Let's Talk Movies #35 – Sparrows and Panthers and Dinosaurs…Oh My!

Which Movies Might You See? (Multiple Votes Allowed)

  • Feb. 16th - Black Panther – Action adventure with Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyo

    Votes: 32 60.4%
  • March 2nd - Red Sparrow – Mystery thriller with Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton and Mary-Louise Pa

    Votes: 15 28.3%
  • March 9th - A Wrinkle In Time – Adventure fantasy with Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Oprah Winfr

    Votes: 26 49.1%
  • March 16th - Tomb Raider – Action adventure with Alicia Vikander, Walton Goggins and Kristin Scott T

    Votes: 10 18.9%
  • March 30th – Ready Player One – Sci-fi adventure with Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke and Simon Pegg

    Votes: 10 18.9%
  • May 4th - Avengers: Infinity War – Adventure fantasy with nobody famous

    Votes: 27 50.9%
  • May 18th - Deadpool 2 – Adventure comedy with Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin and T. J. Miller

    Votes: 19 35.8%
  • May 25th - Solo: A Star Wars Story – Adventure fantsy with Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover and Woody

    Votes: 27 50.9%
  • June 8th - Ocean's 8 – Action thriller with Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway

    Votes: 24 45.3%
  • June 22nd - Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – Action sci-fi with Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and

    Votes: 22 41.5%

  • Total voters
    53
Oscar's popular film category has been temporarily shelved. The reason for the new category has been mis-understood by critics of the idea. But the Academy has not give up on the idea, they will further study the idea for possible future use.

Popular Oscar idea was misunderstood, says film academy president

A quote in the article from film academy president John Bailey:

'In addition to maybe giving an opportunity for some of the larger budget films,' the board's idea was to also recognize the 'kinds of pictures that are so hard to get made — pictures like A Quiet Place or Crazy Rich Asians,' Bailey said.
 
Speaking of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, if you are in the US or Canada, CNN is airing the documentary "RBG" tonight on television (9 p.m. ET, 8 Central, check your TV schedule for mountain and Pacific times).

I missed it because I was traveling. May be it will be on Netflix.
 
Oscar's popular film category has been temporarily shelved. The reason for the new category has been mis-understood by critics of the idea. But the Academy has not give up on the idea, they will further study the idea for possible future use.

Popular Oscar idea was misunderstood, says film academy president

A quote in the article from film academy president John Bailey:

This is a stupid category IMO. Many popular films do get nominated for best picture. So if a movie does great at the box office and gets a BP nomination, does it get a double nomination?

I want to see more categories (e.g. Young actor/actress or a debut actor/actress) and more nominations in some categories (best actor/actress and best supporting actor/actress).

Creating a Best Popular movie is a waste.
 
Two things I forgot to mention in previous posts:

I liked 1931's A Free Soul so much I added it to my Favourite Movies Of All Time list at #13.

The Bride of Frankenstein has two full-movie versions on youtube, but each run 61 minutes whereas imdb.com says the movie is 75 minutes long. Maybe the DVD copy I saw had some extra footage added? I do remember seeing a movie that had missing segments due to film being lost, so storyboards and audio tracks were spliced into the missing section of that movie. Not sure if this was one of those movies though.

Okay, so back to the 30's. Tonight I watched 1932's Three On A Match. Another movie released before the heavy arm of the Hays Code came crashing down on Hollywood. This one to me was clear about subject matter not being restricted. Three strong female roles. Women living freely and not going by society's rules of who or what they should be. Adultery. Abandoning a child, then using that child in a kidnapping scheme to obtain money from the child's father. Some good dialogue in this and very thoughtful, adult interactions between characters. Joan Blondell and Ann Dvorak are the stars of this movie, but in smaller roles are early parts for Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart. This movie made me wonder if the studio heads were unaware of the talent they had in Davis and Bogart, or if they did know but wanted to give audiences time to get used to these two newer actors. It seems strange to see Davis in a role that requires so little of her compared to how much she give the world of film eventually.
 
Actors who later become stars were often used in "bit"/supporting roles because they were under contract. The studio needed to find something for them to do. If they could use these opportunities to their advantage; so much the better.

One of my favorite examples is Humphrey Bogart, in a small role; supporting Bette Davis, in Dark Victory!
 
