What MOVIES or DVDs have you watched? (PART SIX - 2013) (ongoing thread)

[Nina]

Just heard my granddaughter's brakes failed on her way to work this morning on the highway. She said she was terrified but finally made it to a stopping point. She was going sixty miles an hour when they failed. The car was towed finally and she was taken to work. She is a nurse. She was late and missed some important things but said they were very understanding.

[Werner]

Nina, I'm so glad that she wasn't hurt! That could have been a very tragic story, but thankfully it wasn't.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "I remember in the sixties we took our children to my parents on Sunday evenings to see Disney productions because they had color tv and we didn't."

Nina, our kids enjoyed visiting their grandmother because she had MTV and we didn't. The show was launched in 1981.

Also, I remember looking forward to babysitting because at that house I was able to watch "Your Show of Shows" with Sid Caesar and his crew. It aired from 1950 to 1954. Can't remember why we couldn't see it at our house. Maybe we didn't have a TV yet.
THE SHOW: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Your_Sho...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "Just heard my granddaughter's brakes failed on her way to work this morning on the highway. She said she was terrified but finally made it to a stopping point. She was going sixty miles an hour whe..."

Nina, how frightening! Glad she was OK. About brakes failing, our car's brakes failed right after we launched our boat into the water. Thank goodness they didn't fail WHILE the boat was being launched!

Eddie says that the brakes failed but there was still a bit of breaking left. He says cars are designed that way. (Evidently the front wheel brakes are separate from the back wheel brakes and vice versa.)

[Jim]

Whew!

[Werner]

Earlier on this thread, there was some discussion of the problem some of us have been intermittently having with receiving Goodreads' on-again-off-again daily e-mails of update notices. A Goodreads tech explained the problem to me in an e-mail I got today. Because of the volume of e-mails Goodreads sends out every day, it's sometimes too much for the servers, and so gets backlogged. They're working on a fix for this, but until then, the problem will probably continue intermittently. :-(

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Werner, thanks for explaining the GR email problem. It's probably a good idea to check the site when we don't seem to be getting the GR notifications. Simply go to the group and click on "unread".

[Werner]

Joy, in my case, I do get the e-mailed daily updates of new posts in my groups. It's the daily e-mailed updates of reviewing activity by my friends that I often don't get. :-( (So, to all my friends in this group: if I haven't officially liked some of your reviews lately, that's probably why!)

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Oh, I see. Thanks, Werner. I do appreciate all your "likes". :)

[Werner]

Reading reviews is one of my favorite things to do on Goodreads, Joy! :-)

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Werner wrote: "Reading reviews is one of my favorite things to do on Goodreads, Joy! :-)"

Werner, I think that's great! I guess that's why you enjoy being a librarian! I often think that I should have been one.

[Werner]

Yes, I can honestly say that in many ways, I'm paid to do what I love to do! (That's always nice work if you can get it. :-) )

[Nina]

Have any of you read, "On Chesil Beach," by Ian McEwan?

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "Have any of you read, "On Chesil Beach," by Ian McEwan?"

Haven't read it, Nina. Thanks for posting about it.
Here are the links: On Chesil Beach (first published 2007) by Ian McEwan
Here's an interesting review of the book (the reviewer gave it 4 stars):
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Certainly made me curious. :)

I have read two other books by Ian McEwan.
One was: Amsterdam.
The other was: Atonement. See my posts about it here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Jim]

saw Iron Man 3 tonight. It was kind of stupid, but fun.

[Jackie]

Some of it was good, some of it sucked, like the Mandarin was an actor??? And that idiot Pepper, oh don't get me started!

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jim wrote: "saw Iron Man 3 tonight. It was kind of stupid, but fun."

Haven't seen it. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1300854/?...

All I know about "Iron Man" is that I gave the children's book to my grandson as a gift: The Iron Man (first published 1968) by Ted Hughes

From the Wiki disambiguation page, I can see there are many "Iron Man" references:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Man...

[Jackie]

That's a different Iron Man. This is the Iron Man Jim and I are referring to: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...


Wow, that's a lot of "Iron Man"s, Joy!

I saw The Iron Giant with Eric when he was younger, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0129167/?..., after reading the write-up on GR for Ted Hughes' The Iron Man, I think the movie is based on it.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jackie wrote: "That's a different Iron Man. This is the Iron Man Jim and I are referring to: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... ...

