Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Dancing at Lughnasa
- Who's watched: G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I consider this movie chiefly a tour de force for Streep. It is an incredibly dark movie, almost too dark for me, although I can't resist Michael Gambon's performance. I've gone back and forth over whether I'll keep this movie or trade it in. I doubt that I'll ever think to show it to Mom. I may not ever watch it again, either.
Kramer vs. Kramer
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This, as is turns out, is one of my mother's favorite movies, for Dustin Hoffman's performance. She also likes the boy, especially when he's being difficult. I like this movie, too. For some reason, the Bach guitar at the beginning imprinted on me.
Labels: drama, gender-bender
Adaptation
- Who's watched: G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is part of that "Meryl Streep" set. I was pleased about this addition because I love this movie. It's one I've done instant replay in order to cull quotes from it.
Labels: drama, me-favorite, satire
Postcards from the Edge
- Who's watched: G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This movie is one of four "Meryl Streep" movies I deliberately bought in a set, the other three being: Adaptation, Kramer vs. Kramer and Dancing at Lughnasa, . It does not contain one of my favorites, Sophie's Choice, but that'll come later. My favorite part of this movie is the CW video at the end, but there are many aspects of this film I enjoy, including the chemistry between Meryl Streep and Shirley MacClaine.
This movie is distinguished in that it is the only movie I've ever watched with the commentary overdub.
Deadwood
- Who's watched: M & G, avidly
- Mentions: *1* *2* *3* *4*
- Commentary: I've talked quite a bit about this series and my mother's and my interest(s; separate, mostly) in it.
Aside from that, if you're eschewing this series because of the language, sexuality and violence, you're missing a great production on many levels, not the least of which is its take on American History and the American Character.
My mother goes back and forth in her feelings about this series. Sometimes it fascinates her. Sometimes it repulses her. At this point I feel we will continue to collect the seasons.
Labels: drama, historical, me-favorite, TV, violence
Northern Exposure 4th Season
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: none, yet
- Commentary: We've only watched this season informally in TV reruns. It's just one of our "must haves". I know we will watch it, probably in a marathon.
Labels: dramedy, shared-favorite, TV
Northern Exposure 3rd Season
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: We've only just received and begun to watch this season. I think this is the one where they do lots more dream work. I'm hoping this is the season when they produced the episode with Maggie and the bear.
Labels: dramedy, shared-favorite, TV
Spellbound
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is a ditty of a movie, and this little ditty is a delight. This is my idea of a cartoon, even though it's a docu-drama in the best sense of the word.
It is this type of movie that is responsible for turning my idea of what movies are for and can do for me. There are, for instance, movies that one would want to have in one's own collection for pure enjoyment. My mother and I, for instance, spell the words along with the participants (we've seen the movie twice).
Labels: documentary, mom-favorite
Das Boot
- Who's watched: G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I originally watched this movie some years ago when I was self-studying war. I've watched it since when I desperately need to be reminded of everyone's essential humanity and of the root of all conflict.
Labels: drama, haunting, historical, me-favorite, political, war
Waking Life
- Who's watched: G
- Mentions: *1* *2*
- Commentary: Now, this is my idea of a comedy! I laughed and laughed all the way through this thing, and then was stunned at the end! I never think to watch this movie when Mom's awake. I don't know if she'd like it or not. She surprised me with her devotion to My Dinner with Andre so, you never know. If she ever sees it, I'll be sure to report.
Labels: animated, dream, fantasy, film-art, me-favorite, satire
What the Bleep Do We Know?
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This movie is seductively misleading. Many of the ideas are tantalizing to contemplate, but there are inconsistencies and contradictioins that show that this movie is more a travelogue for New Age Meta-Physics. It is colorful, though, and provocative to watch. Much less so, though, than, say, Cosmos.
The most glaring problem is that the movie doesn't live up to its hype and does not fulfill even the blurb promises. I bought it sight unseen (stupid move, always) on the recommendation of someone whose knowledge of me and opinion, especially in these matters, I value. Unfortunately, it is one of those recommendations that casts an uneasy light on the value of the recommender's opinions.
