Movies, Mom & Me

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  Commentary:  Under construction.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Cate Blanchett	Mary Mapes	Robert Redford	Dan Rather	Topher Grace	Mike Smith	Dennis Quaid	Col. Roger Charles
  Elizabeth Moss	Lucy Scott	Bruce Greenwood	David Heyward	David Lyons	Josh Howard	Mark Wrolstad	John Benjamin Hickey
  Stacy Keach	Bill Burkett	Dermot Mulroney	Lawrence Lanpher	William Devane	Gen. Robert Hodges	Connor Burke	Robert Mapes

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2015
    Directed by James Vanderbilt.

Labels: biography3, cate-blanchett, journalism, political6, robert-redford

# posted by gail @ 11:37    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  Under construction.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Cillian Murphy	J. Robert Oppenheimer	Emily Blunt	Katherine Oppenheimer	Matt Damon	Gen. Leslie Groves	Robert Downey Jr.	Rear Adm. Lewis Strauss
  Florence Pugh	Jean Tatlock	Josh Hartnett	Ernest Lawrence	Casey Affleck	Boris Pash	Rami Malek	David L. Hill
  Kenneth Branagh	Niels Bohr	Benny Safdie	Edward Teller	Jason Clarke	Roger Robb	Dylan Arnold	Frank Oppenheimer

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2023
    Directed by Christopher Nolan.

Labels: biography3, nuclear, robert-downey-jr, science

# posted by gail @ 10:14    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  Under construction.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Vicky Krieps	Empress Elisabeth of Austria	Florian Teichtmeister	Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria	Katharina Lorenz	Countess Marie Festetics	Jeanne Werner	Ida Ferenczy
  Alma Hasun	Fanny Feifalik	Manuel Rubey	King Ludwig II of Bavaria	Finnegan Oldfield	Louis Le Prince	Aaron Friesz	Rudolf
  Rosa Hajjaj	Valerie	Lilly Marie Tschörtner	Queen Maria Sophie of Two Sicilies	Colin Morgan	George "Bay" Middleton	Alice Prosser	Anna Nahowski

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2022
    Directed by Marie Kreutzer.

Labels: biography3, historical5

# posted by gail @ 11:11    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  Under construction.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  David Tennant	Dennis Nilsen	Daniel Mays	Det. CI Peter Jay	Jason Watkins	Brian Masters	Ron Cook	DSI Geoff Chambers
  Barry Ward	DI Steve McCusker	Ben Bailey Smith	DC Brian Lodge	Ross Anderson	Douglas Stewart	Laurie Kynaston	Carl Stottor
  Jamie Parker	Allan Green QC	Pip Torrens	Ivan Lawrence QC	Ken Bones	Justice David Croom-Johnson	Bronagh Waugh	Charlotte Proctor

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the series.
    Release Date: 2020
    Directed by Lewis Arnold.