Jackie, thanks for explaining. Is the "Iron Man: Extremis" related to the Marvel Comic's Iron Man?

Thank for the link to the movie, "The Iron Giant" (1999). I think that's the movie I watched with my grandson via Netflix back in 2010. In fact, it's my grandson who first told me about Iron Man. :)

I see that "The Iron Giant" at IMDb gives writing credit to Ted Hughes. So, as you say, the 1999 movie is based on the kid's book, The Iron Man.

[Jackie]

Yes, the current crop of Iron Man movies is Marvel.
I didn't read that far to find out about Ted Hughes, I don't really remember the movie, except that we enjoyed The Iron Giant. I think I'll see if the library has it, because I would like to see it again.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

A few days ago I watched a Netflix DVD of "Thelma and Louise" (1991). I had missed it when it first came out. It was riveting! I gave it 5 stars. Great acting. Great story.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103074/?...
http://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Thelma-L...
"Fed up with her boyfriend, live-wire Arkansas waitress Louise Sawyer (Susan Sarandon) persuades her friend Thelma Dickinson (Geena Davis), a naïve housewife burdened with a negligent, sexist husband, to hit the road with her for a simple weekend of freedom. But after accidentally killing a man, the two friends wind up outlaws blazing a cathartic trail across America. Callie Khouri won an Academy Award for Best Screenplay."

Cast: Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Brad Pitt

[Jackie]

T & L was a fantastic movie. I enjoyed it. That's the movie that got Brad Pitt noticed, he was in other things but it was this movie that propelled him to stardom.

I loved the relationship between the two women, in it together til the end. An incredible bond.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Yesterday I got lost while driving to an alpaca farm in Ticonderoga. After zipping around the roads a while, I started driving like Thelma and Louise... zoom, zoom, zoom. LOL Finally, I found a state trooper who led me to the farm.

BTW, the alpacas were adorable. Such soft hair!
Here's the farm in Ti: https://www.facebook.com/ChilsonBrook...

[Jackie]

You're an excellent driver Joy, I would have loved going Zoom Zoom with you, lol
The alpacas do look soft. Why did you visit the farm?

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Thank you, Jackie. It was an event of my Red Hat Group. I learned so many interesting things about alpacas. There are breed standards just like for dogs and horses. The owner sells the hair/fur.

[Werner]

There was an alpaca (among other exotic animals) at the petting zoo they had at the carnival held here in Bluefield on Memorial Day weekend. Yes, their hair is really soft!

[Joy H., Group Founder]

What color was the alpaca, Werner? I was surprised that there were so many different colors.

The alpacas didn't like being touched. They shied away. I felt a small stuffed alpaca model. Were U able to pet one?

[Jim]

I still have a big trash bag full of alpaca roving (hair) left from my friend Cathy. She used to raise alpacas, but her back is really bad, so now she's moved to a condo. She gave me some of her old spinning stuff when she did. I carded alpaca hair in with Speedy's hair so that it would stick together to make yarn out of.

I should see what my neighbors do with their alpaca's hair. They have a llama, too. Their hair isn't as soft. They're bigger & tougher all around, but it would be interesting to spin some up.

[Werner]

Yes, Joy, I did pet the alpaca, briefly. Being part of a traveling petting zoo, he (or she) was perhaps a bit more used to it than some; and then, too, visitors are allowed to feed the animals from small bags of grain, so the latter are more prepared to tolerate the petting in order to get the good stuff. :-)

I remember the hair texture (in contrast to the llama's, and the yak's) better than the color, since this was a while ago, and I was experiencing quite a few new animals more or less at once, or at least within a very short time. But to my best recollection, the hair was a dark brown shade; the llama was the lighter-colored one. It's too bad we didn't think to bring the disposable camera! :-(

[Nina]

One of my friend'a daughter's also raises alpacas about fifteen miles from me. I haven't gone out to see them, however. Maybe I should. This morning at dawn I looked out my bedroom window and thought, "Oh, what a pretty view. Looks almost like a farm with only split rail fences and open fields beyond and I could imagine the horses running across it, like they did many years ago. Then later someone must have set fire to the fence; no longer a pretty view as some posts are destroyed and fencing. I must not think I like something. It seems to happen more often than not.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jim: I figured you would have had experience with alpaca hair.

