Movies, Mom & Me

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  none
3. Commentary:  I'm truly surprised that I never mentioned this movie in the journals because, after I'd first seen it, the year it was released, I was mesmerized by it and talked it up to everyone who would listen, rented it endlessly and forced relatives to watch it with me, etc. I've often tried to explain why this movie has such a hold over me. Luckily, Mom always enjoyed it, as she does most big country-spectacle-epics. The acting is poor to fair to good to very occasionally excellent (usually the minor characters ring in the excellence in acting); the story is, well, the father-son story at the base of it is reasonably interesting but predictable; but the whole business about bears and the fall...it resonates with my own interest in bears and the fact that I've always been unreasonably proud of being a fall baby and feel "special" because of that accident of birth timing. I tend to feel as though I am in a dream when I watch this movie. Weird, I know. But, I expect to unreasonably love this movie for the rest of my life. I was lucky that Mom enjoyed it, too, I think it was like reading a sprawling novel, for her, thus she indulged my need to watch this at least once a year, if not more.

Labels: action, adventure, drama, dream, haunting, me-favorite, period, spectacle, violence, war

# posted by gail @ 14:33    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  none
3. Commentary:  One of the advantages, for Mom & me, of subscribing to a DVD rental service was (and remains) the availability of foreign films. Slowly, because of my interest in films from everywhere, if they're good, she learned to handle foreign language films with subtitles. Our favorites, though, were the sweeping epics that communicate mostly without language. This movie became one of our favorites in 2008. You'd think, because it is mostly about conflict, sometimes bloody, short on specific cultural information, etc., we would have found it boring. Quite the opposite. Mom loved the scene-after-scene sprawl of the steppes. I loved the mythical ambience of the film.

Labels: action, adventure, drama, historical, period, political, spectacle, violence, war

# posted by gail @ 13:21    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1*
3. Commentary:  My initial interest in this movie was that Robert Downey, Jr., plays the title character. I've never been disappointed with his work, even loved and admired some of it, and I couldn't imagine him playing a super hero. "Must really need the money," I thought, but I went for it, anyway. Perfect casting, I decided, just perfect, and good super hero story, too, good enough for me to want to own it after having rented it (and, I don't have a yen to own many super hero movies, although I try to watch as many as possible). Even though I purchased this movie some weeks before Mom's death and we both watched it (she wasn't thrilled with it), after Mom's death I found myself watching this movie several times...introducing it to relatives then watching it more on my own. I can't explain why, but it has provided me with inexplicable comfort since my mother's death. And, LOVE the suit...

Labels: action, adventure, drama, fantasy, me-favorite, science-fiction, suspense, violence

# posted by gail @ 16:00    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  G
2. Mentions:  none
3. Commentary:  Mom never saw this movie. I suspect she would have found it interesting, but I don't know, for sure. I'm basing my guess on her reaction to Grizzly Man, which was highly favorable and of which I'm surprised we never sought a copy. Anyway, I bought the movie on the cheap because I've always harbored a desire to take off and attempt to live "in the wild" and was curious about this movie, even though much of my reading about it had forewarned me that Christopher McCandless' journey was probably more about mental/spiritual/emotional/social (take your pick) illness than anything else and that he headed "Into the Wild" frighteningly unprepared, despite himself. Some have speculated that the movie is irresponsible. Thus, any leaning toward a romantic viewing of this film had been cleared before I watched it. Still, I enjoyed the story of what this man did, even though the movie is not completely clear on the brain chemistry or social environment behind his character and choice. It's a highly romantic retelling which, opposing the critics, I find appropriate. Despite this man's talent for personal tragedy, watching the movie has a tendency to allow me to (dangerously, I suppose) consider that, well, maybe someday...with quite a bit more preparation than an idea, I can assure you...

Labels: action, adventure, drama, road-movie, tragedy

# posted by gail @ 15:30    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1* *2* *3*
3. Commentary:  As covered in one of the above Mentions, this movie was suggested by MFS. I was surprised at how much Mom loved it. I enjoy it, too. It's yet another spectacle movie for me (I should create a "spectacle" category, shouldn't I...I think I will, then add to it later) and I love a variety of the acting performances in this movie, particularly (but not solely) Richard Harris as Marcus Aurelius. Before he ever says anything in the movie his acting makes many aspects of Marcus Aurelius' character clear. We watched this movie on TV several times, in "to-fit-your-screen" format, before I finally purchased it. Much better in widescreen. On a whim, I watched the movie last night. I continue to find it supremely entertaining; and, as well, now that Mom's dead, surprisingly emotional, specifically at the end when Juba says, as he buries Maximus' personal idols, "I will see you again, but not yet." If you have any interest in this movie, I urge you to click into the link to the title of the movie, above, which will send you to a thorough and compelling critique of the historicity of the movie. Believe me, despite the astonishing number of historical inaccuracies in the movie, the critique renders watching the movie even more enjoyable.

