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Post by t-bob on Dec 28, 2008 12:23:23 GMT -5
Autumn Hearts - very good.
From IMDB
In 1942, Jakob Bronski, a young dissident held at Drancy, takes two children, Melanie and Christopher, under his charge. 40 years later Melanie (Susan Sarandon) is grown up and has a family of her own: husband David (Christopher Plummer), son Benjamin (Roy Dupuis), and grandson Timmy (Dakota Goyo). Melanie discovers that a now elderly Jakob (Max von Sydow), whom she believed had been taken from Drancy to Auschwitz and killed, is still alive. She immediately invites him to live with her and her family on their farm in Canada. Jakob arrives with Christopher (Gabriel Byrne) as a surprise for Melanie, and she and Christopher must face the truth of the bond between them. The past explodes into the present (the mid-1980s) in an unexpected and tender love story which is life altering for them and for those around them.
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Post by theevan on Dec 28, 2008 12:53:20 GMT -5
While we're recommending movies, let me give the highest rating to Slumdog Millionaire. For now you'll have to go to the theater. I'm moved every time I think of it, and the TV ads for it send me to tears now that I've seen it. The acting is nothing special, but the story-telling is spectacular. See it.
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Post by t-bob on Dec 28, 2008 13:01:47 GMT -5
Thanks, Evan. I just checked it out on imdb. Will probably wait and rent it later. I was hoping others here would recommend good flicks as well. Anyone seen The Curious Case of Benjamin Button?
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Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
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Post by Dub on Dec 28, 2008 14:16:53 GMT -5
Autumn Hearts - very good. OK, based on your recommendation, I've added it to our Netflix queue in position no. 2. Based on my reporting history, Netflix thinks I will rate this a 3.1 as compared to the 3.0 average rating. I usually don't queue movies with a predicted rating of less than 3.8 but we'll give it a go. You make it sound as though we'll like it. The last one we watched was the 1992 production Of Mice and Men with Gary Sinise as George and John Malkovich as Lennie. Malkovich is such an amazing actor and though Lon Chaney Jr. was a good ol' boy and a great werewolf, he wasn't much as a dramatic actor. This is a great retelling of Stienbeck's classic story. - Dub |
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Post by t-bob on Dec 28, 2008 15:13:15 GMT -5
Autumn Hearts - very good. OK, based on your recommendation, I've added it to our Netflix queue in position no. 2. Based on my reporting history, Netflix thinks I will rate this a 3.1 as compared to the 3.0 average rating. I usually don't queue movies with a predicted rating of less than 3.8 but we'll give it a go. You make it sound as though we'll like it. The last one we watched was the 1992 production Of Mice and Men with Gary Sinise as George and John Malkovich as Lennie. Malkovich is such an amazing actor and though Lon Chaney Jr. was a good ol' boy and a great werewolf, he wasn't much as a dramatic actor. This is a great retelling of Stienbeck's classic story. - Dub I've read a few viewer reviews of Autumn Hearts and the consensus is that it wasn't emotional enough or something to that effect. It's exactly what I like about it, the emotions are there, but you have to look for them, in facial expressions, body language, words not said, etc., just like in real life. There are very few people who hit you over the head, or telegraph their feelings, but in the movies, many writers/directors prefer the impact of the obvious. I guess it sells better. |
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Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 20,431
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Post by Dub on Dec 28, 2008 17:40:04 GMT -5
I too appreciate the understated in films where there's more than plot, dialog and filmography. I'm looking forward to the film. Another one we really enjoyed is the 1934 French release of Les Miserables directed by Raymond Bernard. It's five hours long on two DVDs with English subtitles for the non Francophone. It's the only release Les Miseables that is faithful to Victor Hugo's original work and the roles of Jean Valjean and Javert are wonderfully played by Harry Baur and Charles Vanel. - Dub |
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Post by t-bob on Dec 28, 2008 18:14:10 GMT -5
The Best of Youth, a six hour Italian movie. *****
The State Within, a British miniseries thriller ****
Starting Out In The Evening, w/ Frank Langella ****
The Visitor w/ Richard Jenkins ****
All these are understated, intelligent flicks. I'm somewhat of a movie junkie. I need to be addicted to something.
