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Movies, DVDs, and Theater
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What MOVIES or DVDs have you watched lately? (PART FOUR - 2011) (ongoing thread)
PS-I just rec'd the following email from Netflix:==============================================
Dear Joy,
It is clear that for many of our members two websites would make things more difficult, so we are going to keep Netflix as one place to go for streaming and DVDs.
This means no change: one website, one account, one password…in other words, no Qwikster.
While the July price change was necessary, we are now done with price changes.
We're constantly improving our streaming selection. We've recently added hundreds of movies from Paramount, Sony, Universal, Fox, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, MGM and Miramax. Plus, in the last couple of weeks alone, we've added over 3,500 TV episodes from ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, USA, E!, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, ABC Family, Discovery Channel, TLC, SyFy, A&E, History, and PBS.
We value you as a member, and we are committed to making Netflix the best place to get your movies & TV shows.
Respectfully,
The Netflix Team
===============================================
When I heard about the split, I didn't think it was a good idea. Any ideas I may have harbored about joining went out the window. I'm pleased to hear Netflix will remain the same. My Netflix friends will be thrilled to hear this. Price changes are an inevitable part of life. I may join yet
Jackie, Netflix has been a great solution for me because I hate going to a theater to see a movie. First of all, it's expensive. Second of all, I like being comfy in my own living room. Third of all, it's too cold in the winter to go out. Fourth of all, it gives me something interesting to do at night when I'm too tired to read and there's nothing good on TV. I guess that sums it up.I also like the fact that Netflix keeps a list of which movies I've watched and a list (a queue) of which movies I'd like to watch. I find those lists very helpful, as are the descriptions and member reviews.
I'm not much for theaters either. Home is so much better. There's very few movies that I 'Must See' in the theater, some for the big screen effects, like "300" and others because I simply cannot wait for DVD releases, like "LOTR" and most Marvel movies.The main thing holding me back from Netflix is the long waiting times when it's available. Right now HBO and Showtime have the movies sooner. If Netflix ever gets movies as soon as they're released and I don't have to wait, then I might drop my HBO and SHO subscriptions. A short time ago, I can't remember which pay channel or what the movie was, but it was released On Demand before it's actual DVD release date by about a week. If they keep that up, I'll never give up those subscriptions. It's all about the waiting time with me.
I don't mind waiting (for DVD's to be released). I'm so far behind, it really doesn't matter anymore. BTW, right now, "The Taming of the Shrew" (1967) is on TCM (2:30-4:45 PM) with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. I've never seen it before. There goes my afternoon!
The one drawback of being on top of current films is that there's nothing left to see. I've seen all the movies I want to see, except what's in theaters, coming to theaters or awaiting a DVD release date.
Jackie wrote: "The one drawback of being on top of current films is that there's nothing left to see. I've seen all the movies I want to see, except what in theaters, coming to theaters or awaiting a DVD release date."I find that browsing the Netflix choices gives me a feeling that there's plenty left for me to see. Of course, this is after my not having gone to the theaters for years or just going once in a while.
BTW, at Netflix, if you've started streaming a movie and bailed out, your records at Netflix will show you exactly how many minutes of the movie you watched. In fact, if you resume watching, Netflix remembers where you left off and starts you off from there.
That's how the DVR operates too, let's you know where you're at and you have a choice to Resume Play or Restart.
That's how the DVR operates too, let's you know where you're at and you have a choice to Resume Play or Restart.
I don't have DVR. There's not that much on TV that I want to record.
I just don't want to watch commercials. For each hour of programming, 20 minutes is commercials. Life is too short to waste on commercials.
Jackie wrote: "I just don't want to watch commercials. For each hour of programming, 20 minutes is commercials. Life is too short to waste on commercials."I know, Jackie. That's something to consider.
Good mystery on TCM right now (9:15 - 11 PM)"The Uninvited" (1944)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037415/
"A composer and his sister discover that the reason they are able to purchase a beautiful gothic seacoast mansion very cheaply is the house's unsavory past."
Cast: Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey, Gail Russell, & Cornelia Otis Skinner
Adapted from the novel by Dorothy Macardle:
"Uneasy Freehold" aka The Uninvited (Play Script) (1942)
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...