Werner: Yes, when food was offered to the alpaca's they approached willingly.

Nina: I had an experience like that about the fire. One holiday season, I wanted a friend to see a local house lit up with Xmas lights. As we drove up to the house, all we saw was the black framework remains of what had been the house. The fire had been caused by an electrical problem. We were shocked!

[Nina]

"Putting off work, is work," Anonymous. Joy, your friend's fire experience is much worse than a few fence posts and railings.Our home repair is finished from the dishwasher deluge expect for all the dusting required now. Ceilings and moldings and everything in our house except for the bedrooms. My husband is on ladders.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina, I'm glad to hear the home repair work is over. Dust will always be with us. :)

Thanks for the quote. I'll save it in my quote file under "Procrastination".

"Hard work often pays off after time, but laziness always pays off now." -Anon.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

I'm currently streaming (from Netflix) a film adaptation of Dicken's "Bleak House" (the 2005 film version). It's a fascinating story and the acting is great. Wonderful characterizations! They keep me watching!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0442632/?...
"A suspenseful tale about the injustices of the 19th-century English legal system"

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Ble...
"An orphaned girl finds a happy home with a wealthy man and his wards, never suspecting the truth about her origins -- or knowing her fate. But as the plot thickens, a suspenseful yarn of legal justice unfolds in this drama miniseries."

Here's the Goodreads page about the book: Bleak House

[Werner]

Thanks for the heads-up on that one, Joy; I'll have to keep an eye out for the DVD. At the imdb link, it says it's a PBS/BBC production; I wonder if it's a remake of the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation I saw bits and pieces of back in the 80s? I'd love to watch either or both of them all the way through; and of course the Dickens novel has been on my to-read list for ages!

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Werner, about the film adaptation of Bleak House, at Amazon.com it says:
Original air date: October 23, 2005
Network: BBC America

See the Amazon page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Episode-1/dp/B0...
(Scroll down at the above page for details.)

I'm not sure if the 2005 version of Bleak House was on Masterpiece Theatre or not. [See below.***] Anyway, I'm enjoying it very much. Every performer is excellent and that in itself draws me in. The actress (Anna Maxwell Martin) who plays the orphaned girl, Esther, is someone you can truly sympathize with. She has the perfect face for it. Here's her photo:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bleakhouse...
The actor who plays Guppy is excellent. His name is Burn Gorman. Here's his photo: http://us.cdn001.fansshare.com/photos...

I can't remember enough about the 1985 version to make comparisons but at my review you can see my comments on both versions. My review is at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

*** PS - Further research shows that it's the 1985 version which was on Masterpiece Theater. Here's the IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088485/?...

PPS - Could be that BOTH versions were on Masterpiece Theater. See the user review by Michael Kim (Victorian Mystery January 23, 2006) at the Amazon link above.

[Werner]

Thanks for the additional info and links, Joy!

[Nina]

Joy H. wrote: "I'm currently streaming (from Netflix) a film adaptation of Dicken's "Bleak House" (the 2005 film version). It's a fascinating story and the acting is great. Wonderful characterizations! They keep ..."One of my favorites. Wish they made them that good now.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Yes, Nina, the Bleak House film is a pleasure to watch.

PS-The book can be read free online here: http://www.online-literature.com/dick...

[Jackie]

I watched The Way Way Back, very good movie, everyone can enjoy this one.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1727388/?...

and After Earth, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1815862/?..., the story was OK but Will Smith's son is a terrible actor, kinda ruined it and now I know why it was trashed by reviewers. It's funny that I expected his son to be as good an actor as he is, but why should he be? It was an unrealistic expectation on my part.

And finally The Purge, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2184339/?..., worst movie of all time, utterly stupid story, don't waste your time. I knew it was gonna be bad, don't know why I watched it at all.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jackie wrote: "I watched The Way Way Back, very good movie, everyone can enjoy this one. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1727388/?... ..."

