Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 592037 times)

Babi · « **Reply #2840 on:** August 22, 2012, 08:57:00 AM »

So many movies – how do you choose what to watch?
Reviews? Recommendations? Actors? Availability?
Do you choose a movie the same way you choose a book?

And where do you like to watch most of your movies?
Do you stream movies from Netflix and other places?
Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever watched a film?

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Your Discussion Leader: pedln

GINNY, you should have met my ex. He remembered every joke he ever heard, and could match a whole room full of people joke for joke. I swear he had thousands of them. $:-\$

I see we are pretty much in agreement on the new 'Copper'. Like Marcie, I'll watch at least
one more before deciding if I want to continue. I feel it does accurately reflect the police
departments of that time, and has the potential to be an engrossing series. We'll just have
to see if hey can do it.

pedln · « **Reply #2841 on:** August 22, 2012, 10:20:48 AM »

When I first heard about Copper my thoughts jumped to Matthew Pearl and his Boston "cop" in The Dante Club -- the time period and all. But, from what you've all said, guess not.

They're on my far distant Netflix queue, so will wait until then.

jeriron · « **Reply #2842 on:** August 22, 2012, 10:37:36 AM »

Well the time period and the area of NY makes it very depressing. Certainly not like the Lewis series that takes place in Oxford. It's like watching Oliver and how most poor people lived. It makes you wonder why they came from where they lived because they probably weren't much better off here.

JoanK · « **Reply #2843 on:** August 22, 2012, 03:29:45 PM »

"And do I really care how the cop looks naked???
I really must be getting old."

Maybe he just didn't look that good.

I think the Brits think that we Yanks won't watch if there isn't sex and violence. Then why do they think British shows are so popular here.

I couldn't find Copper on my BBC America. But the cableman came to hook up my new TV, and I realize I have two stations BBC America, and BBC America HD. They have different programming. I must have looked at the wrong one. When is it on again?

marcie · « **Reply #2844 on:** August 22, 2012, 06:05:12 PM »

Joan, here is a link to the schedule for COPPER. You should be able to see the first episode ON DEMAND on your BBC America station. It's under "Other TV Networks" in my On Demand Lineup.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2845 on:** August 23, 2012, 04:05:00 AM »

Joan - I don't think it's us - we are always told that US sponsors are the ones who pull the plug on anything they think people might find 'offensive'.

I heard a radio programme at the w/e that reunited some female singers of the 1960s - among them Sandie Shaw (who was not very nice), Jackie Trent, Helen Shapiro and Petula Clark. Clark said that when she first sang in the US, she was asked which male singer she would like to sing with. She chose Harry Belafonte. That was fine, but during the televising of the show they did a song that she had written herself and which she found very emotional. At one point she touched Belafonte's sleeve - and the sponsors apparently went nuts and pulled the show.

I know that was the 1960s, but I think we - rightly or wrongly - are maybe still under the impression that things are different in the US.

Rosemary

Frybabe · « **Reply #2846 on:** August 23, 2012, 07:50:23 AM »

That's interesting Rosemarykaye. The show did air, but it is possible that some stations or syndicates chose not to air it. Here is the full accounting: http://www.pophistorydig.com/?tag=harry-belafonte-petula-clark

Babi · « **Reply #2847 on:** August 23, 2012, 09:09:26 AM »

Oh, Lord, I wish I could 'pull the plug' on some of our more offensive shows. Of course,
things that put me off are thoroughly enjoyed by others, and I wouldn't want them making the decision on the shows I prefer. So, to each his own seems the only reasonable solution.

Things are very different now, ROSEMARY. While sponsors went nuts over a little thing such
as you describe in the 60's, it is now very common to see programs featuring mixed marraiages/
relationships. No one turns a hair,...except, no doubt, some diehard old timers with the old
biases too deeply etched to discard.

JoanK · « **Reply #2848 on:** August 23, 2012, 01:57:18 PM »

"I know that was the 1960s, but I think we - rightly or wrongly - are maybe still under the impression that things are different in the US."

