Movies, Mom & Me

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  none
3. Commentary:  I resisted placing this movie in our collection for some years, even though Mom insisted on watching it every time it came on TV and, I have to admit, I love the dancing, especially the "athletic" (as one critic called it) sequence involving the testosterone soaked brothers against suitors of the town vying for the affections of seven sprightly town maidens. Finally, winter before this last, I found it at Costco and brought it home for a weekend surprise. We watched the movie twice in a row, at Mom's request (and have watched it several times since). I was fascinated to discover that my mother's favorite dance sequence was the one done in the dead of winter while the seven brothers are chopping wood and bemoaning their singular (pun intended) fate. As she would watch that sequence, every time, she'd mention how much she liked it, her body would weave to the adagio accompaniment of the silken cowboy ballad and she'd swing her arm in an arc from her elbow each time an axe swung to a down beat. She loved the rest of the movie, as well, the Sabine Women sequence, in particular, and I loved watching her watch it. I will continue to love watching it and remembering the her high pleasure in the production.

Labels: action, dance, dramedy, musical, period, romance, shared-favorite, spectacle

# posted by gail @ 15:25    0 comments    email......this post

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* *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:  None
3. Commentary:  Don't tell me you're suprised we purchased this series! Thank the gods, the version with David Attenborough 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.

Labels: documentary, film-art, interview, mom-favorite, political, science, spectacle, TV

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

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  This is the story of the biblical Esther with additional drama and eye candy. Although some of it is authentic, much was added in order to attract an audience. I don't think it got very good reviews, but I've noticed, as well, that Costco has increased its stock of this movie in order to accommodate the high demand for it on DVD. I understand that demand. It is thoroughly involving and enjoyable to watch. John Rhys-Davies is commanding, as always, the portrayal of Esther is enjoyably whimsical, the King of Persia, which not particularly well acted, is played by a man who has a sufficiently exotic charisma, even the part of Haggai is noteworthy. It's fun, as well, to watch the cameos of Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif. It is full of eye candy, a rival to The Ten Commandments, at least in this respect, and the dramatic emphasis is satisfying. Although it is probably the least accurate of the movie bible portrayals that we own, I would have to say that it's one of my mother's favorites. At this writing we've probably viewed it four times, three at my mother's request, and we've had it only two weeks. Much to my ambivalent chagrin and delight, it's a winner in our household.

Labels: bible movies, mom-favorite, royals, spectacle

# posted by gail @ 12:54    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1*
3. Commentary:  Yet another one of Mom's "jesus-dvds" (I use this term tongue-in-cheek, as I also consider The Ten Commandments a "jesus-dvd"). I didn't think we'd ever own it because, the last time we watched it on TV I noticed there was no closed captioning. I found a cheap copy of it at the grocery store today, though, with closed captioning (although no English subtitles, which is unfortunate since closed captioning is sometimes kind of iffy on our set) so decided I'd get it for Mom. I think this is one of her favorites of this genre; not because it features yet another Nordic Jesus, but because of the scope and grand presentation. And, it's length. Weighty movies work better for her when they go to extreme lengths. This is not my favorite, but I am attracted to it's spectacle.
     Now all we need to do is procure a copy of The Last Temptation of Christ [we finally did procure a copy of this movie] and Mom will figure we're set.

Labels: bible movies, drama, jesus-dvds, mom-favorite, period, spectacle

# posted by gail @ 13:47    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1* *2* *3* *4* *5*
3. Commentary:  Although I can't remember my journal comments, I'm sure, if you're even a semi-regular reader of my journal(s) about my mother, you know that this is one of my mother's all time favorites, and I've come to enjoy it, as well. I love the opulence the story, the acting and the sets. I am proud to say that I can quote dialog from this movie. I never get tired of my mother wanting to see this movie. Each time she decides to watch this movie, the chances always become excellent that I will drop what I'm doing and join her.

Labels: bible movies, drama, period, shared-favorite, spectacle

# posted by gail @ 12:58    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1* *2* *3*
3. Commentary:  For both my mother and me, the controversy over this movie was beside the point. My mother is an aficionado of both Jesus and religious movies, so, of course, she had to see this one. If I hadn't been living with my mother when it came out, I probably would not have seen it, but not in some sort of intellectual or spiritual protest. I wouldn't have bothered because I know the story so well and know what I believe about the issues it raises.
       The rough and violent nature of the movie bothered neither of us. We discussed, briefly, whether Jesus was singled out for unusual torture, as, basically, his crucifixion was all in a day's work, and he wasn't the only person crucified on the day he died, nor was he the only person ever convicted of exactly the type of political treason that sent him to Golgotha.
       Other than that, my mother's favorite "character" in the movie is the oblique, white head of who she assumes to be "satan", or, more appropriately, as she expressed it, the spirit of evil and selfishness luring Jesus to turn his back on his mission. The head reminds me a bit of the spirit masks floating about in Spirited Away.
       The movie is definitely a winner from the "Bible Movie" perspective, for my mother.

