Movies, Mom & Me

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  Commentary:  Under construction.
    So, why do I have two copies of this film? Well, this is the definitive Director's Cut distributed by A24, which runs for 171 minutes. I've been fascinated with this film since I first saw it (and bought its initial shorter version). When I realized this version existed, I knew I had watch and study it, much like I have my first copy.
    Just a note of description: All the reviews attached to this post are from different sources than those on my original post about this movie, simply titled Midsommar.
    The covers of the separate editions are different, as well. There are also different special features.
    No, I haven't received it, yet, I just ordered it today (5/12/24), so it'll be awhile before I report back. But, I will be back.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Florence Pugh	Dani Ardor	Jack Reynor	Christian Hughes	Vilhelm Blomgren	Pelle	William Jackson Harper	Josh
  Will Poulter	Mark	Ellora Torchia	Connie	Archie Madekwe	Simon	Henrik Norlén	Ulf
  Gunnel Fred	Siv	Isabelle Grill	Maja	Agnes Rase	Dagny	Levente Puczkó-Smith	Oracle Ruben
  Julia Ragnarsson	Inga	Mats Blomgren	Odd	Lars Väringer	Sten	Anna Åström	Karin

  
    Here's a link to the Variety write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2019
    Directed by Ari Aster.

Labels: A24, drama1, folk-horror, haunting1, suspense1, violence1

# posted by gail @ 09:58    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  Curiously, the Wikipedia page for this movie is a sad affair. It contains not even a plot summary, just a list of the cast, some links to other films by Ziad Doueiri and a list of "External Links" to critical sites that write about this movie. In fact, there is more written about this film in the Wikipedia write-up for Zaid Doueiri, the director, than there is in Wikipedia's write-up about the movie.
    I do not remember when I first saw this movie, or how. It was certainly between 2012 and now, probably on a streaming service, definitely at no charge. It seems to me that it may have been within the last five years. I also have a vague recollection of watching it at least twice, perhaps more.
    This is a haunting movie that I should have included in my list of Movies I've Seen, Do Not Own but Can't Forget, as I think about it often. This movie lays out a peculiar story about a Palestinian-Islamic physician practicing in Israel whose Palestinian Orthodox Catholic wife is killed in a terrorist bombing. The physician discovers something about his wife's death that horrifies and befuddles him. The bulk of the movie documents his journey to understand her and Israel's and Palestine's roles in her death.
    There are no simple answers in this movie, for either the physician or the audience. It will keep you ruminating about The Human Condition long after you've completed watching the movie. In this sense, it is a priviledge for every member of the audience to be invited along on this physician's journey to discover the truth about his wife's life and death, and more. The number of labels I've appended to this film should be an indication of its overwhelming impact.
    Finally, if you are in doubt about the impact this film may have on you, read this eloquent review by someone unknown to me who was also gob-smacked by this film.
    Warning: This is not a popcorn-and-soda movie. Prepare to be moved, not entertained.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Ali Suliman	Amin Jaafari	Reymond Amsalem	Siham Jaafari	Evgenia Dodina	Kim	Dvir Benedek	Raveed
  Uri Gavriel	Captain Moshe	Ruba Salameh	Faten	Karim Saleh	Adel	Nisrin Siksik	Leila
  Bassem Lulu	Yasser	Ezra Dagan	Ezra Benhaim	Ramzi Maqdisi	Priest	Arieh Worthalter	The Man

  
    Release Date: 2012
    Directed by Ziad Doueiri.

Labels: drama1, film-art1, haunting1, me-favorite1, mystery1, political1, psychological1, reflective, spiritual1, tragedy1, violence1