Actors who later become stars were often used in "bit"/supporting roles because they were under contract. The studio needed to find something for them to do. If they could use these opportunities to their advantage; so much the better.

One of my favorite examples is Humphrey Bogart, in a small role; supporting Bette Davis, in Dark Victory!

I watched the trailer for Dark Victory and couldn't remember it, so I've added it to se To See list. :respec:

I know about how actors were under contract to the studios and then were worked hard by the studios. But did they know they had a superstar in Bette Davis? I looked at her imdb.com page and the first of her movies that I am aware of is 1934's Of Human Bondage. It's her 23rd film role. That movie is INCREDIBLE. At that point, did the studio heads, the casting directors, the producers and movie directors think, "why have we been casting her in bland supporting roles for???" Maybe they didn't care, they just cared about movies making a profit. Because it was four years later and 14 more movie roles until Davis is in another movie I'm aware of, 1934's Jezebel. Another must-see movie for sure.

I just wonder if eventually there were people in Hollywood who regretted not making use of such a talent sooner than they did. I found this youtube clip which takes memorable Davis lines from throughout her entire career, which compiled together is quite something:

Buckle Up, It's Bette Davis
 
Oscar race heats up as star-studded Toronto film festival begins
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/sep/05/toronto-film-festival-preview-oscars-barry-jenkins-michael-moore

Much-anticipated new films from Barry Jenkins, Steve McQueen and Michael Moore are set to be unveiled at this year’s Toronto film festival, beginning this week.
In one of the festival’s stronger lineups in recent years, there will be 138 world premieres featuring a long list of stars, including Judi Dench, Julia Roberts, Steve Carell, Colin Farrell, Robert Pattinson, Viola Davis and Kristen Stewart.


Toronto Film Festival: Nine rising stars to watch
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-45335011

Timothee Chalamet, Tony award winner Cynthia Erivo (for the Color Purple) and Lucas Hedges are three of the rising stars featured in this article.


'Outlaw King', Michael Moore film kick off Toronto film festival

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-filmfestival-tiff-opening/outlaw-king-michael-moore-film-kick-off-toronto-film-festival-idUSKCN1LM1TX

“Outlaw King” stars Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and director David Mackenzie walked the red carpet promoting the action movie about 14th century rebel Robert the Bruce and his fight to win back control of his homeland from an English occupying army.
Mackenzie’s previous directing effort was Hell of High Water.

Two other films at the festival will look at the issue of police brutality in black communities.
 
So a quick break from the older films as I stumbled upon Jumanji tonight while flipping channels. I didn't remember having seen it, so I started watching it and couldn't stop. Not that it's a brilliant thing, but the lightness of it made me feel warm and I guess I just needed something like that at the moment. Plus I wanted to see Robin Williams. And a young Kirsten Dunst, who I figured must be in her first role, looking so young. But it was actually her tenth project. :lol: The CGI and other effects are almost laughable, but for it's time, I bet they were just fine. And a youngster named Bradley Pierce almost steals the show as the adorable boy who becomes a monkey. :D
 
@PeterG Jezebel is 1938, not 1934. Between Of Human Bondage and Jezebel is a very well-known film that you skipped over: The Petrified Forest with Davis, Leslie Howard, and Humphrey Bogart in one of his most famous roles. One of Davis’ earlier movies, 20,000 Years in Sing Sing is also well-known. Some of Davis’ early movies are not so obscure as you seem to feel.
 
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I picked up the movie Paterson because Adam Driver is a pretty good actor. Unfortunately, I didn't find the movie pretty good, but pretty boring instead. It's about a slow, quiet town where nothing much happens. A bus driver drives around town and talks to random people throughout his day. And then goes home to his aimless girlfriend who he is probably with because she's better than being alone. Sometimes I found myself laughing because I kept waiting for something to happen. Nothing really did. If you like movies without a plot or character development, check this out! :lol:

Trailer for Paterson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8pGJBgiiDU
 
It looks like "RBG" is being rebroadcast tonight on CNN. Perhaps you can catch it tonight or see this in time to set it for DVR if you have time? It is excellent.

I recorded it but didn't have the time to watch it. Will watch this week.
 
I recorded it but didn't have the time to watch it. Will watch this week.

