Movies

[laughter]

Feb 2, 2014 15:34:04 GMT -5 zendancer said:

"Gravity" violated so many laws of physics, and was so unbelievable, that it wouldn't even be on my top twenty list. By the time the capsule splashed down, I was sure that it would sink, and that Sandra would have to somehow get out of her spacesuit and swim to the surface (lucky the water wasn't 300 feet deep!). As the capsule was sinking, I was wondering, "What next? Sharks?" Ha ha. When Sandra finally stumbled ashore, I wondered, "Okay, no sharks, so what next? Quicksand?"

--- SPOILER ALERT ... avert your eyes if you haven't seen "Gravity" yet!

yeah yeah yeah ... air, fire, water, earth ... what kept her alive in space almost killed her until she shed her skin ... all about as subtle as a meteor falling on my head ...

George Clooney's stature in Hollywood has grown to the point were noone dare send him a script where he doesn't get to play every major male archetype (fool, hero, sage, christ), in order, and within the first half hour of the film.

ps ... didya catch the buddha?

[stardustpilgrim]

Feb 2, 2014 15:34:04 GMT -5 zendancer said:

"Nebraska" (can anyone here provide an opinion?)

I saw Nebraska back in December. I think you have to be a real fan of films to like it. It's slow, subtle. I probably would not have gone to see it, however, I heard an interview with the director on public radio, he made me want to go see it, I had also heard a lot of good things about it. It's a nice little film. Didn't know Stacy Keach was in it, nice job being who he was, old friend, old partner. I have kept up with Bruce Dern for years, he usually played a bad guy. Many years ago I saw this nice little film with Dern the main character called Silent Running. With a couple of little robots he was the caretaker of the remaining plant life in an orbiting ecosystem (R2D2 was probably stolen from the robots). So I knew Dern was capable of being more than a bad guy.

It starts out, Dern, probably 80+, is walking down the side of a busy highway, alone. Eventually a cop stops to see what's going on, takes Dern to the police station, calls his son. Dern lives in Montana I think it is, is walking to Lincoln, Nebraska to collect the million dollars he has won in a sweepstakes give-a-way. Eventually when son sees Dern cannot be dissuaded, agrees to take Dern to Nebraska. Filmed in black and white (actually filmed in color for foreign release), I'm glad I saw it. Dern probably cannot win an Oscar in the way that Henry Fonda On Golden Pond beat out Burt Lancaster Atlantic City in I don't remember what year.....on....but let's see the Academy knows Dern where the public doesn't, so maybe he can win...... Lots of local non-actors acting....being themselves....good job...

sdp

[zendancer]

Feb 2, 2014 23:55:20 GMT -5 stardustpilgrim said:

Feb 2, 2014 15:34:04 GMT -5 zendancer said:

"Nebraska" (can anyone here provide an opinion?)

I saw Nebraska back in December. I think you have to be a real fan of films to like it. It's slow, subtle. I probably would not have gone to see it, however, I heard an interview with the director on public radio, he made me want to go see it, I had also heard a lot of good things about it. It's a nice little film. Didn't know Stacy Keach was in it, nice job being who he was, old friend, old partner. I have kept up with Bruce Dern for years, he usually played a bad guy. Many years ago I saw this nice little film with Dern the main character called Silent Running. With a couple of little robots he was the caretaker of the remaining plant life in an orbiting ecosystem (R2D2 was probably stolen from the robots). So I knew Dern was capable of being more than a bad guy.

