Movies, Mom & Me

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. 
   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

# posted by gail @ 16:21    0 comments    email......this post

• 
  Commentary:  Yeah, I know, what am I doing with only the 5th season? A friend of mine gave it to me when I was complaining about having to wait forever to check it out from the library, and told me not to bother giving it back, she was done with it. "Pass it on," she said. Once I'm done with it I will, on to the library. I know from the length of their hold list on this, of which I was once a part, they could use another copy of it. And, yes, I enjoyed it, but not enough to keep, I don't think. Although I'm not sure. We'll see.
  Updated 2/5/18:  "By hook, crook" (not really, regarding the "crook") and purchase I now own all seven seasons of this serial, and I'll probably own the eighth, when it's available. I don't have the luxury of watching this show when it debuts on HBO, but I'm hooked, now, much to my surprise. I don't agree with the critics that it's the best television series ever produced (I haven't made my mind up about that, yet), but I do think it's close, certainly many-notes-worthy, and a production to which I know I'll refer many times. Just in case, since I'm noticing that many links to the producers of these movies and tv series often go dead after awhile, here's the Wikipedia link to Game of Thrones.
  Updated 1/18/21:  As you can see by the title, I now own the entire Game of Thrones series. My favorite seasons are the middle ones, where people are striving to accomplish their goals. I felt I owed it to the series, though, to follow it through to the end, not knowing that the final season would be anticlimactic throughout all six episodes. I'm okay with that, though. Like many others, worldwide, I became addicted, for good reason. The last season competently ended that addiction. Not that I will never watch any of the series, again. I am currently, and slowly, making my way through the series. I'm early into Season 5. Great acting and great storytelling doesn't exist to be abandoned on a shelf.
  Update 11/17/2021:  This post was originally published August 14, 2016. It was one of the accidental deletions that occurred, which is covered in this post.
  Update 6/15/2022:  If, like me, you found yourself unpleasantly gob-smacked by the eighth season of this series, you might find this video commentary interesting.
  
  Seasons 1 - 8   

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Peter Dinklage	Tyrion Lannister	Lena Headey	Cercie Lannister	Nikolaj Coster-Waldau	Jamie Lannister	Emilia Clarke	Danerys Targaryen
  Kit Harington	Jon Snow	Sophie Turner	Sansa Stark	Maisie Williams	Arya Stark	Iain Glen	Jorah Mormont
  Alfie Allen/Reek	Theon Greyjoy	Sean Bean	Eddard Stark	Michelle Fairley	Catelyn Stark	Harry Lloyd	Viserys Targaryen
  Isaac Hempstead Wright	Brandon Stark	Jack Gleeson	Joffrey Baratheon	Rory McCann	Sandor "The Hound" Clegane	Aidan Gillen	Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish
  Liam Cunningham	Davos Seaworth	Stephen Dillane	Stannis Baratheon	Carice van Houten	Melisandre	Natalie Dormer	Margaery Tyrell
  Conleth Hill	Varys	Jerome Flynn	Bronn	Charles Dance	Tywin Lannister	John Bradley	Samwell Tarly
  James Cosmo	Jeor Mormont	Joe Dempsie	Gendry	Oona Chaplin	Talisa Stark	Kristofer Hivju	Tormund Giantsbane
  Gwendoline Christie	Brienne of Tarth	Iwan Rheon	Ramsey Snow/Bolton	Hannah Murray	Gilly	Nathalie Emmanuel	Missandei
  Dean-Charles Chapman	Tommen Baratheon	Tom Wlaschiha	Jaqen H'ghar	Indira Varma	Ellaria Sand	Jonathan Pryce	The High Sparrow
  Daniel Portman	Podrick Payne	Bella Ramsey	Lyanna Mormont	Pilou Asbæk	Euron Greyjoy	Anton Lesser	Qyburn
  Gemma Whelan	Yara Greyjoy	Lino Facioli	Robin Arryn	Jacob Anderson	Grey Worm	James Faulkner	Randyll Tarly
  Diana Rigg	Olenna Tyrell	Keisha Castle-Hughes	Obara Sand	Joseph Mawle	Benjen Stark	Kate Dickie	Lysa Arryn
  David Bradley	Walter Frey	Jim Broadbent	Archmaester Ebrose	Max von Sydow	Three-eyed Raven	Julian Glover	Grand Maester Pycelle
  Peter Vaughan	Maester Aemon	Kristian Nairn	Hodor	Jason Momoa	Khal Drogo	Thomas Brodie-Sangster	Jojen Reed

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2011-2019
    Directed by: Okay, so here's a huge disappointment. Despite having many directors, only one of those directors was a woman and she directed only two episodes in Season 4. Shameful.