# posted by gail @ 12:52    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  This movie was originally listed in the post Movies I've Seen, Do Not Own but Can't Forget. It was the first movie listed. As of today, I own it. Although I'll write more once I've watched the movie as my property (which I expect to do tonight), in the meantime I want to append what I wrote when I was jonesing for this movie:
    I saw this movie, initially, with my mom, probably on TCM, since, during her life, we had a cable TV subscription. It's been over a decade since I've had access to TCM, but it hasn't been that long since I've seen this movie. It initially intrigued me because I have had dental problems all my life. As a non-dependent adult, some of those problems have been exacerbated because dental care is too expensive for me to afford. This is part of the initial reason why Henry Fonda's character in this movie ends up in a position to be mis-identified by the police. Although the rest of the movie is thoroughly engrossing, this minor fact is what drew me into watching this movie more than once. I was, frankly, gob-smacked that inability to afford dental care was a rampant problem in 1956! Everyone, in these days of rallying for Medicare for All, rants about the disgusting inequity of health care in the U.S. Why does no one, anywhere in the world, rant about the long-standing unaffordability of dental care?
    There. That's done. More later.
  Update 5/24/21:  After having watched this movie last night, start to finish, I'm not sure I ever watched it in its entirety before. I discovered that I didn't remember quite a bit of it.
    What a movie! The story is subtly told. Henry Fonda's performance is appropriately understated. For most of the movie he looks like Everyman in a Stupor, and that's not a dis, that's a high compliment, as, how else could one look as someone who is, indeed, "The Wrong Man"?!? Balestrero, as played by Fonda, when being confronted by this absurd accusation, never, ever looks like he finally "gets it". When he is pulled back into his normal life, as he is often throughout the film, he looks and acts and appears to think like a normal working guy with a wife and family. When he becomes The Wrongly Accused, he is perpetually dumbfounded. It is hard not to think that, if he had not had a normal, job-home-family life to consistently fall back into, he would have gone as crazy as his wife. The three main lighting contrasts, sharp-dark for the accusation scenes, brightly lit for the home and personal investigative scenes and a kind of anticipatory light gray for the courtroom and lawyer's office scenes, are revelatory in themselves. The scenes with his lawyer and in the courtroom are especially delicious because he is in a legal situation in which he has no way of helping himself, and this is dramatised beautifully.
    I have to say, after watching it last night I think, if I had watched the movie before, it was likely snippets, during my companionship with my mother, never beginning to end, as I experienced it last night. It's impossible not to feel the jaws of a trap not set for Balestrero closing around Balestrero's soul.
    I have to admit to some disbelief of Rose Balestrero's reaction, although, since it's the telling of a true story, I suppose her reaction and her subsequent predicament happened. Perhaps I was raised in the wrong era. I can not only not imagine myself reacting that way to my husband being wrongly accused and tried, I know no one for whom Rose Balestrero's behavior would emerge in any situation, let alone one like this. I wonder if that's one of the differences of women being raised in an environment that emphasizes domesticity versus my having been raised in an environment that emphasized women's full participation in society (despite the fact that this was only partially achieved).
    Wonderful production, astonishing story (which the epilogue makes clear is, in fact, a true story), well acted, well staged, well directed, well produced, well done! This may not be the scariest movie Hitchcock ever made (although I'm willing to bet that, for people who have been through similar circumstances, it might be, and, as well, it packs the extra punch of being true), but it's way up there. Bravo, Alfred!
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Henry Fonda	Christopher Emmanuel Balestrero	Vera Miles	Rose Balestrero	Anthony Quayle	Frank O'Connor	Harold J. Stone	Det. Lt. Bowers
  Charles Cooper	Det. Matthews	John Hildebrand	Tomasini	Esther Minciotti	Mama Balestrero	Doreen Lang	Ann James
  Laurinda Barrett	Constance Willis	Norma Connolly	Betty Todd	Nehemiah Persoff	Gene Conforti	Lola D'Annunzio	Olga Conforti
  Werner Klemperer	Dr. Bannay	Bonnie Franklin	Young Girl	Tuesday Weld	Giggly Girl	Harry Dean Stanton	Dept. of Corrections Employee

  
    Here's the Wikipedia write-up on the movie.
    Release Date: 1956
    Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Labels: alfred-hitchcock, drama1, film-noir1, harry-dean-stanton, henry-fonda, melodramaC, mystery1, nehemiah-persoff, psychological1, suspense1, thriller1, tuesday-weld