It starts out, Dern, probably 80+, is walking down the side of a busy highway, alone. Eventually a cop stops to see what's going on, takes Dern to the police station, calls his son. Dern lives in Montana I think it is, is walking to Lincoln, Nebraska to collect the million dollars he has won in a sweepstakes give-a-way. Eventually when son sees Dern cannot be dissuaded, agrees to take Dern to Nebraska. Filmed in black and white (actually filmed in color for foreign release), I'm glad I saw it. Dern probably cannot win an Oscar in the way that Henry Fonda On Golden Pond beat out Burt Lancaster Atlantic City in I don't remember what year.....on....but let's see the Academy knows Dern where the public doesn't, so maybe he can win...... Lots of local non-actors acting....being themselves....good job...

sdp

Thanks for the review of Nebraska. It's probably too low key for me, and I doubt it has the kinds of existential overtones I enjoy. "Inside Llewely Davis" and "All IS Lost" were other films that didn't succeed for me, but they were critically acclaimed by the critics. I, too, saw Dern in "Silent Running," and still remember that movie fondly--a cool sci-fi flick.

[Deleted]

Feb 1, 2014 23:52:16 GMT -5 laughter said:

So imagine Woody Allen sitting around the brunch table with a few dozen of his closest friends in Caanes or Aspen or Monaco or some such place. During a lull in the conversation he chimes in with that high-pitched, inquisitive-day-dreamy brain-storm voice he has: “… so just what was it that Blanche Dubois was running from anyway? I meeeeannn – we know it’s some sort of scandal and there’s a hint that she’s no stranger to a straight jacket … but … it’s so mysterious! … know what I mean? What if … what if - what if the story actually revolved around that? Huh?”

I'm imagining someone at the table, maybe the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman (RIP) clearing his throat and saying "well maybe it was something unbearable she had done in the past..."

Soon-Yi interjects "Can you believe the Seahawks' defense?"

Woody Allen "Oh yes dear, what about that Peyton ...er...Peyton Brady -- brilliant!"

Other brunch guests look around at eachother, wide-eyed. Hoffman starts giggling.

[Deleted]

Feb 2, 2014 23:55:20 GMT -5 stardustpilgrim said:

Feb 2, 2014 15:34:04 GMT -5 zendancer said:

"Nebraska" (can anyone here provide an opinion?)

I saw Nebraska back in December. I think you have to be a real fan of films to like it. It's slow, subtle. I probably would not have gone to see it, however, I heard an interview with the director on public radio, he made me want to go see it, I had also heard a lot of good things about it. It's a nice little film. Didn't know Stacy Keach was in it, nice job being who he was, old friend, old partner. I have kept up with Bruce Dern for years, he usually played a bad guy. Many years ago I saw this nice little film with Dern the main character called Silent Running. With a couple of little robots he was the caretaker of the remaining plant life in an orbiting ecosystem (R2D2 was probably stolen from the robots). So I knew Dern was capable of being more than a bad guy.

It starts out, Dern, probably 80+, is walking down the side of a busy highway, alone. Eventually a cop stops to see what's going on, takes Dern to the police station, calls his son. Dern lives in Montana I think it is, is walking to Lincoln, Nebraska to collect the million dollars he has won in a sweepstakes give-a-way. Eventually when son sees Dern cannot be dissuaded, agrees to take Dern to Nebraska. Filmed in black and white (actually filmed in color for foreign release), I'm glad I saw it. Dern probably cannot win an Oscar in the way that Henry Fonda On Golden Pond beat out Burt Lancaster Atlantic City in I don't remember what year.....on....but let's see the Academy knows Dern where the public doesn't, so maybe he can win...... Lots of local non-actors acting....being themselves....good job...

sdp

Ever see Lynch's The Straight Story?

Also a good one on aging: Strangers in Good Company.

[duderino]

Feb 2, 2014 23:48:21 GMT -5 laughter said:

Feb 2, 2014 15:34:04 GMT -5 zendancer said:

"Gravity" violated so many laws of physics, and was so unbelievable, that it wouldn't even be on my top twenty list. By the time the capsule splashed down, I was sure that it would sink, and that Sandra would have to somehow get out of her spacesuit and swim to the surface (lucky the water wasn't 300 feet deep!). As the capsule was sinking, I was wondering, "What next? Sharks?" Ha ha. When Sandra finally stumbled ashore, I wondered, "Okay, no sharks, so what next? Quicksand?"

yeah yeah yeah ... air, fire, water, earth ... what kept her alive in space almost killed her until she shed her skin ... all about as subtle as a meteor falling on my head ...

