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Blue Jasmine (2013). A remake of a Streetcar Named Desire directed by Woody Allen. I won't say there is no place for drama with unhappy endings in my life, but maybe today I have less tolerance for it than I once did. I finished this wondering why I had endured it. I did enjoy seeing Andrew Dice Clay as the x husband. Prefer Cate Blanchett as Galadriel. ;)

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Watched The Colony last night on one of our movie channels. I thought it was an interesting take on the old "surviving in a post apocalyptic world" genre. I liked the fact that it was pretty simple in it's plot line and didn't really "jump the shark" or go over the top with anything.
 
Watched The Colony last night on one of our movie channels. I thought it was an interesting take on the old "surviving in a post apocalyptic world" genre. I liked the fact that it was pretty simple in it's plot line and didn't really "jump the shark" or go over the top with anything.

I'm going to try to catch this.
 
I just watched the latest “Die Hard” movie…enjoyable for what it is. There’s a line that made me laugh out loud…

Someone takes the Bruce Willis character’s smart phone and smashes it, and he mumbles…”Hey, that was on a two year contract”.
 
I wanted to watch the new Riddick movie, so I grabbed it on OnDemand, only to realize that I rented the wrong one - that stinking pile of crap - Chronicles of Riddick. Oh well, maybe tonight, I'll actually rent the right one.
 
Ten Academy Award Nominations! Riotously funny*!! (*Rotten Tomatoes)

American Hustle- seemed like it had such potential, someone said riotously funny. The final straw was 10 Academy Award nominations. This has to be great, right, right? Ok, I had to see this in the theater.

A con artist and his lover (Christian Bale and Amy Adams) are caught in a scam by an FBI agent (Bradley Cooper) and offered the chance to avoid prison by setting up 4 additional busts.

It had a good 1970s-1980s vibe. Great performance by Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams. This is the most sinister I've seen Robert De Nero in years. Christian Bale in his normal not quite right mumbly Yanky accent, although his performance was good and he's a good actor. This may have had a few humorous moments now and then, but not enough to be called a comedy (at least by my standards) and it was certainly not riotously funny. Just plain false advertising. And the story was... how can I sum it up... kind of slow. I was waiting for fireworks, maybe at the end? (no...) Other than Jennifer Lawrence, nothing really memorable that would provoke me to see this again. And this 10 nominations is some kind of suck in the suckers conspiracy, I tell you!! :p

We won't get fooled again!... ah, but I will. ;)

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I just finished "Back to the Future III". Typical Spielberg film with gigantic plot holes but super fun to watch.
 
I finally watched Riddick, and made sure I rented the correct movie in OnDemand :)
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Not a bad movie, at least no as bad as the Chronicles of Riddick. I think this one took what worked with Pitch Black and ran with it. It was an enjoyable movie but nothing I'd be willing to watch again.
 
Maybe it is age, perhaps intellectual snobbery, it could even be a touch of the old European disdain for some of the cinematic offerings which emanate from the other side of The Pond; indeed, it could simply be my preference for a well told and scripted story, where actors speak in complete sentences (verbs, nouns, adjectives, that sort of thing), but, in general, I find much of what is produced by the US movie industry these days to be somewhat.........limited.

However, tonight, I watched "Tombstone". Not for the first time, but certainly, for the first time this decade. Great movie; loved it when I first saw it - over a decade ago, and thoroughly enjoyed it again tonight.

Did I ever mention that classy, educated guys who can speak Latin meet with my approval? No? Well, Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday is a spell-binding performance; the Latin dialogue scene with Johnny Ringo is brilliant, as is the sharp dialogue when 'Faust' appears on stage (the old 'play within a play' idea); an intelligent and exceptionally well told tale which is one of the foundation myths of the modern west of the US; an excellent story, one which carries the tale beyond the cost of 'victory' at the OK Corral. Well worth watching (again).
 
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Maybe it is age, perhaps intellectual snobbery, it could even be a touch of the old European disdain for some of the cinematic offerings which emanate from the other side of The Pond; indeed, it could simply be my preference for a well told and scripted story, where actors speak in complete sentences (verbs, nouns, adjectives, that sort of thing), but, in general, I find much of what is produced by the US movie industry these days to be somewhat.........limited.

However, tonight, I watched "Tombstone". Not for the first time, but certainly, for the first time this decade. Great movie; loved it when I first saw it - over a decade ago, and thoroughly enjoyed it again tonight.

Did I ever mention that classy, educated guys who can speak Latin meet with my approval? No? Well, Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday is a spell-binding performance; the Latin dialogue scene with Johnny Ringo is brilliant, as is the sharp dialogue when 'Faust' appears on stage (the old 'play within a play' idea); an intelligent and exceptionally well told tale which is one of the foundation myths of the modern west of the US; an excellent story, one which carries the tale beyond the cost of 'victory' at the OK Corral. Well worth watching (again).