# posted by gail @ 13:17    0 comments    email......this post

• Who's watched:  M & G
• Mentions:  *1*
• 
  Commentary:  This movie has haunted me since I saw it when it was first released. My mother has watched it a couple of times with me. She likes the background digideroo music, the otherworldliness of the movie...but she's not interested in trying to make sense of it. Neither am I, so we just watch it in awe on a fairly frequent basis.
  Update 5/15/21:  This post was originally published on February 9th, 2005. I had to replace it because some glitches had developed in its labels and it wasn't coming up when I corralled most of the labels applied to it. Everything is working fine, now.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Richard Chamberlain	David Burton	Olivia Hamnett	Annie Burton	David Gulpilil	Chris Lee	Fred Parslow	Reverend Burton
  Vivean Gray	Dr. Whitburn	Nandjiwarra Amagula	Charlie	Walter Amagula	Jerry Lee	Roy Bara	Larry

  
    Here's the Wikipedia write-up for this movie.
    Release Date: 1977
    Directed by Peter Weir.

Labels: apocalyptic, Criterion1, drama1, dream1, fantasy1, haunting1, me-favorite1, mystery1, peter-weir

# posted by gail @ 18:43    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  Under Construction.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Anaïs Reboux	Anaïs Pingot	Roxane Mesquida	Elena Pingot	Libero De Rienzo	Fernando	Arsinée Khanjian	Mrs. Pingot
  Romain Goupil	François Pingot	Laura Betti	Fernando's Mother	Albert Goldberg	The Killer	Claude Sésé	Police Officer

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up for this movie.
    Release Date: 2001
    Directed by Catherine Breillat.

Labels: §, coming-of-age1, Criterion1, drama1, female-director2, sexual

# posted by gail @ 19:20    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  Under Construction.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Gérard Depardieu	Georges Danton	Wojciech Pszoniak	Maximilien Robespierre	Patrice Chéreau	Camille Desmoulins	Bogusław Linda	Louis de Saint-Just
  Angela Winkler	Lucile Desmoulins	Andrzej Seweryn	François Louis Bourdon	Serge Merlin	Pierre Philippeaux	Roland Blanche	Jean-François Delacroix
  Jacques Villeret	François Joseph Westermann	Anne Alvaro	Éléonore Duplay	Roger Planchon	Antoine Quentin Fouquier-Tinville	Franciszek Starowieyski	Jacques-Louis David
  Alain Macé	François Héron	Krzysztof Globisz	Amar	Ronald Guttman	Herman	Tadeusz Huk	Couthon

  
    Here's the link to the Wikipedia write-up of this movie.
    Release Date: 1983
    Directed by Andrzej Wajda.

Labels: §1, Criterion1, drama1, gérard-depardieu, historical1, period1, ronald-guttman

# posted by gail @ 19:14    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  Under construction.
    Deadwood The Movie:  HBO site for the movie. Several extras, both written and video, all available to HBO non-subscribers as of 5/5/21.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Timothy Olyphant	Seth Bullock	Ian McShane	Al Swearengen	Molly Parker	Alma Ellsworth	Paula Malcomson	Trixie
  W. Earl Brown	Dan Dority	Dayton Callie	Charlie Utter	Kim Dickens	Joanie Stubbs	Brad Dourif	Doc Cochran
  Anna Gunn	Martha Bullock	John Hawkes	Sol Star	Gerald McRaney	Sen. George Hearst	Leon Rippy	Tom Nuttall
  William Sanderson	E. B. Farnum	Robin Weigert	Calamity Jane	Brent Sexton	Harry Manning	Sean Bridgers	Johnny Burns

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up on this film.
    Release Date: 2019
    Directed by Daniel Minahan.

