|
Post by Deleted on May 29, 2017 15:13:26 GMT
There is also an excellent profile of Margaret Atwood in the April 17th issue of the New Yorker, aptly titled The Prophet of Dystopia.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on May 29, 2017 17:33:24 GMT
Oooo ~ so glad you mentioned that again, as in the hustle of leaving I'd forgotten about it. Yes, excellent: www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/04/17/margaret-atwood-the-prophet-of-dystopiaMy recent small film was a very new one, but I watched it on the airplane so "small screen viewing". It was Lion, which I had been dying to see and remained rapt throughout. To be totally honest, the kid -- Sunny Pawar -- is the best thing in it and he is beyond fabulous. The gorgeous Dev Patel is called upon to do way too much angst, losing some of my sympathy in the process. Rooney Mara is extremely impressive. Her role sort of feels slotted in to add some love interest or something, but she manages to flesh it out and make it interesting. I am psure Kerouac already reviewed this in Last Movie, but here's the trailer again anyway ~
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on May 30, 2017 14:26:50 GMT
I had wanted to see Swiss Army Man ever since I read about the movie, and even though vast numbers of marginal movies are released in France, this movie was never one of them. So I finally got the DVD and was very happy to see one of the weirdest movies ever made. If you have never heard of it, Paul Dano is shipwrecked in some isolated place. He is on the verge of suicide when the corpse of Daniel Radcliffe washes up on shore. But the corpse slowly comes back to life, and they become best friends, although the dead guy doesn't know anything about being alive and needs some lessons. The reviews seemed to concentrate on the farting scenes, since dead men are full of gas, but so much more than that happens.
Frankly, I was quite amazed that two known actors would make this movie and even more amazed that the director found a producer to finance it. Although it is voluntarily absurd, I cried at the end.
Among the fabulous advantages of having the DVD are all of the extras and deleted scenes, explanations and commentary. I do understand now why it was never released in France since distributors would like to make at least a tiny bit of money, but frankly it is an amazing movie.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on May 30, 2017 17:00:57 GMT
I read a good review of this movie, but the ick factor has kept me from seeking it out. Whereas I have a good deal of respect for your critical faculties, I'm also aware you have a much stronger stomach than I.
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on May 30, 2017 18:32:07 GMT
Our local restaurant/pub down the road will be closed for a few days next week for filming of season 2 of Cardinal. Exciting! I might have to try to put up with the bugs and try to get as close as I can get a glimpse of the production of scenes for next season.
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on May 30, 2017 23:58:38 GMT
I read a good review of this movie, but the ick factor has kept me from seeking it out. Whereas I have a good deal of respect for your critical faculties, I'm also aware you have a much stronger stomach than I. For what it's worth, the Kimby's loved the quirky Swiss Army Man, too.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on May 31, 2017 5:20:22 GMT
So not too icky?
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on May 31, 2017 11:22:54 GMT
You know that Daniel Radcliffe is not really dead, don't you? And --tiny spoiler-- he does not decompose at any time during the movie. You may have been watching too many zombie shows.
In the extras on the DVD, it was interesting to see how they built his animatronic penis, though.
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on Jun 1, 2017 10:37:31 GMT
I don't recall being grossed out at all. Some of the decomposition gas jokes are pretty over the top unrealistic, but then the whole plot idea is unrealistic. Suspend disbelief and go along for the ride, Bixa. It's only a couple hours out of your life. Then let us know what you think.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 1, 2017 12:24:18 GMT
"animatronic penis" and "decomposition gas" -- do you guys know how to be convincing or what?!
|
|
|
Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 6, 2017 14:53:04 GMT
We are enjoying Handmaid's Tale. I find it disturbing even tho I've read the book a few times.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 6, 2017 16:03:13 GMT
I don't know if "enjoying" is the right word, but I'd say it's one of the all-time greats of television.
|
|
|
Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 7, 2017 9:06:16 GMT
I'm afraid I've become used to dark, dystopian (usually post apocalyptic) dramas as it's all my beloved seems to watch. I don't like violence altho I find the collapse of social responsibility with the state/church sanctioned abuse of human beings the scariest aspect. The elite always think that their 'rights' supersede others'. Seen 2 episodes so far.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 7, 2017 11:16:00 GMT
I watched "The Book of Nora" episode of The Leftovers last night. It is the finale and what a finale it is. There are many of us out there in tv land who remain bitter, disillusioned, and wary after what "Lost" did to us. Fear not, fans of The Leftovers -- this note-perfect ending will leave you with your jaw ajar and murmuring "Dang!". Prepare to be totally absorbed.
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jun 7, 2017 11:23:30 GMT
Yes, I just came here to post about that since I saw it a couple of days ago. Today's New York Times has some articles about the last episode.
series finale review
|
|
|
Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 7, 2017 12:19:01 GMT
ooh...will look out for that one...
