I read the book this is based on several years ago and really found it thought-provoking and compelling.  As is always the case with a favorite book, I was concerned about it being turned in to a movie.  The reviews, however, were positive - even The New Yorker - so I then was anxious to see it.

Harry and I saw it tonight, and it does not disappoint.  There have been cosmetic and structural changes to the novel, so purists might contest, but the heart of the story remains - and the heart is what counts.

Julianne Moore turns in a stunning performance - she earned her Oscar - and I wanted to just hug her and tell her it would be okay!

It is a fine piece of drama, but even more important, I believe it does an excellent job of painting a realistic portrayal of the serious decline that is Alzheimers.  Perhaps more understanding and compassion will be a by-product.

Friday Night at the Movies

You would think that being retired, I'd be at the movies every day.  But alas, I think this may be the first movie I've seen since I retired!  (Not for lack of movies I've wanted to see - it's harder than you think to get away when you aren't on a definite schedule!!)

But we walked to the Krikorian tonight and saw this.  I had seen the trailer this summer and so got the book on Kindle.  The book was pretty good but somewhat slow-moving.  A little more introspective than I'd imagined.  The movie is slow-moving too, but in a good way.  Seems like movies can drift along and hold your attention more than the printed word can do that.

The actors in the ensemble are great.  It's definitely a British film - but then I love British films.  I also loved that it started in 1963 - our era!!

I would recommend it highly.  A love story gone awry, but once again all's well that ends well.

Pretty intense!!

Our FHE tonight was sandwiches at Cafe Merengue and Gravity at the Krikorian!!

Great film - very intense - I'm pretty sure I never want to travel in outer space!!

Good sandwiches too.

And on the way in we chatted with Rene, and on the way out, we chatted with Henriette.

A great evening!!

Friday Night at the Movies - Stay-at-home style!

It was "stay-at-home" night at the old homestead - and after the Dodger game we "took in a flick!"  This was a pretty good film - well done for the most part.  Sometimes it "dragged" and you weren't quite sure what was going on , but for the most part it was tense and suspenseful.

Once again I am convinced that war is awful and futile - but that doesn't seem to change much!

Monday Night at the Movies

Monday  was a crazy day - finding out about the bombing at the marathon - talking with Harry and Eliza.  Felt a little at loose ends.  So when Noah texted did I still want to go to the show - we had planned it on Saturday as our FHE activity - I thought it would be good to distract myself with a movie.

It was a great distraction.  The film is well-done, well-acted, and quite moving.

Plus, I just love a big-screen home run - the thwack of the bat, the camera following the ball out of the park, the jog around the bases!!

Dinner after at Cafe Merengue topped off the evening just right!

007 returns!

Dad loves 007!!  He's seen everyone of the films - not sure how many of the books he's read.  So when I saw a copy of Skyfall at Target, I got it for him for Valentine's Day.  (He hadn't been to see it yet, and it's not in all the theaters - or wasn't then anyway!)

We watched it last Friday.  I enjoyed it.  Some people I have talked to didn't like it so much.  I wonder if it's because the ending is so sixties Bond - and not so techo-full!

I loved watching Judi Dench make a booby-trap with broken chandelier glass.  But I was sad to see her die.  I loved being in Scotland - and the grim old estate.  And I loved the gamekeeper!!  And the Asten-Martin.

And Miss Moneypenny and Q - excited to see what they will be up to next!

At the cinema -

I

I was intrigued by the things I read about Amour, so I persuaded Harry to go to the show in the middle of the week.  The film is up for several Oscars - one being Best Actress for Emmanuelle Riva - who is 85 and will turn 86 on the day of the Oscars!

It is not lightweight or for the faint of heart - by that I mean it's not a fairy-tale love story and is fairly unflinching in its gaze at aging and disease and dying.

But it is indeed a love story.  And it's a story with quite a convoluted plot.  And if you go, be sure to let me know what you think!  (and if you go, pay close attention to the details.)

A strangely odd kind of film -

I am not sure what all the critics are saying about this film.  I know there were reviews when it first came out, but I don't think I paid much attention to them.  We even saw previews a few weeks ago.  Then I heard people around me talking about it, so I put it on my list.  It wasn't playing anywhere close by, and it wasn't on NetFlix either.  But someone mentioned that it was on Redbox - so we went and got it yesterday.

It is strange.  It is oddly beautiful.  The lead actress is superb.  The man who plays her father was not looking for an acting job and had never had an acting job.  He worked as a baker across the street from the headquarters of the film company that made the film - and they persuaded him to do it.  He does a pretty good job.

It is a metaphor of sorts.  It strays often into the realm of fantasy.  At one point, near the end, it reminded of Where the Wild Things Are.  The qualities of excellence are very uneven, but those that work, work very well.

