Wednesday, February 09, 2005
The Pianist
- Who's watched: M
- Mentions: *1* (added 2/10/05 after watching movie)
- Commentary: So, I was wrong. There is one movie that Mom has seen that I have not...this one. In fact, she was the one who suggested we get it, when Costco has it, when we saw a commercial on TV for the dvd. She may have seen it at MCF's house...we visited there a lot up until just about a year and a half ago. Anyway, I'm not quite sure this is the movie she is remembering...I'm thinking she must be thinking of some kind of Liberace production type of movie, but she insists this is the one.
Which is fine with me. I am, generally, a Roman Polanski fan, and usually try to watch all his movies. I hadn't yet thought of owning them. This should be an interesting start.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Adrien Brody Władysław Szpilman Thomas Kretschmann Wilm Hosenfeld Maureen Lipman Edwarda Szpilman Emilia Fox Dorota
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2002
Directed by Roman Polanski.
Labels: dramaB, musical2, period5, roman-polanski, war2
M*A*S*H
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I know, this is the movie, not the series, and Mom loves the series, too, but that's on TV so much we decided not to buy it. This, however, is not.
Because, when I came to live with her, she liked this series so much and had been in the military just previous to the Korean conflict, so she identified with a lot of the show detail, I challenged her, once, to see the original movie from which the show was adapted. We were both surprised how much she liked it. I remember that she was surprised at the words of the theme song, with which one does not become familiar if one watches only the television series.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Donald Sutherland Hawkeye Pierce Elliott Gould Trapper John Sally Kellerman Hot Lips Tom Skerritt Duke
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1970
Directed by Robert Altman.
Labels: donald-sutherland, period5, robert-altman, satire2, war2
Citizen Kane
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I am surprised there are no mentions of this movie in either journal. Although I think I like it a bit better than Mom (I love the film perspective, I don't think she's crazy about it, but she likes the way the story is told), we watch this movie as a rental or on TCM a couple of times a year. Time to own it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Orson Welles Charles Foster Kane Joseph Cotten Jedediah Leland Agnes Moorehead Mary Kane Dorothy Comingore Susan Alexander Kane
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1941
Directed by Orson Welles.
Labels: anti-fascist, dramaB, journalism, melodramaA
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
The Spencer Tracy Legacy
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: Both my mother and I found Kathryn Hepburn's participation in this project especially revealing, and the letter she wrote to "Spence" after his death especially touching.
Please note, in order to access the article linked to the title of this post you will have to click into TCM's title link. It seems impossible to directly link to articles on TCM's website.
The top image, by the way, is a copy of the cover of the collection. The second image is of the cover of the individual dvd.
As of 8/17/21, there is no Wikipedia write-up for this documentary.
Release Date: 1986
This video is a part of the Tracy & Hepburn The Signature Collection.
Labels: biography2, documentary1, popcorn-and-soda5, spencer-tracy, tracy-hepburn
Pee Wee's Playhouse, Seasons 1 - 5
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2* *3*
- Commentary: We are hypnotized by this series, as well. I know; we should get out, more. But, what a way to go.
You will note that the images of this write-up say "#1" and "#2". That's because, initially, some years ago, when Paul Reubens released his Pee-Wee's Playhouse series, he released all the episodes in two parts. I'm not sure they are still sold this way. But, they were back then. According to Wikipedia's article, comparing it with our inventory, we own everything but the Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special.
Update 2/9/18: I have a memory ... One of the aspects of the series from which we both used to get a kick was Pee Wee's frequent admonition to "scream real loud", which we'd both do, on command, Mom much softer than me. I remember my mother saying, "Can't you just imagine what most mothers feel when their kids watch this show and 'scream real loud'?" And then she'd chuckle. One thing you can say, with authority, about my mom, she really loved kids.