It's a "glass is half full (or half empty)" situation. Things are so much better than they were, but we still struggle with the legacy of racism, and have a long way to go. I did my dissertation on occupational segregation (by gender and race) and it is still a maor problem. For example, it's very difficult for Black men to find employment, no matter how well qualified.

JeanneP · « **Reply #2849 on:** August 23, 2012, 03:19:15 PM »

We have two large Hospitals/Clinics here in my town. Believe there are over 1000 doctors now. Very few are African American, as they like to use. I do notice now that must be at least 40% of them Indian or Asian.
I wonder why at times, as many of them have skin darker, do not speak very good English the way that the Americans can understand. Me being British seem to understand the ones from India O.K.

But things have changed a lot since I came. LOts of mixed relations. (not the Indian or Asian) but the Black race and mixed children very high.

pedln · « **Reply #2850 on:** September 02, 2012, 06:09:40 PM »

Well, it's been a while since anyone has been here. I guess because of the convention and so many other things going on -- no time for movies? I've been catching up on some of the TV Netork shows, like Boston Legal and Desperate Housewives. The first Homeland disc is no. 1 on my queue, but there is also a very long wait.

But last night I watched one that I'm sure was recommended here, and many thanks to whomever recommended it. Saving Grace, about a well-to-do middle-aged widow who was left destitute when her husband, who had mortgaged everything, died. It was great, funny and enjoyable. I didn't realize it was a Dr. Bamford film, but it was a small role for Martin Clunes and the film did not focus on him.

So what have you seen that you liked? Has anyone seen Beasts of the Southern Wild? I saw somewhere in the news that said that little girl may be the youngest (5) to be nominated for an Oscar.

maryz · « **Reply #2851 on:** September 02, 2012, 06:26:38 PM »

pedln, I'm the one who mentioned Saving Grace. Glad you liked it. It's one of our favorites, and we never fail to laugh out loud.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2852 on:** September 03, 2012, 05:07:01 AM »

The films we have had from LoveFilm recently are Good Morning Vietnam, The Help, andMississippi Burning. I had forgotten how violent the last one is, but such a good film (although I appreciate that I don't know much about what really happened). Madeleine watched it with me and liked it - I think I was more upset in the worst bits than she was.

Rosemary

Babi · « **Reply #2853 on:** September 03, 2012, 08:20:11 AM »

It's surprising what kids can take in stride, isn't it? I well remember the story of my young cousin
watching Godzilla grab a human off the street and stuff him in it's maw. Her response, as she grabbed
another handful of popcorn, "Well, he got one." It is my opinion, on consideration, that the young
are too inexperienced to relate to some harsh material. To them, it's just a story...fiction. It takes
maturity and experience to know how real and terrible life can be.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2854 on:** September 03, 2012, 09:23:52 AM »

Very good point Babi. I do think I've become more and more easily upset as I've grown older, and seen so many bad things happen (and really I've had an easy life compared to so many people.)

pedln · « **Reply #2855 on:** September 03, 2012, 12:13:20 PM »

Don't you think a lot depends on what the kids perceive as real and what is make believe? They've heard stories of talking animals, fairy tales, etc. So they think every made-up story isn't real.

I've only seen The Help, out of the three you mentioned, Rosemary. I broke down and bought it, so maybe will watch that again soon. Will pass on Mississippi Burning, not sure about Good Morning Vietnam.

Babi · « **Reply #2856 on:** September 04, 2012, 08:51:57 AM »

Me, too, ROSEMARY. Still, none of us reach our age without knowing grief, pain or trouble.
Sadly, we can't even claim never to have been wrong.

(Tho', come to think of it, I have met one
or two who take that stance. )

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #2857 on:** September 04, 2012, 11:07:10 AM »

When I was a youngster, and my mom would take me to the movies, or when we finally had TV, if something upset me, she would always say "It's just a movie--make believe". I think we may have gotten used to having our fears/sadness over-ridden by this tack, but now that we are older, we see more things in the media and in real life, that simply CANNOT be placed in that category...it's just a movie, i.e. pictures from Katrina, hurricanes, tornadoes, battlefield news clips, etc. I know that I am very sensitive nowadays, whenever I see one of the motorcades carrying a fallen serviceman to his hometown, I cry. When they show pictures of a young child who currently is suffering from, or has passed on from a hellacious disease, I cry. All manner of news stories which we are peppered with every day, school shootings, parents who kill their children, then themselves, cut me to the quick, and I say, "why, why, why"; knowing that it is not mine to know why.