Labels: biography3, historical5, TV3, violence5

# posted by gail @ 08:38    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  Wow, wow, wow! Was this movie hard to find, as a "new" copy (i.e., not yet sold) here in the U.S.! If I lived in Europe, or England, or possessed a Region 2 disc player, I would have one of several new or used copies from which to choose. Not here. I'm not sure why, since it's an HBO production, but, whatever. I hope I (blindly) chose a playable, decent version. We'll be finding out, soon. I'm not sure what I'm going to do (other than return the movie to the seller) if I don't get lucky in my choice. Why, I can't help but wonder, is this movie impossible to find as a newly pressed disc in the U.S.? I can't even begin to guess.
    Anyway, we'll find out about the quality in about a week. Yeah, I know, it also "comes", here, across the pond, with an extraordinarily long delivery time, even though the site from which I ordered it is housed in the U.S. I'm wondering if the store in question has to order it from Europe.
    I was reminded of this movie in a show I was watching about movies that seem to have been forgotten (in the U.S., anyway). Yes, I've seen the movie. When I initially watched it, I really liked it. Michael Douglas, what can I say, a master actor who always has a new trick up his sleeve. Then, I forgot about it, for years. It wasn't until today that I realized why I was allowed to forget it. For some reason, here in the U.S., we're neither encouraged nor allowed to remember and watch it. Which is especially disappointing considering the impossibility of me finding an unplayed, "new" copy of it. What is your excuse for this, HBO, considering that I could easily obtain a new, unplayed copy of it in The Lands of Region 2 if I lived there? Really! What are the sneaky, very probably corrupt, corporate machinations behind obliterating a quintessential American movie in America??? Why, Steven Soderbergh have you allowed this to happen?
    Anyway, with any luck, and I expect I'll need a lot of luck working on my behalf, the copy that will arrive at my home next week will be a decently watchable copy. Keep your fingers crossed for me, Dear Reader, and I'll be doing the same.
    I'll report back.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Michael Douglas	Liberace	Matt Damon	Scott Thorson	Dan Aykroyd	Seymour Heller	Rob Lowe	Dr. Jack Startz
  Debbie Reynolds	Frances Liberace	Scott Bakula	Bob Black	Boyd Holbrook	Cary James	Tom Papa	Ray Arnett
  Nicky Katt	Mr. Y	Cheyenne Jackson	Billy Leatherwood	Paul Reiser	Mr. Felder	David Koechner	Adoption Attorney

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2013
    Directed by Steven Soderbergh.

Labels: biography3, debbie-reynolds, michael-douglas

# posted by gail @ 16:28    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  Under construction.
    Yes, I've seen this movie. More than once. I don't know why I haven't added it to my collection before now. I've seen it replayed several times on television and always watch it when I find it. Sissy Spacek I simply amazing in this film. So is Tommy Lee Jones. I'm actually surprised that Roger Ebert didn't assign it four stars. He seemed to have been charmed by it.
    It's funny because there is another movie I seek out a lot and watch whenever I'm in the mood and can find it. I've considered adding it to my collection several times, but I always decide, nah, I'll be able to find it again if and when I want to watch it. It's Fiddler on the Roof, and it's a little too "precious" for me to own, despite the fact that I always enjoy it when I'm in the mood and can find it streaming. Frankly, I'm not sure, really, what I mean by saying it's too "precious". I think I'll explore that, later. In the meantime, I'm satisfied with having added this film to my collection.
    More later.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Sissy Spacek	Loretta Lynn	Tommy Lee Jones	Doolittle Lynn	Beverly D'Angelo	Patsy Cline	Levon Helm	Ted Webb
  William Sanderson	Lee Dollarhide	Phyllis Boyens	Clara Ramey Webb	Roy Acuff	Self	Minnie Pearl	Self

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1980
    Directed by Michael Apted.

Labels: biography3, musical2, sissy-spacek, tommy-lee-jones

# posted by gail @ 01:10    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  So, considering that this movie came out in 2017 and I was aware of it, then, why did I wait until six years later to acquire it and, hence, to watch it?!? Well, I have never been particularly interested in or curious about Harding's and Kerrigan's competitive skating antics. I've become intrigued with Margot Robbie's work, though, and, tonight, when I was doing some research on her continuing credits, I was reminded of this movie and thought, "Oh, yeah! Forgot about that one! I'd love to see Margot Robbie play Tonya Harding!" And, bonus, Allison Janney, whom I adore, is in the movie, as well, playing a version of an abusive stage mother. I'm curious, too, about the actress who plays Nancy Kerrigan. I've not heard of her before. I'm hoping she has some serious chops because Nancy Kerrigan, in some ways, has got to be the more challenging of the two roles. Sounds delightful!
    It will be arriving here in three days. Not that I don't always look forward to watching the movies I acquire, otherwise I wouldn't add them to my collection. But, this one should make for a spectacular Sunday!
    More later.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Margo Robbie	Tonya Harding	Sebastian Stan	Jeff Gillooly	Allison Janney	LaVona Golden	Julianne Nicholson	Diane Rawlinson
  Caitlin Carver	Nancy Kerrigan	Bojana Novakovic	Dody Teachman	Paul Walter Hauser	Shawn Eckardt	Bobby Cannavale	Martin Maddox
  Dan Triandiflou	Bob Rawlinson	Ricky Russert	Shane Stant	Anthony Reynolds	Derrick Smith	Cassidy Balkcom	Oksana Baiul

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2017
    Directed by Craig Gillespie.

