World, Writing, Wealth discussion

Watched Roman Holiday (1953) again.Great cast (Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn),the misadventures of a European princess on the streets of Rome.

Mostly into series lately, but watched the White Lion recently. Maybe more for teenagers, yet nice, moving and dedicated to themes I can sympathize with.
Heard that there is a White Tiger too. Read the book, wouldn't mind seeing the movie

Yes,there is A White Tiger,too.Liked the book but a look at the trailer of the movie doesn't make me want to watch it.Seems too loud.

I recently watched Parasite, a Korean movie that won the Oscar. It follows two families, the haves and the have nots, and what results when the two become entwined. Complex and interesting.

Not a movie but a show - I finished watching "Emily in Paris" which, in contrast to most reviews, I actually found quite refreshing.

The next in line for me is "The Queen's Gambit".

I really enjoyed Emily in Paris. The star is Phil Collins's daughter. Also liked The Queen's Gambit.

Bad Times at the El Royale, I'd seen it once and really enjoyed it so I watched it again. Really good movie.

Scout wrote: "I really enjoyed Emily in Paris. The star is Phil Collins's daughter. Also liked The Queen's Gambit."

Oh, I did not know that the star is Phil Collin's daughter. She's acted very well - perfect for the role she played.

I'm enjoying The Queen's Gambit also. A lot of reviewers seem to have a problem with Beth's addiction issues. I don't see it as a problem. I think she did what she had to do. I like her attitude.

The Misfits (1961),the last movie of both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe.Gable looks very old and stressed and died ten days after filming ended.

That one was sad to watch.

Don't run the TV as much as I used to. Only movies I'm watching these days are the ones Svengoolie airs every week. Last weekend, it was Mystery at the Wax Museum, a 1933 movie Vincent Price's House of Wax was based on.

Scout wrote: "I recently watched Parasite, a Korean movie that won the Oscar. It follows two families, the haves and the have nots, and what results when the two become entwined. Complex and interesting."

That was excellent

Just wondering, Papa, who do you think was the "parasite"?

Scout wrote: "Just wondering, Papa, who do you think was the "parasite"?"

The film is very heady and it is a statement of both Korean inequities and modern capitalism. How a system rewards one and not others. What did capture my attention was the idea no matter how hard you work, you cannot get ahead. Yet at the same time, cheating is not rewarded.

Obviously, the poor family is the parasite of the Architects family. They are leeching off of them. Yet, it is not one sided because the Architects family are pretty much useless when it comes to the day-to-day mundane chores and depend exclusively on the poor family. So it is not mutually exclusive to one side.

I agree that both groups were parasites. Remind you of U.S. today?

In more ways than one.

For Holocaust Remembrance Day they broadcast movies on the theme. Re-watched Life is Beautiful yesterday, which evokes a whole lot of emotions

Watched "There Will Be Blood" last month. Chilling ending. Beautiful video-panning and the acting was incredible.

Nik, it's been a long time since I watched that one. I'll look for it and watch again. And, Eva, that was a great movie. I need to watch that one again, too.

Watched Nomadland yesterday. It's about a woman whose husband loses his job because of the closing of the factory where he works in 2008 and then dies. The closing of the factory causes the town to die, and this leaves her homeless. You'll have to watch to see the rest of the story. What's unusual about this movie is that it doesn't tell you what to think as you're watching it. You experience things along with the main character (played by Frances McDormand). The visual images are beautiful and juxtaposed with the harsh realities of life on the edge of civilization. Despite the lack of preaching, when you've finished watching, you may find that your point of view has changed. It made me think of what those workers on the pipeline whose jobs were taken away in a day might be facing.

Scout wrote: "Watched Nomadland yesterday. It's about a woman whose husband loses his job because of the closing of the factory where he works in 2008 and then dies. The closing of the factory causes the town to..."

I saw it. It is both amazing and heartbreaking. She just may win the OSCAR for it.

I thought the same, Papa.

These types of films kill me because I came within a hair of that life. Funny thing, I have the book and it is coming up fast to read.

Nik wrote: "For Holocaust Remembrance Day they broadcast movies on the theme. Re-watched Life is Beautiful yesterday, which evokes a whole lot of emotions"

I loved "Life is Beautiful." I always thought that Roberto Benigni was as close to Chaplin as any modern actor. Pretty sure he won an Oscar for that movie.

Barbara wrote: ".... Roberto Benigni was as close to Chaplin as any modern actor..."

Yes, exceptional acting. To me he also resembles Pierre Richard - one of the iconic French comedians. Here: http://semblances.blogspot.com/2014/0...

Papaphilly wrote: "These types of films kill me because I came within a hair of that life. Funny thing, I have the book and it is coming up fast to read."

I saw that the movie recently won several BAFTA awards.