Life is "definitely NOT a movie" anymore.

MaryPage · « **Reply #2858 on:** September 04, 2012, 12:58:22 PM »

My attitude is that at 83 I have seen more sad and awful and so on and on than anyone should have to experience in one lifetime. Actually, my preference would be that we never have to experience bad things at all. But I cannot arrange these things.

However, I can make the decision that movies and television shows are to be for my ENTERTAINMENT and/or learning, and nothing more. And I have made that decision. And I watch nothing violent, rude, crude, unrefined, full of sex and/or bad language. I have to be very careful about "funny," because what I find amusing is mostly cerebral compared to the loud unkindnesses that the younger generations appear to find hilarious.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2859 on:** September 05, 2012, 03:43:05 AM »

Mary, I completely agree with you. I got Mississippi Burning from LoveFilm because I felt it would be educational for my daughters - and I do think Madeleine learned from it. Anna - the elder of them - refused to watch it.

I think we are now going to have a spell of light entertainment - can't be too 'heavy' all of the time.

Rosemary

Babi · « **Reply #2860 on:** September 05, 2012, 08:36:15 AM »

TOME, one of my most painful memories after 9/11 was seeing a newsclip of a woman dancing
in the street with glee over the news. I thought, "How can you! I grieved whenever I heard
of the death of one of your children; now you dance over the death of hundreds of ours."
I only hope she had just heard of the destruction of towers, and did not yet realize the mass
slaughter.

MARY, I feel the same way about choosing what I watch. Once an image is in your head, it's there
forever and can return unwelcomed at any time. I can also choose to think on, and re-live, all the
good, and happy, and fun times. I'm glad to say there were many of those as well.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2861 on:** September 06, 2012, 11:27:02 PM »

Finally got around to watching Julie and Julia. Not bad. It was kind of sad that Julia Child did not like what Julie was doing.

Babi · « **Reply #2862 on:** September 07, 2012, 08:47:02 AM »

My perception in watching "Julie and Julia" was that Julie was so self-absorbed and self-serving I found her barely tolerable myself.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2863 on:** September 07, 2012, 09:41:45 AM »

Yes, I think she was a bit obsessive about it. I wondered why she wanted to do 524 recipes in 365 days. Is that how many recipes were in the book? There was a snarky remark about Republicans that was out of place IMO. Just an okay movie overall.

marjifay · « **Reply #2864 on:** September 07, 2012, 02:26:38 PM »

Babi said, "I feel the same way about choosing what I watch. Once an image is in your head, it's there forever and can return unwelcomed at any time. "

I've seen many scary movies, but the only one I still remember is the scary witch in the Wizard of Oz. My aunt and uncle took me to see it on my 5th birthday.

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #2865 on:** September 07, 2012, 02:28:30 PM »

Has anyone seen any good movies currently running in the theater? I need an excuse to get away from this heat into an air-conditioned theater.

One that sounds good is a comedy, Safety Not Guaranteed, about three magazine employees who head out on an assignment to interview a guy who placed a classified ad seeking a companion for time travel. The ad said, "WANTED: Someone to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED. I have only done this once before." Has anyone seen it?

Marj

Frybabe · « **Reply #2866 on:** September 07, 2012, 03:02:15 PM »

I never heard of the movie, Marj, so I Googled it. It seems to get a pretty good rating from those who have seen it. Looks a bit quirky. IMDB rating 7.6. Rotten Tomatoes give a 92% on the Tomatometer and it says 88% of viewers liked it. Roger Ebert even has nice things to say about it. With a budget around 3/4M, it has grossed over $3.5M so far.

maryz · « **Reply #2867 on:** September 07, 2012, 03:08:43 PM »

marjifay, you might like Hope Springs (Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep). We saw it a couple of weeks ago.

pedln · « **Reply #2868 on:** September 07, 2012, 10:41:07 PM »

An intriguing title, Marjifay. I've not heard of it before. Hope Springs, yes, looking forward to that. Can anything with Meryl Streep not be good?