Labels: action, adventure, drama, historical, period, political, shared-favorite, spectacle, suspense, violence, war

# posted by gail @ 14:15    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  We acquired this movie just before last Easter when I was on a mission to obtain every jesus/bible related that we didn't already own. I didn't know whether she'd ever seen this movie, but she was up for it when I mentioned it to her and was immediately enraptured in it's sprawl. She's also, of course, a big fan of over-the-top drama of the period in which this was made. So am I, depending, and this movie didn't disappoint me, but, I have to say, The Ten Commandments is still my preferred movie spectacle film.

Labels: action, adventure, bible movies, drama, jesus-dvds, period, spectacle, violence

# posted by gail @ 10:22    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1* *2*
3. Commentary:  My mother's interest in this movie was a big surprise for me. I didn't expect her to enjoy it because it is subtitled, it portrays a brutal episode in history and Werner Herzog spared no one and nothing in making this movie, but she was mesmerized by it. Unfortunately, the only copy we were able to obtain was one that had been "formatted for your screen"...big problem with this movie, since it depends on panoramic scenes, especially in the beginning, but I don't think my mother notice or cared. I will probably keep tabs on versions of this movie an replace my copy with a widescreen version at some time in the future.

Labels: adventure, drama, haunting, historical, period, political, spectacle, violence

# posted by gail @ 09:43    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1*
3. Commentary:  Well, I wrote such a dissertation on the movie at the site of the one "mention" that I think I pretty much said it all.

Labels: adventure, buddy, caregiver, road-movie, shared-favorite

# posted by gail @ 12:37    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  Both, partially
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  Yes, although we haven't completely watched it, we own it. This is the movie that MCF tried to get Mom and me to watch over Christmas. Mom fell asleep on the couch. I saw parts of it and began to understand why they raved about it. I think we will enjoy this movie, too, and watch it again. From what I saw, it reminds me a little of Holes in structure, but I may be mistaken about that. Hmmm...today seems like I good day to watch this for the first time. If anything else strikes me about this movie and/or Mom's reaction to it, I'll be back. Please note, the labeling is pre-viewing.

Labels: adventure, buddy, dramedy, period, road-movie

# posted by gail @ 10:55    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  I didn't know about this movie version of Rudyard Kipling's story (which I read some time in late high school, I think, in a collection of short stories, and remained haunted by it) until te late 1970's when the sister of a good friend of mine told me of the movie, extolled it's virtues, told me it was her "favorite", that it was showing on television that night and persuaded me to watch it. I was enchanted. Not only did the half remembered story come back to me in full, the movie overshadowed the story, for me, so well is it done. It is a movie I've never forgotten. A few years after I came to live with Mom and we began renting movies, I scoured several video stores before I found it. Mom loved it, too. I've rented it since, a couple of times, so I was thrilled when I ran across a copy of it. I was determined to buy it, cheap or not, as long as it was letter-boxed, which it was.
     The presentation is sparkling, but, being a very cheap version, the movie is cut in two; half on one side of the DVD, half on the other. This surprised us wen we watched it this afternoon. "I don't remember it having an intermission," I said.
     "I couldn't tell you," responded Mom, "I don't believe I've ever seen this movie."
     Good. I can get away with watching it a few more times before she becomes suspicious!
     For the curious and uninformed, while looking for links about the movie I came across the original short story here. Don't be put off by the "Chapter 1" after the title; the entire story is there.