According to what I've read so far, this is supposed to be a good one.
User Review: "If you're in the mood for a chilling, well-plotted, atmospheric mystery, you owe it to yourself to see this house-on-the-edge-of-a-cliff type of mystery. The intricate plot will delight mystery fans and the acting by Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey, Gail Russell, Donald Crisp and Cornelia Otis Skinner is excellent. Especially fascinating and chilling is the performance of Miss Skinner as Miss Holloway, the sinister owner of a clinic for disturbed women. Victor Young's background score adds immeasurably to the tense proceedings. His 'Stella by Starlight' has become a classic composition for piano and orchestra. The old house itself with its huge windows overlooking the sea and its spacious interiors inhabited by an unseen presence, is the sort of dream house anyone would love to live in--except for 'The Uninvited'. Truly a high quality ghost story that also happens to be an absorbing mystery."
FROM: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037415/
That sounds good, I'm going to check and see if it reruns later. Thanks Joy!
We've been treating miniseries as movies; so Love's Christmas Journey, which premiered on Hallmark last night (it's a four-hour miniseries, but the two parts were aired back to back) would qualify. Set in the late 19th-century West, it opens with a young widow, devastated by the recent loss of her husband and small daughter to a sudden tornado, traveling to spend the Christmas season with her brother (who's also a widower, though his loss is older) and his two kids. He's sheriff of a community with more than its share of scope for drama: a new railroad line may or may not be coming, and if it is, an unscrupulous lawyer wants to own the land it would be built on; a young man who's poorly regarded by some because he's a bank robber's son is in love with the mayor's daughter and vice versa, and daddy would be highly incensed if he knew; and a brutal and dangerous outlaw is loose in the vicinity. It's a well-done production of its type, IMO, with intrigue, suspense, wholesome romance, a bit of Western six-gun action, constructive messages, some low-key Christian content in a few places where it fits naturally --and a mysterious elderly stranger who may or may not be more than he seems. Ernest Borgnine and JoBeth Williams are the best known (at least to me) cast members, but all the performances are, in my estimation, quite good.The credits assert that this production was inspired by the Love Comes Softly series of novels by Janette Oke (pronounced "Oak") --which I haven't read, though I've enjoyed some of the miniseries adaptations-- and the Imdb page at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2078672/ credits Oke as author of the "book." But she's written no book by this title; I think the writers just took the general Western setting and style of plotting that's characteristic of her work (judging from the adaptations I've seen), and created a pastiche in order to use her name. But be that as it may, it's a faithful pastiche that she'd probably approve of. It'll undoubtedly be aired again during the holiday season (and probably in the ensuing years as well); so if you think it sounds promising from my description, I'd recommend it.
We watched most of 'Knight & Day' today. It stars Tom Cruise & Cameron Diaz (I think). It was an action adventure that made no effort to portray reality, just lots of good, shoot-'em-up-bang-bang fun. Lots of good-guy bullets flying & some really fun chase scenes. Good CGI. They pulled off some really wild stuff & made it look almost natural.
Werner wrote: "We've been treating miniseries as movies; so Love's Christmas Journey, which premiered on Hallmark last night (it's a four-hour miniseries, but the two parts were aired back to back) would qualify...."Thanks for the review, Werner. I'll keep my eye on the Hallmark Channel for a re-run of this miniseries.
Jim wrote: "We watched most of 'Knight & Day' today. It stars Tom Cruise & Cameron Diaz (I think). It was an action adventure that made no effort to portray reality, just lots of good, shoot-'em-up-bang-bang..."Netflix has this movie, Jim:
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Kni...
Description:
Knight and Day - 2010 PG-13 109 minutes
"Perpetually unlucky in love, June (Cameron Diaz) becomes intrigued by a mysterious man (Tom Cruise), who unexpectedly drags her into a whirlwind adventure involving devious enemies, life-threatening confrontations and a major discovery that may alter the future of humankind. Directed by James Mangold, this exhilarating action-comedy also features Peter Sarsgaard, Paul Dano, Maggie Grace and Viola Davis."
I'm not crazy about "shoot-'em-up" movies but I do like Cameron Diaz.
