Movie Thread

[clean]

I ve been binging on Only Murders in the Building.

I thought my parents would enjoy it, but initially they were turned off by some limited offensive language.

As I binged, my mom got more interested and she says that she will now have to go back and watch the ones she missed.

It is a pretty good show to binge! 

Planned to watch Dont Look Up today, but when I got into Netflix, it isnt yet ready.  I think that it drops tomorrow.

[Hegemony]

I watched Paolo Sorrentino's new movie, "The Hand of God," which is on Netflix. It's that Sorrentino combination of the absurd and the sublime. Somewhat unreformed in its treatment of women and the disabled. But also sublime at times. Somewhat disturbing, especially in that it's autobiographical and the tragedy in the movie really did happen. I won't say more so as to avoid spoilers.

[clean]

I saw Dont Look Up last night.  Unfortunately, I found it very believable!!  I could definitely see the movie's depiction of the government reaction being the one selected!  The public's politicization of the 'facts' was also too scary.   

[Sun_Worshiper]

Don't Look Up (Netflix)

A couple of academic astronomers discover a planet killing comet with nearly-100% certainty of hitting and destroying Earth in ~6 months. They warn the US government and then the public. But, despite unimpeachable scientific evidence, the issue gets hopelessly politicized. Sound familiar? The film is an allegory to the politicization of climate change, but it could just as easily be applied to coronavirus or any other threat facing the world. I don't want to make it sound too serious, as this is a very silly satirical comedy, but it is also brutally on-point in its depictions of politicians, media, billionaires, and the public. On the critical side, it is sanctimonious and not at all subtle and there is an after credit scene that should certainly have been cut.

Overall, this is not at the level of Wag the Dog or Dr. Strangelove, but it is a lot of fun and a good commentary on America's idiocracy.

Grade: A-

[mamselle]

Actually, the review I read suggested that the after-credit scene was included on purpose, because the ending needed it.

But I haven't seen the film, and probably won't...

M.

[Sun_Worshiper]

Actually, the review I read suggested that the after-credit scene was included on purpose, because the ending needed it.

But I haven't seen the film, and probably won't...

M.

There are two scenes: One mid-credits and another after. The mid-credit scene is good, the latter should have been cut.

[ab_grp]

We watched The Holiday (Winslet, Diaz, Law, Black) a few nights ago.  I think it was a pretty popular movie at one time, but the basic story is that Winslet (in England) and Diaz (in California) sign up for a house-swapping site so that they can each get away from their normal lives during the holidays.  Obviously, hijinx ensue.  I'd seen it a few times before, and my husband had seen it once.  It's a cute movie with some distracting mugging going on (mostly by Winslet and Diaz).  My favorite part is a more minor story arc about one of the California neighbors.  It gets me every time.  There is certainly some contrived rom-com dumbassery going on at times, but there are some really sweet parts as well, and it's generally funny overall. 

[mamselle]

Sounds like an American version of Maeve Binchy's Tara Road, which I re-read several times.

But I haven't seen it, so I could be wrong....

M.

[Sun_Worshiper]

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020, Netflix)

Engrossing courtroom drama about the 1968 Chicago riots and the subsequent trial of the Chicago 7 - a group of Vietnam war activists accused of sparking the riots. The film is pretty by-the-numbers, but it is effective and the performances are very good (especially Sacha Baron Cohen). Needless to say, lots of liberties are taken with the real story to enhance the drama. There is also an effort to create a radical vs. moderate left dynamic, but it is pretty superficial in the film and never really goes anywhere.

Overall, this is an enjoyable movie, but nothing special.

B+

[ab_grp]

Sounds like an American version of Maeve Binchy's Tara Road, which I re-read several times.

But I haven't seen it, so I could be wrong....

M.

Mamselle, I remembered reading something about the similarity in the movie trivia on IMDB.  Here's what it says:

Despite similarities in plot, this film is not based on the book Tara Road by Maeve Binchy, which was adapted into a film in 2005 starring Andie MacDowell and Olivia Williams (Tara Road (2005)).

The Holiday came out in 2006, so it's curiously coincidental timing, at least.  But now I am interested to check out Tara Road.  I remember Binchy being a pretty popular author back around that time, though I never read any of her books.

[mamselle]

I have read nearly everything she wrote; her later pieces were less intense in some ways, but I always enjoyed her storytelling style and characterizations.

I'd say her strongest were, besides "Tara Road," "Light a Penny Candle," and "Echoes" although one could pick up anything of hers and find it satisfying.

I should probably mosey over to the "Books" thread, this being the "Movies" thread, after all...

Come to think of it, "Circle of Friends" was made into a film, too. (And they may have done something combined with the trilogy around "Scarlet Feather.")

Her work to me seemed almost like a documentary of Ireland's coming-of-age, itself, as a country.

M.

[hmaria1609]

"The Secret Garden" (1993) on Kanopy
Based on the popular children's novel by France H. Burnett, first published in 1911.  I own a paperback edition with illustrations by Tasha Tudor and has a special anniversary decal on the cover.

[clean]

I watched Tomorrow War last night. 
It was certainly entertaining. 

[hmaria1609]

"The Bishop's Wife" (1947) on Kanopy
An angel (Cary Grant) helps a discouraged Episcopal bishop and his wife with fundraising for a new cathedral at Christmas time. I saw a small portion of the movie in grade school.

[Vkw10]

I took my brother's family to the latest Spider-Man movie and to  The King's Man while visiting over the holidays. The Spider-Man movie was comprehensible despite my unfamiliarity with the characters, which makes it the best superhero movie I've seen in a decade. The teenagers considered it very good, particularly for the way it wove in references to previous Spider-Man movies.

The King's Man was my niece's choice, as she was intrigued by the WWI setting. It's a prequel to Kingsman, which I enjoyed about five years ago. The original was partially a spoof of the spy movie genre, with some comic elements to relieve the sometimes gory action scenes. The prequel was okay, but lacked the spoofing charm of the original.