Update 5/23/22: I once seriously considered ushering this series on to my local library. I decided to re-watch some of my favorite episodes from it, though, and found that my enjoyment trumped my belief that I would never watch it again. In fact, in the intervening years, I have pulled it out of my cabinet just to watch some of those favorite episodes, yet again, and "scream real loud". In case you're wondering, when Mom and I watched episodes, she, also, "screamed real loud", when Pee-Wee directed, although in a much more "lady-like" manner than me; sort of a muffled "Ahhhh...".
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Paul Reubens Pee-Wee Laurence Fishburne Cowboy Curtis Lynne Marie Stewart Miss Yvonne S. Epatha Merkerson Reba - Mail Lady
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the series.
Release Date: 1986-1990
Directed by Paul Reubens.
Labels: comedy2, kids, laurence-fishburne, popcorn-and-soda6, shared-favorite, TV2
Northern Exposure: 1st & 2nd Seasons
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2* *3* *4*
- Commentary: You already know a lot about our love affair with this series. We finally saw the pilot, yes, another one of those. We were not disappointed.
My mother loves the moose. I notice that Janine Turner's name appears against the moose in a particularly gawky stance. Interesting.
This time, guys, I'm sticking, for the most part, with Wikipedia write-ups for my title links. This title covers two seasons, so I've linked the general Wikipedia write-up for the entire series. Here are the pages for the 1st season and 2nd season.
And, by the way, yes, when we obtained the 1st and 2nd seasons, we received them almost immediately after they were released, so we received them in the zippered down jackets. I can't believe the company creating the dvds for sale didn't continue this. It was not only exciting to order those seasons, it was a pleasure to receive them. I remember my mother holding and feeling the jacketed packages, zipping and unzipping them and smiling, and saying things like, "Isn't that clever!" and, "I hope the person who thought of this was well paid."
Of course, this delightful packaging was abandoned by the oligarchs who oversaw the entire dvd sale campaign. Of course. Don't delight the plebes. They might realize it's possible to enjoy life and have a little fun.
Geez. Please let plutocratic capitalism fail soon. And, no, it wasn't capitalism that made this appropriate and fun dvd jacket. It was some lowly, much less well paid than her or his overseeing oligarch employee who happened to enjoy and believe in the series ... and, as soon as this delight was detected by the oligarchs, well, it was quashed. Of fucking course.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Rob Morrow Joel Fleischman Janine Turner Maggie O'Connell John Cullum Holling Vincoeur John Corbett Chris Stevens Barry Corbin Maurice Minnifield Darren E. Burrows Ed Chigliak Elaine Miles Marilyn Whirlwind Cynthia Geary Shelly Tambo Peg Phillips Ruth-Anne Miller Diane Delano Ofc. Barbara Semanski Paul Provenza Phil Capra Teri Polo Michelle Schowdowski
Here are the Wikipedia write-ups for the 1st and 2nd seasons.
Release Date: 1990-1991
Episodes directed by several people.
Labels: dramedy2, shared-favorite, TV3
Kung Fu: Entire Series 1972-1975 [Original Series]
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2* *3* *4* *5*
- Commentary: I know, I should be ashamed of how much I love this show. There's a lot of stuff involved: The time period; living on Guam when it first aired; knowing someone who became an instant and serious devotee of the series and what it represented, etc.
I'm not sure why my mother likes it, but I know she does. It has an hypnotic effect on both of us.
Although each of us, separately and together, have watched many episodes of this series many times, neither of us had seen the pilot, so that was a treat.
I think, too, one of the reasons we bond over this series is that both of us have a bit of the monk in us.
I know the story behind the series and know that, in some serious ways, its existence is a travesty to Bruce Lee, the man and the force. I keep this in mind when I watch it.
My mother is not concerned with politically tainted considerations. She just likes the shows. She mistakes David Carradine for his father. Interesting, because I think they look nothing alike, nor do they act alike, especially in this series. At some point David's father is in the series, playing an itinerant preacher. His brother Robert plays the preacher's mute sidekick, Sunny Jim. Another brother, Keith, plays Kwai Chang Caine as a teenage aspirant.
The article attached to the title (it was, btw, incredibly hard to find any writing about the old series, let alone criticism) has two parts. The second part is linked at the bottom of the first part, but the link is easy to miss. Here's a link to part two of that article.
