Let’s Talk Movies! #31: Pandas, Zombies, Male Models, Superheroes, Greeks and…Caesar!

[lmarie086]

I need to see Elstree 1976. Looks fascinating - anything Star Wars related, I'm there!

 

[Cachoo]

I need to see Elstree 1976. Looks fascinating - anything Star Wars related, I'm there!t

I watched it "On Demand" last night and promptly fell asleep. So I arose early and tried it rested. It is simply several bit players and extras who were in the film and their experiences before, during and after the release of the film. I thought it was interesting to see the "pecking order" at conventions as some with speaking parts did not think the extras had any business being there. And I liked hearing about people who have carved out a living acting without being well known--like most actors actually.

 

[watchthis!!]

Learning To Drive is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Patricia Clarkson has just separated from her husband and her daughter is living far from home, so she decides to take driving lessons so she can visit her daughter more often. Ben Kingsley is the man who Clarkson ends up taking lessons from and the movie is all about how they connect with one another in a time of change for both of them. The script is brilliant, but so is everything about this movie. The tone is perfect as well, not too sweet and not too gritty either. Big thumbs up!

 

[Aussie Willy]

Learning To Drive is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Patricia Clarkson has just separated from her husband and her daughter is living far from home, so she decides to take driving lessons so she can visit her daughter more often. Ben Kingsley is the man who Clarkson ends up taking lessons from and the movie is all about how they connect with one another in a time of change for both of them. The script is brilliant, but so is everything about this movie. The tone is perfect as well, not too sweet and not too gritty either. Big thumbs up!

I will have to look out for this one. Thanks.

Also I used to be a driving instructor. Will be interesting.

 

[Cachoo]

Challenge Question:
Can you think of any film when the nerdy girl does NOT get a makeover and gets the hot guy?

Background: Recently I watched "Superbad", "Paper Towns" and rewatched "Say Anything." The "nerdy" guys in the film don't transform like Cinderella but the hot girls see their goodness and go for them. Excellent and there are skads of movies with this theme. Probably hundreds if you go all of the way back to silent films.

But do you know of any film where the nerdy girl doesn't "transform" and still gets the hot guy?

I think I might know of one but can't remember the title...need to research.

 

[Artemis@BC]

Learning To Drive is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Patricia Clarkson has just separated from her husband and her daughter is living far from home, so she decides to take driving lessons so she can visit her daughter more often. Ben Kingsley is the man who Clarkson ends up taking lessons from and the movie is all about how they connect with one another in a time of change for both of them. The script is brilliant, but so is everything about this movie. The tone is perfect as well, not too sweet and not too gritty either. Big thumbs up!

I enjoyed it a lot too. My only quibble was with Clarkson, who seems to play the same character over and over again so much of the time (if you saw her in Cairo Time from 2009 it was a virtually identical performance). But it worked in this movie, and relationship with Ben Kingsley's character was lovely.

 

[Tesla]

Can you think of any film when the nerdy girl does NOT get a makeover and gets the hot guy?

Does Some Kind of Wondeful count? I thought Keith was pretty hot.

 

[Cachoo]

Does Some Kind of Wondeful count? I thought Keith was pretty hot.

Yes he was. And I love this example because I don't think happiness is short-lived in that film. I had to go way back to the seventies and found a film called Buster and Billie. The stars were Jan-Michael Vincent, Joan Goodfellow and Pamela Sue Martin. Billie was from the "wrong side of the tracks" and was sexually active and this film was set in 1948. Joan Goodfellow played Billie. I don't remember her in anything other than this. I thought she was good in it. I thought Jan-Michael was good as well.

 

[manhn]

While the main character in My Big Fat Greek Wedding changed, she didn't have a makeover. Her evolution was realistic.

 

[Cachoo]

While the main character in My Big Fat Greek Wedding changed, she didn't have a makeover. Her evolution was realistic.

You're right. I was getting frustrated because I thought there surely had to be films out there that followed the geeky or plain guy formula with girls/women instead. Good, believable example.

 

[Xela M]

I saw "Miles Ahead" yesterday - the supposed biopic of Miles Davis and I have no words for how bad it was! It's almost unbelievable how with such an amazing cast (because the acting was great) and such a remarkable life/personality as Miles Davis, one can make such an awful film. First of all, literally NOTHING in this film relates in any way to the story of the real Miles Davis. Literally not a single word, not a single character (apart from Miles Davis himself) is true. Half the film relates to Miles' alleged relationship with his wife Frances, who I was shocked to find out is actually a made up character, and the other half relates to his relationship with a journalist, who once again did not exist. He spends the whole film running around with a gun shooting people for a recording, which again in real life never existed. Plus, the film is so boring that from the 10 people who were at the cinema - 3 walked out and two fell asleep so deeply their partners had a hard time waking them when the film was over.

Just awful (great acting from Don Cheadle though).

 

[Xela M]

But do you know of any film where the nerdy girl doesn't "transform" and still gets the hot guy?

I think I might know of one but can't remember the title...need to research.

America's Sweethearts (hilarious film by the way if you haven't seen it - highly recommend it!)

 

[VGThuy]

Would Can't Buy Me Love and it's remake Love Don't Cost a Thing count as the inverse of the formula where the geeky guy does get a makeover and the hotter girl starts liking him...and like a lot of those movies with the nerdy girl getting the remake, the hotter person likes them as a person too and doesn't like the nerdy person's nastier attitude post-makeover.