Labels: biography3, black-comedy, sport1

# posted by gail @ 21:14    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  Leave it to me. The day after I rummage around until I find a very reasonably priced copy of an old, mostly forgotten movie, I am inspired to conduct yet another rummage for yet another old, mostly forgotten movie and manage to find a new copy of it at a disconcertingly expensive price. Yes, Virginia, I ordered it. I'm not saying I can't afford it. I can. I was just, well, unpleasantly surprised. I'm asking, why isn't this movie more easily and cheaply available (it is in Europe but that's a region 2 area and I don't have an all-area DVD player)? Especially since it is about anti-semitism and fascism in the United States? Is this the reason why it is so expensive in the U.S., right now? Is the current political climate guaranteeing the enrichment of those who are bordering on fascism and anti-semitism?
    So, why am I adding this movie to my collection? Well, during a conversation earlier today with MFS, we talked about how we were both looking forward to the upcoming Barbie movie in which Ryan Gosling plays Ken. We reminisced about my younger sisters' Barbie & Ken days, then slid into a conversation of some of the other movies of the two prominent stars. That's how I was reminded of this movie. We didn't discuss this movie because I couldn't remember the title or much of the content, but, after we disconnected I couldn't get it out of my head.
    In isolation, memories of this movie flooded back. When I saw it (on a streaming service) some years ago it had a profound effect on me, and, by the way, my mother, who was alive at the time. We were riveted by the story and discussed the themes long after the movie ended. This didn't come as a surprise to me because my mother was a military veteran of WWII and I was raised on an island that, at the time I was there, was going through the beginning of a decade's long questioning of whether "Americans" should even be on the island, let alone own close to a half of it. Never mind that it had previously been held by the Japanese, previous to that the Spanish, previous to that the Portuguese. My dad used to joke, when we lived there, that the Australians would probably take over the island next. At the time I lived there, no one remembered the island ever having been other than under the uber-jurisdiction of some foreign country. This still holds true, today.
    My mother and I both related to this movie as citizens and watchers of a world of humans seemingly terminally at war with one another. This movie encapsulates that war within the mind and soul of one person. It is based on a real life lived in real anguish in the long, seemingly never ending wake of WWII and the even longer, probably actually never ending wake of being human. I think the reason the only unused copy of it I could find was so expensive that it qualifies as the most expensive single disk I've ever bought is because that wake is being agitated, yet again, and people are wondering, yet again, why we are having such a hard time living together in peace. It's not about anti-semitism, really, nor is it about fascism, or anti-fascism. It's about the troubled and troubling spirit with which humans seem to have been born and can't seem to dispel. This movie looks at this perplexing situation from one particular perspective, but, as I remembered it, I realized it's really about a bedrock human condition, or perhaps, when I think about it, a bedrock creature condition: the ability/curse of being able to believe. So, I purchased it. It won't be arriving for about half a month. I'll write more, then, once I've watched it and considered it, again.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Ryan Gosling	Danny Balint	Jacob Green	Young Danny	Billy Zane	Curtis Zampf	Theresa Russell	Lina Moebius
  Summer Phoenix	Carla Moebius	Ronald Guttman	Mr. Balint	Glenn Fitzgerald	Drake	Garret Dillahunt	Billings
  Heather Goldenhersh	Linda	Henry Bean	Ilio Manzetti	Joshua Harto	Kyle	Elizabeth Reaser	Miriam
  Judah Lazarus	Avi	Sascha Knopf	Cindy Pomerantz	Tovah Feldshuh	Woman In Shul	Roberto Gari	Ancient Jew