It's the sort of film that leaves you scratching your head.

Let me know what you think!

Monday Night at the Movies

Dad and I went to the movies tonight - perfect end to a holiday in my book!!

We saw Quartet, with Maggie Smith - and it was great!!

We both noted that everyone in the theater was our age or older - which is too bad - I think a younger person would love this movie too.

If any of you "youngsters" have seen it, let me know - maybe I'm wrong - maybe you have to be old!

The other female in the quartet is the gal who played the maid Sarah in Upstairs, Downstairs eons ago.  As charming as ever!  The the man who plays Dumbledore has a key role - very well-played too.

I love British films - especially those filmed in wonderful old English houses with lots of beautiful English countryside showing!!

Friday Night at the Movies

(Just noticed that I uploaded a movie poster in French!!  It's called Snow White and the Huntsman.)

Dad felt like going to the movies tonight - and he'd heard this movie being discussed on NPR - so we walked downtown and took in a show!!

The LA Times kind of panned it - as did NPR - but Dad said, "I wasn't interested in great art.  I just wanted to go to the show and be entertained."  It's not a bad film - but I probably won't be motivated to ever see it again!

It's a bit long too - in case that bothers you!

It's a little Harry Potterish too - with the dark, evil motif contrasted with the good.

So you can decide!

A great film!!

Kyle McClure came into the lunchroom one day and declared that the film The Artist was "the best movie I've ever seen."

I have to say he was pretty on target! If you haven't seen it, go have a look-see - it is one classy film!!

Extremely good and incredibly well-wrought!

Dad and I are in movie-going mode this week - at least we made it to one movie!!

And an excellent film it was! The New Yorker was a little critical of its quality - but I think the reviewer missed the boat on that one. I thought it was well-conceived, well-drawn, well-acted, and altogether a satisfying experience.

I'd give it several stars and a couple of thumbs up.

Let me know what you think, if you've seen it.

Monday Night at the Movies!!

Our good friend Rene "treated" us to the movies tonight. (She works at the theater and can take up to 4 guests.) Harry and I talked about seeing it after reading the various reviews - some good, some not so good. Rene wanted to see it too, so we made a plan - and we even walked to the theater, so it was good exercise!!

I thought the film was well done. Some critics have said it was too clinical - but I felt that went with the theme and added to the effectiveness.

It's a creepy though, since it seems possible that it could happen.

Maybe just see for yourself!!

Movie night

Matt and I saw "Midnight in Paris" last night. The average age in the (completely packed) theater was around 50 or 60. We saw a couple from our ward who told us we were too young to be there.

We both thought it had some funny moments and good dialogue, although the plot got overly silly at times, even over the top. I thought Owen Wilson was great and the lineup of random cameos was typical of a Woody Allen movie. We agreed that Harry and Barb would probably appreciate all the "Lost Generation" allusions.

Bottom line, I don't know that I'd spend $20 on it again but it was a fun diversion for a Friday night.

Saturday Night At the Movies

Dad and I enjoyed wrapping ourselves in a blanket and watching Donna's copy of Secratariat. It was a little bit of a "blast from the past" with the fashion and hairdos.

It was a "feel good" kind of movie. The horse did a great job. The actors did a good job too. But whoever wrote the screenplay needs some coaching - at least in the dialogue department.

But it's always entertaining to watch a winner!

Monday Night at the Movies

Dad and I "celebrated" the holiday by going to the movies. He and Noah saw Avatar last week - I had expressed no interest in going, so they went without me. Dad thinks I would have liked it. I'm not going to worry about it - I was having dinner with Norma - my memory of that will probably last longer than my memory of a movie. I sometimes rent a movie and start watching it and realize I've already seen it!! (Right now I can't remember the name of the movie about John Keats that we saw a few months ago - and I loved it!! But I can give you verbatim dialogue for Little Women, Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, African Queen, The Philadelphia Story, and countless others. So maybe some of these movies I think I love are just not memorable!! On the other hand, I've seen the aforementioned movies a fair number of times, so maybe that is what makes them memorable.)

Young Victoria was well-done, informative, and entertaining. Made me want to read a bio of Victoria - so I settled for Wikipedia! (and learned that a key dramatic scene in the movie was just that - drama - and didn't actually happen.) Oh well, I was "willingly able to suspend disbelief!" This might be a movie I would rent to watch while I sew. The story is simple, but the acting is excellent. If you haven't seen it, you might enjoy it too. Dad liked it - said, "Good choice Barb."

I love learning history via novels, stories, and movies.

And you might want to stay tuned - some "home improvement" is going on here at Primrose Lane - I promise to post photos as the work progresses!!

Back to the grind tomorrow for me - February is a short month, is full of holidays - and it still seems to "take it out of me!!"