Movies, Mom & Me

• 
  Commentary:  Part of Warner Brothers 4 Film Favorites collection. It's also one of my two favorites in that collection. Both actresses, Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter, are great and Harry Connick, Jr. is wonderfully slithery. The sub-story of Weaver's character overcoming her extreme agoraphobia is interesting, too. If I hadn't run across this movie (collection) at Hastings' going-out-of-business sale I probably wouldn't ever look to own any of the four movies, but getting all four for much, much less than the price of one clinched the deal. The four movies in the collection are this one, Diabolique, The Crush and Pacific Heights.
  Update 6/2/2022:  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
  Sigourney Weaver	Dr. Helen Hudson	Holly Hunter	Ins. Mary Jane Monahan	Dermot Mulroney	Ins. Reuben Goetz	Harry Connick Jr.	Daryll Lee Cullum

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1995
    Directed by Jon Amiel.

Labels: drama6, mystery1, popcorn-and-soda2, sigourney-weaver, thriller2

# posted by gail @ 20:50    0 comments    email......this post

• Who's watched:  M & G
• Mentions:  None
• 
  Commentary:  This is one (of the many) that Mom never has any recollection of watching, yet we watch it a lot, usually during a cold, stormy afternoon/evening binge of this movie and The American President, of which she has a somewhat better memory. She likes feeling hopeful about what's best in the U.S., so do I, and both of these movies help, while the love stories provide comedy relief.
    As a footnote, may I add that I am a West Wing freak; my mother is not, but she tolerates me. No, we have not bought any collections of West Wing episodes. I have forbidden myself to do so. When, for instance, would I watch them? I watch little enough of what we have, and then, usually, only peripherally, now. It's been a hard lesson to learn that if only I like it, my indulgences in it will be few and far between. I'm okay with this; it's just been a hard learning.
  Update 11/2/08:  I was given the entire West Wing series for Christmas a few years ago by a friend of mine; see the link.
  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
  Kevin Kline	Dave Kovic/Pres. William Harrison Mitchell	Sigourney Weaver	Ellen Mitchell	Frank Langella	Bob Alexander	Kevin Dunn	Alan Reed
  Ving Rhames	Duane Stevensen	Ben Kingsley	Vice Pres. Gary Nance	Charles Grodin	Murray Blum	Laura Linney	Randi
  Bonnie Hunt	White House Tour Guide	Anna Deavere Smith	Mrs. Travis	Faith Prince	Alice	Tom Dugan	Jerry

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1993
    Directed by Ivan Reitman.

Labels: ben-kingsley, comedy2, kevin-kline, laura-linney, political5, popcorn-and-soda6, presidential, shared-favorite, sigourney-weaver

# posted by gail @ 19:10    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

• Who's watched:  M & G
• Mentions:  None
• 
  Commentary:  Don't tell me you're suprised we purchased this series! Thank the gods, the version with David Attenborough narrating was available. Although we watched the series on TV when it aired on Discovery at the beginning of April (and immediately pre-ordered it), both of us had problems with Sigourney Weaver's narration. I didn't say anything until Mom spoke up and said, "That woman sounds like an old-time school marm! Couldn't they get someone better?!?"
    Yes, they could and did.
    Even if you're a veteran of animal and nature shows, as many Ancient Ones and their caregivers are, this series is a stunner. The addition of the three episode "Planet Earth-The Future" is oddly intriguing, since it involves interviews with died in the wool Greens and those who take issue with all the propositions included in the current global warming hysteria (yes, it is an hysteria, even if it turns out to be reliable), as a well as a smattering of people who are depressed by the realities inherent in trying to get humans to cooperate across the board in changing the ways we live on our planet.
    I noticed that the script is, first, a little contradictory. In one place it mentions that glacial movement is the most devastating eroder of landscape. Then, in another episode, it states that moving water is. Granted, they both states of H₂O, but their different states and properties have vastly different impacts upon the land. I vote for glacial movement. As well, I'm not sure how long this series was in development from the very beginning, but it inaccurately states, in the forest section, that a redwood is the largest living organism on Earth. A few years ago it was discovered that a mushroom was, in fact, the largest living organism. Truth is, we'll probably discover something that's even larger, one of these days.
    Nonetheless, this series is a stunner. We watched it again tonight (which is last night, now). I know we'll watch it again. And again.
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2006
    The series was co-directed by Alastair Fothergill & Mark Linfield.

