with amaretto and have managed to create something palatable, but not appropriate to bring to a house of teetotalers.
Finally, I broke down and whipped up pumpkin bread. I cannot even begin to describe the heavenly scents in my house. The teenager turned up his nose, convinced it was going to taste like shit. He did manage to choke down a tiny crumb after some coaxing... and ended up with two servings on his plate. Hubby found the recipe when looking how to improve Bread Pudding. He found one from Alton Brown that used pumpkin bread instead of a stale loaf of white bread. The bread pudding was divine, but we also discovered this easy bread recipe was tasty on its own.
Alton Brown's Pumpkin Bread Recipe
*****
Are you participating in Black Friday? I have managed to sleep in and have no plans to leave the house. Our shopping this year will be online.
My sullen teenager reared his head in this endeavor as well. He has spent the last several weeks bemoaning the need of a new Xbox so he can play the latest release of Halo (which he is also lacking). As we scoured the Black Friday ads he discovered large flat screen TV's in his price range. Suddenly his priorities have changed and he is in DIRE NEED of a new TV. The measly 32" currently residing in his room is simply insufficient for his gaming and viewing pleasure. Poor thing.
*****
Oscar Movie update: I've started to dedicate my Monday posts to discussing my movie watching adventure so make sure to come back and read more. The one pick I have to offer you this week is Life Is Beautiful (1998). Usually I go into these movies blind, unaware of the topic. Sometimes it burns me and other times, like this, I am pleasantly surprised. Had I even known the synopsis I would have been prepared for something wildly different. It was about a Jewish family taken to a concentration camp. Yet, it was more about the man and his incredible view on life, how he swept his wife off her feet and later how he kept his son shielded from the atrocities going on around them. I smiled quite a bit and even giggled a few times. It was truly a touching story (and true).
*****
Christmas preparations are now underway. Time to listen to carols, pull out decorations, shift through wrapping paper, and send out cards. Are you ready? I'm certainly not. Of course I never am ready. Ever.
*****
Monday, November 19, 2012
Lincoln
We went to see the new movie, Lincoln, yesterday. My husband hoped it was going to be more of a biography of his life. Instead it was about the last few months prior to his death and the political back and forth of getting the 13th Amendment passed. Needless to say, Hubby was disappointed. I, however, thought it was great.
As soon as I saw previews for it this summer I knew I wanted to see this movie. Then a few weeks ago Jay Leno was talking about it and said he thought it was one of the best movies he's ever seen and knew it was going to be an Oscar contender.
The topic of the movie alone isn't really something that would perk the nominating committee's interest - politics and slavery. But they will enjoy the struggle and negotiations it shows. For that alone it will get a best picture nomination, you know, forget that golden child, Steven Spielberg, produced it.
Where this movie really stood out and no doubt will sweep the Oscars will be with the actors. Daniel Day Lewis LOOKED like Abraham Lincoln and by all accounts sounded and behaved just like him. I believed I was watching President Lincoln, it was an incredible performance. Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones were both absolutely stunning.
Unfortunately, this is a fairly boring moving. My inner history geek thought it was great, but a lot of the beauty of this movie will be lost on the masses. They may admire the fantastic performances by the entire cast (truly, ALL of them were awesome) and they may think the debates were somewhat amusing, but the struggle to significantly alter our Constitution and the work that went into it will be only an interesting side note, if even that. And that will be the real crime. I don't know how to make political debates any more interesting than what I saw on the screen yesterday - they were brilliant. Thaddius Stevens was merely an interesting name that somehow hung in my memory from college, but I didn't know how or why he was important. I'm sure some droll instructor covered him in one of many lectures. It's probably scribbled in one of the notepads I've kept. I'm quite sure no one told me of his linguistic artistry, but the man could make a point and drive it home. His significance in history was lost on me until yesterday. He was a passionate abolitionist and kept the slavery issue on the table at incredible odds. Without his passion and convictions Lincoln would not have had the backing necessary to write slavery out of the Constitution.
The one thing I do remember from high school, however, was the name Seward. He was Lincoln's Secretary of State (something that also didn't stick in my memory). The reason I remember him is that he was the guy who managed to bring Alaska in as a territory to the US and the newspapers called the deal "Seward's Folly".
There you go, a history lesson for the day. You're welcome.
What? The history geek doesn't remember these significant fellows? Nope. I hated history in high school and didn't discover its intrigue until college. So, yeah, lots of important stuff slipped in one ear and out the other.
Back to the movies, I have a couple of other nomination titles I've jotted down:
The Forger
Magic Mike - yes, I think supporting actor is due here
Being Flynn
Ruby Sparks
We are at the beginning of block buster season where many more titles will bubble to the surface. I can't wait to see The Hobbit. By all accounts it will be as amazing as the Lord of the Rings trilogy that each received their own nominations.
We'll have to wait until January to see how my predictions turn out.
As soon as I saw previews for it this summer I knew I wanted to see this movie. Then a few weeks ago Jay Leno was talking about it and said he thought it was one of the best movies he's ever seen and knew it was going to be an Oscar contender.
The topic of the movie alone isn't really something that would perk the nominating committee's interest - politics and slavery. But they will enjoy the struggle and negotiations it shows. For that alone it will get a best picture nomination, you know, forget that golden child, Steven Spielberg, produced it.
Where this movie really stood out and no doubt will sweep the Oscars will be with the actors. Daniel Day Lewis LOOKED like Abraham Lincoln and by all accounts sounded and behaved just like him. I believed I was watching President Lincoln, it was an incredible performance. Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones were both absolutely stunning.
Unfortunately, this is a fairly boring moving. My inner history geek thought it was great, but a lot of the beauty of this movie will be lost on the masses. They may admire the fantastic performances by the entire cast (truly, ALL of them were awesome) and they may think the debates were somewhat amusing, but the struggle to significantly alter our Constitution and the work that went into it will be only an interesting side note, if even that. And that will be the real crime. I don't know how to make political debates any more interesting than what I saw on the screen yesterday - they were brilliant. Thaddius Stevens was merely an interesting name that somehow hung in my memory from college, but I didn't know how or why he was important. I'm sure some droll instructor covered him in one of many lectures. It's probably scribbled in one of the notepads I've kept. I'm quite sure no one told me of his linguistic artistry, but the man could make a point and drive it home. His significance in history was lost on me until yesterday. He was a passionate abolitionist and kept the slavery issue on the table at incredible odds. Without his passion and convictions Lincoln would not have had the backing necessary to write slavery out of the Constitution.
The one thing I do remember from high school, however, was the name Seward. He was Lincoln's Secretary of State (something that also didn't stick in my memory). The reason I remember him is that he was the guy who managed to bring Alaska in as a territory to the US and the newspapers called the deal "Seward's Folly".
There you go, a history lesson for the day. You're welcome.
What? The history geek doesn't remember these significant fellows? Nope. I hated history in high school and didn't discover its intrigue until college. So, yeah, lots of important stuff slipped in one ear and out the other.
Back to the movies, I have a couple of other nomination titles I've jotted down:
The Forger
Magic Mike - yes, I think supporting actor is due here
Being Flynn
Ruby Sparks
We are at the beginning of block buster season where many more titles will bubble to the surface. I can't wait to see The Hobbit. By all accounts it will be as amazing as the Lord of the Rings trilogy that each received their own nominations.
We'll have to wait until January to see how my predictions turn out.
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