Jackie, thanks for the comments on the films. I'm definitely going to see the one with Steve Carell when Netflix has it. Looks like a good one. I love Carell!
"The Way Way Back" (2013)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1727388/?...
http://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/The-Way-...
NETFLIX DESCRIPTION: "A stifled teen finds his voice with encouragement from the manager of a local water park, where he takes a summer job to escape his unbearable home life with his mom and her overbearing boyfriend."
Genres: Comedy, Indie Comedies, Blu-ray
This movie is: Heartfelt, Quirky, Feel-good, Understated

[Joy H., Group Founder]

PS-I was able to see an extended preview of "The Way Way Back" at Amazon. It's 11 minutes long. The link is: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F...
Here's a shorter preview: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1727388/?...

I know I've seen Liam James before. But where? I checked his credits but couldn't find anything familiar. He reminds me of Justine Bateman. Here's his IMDb page with a photo: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0416699/?r...

What a character Allison Janney plays in the movie! Wild! lol Here's her IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005049/?r...

[Jackie]

The boy plays Linden's son on The Killing but I didn't recognize him as his role was rather small in it, while I watched it, I've since dropped out.

Allison Janney is a pip in this! She cracks me up. Did you see her in American Beauty? An all time fav movie with Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning.

Steve Carell is a bit of a jerk in this, let's just say he's not likable. For me, Sam Rockwell is the star of the movie, I always like the odd characters he chooses to play.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

I'm not familiar with Sam Rockwell. I googled for his pic: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&a...

I saw American Beauty but I don't remember Janney. I do remember Benning and Spacey. Very dark film.

I never watched The Killing.

Wasn't it Allison Janney who was in the ladies room when they called her name for winning the Oscar at the Academy Awards? How embarrassing. lol

[Jackie]

Janney played the neighbor's wife, she was really odd.

You didn't miss anything in The Killing; it was a murder mystery and it was well done at first, but then they had to go and stretch it out.

I don't know anything about the awards shows but that does sound embarrassing, and like she didn't expect to win.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Ooops! It wasn't Janney. It was Christine Lahti who was in the bathroom when she won the Golden Globe award in 1998 for "Chicago Hope".
Here's a YouTube of the incident:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmRhE8...

Here's one where they show the audience looking for her:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of0XVS...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Yesterday I watched "Chariots of Fire" (1981) via a Netflix DVD. The story was so-so but the music (by composer, Vangelis) was inspirational! (Hear the music and see Vangelis play it at YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYJzcU... (over 10 million people watched this YouTube video!)

IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082158/?...
"Two British track athletes, one a determined Jew and the other a devout Christian, compete in the 1924 Olympics."
NETFLIX: http://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Chariots...
"Two very different runners -- hotshot Jewish Cambridge scholar Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) and rigid Presbyterian missionary Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson) -- compete for the British team in the 1924 Olympics, facing intense pressure and complex personal tests of faith. Hugh Hudson directs this edifying 1981 Best Picture Oscar winner, which is based on a true story. ..."

NOTE: For an explanation of the meaning of "Chariots of Fire", see Message #66 at the following link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Jackie]

Man of Steel http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0770828/ Good movie but the fight/action scenes went on too long, and the sound, oh why do they do this?!? I had to drop my volume by half for the music and sound effects, they were ear shattering, then I missed some of what they were saying as it took a while to bring up the volume. I was literally going between 16-18 to 40. That is insane. And really annoying. If I saw this in the theater, I'd have been really annoyed by the loud sound effects. It takes away from the movie and I find it hard to enjoy. I wish they'd stop doing this.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jackie, could the problem be that you were watching via a DVD whereas in the theater the sound is more controlled? I skimmed through the user reviews on IMDb (for Man of Steel) and there were no complaints about the loud volume. I don't blame you for being annoyed. I get annoyed by the dark screen when I stream a movie. The dark scenes are no fun to watch. Perhaps it's better in a movie theater.

[Jackie]

In the theater it would have been even louder, theater sound is even worse, at home I can lower it. Maybe people are used to it, or find it pointless to complain. I never hear of anyone complaining about sound, except one person here in this group. When I mention it to people who've seen the movie, then they say Yeah it was loud. I wouldn't write it in a review. I just tell you guys here so you'll know if you watch it.

I don't like the dark screen either. I know things are sometimes happening in the dark, but either let me see what's going on or don't put the scene in the movie. I don't like this style of film-making.