  
  Update 06/17/23:  This movie arrived today, long before I was led to expect it. A very pleasant surprise! I just watched it, and the two special features that contained elaborations of the film. Extraordinary production! It is mind boggling to think that this movie, which is 22 years old this year, is presently pertinent. I am amazed that, being ensconsed in a virulent subset of U.S. culture that has existed for so long, the film remains topical, today, here, now. Ryan Gosling's performance is, of course, spot on, and, and, he is surrounded by astonishing actors, many of whom have earned top drawer status today, just as he has. Realizing this is disturbing, too. It is as though, at the heart of most of U.S. culture, we could have been fighting WWII on the side of the Nazis and, in fact, have been agitating to do this ever since. What is it about this culture?!? Why do we have a history, and present, of flirting with fascism and one of its offshoots, Nazism?!? This movie plays itself out on an undercurrent of answers, but doesn't settle on one in particular, except for this: in the end Daniel Balint (in the movie, Daniel Burros in real life) commits suicide in order to quell his own turbulence. Is that where the U.S., as a once robust empire, now a quarrelsome, fading tyranny, is, finally, headed? There are many cultural and political critics who believe this. Are you a believer? Am I? If so, what do you, or I, actually believe?
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2001
    Directed by Henry Bean.

Labels: biography3, political5, reflective, ronald-guttman, spiritual2

# posted by gail @ 22:20    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  Under construction.
    I've been trying for about seven years, since I first saw this film (can't remember how I viewed it, but I know it wasn't in a theater) to get ahold of a copy of it, in vain. Initially it wasn't even listed for sale at any of the movie sites I depend on for purchasing. So, once or twice a year, I'd remember it and search the sites, again. Finally, a few days ago it became available on the priciest of my purchase sites. Naturally. I went ahead and ordered it, anyway, even though it cost waaay more than I usually spend for movies. To me, though, it's worth it. I'm looking forward to viewing it, again and again, when it arrives.
    What can I say? It's a truly magnificent film about a truly singular person. I've known about Hildegard of Bingen for decades. I was in a book club, once, in fact, in which we read a compendium of her works (including some of her music). That was well over a decade ago; may have even been two decades. I still have that book, some others, as well, and continue to pull them out and saunter through them.
    So, considering my background in Hildegard of Bingen, do I think the movie is accurate? Yes, except I think the drama surrounding her life was not much appreciated at the time she lived (the movie hints at this) and I think there are unfortunate reasons that knowledge of her didn't experience a renaissance until about 20 years ago.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Barbara Sukowa	Hildegard of Bingen	Stella Holzapfel	Child Hildegard	Heino Ferch	Brother Volmar	Hannah Herzsprung	Sister Richardis
  Mareile Blendi	Countess Jutta von Sponheim	Sunnyi Melles	Marchioness Richardis von Stade	Alexander Held	Abbot Kuno	Lena Stolze	Sister Jutta
  Paula Kalenberg	Sister Klara	Annemarie Düringer	Abbess Tengwich	Devid Striesow	Emperor Frederick Barbarossa	Christoph Luser	Hartwig von Bremen

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2009
    Directed by Margarethe von Trotta.

Labels: biography3, religion2

# posted by gail @ 10:37    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  I've been wanting to own a copy of this movie forever ... well, since my mother died in 2008. You see, when she took off for parts unknown, I ended up quickly disconnecting our cable subscription in order to manage expenses on one source of income. I didn't think about it, I just did it; and suddenly realized how much I was giving up in the way of movies. This is one of those movies that Mom and I watched every time I could ferret it out on TCM or one of the many other cable-subscription-only channels that ran this audience favorite. Still, the disconnect had to be done.
    Since then, I've checked it out of our public library system more times than I can remember. It's a crowd pleaser (as well as one of Roger Ebert's Great Movies; his review of it is attached to the title of this post, above) so it circulates far and wide and I usually can't get it without putting a hold on it and waiting for notice that it's waiting for me. Often, the copy I receive has glitches in playback or, in one case, simply wouldn't cooperate with my disc player. As of right this minute, our library has seven copies, either loners or in collections, and all are checked out! Enough, I decided today. I need a copy of this movie in my collection. It'll arrive tomorrow.
    This movie brings me such joy no matter how many times I view it. Thank you, Hollywood, and James Cagney, for creating such a zesty, delightful, perennially infectious sweet. I'm surprised it's taken me this long to add it to my collection.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  James Cagney	George M. Cohan	Joan Leslie	Mary Cohan	Walter Huston	Jerry Cohan	Richard Whorf	Sam Harris
  Irene Manning	Fay Templeton	George Tobias	Dietz	Rosemary DeCamp	Nellie Cohan	Jeanne Cagney	Josie Cohan

