Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Searching for Bobby Fischer
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: Just an absolute gem of a movie, from the casting of every part to the story. Quietly inspirational. Whenever we watch this movie Mom always sighs at the end and says, "That just makes me feel good about being alive."
Ditto.
Additionally, this movie is loaded with amazing actors, from the leads to the bit parts. They all deserve recognition for this effort, so I've listed just about all of them in the table, below.
In case you're interested, you might like to access this link to the script for this movie.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Max Pomeranc Josh Waitzkin Joe Mantegna Fred Waitzkin Joan Allen Bonnie Waitzkin Ben Kingsley Bruce Pandolfini Laurence Fishburne Vincent Livermore Robert Stephens Jonathan's teacher David Paymer Kalev Hal Scardino Morgan Pehme William H. Macy Tunafish father Dan Hedaya Tournament director Laura Linney Josh's school teacher Tony Shalhoub Chess club player
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1993
Directed by Steven Zaillian.
Labels: ben-kingsley, biography1, drama9, laura-linney, laurence-fishburne, shared-favorite, teaching
{proof}
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I'm surprised that I haven't mentioned this movie in the journal. It made such an impression on me that I bought it the same day I rented and watched it. This is yet another movie that doesn't mention caregiving but is about caregiving. Although the detail is specific, the caregiver daughter shares an unusual talent for math with the father, the extent to which the caregiver comes to identify with the care recipient is not dependent on a shared talent. Watching the movie continues to give me goose flesh. My mother and I are not linked by an unusual talent but we are, now, linked by concern and proximity as well as a very dynamic love. I was also impressed by the relationship between the two daughters, how it spoke of the other daughter's relationship with her father...some subtle things were said about why certain people take over the care of their parent and others don't. As well, I certainly know the feeling of not needing to have someone take care of me but the fear that one (or more) of my sisters will feel the need to "care" for me. This movie is the second in my "library" of films that show an interest in caregiving, the first being Marvin's Room.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Gwyneth Paltrow Catherine Llewellyn Anthony Hopkins Robert Llewellyn Jake Gyllenhaal Harold Dobbs Hope Davis Claire Llewellyn
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2005
Directed by John Madden.
Labels: anthony-hopkins, caregiver, drama9, jake-gyllenhaal, me-favorite2
Philadelphia
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: I was finally moved to buy this movie when I noticed that every time it appeared on television, even if on a channel that corrupted its flow with commercials, Mom and I would tune in, even though we mostly notice it after the movie has started. My fascination for the movie has to do with some of it's techniques, particularly when the camera attempts to duplicate Hank's character's point of view. The small gestures in this film are perfect, as well, and the aria scene never fails to grab me. I'm not sure what Mom likes about the film, but she watches it as intently as I.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Tom Hanks Andrew Beckett Denzel Washington Joe Miller Jason Robards Charles Wheeler Mary Steenburgen Belinda Conine Antonio Banderas Miguel Álvarez Joanne Woodward Sarah Beckett Robert W. Castle Bud Beckett Ann Dowd Jill Beckett
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1993
Directed by Jonathan Demme.
Labels: denzel-washington, drama9, jason-robards-jr, joanne-woodward, political4, tom-hanks
My Neighbor Totoro
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: We're both enchanted by this film, more for the relationship between the sisters, the portrayal of the neighbor boy (which is delightfully right on) and the wonderful father, who straddles both his own and his children's worlds with extraordinary dexterity. Some of Miyazaki's films are more spectacular, but this movie, quietly and deftly, vindicates and celebrates everyone's childhood, and, in particular, everyone's childhood imagination and its creations.
And, yes, Roger Ebert christened it one of his Great Movies.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Dakota Fanning Satsuki Kusakabe Elle Fanning Mei Kusakabe Tim Daly Tatsuo Kusakabe Lea Salonga Yasuko Kusakabe Frank Welker Totoro Paul Butcher Kanta Ōgaki Pat Carroll Granny Frank Welker Catbus
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1988
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki.
Labels: animated, fantasy3, kids
Fearless
- Who's watched: M (partially) & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is one of my favorite movies, handled by one of my favorite filmmakers, Peter Weir. I thought Mom would eat this one up but, so far, during three watchings since I acquired this film, her attention has wandered, even though she always finds the initial build up interesting. Since it's a film I'll be watching over and over, my hope is that one of these days she'll hone into it through to the end and discover it's delights.
Update 2/7/18: For some years I've loved The Peter Weir Cave as a source for off-the-beaten-path information on Peter Weir. I've just discovered, as I linked this movie to The Cave, that the website apparently hasn't be kept up in a long time. I'm not reluctant to link the title, above, to The Cave website but, be forewarned, a lot of links are broken.