By the way, IRL the third season's cover is actually a deep purple, not a deep blue. I guess it was, or still is, hard to reproduce purple in online photos.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role David Carradine Kwai Chang Caine Radames Pera Young Caine Keye Luke Master Po Philip Ahn Master Kan
→ Dean Jagger - Caine's Grandfather
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1972-1975
Episodes directed by several people. I think it is noteworthy that none of the episodes had a female director.
Labels: dean-jagger, jodie-foster, me-favorite3, pat-hingle, TV3, western
Deep Space 9: Entire Series
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2* *3* *4* *5* *6* *7* *8* *9*
- Commentary: This series is like school for both of us. We watch anywhere from 3 to 7 episodes a week. They are played throughout the day, spark conversation, sometimes I use them to keep Mom awake a little longer.
We are, by the way, nowhere near the end. I think, at this posting, we're lost somewhere in the third year. There is always a year's block on our floor in front of the dvd player, in case Mom wants to watch TV and there's "nothing on", and Animal Planet has lost its charms.
I still, by the way, have not seen how Judsea Dax dies.
Important!: I found the ultimate review (set of reviews, really) for this series, and it's a hummer of a review compendium. The write-up(s) for this series is linked to the title of this post. Each episode, linked on the first page, has its own review as well. Check it out!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Avery Brooks Benjamin Sisko René Auberjonois Odo Nana Visitor Kira Nerys Alexander Siddig Julian Bashir Michael Dorn Worf Armin Shimerman Quark Terry Farrell Judsea Dax Colm Meaney Miles O'Brien
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1993-1999
Directed by various people, some women.
Labels: aliens, female-director1, leonard-nimoy, rené-auberjonois, science-fiction2, shared-favorite, star-trek, TV3
Cosmos: The Entire 1980 Carl Sagan Series
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: This series is our church. We watch episodes of it often, reverently and with maximum alertness. The music has a tendency to blur the experience for Mom, but the stories and cosmopolitan view snap her out of it. We have been known to lose entire afternoons and evenings to episodes of this series. In a way, I consider it the essence of the spirit that keeps Mom around.
Take note, readers. The review of this series that I've linked to the title of this post is written by an actual scientist/science writer who was motivated into the science field by this series. Not that I don't want to you check out every link in every one of my posts, but this link is especially delicious. Check it out.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1980
Directed by Adrian Malone and other of its producers, none, apparently, female.
Labels: documentary1, dream1, science, spectacle2, TV3
Woman of the Year
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: Mom doesn't like this one as much as the other two Hepburn/Tracy movies we have. I think she considers some of the sentiment about marriage dishonest. She also, for some reason, has a hard time following the conversation in this movie; maybe because a lot of political and sports metaphors are used.
I consider it an unusually brave movie for the time because of the subject matter and for all time because it dares to complicate the issues of love and marriage for highly ambitious women, something we continue to consider daring, today.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Katharine Hepburn Tess Harding Spencer Tracy Sam Craig Fay Bainter Ellen Whitcomb Reginald Owen Clayton
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1942
Directed by George Stevens.
This movie is a part of the Tracy/Hepburn Collection.
Labels: dramedy2, katharine-hepburn, popcorn-and-soda6, shared-favorite, spencer-tracy, tracy-hepburn
Witness
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: The attraction for my mother with this movie is the wide swathes of glimpses into Amish life. I love the music [Maurice Jarre; the Jarres are my favorite father-son environmental composers] and the movie's seamless construction. We share our favorite scene: Hands down, the barn raising. My mother has been heard to say while this scene was unfolding, "Wouldn't it be nice to live that way again?" Telling comment: I believe it shows that she considers the way (and area within which) she was raised as a child culturally and spiritually similar to Amish society.