George Clooney's stature in Hollywood has grown to the point were noone dare send him a script where he doesn't get to play every major male archetype (fool, hero, sage, christ), in order, and within the first half hour of the film.

ps ... didya catch the buddha?

SPOILER ALERT!   

[Deleted]

Feb 2, 2014 23:48:21 GMT -5 laughter said:

Feb 2, 2014 15:34:04 GMT -5 zendancer said:

"Gravity" violated so many laws of physics, and was so unbelievable, that it wouldn't even be on my top twenty list. By the time the capsule splashed down, I was sure that it would sink, and that Sandra would have to somehow get out of her spacesuit and swim to the surface (lucky the water wasn't 300 feet deep!). As the capsule was sinking, I was wondering, "What next? Sharks?" Ha ha. When Sandra finally stumbled ashore, I wondered, "Okay, no sharks, so what next? Quicksand?"

yeah yeah yeah ... air, fire, water, earth ... what kept her alive in space almost killed her until she shed her skin ... all about as subtle as a meteor falling on my head ...

George Clooney's stature in Hollywood has grown to the point were noone dare send him a script where he doesn't get to play every major male archetype (fool, hero, sage, christ), in order, and within the first half hour of the film.

ps ... didya catch the buddha?

This reminds me of another flick I forgot to mention, also containing my favorite Clooney character, majorly out of character:

Oh Brother Where Art Thou?

[laughter]

[stardustpilgrim]

Being There.

[duderino]

Just watched "Gravity," loved it

[laughter]

To see the actor with arguably one of the most sonorous voices and great stage presence based on that in our times deliver what is arguably the non-dualy-ist line of Billy Shakes dialog was pretty cool.

[stardustpilgrim]

I had passed on American Hustle because the previews made it look too zany and scattered, but on zd's recommendation, went to see it last weekend. I don't see many films twice but I'll probably have to see this one again. Very good film. I saw the director (who is also the writer) on Charlie Rose and also heard him on NPR. Pretty cool dude......

sdp

[duderino]

Feb 23, 2014 17:05:46 GMT -5 stardustpilgrim said:

I had passed on American Hustle because the previews made it look too zany and scattered, but on zd's recommendation, went to see it last weekend. I don't see many films twice but I'll probably have to see this one again. Very good film. I saw the director (who is also the writer) on Charlie Rose and also heard him on NPR. Pretty cool dude......

sdp

Wouldn't mind seeing American Hustle....

i dare anyone here to watch "the Conjuring"  -takes some kahunas for this one   ..prb one of the better fright flicks I've seen in a while!

[stardustpilgrim]

A post on the Self Improvement thread reminded me of the film Hurricane. It's a very good film, true story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, pretty good boxer, moving toward being a heavyweight championship contender. Hurricane was convicted of murder, got a retrial and was convicted again. (If you want to know what happened, go to the Self Improvement thread, I "spoiled" it there). Denzel Washington plays Hurricane, film also somewhat shows Carter's interior spiritual journey.....as in he pretty-much had to go inside in order to deal with the outside. If there was any one-somebody who had to deal with a raw deal in life, Rubin Carter has to be near the top.

sdp

[laughter]

Feb 25, 2014 10:16:32 GMT -5 stardustpilgrim said:

A post on the Self Improvement thread reminded me of the film Hurricane. It's a very good film, true story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, pretty good boxer, moving toward being a heavyweight championship contender. Hurricane was convicted of murder, got a retrial and was convicted again. (If you want to know what happened, go to the Self Improvement thread, I "spoiled" it there). Denzel Washington plays Hurricane, film also somewhat shows Carter's interior spiritual journey.....as in he pretty-much had to go inside in order to deal with the outside. If there was any one-somebody who had to deal with a raw deal in life, Rubin Carter has to be near the top.

sdp

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