Labels: documentary1, film-art1, interview, mom-favorite1, political3, popcorn-and-soda3, science, sigourney-weaver, spectacle2, TV1

# posted by gail @ 02:19    0 comments    email......this post

• Who's watched:  G
• Mentions:  None
• 
  Commentary:  This is one of what I consider to be Peter Weir's more mysterious movies. Every time he does a movie about obvious political conflict, I come away with a sense that the big picture is disastrously easy to miss in the detail of living politically.
    I never think of this movie when Mom and I are deciding what to watch together. I expect she will never see it, simply because I don't think of it, even when we have a Peter Weir fest, which we do about once a year. I think she would find Linda Hunt's performance entertaining and noteworthy, but in a Samuel Johnson kind of way. Otherwise, I don't think she would find the story at all involving. Although I may be wrong. If I ever discover that I am, I will certainly update this report.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Mel Gibson	Guy Hamilton	Sigourney Weaver	Jill Bryant	Bill Kerr	Colonel Henderson	Michael Murphy	Pete Curtis
  Linda Hunt	Billy Kwan	Noel Ferrier	Wally O'Sullivan	Bembol Roco	Kumar	Mike Emperio	Sukarno

  
    As often happens, the title for this post, above, is linked to an alternate source, other than Wikipedia. Here is the Wikipedia article on this movie, if you're interested.
    Release Date: 1982
    Directed by Peter Weir.

Labels: adventure3, drama8, historical3, journalism, me-favorite2, mel-gibson, peter-weir, political3, sigourney-weaver, war2

# posted by gail @ 17:56    0 comments    email......this post

• Who's watched:  M & G
• Mentions:  None
• 
  Commentary:  This is one of our feel good movies. Neither of us ever tires of watching this movie, so, when I noticed it on sale, I figured it would be a good addition.
    Yes, both Mom and I find this particular "working girl" a little too good to be true; not "good" in the ethical sense, but, I mean, what were we told working women should want in the late 80's? To be successful, which this working girl becomes, smart, which she certainly is, and beautiful, which she is, as well. All layered over with a veil (and only a veil) of innocence. Mom's comment? "Nice, if you can get it." She's a lifelong "working girl". I'm a lifelong "working girl". All my sisters (I have only sisters) are lifelong "working girls". And, honey, let me tell you, not one of us thinks, sounds or looks like Tess McGill, and don't ever expect to. And, by the way, none of us has ever known a boss like Katharine Parker.
    Nonetheless, it's a fun movie to watch, especially with Alec Baldwin before he became Alec Baldwin. There are, in fact, quite a few actors in this movie that weren't yet famous. In addition, Sigourney Weaver is brilliant in it.
    And, anyway, we both enjoy the song.
    In 2018, 30 years after Roger Ebert reviewed this movie, three of the female writers for the site gathered to ponder the issues the movie highlighted. Here is that conversation.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Actor Name	Role Name	Actor Name	Role Name	Actor Name	Role Name	Actor Name	Role Name
  Melanie Griffith	Tess McGill	Harrison Ford	Jack Trainer	Sigourney Weaver	Katharine Parker	Alec Baldwin	Mick Dugan
  Joan Cusack	Cynthia	Philip Bosco	Oren Trask	Kevin Spacey	Bob Speck	Olympia Dukakis	personnel director
  Nora Dunn	Ginny	Amy Aquino	Alice Baxter	Oliver Platt	Lutz	Zach Grenier	Jim

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1988
    Directed by Mike Nichols.

Labels: dramedy2, harrison-ford, popcorn-and-soda5, romance3, sigourney-weaver

# posted by gail @ 10:30    0 comments    email......this post