I don't think this is your kind of movie, Joy. Jackie & Earl would probably like it, though.
I probably would. I like Cameron Diaz. Not so much Tom Cruise. They were fantastic together in Vanilla Sky. Anyone see that one?http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259711/
Haven't seen "Vanilla Sky".Here's the Netflix description:
Vanilla Sky(2001) R
http://movies.netflix.com/Search?oq=v...
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"David Aames (Tom Cruise) has it all: wealth, good looks and a gorgeous woman (Cameron Diaz) on his arm. But just when he's found true love with warmhearted Sofia (Penélope Cruz), his face is horribly disfigured in a car accident, and he loses everything ... or does he? Director Cameron Crowe delivers a bizarre yet beautiful take on love, beauty and morality inspired by Alejandro Amenábar's Spanish-language film Open Your Eyes, also starring Cruz."
Genre: Romantic Movies, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Sci-Fi Thrillers, Mysteries, Psychological Thrillers
This movie is: Dark, Mind-bending, Romantic
========================================
Netflix rating is only 1 and 3/4 stars. But I'll try it out one of these days. I'll put in on my Queue.
Wait! Below is what one Netflix reviewer wrote:
(view spoiler)
Hmm, that word "surrealistic" makes me hesitate. But now I'm curious.
I'm not surprised at the low rating, it's because the viewer either didn't pay attention, or didn't get i, but was an excellent film if you like this kind of thing.My aunt bought the movie, said she hated it because she didn't understand it and gave it to me. It's one of my favorite movies. I like surreal but you do have to pay attention and that's what I want; if a movie is gonna use up my time, then use it well: keep me interested, keep me thinking/guessing and keep me entertained.
Jackie wrote: "... I like surreal but you do have to pay attention and that's what I want; if a movie is gonna use up my time, then use it well: keep me interested, keep me thinking/guessing and keep me entertained."All very true, Jackie, but usually I'm left confused (by surrealistic movies).
PS-The dictionary hit the nail on the head when it defined "surrealistic" as "characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtapositions".
Jackie wrote: "That's an apt description."I found it in my WordWeb program, that little icon I keep in the tray at the bottom of my screen. I use it all the time!
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8...
http://wordweb.info/free/
I got that program when you told me about it; it's very useful.
Yes it is. A real timesaver. Glad you're making use of it.
I have an unfavorable critique of Hallmark's, "Love's Christmas Journey." In one of the scenes the pioneer children are acting silly and running about when they are supposed to be rehersing for a play. One of the characters remarks,"They have indulged themselves in too much candy is why they are acting wild." Back in pioneer days no one whould have suggested such a thing.
You have a point there, Nina.
I watched "Win Win" via a Netflix DVD the other day.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1606392/
http://movies.netflix.com/Search?v1=W...
Win Win (2010) R
From Netflix: "When down-on-his-luck part-time high school wrestling coach Mike agrees to become legal guardian to an elderly man, his ward's troubled grandson turns out to be a star grappler, sparking dreams of a big win -- until the boy's mother retrieves him."
Genre: Comedies, Independent Movies, Sports Comedies, Independent Comedies
This movie is: Quirky
Stars: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan and Jeffrey Tambor
Netflix's summary is much better than IMDb's. The IMDb summary says: "A struggling lawyer and volunteer wrestling coach's chicanery comes back to haunt him when the teenage grandson of the client he's double-crossed comes into his life."
IMO, the IMDb summary doesn't get to the gist of the story, but the Netflix summary does.
I also didn't think that IMDb's words "chicanery" and "double-crossed" fit the character of Mike (played by Paul Giametti) well. Mike was better than that. He was making the best of a bad situation.
Paul Giamatti was perfect in his role as Mike, the lawyer/coach. I understood Mike's dilemma and sympathized with him. Alex Shaffer, who played the grandson, Kyle, was also good; he did a good job of evoking my sympathy. I didn't like the ending. (Did you?) But it did have an impact on me, for sure.
Nina, I'm not sure that parents in the 19th century would necessarily have been unaware that overdosing on sugar makes kids hyper --most of them wouldn't have known the chemical reasons why (most of us couldn't explain those, either!), but they might very well have observed the relationship empirically. (Of course, I'll grant that opportunities to observe kids overdosing on sugar wouldn't have been as common then.)