Labels: §, brad-dourif, drama1, historical1, john-hawkes, me-favorite1, violence1, western

# posted by gail @ 14:59    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  I finally watched this film last night, 6/30/21. I know. I've had it since April. My only excuse is that, although since that time I've added several movies (seen and unseen previous to purchase) I've wanted to own, at the same time I entered into a period, not the first I've experienced, when I just didn't want to spend much time staring at the screen, no matter how much any particular movie excited me.
    Anyway, interesting, interesting film! First of all, there's not a false performance in it. Second, the setting is exquisitely managed. Third, the story, itself, slips, expertly between "witches, yes" and "witches, no". Third, character development and relational portrayal between characters are never neglected. I ended the movie with no questions or holes in my understanding. In addition, my attention was riveted from beginning to end.
    Truthfully, having been born on Halloween, I have a special relationship with horror movies that focus on witchery. I have, by no means, seen all of them and tend to avoid the hundreds (if not thousands) of horror films, witched or not, that cluster-release around Halloween. This movie, though, is designed, I think, to be thought provoking and decidedly eerie any time of the year, especially since it unfolds slowly. Impressive job for a directoral first. It would, in fact, be an excellent job for a film made in the middle or end of a long film-making career.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Anya Taylor-Joy	Thomasin	Ralph Ineson	William	Kate Dickie	Katherine	Harvey Scrimshaw	Caleb
  Ellie Grainger	Mercy	Lucas Dawson	Jonas	Julian Richings	The Governor	Bathsheba Garnett	The Old Witch
  Sarah Stephens	The Young Witch	Charlie	Goat Black Phillip	Wahab Chaudhry	Human Black Phillip	Axtun & Athan Dube	Samuel

  
    Here's the Wikipeda write-up on this film.
    Release Date: 2015
    Directed by Robert Eggers.

Labels: A24, drama1, feminist, folk-horror, period1, popcorn-and-soda1, psychological1, spiritual1, women's-movie2

# posted by gail @ 12:24    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  Under construction.
    So, I have three reviews for you. The title is linked to one that questions the movie's veracity. Here is a review that simply praises the movie and its motives (and, twice, mispells "ensue" as "ensure") without question. Here is Glenn Erickson's review (of DVD Savant) that treads a moderate, thoughtful path between the two previous reviews.
    Finding good reviews of this movie is incredibly hard. Roger Ebert spoke of it many times, reviewed it on his television program, but either didn't write a review or, if he did, it's unavailable. Everywhere.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Forest Whitaker	Idi Amin	James McAvoy	Dr. Nicholas Garrigan	Kerry Washington	Kay Amin	Gillian Anderson	Sarah Merrit
  Simon McBurney	Stone	David Oyelowo	Dr. Junju	David Ashton	Garrigan Sr.	Barbara Rafferty	Mrs. Garrigan

  
    I, frankly, find Whitaker's performance and the story riveting, no matter how much of it is fact, or, for that matter, truth.
    Here is the Wikipedia write-up on this movie, which, as well, disputes some of the elements of the movie. It even reminds us that the movie is based on a novel and characterizes Giles Foden, the author as indicating, "...the film's depiction of Amin is comparable with the Shakespearean character Macbeth, whom he had in mind when writing the novel."
    Release Date: 2006
    Directed by Kevin Macdonald.

Labels: drama1, forest-whitaker, historical1, me-favorite1, period1

# posted by gail @ 13:00    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  Under construction.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Myriem Roussel	Marie	Thierry Rode	Joseph	Philippe Lacoste	L'ange Gabriel	Manon Andersen	La petite fille
  Juliette Binoche	Juliette	Anne Gautier	Eva	Johan Leysen	Le professeur	Malachi Jara Kohan	Jésus

  
    Here is the Wikipedia write-up of this film.
    Release Date: 1985
    Directed by Jean-Luc Godard.

Labels: §, drama1, jesus-dvds, juliette-binoche, religion1

# posted by gail @ 12:57    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  Under construction.
    As well as the review, linked to the title of this post, Roger Ebert also wrote an interesting article containing a mini-interview with one of the two screenplay writers. More than an interview, though, it is a reflection on many aspects of Swedish cinema with the views of multiple people respresented.
    This movie is a companion to and encased with The New Land.
  
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Max von Sydow	Karl Oskar Nilsson	Liv Ullmann	Kristina Nilsson	Eddie Axberg	Robert Nilsson	Sven-Olof Bern	Nilsson Father
  Aina Alfredsson	Nilsson Mother	Allan Edwall	Danjel Andreasson	Monica Zetterlund	Ulrika	Pierre Lindstedt	Arvid
  Hans Alfredson	Jonas Petter	Ulla Smidje	Inga-Lena Andreasson	Eva-Lena Zetterlund	Elin	Gustaf Färingborg	Provost Brusander
  Åke Fridell	Aron	Agneta Prytz	Fina-Kajsa	Halvar Björk	Anders Månsson	Bruno Sörwing	Sherriff Lönnegren

  
    Here is the Wikipedia write-up of this movie.
    Release Date: 1971
    Directed by Jan Troell.