Watched "The Perez Family." Back around the mid 90s, two movies came out around the same time, "The Perez Family" and "Mi Familia" (My Family) - that seemed to be pitched toward the same audience, though they were pretty different. Mi Famlia was just okay. "The Perez Family" is a little gem.
Cubans who are emigrating to the US around the time of Mariel, find out that families are given priority so a political prisoner who served 20 years, eager to get to his wife in Miami links up with a sugarcane worker, an old man and a young boy to form a "family." Meanwhile, in Miami, the Americanized wife (who thinks her husband is dead) grapples with an overprotective brother and a new romance.
Very clever, funny and sweet - my favorite Mira Nair movie.

I watched Concrete Cowboy. I almost passed on it because of the title, but it turned out to be a pretty good movie based on fact about cowboys in Philadelphia. You can guess how it turned out, land values in cities being what they are.

I watched "Woman in the Window" over the weekend. I remember reading the book when it first came out a couple years ago - thought it was a pretty generic, predictable thriller but not surprised they made the movie. I think it was supposed to be released at least a year ago.
It was okay, nothing special.

Just pretty good, I agree.

Just recently watched The Trial of the Chicago Seven. This occurred just before I was born so I don't feel too badly that I didn't even know this occurred in history. Well-written and acted. Amazing parallels between this and current events.

As a fan of Ritchie & Statham, looking forward to watch Wrath of Man, whenever it becomes available. As far as I see it's already premiered in the States

G.R. wrote: "Just recently watched The Trial of the Chicago Seven. This occurred just before I was born so I don't feel too badly that I didn't even know this occurred in history. Well-written and acted. Amazin..."

It was very good.

Nik wrote: "As a fan of Ritchie & Statham, looking forward to watch Wrath of Man, whenever it becomes available. As far as I see it's already premiered in the States"

Watched it and was disappointed. Much less exciting than expected.

I watched a movie called The Impossible which is based on the true story of the tsunami that happened back in 2004 and it centers around a doctor and her family that survived. Very good movie.

For some reason, I just couldn't finish that one, Marie.

That one is on my watch list.

I plan on watching Infinite with Mark Wahlberg which is on Paramount at the moment. I am looking forward to The Tomorrow War with Chris Pratt and hoping it is free on Amazon who is advertising it for July 2.

I watched The Maze, based on the true story of IRA inmates escaping from the Maze prison in Ireland in 1983. I fell asleep, but was interested enough I rewound it and watched it in its entirety. It is more character based with only a small amount of action.

Watched The Mule, which was on the offer as a part of inflight entertainment (the other part - were sneezing and coughing co-passengers, lowering their masks whenever flight intendants weren't watching). Poor Clint, he probably didn't have a good pension plan if he still needs to slave on the set at his 90 :) Nice movie, touching at times, nice assortment of Mexicans although none can surpass Danny Trejo, an ending was kinda trivial and disappointing, but hasn't spoilt the overall enjoyment

Scout wrote: "For some reason, I just couldn't finish that one, Marie."

Well I remember that I had started to watch it a couple or so years ago and it was kind of depressing so I didn't finish watching the whole thing. This time when it came up to watch I thought I would just try to get through it and it turned out better than I thought it would.

Papaphilly wrote: "That one is on my watch list."

It is a great movie of what the family went through to survive and the endurance they faced from the disaster.

I may give it another try, Marie :-)

Just watched The Little Things with Denzel for the second time. Rami Malek is in it, too. Very good acting, and always the same question at the end. If you watch it, I'd be interested in what you think.

I watched it a few weeks ago and enjoyed it. The ending says everything about purity and practicality.

But did you have questions about who done it, if it might have been the detective?

I watched F9 in the theater last night. A waste of his money. I admit, I liked the franchise just to watch the cars racing around the roads and the scenery. This one was just crazy. I think I dozed off a few times.

Tonight I watched Selfless on Netflix. I liked it. Some of it is predictible. An older rich man is dying of cancer and pays a doctor who is going to transfer his mind into a lab-grown body.

The ending was the feel good type. Part of me appreciates that and part of me says it would be more interesting and what would they have done with it if it had gone the other way.

Good movies make you think. I'll look for that one.

I finished watching "The Last Tzars" on Netflix. Really made me think...

Nicholas II had the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of his father Nicholas I (a much loved Tzar) to create a genuine connection with the population of Russia and establish an elected Duma.

Instead he... Well, I don't want to give out spoilers but it was a really good docu-show. I also enjoyed the format where it's fiction (screen action) interspersed with opinions.

A few different decisions by Nicholas II could have altered the fate of Russia and the entire world.

The Bonfire of the Vanities.
It was just as bad as I remember the first time I watched it, though I recommend a book called "The Devil's Candy" about the making of the movie. It was on cable last night and the author of the book was interviewed after.

Scout wrote: "But did you have questions about who done it, if it might have been the detective?"

Nope,

It was obvious who did it and who framed a guilty man. It was also done to let the honest man to lessen his guilt.