Labels: adventure, drama, haunting, period, shared-favorite

# posted by gail @ 23:48    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  My mother used to be a Clint Eastwood fan with her sister, once they began living close to each other in their latter years. They saw them all of Eastwood's stuff, the old and the new. I never figured out if my mother was truly an Eastwood fan or her sister's fan and thus willing to do anything that would bring her closer to her sister.
       At any rate, although I've seen very few Eastwood movies, I saw this one, I can't remember where or why, when it first came out, and was surprisingly impressed. So, when, one evening, some years ago, my mother suggested that we "rent a Clint Eastwood movie", this is the one I picked. Good choice. Aside from Morgan Freeman being in it, she loved the idea that a gunslinger could get old and have trouble reestablishing his former skills in a stab at morality. Since I bought the movie about a year ago, we've seen it a couple of times. Every time she sees it, she either says, "Your Dad would have liked this," or, "You know, I'll bet Jean would like this one, we should have her over sometime to see it. Wouldn't that be fun!"

Labels: action, adventure, drama, violence, western

# posted by gail @ 18:00    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  G
2. Mentions:  None
3. 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.

Labels: adventure, drama, historical, me-favorite, political, war, weir

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

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1*
3. Commentary:  Again, I'm not a fan of animation, but this pulled me in when the shot of the zebras on the plain, at the beginning of the movie, dissolved into the shot of ants carrying leaves along a tree branch; or vice versa, I'm not sure which way the shot dissolved. At any rate, I find it very entertaining. So does my Mom. It has, though, been awhile since we've seen this one.

Labels: adventure, animated, kids, musical, royals, shared-favorite

# posted by gail @ 12:43    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  I rented this movie out of dim curiosity because I enjoy Anthony Hopkins' work and like to see everything in which he acts. Lo and behold, I know this man. This man is my very extraordinary Chandler nephew and this is a portrait of what he will be like when he is middle aged and old. He is in his 20's, now, and is such a natural, as well as, now, well-trained and highly skilled inventor/repairer, and such an adventurer that it could be said that he does both in his sleep. Both Mom and I were astonished at this portrait and practically fell over each other exclaiming, "That's [nephew's name] in sixty or seventy years!" That's why we own this movie. And, yes, I recommended it to the nephew in question. I figured he'd get a kick out of seeing himself in the future.

Labels: adventure, biography, docu-drama, shared-favorite

# posted by gail @ 13:31    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1* *2*
3. Commentary:  This was the other movie I ordered for Mom's birthday. Truth is, I could only vaguely remember whether she had a marked interest in it. As it turns out, she did. When I cued it, she remembered, almost immediately, having seen it.
     "Oh," I said, "I hope it isn't one of those movies you only wanted to see once."
     "Oh, no," she replied, "I think I remembered liking this movie."
     She loved it, maybe even more than How the West Was Won. We saw the movies back to back and she even mentioned, regarding the portrayals of Native Americans, "Yes, now this seems more realistic."
     Since I'd never watched the entire movie, I settled down and was surprised, pleased and inspired. "Well, Mom, that's what I'd like to do, figure out how to be completely self-sufficient, in landscape similar to that."
     She looked at me approvingly. "I know what you mean," she said. "So would I. Even with all the problems and difficulties."
     I know we'll be watching this one again...probably every time I have multiple Abandoning Fantasies.

Labels: adventure, biography, period, western

# posted by gail @ 13:20    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1*
3. Commentary:  This is one of my parents' historical favorites. I remember watching it in the theater but discovered, upon rewatching it (I got it for my mother's birthday this year) that I'd misremembered quite a bit of it and apparently mixed it up with another movie that featured the great prairie land grab, which isn't covered in this film. My mother, who has become much more sophisticated about the depictions of Native Americans in movies, although there is actually little in this film but N.A. hearsay, was unsettled enough by what it included to voice her objections. Otherwise, we both enjoyed the sprawl, became surprisingly involved in the stories, loved some of the individual performances (Will Geer's, in particular, as the patriach of a river pirate family and Carroll Baker's surprisingly subtle performance as a pioneer wife). I was intrigued by the Civil War sequence, as well. My mother devoured the entire movie and breathed a satisfied sigh through a satisfied smile when it was over. "Let's start that again," she said. Luckily, we had another movie which she was equally anticipating, Jeremiah Johnson. This movie will be one of those "snowy/rainy day when I'm baking" movies, I'm sure. I don't think I'll become as fascinated with it as I have The Ten Commandments, of which I often find myself needing a fix, but I don't think I'll ignore it when I'm playing it for Mom, as I do some movies.