The NYT has a lot of info about movies being released this fall -- I suppose in time for Oscar consideration. Here's a slide show with clips from about 30. I'm looking forward to the one with Laura Linney and Bill Murrary -- featuring FDR -- something on the Hudson.

Movie Listings

Babi · « **Reply #2869 on:** September 08, 2012, 08:36:36 AM »

MARJ, if it's hot enough you don't need an excuse. If you don't like the movie, you
can always take a nap.

From what FRYBABE found, it sounds like "Safety Not Guaranteed" is pretty good. I'm
willing to give it a try.

marjifay · « **Reply #2870 on:** September 08, 2012, 09:19:11 AM »

Thanks, Frybabe. I'm going to see it ("Safety Not Guaranteed") I'm in the mood for a comedy -- not for what I call an "old lady's" movie. LOL

Marj

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #2871 on:** September 08, 2012, 09:38:39 AM »

My movie reviewer friend had complimentary things to say about "Safety Not Guaranteed". I haven't seen it yet.

I watched Julie & Julia the other day, and although I had tried to watch it once before and didn't finish it (for the reason Babi stated: self-absorbed Julie) but this time I watched the whole thing and it was worth it just to see Streep "being" Julia Child! What a wonderful actress.

marjifay · « **Reply #2872 on:** September 08, 2012, 09:54:04 AM »

Thanks MaryZ, but "Hope Springs" does not sound like my kind of movie. I looove Tommy Lee Jones, but I heard even he said this was not a good role for him. I like him in his movies Men in Black, No Company for Old Men, Cobb, The Fugitive, etc. Did you know he graduated cum laude with a degree in English Literature from Harvard?

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #2873 on:** September 08, 2012, 10:04:07 AM »

Babi said, "MARJ, if it's hot enough you don't need an excuse. If you don't like the movie, you can always take a nap."

Very good. LOL. Yes, and I probably would if it was as bad as the latest Batman movie we went to the Drive In Movie to see. Fell asleep during the first half hour, and we left soon after.

Marj

MaryPage · « **Reply #2874 on:** September 08, 2012, 03:22:01 PM »

And did you know that Tommy Lee Jones was Al Gore's roommate at Harvard and they are still great friends?

marjifay · « **Reply #2875 on:** September 08, 2012, 05:46:15 PM »

No, didn't know that, Mary Page. Interesting.

Marj

Frybabe · « **Reply #2876 on:** September 08, 2012, 05:58:27 PM »

Many of you have chatted off and on about Doc Martin. My PBS station has never carried it -- until tonight. They are showing the first to episodes; so you know where I will be this evening. Looking forward to it.

maryz · « **Reply #2877 on:** September 08, 2012, 06:39:02 PM »

Our daughter has just discovered doc maRtin and is avidly watching all the old episodes on her computer. They're also available on Netflix.

JoanK · « **Reply #2878 on:** September 08, 2012, 08:21:41 PM »

"I've seen many scary movies, but the only one I still remember is the scary witch in the Wizard of Oz. My aunt and uncle took me to see it on my 5th birthday."

I was about six. I still remember, that I crawled under the movie seat to hide. Don't remember whether it was the witches or the flying monkeys that did it.

As an adult, I've seen it, maybe 10 times. Can't see Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr too often!

JoanK · « **Reply #2879 on:** September 08, 2012, 08:27:10 PM »

Just noticed Marj and Mary's sayings. I always wanted a drink with a little umbrella in it, and have never had one! But I've sure enjoyed Leo Rosten. Got myself and friends kicked out of a restaurant for laughing too loud at "The Joy of Yiddish". (maybe if they hadn't kicked me out, they would have given me a little umbrella. Oh, well -- I guess you have to choose your pleasures).

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Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 592037 times)