 

[Artemis@BC]

I saw "Miles Ahead" yesterday - the supposed biopic of Miles Davis and I have no words for how bad it was! It's almost unbelievable how with such an amazing cast (because the acting was great) and such a remarkable life/personality as Miles Davis, one can make such an awful film. First of all, literally NOTHING in this film relates in any way to the story of the real Miles Davis. Literally not a single word, not a single character (apart from Miles Davis himself) is true. Half the film relates to Miles' alleged relationship with his wife Frances, who I was shocked to find out is actually a made up character, and the other half relates to his relationship with a journalist, who once again did not exist. He spends the whole film running around with a gun shooting people for a recording, which again in real life never existed. Plus, the film is so boring that from the 10 people who were at the cinema - 3 walked out and two fell asleep so deeply their partners had a hard time waking them when the film was over.

Just awful (great acting from Don Cheadle though).

I'm so disappointed to hear that. I thought the combination of 2 of my favourite actors with 1 of my favourite musicians would equal a great film.

Of course I'll still have to see it for myself but my expectations will be lowered suitably.

 

[Xela M]

I'm so disappointed to hear that. I thought the combination of 2 of my favourite actors with 1 of my favourite musicians would equal a great film.

Of course I'll still have to see it for myself but my expectations will be lowered suitably.

I loved the trailer and expected it to be great, but aside from the acting I can't say anything positive about the film. I just don't understand why they had to make everything up when his real life was so very interesting?!

 

[Cachoo]

America's Sweethearts (hilarious film by the way if you haven't seen it - highly recommend it!)

How did I miss this one? I will watch it this week. Thanks.

 

[Cachoo]

Would Can't Buy Me Love and it's remake Love Don't Cost a Thing count as the inverse of the formula where the geeky guy does get a makeover and the hotter girl starts liking him...and like a lot of those movies with the nerdy girl getting the remake, the hotter person likes them as a person too and doesn't like the nerdy person's nastier attitude post-makeover.

I do think you are right about that. I guess I question the existence of films where there is no makeover for the "nerdy" girl. I think of "Superbad" and how Jonah Hill is a nice guy, not a hunk and gets Emma Stone. Is there a female Jonah Hill that gets....name the hunk? One guy I know said that doesn't happen in life so it is not going to happen in the movies. Maybe. But it happens a lot in films with the plain guys. Does it happen a lot in life with plain guys?

 

[NinjaTurtles]

America's Sweethearts (hilarious film by the way if you haven't seen it - highly recommend it!)

I don't know, they didn't get together until she lost a bunch of weight...

 

[MacMadame]

America's Sweethearts (hilarious film by the way if you haven't seen it - highly recommend it!)

I don't know, they didn't get together until she lost a bunch of weight...

That's what I was going to say.

However, it's clear that he liked her before too.

 

[watchthis!!]

Alden Ehrenreich will be the young Han Solo
http://www.empireonline.com/movies/star-wars-force-awakens/alden-ehrenreich-will-young-han-solo/

Apparently it will be a stand-alone film. Which surprises me as I thought they were trying to branch out with the whole Star Wars world and have a lot more films out there for viewing (to make money!!) Not surprised that they went with a relatively unknown actor, although it sounds like they're still hammering out the paperwork. But anybody too well known would bring maybe too much of their own personality and work to the role, a newbie is like a clean slate.

 

[VGThuy]

I never saw America's Sweethearts, but isn't the nerdy girl played by Julia Roberts looking like Julia Roberts for the most part?

 

[Erin]

I never saw America's Sweethearts, but isn't the nerdy girl played by Julia Roberts looking like Julia Roberts for the most part?

That's what I was going to say (and I did see it, albeit a long time ago)

 

[DAngel]

Is there a female Jonah Hill that gets....name the hunk? One guy I know said that doesn't happen in life so it is not going to happen in the movies. Maybe. But it happens a lot in films with the plain guys. Does it happen a lot in life with plain guys?

How about Shallow Hal? Of course, it took magic/curse to get him to fall in love in the first place...

 

[Cachoo]

How about Shallow Hal? Of course, it took magic/curse to get him to fall in love in the first place...

I'm not sure I'd put that in the same category since he kept seeing Gwyneth in all her glory when he looked at her. At least she didn't talk about "Goop" in the film.

 

[DAngel]

The magic disappeared in the end and he accepted her the way she was right?

Unfortunately, it's really hard to find any movie like that. That girl in Some Kind of Wonderful doesn't look nerdy, fat or ugly either

 

[Xela M]

Ok guys, I found a real one!!! Glee Season 2... when THEY:

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net...s2e9_23.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130718041120

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net...t_crown.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110428164458

start dating

 

[watchthis!!]

I watched the first episode of The Royals. I wasn't sure if it was that mockumentary of two actors who have an improvisational background and were filmed visiting America as royalty. Not sure the name of that show (which is a comedy), but The Royals is a scripted drama, which has some funny parts. I think Elizabeth Hurley as the queen is the only big name in the cast. She was quite good, as was everyone really. But while I liked it, I didn't love it and since there are so many other movies and shows I want to see, I didn't continue with this one. But it would be something I would continue watching (and enjoying) when I was on holiday or house-sitting and wanted something familiar to watch.

 

[Aussie Willy]

I watched the first episode of The Royals. Didn't do enough for me to watch it again.

 

[DAngel]

http://time.com/4326519/aclu-government-sexism-female-directors-hollywood/

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs have been working on a wide-ranging investigation, according Melissa Goodman, a lawyer with the ACLU. The investigation was prompted by an ACLU report after the organization conducted its own two-year audit into discriminatory practices.

 

[watchthis!!]

Saw a really good documentary called In Defense Of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. It was made for PBS I believe, and is based on the book of the same name. I thought it was really good. I'm already eating more veggies for snacks!

I loved the trailer and expected it to be great, but aside from the acting I can't say anything positive about the film. I just don't understand why they had to make everything up when his real life was so very interesting?!

Becauze they have a burning dezire to be artiztes!!!