Movies, Mom & Me

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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:  I have two copies of this movie: one is the normal presentation with no special features. The Criterion version is loaded with interesting, thoughtful goodies. I bought the stripped version without realizing Criterion was as fascinated with the movie as I am. Once I realized that a Criterion version exists, well, I needed those special Criterion features. It was worth it. I may pass the plain version onto someone in my family. We'll see. In the meantime, if one of them blows up, I always have the other! Which is good, because this movie always holds my interest, no matter how many times I see it. What a way to find out what people really think of you, and to figure out how to care about that!
  Update 6/9/2022:  This post was originally published on 8/14/16 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Michael Douglas	Nicholas van Orton	Sean Penn	Conrad van Orton	Deborah Kara Unger	Christine/Claire	James Rebhorn	Jim Feingold
  Peter Donat	Samuel Sutherland	Carroll Baker	Ilsa	Armin Mueller-Stahl	Anson Baer	Anna Katarina	Elizabeth
  Charles Martinet	Nicholas' Father	Mark Boone Junior	Private Investor	Tommy Flanagan	Solicitor/Taxi Driver	Spike Jonze	Airbag EMT Beltran

  
    Here is the Wikipedia write-up on the film.
    Release Date: 1997
    Directed by David Fincher.

Labels: carroll-baker, Criterion1, michael-douglas, neo-noirB, suspense1, thriller1

# posted by gail @ 13:41    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  This is a classic that I added to my collection because, when I had cable TV, every time it was on I'd watch it at least a few times. Good purchase; I've watched it twice since I bought it.
    One of the aspects of this movie that appeals to me is that, no matter how clear cut the opinions of the characters are about money, ambition and success, at the end of the movie, despite the protestations by one of the characters that he's learned his lesson, the story makes it abundantly clear that these problems don't go away once they're "solved". It is the nature of capitalism to continue to assert itself despite the damage it causes, despite how many attempts there are to subvert it. Thus, the movie's "happy" ending actually leaves a bitter taste. Which is why I like it.
  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.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Michael Douglas	Gordon Gekko	Charlie Sheen	Bud Fox	Daryl Hannah	Darien Taylor	Martin Sheen	Carl Fox
  John C. McGinley	Marvin	Terence Stamp	Sir Larry Wildman	Hal Holbrook	Lou Mannheim	Sean Young	Kate Gekko
  James Spader	Roger Barnes	Saul Rubinek	Harold Salt	Sylvia Miles	Dolores the Realtor	Paul Guilfoyle	Stone Livingstone

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1987
    Directed by Oliver Stone.

Labels: james-spader, michael-douglas

# posted by gail @ 02:27    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. 
   Commentary:  Another favorite that we watch fairly often, when we need to believe in political integrity.
     Mom especially likes the state dinner for the French President and his wife. Every time we watch that scene she can't help but say, "Wouldn't you just love to attend one of those dinners?" The truth is, I think she would like to spend her entire life going from State Dinner to State Dinner. It would suit her.
     I particularly like that, after I'd established my affection for the movie, a good friend of mine told me that he considers me the real life Sidney Allen Wade. He's wrong, of course, but, still, I spend a lot of time preening inside as I watch this movie.
   Update 11/17/2021:  This post was originally published February 6, 2005. It was one of the accidental deletions that occurred, which is covered in this post.
     

   Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
   Michael Douglas	U. S. President Alan Shepherd	Annette Bening	Sydney Allen Wade	Martin Sheen	A.J. MacInerney	David Paymer	Leon Kodak
   Samantha Mathis	Janie Basdin	Michael J. Fox	Louis Rothschild	John Mahoney	Leo Solomon	Anna Deavere Smith	Robin McCall
   Nina Siemaszko	Beth Wade	Wendie Malick	Susan Sloan	Anne Haney	Mrs. Chapil	Shawna Waldron	Lucy Shepherd
   Richard Dreyfuss	Bob Rumson	Beau Billingslea	Agent Cooper	Gail Strickland	Esther MacInerney	Joshua Molina	David

   
     Here's the link to the Wikipedia write-up of this movie.
     Release Date: 1995
     Directed by Rob Reiner.

Labels: aaron-sorkin, annette-bening, dramedy2, john-mahoney, michael-douglas, political4, presidential, richard-dreyfuss, romance3, shared-favorite

# posted by gail @ 15:46    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

• 
  Commentary:  I haven't watched this one, yet. It's a new own. Relatively bargain priced, considering it's been on the shelves for only a minute. I have very few of the 22 (I read that number somewhere, recently) Marvel Universe movies: Iron Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel and this one, in the order in which I obtained them. You know how I feel about super-hero movies, I generally love them, the quirky ones in particular (I consider, for instance, Shyamalan's Eastrail 177 Trilogy (of which I own all three) quirky; click here and here (direct links to all the movies I own that I've placed in the "super-hero" category) to see what I consider a super-hero movie; you'll likely be surprised) but in general there are many I don't care for and have no reason to own, especially of the Marvel Universe. I decided to add this one to my collection, sight unseen, though, since it's the end. Game. You know.
    So, I'll be appending to this write-up when I watch this movie. Who knows. Maybe it will spur me to add a few more Marvel Universe super-hero movies to my collection. Maybe not. We'll see.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Robert Downey Jr.	Tony Stark/Iron Man	Chris Evans	Steve Rogers/Captain America	Mark Ruffalo	Bruce Banner/Hulk	Chris Hemsworth	Thor
  Scarlett Johansson	Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow	Jeremy Renner	Clint Barton/Hawkeye	Don Cheadle	James Rhodes/War Machine	Paul Rudd	Scott Lang/Ant-Man
  Brie Larson	Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel	Karen Gillan	Nebula	Danai Gurira	Okoye	Benedict Wong	Wong
  Jon Favreau	Happy Hogan	Bradley Cooper	Rocket	Gwyneth Paltrow	Pepper Potts	Josh Brolin	Thanos

  
    Also stars Michael Douglas as adult Hank Pym/Ant-Man.
    In case you're curious, the Wikipedia write-up for this movie is here.
    Release Date: 2019
    Directed by Anthony Russo & Joe Russo.

Labels: §2, aliens, josh-brolin, michael-douglas, popcorn-and-soda1, robert-downey-jr, samuel-l-jackson, science-fiction1, super-hero1

# posted by gail @ 09:13    0 comments    email......this post