I read somewhere that extra sugar doesn't make kids hyper. Like so many things we 'know', it's a myth based on a highly publicized, but inaccurate report that was later debunked. The media just didn't cover it as such a big deal. Probably most of the energy came from the excitement of getting it. My own experience makes me agree. I never noticed it with my kids. They were supposed to be hyper active anyway, which is ridiculous. They were young kids who were expected to sit quietly all day without recess. It's like caffeine. Some works, but after that first couple of cups, it really doesn't do anything until you get to the point of poisoning yourself, like people do on the pills. Now kids sit around & gorge on sugar, but most of them seem to just turn into fat lumps & many develop diabetes.
Thanks for sharing that information, Jim! In that case, the character's comment in the movie would have been anachronistic; parents back then couldn't have empirically noticed a connection if there's no real connection TO notice.
I added 2 more paragraphs to my post #881 above about the movie "Win Win".
Well, they might have noticed it because it was a treat & the kids were excited each time they got it. That might seem to impart more energy & lead to the comment. I know a lot of parents swear they can tell when their kid has had sugar. Are they all deceiving themselves through what they expect to see? Was the debunked study partially right? Does it vary by kid? I'll bet it's a combination of all the above.
I am watching two very good netflix; The Fortunes of War, starring a very young Emma Thompson and Palfry of Westminster. Both are foreighn but do have subtitles. You don't need them for Palfry and probably not for Fortunes, but I do. Fortunes is set in Bucharest.
Nina, I'll check those films out at Netflix. Thanks for mentioning them.I'm back. Here's what I found:
Mr. Palfrey of Westminster: The Complete Series
1984 NR 3 discs
"This smart drama series follows the undercover exploits of Mr. Palfrey (Alec McCowen), a wily British counterintelligence officer who sniffs out spies, traitors and other threats to national security while posing as a humble civil servant. While facing danger in the world of international espionage with his associate, Blair (Clive Wood), Palfrey must also watch his back with regard to his enigmatic boss, the Co-ordinator (Caroline Blakiston)."
Cast: Alec McCowen, Briony McRoberts, Clive Wood, Caroline Blakiston
Genres: TV Shows, British TV Shows
FROM: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Mr....
Fortunes of War
(Masterpiece Theatre: Fortunes of War)
1987 NR 2 discs
"Based on Olivia Manning's autobiographical novels, this BBC miniseries follows university professor Guy Pringle (Kenneth Branagh) and his wife, Harriet (Emma Thompson), British expatriates living in 1939 Romania as World War II's storm clouds loom. Guy gets embroiled in political resistance activities, neglecting Harriet and setting the stage for a compelling tale of a union tested by unintentional betrayal, insensitivity and a world in turmoil."
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Rupert Graves, Robert Stephens, Ronald Pickup, Vernon Dobtcheff, Ronald Fraser
Genres: TV Shows, Dramas, British TV Shows, Miniseries, Military Dramas, British Movies, 20th Century Period Pieces
FROM: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/For...
If you haven't already seen, Fortunes of War, it is worth looking at just to see the very young Emma Thompson.
Thanks, Nina. I put it on my queue. I've always liked Emma Thompson.
What I liked about the Palfry series is that the writing is excellent; great dialogue and the theme doesn't depend on a lot of violence to move the plot. IN other words it is an intellegent mystery.
I am having fun with my new toy; a Kindle. I took it to my book club meeting yesterday and fortunately they didn't kick me out. But, don't think I convinced them to ever purchase one either. As I menioned earlier in goodreads, I bought thirteen BOOKS last week at a library used book sale. I think it's OK to do both. I especially like the idea in the midst of winter when I am unable to get out onto icey roads etc that I can have a book in a minute. Our book club selection for January is "The Gathering," by Anne Enright. To try out my Kindle I ordered it and it was only eight dollars. So, I will have it when the snow flies and can't get to the library or bookstore. Yes, I could order it by Amazon but by the time you pay postage and wait for the mail it isn't as easy. Oh well, that particular book looks good. Check it out.
