Monday, May 09, 2022
Gladiator
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2* *3*
- Commentary: As covered in one of the above Mentions, this movie was suggested by MFS. I was surprised at how much Mom loved it. I enjoy it, too. It's yet another spectacle movie for me (I should create a "spectacle" category, shouldn't I...I think I will, then add to it later) and I love a variety of the acting performances in this movie, particularly (but not solely) Richard Harris as Marcus Aurelius. Before he ever says anything in the movie his acting makes many aspects of Marcus Aurelius' character clear. We watched this movie on TV several times, in "to-fit-your-screen" format, before I finally purchased it. Much better in widescreen. On a whim, I watched the movie last night. I continue to find it supremely entertaining; and, as well, now that Mom's dead, surprisingly emotional, specifically at the end when Juba says, as he buries Maximus' personal idols, "I will see you again, but not yet." If you have any interest in this movie, I urge you to click into the link to the title of the movie, above, which will send you to a thorough and compelling critique of the historicity of the movie. Believe me, despite the astonishing number of historical inaccuracies in the movie, the critique renders watching the movie even more enjoyable.
Update 2/7/18: So much has been written about this film since it aired. Quite a bit has been dumped, as well, including the link I had originally attached to the title above. I've attached another which may be helpful but, just in case, here's the Wikipedia link for Gladiator which may be a good starting place if you're interested in historicity research.
Update 8/2/21: The link I attached in 2018 still holds strong, is still remarkably interesting, and even has a comment attached. Take advantage of it before it disappears into the oligarchic ether.
Update 5/23/22: Another post I managed to disappear. It's original publication date is 4/9/09.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Russell Crowe Maximus Decimus Meridius Joaquin Phoenix Commodus Connie Nielsen Lucilla Oliver Reed Antonio Proximo Derek Jacobi Senator Gracchus Djimon Hounsou Juba Richard Harris Marcus Aurelius Ralf Möller Hagen Tommy Flanagan Cicero David Schofield Senator Falco John Shrapnel Senator Gaius Tomas Arana General Quintus Spencer Treat Clark Lucius Verus David Hemmings Cassius Sven-Ole Thorsen Tigris of Gaul Giannina Facio Maximus's wife Omid Djalili Slave Trader Giorgio Cantarini Maximus's son Adam Levy Condemned Officer ADavid J. Nicholls Giant Man
Release Date: 2000
Directed by Ridley Scott.
Labels: action3, adventure3, drama7, historical2, joaquin-phoenix, period3, political3, revenge1, ridley-scott, russell-crowe, shared-favorite, spectacle1, suspense2, violence3, war1
Sunday, May 08, 2022
Thelma & Louise
- Commentary: Blew me away when I was watching this movie on cable, one evening, late, Mom awoke within the first 15 minutes of the movie, I decided to keep it on because I really wanted to see it again and she was riveted. She even likes the end of it, which leads me to believe that she understands the real power of this movie: that it isn't a dirge for the female spirit, but a celebration of it. She has even been heard to mutter, during the semi scene, "Good for them!"
I actually didn't consider owning this movie until, a couple of times after the above mentioned viewing, when I exclaimed that it was "on", again, Mom always has wanted to watch it.
Aside from his initial review link to the title of this post, Roger Ebert wrote yet another thought provoking review of the film six months later.
Twenty-five years later three female journalists write an article about how the film has held up, in relevence, over the last quarter century. They make a point of mentioning that the film has not engendered more women-buddy-movies. I know. I think about this every time I watch this movie, and it's one of those that I watch about once a year. It's like, someone in the male coterie that is still film production, is constantly asking about women-buddy-scripts, "What's the point?" and dropping them into the circular file. This article does, though, increase my desire to see Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road.
And, I have to ask, considering the plethora of male-buddy-movies made since the beginning of movie history and the ignoring of the fact that women do "buddy up", for all kinds of reasons, what the hell are you guys thinking?!? Do you think, as women, that we should be grateful that at least this movie was made? And, frankly, do you feel that delusionally safe because female buddy movies make up a very, very small percentage of films? Holy goddess! Are you in for a surprise!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Susan Sarandon Louise Sawyer Geena Davis Thelma Dickinson Brad Pitt J. D. Harvey Keitel Det. Hal Slocumb Michael Madsen Jimmy Lennox Christopher McDonald Darryl Dickinson Lucinda Jenney Lena Timothy Carhart Harlan Puckett
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1991
Directed by Ridley Scott.
