The Favourite Movies Thread

[Carol the Dabbler]

I know several families that homeschool their children, and I must say that those kids are some of the most articulate, clear-thinking people I've ever met.

 

[Arcadia]

I've never read anything by Austen, but (*ears perk up*) did you say Colin Firth? All I've ever seen him in is Love Actually, but I really liked him in that. So who knows....

Are you saying you haven't seen Tinker Tailor either? Get thee to a Redbox and rent it right now! And I second Toby on the fabulous King's Speech, it deserved every award it got.

 

I don't think I've seen Mr. Firth in anything I didn't like, with the exception of Mama Mia. But that wasn't his fault, I just cannot abide Meryl Streep for some reason.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I like Meryl Streep in some things, not so much in others.  Loved her in the Prairie Home Companion movie, where she did a (to my Hoosier ears) flawless Wiscaansin accent.

 

I found Mr. Firth sufficiently endearing in Love Actually that I'll presumably look into some of his other movies eventually.

 

[SherlockedCAMPer]

Tinker Tailor was also a good movie with both Colin and Benedict among others of a strong star line-up.

[T.o.b.y]

     I just cannot abide Meryl Streep for some reason.

 

Whaaat? She's one of my favorite actors! I watched that silly "The Devil Wears Prada" thing only for her sake...

 

Oh well, tastes differ, I guess. I can't bear Keira Knightly. Poor thing, she's never done anything bad that I know of, and she's probably also very good at her job, but I just don't like looking at or listening to her. Oh well, she has a large enough fan base and a glittering career, I am very sure she can dispense with my approval...

 

(I've been watching BBC Pride and Prejudice all morning. I'd say it's affecting my vocabulary, but that deed was done long ago by an entire adolescence buried in Victorian novels).

[Arcadia]

I know, Meryl's supposed to be, like, the greatest actress of our generation, but she's like nails on a blackboard to me. Eeep. I can't explain it, it's very visceral.

 

On the other hand, I love Keira Knightly, so we'll just each give extra love to our favorites to make up for each other's dislikes, k?

 

??? Isn't P&P the one Ms. K is in? Poor you!

[T.o.b.y]

I know, Meryl's supposed to be, like, the greatest actress of our generation, but she's like nails on a blackboard to me. Eeep. I can't explain it, it's very visceral.

 

On the other hand, I love Keira Knightly, so we'll just each give extra love to our favorites to make up for each other's dislikes, k?

 

??? Isn't P&P the one Ms. K is in? Poor you!

 

ARRGGG, No, no, no! The one I'm watching is the one with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, the 1995, BAFTA, wet-shirt, 6 episodes miniseries one. The good one.

[Arcadia]

Oh. THAT one. Yeh, that was good.

[T.o.b.y]

The one advantage of air travel is binge watching movies, if you ask me. I have once more come to realize that I am an absolute sucker for stories about disturbed intelligent teenagers. I could watch Juno, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Fault in Our Stars all in one go and then start over again. I guess a part of me will never leave those years between ten and twenty. And as for sitting on one's bed listening to "Asleep" on permanent repeat, well, that's a good way to spend an evening, isn't it.

[J.P.]

I'm just binge watching, trying out Netflix. If you are in the mood for post-apocalyptic hopeless and a bit gory movie to lower your mood, I would recommend "The Road". Fantastic acting, especially the kid. Wow.

[Van Buren Supernova]

I hope this is also where we can talk about any movies.

 

Watched Everest a couple of days ago.

Thought it's just another expedition movie. In fact, caught it because I had nothing better to watch and just felt like spending two hours doing nothing.

 

It's not my favorite, but the movie lingers in my head, there are not many movies that stay in my head after few days, especially the one that sparks my curiosity a lot.

 

Beside this being a disaster movie, based on true story, scary, it kinds of making me want to go there someday. Not getting younger, the highest mountain I had been is less than half the height in tropical country, and I literally have to sell arm, leg and kidney to be able to afford it. But never say never, for someday I might need ultimate escape..

 

So, still linger, I did quite a bit of fun reading and found these interesting facts:

 

- Everest is so high it penetrated Stratosphere. (29029ft)

 

- Most climbers who died on Everest remains there. They can be seen along the path, some even become landmark. It's simply too dangerous and expensive to recover them. (I suspect it's also something with preffered final resting doing what they love to do, I understand that).

Climbers sign release of life and after-life before they climb.

 

- Climbers need approx 30-40 days to acclimatize their bodies to the altitude.

 

- Once climbers reach Deathzone area (above 26000ft) they only have 2 to 3 days to reach the top because our bodies simply can't last longer, and most need oxigen bottles.

 

There are many accounts and books about the story, the one that I like the most is article in Nat Geo, told by a climber/guide, written just days after incident, published 9 years before the movie, which makes the movie has chilling accuracy.

