Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Searching for Bobby Fischer
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: Just an absolute gem of a movie, from the casting of every part to the story. Quietly inspirational. Whenever we watch this movie Mom always sighs at the end and says, "That just makes me feel good about being alive." Ditto.
Labels: biography, drama, shared-favorite
Proof
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: none
- Commentary: I'm surprised that I haven't mentioned this movie in the journal. It made such an impression on me that I bought it the same day I rented and watched it. This is yet another movie that doesn't mention caregiving but is about caregiving. Although the detail is specific, the caregiver daughter shares an unusual talent for math with the father, the extent to which the caregiver comes to identify with the care recipient is not dependent on a shared talent. Watching the movie continues to give me goose flesh. My mother and I are not linked by an unusual talent but we are, now, linked by concern and proximity as well as a very dynamic love. I was also impressed by the relationship between the two daughters, how it spoke of the other daughter's relationship with her father...some subtle things were said about why certain people take over the care of their parent and others don't. As well, I certainly know the feeling of not needing to have someone take care of me but the fear that one (or more) of my sisters will feel the need to "care" for me. This movie is the second in my "library" of films that show an interest in caregiving, the first being Marvin's Room.
Labels: caregiver, drama, me-favorite
Philadelphia
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: I was finally moved to buy this movie when I noticed that every time it appeared on television, even if on a channel that corrupted its flow with commercials, Mom and I would tune in, even though we mostly notice it after the movie has started. My fascination for the movie has to do with some of it's techniques, particularly when the camera attempts to duplicate Hank's character's point of view. The small gestures in this film are perfect, as well, and the aria scene never fails to grab me. I'm not sure what Mom likes about the film, but she watches it as intently as I.
My Neighbor Totoro
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: We're both enchanted by this film, more for the relationship between the sisters, the portrayal of the neighbor boy (which is delightfully right on) and the wonderful father, who straddles both his own and his children's worlds with extraordinary dexterity. Some of Miyazaki's films are more spectacular, but this movie, quietly and deftly, vindicates and celebrates everyone's childhood.
Labels: animated, fantasy, kids
Fearless
- Who's watched: M (partially) & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is one of my favorite movies, handled by one of my favorite filmmakers, Peter Weir. I thought Mom would eat this one up but, so far, during three watchings since I acquired this film, her attention has wandered, even though she always finds the initial build up interesting. Since it's a film I'll be watching over and over, my hope is that one of these days she'll hone into it through to the end and discover it's delights.
Elizabeth R
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2*
- Commentary: Another one of our perennial BBC favorites. Believe it or not, our entire family first watched this on Guam during it's first run. I was reminded of it when my mother became entranced with HBO's recent offering Elizabeth I. It's hard to say which we prefer, although the BBC version has more compelling detail, and, of course, Glenda Jackson is the definitive Queen Elizabeth I, although Helen Mirren runs a very, very close second, and Jeremy Irons is my favorite, by a hair, for The Duke of Leichester.
Labels: biography, drama, historical, period, political, royals, TV
The Elephant Man
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is one of those movies that has a hypnotic effect on both of us; both the way it's filmed and the story. Every time we watch it we're galvanized into a discussion of the extraordinary possibilities inherent in the desire to survive, regardless of the difficulty.
Labels: biography, drama, historical, period
Boston Legal, Seasons 1 - 5
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1* *2* *3* *4*
- Commentary: It never fails to amaze me that Mom enjoys this show as much as I do. I didn't expect her to. I thought she'd find the broad satire tense and boring, but it's not uncommon for her to find it laugh-out-loud funny and the legal issues intrigue her. It never fails that, after a show, we find ourselves discussing some aspect of the show we've just viewed. We'll definitely be watching and collecting all seasons.
Labels: satire, shared-favorite, TV