Update 2/10/18: I added the label "super-hero" to this movie. It's not a classic super-hero movie, but it strikes me as a psychological meditation on the super-hero experience. It also occurred to me that you might like to see Roger Ebert's review of this movie just in case the Peter Weir Cave caves in.
Update 2/18/22: Today I added the 1.78:1 aspect ratio blu-ray of this movie to my collection. The copy I first owned was 1.33:1 aspect ratio. It was fine on the old TV that Mom owned. It was, in fact, probably preferable. I love this movie, though, watch it at least once a year ... and, knowing, for some years, that there exists a widescreen version which would be dynamite on my widescreen television causes me some irritation, when I watch it, until I really get into the movie. Now, I won't have to suffer.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jeff Bridges Max Klein Isabella Rossellini Laura Klein Rosie Perez Carla Rodrigo Tom Hulce Steven Brillstein John Turturro Dr. Bill Perlman Benicio del Toro Manny Rodrigo Deirdre O'Connell Nan Gordon John de Lancie Jeff Gordon
So, just in case you're looking for further information about this movie, here's the Wikipedia link for Fearless.
Release Date: 1993
Directed by Peter Weir.
Labels: drama9, haunting2, peter-weir, super-hero2
Elizabeth R
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2*
- Commentary: Another one of our perennial BBC favorites. Believe it or not, our entire family first watched this on Guam during it's first run. I was reminded of it when my mother became entranced with HBO's recent offering Elizabeth I.
It's hard to say which she and I each prefer, although the BBC version has more compelling detail, and, of course, Glenda Jackson is the definitive Queen Elizabeth I, although Helen Mirren runs a very, very close second, and Jeremy Irons is my favorite, by a hair, for The Duke of Leichester.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Glenda Jackson Elizabeth I Robert Hardy Robert Dudley Ronald Hines William Cecil Stephen Murray Francis Walsingham John Shrapnel Thomas Radclyffe Bernard Horsfall Christopher Hatton Robin Ellis Robert Devereux Jason Kemp Edward VI
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1971
The directors of the six episodes are:- The Lion's Cub directed by Claude Whatham
- The Marriage Game directed by Herbert Wise
- Shadow in the Sun directed by Richard Martin
- Horrible Conspiracies directed by Roderick Graham
- The Enterprise of England directed by Donald McWhinnie
- Sweet England's Pride directed by Roderick Graham
Labels: biography1, drama9, historical3, period4, political4, royals, TV2
The Elephant Man
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is one of those movies that has a hypnotic effect on both of us; both the way it's filmed and the story. Every time we watch it we're galvanized into a discussion of the extraordinary possibilities inherent in the desire to survive, regardless of the difficulty.
One odd note: This movie was filmed in Black & White. Every time we watch this movie, the B&W filming tricks my mother into thinking one of two things, sometimes both on the same night: 1) that the film is a very old movie made when she was much younger than she is now, and 2) that the film is actually a newsreel captured early in the 20th century. Funny, the tricks the history of film can play on someone who's been alive through much of that history!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Anthony Hopkins Frederick Treves John Hurt John Merrick Hannah Gordon Ann Treves Anne Bancroft Madge Kendal John Gielgud Francis Carr Gomm Wendy Hiller Mrs Mothershead Freddie Jones Mr Bytes Michael Elphick Jim the Night Porter
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1980
Directed by David Lynch.
Labels: anthony-hopkins, biography2, drama9, historical3, john-gielgud, period4
Boston Legal, Seasons 1 - 5
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2* *3* *4*
- Commentary: It never fails to amaze me that Mom enjoys this show as much as I do. I didn't expect her to. I thought she'd find the broad satire tense and boring, but it's not uncommon for her to find it laugh-out-loud funny and the legal issues intrigue her.
It never fails that, after a show, we find ourselves discussing some aspect of the show we've just viewed. We'll definitely be watching and collecting all seasons.
Update 5/14/2002: We did, indeed, collect all five seasons and Mom watched every episode with much enthusiasm. Frankly, I think she may have a crush on William Shatner (she is a Trekie), or maybe James Spader. Or both. I wouldn't put it past her.
And, Candice Bergen (she is also a Murphy-ite). She always has time for Candice Bergen!
In the table below I am listing only actors and their corresponding roles that are most recognizable to Mom.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role James Spader Alan Shore William Shatner Denny Crane Candice Bergen Shirley Schmidt René Auberjonois Paul Lewiston Mark Valley Brad Chase Meredith Easton Bethany Horowitz Julie Bowen Denise Bauer John Larroquette Carl Sack
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2004-2008
Directed by several people; female directors sparse and only in Seasons 1, 2 and 4.
Labels: candice-bergen, female-director1, legal, rené-auberjonois, satire2, shared-favorite, TV2