One other scene that always gets a rise out of her: When the heroine tells her father-in-law that he shames himself. "Good for her," my mother has been known to cheer.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Harrison Ford John Book Kelly McGillis Rachel Lapp Lukas Haas Samuel Lapp Jan Rubeš Eli Lapp Josef Sommer Paul Schaeffer Alexander Godunov Daniel Hochleitner Danny Glover James McFee Patti LuPone Elaine Book Viggo Mortensen Moses Hochleitner Brent Jennings Elton Carter Frederick Rolf Stoltzfus Angus MacInnes Leon Ferguson
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1985
Directed by Peter Weir.
Labels: danny-glover, dramaB, harrison-ford, mystery2, neo-noirA, peter-weir, popcorn-and-soda6, shared-favorite
Victor/Victoria
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: Watching this movie is pure delight for my mother. Although she appreciates children's or 'family' musicals, considers them, "very nice", her preference is for adult musicals. Recently, when we were watching a Broadway retrospective on PBS, she mentioned, while "Sweeney Todd" was being reviewed, that she thought she'd "enjoy that one".
My mother is a big fan of cross dressing and love/gender complications in movies. Add Julie Andrews, Robert Preston and James Garner and my mother will buy a ring side seat.
Update 2/10/18: You'll notice that I linked the title to a write-up about the play, not about the movie. You'll also notice, if you read the article, that the play is based on the movie, not vice versa, which is the usual case. That's why I linked to the article. I thought this bit of information was interesting, especially considering the stage musical actors in the film.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Julie Andrews Victoria Grant James Garner King Marchand Robert Preston Carroll Todd Lesley Ann Warren Norma Cassidy Alex Karras Squash Bernstein John Rhys-Davies Andre Cassell Graham Stark The Waiter Peter Arne Labisse
If you're curious about the Wikipedia article on this film, it's here.
Release Date: 1982
Directed by Blake Edwards.
Labels: comedy2, gender-bender, julie-andrews, mom-favorite2, musical2, period5, popcorn-and-soda6
Monday, February 07, 2005
The Fog of War
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: I'm sure you'll be surprised to know that my mother (and, thus, me) had a very successful experience with this movie. I continue to use it as a meditation on conflict. Often, when I'm using it for this, Mom will sit down and watch it from wherever it is when she notices I'm playing it.
By the way, Roger Ebert also wrote of a letter he received from Errol Morrs expressing unpleasant surprise at the controversy surrounding not only this movie, but many of his other movies. It's a thoughtful response. Check it out.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2003
Directed by Errol Morris.
Labels: documentary1, haunting2, historical4, me-favorite3, war2
The Clearing
- Who's watched: G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This one was a "freebie" with another movie, I can't remember which one. With Willem Dafoe, Helen Mirren and Robert Redford I thought this would be an interesting little piece. It wasn't quite as interesting as I thought, although I always enjoy watching all these actors. Mom hasn't watched it. I'll probably forget to mention it to her.
Update 8/11/21: No, I didn't keep this film. I didn't completely dislike it. I just realized, when it came time to cull my collection, I hadn't watched it more than once and probably wouldn't. So, I gave it to the library. If I decide I want to watch it, again, it's there for me. My library system, as it turns out, has four copies.
Update 10/19/24: I know. Bizarrely, I re-added this movie to my collection. Truth is, I've never forgotten it and when I find myself ruminating on it, I find myself wondering about this character quirk or that plot point or an idea in the movie's philosophy. In fact, just a few hours ago I was watching a movie essay in which this film was featured. Since I didn't remember exactly what the reviewer was talking about, and since the movie is extraordinarily cheap, now, I decided, what the hell, I'm placing another order, why not include this movie.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Robert Redford Wayne Hayes Helen Mirren Eileen Hayes Willem Dafoe Arnold Mack Alessandro Nivola Tim Hayes
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2004
Directed by Pieter Jan Brugge.
Labels: action3, dramaB, helen-mirren, robert-redford, willem-dafoe
The Chaplin Collection Vol. 1
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: Both my mother and I tend to forget, between watchings of these movies, how riveting they are. Typically, we watch one of these movies when we want to watch something and have absolutely no idea what we want to watch.