[T.o.b.y]

I can't find anything to enjoy in films about big disasters and I seldom like post-apocalyptic scenarios. Can't watch horror films either. I rely on movies to make me feel better. (Says the woman who thought Third Star had a happy ending. But in my opinion, it really did).

 

With fall coming and everything feeling wistful and melancholy, I am beginning to want to see Parades End again. Might watch that these next few weeks. Christopher Tietjens is still my other favorite role for Benedict Cumberbatch besides Sherlock. He really did a fantastic job there and I got the impression that he really liked playing the character. Christopher made me feel for him much more than Alan Turing in The Imitation Game.

 

My newest favorite, which I have also already raved about in its own thread, is Pride. That is a truly wonderful film. I have rarely seen anything so upbeat and funny yet so realistic and so touching.

[Arcadia]

I love a good Western. Wish they would make them again, but not the new-fangled kind with slow-motion violence and sociopathic anti-heroes, but the old-fashioned ones with decent men and women facing tough situations. My top ten, more or less in order:

1 - The Searchers

2 - Red River

3 - Rio Bravo

4 - The Magnificent Seven

5 - Shane

6 - Dances with Wolves

7 - True Grit

8 - The Big Country

9 - Stagecoach

10 - Jeremiah Johnson

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

I can't find anything to enjoy in films about big disasters and I seldom like post-apocalyptic scenarios.

I don't enjoy disaster movie too. Went in without knowing it is about famous Everest incident in 1996.

Strangely, it terrifying and at the same time building up some desire to go there.

But I enjoy post-apocalyptic scenarios, as long as it's not cheesy and has good reasonabe storyline.

 

I love a good Western.

Do you like Firefly?

[Arcadia]

I adore Firefly!

[Van Buren Supernova]

Yay..! Serenity too I guess.

I'm not really into cowboy movies and never thought I would like space cowboy XD but Firefly is a gem.

 

Favorite movie..actually I don't have good answer for that.

I used to like Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful a lot but not sure if it's favorite.

[T.o.b.y]

So... I finally did it - watched all three Lord of the Rings movies in one day, extended edition. (Being sick and having to lie around in bed all day while there's a storm out can have its advantages). I've always had a personal connection to those films because of an important event in my life when the first one came out, and I hadn't seen them in a while. Boy, by the end of the first one, I was already a teary-eyed mess. If you watch them without irony or detachment, really immerse yourself in the story and empathize with the characters, they're pretty intense - I had forgotten how intense. I had also forgotten how good the acting is. And some of the scenes must have been really hard to pull off without drifting into self-parody land.

 

In all, I can't remember when I last had so much... well, not exactly fun, but was so into something I saw on a screen. Oh yes, I can though - Sherlock series 3. :lol:

[Arcadia]

Wow, you've been ill awhile now, I hope you're seeing some improvement.

 

Oddly enough, I took it into my head to watch Star Trek Into Darkness today; haven't seen it in quite awhile,,, and was just amazed at how different BC is as Khan. I'd forgotten how good he was ... how good the whole movie is.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Oddly enough, I took it into my head to watch Star Trek Into Darkness today; haven't seen it in quite awhile,,, and was just amazed at how different BC is as Khan. I'd forgotten how good he was ... how good the whole movie is.

So now do you agree that Khan is great (flawless except they woke him up on the wrong day XD) and his hair is great too?

I was never into Star Trek, even when I knew BC was in it, but one day I was trapped somewhere with nothing to do except browsing internet, and I saw his monologue scene as Khan. Found the movie and eventhough I might not watch the others, STID is good in my book.

 

Regarding long sickness like flu, normally I try to rest one or two days, after that I drag myself out, I also only take medicine at the worst time, because keep taking it making me feel impaired. Those work for me, but of course not recommending it for serious illness though.

[Arcadia]

Oh, Khan is great, just not very, erm, cuddly. Or trustworthy. Or forgiving. Um... okay, let's just say he's not my type. He looks great, though. :d
 
Anyway, the first Star Trek movie is just as good as the second one, in case you get trapped somewhere again some day.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

Khan is a villain that you feel for while not agreeing with most of his actions. It is one of those "I understand to a degree what you are doing and why you are doing it, but I don't agree with how you are doing it" type moments.

 

I caught the tail end of Return of the King on Saturday night on TV.  When Frodo turns to look back at his fellow hobbits and smiles while they are crying makes him come across as evil for some reason.  He just seems too happy in comparison to Sam, Merry, and Pippin.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Oh, Khan is great, just not very, erm, cuddly. Or trustworthy. Or forgiving. Um... okay, let's just say he's not my type. He looks great, though. :D

 

Anyway, the first Star Trek movie is just as good as the second one, in case you get trapped somewhere again some day.