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jun 7, 2017 12:20:25 GMT
Found myself watching Star Wars 7 on TV this afternoon, after having seen it on the big screen when it came out. It really did start the repair of the franchise after those dreadful 1-2-3 episodes. Actually I never even bothered watching episodes 2 & 3 but I will believe all of the awful things that the fans said about them.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 7, 2017 12:20:53 GMT
Warning: Kerouac's linked articles & what I am going to write below are rife with spoilers if you haven't yet seen the episode.
Oh, thanks for that! I only read the showcased article, but agree with it. I have to say that in the section where the writer talks about Carrie Coon's eyes, I felt he needed to give Justin Theroux equal time on that. Both of them convey strong emotion in movements so economical they'd be missed, except their talent has the viewer so riveted that everything is registered.
What knocked me out about the episode is how brilliantly paced it is, from the tension of Nora making her statement to the touching moments with her brother to the amping up of tension as she enters the chamber. And then the narrative changes, not just in what we're seeing, but in the very lighting of the scenes -- things go from gray to gold -- and the expansion of what we're being shown. We know time has passed because Nora is older, but as she goes about her business or we view details of her home, everything seems to be passing in real time. After Kevin's appearance that sense is heightened, with a truly brave-for-television slowwwwing down to let events unfold. They converse and it's halting and real. And the dance scene -- oh my god! Everything that happens after that is so perfectly logical and right in the narrative (the goat!), but this viewer, at least, still feared having the rug pulled out from under her a la "Lost". That didn't happen. "The Book of Nora" is perfect, just perfect.
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jun 7, 2017 19:42:17 GMT
I watched The Wizard of Oz tonight, having come across a DVD for just 6 euros. I still find a lot of the special effects rather amazing, albeit not the red bubble in which Glinda travels.
The castle of the Wicked Witch of the West is amazingly similar to the fortress of Mordor in The Lord of the Rings, and I'm sure that it must have inspired Peter Jackson.
The DVD claims to have 5 hours of extras, but I have no idea when I'll ever get around to checking them out.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 7, 2017 20:24:26 GMT
Noooo ~ it mutates through colors and is sometimes red. When I was a kid and we'd watch The Wizard of Oz on tv (it was on once a year, but I don't remember when), my mother would glowingly relate how the movie would change to color when Dorothy landed in Oz. Ooooooo!
I also remember watching it on tv once with my grandmother after I was grown. (Bixa has seen the movie zillions of times.) She showed her era by emoting over how beautiful Billie Burke was and how they didn't make actresses like that any more.
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on Jun 10, 2017 2:56:10 GMT
When I was a kid and we'd watch The Wizard of Oz on tv (it was on once a year, but I don't remember when), my mother would glowingly relate how the movie would change to color when Dorothy landed in Oz. Ooooooo! Bixa, I believe it was aired around Easter time every year when we were kids. Always a highlight of the year. However, it was all black and white on our home TV. Had to go to the theater to see the magical shift to color.
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jun 10, 2017 3:11:12 GMT
|
|
|
Post by patricklondon on Jun 11, 2017 20:47:20 GMT
The new series of Poldark has started on the BBC. The accounts are healthy, the mine is doing well, so naturally there are dark forebodings; elsewhere, a pretty young governess has arrived - and there is galloping. Bosoms and horses' rumps are heaving all over the place. It's up against a new crime series called The Loch, which looks as though it might be a case of jumping on the bandwagon of murky doings in bleakly beautiful scenery (especially since it comes after a re-run of Vera). It stars Siobhan Finneran whom you would recognise from Downton Abbey and Happy Valley (and quite a lot of other things as well). My blog | My photos | My video clips"too literate to be spam"
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 11, 2017 20:52:23 GMT
I just love her!
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Jun 13, 2017 11:38:47 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 13, 2017 12:13:43 GMT
Ohhhh ~ thanks for the info on the Art of Japanese Life, Mick -- also my sort of program.
I have a thread waiting to be made on Japanese Architecture after 1945. This is an excellent exhibition at the Barbican until June 25.
|
|
|
Post by patricklondon on Jun 13, 2017 15:17:17 GMT
Another one for the James Fox series. He always has something interesting. I missed "Fearless", but Helen McCrory is another of my must-watch actresses. I'll have to catch up with it on demand. My blog | My photos | My video clips"too literate to be spam"
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on Jun 13, 2017 18:00:48 GMT
Watched Loving on DVD last night about the Virginia couple whose 1959 inter-racial marriage led to the Supreme Court striking down the last of the US segregation laws in 1967. Shameful that it took so long to allow people to wed the person of their choice regardless of race. Now to fix the gender discrimination in marriage.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 18, 2017 23:16:04 GMT
I had a little thrill when I realized I'd only watched the first episode of Season Three of Grantchester. Yaaay!
Then I was mildly ashamed of myself because I wasn't feeling well so watched two episodes on one day. Shameful bingeing behavior!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2017 16:50:01 GMT
I watched a series that is out of Germany. Very remanescent of the movie The Lives of Others that centers around life in East and West Berlin before the fall of the wall. The series is composed of a wide variety of characters and relationships. Unbelievably riveting and evocative. If you enjoyed The Lives of Others, this is a must see. It is called The Same Sky and is available on Netflix. Phew!!!!....... It's fantastic.
|
|