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1942
    Directed by Michael Curtiz.

Labels: biography3, me-favorite4, mom-favorite2, musical2

# posted by gail @ 15:28    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  Under construction. Roger Ebert selected these films as three of his Great Movies.
    The films in this trilogy are:
  
  
  
  
      
  
  Pather Panchali
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Kanu Banerjee	Harihar Roy	Karuna Banerjee	Sarbajaya Roy	Subir Banerjee	Apurba Roy (Little Apu)	Pinaki Sengupta	Apurba Roy (Apu)
  Runki Banerjee	Durga Roy (child)	Uma Dasgupta	Durga Roy (teen)	Chunibala Devi	Indir Thakrun	Tulsi Chakraborty	Prasanna

  
  Here is a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
  Release Date: 1955.
      
  
  Aparajito
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Pinaki Sengupta	Apurba "Apu" Roy (boy)	Smaran Ghosal	Apu (teen)	Kanu Banerjee	Harihar Roy	Karuna Banerjee	Sarbajaya Roy
  Ramani Ranjan Sengupta	Bhabataran	Charu Prakash Ghosh	Nanda Babu	Subodh Ganguly	Headmaster	Kamala Adhikari	Mokshada

  
  Here is a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
  Release Date: 1956.
      
  
  Apur Sansar
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Soumitra Chatterjee	Apurba Kumar Roy	Sharmila Tagore	Aparna	Swapan Mukherjee	Pulu	Alok Chakravarty	Kajal
  Sefalika Devi	Sasinarayan's wife	Dhiresh Majumdar	Sasinarayan	Dhiren Ghosh	Landlord	Belarani Devi	Apu's Neighbor

  
  Here is a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
  Release Date: 1959.
  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the trilogy.
    Release Date: 1955 - 1959
    Directed by Satyajit Ray.

Labels: biography3, Criterion6, satyajit-ray

# posted by gail @ 01:28    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  My father was the Johnny Cash fan when I was a preteen and teenager, not I, although I can't say I disliked his music. Being securely encased in the heyday of sixties rock, I just didn't notice him, except for his monster crossover hits. My father was, as well, a down and dirty old time Country Western fan, which probably figures, since he hailed from North Carolina. He didn't play hardly any of this music at home, but his conversation was peppered with phrases like The Great Speckled Bird and Ring of Fire. So, when I stumbled upon this movie some years ago on TV, finding nothing else in that night's line-up that I wanted to watch, I tuned in. I still have memories of being blown away by the story, the music and the spot on performances of the stars.
    I just received the movie and haven't yet rewatched it. I'll be doing that momentarily. So, any kind of a write-up is going to have to wait on me refreshing my memory as to why, when this movie popped into view at an unbelievably low price, I felt the urge to procure it. Let's just say, until later this evening, or, possibly, tomorrow, this write-up is still Under construction.
    In the meantime, here's an article, Finding the Voice of Johnny Cash, written by Roger Ebert, that is based around a short but revealing interview he conducted with Joaquin Phoenix about playing the part of Johnny Cash.
    Back later.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Joaquin Phoenix	Johnny Cash	Reese Witherspoon	June Carter	Ginnifer Goodwin	Vivian Cash	Robert Patrick	Ray Cash
  McGhee Monteith	Reba Cash	Dallas Roberts	Sam Phillips	Dan John Miller	Luther Perkins	Larry Bagby	Marshall Grant
  Shelby Lynne	Carrie Cash	Tyler Hilton	Elvis Presley	Waylon Payne	Jerry Lee Lewis	Shooter Jennings	Waylon Jennings
  Sandra Ellis Lafferty	Maybelle Carter	Johnathan Rice	Roy Orbison	Johnny Holiday	Carl Perkins	Lucas Till	Jack Cash

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2005
    Directed by James Mangold.