Update 5/8/22: This is a reposting of a previous post dated 2/7/2005 that I managed to recover.
Labels: action3, adventure4, buddy, dream2, geena-davis, harvey-keitel, me-favorite4, popcorn-and-soda6, revenge2, ridley-scott, road-movie, suspense2, women's-movie1
Monsters, Inc.
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This movie is a treat for both of us. My mother is an animation fan, anyway, so she was an easy sell. She often requests this movie when I'm drying her hair, then watches it through to the end. We play the credits at least a couple of times per viewing because she and I both like the theme song (including the fact that it's written and sung by Randy Newman).
I'm a very hard animation sell, but everything about this movie charmed me, including the concept and its development. I am a devotee of children's literature, anyway (all ages), but animation has never done much for me, even as a kid. Pixar, though, seems to know exactly how to seduce my eye, and I'm a big fan of most of their stuff. I consider this movie one of their most brazen and imaginative. Even so, after Mom died, I donated it to the library. I didn't think I'd watch it again because, well, again, I'm a very hard animation sell.
Update 5/8/22: This is a reposting of a previous post dated 2/7/2005 that I managed to recover.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role John Goodman Sullivan Billy Crystal Mike Mary Gibbs Boo Steve Buscemi Randall James Coburn Waternoose Jennifer Tilly Celia Frank Oz Fungus John Ratzenberger Yeti
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2001
Directed by Pete Docter.
Labels: animated, dramedy2, kids, mom-favorite2, suspense2
Love Actually
- Who's watched: M & G, many times
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: Okay, I don't know whether to be ashamed or not to say that I not only love this movie, I am in love with it. It has the ability to both soothe and encourage me. So, we watch it a lot. I know my mother enjoys it and sticks with it every time. I don't know if she has the same kind of gut reactions to it that I do. Fairly recently, toward the end of the holiday season, I watched this movie on dvd in the evening with Mom then turned right around and watched the entire movie again on cable. My mother did not stay up for the cable viewing.
Again, another post, written on 2/7/2005, that I managed to delete on 5/7/2020, found the hidden original, and have reposted it.
Update 5/8/22: This is a reposting of a previous post dated 2/7/2005 that I managed to recover.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Alan Rickman Harry Emma Thompson Karen Hugh Grant David Martine McCutcheon Natalie Colin Firth Jamie Lúcia Moniz Aurélia Liam Neeson Daniel Thomas Sangster Sam Bill Nighy Billy Mack Gregor Fisher Joe Chiwetel Ejiofor Peter Keira Knightley Juliet Andrew Lincoln Mark Laura Linney Rodrigo Santoro Kris Marshall Colin Abdul Salis Tony Billy Bob Thornton U. S. President Rowan Atkinson Rufus Heike Makatsch Mia Olivia Olson Joanna
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2003
Directed by Richard Curtis.
Labels: Christmas, comedy2, laura-linney, me-favorite4, popcorn-and-soda6, romance3
Little Buddha
- Who's watched: M & G, many times
- Mentions: *1* *2* *3* *4* *5* *6*
- Commentary: This is a sort of "grahsshoppah" movie, for me, but of a somewhat more serious vein, like listening to Alan Watts tapes.
Mom enjoys the movie, as well, as adult religio-spiritual fairy tale. We actually view this movie, or parts of it, a lot.
I know there are many detractors of this movie. I don't care.
I know people take swipes at the acting, especially that of Keanu Reeves. I don't care, and further, he was playing an icon, being introduced to children in the form of a myth. What the hell were you expecting? I know the story seems implausible, but the point of the movie isn't to relate a true story, it's to relate a story, like the book that is read to one of the children in the movie. Finally, if you want to be a film critic about this movie, fine, but, I can't explain why, I can't critique this movie. I love this movie. I watch it at least a couple times a year and have since I acquired it in 2005 (I'm having to rewrite this post on 5/7/2022 because, somehow, while working on this journal, I deleted it). I always watch it with pleasure and in rapt attention, and I suspect I will until the day I die.