Labels: bible movies, drama, jesus-dvds, mom-favorite, period, spectacle, violence

# posted by gail @ 12:53    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:  None
3. Commentary:  I actually asked Mom, when I noticed the 40th anniversary edition of this movie at Costco, if she wanted me to purchase a copy. Silly question. Although most of the songs are too catchy to be believed and I have good-but-not-quite-reverent memories of this movie, if she'd said "No" I would have heeded her request. Some years ago, when one of my nieces was much younger, this movie was her absolute favorite, always playing at her family's house to the point where I entered "The Sound of Music" overload and have yet to exit that state. I have to say, though, "watching" the movie while doing chores and tending to my mother is pleasant and my mother is thoroughly entertained, singing along, rocker-dancing, etc. As well, this edition includes the Biography channel program about the real Von Trapp family, which is enormously interesting, so much so that we found ourselves searching through movie scenes afterwards to compare fact with fiction.

Labels: biography, musical, period, romance, spectacle

# posted by gail @ 22:40    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  *1*
3. Commentary:  This movie causes both Mom & me to swoon. I'm pleased we finally own a copy. It's a "mood movie" for me: When I'm in the mood to watch it, nothing can take it's place and when we didn't own it I hungered for it when I wanted to see it.

Labels: biography, drama, haunting, historical, me-favorite, political, royals, spectacle

# posted by gail @ 17:12    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:  *1*
3. Commentary:  This is one of our Spectacle Movies, sort of like Gone with the Wind. It's too lavish and bright to watch often, but it makes a great dessert. It's one of those movies where we often catch ourselves saying, during the viewing, "Oh, yeah, I forgot about that! I love that!"

Labels: biography, historical, shared-favorite, spectacle

# posted by gail @ 10:37    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  I'll bet we've seen this movie, on cable, at least four times. When we notice it, anywhere, commercials or not, we watch it. We forget it between being seredipitiously reminded, though. It is a movie that fascinates us at several levels, though.

Labels: biography, historical, political, spectacle, spiritual

# posted by gail @ 10:35    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:  *1*
3. Commentary:  This series is our church. We watch episodes of it often, reverentially and alertly. The music has a tendency to blur the experience for Mom, but the stories and cosmopolitan view snap her out of it. We have been known to lose entire afternoons and evenings to episodes of this series. In a way, I consider it the essence of the spirit that keeps Mom around.

Labels: documentary, dream, science, spectacle, TV

# posted by gail @ 01:56    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M (about a quarter) & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  This is the frenetic one of the trilogy. I stayed with it out of obligation. Mom did not. Throughout, it reminded me of an abstract The Two Towers. Neither Mom nor I had the patience for that one, either, but stayed with it so that we could say we'd watched it all.

Labels: film-art, political, spectacle

# posted by gail @ 15:05    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  This movie is one of a trilogy of graphic expeditions. You can read more about the trilogy and the individual films at the link provided. They are visually provocative to watch. I've seen all three at least once, own two, and I can't say that the films provoke within me what the Navajo words that entitle each episode 'mean'. This has its frenetic moments but it is so well put together that when you have just about had enough visual speed, it slows down and your mind begins to make sense of what it's seeing, again.
       Of the two we own Mom stayed with this one the longest. She had absolutely no patience for the second one, Powaqqatsi.
       Of the three, this one is my favorite. It is like an animated coffee table book that makes you think and feel. Of the three it is the most active.

Labels: dream, film-art, me-favorite, political, spectacle

# posted by gail @ 14:57    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  I rented this movie a couple of weeks ago just to undergird my decision to purchase it. Mom was thoroughly bored, so bored that she wandered around looking for things to do, at one point, while doing crosswords, asked, "Is that thing still on?!?", so my viewing was highly distracted.
       No matter. Martial Arts movies of all stripes are another of my guilty movie pleasures. I am particularly fascinated with the use of color in this movie. I am approaching it rather more as though it were a Little Buddha movie, rather than a "guilty pleasure" movie. I like the idea of the telling of stories being the subject as well as the discipline of the movie. I find the depiction of the 'heroine', as well, thoughtfully complex.

Labels: action, drama, dream, period, political, spectacle, suspense

# posted by gail @ 08:32    0 comments    email......this post

1. Who's watched:  M & G
2. Mentions:  None
3. Commentary:  I am probably more of a fan of this movie than my mother. She loves the eye spectacle, and every time we watch it, which is at least once a year, she mentions several times that she would have loved to have lived during the period of the regal, stately Southern U.S.
       For me, I love reminding myself that the best, most successful romance in the history of romance stories contains a heroine who is wily and unredepemptive and whose one sterling quality is her ability to survive, despite who she hurts in the process. The hero, a scoundrel himself, is more sympathetic than the heroine.
       When we watch this movie, it is always a "planned" watching; in other words, we plan appropriate food, make sure the phone ringer is off, and settle in for several hours. It is, for us, an Event Movie.

Labels: drama, period, romance, shared-favorite, spectacle

# posted by gail @ 08:29    0 comments    email......this post