Nice review!:D

I've seen the film many times, and I enjoy it each time. Good script, nice direction, and enjoyable acting.

Kurt Russell, while not the world's greatest thespian, is just dandy in the film...the right actor, the right role. And the supporting actors or wonderful; Michael Biehn (who with whom Kilmer has the verbal Latin duel), Powers Boothe (Curley Bill Brocius ), and Joanna Pacula, who played Holiday's inamorata, Big Nose Kate, Bill Paxton and Sam Elliot (a secret favorite of mine, and whose hair I would kill for, as Vergil and Morgan Earp)... were just a few of the delightful supporting players.

Nifty movie...I'm glad you brought it up!:D
 
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Maybe it is age, perhaps intellectual snobbery, it could even be a touch of the old European disdain for some of the cinematic offerings which emanate from the other side of The Pond; indeed, it could simply be my preference for a well told and scripted story, where actors speak in complete sentences (verbs, nouns, adjectives, that sort of thing), but, in general, I find much of what is produced by the US movie industry these days to be somewhat.........limited.

However, tonight, I watched "Tombstone". Not for the first time, but certainly, for the first time this decade. Great movie; loved it when I first saw it - over a decade ago, and thoroughly enjoyed it again tonight.

Did I ever mention that classy, educated guys who can speak Latin meet with my approval? No? Well, Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday is a spell-binding performance; the Latin dialogue scene with Johnny Ringo is brilliant, as is the sharp dialogue when 'Faust' appears on stage (the old 'play within a play' idea); an intelligent and exceptionally well told tale which is one of the foundation myths of the modern west of the US; an excellent story, one which carries the tale beyond the cost of 'victory' at the OK Corral. Well worth watching (again).

Hmmmmm it has been many many years since I've watched this one. I'll have to revisit it soon!
 
Enough Said (2013)- low key romance movie with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini in his last role. Enjoyable to watch, so low key, maybe better suited for a made for TV movie, but it made me sad knowing it was his last performance.

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I finally watched Riddick, and made sure I rented the correct movie in OnDemand :)
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Not a bad movie, at least no as bad as the Chronicles of Riddick. I think this one took what worked with Pitch Black and ran with it. It was an enjoyable movie but nothing I'd be willing to watch again.

I loved Pitch Black and wondered what the heck happened with CoR. I'll be sure to catch this! :)
 
Foyles War - plan of attack.

Classy TV series - in this one a young RAF man if found hanging in the woods. The new DCI dismisses it as suicide, but when an attempt is made on Milner's life, and an even more strange turn occurs - Foyle is brought back in to Police work to unravel the mystery.

I've got all of them except the most recent ones.
 
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just watched the wolf of wall street last night. very long but entertaining as well. haven't seen that many breasts in a movie since chicken run.
 
just watched the wolf of wall street last night. very long but entertaining as well. haven't seen that many breasts in a movie since chicken run.

Saw that yesterday, great movie but yes kinda long. I just finished watching Gravity. Its a very short movie about 1 hour and 30 minutes but very entertaining with good sound effects.
 
Foyles War - plan of attack.

Classy TV series - in this one a young RAF man if found hanging in the woods. The new DCI dismisses it as suicide, but when an attempt is made on Milner's life, and an even more strange turn occurs - Foyle is brought back in to Police work to unravel the mystery.

I've got all of them except the most recent ones.

As a TV series, to my mind this is one of the very best I have ever seen and it is also one of my personal all time favourites. The historical timeline is meticulous, as are the stories, and above all, the research. First class scripts, an excellent cast - which changes, with some recurring roles - and outstanding historical awareness, great production values, all combine to make this one of the very rare shows I will never miss if I am at home.

While, obviously, for the purposes of the actual series most of the stories are set in Hastings, on the south coast of England, in reality, almost all of the events depicted actually happened somewhere in the UK at the time they are shown to have happened in 'Foyle's War'.

Michael Kitchen is superb as 'Christopher Foyle', and captures perfectly the understated demeanour of those restrained, dedicated public servants with a core of steely integrity that one found in parts of the UK in those days; (my mother worked for such a man). Likewise, Honeysuckle Weeks is quite outstanding; her portrayal of 'Samantha Stewart', is pitch-perfect, an absolute joy to watch, and is a wonderful interpretation of that role, which - again - captures extremely well the mores and attitudes of the time.
 