Labels: §4, biography3, historical4, joaquin-phoenix, musical2, period7, reese-witherspoon

# posted by gail @ 17:35    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  Under construction.
    I saw this movie decades ago, on TV, I think. Although I enjoy Diana Ross' voice and, here and there, enjoyed songs released by Diana Ross and the Supremes, I never bought their records. Although I had quite a record collection back in the day, The Supremes were so ubiquitous on radio that I never felt the need to own theirs.
    I was, however, intrigued that Diana Ross was playing Billie Holiday, some of whose music I did own, I'm embarrassed to admit, by accident, when I "inherited" a collection of old recordings from someone who was leaving my vicinity. I found them provocative and played some of the 78s over and over and over. Finally, I was seduced by a clip from one of the tragic, emotional scenes from the movie. Long story short, much to my surprise, not only was I not disappointed by the movie, I have remembered bits and pieces of it for decades, which is why, when given the chance and presented with a stupendous sale price, I snapped up this movie. I expect to sit back and enjoy this movie for decades to come.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Diana Ross	Billie Holiday	Billy Dee Williams	Louis McKay	Richard Pryor	Piano Man	Virginia Capers	Sadie Fagan Holiday

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1972
    Directed by Sidney J. Furie.

Labels: §4, biography3, haunting3, musical2, tragedy2

# posted by gail @ 14:44    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  Under construction.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Jessica Chastain	Molly Bloom	Idris Elba	Charlie Jaffey	Kevin Costner	Larry Bloom	Michael Cera	Player X

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2015
    Directed by Aaron Sorkin.