This collection, though, contains four films, listed below, very good mini-reviews at the site linked in the title of this post, but, if you're interested in more review material, here are more review resources:
The Gold Rush - both the 1925 and the 1942 editions
DVD Savant reviewed this movie twice, first when the DVD edition came out (that review is the immediately previous link; that is the edition I own) and again when the blu-ray edition hit the market. The reviews are not copies of one another, so I wanted to post both of them.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Charlie Chaplin The Tramp/The Lone Prospector Mack Swain Big Jim McKay Tom Murray Black Larsen Malcolm Waite Jack Cameron Georgia Hale The Girl Henry Bergman Hank Curtis Tiny Sandford Barman Sam Allen Dance Hall Man
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Modern Times - 1936 It's hard to pick a favorite; these are four of Chaplin's greatest, but judging from her reaction, I think Mom's favorite is probably Modern Times, she loves the man-in-the-cogs scene and never fails to say, "I wonder how they did that?!?"
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Charlie Chaplin Factory Worker/The Tramp Paulette Goddard Ellen Peterson Henry Bergman Café proprietor Stanley Sandford Big Bill
The Great Dictator - 1940 My favorite is The Great Dictator, for too many reasons to mention.
Roger Ebert devoted more than his usual amount of space to reviewing this movie. He not only assigned it "Great Movie" status (that review is the immediately previous link), he reviewed it initially 35 years before he christened it a Great Movie, then published, without comment, a letter from a dissenter of Ebert's opinion of the movie. Interesting reading, all of them.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Charlie Chaplin Jewish Barber/Adenoid Hynkel Reginald Gardiner Commander Schultz Paulette Goddard Hannah Jack Oakie Benzino Napaloni
Limelight - 1952
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Charlie Chaplin Calvero Claire Bloom Thereza Embrose Buster Keaton Calvero's Partner Nigel Bruce Postant
This film also includes several Chaplin relatives, lots of them children, mostly in uncredited, unnamed parts, including Oona O'Neill.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
All films in this collection were directed by Charlie Chaplin.
Labels: charlie-chaplin, comedy2, satire2, shared-favorite, silent
That's Entertainment! The Complete Collection
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I supposedly got these for my mother. She haunts cable looking for replays of the That's Entertainment series. I have to admit, though, I really enjoy them. They are especially good for generating energy. My mother and I both sing along to them. Sometimes, I dance along to them, too. Just for your info, the 4th disc, "Treasures from the Vault", is repetitious and boring. Don't bother.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the series. This write-up primarily covers the 1974 production. Links to the other two are attached to their respective release dates, below.
Release Date: 1974, 1976, 1994
Part One is directed by Jack Haley, Jr. Part Two is directed by Gene Kelly. Part Three is directed by Bud Friedgen and Michael Sheridan. No indication anywhere of who is responsible for direction on "Treasures from the Vault".
Labels: dance, documentary1, fred-astaire, historical4, mom-favorite2, musical2, popcorn-and-soda6
Spirited Away
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is another Little Buddha movie for both my mother and me. We dive into this and let it nourish us at least once every couple of months. My favorite spirits are the face masks. My mother's favorite spirit is the dragon "prince".
Roger Ebert reviewed this movie twice. His initial review is linked to the title of this post. Ten years later he christened this movie as one of his Great Movies
By the way, this is the English version of the movie.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Daveigh Chase Chihiro Ogino/Sen Jason Marsden Haku/Spirit of the Kohaku River Suzanne Pleshette Yubaba & Zeniba David Ogden Stiers Kamaji
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2001
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki.
Labels: adventure4, anime, coming-of-age2, kids, shared-favorite
Sneakers
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: Although it has a lot of high-recognition actors playing parts in it (check out the Actor/Role table, below), this movie was one of those that was better in the remembering than in the re-viewing of it. Even my mother thought so, and she's only seen it once.