The second problem lies in its hazy way of some times including what we think of as the inanimate world in on the "you create your own reality" scenario, then explicitly excludes it. Example: The narrative cites the experiment done in Japan that involved an experimenter writing descriptions of feelings on pieces of paper, using them to label jars of water, then doing what I imagine is a combination EEC/MRI on the cells of the water; the water, of course, mirrors the state written on its label. This experiment begs several questions, not the least important of which is, what about the reality of the water?
This movie is not going to change anyone's life, I don't think, not directly, anyway, but it's fun to watch. I haven't decided, yet, whether I'm going to keep it or eventually trade it in.
The third is that, in the end, the movie is a promo for a movement. Makes the viewer wonder about the involvement of each of the cast members. Always a bad idea, except in historical perspective.
Mom enjoyed it, especially the sessions with the 35,000 year old basketball hustler.
Labels: fantasy, science, spiritual
The Mary Tyler Moore Show 1st - 4th Seasons
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: This show has "an incident" to recommend it: See the one "Mention". I have to admit, there is something addictive about this show. And, despite the active argument in which several critics are indulging, this show wasn't so innocent as all that. It still isn't. I'm pissed that they recorded a new cover of the theme. I miss the brightness of the old arrangement and the final chord.
We'll probably collect more of this show's seasons.
Labels: buddy, comedy, mom-favorite, TV
Mary Poppins
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: This movie has obsessed me since it was first advertised when I was a nascent teenager. For some reason, I hyped the possible experience up in my mind to the place where I found the movie disappointing and was embarrassed (in the way young teens are) that I liked the movie. But, the summer of the year we (my sisters and I as a group) saw it, we also spent that summer on vacation singing all the songs from the movie, working out harmonies, etc. My decision to buy the movie was of the gut and immediate when I noticed the commercial, last year, for the "limited release" of an edition of this movie. I snapped it up and I'm glad I did. We've watched it maybe four times since then, and sing our way through the movie when we view it. During one viewing I made a savory stew and it was as though The Spirit of Mary Poppins inhabited our house. And, I'm no longer embarrassed to admit this! So there!
Labels: kids, mom-favorite, musical, period
The Straight Story
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2*
- Commentary: Another absolute favorite. I discovered this movie playing on one of the independent film channels. The entire movie is perfectly luscious, including the music, and the photography. The acting is superb. It should be a Required Viewing film for anyone who cares for an Ancient One.
The first time I viewed this film, I bought it lock stock and barrel. The second time, I was a little uneasy with what hit me as mawkishness in the act featuring the pregnant runaway and some of the Twin Brothers episode. On the third viewing, though, I was fine with everything. Ancient Ones are often mawkish. Sometimes thoughtfulness leads to a kind of mawkishness.
My mother always identifies with the spirit of Alvin Straight, and loves the fact that this man was (and remains in character) an Iowan.
Labels: adventure, biography, drama, haunting, shared-favorite
My Dinner with Andre
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: This is one of my all time favorite movies. I treated MCS to this movie (showing at the Valley Art in Tempe, AZ) and dinner, I think, when the movie first came out in 1981. We were both mesmerized by it. I have seen it several times since and never fail to fall under the spell of these two guys sitting at dinner and talking. The waiter is magical, although I didn't really appreciate his performance and character until my second viewing. I searched for this movie for a long time in widescreen format DVD and have as yet been unsuccessful in locating it. In the meantime, I have this version, the only version fit for U.S. consumption of which I know.
Mom was enchanted by this movie, as well, the first time she saw it, even though it has no captioning. When I purchased it (I got a deal) a couple of weeks ago, she had trouble with it, primarily because of the lack of captions. Could be she needs an ear cleaning, again.
Labels: buddy, drama, film-art, haunting, shared-favorite
Murder, She Wrote - 1st Season
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2*
- Commentary: The truth? Occasionally I'll get caught up in one of these episodes, but it is more interesting for me to watch my mother watching this show. Several years ago she used to say that she liked the series even though she "couldn't stand" Angela Lansbury. As she watched, though, she'd forget that the character is played by Ms. Lansbury and immerse herself in the genteel, nosy, forthright, thoughtful amateur detective who is also a mystery writer. I think my mother likes the reverie of believing that J. B. Fletcher is the epitome, not of what the Ancient One life should be but is. So, I watch the show more carefully, now, when I'm so inclined.
Labels: mom-favorite, mystery, TV
