I'll have to check that one out, vheissu. Not too long ago, I saw a show on the History Channel about this very story.
I'll have to check that one out, vheissu. Not too long ago, I saw a show on the History Channel about this very story.
The Golden Bowl ~ Merchant Ivory production; I liked it very much, have seen it before, but it was great on my new HD TV. I just love the castles and the grand estates figured in this film. One shot of the American tycoon's home, was totally stunning cinematography, with it shown in silouette against a magnificent deep blue sky. The interiors are so sumptuous and such a feast for the eyes! I love all the art and sculpture and that series of staircases is absolutely breath-taking to view. I don't know if it won an Oscar for set design that year, but it certainly would have deserved one. I like the casting and the acting very much. I have heard quibbles about various actors in this film in reviews; usually no one agrees, but I felt everyone did a fine admirable job. Sometimes, I wonder what critics want these actors to do - stand on their heads and recite their lines? I don't quibble that much with the performances. I really did not see anything very amiss and I thoroughly enjoyed this film, as I have done so in the past. I adore Nick Nolte and I also like very much Jeremy Northam. He was great in "The Winslow Boy" and "Gosford Park" and others; Nick Nolte is always good in my film, even in so-so films. He is a real pro.
"It's so mysterious, the land of tears."
Chapter 7, The Little Prince ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Prince Caspian
9/10
I just saw it today. It was pretty good. Not as good as "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", but then again, I like the story of TLTWATW much more than PC, anyway. So I really didn't expect this film to live up to that one.
I will say that this is the first movie that I have seen in a LONG time where the audience applauded afterwards. So, that is always a good sign that a film is pretty good.
Next on the list of Summer movies:
Indiana Jones
(yes, only 4 1/2 days for me to wait now.I can't believe it is here already! Oh, I hope it is worth the 19 year wait!
)
I watched An American Crime last night with Ellen Page and Catherine Keener. This movie was disturbing because it was based on a true story and I couldn't tear myself away. The story is about two sisters, Sylvia and Jenny, who have lived their lives on the go while their parents work carnivals all over the U.S., up until they make one last stop in Indiana.
The constant moving around and lack of money puts a strain on their parents both financially and emotionally, and they separate, but not for long. The girls and their mother hadn't had time to settle in to their new town in Indiana before Dad was back, talking up a new carnival circuit and a new opportunity to make money. Their parents wanted to work out their marriage and they didn't feel they could do it on the road with the girls.
Meanwhile the sisters are attending Church and hoping to make friends in their new town while their parents discuss their options about what to do with the girls. On the Church bus, the sisters begin a conversation with two girls who are interested in Jenny's leg - Jenny had polio and wears a leg brace. Before long, Sylvia and Jenny are invited over to the girls' house. There they find a house full of children, mostly girls, two of which are teenagers and closer to Syvlia and Jenny's ages. This family is run by a single mother, Gertrude, who has a no-good husband (boyfriend) who fathered her youngest child, but none of the others.
The story progesses, taking us to the conversation between the girls' father and Gertrude, who seems kind and understanding. Upon hearing of their situation, she offers to keep Sylvia and Jenny for $20 a week -- afterall, she needs the money too, having no husband, and having no income other than housework and ironing jobs. Additionally, she is sick, with some kind of chronic cough, which she treats by taking swigs from a large medicine bottle.
The first two weeks seem to go well. Sylvia and Jenny are elated to be going to school and hanging out with kids their own age for once and they seem to be getting along well with Paula, Gertrude's oldest, precocious child who is forced to work after school to supplement the family income.
Paula's afterschool job affords her other opportunities to socialize, namely with a married coworker, and Paula finds herself pregnant. She confides in Sylvia and makes her promise not to tell.
In the meantime, Gertrude's on-again off-again husband comes over, slaps her around, apologizes, kisses her and then asks her for money. She says she doesn't have any to spare, and he says he's noticed her two new tenants. She gives him the money she received to care for Sylvia and Jenny.
This is where things begin going south for Sylvia and Jenny. Gertrude is not happy with her husband's treatment of her and takes her aggression out on Sylvia and Jenny, when she says her next $20 payment is late. She takes them to the basement and beats them. Sylvia offers to takes Jenny's lashes, since Jenny has the leg brace.
Their social life begins deteriorating as well. Paula's married boyfriend tries to break it off with her. Sylvia, aware of Paula's predicament, watches the interaction between Paula and her boyfriend. When he begins to hit Paula, Sylvia blurts out that she (Paula) is pregnant. This angers the boyfriend and Paula vows to make Sylvia pay.
From that point forward, with Paula fueling her anger, Gertrude routinely tortures Sylvia in horrific ways for perceived and made-up transgressions, while Jenny looks on scared. She is burned, tied up, kicked, hosed off, and branded. Gertrudes children become punishers as well, inviting neighborhood children to the basement to take part. The official story is that Sylvia is in juvenile hall.
I would recommend that anyone watch this at least once. I can't believe it really happened.