Labels: §4, biography3, dramaF, economic, historical4

# posted by gail @ 14:17    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  [4/25/2022] I just finished watching this movie. I'm sure I've watched this movie before, but much later than its release date, as I was only eight years old when the movie was released and was aware neither of religion nor of the Catholic Church nor of nuns.
    My introduction to the Catholic Church and nuns took place when our family moved to Guam (and remained there for thirteen years) when I was nine; that's right, a year after this movie was released. Guam was (and, likely, still is) a thoroughly Catholic island. I had many Catholic friends. I had several teachers in public schools, from elementary through college, who were nuns. The last nun I had as a teacher was Dr. Margaret Stumpf at the University of Guam. She was a habitless nun (as many nuns became, once the Church necessity for habits was abolished). She was also one of my favorite college teachers.
    I was surrounded by the practice and pageantry of the Catholic Church, even though I neither believed in nor practiced Catholicism. By the time I was in junior high I knew the rosary, both the standard version and the special stations-of-the-cross version, because every night of our lives, from 5:45 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. (5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. on holy days) we were exposed, at home, on television, to "The Rosary Hour", featuring Father (then Bishop, then Archbishop) Flores droning through the rosary prayers before KUAM's entertainment programming began. When I was in college and my younger sisters were in high school the word "nun" became a humorous pejorative indicating that the person (either male or female) to whom it was applied was, well, a bit of a dit (which, itself, meant, a kind of low-brow, unthinking, unintending asshole). At any rate, Guam was so saturated with Catholicism that I was, too, despite not ever becoming Catholic or wanting to.
    Curiously, though, I do remember wondering whether I might like to become a nun. This was probably the time that I saw The Nun's Story, likely on television. I think I found the cheery dedication of the nuns I knew inspiring, although I gave little thought to what would be involved in becoming a nun, especially considering that I was not only not Catholic, I was raised in a kind of Protestant hot-home full of religious discussion but lacking religious practice. It often occurred to me, during this time, that I was not alone in this day-dream, that, in fact, quite a few of my female friends considered exactly the same possibility for exactly the same reasons as me. Thus, I had a keen interest in this movie when I obtained it a few days ago. I think I may have wanted to refresh my memories of my jumbled, ahem, "religious upbringing".
    The first thing I noticed is that once Sister Luke (played by Audrey Hepburn) arrives in the Congo, a lot of the movie is filled with what I can only describe as National Geographic video footage of African tribal life (minus the bare breasts; I guess the producers of this movie felt that what teenagers, in their bedrooms in the late 50's and early 60's, slavered over in the glossy pages of National Geographic, a "family" magazine, was not fitting fare for a 1959 movie screen). The second thing I noticed is the depth of the interpersonal soul-scouring conversations between Dr. Fortunati (played by Peter Finch) and Sister Luke. The third thing I noticed is that the characters of the nuns and their relationships amongst one another were portrayed with a seriousness and delicacy that I hadn't remembered.
    I thoroughly enjoyed watching the movie again. Frankly, I had not retained much of it, so it was rather like watching it anew. I'm glad I had the opportunity to add it to my collection. I agree with someone I read on this movie, I can't remember who, that, although dated, in part, it is likely Audrey Hepburn's best performance, and she was supported by actors who were also at the top of their game. Oddly, my favorite performance in the movie, a bit part, is that of Mother Marcella (played by Ruth White) the nun who urges Sister Luke, in order to address a difficult relationship involving wrestling with humility with one of her fellow nuns, to fail her upcoming final exam at the School of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp. Ruth White absolutely nails the portrayal of this cruel nun who is, obviously, lacking in humility, herself. The performance was so good, so chilling, that I looked up Ruth White and bookmarked her to remind me to seek out more of her video work.
    A miscellaneous note: On February 3, 2020, the America - The Jesuit Review published a review of this film by Nadra Nittle, who praised this film. The Wikipedia article (to which I've linked, below), in mentioning Nadra Nittle's article, tacked on the following sentence: "There is no mention of the magazine's late literary editor Father Gardiner and his support for the source material and involvement in the adaptation." I'm not sure why this sentence was included, unless to attempt to create a tempest in a teapot. At any rate, Nadra Nittle isn't a Jesuit, there is no mention of whether she's Catholic, and I think this one sentence observation underlines a problem the author of the Wikipedia article has with the Catholic church, rather than a problem with the movie or Nittle's review. At any, rate, Nittle's article is far from the only review of praise for this movie. Although Roger Ebert did not review this film, I've linked the title of this write-up to an interesting and far from negative review of the movie by Glenn Erickson, DVD Savant.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Audrey Hepburn	Sister Luke	Peter Finch	Dr. Fortunati	Mother Marcella	Ruth White	Niall MacGinnis	Father Vermeuhlen

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1959
    Directed by Fred Zinnemann.

Labels: biography3, character-study, coming-of-age2, dean-jagger, dramaF, religion2, spiritual2