Yeah, I'm glad you saw my post in time to get it recorded. I hope you enjoy it.


ETA: I am probably the last person in North America to see "Black Panther,"but I caught it finally on Netflix this weekend. Very entertaining for a comic book adventure and obviously amazing to see such a talented cast. I know there has been a lot of early indicators it might get a Best Picture nomination. Not sure if I thought it was THAT good. :lol:
 
Yeah, I'm glad you saw my post in time to get it recorded. I hope you enjoy it.


ETA: I am probably the last person in North America to see "Black Panther,"but I caught it finally on Netflix this weekend. Very entertaining for a comic book adventure and obviously amazing to see such a talented cast. I know there has been a lot of early indicators it might get a Best Picture nomination. Not sure if I thought it was THAT good. :lol:

I have not seen Black Panther, nor do I intend to. So you will not be the last person in N.America to see it.
 
Ryan Gosling's Neil Armstrong movie to open Venice Film Festival
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-44884023

Damien Chazelle, who directed Gosling in La La Land is the director. Others in the movie include Kyle Chandler, Ciarán Hinds, Jason Clarke.

I saw on TV that some American conservatives are all up in arms about the American flag not shown being planted on the moon by Armstrong. I think the makers of the film felt the moment was a universal one and didn't want to make it look like it was just a celebration for Americans. But those who are unhappy about this feel that it was an American mission, although I believe someone said that people from many different countries worked on this to make it happen.

Gosling said that he had spoken to people in Neil Armstrong's family and that he was a very humble man and would have wanted recognition for the moment to be shared by everyone, so not using the American flag would make the moment more inclusive. Will be interesting to see if this backlash takes off and if so, how it will affect the movie. First Man will be in theatres on October 12th.

Director James Gunn have been fired from the MCU and GOTG3 because of offensive tweets he made years ago. He apologized at the time but the tweets resurfaced last night thanks to a conservative blogger.
https://variety.com/2018/film/news/james-gunn-fired-from-guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-1202879817/

Imdb.com has Gunn writing for a new Starsky and Hutch TV series. Plus he has an in development producer credit for one of his own (untitled) project, along with "H Collective Project". Here's an article that shows his now deleted tweets:

JAMES GUNN'S NOW-DELETED TWEETS

Not for the faint of heart, his tweets cover:

- raping women in their sleep
- sex with children
- sex with animals
- killing prostitutes
- laughing at people with A.I.D.S.
- "jokes" about Mexicans
- laughing at women's (inadequate) physical appearance

Then he tweets at the end that he wasn't actually doing any of these things. That they were jokes. And that his humour has evolved. :blah:

:blah:

:blah:
 
I saw on TV that some American conservatives are all up in arms about the American flag not shown being planted on the moon by Armstrong. I think the makers of the film felt the moment was a universal one and didn't want to make it look like it was just a celebration for Americans.

I don't see it that way at all. It was a historic (or 'an 'istoric) moment. I watched TV very little at the same, but still remember the flag being planted and the slogan 'one step for man, one gigantic step for mankind' (would be humankind today).

The image is one of the markers of history IMO.
 
I don't see it that way at all. It was a historic (or 'an 'istoric) moment. I watched TV very little at the same, but still remember the flag being planted and the slogan 'one step for man, one gigantic step for mankind' (would be humankind today).

The image is one of the markers of history IMO.

But...you're one of those cranky Americsn conservative Republicans, aren't you?? ?
 
I was gonna wait to watch it on dvd, but I will pay to watch it in a theatre.
 
I finally got around to seeing Mission Impossible: Fallout on the weekend. Good action film. Always wondered what happened to Wes Bentley.
 
Trailers For Movies Released 2018-09-14th
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuI4-fSHhipQhp4p129CTGbcGPmjtTdsj

Only 34 movies to watch this week. :( If anyone watches the Bel Canto trailer (with Julianne Moore and Ken Watanabe), I'd be interested to know what you think. I'm undecided about it. And you know how all of us have been clamoring for a Mischa Barton horror movie? Well, finally we're in luck and we get TWO of them this week! :cheer: :P


September 14th - The Predator (Wide) – Action adventure horror with Boyd Holbrook, Sterling K. Brown, Olivia Munn, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key and Thomas Jane

September 14th - A Simple Favor (Wide) – Crime drama mystery with Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians), Andrew Rannells

September 14th - Unbroken: Path to Redemption (Wide) – Biographical drama with a new cast & Gary Cole. From imdb.com: “When the war ended, his battle began…the next amazing chapter of Olympian and World War II hero Louis Zamperini's powerful true story of forgiveness, redemption, and amazing grace.”