Update 5/08/22: This is a reposting of a previous post dated 2/7/2005 that I managed to recover.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Keanu Reeves Prince Siddhartha Chris Isaak Dean Conrad Bridget Fonda Lisa Conrad Alex Wiesendanger Jesse Conrad Ying Ruocheng Lama Norbu Raju Lal Raju Greishma Makar Singh Gita Sogyal Rinpoche Kenpo Tenzin
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1993
Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
Labels: dramaC, dream2, pseudo-cgi-animation, religion1, shared-favorite, spiritual2
Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This movie is one of a trilogy of graphic expeditions. You can read more about the trilogy and the individual films at the link provided. They are visually provocative to watch. I've seen all three at least once, own two, and I can't say that the films provoke within me what the Navajo words that entitle each episode 'mean'. This has its frenetic moments but it is so well put together that when you have just about had enough visual speed, it slows down and your mind begins to make sense of what it's seeing, again.
Of the two we own Mom stayed with this one the longest. She had absolutely no patience for the second one, Powaqqatsi.
Of the three, this one is my favorite. It is like an animated coffee table book that makes you think and feel. Of the three it is the most active.
Update 5/8/22: This post was originally published on 2/7/2005, but I accidentally deleted it a few days ago. Now, it's back, in its original glory.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1982
Directed by Godfrey Reggio.
Labels: dream2, film-art2, me-favorite4, political4, spectacle2
Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I think this movie may have been one of the last I saw in the theatre alone. It is a dream of a movie for me. As well, I like, and have watched a fair amount, of Indian cinema. I'm surprised that this is the only one I own. I look forward to watching it, with or without Mom. From what I remember, I think she'll be transfixed. Sort of an Indian Sex and the City.
UPDATE 2/24/06: For lack of anything better to do that interested Mom, I decided to pull out this movie and view it with her, her first viewing of it. She, too, was entranced by the color and composition of the movie, the dancing and the stylized movements (which actually cause the movie to be more like theater than a movie) and the music. Although there is some full female nudity in it and obvious suggestions of sex (both of which actually make this movie less than a true East Indian cinema), she enjoyed it immensely and was transported back to Guam, primarily because that is where she became familiar with East Indian customs and clothing. We talked about Guam, and a store called Radhi's, which shared a space with Eileen Kershaw's. She remembered the sari material she'd bought which I'd transformed into a table cloth and the rich, stunning Asian fabric selections at Radhi's [which, apparently, still exists, although I found an article (internet access to which no longer exists), dated February 12, 2006, that lamented the closing of Eileen Kershaw's, among other stores with which I was very familiar when Guam was our family's home].
At one point in the movie, when Maya was explaining to Tara how to seduce her husband, essentially telling her that it was simple, I laughed and said, "See, Mom? Men are easy in every culture."
She laughed and added, "Men have always been easy and always will be."
Such a woman!
Update 2/8/18: All updates on stores on Guam, above, were added today.
Update 5/8/22: This post was originally published on 2/7/2005, but I accidentally deleted it a few days ago. Now, it's back, in its original glory.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Indira Varma Maya Sarita Choudhury Tara Naveen Andrews Raj Singh Ramon Tikaram Jai Kumar Khalid Tyabji Biki Rekha Rasa Devi Avijit Dutt Vazir Zoya Akhtar Rasa Devi's courtesan
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1996
Directed by Mira Nair.
Labels: character-study, dramaF, erotic, haunting3, indira-varma, period6, romance5, tragedy2
Insomnia - 2002
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Al Pacino Det. Will Dormer Robin Williams Walter Finch Hilary Swank Det. Ellie Burr Maura Tierney Rachel Clement
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2002
Directed by Christopher Nolan.
Labels: christopher-nolan, neo-noirB, pacino, police-procedural, psychological2, robin-williams, thriller2
The Prestige
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Hugh Jackman Robert Angier/Lord Caldlow Christian Bale Alfred Borden/Bernard Fallon Michael Caine John Cutter Scarlett Johansson Olivia Wenscombe Piper Perabo Julia McCullough Rebecca Hall Sarah Borden David Bowie Nikola Tesla Andy Serkis Mr. Alley
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2006
Directed by Christopher Nolan.
Labels: christian-bale, christopher-nolan, michael-caine, mystery3, period6, thriller2