It strikes me as a vanity project, which is why I passed it on to our local library. I haven't had the urge to check it out since I gleaned it from my collection. The wikipedia article on this film, linked below, records some pretty surprising dissension among critics, and, yet, apparently audiences liked it. Well, not this audience.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Robert Redford Bishop/Bruce Ben Kingsley Cosmo Sidney Poitier Donald Crease David Strathairn Irwin Emery Dan Aykroyd Darren Roskow River Phoenix Carl Arbogast Mary McDonnell Liz Ogilvy James Earl Jones Bernard Abbott
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1992
Directed by Phil Alden Robinson.
Labels: ben-kingsley, david-strathairn, mystery2, period5, robert-redford, thriller2
Sexy Beast
- Who's watched: G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I am also a devotee of Ben Kingsley's work. I find his portrayal in this movie thrilling. I'm sure my mother would ask, when it was over, "Now, what exactly was the point to that?!?" So, I don't imagine I'll ever invite her to watch it, nor will she express interest in it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Ray Winstone Gary Dove Ben Kingsley Don Logan Ian McShane Teddy Bass Amanda Redman DeeDee Dove
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2000
Directed by Jonathan Glazer.
Labels: ben-kingsley, dramaB, dream1, me-favorite3, neo-noirC, ray-winstone, violence3
Scarface
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: This is one of my very favorite movies. It is one of my mother's least favorite movies. She watched it once when some friends were visiting, one of them noticed I had the movie and wanted to watch it. The visit became a Scarface Fest. When the movie was over my mother turned to me and said, "I don't know why you like watching all that blood-letting, girl!" Neither do I.
Update 2/9/18: By the way, Roger Ebert wrote about this movie twice, which is why I am using his reviews (here's the other one) instead of Wikipedia's write-up (Okay, I'll link to that, too). One other thing: If you read the comments, you'll notice a link to a site called The Scarface World. The link is now dead, so I performed a cursory search and couldn't find it. [No, I have not linked to the site, only to a site that indicates that, yes, this site did exist, but has since been deprecated (who knows how long; I only now, on 6/18/21, found this site]. I noticed, however, a plethora of commentary on the movie all over the web. Just punch in its name, if you're curious, and you'll be overwhelmed with content. There's even a Scarface video game.
RE-WATCHED: 7/30-31/2020 Including bonus materials on disc 2. The bonus materials for this movie are especially interesting and there are loads of them, relatively speaking. They include one bonus on the changes made for a TV version and another on why it became so popular among gang members of the time. Al Pacino being interviewed for one of the bonuses dealing with acting the role was a treat. This movie remains an absolute favorite of mine. I can't imagine a time when I won't look forward to watching it ... again.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Al Pacino Tony Montana Steven Bauer Manny Ray Michelle Pfeiffer Elvira Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio Gina Robert Loggia Frank Lopez Míriam Colón Mama Montana F. Murray Abraham Omar Paul Shenar Alejandro Sosa
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Release Date: 1983
Directed by Brian De Palma.
Labels: action3, al-pacino, brian-de-palma, dramaC, f-murray-abraham, gang-movie, me-favorite4, neo-noirA, oliver-stone, popcorn-and-soda6, violence3
Saved!
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This was a pleasant surprise for both of us. I rented it on a hunch, since one of my sisters was a teenaged Jesus Freak and I'd had much experience with both teenage Fundamentalist Christians and Christian High Schools. I was apprehensive about how Mom would react, but she was as tickled with it as I was. When I noticed it at Costco, remembering that we'd watched it twice on rental, I bought it. We watched it again that night.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jena Malone Mary Cummings Mandy Moore Hilary Faye Stockard Macaulay Culkin Roland Stockard Eva Amurri Cassandra Edelstein
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2004
Directed by Brian Dannelly.
Labels: popcorn-and-soda6, religion1, satire2, shared-favorite
Rear Window
- Who's watched: M
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I know, I said there isn't a movie in our collection I haven't watched, and this is it! I got this movie because Mom's mentioned it off and on throughout the years and it appeared one day on sale at Costco. The day I bought it, some weeks ago, she was excited when I told her, settled in with it zestily, then, about ⅔ of the way through decided, without warning, to take a nap. She has watched it again, since then.