Labels: §3, Criterion1, drama1, immigration, max-von-sydow, period1

# posted by gail @ 12:53    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  Under construction.
    The essay above is about the companion movies "The Emigrants" and "The New Land".
    This movies is a companion to and encased with The Emigrants.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Max von Sydow	Karl Oskar Nilsson	Liv Ullmann	Kristina Nilsson	Eddie Axberg	Robert Nilsson	Pierre Lindstedt	Arvid
  Allan Edwall	Danjel Andreasson	Monica Zetterlund	Ulrika	Hans Alfredson	Jonas Petter	Agneta Prytz	Fina-Kajsa
  Halvar Björk	Anders Månsson	Tom C. Fouts	Pastor Jackson	Per Oscarsson	Pastor Törner	Oscar Ljung	Oscar Ljung

  
    Here in the Wikipedia write-up of this movie.
    Release Date: 1972
    Directed by Jan Troell.

Labels: §3, Criterion1, drama1, immigration, max-von-sydow, period1

# posted by gail @ 12:51    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  This is my favorite Christopher Nolan Batman movie. The internal battle that subsumes itself into a battle with the evil elements of society in Batman Begins finally has to be faced by Bruce Wayne in this third installment of The Dark Knight Trilogy. He has lost the love of his life and was forced to kill one of his foremost supporters in city government. He has convinced his other government supporter to blame himself for the killings of the other government supporter. Even technical whiz bosom buddy collaborator, Lucius Fox, has become disenchanted with Wayne. Alfred Pennyworth is still loyal but sorely disappointed. Catwoman figures heavily in the movie and it's impossible to tell, throughout most of it, if she is friend or foe.
    The movie is filled with a confusion of events, one being Batman's imprisonment, another being Batman's presumed death from his final act to save Gotham from a nuclear bomb and the final being Batman's funeral. Despite all this confusion, the movie has a highly gratifying conclusion, in which Robin figures prominently. It leaves you wondering if Bruce will ever again take on the role of Batman, but it is a satisfying curiosity. Certainly, I doubt that Nolan will extend Batman's story, but, who knows what others will do.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Christian Bale	Bruce Wayne/Batman	Michael Caine	Alfred Pennyworth	Gary Oldman	James Gordon	Anne Hathaway	Selina Kyle/Catwoman
  Tom Hardy	Bane	Marion Cotillard	Miranda Tate/Talia al Ghul	Joseph Gordon-Levitt	John Blake	Morgan Freeman	Lucius Fox
  Liam Neeson	Ra's Al Ghul	Matthew Modine	Foley	Ben Mendelsohn	Daggett	William Devane	President

  
    Here's the Wikipedia write-up for this movie.
    Release Date: 2012
    Directed by Christopher Nolan.

Labels: action2, adventure2, ben-mendelsohn, christian-bale, christopher-nolan, drama1, michael-caine, morgan-freeman, neo-noirC, political1, super-hero1, thriller1, violence1, william-devane

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

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  Commentary:  This is an endlessly interesting origin story for Batman. All the major characters that people Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy are introduced, including Batman as a boy and how, exactly, the death of his parents leads him to become Batman. No need to say anymore, except, I'm a fan of the entire trilogy.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Christian Bale	Bruce Wayne/Batman	Linus Roache	Thomas Wayne	Sara Stewart	Martha Wayne	Morgan Freeman	Lucius Fox
  Michael Caine	Alfred Pennyworth	Liam Neeson	Henri Ducard/Ra's al Ghul	Katie Holmes	Rachel Dawes	Gary Oldman	James Gordon
  Cillian Murphy	Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow	Tom Wilkinson	Carmine Falcone	Rutger Hauer	William Earle	Ken Watanabe	decoy Ra's al Ghul

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up for this movie.
    Release Date: 2005
    Directed by Christopher Nolan.

