Seen any good movies recently?

ralphinlaos · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:43 pm Post subject: Seen any good movies recently?

Last night I watched a beautiful and engrossing movie, with not a gunshot or car chase in the entire film. Just a nice, quiet story with some good performances. It was one in the morning, I was going to bed, but saw that Miss Potter was coming up, so I thought I'd watch a few minutes. Well, nearly two hours later the movie was ending and I had enjoyed it very much. Renee Zellwegger was excellent, as was Ewan MacGregor and a great supporting cast. Some beautiful scenery, forbidden love, literate dialogue - and it's a true story! Beatrix Potter became the bestselling children's author of her time and left 4,000 acres of land as a nature preserve to the British government when she died. This is not a sappy, gooey romance or childen's movie - it's an adult delight with not an "f" word in sight. I liked it a lot!

What have you liked lately?

Ralph

President Camacho · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:18 pm Post subject:

Ralph, the last movie I saw was Transformers. It was more than meets the eye. When I was a kid I used to play with them and watch the cartoon. I liked that they remained pretty true to what I remember and even toughened up the little auto-bot, Bumble Bee. They made the movie acceptable for a young audience, which was great (very few curse words). It just made it more authentic to have it that way. It was like i was going on a little trip back to childhood and taking the cool adult things with me (not including the curse words). If you enjoyed transformers when you were a child then I think you'll love the movie. If you never played with the toys or watched the t.v. show then you probably won't like it as much.

For BT general education:

Transformers are fictional alien robots and the titular characters of a popular[1] Hasbro toy line and its spin-offs. They come from the planet Cybertron and are divided into the heroic Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, and the evil Decepticons, led by Megatron. They are able to "transform", rearranging their bodies into common or innocuous forms, including vehicles, devices or animals. Beyond that, they can displace mass (i.e. shrink and expand), combine with one another, and apply synthetic flesh (see: Transformers technology). This ability to transform is reflected in the programs' taglines "More Than Meets the Eye" and "Robots in Disguise"

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformers_%28fiction%29

Penelope · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:42 pm Post subject: My favourite Films..

RalphinLaos

Just keeping in touch. Notice my subject title. We, at our house, in the UK, say, 'Films' not 'Movies' !!!!

Having said that.....I love 'The Graduate' and I have never seen a film with Dustin Hoffman that I have not liked.

I love an old, old black and white film called 'Night of the Iguana' with a very young Richard Burton and Deborah Kerr. I don't know why I love it so much except that I understand all the dilemmas involved.

I love 'The Sleeper' that wonderful Woody Allen film....which seems much longer than it actually is....but in a good way.

'Clockwise' with John Cleese - now this is very British Humour....but as a teacher.....you've got to love it.

The most recent film in my favourites list is 'Love Actually' because it leaves one feeling cheerful. Even though when Emma Thompson goes out of the room to have a heartrending weep in private and then returns to the room and behaves as though nothing is the matter.......it makes me cry...because I've been there and done that.

and....Liam Neeson is..........my hearthrob. What a shallow person I am.

Saffron · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:26 pm Post subject:

Ralphinlaos,
Based on your liking of Miss Potter, I've got a few recommendations.
1. Once (Irish Indie film)
2. Neverland (in the same vein of Miss Potter)
3. Strictly Ballroom (Aussie film)
4. Danny Deckchair (Aussie again)
5. The Princess Bride

Saffron · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:35 pm Post subject:

RinL
Oh, and one more. If you haven't see the Ivory Merchant film, Room With a View (E.M. Forster) it is one of my all time favorites. It is beautiful to watch, with lush scenery, Rome and Surrey, England, a stunning Helena Bonham Carter, a bawdy song, lust and longing and a few stolen kisses!

Chris OConnor · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:17 pm Post subject:

The Princess Bride is one of those movies you can watch over and over again without getting tired of it. I must have seen it a dozen times over the years.

Saffron · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 pm Post subject:

Tonks · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:43 pm Post subject:

I also love the movie Love Actually. I cry every time I see that part with Emma Thompson. Makes you realize all the different varietys of love, good and bad.

I very much enjoy the movie Waking Ned Devine, which hardly anyone I know has ever seen. It's a terrific little Irish movie about a small town trying to win the lottery. It's one of my all time favorites! Very Happy

Chris OConnor · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:59 pm Post subject:

I'm not much into crying when I watch movies. Too many real life tragedies to cry about. My wife is downstairs watching Lifetime probably crying her heart out. We both laugh about it. Every Sunday she does a Lifetime marathon where she watches one tear-jerker after the next. Laughing

ralphinlaos · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:03 am Post subject:

Hello everyone -

Some good movie memories, huh? There really are some wonderful movies out there; sometimes we just have to make an effort to find them.

President Camacho - What can I say? Aren't we supposed to move on at some point in our lives? Since I don't have young children, I have never seen a transformer in my life. And I have to confess, any movie with "Transformer" or "Robot" in the title won't get any of my money. My loss, I guess. I wonder what gems I have missed over the years.