# posted by gail @ 12:44    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  This movie is a not-quite-so-guilty pleasure for me. I have usually been able to find it playing on a streaming service without commercials once a year or so, but, I have access to only two streaming services (that's all I need, actually, considering that, despite my huge number of owned movies, I don't watch movies or programs a lot). Lately, I've been experiencing my hunger, again, for this movie, and was left with no outlets through which to assuage it, which has never before happened. Just out of curiosity I thought, you know, I wonder how much it would cost if I just owned this movie. I found an astonishingly cheap price for a new press in widescreen with subtitles and, knowing that I will watch this movie again and again, grabbed it. It just arrived. I'll be luxuriating in it shortly.
    Lots of film critics lauded this movie, including Jennifer Lopez' performance in it. That's what accounts for the "not-quite-so-guilty" part of my pleasure in this movie. The part of my pleasure about which I feel guilty is that it depends upon Selena's tragic end. Without the short and shocking trajectory of her life she likely would have continued to be a huge, cross-sectional star, but I doubt there'd be a movie about her. She may have become an acting, as well as a singing, star, in her own right, and, likely, either way, her existence doing what she did so well would have produced at least as much wealth for her family as her tragedy probably has, but, well, to be blunt, untimely tragedy tends to generate at least as much attention, if not more, as success. Sad truth.
    Much worthy attention was paid to the making of this movie. All the choices made, the actors, the carving of the story for maximum effect, the production, the presentation, are top notch. It is unfortunate that all this excellence had to be lavished on presenting a tragedy, rather than a long-lived phenomenon.
  Update 3/23/2022:  Yes, yes, yes, I spent most of yesterday afternoon and evening watching my copy of this movie. May I say, it is the premier popcorn-and-soda movie of my collection. Although just a few minutes over two hours, I rewound and rewatched so many sections of it that I spent at least four hours luxuriating in it.
    I plan to watch Netflix's version, Selena: The Series, for comparison. It received low to middling reviews from professional critics (with the exception of the immediately previous review, which has an interesting perspective, from Roger Ebert dot com) and was rebuked even more for "occasionally [struggling] to tell its subject's story with depth or perspective" (a quote from the Wikipedia article about the film) than the film. IMDb users, however, [(1997 movie), (2020-21 series)] ranked the two practically the same: above middling. The consensus seems to be that while professional critics are looking for something with more depth (which I'm not sure is possible without a thorough companion story about Yolanda Saldívar, Selena's side-business manager and murderer), off-the street (so to speak) critiques from watcher-plebes are, largely, satisfied and disappointed with both depictions in equal measure and for the same reasons, giving the series a slight, and, I think, insignificant, edge.
    Once I finish viewing the series, if I think I have anything cogent to add, I will, but, if not, well, what you read above is what you get.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Jennifer Lopez	Adult Selena	Edward James Olmos	Abraham Quintanilla, Jr	Constance Marie	Marcela Quintanilla	Lupe Ontiveros	Yolanda Saldívar

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1997
    Directed by Gregory Nava.

Labels: biography3, coming-of-age2, dramaE, edward-james-olmos, jennifer-lopez, musical2, popcorn-and-soda7, tragedy2

# posted by gail @ 12:18    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  Under construction.
    The Wikipedia write-up for this film is here.
    Release Date: 1974
    Directed by Barbet Schroeder.

Labels: §2, autobiography, biography3, Criterion2, documentary2, interview

# posted by gail @ 16:24    0 comments    email......this post

• Who's watched:  M & G
• Mentions:  None
• 
  Commentary:  One of the advantages, for Mom & me, of subscribing to a DVD rental service was (and remains) the availability of foreign films. Slowly, because of my interest in films from everywhere, if they're good, she learned to handle foreign language films with subtitles. Our favorites, though, were the sweeping epics that communicate mostly without language. This movie became one of our favorites in 2008. You'd think, because it is mostly about conflict, sometimes bloody, short on specific cultural information, etc., we would have found it boring. Quite the opposite. Mom loved the scene-after-scene sprawl of the steppes and the detailed portrayal of every day life. I loved the mythical ambience of the film.
  Update 8/2/21:  Oh! I noticed I forgot to mention, this film is about the ultimate Mongol, Ghengis Khan, before he was the Great Khan.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Tadanobu Asano	Temüjin/Genghis Khan	Sun Honglei	Jamukha	Chuluuny Khulan	Börte	Amadu Mamadakov	Targutai
  Ba SenTD>	Yesügei	Sai Xing Ga	Chiledu	Bu Ren	Taichar	Aliya	Oelun
  He Qi	Dai-Sechen	Deng Ba Te Er	Daritai	Zhang Jiong	Garrison Chief	Ben Hon Sun	Monk

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2007
    Directed by Sergei Bodrov.

Labels: action1, adventure3, biography3, drama7, historical2, period3, political3, spectacle1, violence2, war1

# posted by gail @ 13:21    0 comments    email......this post