As far as the movie goes, I'll give it an 8/10 for the performances Keener and Page put in. The movie may not be a masterpiece as far as that goes, but you likely won't notice as you watch all 92 mintues of this fact-based movie.
"...if you weren't smart enough to get a pedophile in a dress to put a small amount of water on the child’s forehead, then what the eff did you think was going to happen?
Bram Stoker's Dracula from F.F. Coppola
Very good film, excelent actors, Oldman cleaning razor, 5/5
Last edited by Amundsen; 05-18-2008 at 09:43 AM. Reason: no comment
-The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
--------William Shakespeare
-The god's paths are wayward.
- My english is bad and I know it. Sorry.
The 1937 version of Lost Horizons with Ronald Colman and Jane Wyatt. Excellent in every way.
OswaldTheOsprey
Last edited by OswaldTheOsprey; 05-18-2008 at 09:44 AM.
Urbi et Orbi
Hi OswaldTheOsprey,Originally Posted by OswaldTheOsprey
Oh, I think I saw this film version years ago and it was great. I love the book! I will have to track down this old film. Thanks for posting this cool movie poster, too. Hope you don't mind; I will copy that to my own file. It is so neat - the artwork. I might be able to print it out.
Chapter 7, The Little Prince ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Thank you very much. Help yourself to the poster. Recently I bought a dvd of the film and my dad and I watched it. Dad saw it in 1937 in one of the old Birmingham movie palaces and he loved seeing it again. Check out the dvd.
OswaldTheOsprey
Urbi et Orbi
The Terminal. I just love this movie. That was the second time for me to watch it and the more I watch it the more I'm convinced that Tom Hanks is just a great actor. 10/10
I'm the patron saint of the denial,
With an angel face and a taste for suicidal.
OswaldTheOsprey, thanks so much! How interesting, that your father saw it in a old Birmingham movie palace, in 1937. I love those old theaters! Recently, they demolished this really old theater near my town. I used to go there, when they showed older films and only charged a low fee. It was sad; the inside of the theater must have been beautiful at one time, but it had fallen into decay. The outside was amazing, with these really beautiful architectural details running around the border of the top of the building, just below the roof. I did notice, before demolition (to build a new CVS and 'put up a parking lot'), they did manage to remove these very interesting details of sculpture and decorative mosiac brickwork. I would hope someone would make use of them, in some creative way. 'Achitectural salvage' is a big business these days, so I was hoping they would save something of the building. However, I did see another grand threater with wrecking ball, taking it down savagely and it made me cry. Then they built an Echard's Drugs there and a year later it was closed (too expensive I guess). What a waste it is, to do away with American's iconic images; those old theaters were one our national culture, that should have been preserved, in my opinion. This reminds me, did you or anyone ever see the film "The Majestic"? It is about just that - reviving an old theater. I just love that film, although it is not too realistic. Still it is very entertaining and I liked the idea of saving an old theater from destruction.
Quote by Nossa:
Nossa, I like that film. I thought the concept of the film was quite unique. I saw it awhile ago, few years back maybe. Yes, I agree that Tom Hanks did an excellent job in that film. He is a very good actor in my opinion and quite consistent; has he ever had a bad performance?The Terminal. I just love this movie. That was the second time for me to watch it and the more I watch it the more I'm convinced that Tom Hanks is just a great actor. 10/10
Last edited by Janine; 05-18-2008 at 11:16 PM.
Chapter 7, The Little Prince ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Agree with LadyWentworth that Prince Caspian (Narnia-C.S.Lewis) was daw-gawn good. Be sure to see it on a big screen. Does it follow the book, or did they take all sorts of liberties?
Janine, it is indeed sad when old movie palaces are destroyed. One that has been preserved and still shows films on weekends is The Alabama in Birmingham. This picture shows it circa 1932. (Birmingham Public Library)
OswaldTheOsprey
Urbi et Orbi
I don't think he ever had a bad performance indeed. It's like you think of movies like Cast Away, Forest Gump, Big, You've Got Mail, The Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan...oh and Road to Perdition, now that was an awesome movie. I can go on forever, I'm a huge fan as you can see
I'm the patron saint of the denial,
With an angel face and a taste for suicidal.
Does watching yourself kill Terrorists on Counter Strike count?
Liberate Tutame...Ex Inferis
Oh this photo is marvelous! OswaldTheOsprey, what does it look like today? It's good to know they have kept it from being demolished. I live in a historic town on the Delaware River and it is sad that so many of our national treasures have been so ruthlessly torn down. I did find a book at Barnes and Noble on all the old theaters that existed in my area. I don't think a one is left standing although now that I think of it one was actually converted into a church further south of here. I like to see things preserved and restored. I love antiques to it tears me up to see these grand old threaters embodying so much history being replaced by more drugstores - it always seems it is some drugstore or a Wallmark...truly sickening!Janine, it is indeed sad when old movie palaces are destroyed. One that has been preserved and still shows films on weekends is The Alabama in Birmingham. This picture shows it circa 1932. (Birmingham Public Library)
OswaldTheOsprey
Chapter 7, The Little Prince ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
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