Roger Ebert wrote two reviews of this film, his initial review, linked to the title of this post, and another when he christened it one of his Great Movies.
Update 2/9/18: I have, as well, watched this movie since my mother's death. I find it mildly engaging but it isn't close to my favorite Hitchcock movie. That badge of honor belongs to Vertigo, a movie I've watched more than a few times since my mother's death. Just for the record, my second favorite Hitchcock movie is The Birds, mainly because I saw it when I was a kid. Its astonishingly dark ending really made an impression on me. I should note, I read the book before seeing the movie. Ah, the good old days of multi-literacy! I should also note, I have not seen nearly all of Hitchcock's movies, although all members of my family were devotees of his television show Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role James Stewart L. B. Jefferies Grace Kelly Lisa Carol Fremont Wendell Corey Thomas J. Doyle Raymond Burr Lars Thorwald Thelma Ritter Stella Judith Evelyn Miss Lonely Hearts Ross Bagdasarian As the Songwriter Georgine Darcy Miss Torso
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1954
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Labels: alfred-hitchcock, dramaC, james-stewart, melodramaC, mystery2, popcorn-and-soda6, suspense2, thelma-ritter
The Mosquito Coast
- Who's watched: G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: For my reaction to this movie, see the write-up for Ray.
Roger Ebert did drop a review on this movie, although he was not thrilled with it. He split with Gene Siskel on it.
Critics, in general, were vehemently split-to-negative on this film after its initial release. For this reason, the Reception section of the Wikipedia write-up is an interesting read. It has gained a much better reputation in the years since its release. When I first saw the film, in the theatre, although it was gritty, I liked it so much that I continued to recall scenes and bits of dialogue from it in the years hence, which is why I finally obtained a copy.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Harrison Ford Ali Fox Helen Mirren Margot Fox River Phoenix Charlie Fox Conrad Roberts Mr. Haddy Andre Gregory Reverend Spellgood Martha Plimpton Emily Spellgood Melanie Boland Mrs. Spellgood Dick O'Neill Mr. Polski
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1986
Directed by Peter Weir.
Labels: adventure4, dramaC, harrison-ford, helen-mirren, peter-weir, suspense2
Ray
- Who's watched: Neither of us has seen this one
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is one of only two dvds I've intentionally bought without viewing the presentation.
The other was The Mosquito Coast and, being a Peter Weir movie, I was destined to own it whether I liked it or not. It is my least favorite, so far, of all the Peter Weir films I've seen. I consider Master and Commander more worth another watch than The Mosquito Coast.
Anyway, I bought this one strictly from seeing Jamie Foxx on Inside the Actors Studio a couple of Sunday's ago. Mom and I both watched that episode and when I told her last week I'd bought the movie, she was pleased. But, we haven't yet seen it. I can't wait.
We finally watched the movie. Jamie Foxx's performence is dazzling, the music is good, the story is fairly interesting. We've only seen it once. I've kept it because of the "Hit the Road Jack" sequence and some of the other music, but, well, I don't know when we'll watch it again.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jamie Foxx Ray Charles C. J. Sanders Young Ray Kerry Washington Della Bea Robinson Clifton Powell Jeff Brown
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2004
Directed by Taylor Hackford.
Labels: biography2, dramaC, musical2, popcorn-and-soda6, taylor-hackford
Pat and Mike
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is the least played of the three Hepburn/Tracy movies we have, but this is not to say it is not well played. The character in this movie seems to remind my mother one of her cousins with whom she went to college, as, every time we watch this movie she gets an urge to call this cousin. The cousin wasn't a golf star, but she was of big, bold character, a type much admired by my mother's generation of women.
This movie is a part of the Tracy & Hepburn Signature Collection.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Spencer Tracy Mike Conovan Katharine Hepburn Pat Pemberton Aldo Ray Davie Hucko Jim Backus Charles Barry
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1952
Directed by George Cukor.
Labels: comedy2, katharine-hepburn, mom-favorite2, romance3, spencer-tracy, tracy-hepburn