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Post by John B on Dec 28, 2008 18:25:50 GMT -5
Transsiberian, a movie we watched recently on pay-per-view (yes, there are pay-per-view channels one does not need to be embarrassed about watching). I think I picked it on the recommendation of J. Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer (an underrated actress), and Ben Kinsgsley.
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Post by Doug on Dec 28, 2008 18:33:58 GMT -5
Movie snobs ;D
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Post by mccoyblues on Dec 28, 2008 22:59:26 GMT -5
I am not a movie snob. In fact I am not much into movies at all. But over this long holiday break my wife and I decided to go to Blockbuster and see what we could find. Nothing! was the basic consensus but we did walk out of the store with "I'm Not There" Inspired by the life and music of Bob Dylan. I hated it. I forced myself to sit through the first half and bailed on it soon after that. BOOOORing!
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Post by fred sterenberg on Dec 29, 2008 8:48:02 GMT -5
With a big crop of DVDs for Christmas, we are watching movies this week! The Dark Knight - it is what it is. It was fun to watch once. Season one of "Pushing Daisys" - quirky and pretty good for a TV show. What Happens in Vegas - Funny, light, forgettable. Then we went to see "Marley and Me" last night. Wotta weeper! Owen Wilson was more restrained than usual and was quite enjoyable in the role. It was pretty faithful to the book. It was a pretty good movie. Dog lovers be warned - bring the kleenex.
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Post by Marshall on Dec 29, 2008 13:24:46 GMT -5
The past explodes into the present (the mid-1980s) in an unexpected and tender love story . . . . , . . . , (haven't actually seen it) May I also recommend Transsiberian. Ain't no tender love story. But there's some great suspense, cool plot twists, and occassional blood. And for Doug; fire arms are discharged. (My wife liked it too). |
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Post by t-bob on Dec 29, 2008 14:20:48 GMT -5
The past explodes into the present (the mid-1980s) in an unexpected and tender love story . . . . , May I also recommend Transsiberian. Ain't no tender love story. But there's some great suspense, cool plot twists, and occassional blood. And for Doug; fire arms are discharged. (My wife liked it too). Marshall is a manly man! Even if he is older than dirt. |
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Post by Doug on Dec 29, 2008 14:32:27 GMT -5
No chick flicks for Marshall
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Post by sekhmet on Dec 29, 2008 15:05:24 GMT -5
Love Actually, Hugh Grant.
WALL-E, Pixar Films release last June.
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Post by Marshall on Dec 29, 2008 16:29:37 GMT -5
Love Actually, Hugh Grant. WALL-E, Pixar Films release last June. Hugh Grant: Double YUCK !My son-in-law got WALL-E for Christmas. He and I stayed up late and watched it. Pretty good in an animated way. A little kid like. But enjoyable. The "humans" are scary. (They are future people that glide along in thier mechanized lounge chairs always sipping milkshake like stuff watching thier personal video screens all weighing in at over 400lb). The added features were interesting. . . . , Sue would never watch anything animated. But then, she likes Hugh Grant. (Yuck. It hurts to type his name). |
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Post by dradtke on Dec 29, 2008 16:45:02 GMT -5
A mostly unknown movie that I love to recommend is "The Tall Guy", with Jeff Goldblum and Emma Thompson. Goldblum plays an actor who is cast as the lead in "Elephant!", the musical version of "The Elephant Man".
If you don't think that sentence is funny, skip the movie.
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Post by t-bob on Dec 29, 2008 16:49:19 GMT -5
Originally posted by Manly Marshall,
But then, she likes Hugh Grant. (Yuck. It hurts to type his name).
He's got hair. And he's not old...
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Post by sekhmet on Dec 29, 2008 18:14:23 GMT -5
Well I like "Love, Actually". *sulk*  Your wife is wonderful and she has good taste. |
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Post by Supertramp78 on Dec 29, 2008 18:41:43 GMT -5
"Goldblum plays an actor who is cast as the lead in "Elephant!", the musical version of "The Elephant Man"."
That sounds too good to pass up....
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