:lol: :lol:

 

Now you try to sell me Star Trek without Khan??

Hmm hmm..

(I want to say good luck with that ala Moriarty but never say never.. I hate Star Wars with passion but the trailer somehow looks interesting. So, never say never and there are always times when I get trapped in the cinema as well XD)

[Van Buren Supernova]

Khan is a villain that you feel for while not agreeing with most of his actions. It is one of those "I understand to a degree what you are doing and why you are doing it, but I don't agree with how you are doing it" type moments.

I always love those characters. Good writing make us understand the villain or disagreeing with the protags. Because in real life, everything is grey, right and wrong depends on how you see it.

Villain = all bad is so outdated concept, I think.

(Especialy when he looks like Khan. Alert, illogical hormone speaking).

[T.o.b.y]

Wow, you've been ill awhile now, I hope you're seeing some improvement.

 

Thanks, I am. In fact, I am going back to work tonight.

 

I caught the tail end of Return of the King on Saturday night on TV.  When Frodo turns to look back at his fellow hobbits and smiles while they are crying makes him come across as evil for some reason.  He just seems too happy in comparison to Sam, Merry, and Pippin.

 

You mean this?

 

 

I think I understand what you mean, but I do not agree with you. I love that scene and the entire ending. I love how Frodo finally, finally is himself again, the way we met him at the beginning: young, innocent, "pure" if you will. When he gets on the ship, the ring's power over him ends. Of course it's also a terribly sad scene because this wasn't possible for Frodo during his lifetime. I mean, he's basically dying, they all are, Gandalf (okay, he was already dead), Galadriel, Bilbo. "Going into the West" is just a euphemism for dying. Poor Frodo. He just couldn't recover from carrying the ring, not in life, anyway. I like that he looks back, that he remembers his friends and shows them he's okay now, they can stop worrying about him and live their lives. Especially Sam. Like Frodo says, he can't "always be torn in two." (Btw, somewhere in the many appendixes in the books, Tolkien hints that because he bore the ring for a short while too, Sam will also be able to go into the West after he dies, so actually, he and Frodo will meet again in the afterlife - if that's something you want to believe in. I have no clue about us here in the real world and am rather doubtful about things like heaven, but I am perfectly happy to accept that in the Lord of the Rings, universe, there is such a place and our friends can be happy ever after there.)

 

 

Khan is a villain that you feel for while not agreeing with most of his actions. It is one of those "I understand to a degree what you are doing and why you are doing it, but I don't agree with how you are doing it" type moments.

I always love those characters. Good writing make us understand the villain or disagreeing with the protags. Because in real life, everything is grey, right and wrong depends on how you see it.

Villain = all bad is so outdated concept, I think.

(Especialy when he looks like Khan. Alert, illogical hormone speaking).

 

Yeah, I usually prefer stories where there is no good and evil. Unfortunately, most of my favorite films and my favorite series (Sherlock) have "pure evil" villains. Sherlock I think would actually be better if they dropped that and introduced more complex antagonists (like Irene).

 

I can accept the good / evil dichotomy better when the setting is more fantastical (see LoR). It's okay as an abstract concept, and if you have a story that's more metaphorical than literal (see LoR again), it works.

 

I must admit I am not a fan of the new Star Treck films (or Star Treck in general). I thought Benedict Cumberbatch did a great job as Khan (I don't like that look, though - I think Sherlock is a million times more attractive, but personal taste etc.). But the rest of the cast did nothing for me, and neither did the story.

[Arcadia]

I think what I love most about the Star Trek universe is the optimism. It's a future where mankind has mostly solved its problems (war, racism, economic disparity, etc.) and is free to go look for -- well, new problems. But I love its message that we can be better than what we are now.

 

I agree that in the movie version of LOTR, going "into the west" meant dying. But that's not what Prof. Tolkien meant by it. I don't fully understand it because so much of his writing was influenced by his faith (Catholicism) and I've never immersed myself in a study of such. But he explicitly stated -- somewhere -- that the West was a kind of paradise, where mortals like Bilbo and Frodo would live out their natural life spans, then die. What the West represented was not death but healing, peace of spirit; which they could never have in Middle-Earth.

 

I admit to preferring the movie interpretation, it makes more sense to me. I mean, Bilbo wasn't going to live much longer, so Frodo would have spent many years as the sole hobbit in a crowd of elves -- sounds rather lonely to me, not paradisiacal! But as I said, I don't really understand the concept. Tolkien himself wrestled with the finer points, as I recall.

 

Fun bit of trivia: did you know that, in the book, when Legolas finally sails into the West, he takes Gimli with him? Something about Gimli wanting to see Galadriel again, so she arranged it for him.

 

Glad you're feeling better, Toby, hope you don't have to overdo at work for a couple days.