Labels: action2, adventure2, christian-bale, christopher-nolan, coming-of-age1, drama1, michael-caine, morgan-freeman, neo-noirB, psychological1, super-hero1, suspense1, tom-wilkinson, violence1

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

• 
  • Commentary:  This is such a smooth, well crafted story and movie that, of course, I own it, have watched it more than once and expect to watch it again. And, again. Highlights are Sean Connery's character and performance, of course, followed closely by Robert DeNiro's (who is almost unrecognizable in his part) characterization of Al Capone. Kevin Costner's ubiquitous "cool" is perfect for this part. Andy Garcia is, appropriately, subservient to the script, thus, I think it's one of his best performances.
      By the way, see my write-up for Battleship Potemkin for information on the baby carriage scene in this movie.
      

    Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
    Kevin Costner	Eliot Ness	Sean Connery	Jim Malone	Robert De Niro	Al Capone	Charles Martin Smith	Oscar Wallace
    Andy García	George Stone	Billy Drago	Nitti	Patricia Clarkson	Edna Ness	Richard Bradford	Mike

    
      Here's the Wikipedia write-up for this movie.
      Release Date: 1987
      Directed by Brian De Palma.

  Labels: action2, adventure2, andy-garcía, brian-de-palma, detective1, drama1, historical1, period1, political1, popcorn-and-soda1, robert-de-niro, violence1

  
  
  # posted by gail @ 00:44    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  This movie, which received underwhelming, at times savage, reviews, is, in fact, as one respected reviewer commented, "BIG FUN." And it is. It falls in the vein of, oh, the Equalizer films [Equalizer and Equalizer 2] (although they are, admittedly, better). It is jam packed with excellent actors, which makes you realize that, just as any office job has its interesting days and its slog days but you stay through the slog days because you need the money and you're good at the work, so, actors follow the same trajectory with their work.
    Long story short, I'm sure I'll watch this movie again. It's not a standout, but, with a very curious accountant and an unlikely, reluctant detective at it's core (well, I guess all good detective stories highlight curious "heroes" and reluctant and unlikely detectives), it's involving and fun. That's right. "BIG FUN."
  Update 3/28/01:  Just had to mention, I was at loose ends this afternoon, not a typical Sunday mood for me, but not unusual. Wasn't even sure I wanted to watch a movie ... then I remembered this one. My memory tells me that this is the third time I've watched this movie since I bought it in late November of 2020. I can't remember how I heard of it or what provoked me to obtain it but, I must say, this is one of the more enjoyable action thrillers in my movie library. I can't say it's my favorite, because, frankly, when I'm in the mood for an action thriller movie, I have a number of movies in my collection that I personally rank as excellent and I'd be hard pressed to choose a "best" among them, this one included. I don't think I own an action thriller movie that I wouldn't enjoy watching multiple times. I suspect I'll be watching this one again. And again. Thanks, Ben Affleck.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Ben Affleck	Christian Wolff/The Accountant	Anna Kendrick	Dana Cummings	Jon Bernthal	Braxton Wolff	Robert C. Treveiler	Mr. Wolff/The Colonel
  J. K. Simmons	Raymond King	Cynthia Addai-Robinson	Marybeth Medina	Jeffrey Tambor	Francis Silverberg	John Lithgow	Lamar Blackburn
  Jean Smart	Rita Blackburn	Andy Umberger	Ed Chilton	Alison Wright	Justine	Gary Basaraba	Don

  
    The Wikipedia write-up for this movie is here.
    Release Date: 2016
    Directed by Gavin O'Connor.