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Maybe it is age, perhaps intellectual snobbery, it could even be a touch of the old European disdain for some of the cinematic offerings which emanate from the other side of The Pond; indeed, it could simply be my preference for a well told and scripted story, where actors speak in complete sentences (verbs, nouns, adjectives, that sort of thing), but, in general, I find much of what is produced by the US movie industry these days to be somewhat.........limited.

However, tonight, I watched "Tombstone". Not for the first time, but certainly, for the first time this decade. Great movie; loved it when I first saw it - over a decade ago, and thoroughly enjoyed it again tonight.

Did I ever mention that classy, educated guys who can speak Latin meet with my approval? No? Well, Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday is a spell-binding performance; the Latin dialogue scene with Johnny Ringo is brilliant, as is the sharp dialogue when 'Faust' appears on stage (the old 'play within a play' idea); an intelligent and exceptionally well told tale which is one of the foundation myths of the modern west of the US; an excellent story, one which carries the tale beyond the cost of 'victory' at the OK Corral. Well worth watching (again).

Tombstone is probably one of my top ten all time favorites. Though it has been a while since I've watched it. I think I'll put it in my queue for watching this evening.

Thanks for reminding of this great film!
 
Enchanted (2007)- I was amazed at how good a movie and musical this was. Mostly it is a spoof of typical Disney style fairy tales with a real romantic story and the first time I remember seeing Amy Adams (great voice)! James Marsden (X-Man Cyclops) is a good comedic actor.

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As a TV series, to my mind this is one of the very best I have ever seen and it is also one of my personal all time favourites. The historical timeline is meticulous, as are the stories, and above all, the research. First class scripts, an excellent cast - which changes, with some recurring roles - and outstanding historical awareness, great production values, all combine to make this one of the very rare shows I will never miss if I am at home.

While, obviously, for the purposes of the actual series most of the stories are set in Hastings, on the south coast of England, in reality, almost all of the events depicted actually happened somewhere in the UK at the time they are shown to have happened in 'Foyle's War'.

Michael Kitchen is superb as 'Christopher Foyle', and captures perfectly the understated demeanour of those restrained, dedicated public servants with a core of steely integrity that one found in parts of the UK in those days; (my mother worked for such a man). Likewise, Honeysuckle Weeks is quite outstanding; her portrayal of 'Samantha Stewart', is pitch-perfect, an absolute joy to watch, and is a wonderful interpretation of that role, which - again - captures extremely well the mores and attitudes of the time.

Well summed up. :) Foyle and Stewart are perfect opposites.

I think the best of the episodes was the one portraying the Dunkirk rescue with the boats. I can't think of any more powerful scene in a TV series than the one at the end - it is gripping, tragic and raw. The boat returns with the wounded, the father brings his accused son back and presents him to Foyle, dead - shot by a German sniper.

The movie/documentary Senna was also similarly hard hitting at the end. It's said that Ron Dennis after watching it in a private screening was in tears at the end. I very nearly was as well.
 
Well summed up. :) Foyle and Stewart are perfect opposites.

I think the best of the episodes was the one portraying the Dunkirk rescue with the boats. I can't think of any more powerful scene in a TV series than the one at the end - it is gripping, tragic and raw. The boat returns with the wounded, the father brings his accused son back and presents him to Foyle, dead - shot by a German sniper.

The movie/documentary Senna was also similarly hard hitting at the end. It's said that Ron Dennis after watching it in a private screening was in tears at the end. I very nearly was as well.

Yes, agreed. The Dunkirk episode (I think it was in series 1, cannot recall the exact title of it) was very moving; other personal favourites of mine include the episode 'Fifty Ships', about the negotiation of the Lend-Lease programme where the murderer manages to return to the US in a very impressive final scene, - which, Foyle, needless to say, does not forget, and 'War of Nerves' another powerful tale based on a factory which obtained Government contracts (with extraordinarily cooked books), a story, which, in reality, occurred in Yorkshire, rather than Hastings.

Both Kitchen and Weeks make the series; together, they are superlative.

Actually, Honeysuckle Weeks captures perfectly that sort of upper class, slightly socially awkward, eager, a tiny bit eccentric, yet restrained, perhaps a little naive, but a fiercely dedicated, idealistic and highly intelligent young woman - a woman with a sort of 'jolly hockey sticks' background which merged with a desire for a bit of adventure which she may not have even known existed until the war allowed it an outlet, tempered with an internal solidly set moral compass - which, together with Foyle, is the moral and intellectual core of the series. Again, I have met people a bit like this.

Another aside: The character of Hilda Pierce (who reappears, a number of times, played superbly by Ellie Haddington), seems to me to be based somewhat - at least, partly, on the real-life character of Vera Atkins, who held a senior position in SOE, and whose biography I read a few years ago.

Everything about the series is first-rate; I cannot recommend it highly enough.

A wonderful series.
 
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