Labels: action1, adventure1, drama6, fantasy2, female-director3, indira-varma, jonathan-pryce, max-von-sydow, period2, peter-dinklage, political2, royals, spectacle1, suspense2, tragedy1, TV1, violence2, war1

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

• 
  Commentary:  I own this movie because I have a particular fascination for the Moses part of the origin story of the Jewish people and their attempts to, and successes at, forming a nation. This is my fourth version of the Moses story, the others being: The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston as Moses, Moses with Ben Kingsley playing Moses, superbly, I think, and Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments, DeMille's first, silent production of the Moses story, which combines the story with a modern day film meditation of the application of the ten commandments in what was, at that time, modern life.
    This movie, staring Christian Bale as Moses, is certainly entertaining. I go on "Moses" binges during which I watch all of my Moses movies back-to-back. This version is as involving and entertaining as all the others. Joel Edgerton is particularly fun as Pharaoh Ramses. John Turturro strikes an appropriately wise and world-weary Seti. Much to my delight, Ben Kingsley also appears in this movie as a major/minor figure, Nun. There are so many recognizable stars playing bit parts in this movie that it makes you wonder ...
    Truth is, even though I consider it a delightful addition to my Moses archive, it's easy to wonder, as I watch it, why this Moses story was even produced and why all these major stars (including those in minor parts) assented to participate. Mind you, I have no quarrel with versions and versions of the Moses story. I find them endlessly fun and fascinating. Of all the versions I own, though, this is the only one that appears to be an obvious Ridley Scott money grab, and, frankly, only a money grab. We know how spectacular Scott can be producing an epic. You only need to point to Gladiator. In that movie, it's obvious that Ridley Scott, the director for that movie, too, was not only thinking about content, he thought assiduously and well about it. Not so with this production. There are some roles that featured large in my other Exodus epics that were merely spit upon in passing in this movie: Dathan, for instance, and Jethro. There are others that featured large in this movie that were, again, spit upon in passing or altogether ignored in my other Exodus epics: Miriam, for instance, and Viceroy Hegep.
    Still, it's fun to watch, in the context of my other Moses movies. I'll not be passing it on to someone else.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Christian Bale	Moses	Joel Edgerton	Rameses II	John Turturro	Seti I	Aaron Paul	Joshua
  Ben Mendelsohn	Viceroy Hegep	María Valverde	Zipporah	Sigourney Weaver	Tuya	Ben Kingsley	Nun
  Isaac Andrews	Malak	Hiam Abbass	Bithiah	Indira Varma	High Priestess	Ewen Bremner	Strategy Expert
  Golshifteh Farahani	Nefertari	Ghassan Massoud	Grand Vizier Paser	Tara Fitzgerald	Miriam	Dar Salim	Cmdr. Khyan
  Andrew Tarbet	Aaron	Ken Bones	Court Scribe	Anton Alexander	Dathan	Kevork Malikyan	Jethro

  
    You'll notice, above, that the name "Malak" is hyperlinked to an article that well discusses the use of this word/name biblically. I became very curious about this word/name because of the character who sports it in this movie. Interesting read, no matter how you feel about the movie. Although many people, including some prominent reviewers, have identified this character as the Abrahamic God, the definition to which I've linked clearly undermines this interpretation by identifying this word as meaning a "messenger" and an "angel".
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2014
    Directed by Ridley Scott.

Labels: ben-kingsley, ben-mendelsohn, bible-movies1, christian-bale, drama2, historical1, indira-varma, john-turturro, military, moses, popcorn-and-soda1, religion1, ridley-scott, sigourney-weaver, spectacle1, violence1

# posted by gail @ 23:12    0 comments    email......this post