Labels: action2, adventure2, ben-affleck, detective1, drama1, economic, john-lithgow, revenge2, suspense1, violence1

# posted by gail @ 23:51    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  This clip from the first show of the first season is why I own this series. Because it ran on HBO, I never got a chance to see the entire series. But, somehow, I saw this clip, and it haunted me. I finally obtained the entire series.
    I know, I know, it's out of fashion to like Aaron Sorkin's productions right now. I don't care. He produces some of the most thoughtful, interesting, American, that's right, American political writing available. That's why I own this series, and several other of his video works. I look forward to viewing past works of his to which I haven't yet been introduced and any future work he produces. You heard it here: Thanks, Aaron. Carry on.
    P. S. My mother died before this series was created. I think she would have enjoyed it.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Jeff Daniels	Will McAvoy	Emily Mortimer	MacKenzie Morgan McHale	John Gallagher Jr.	James Harper	Alison Pill	Margaret Jordan
  Thomas Sadoski	Don Keefer	Dev Patel	Neil Sampat	Olivia Munn	Sloan Sabbith	Sam Waterston	Charlie Skinner
  Jane Fonda	Leona Lansing	Hope Davis	Nina Howard	Marcia Gay Harden	Rebecca Halliday	Mary McCormack	Molly Levy

  
    The Wikipedia write-up of the series is here.
    Release Date: 2012-2014
    Directed by several people, only one of whom was a woman, Lesli Linka Glatter (how's that for a name meant to be in the film industry). She directed only one episode each in the first and second seasons.

Labels: aaron-sorkin, drama1, emily-mortimer, female-director3, hope-davis, journalism, marsha-gay-harden, me-favorite1, political1, reflective, TV1

# posted by gail @ 23:44    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  I don't favor horror movies. I have a few, but I tend to avoid them. Generally, they strike me as fake, as containing elements that could never happen. In fact, the first full length movie effort by Ari Aster, who is reponsible for this movie, too, fell into the category, for me, of unbelievable, which is why I don't own it. [Yes, I entertain exceptions to my horror movie preferences. For instance, the premise of Rosemary's Baby is wholly ludicrous, but it was crafted so well that it remains one of my favorite movies.]
    Well, here's a horror movie that isn't fake. Everything in this movie could happen. The movie, to me, is so good, so well crafted in both story and production, that it made me wonder if this story had happened, or if it is in the process of happening.
    The first time I saw this movie was through it's placement on a video service. It was free for me to watch. So was Aster's other effort, Hereditary. I liked Midsommar so much that I immediately watched Hereditary, Aster's first major effort. And was disappointed. Curiously, critics were not. In some cases, Hereditary was rated more highly than this movie.
    I would love to purchase the extended director's cut (with an extra 33 minutes) of this movie. It's availability, here in the U.S., is confusing, though. On those copies I can find, either the price is so high it's waaaay out of my range or its region playback ability appears to be questionable. Hopefully, access to it will be smoothed out and cheapened in the coming months. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out. In the meantime, I am completely satisfied with the version I have. I've not only watched it more than a few times, I enthusiastically encouraged MFS to watch it (for free on the video service).
    I'm still waiting for a reasonably priced (the lowest price I can find is $45), Region 1 Director's Cut of this movie that will play on my standard blu-ray player. Come on, Retail Oligarchs, get your heads out of your asses and make one available! Do you think, after the last few years of bailouts for you and nothing to speak of for us plebes, that we plebes are made of money?!? You took it all! Do you have any idea how much money you'd make if you made available a reasonably priced, Region 1 Director's cut?!?
    I have to mention before closing, RogerEbert.com went absolutely crazy over this movie, posting no less than three articles about or featuring this film and the issues it addresses in addition to its straightforward review: first article, second article and third article. Am I surprised? Well, a little, but, I have to tell you, in my opnion it's a great movie and I can't remember how many times I've watched it, so many has it been.
    One more mention before closing: If you're as fascinated with this movie as I am, you might find this commentary interesting.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Florence Pugh	Dani Ardor	Jack Reynor	Christian Hughes	Vilhelm Blomgren	Pelle	William Jackson Harper	Josh
  Will Poulter	Mark	Ellora Torchia	Connie	Archie Madekwe	Simon	Henrik Norlén	Ulf
  Gunnel Fred	Siv	Isabelle Grill	Maja	Agnes Rase	Dagny	Levente Puczkó-Smith	Oracle Ruben
  Julia Ragnarsson	Inga	Mats Blomgren	Odd	Lars Väringer	Sten	Anna Åström	Karin

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2019
    Directed by Ari Aster.