Labels: adventure, dad-favorite, drama, mom-favorite, period, spectacle, western

# posted by gail @ 13:18    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1*
3. Commentary:  I got this as a nod to Mom (see mention) but, lo and behold, I enjoy it, too. It's not even a guilty pleasure for me. It's got some great actors in it, I enjoy the fact that the Japanese is not subtitled in English because it keeps the viewer in the same position as Anjin-San and, well, it's an involving production. Mom could probably watch this 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Labels: action, adventure, drama, mom-favorite, period, political, spectacle, TV

# posted by gail @ 17:09    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  MS introduced both of us to this movie. Since knowing it was one of MS's favorites it has become a favorite of Mom's although sometimes, now, it moves a little fast for her. I've always enjoyed this movie. It's like riding on a carousel.

Labels: action, adventure, buddy, mom-favorite, mystery, period

# posted by gail @ 02:29    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1* *2*
3. 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

# posted by gail @ 07:18    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M [lots more than] G
2. Mentions:  *1* *2*
3. Commentary:  This is one of my mother's haunting movies. Her reaction to this movie is similar to my reaction to Little Buddha: During some parts, she experiences trance-like states; during others, she becomes fully engaged in the finest detail of the culture of the Native American community portrayed in the movie; throughout, she follows the story meticulously and often attempts to engage other viewers in conversation about the movie, which means that she remembers enough of it from viewing to viewing not to feel as though she has to pay close attention every minute.
     Sometime in late 2007 "they" finally came out with the widescreen version, which I quickly snatched up. This version also cuts in close to an hour of extended footage. I was surprised how much of the original cut the extended footage explained and very pleased with the additions

Labels: action, adventure, drama, haunting, mom-favorite, period, spectacle, war

# posted by gail @ 10:29    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  This is another Little Buddha movie for both my mother and me. We dive into this and let it nourish us at least once every couple of months. My favorite spirits are the face masks. My mother's favorite spirit is the dragon "prince".

Labels: adventure, animated, kids, shared-favorite

# posted by gail @ 19:17    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  G
2. Mentions:  *1*
3. Commentary:  For my reaction to this movie, see the write-up for Ray.

Labels: adventure, drama, suspense, weir

# posted by gail @ 19:10    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G, more than once
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  Something about the scene in which the invading army comes over a snow ridge. Something else about that "song and dance" number about what it takes to be a man. Something else about it being a Chinese fairy tale. I don't know if Mom likes it for the same reasons I do, but I know she likes it. I've even replayed the "Be a Man" song for her when we are watching it.

Labels: action, adventure, animated, kids, period, shared-favorite, suspense

# posted by gail @ 15:03    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1*
3. Commentary:  Although I was doomed to own a copy of this movie because it is a Peter Weir movie, and although both my mother and I have watched it, once, and enjoyed it although wondered throughout where it was going, then, at the end, where it had gone, I have to say, we enjoyed the booklet that came with the movie much more for its interesting exposition of life in the Navy "at that time".
       I will probably watch it again, someday, when I'm feeling the need for a Peter Weir fest. My mother may watch, again, by default.

Labels: action, adventure, historical, war, weir

# posted by gail @ 15:01    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1*
3. Commentary:  We even had, the second time we watched it, a Watching Lawrence of Arabia party. Very successful.
       Both my mother and I are surprised at the things we learn about my father knowing that this movie was one of his two favorite movies, the other being Khartoum. He and I saw Khartoum together, a very memorable event, one I'll probably remember as though I'm going through it when I'm old and mentally creative. It happened in Honolulu, probably 1966, the year the movie came out, and involved a long evening stroll along the Ala Wai.
       I have, however, had no desire to see that one again. Lawrence of Arabia, though, sometimes I put the disc in and zone out on it for a half hour or so. My mother doesn't do this, but she enjoys the movie.

Labels: adventure, biography, dad-favorite, drama, historical, me-favorite, political, war

# posted by gail @ 14:58    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  Blew me away when I was watching this movie on cable, one evening, late, Mom awoke within the first 15 minutes of the movie, I decided to keep it on because I really wanted to see it again and she was riveted. She even likes the end of it, which leads me to believe that she understands the real power of this movie: That it isn't a dirge for the female spirit, but a celebration of it. She has even been heard to mutter, during the semi scene, "Good for them!"
       I actually didn't consider owning this movie until, a couple of times after the above mentioned viewing, when I exclaimed that it was "on", again, Mom always has wanted to watch it.

Labels: action, adventure, dream, me-favorite, suspense

# posted by gail @ 10:49    0 comments    email......this post