Penelope - Where have you been? I thought you were spending all your time at the local. Of course you say "films;" you also say "lift" and "boot" and "nappies" and . . . I watch The Weakest Link and, although it's in English, I understand about half of it (but still enjoy it).

Night of the Iguana is an excellent film ("film") oif a Tennessee Williams' play (I saw the play in Chicago with Bette Davis, in an orange wig and a chambray shirt open to her waist - the audience didn't ecognize her when she first appeared). Margaret Leighton played the Deborah Kerr role (Bette did the Ava Gardner role).

I haven't seen The Sleeper or Clockwise, but will keep my eyes open if I ever come across either one.

Also, Love Actually. I've had many opportunities to see it, but just haven't been interested. I thought it was just another Hugh Grant variation on his old theme. I'll check it out; several people here seem to like it (and it does have the always watchable Emma Thompson, whose mother Philippa Law appears in Miss Potter - but since I don't know what she looks like, I don't know which old lady she played).

What's the movie Liam Neeson did with Jessica Lange - a really excellent historical epic, whose title I can't remember right now. Also, did you see Liam (all of him!) in Kinsey?

Saffron - Yes, I have seen and enjoyed Strictly Ballroom several times; one of my favorite movies. And I remember enjoying The Princess Bride a lot when I was younger; haven't seen it in years. I have a DVD of The Neverending Story but haven't watched it yet. Isn't Once the movie which had the Academy Award winning song this year? And Danny Deckchair - I haven't heard of this one at all. I'll keep an eye out for it. And now, for a complete departure, have you seen Once Were Warriors? Filled with violence and vulgar language and people you wouldn't want to have over for dinner, but a really wonderful film - from New Zealand.

Oh, I have enjoyed so many of the Ivory/Merchant films over the years. I think one of them died a couple of years ago, was it James Ivory? A Room With a View is a terrific movie - I've always wondered why Helena Bonham Carter isn't a bigger star? She's beautiful and talented, but whe does have a sort of superior air about her; maybe she just doesn't care about being a household name. I think her romantic life has also gotten in the way of her career at times. But this movie was one of her best, and Maggie Smith is always great. The British have some wonderful older actresses - always have, I think.

Tonks, I have seen Waking Ned Devine several times - a funny movie with a couple of terrific performances (clothed and unclothed). I've heard that someone is adapting this as a musical for Broadway - I hope it's as good as the movie.

I don't know, Chris, but it seems to me that the older I get, the closer my emotions get to the surface. It doesn't take too much to make these old eyes tear up - and real human suffering will get me everytime. I really don't know how there can be a dry eye in the house when Miss Celie is standing on the porch and sees, off in the distance, her childen returning after years away, their African robes blowing in the wind. The Color Purple! And Trevor Howard/Celia Johnson in Brief Encounter - gets me every time.

Noel Coward said it best: "Funny how potent cheap sentiment is." That's from Private Lives and is probably not totally correct, but it's the idea.

There's a movie I'm really looking forward to, playing on the MGM Movie Channel next weekend. It's Babette's Feast, and in all these years, I've never seen it. In French with English sub-titles, no problem. I've heard it's a gem.

Ralph

Saffron · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:18 am Post subject:

Penelope · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:21 am Post subject:

Another one to look out for.....if you haven't seen it, is 'Peter's Friends'. I like the music in this one.

It has some swearing - but I have never heard the F-word used to such wonderful effect as by Kenneth Brannagh in this film.

Actually, I try not to use swear words.....but I do like them. Wonderfully expressive and a great release when uptight and stressed.

Does anyone else love 'The Snatch'? Brad Pit playing an Irish Tinker...wonderfully well.

I am not a person who either cries, or laughs easily.......I do have a well-developed sense of humour but I don't often laugh out loud......so films like the above which make me laugh and cry out loud, must be good.

Tonks · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:13 pm Post subject:

I saw Juno in theaters during all the Oscar hype. I thought it was great and I actually purchased it last week and watched it again. It's so deliciously awkward. I love how strange all of the characters are and how you can actually say, "I'm sort of weird like they are!"

Reminds me of the year American Beauty won the Oscar. It wasn't a movie I would have expected to see in the line up, but it was also a terrific movie. Smile

Ophelia · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:45 pm Post subject:

dbooks · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:29 pm Post subject:

I really loved Miss Potter, and it also reminded me a lot of Finding Neverland

Next on my watching list is Becoming Jane, about Jane Austen: I hope they haven't romanticized her life too much... Has anyone seen it?
About Love actually, I must say that I was quite disappointed by this one. I was expecting a lot, and didn't like it as well as I hoped (but any movie with Colin Firth can't be a complete disappointment Smile

...)

Penelope: I saw Peter's Friends when it first aired in movie theaters, and I remember this was a great movie. Kenneth Brannagh is really excellent (though I don't remember the swearing scenes...)


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