Labels: A24, drama1, folk-horror, haunting1, suspense1, violence1

# posted by gail @ 23:42    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  I really enjoy the part of this movie which focuses on Diana's Amazonian life. The rest of it, once she leaves Themyscira, eh. My reaction to the story of how Diana becomes embroiled in World War I and, as the blurbs say, discovers her true destiny, left me flat. Yes, the underplot of Diana actually battling Ares as she becomes involved in WWI is interesting, but frankly, anti-climactic. I'm not sure why. You'd think this mission would be exciting. That's certainly the secondary reason why I purchased the movie. The primary reason was because I collect certain super-hero movies and I wanted this particular origin story in my catalog. Will I watch it again? Probably. As I do, though, I'll always wish ...
  Update 8/7/2021:  I haven't decided whether I want to obtain Wonder Woman: 1984. I've read synopses (some detailed) of the movie, so I know the story, but, of course, that's not important, since, if I like a movie, I'll watch it multiple times, with the story already firmly in mind for all but one of those watches. And, as well, I don't particularly care about the conflicted reviews, like the one immediately above in this paragraph. Thing is, I've watched the original only once and, despite my adoration for the character as played by Gal Gadot, I may never watch this movie, again. My copy won't end up at my local library, since I consider it a must-keep in my super-hero caches (both caches linked, by the way; one to "super-hero" and one to "caches"). But, unlike Iron Man, for instance, I'm not drawn back to yet another watching. Then, again, this movie features Kristin Wiig as a villian, and that sounds like fun. Perhaps I'll check it out of my local library and see how I like it.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Gal Gadot	Diana/Wonder Woman	Chris Pine	Steve Trevor	Robin Wright	Antiope	Danny Huston	Erich Ludendorff
  David Thewlis	Sir Patrick	Connie Nielsen	Hippolyta	Elena Anaya	Dr. Isabel Maru	Lucy Davis	Etta Candy
  Saïd Taghmaoui	Sameer	Ewen Bremner	Charlie	Eugene Brave Rock	Chief	Lisa Loven Kongsli	Menalippe

  
    The Wikipedia article on this movie is here.
    Release Date: 2017
    Directed by Patty Jenkins, as is the second film in this series.

Labels: action2, adventure2, don't-ask-me-why, drama1, fantasy1, female-director3, military, period1, political1, popcorn-and-soda1, pseudo-cgi-animation, super-hero1, suspense1, thriller1, violence1, war1

# posted by gail @ 23:34    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  I almost feel like I have to explain my affection for this movie. Michael Douglas portrays such a tortured, confused character, one with whom I don't identify. And, yet, in my opinion, he plays it brilliantly and the story within which he unfolds this character is believable and thrilling. Initially, I think he was brave to take on this role. On second and third thought, though, Michael Douglas is refreshingly ready to surprise his audience with the range of the characters he takes on. This is one of his more complicated characters. For me, it's a Michael Douglas coup. I am always ready to watch this movie, which is why I have it in my collection.
    One last mention: Roger Ebert wrote an interesting article about the rise of Donald Trump (pre-election) that used four different movies as grist for his mill. It's quite interesting. This movie is one of his four. And, BTW, all the movies he mentioned are in my collection and are favorites of mine. Who'd-a-thunk!
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Michael Douglas	William Foster	Robert Duvall	Sgt. Martin Prendergast	Barbara Hershey	Beth Trevino	Rachel Ticotin	Det. Sandra Torres
  Tuesday Weld	Amanda Prendergast	Frederic Forrest	Nick	Lois Smith	Foster's Mother	Joey Hope Singer	Adele Foster-Trevino
  Michael Paul Chan	Mr. Lee	Raymond J. Barry	Cpt. Bill Yardley	D. W. Moffett	Det. Lydecker	Steve Park	Det. Brian

  
    Here is the Wikipedia article on this film.
    Release Date: 1993
    Directed by Joel Schumacher.

Labels: action2, adventure2, barbara-hershey, drama1, economic, haunting1, lois-smith, michael-douglas, political1, psychological1, robert-duvall, satire1, thriller1, tragedy1, tuesday-weld, violence1

# posted by gail @ 23:29    0 comments    email......this post