Congrats on the new toy, Nina. While I have an ereader - a Sony - I tend to read more 'real' books. I just like them better, but having an ereader does open up a lot of possibilities. It's a lot easier to pack for a trip, too.;-)
Enjoy your new Kindle, Nina.I will check out The Gathering.
I see there are mixed feelings about the book.
After you read it, see if you agree with the following GR review by Sammy:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Wow, now I'm curiouser and curiouser as Alice would say, to read it. It is our book club's selection for January but as I already have it on Kindle I will be reading it after the book I'm on now is finished.
I am currently streaming from Netflix the 1985 film adaptation of Charles Dicken's Bleak House (first published 1853), starring Diana Rigg.Masterpiece Theatre: Bleak House (TV mini-series 1985)
It also stars Denholm Elliott who has a familiar face but until now I wasn't familiar with his name. Below is a link to his photo:
http://www.britmovie.co.uk/wp-content...
A great face!
The film has a wonderful atmosphere, evoking the feeling that you are really in a different time and place, the world in which Dickens lived and wrote about. I'm keeping track of the many characters by referring to the character list at Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleak_House
Wiki says:
"Bleak House is the ninth novel by Charles Dickens, published in twenty monthly installments between March 1852 and September 1853. It is held to be one of Dickens's finest novels, containing one of the most vast, complex and engaging arrays of minor characters and sub-plots in his entire canon."
I hope I can stay with this film. It's slow-moving but very atmospheric. One thing about streaming from Netflix is that I can watch it a little bit at a time and Netflix, with just a click, brings me back to the exact spot where I left off.
BTW, I'm watching on my computer screen (my fairly new computer) and it's not bad!
Today I went to Big Lots and bought gourmet doughnut shop coffee and even though I haven't opened the package the entire house smells like brewed coffee. It was five dollars. I hope it tastes as good as it smells.
Joy, I only got to see bits and pieces of the Bleak House miniseries when it first aired, but I really liked what I saw! I'd love to see the whole thing sometime (and I definitely intend to read the book one of these years :-) ).Earlier this fall, my grandkids acquired the movies Toy Story and Toy Story II on VHS. Ever since, they've been watching them with an avidity that threatens to wear them out; so I've watched the entire footage of both (more than once), though not in one sitting or always in sequence. Since these are aimed at child audiences and have as their premise the idea that toys (at least those made to resemble living things) are sentient and walk and talk when humans aren't around, they have obvious credibility problems. But before you roll your eyes too hard, I have to say that they're actually pretty engaging. Like the writers of Sesame Street, those here realized that adults would watch along with their kids, so they included a lot of dry verbal humor that can appeal to adult viewers; the toy characters are developed with distinct personalities, and are often appealing. (They're brought to life with what I'd guess is a combination of animation and CGI that works very well.) If you can suspend disbelief, the premise of toys that are bound emotionally to their child owners, despite the fact that the latter will inevitably grow up to forget them (developed more fully in the second film), has unexpected depth and even poignancy at times; there are some serious good messages, and the plotting is unexpectedly complex, with details that are dovetailed together with nice craftsmanship. If you have kids or grandkids and like to watch movies with them, I'd recommend giving these two a look!
Two yeas ago for a Christms present from our daughter we received the set of Dickens tapes. Included was "Bleak House," and i thought it was very good as were all the rest of them.
One of my favorite Dickens novels is "Our Mutual Friend." It is on DVD.
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Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group
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"Netflix Abandons Plan to Rent DVDs on Qwikster"
See: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com...
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"October 10, 2011: Abandoning a break-up plan it announced last month, Netflix said Monday morning that it had decided to keep its DVD-by-mail and online streaming services together under one name and one Web site.
"The company admitted that it had moved too fast when it tried to spin-off the old-fashioned DVD service into a new company called Qwikster.
"'We underestimated the appeal of the single Web site and a single service,' Steve Swasey, a Netflix spokesman, said in a telephone interview.
...
"Netflix said it never actually separated the services or started Qwikster. But the Sept. 18 announcement that it intended to do so stoked anger among Netflix customers, some of whom were already incensed by a price hike to $16 from $10 for those who receive both DVDs and streaming. (That increase will remain in place.)"
FROM: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com...
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