September 14th - White Boy Rick (Limited) – Crime drama with Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Piper Laurie, Eddie Marsan and Bruce Dern

September 14th - The Children Act (Limited) – Drama with Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci and Ben Chaplin

September 14th - Lizzie (Limited) – Crime drama with Kristen Stewart, Chloë Sevigny, Kim Dickens [Fear the Walking Dead], Fiona Shaw and Dennis O’Hare

September 14th - The Public Image is Rotten (Limited) – Documentary. From imdb.com: “British rock icon John Lydon and fellow bandmates recall the years they spent performing as Public Image Ltd.”

September 14th - Where Hands Touch (Limited) – War drama – romance with Abbie Cornish, Amandla Stenberg, George MacKay and Christopher Eccleston [The Leftovers]

September 14th - I Think We’re Alone Now (Limited) – Sci-fi drama with Peter Dinklage, Elle Fanning, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Paul Giamatti

September 14th - American Chaos (Limited) – Documentary. From google.com: “Six months before the 2016 presidential election, filmmaker James D. Stern travels across the country to ask potential voters about their feelings for candidate Donald Trump.”


September 14th - Bel Canto (Limited) – Thriller with Julianne Moore, Christopher Lambert and Ken Watanabe

September 14th - Patient Zero (Limited) – Action horror with Natalie Dormer [Game of Thrones], Matt Smith and Stanley Tucci

September 10th - Sarah Q (Limited) – Comedy drama with Sally Kirkland, Burt Young and Vincent Pastore
…no trailer at youtube…

September 14th - Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco (Limited) – Documentary. From imdb.com: “Sex Fashion and Disco is a documentary film concerning Antonio Lopez (1943-1987), the most influential fashion illustrator of 1970s Paris and New York, and his colorful and sometimes outrageous milieu.”

September 14th - The Land of Steady Habits (Limited - Netflix) – Comedy drama with Ben Mendelsohn, Connie Britton, Thomas Mann and Edie Falco

September 14th - A Wizard’s Tale (Limited) – Animated with Lily Collins and Ian McShane

September 14th - Science Fair (Limited) – Documentary. From imdb.com: “Nine high school students from disparate corners of the globe navigate rivalries, setbacks, and hormones on their quest to win the international science fair. Only one can be named Best in Fair.”

September 18th - The ToyBox (Limited) – Horror thriller with Denise Richards and Mischa Barton

September 14th - Final Score (Limited) – Action with Dave Bautista, Pierce Brosnan and Ray Stevenson

September 14th - Mandy (Limited) – Action horror thriller with Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough and Linus Roache

September 14th - Letter from Masanjia (Limited – New York and Pasadena) – Documentary. From imdb.com: “When a desperate SOS letter penned by a political prisoner turns up in Halloween decorations sold in Oregon, it sparks a nail-biting chain of events that exposes appalling human rights violations and leads to sweeping labor reform in China.”

September 14th - Armed (Limited) – Action thriller with Ryan Guzman, Mario Van Peebles, Dionne Warwick and Paul Rodriguez

September 14th - A Boy. A Girl. A Dream (Limited) – Romance with a new cast. From imdb.com: “On the night of the 2016 Presidential election, Cass, an L.A. club promoter, takes a thrilling and emotional journey with Frida, a Midwestern visitor. She challenges him to revisit his broken dreams - while he pushes her to discover hers.”

September 14th - The Riot Act (Limited) – Thriller with a new cast. From imdb.com: “After a quiet murder seen by only three people, two avengers bring to life the idea of a ghost in attempt for justice.”

September 14th - The Dawn Wall (Limited) – Documentary. From imdb.com: “Legendary free climber Tommy Caldwell tries to get over heartbreak by scaling 3000ft of an impossible rock face: the Dawn Wall of El Capitan.”

September 14th – Angie X aka MDMA (Limited) – Crime drama with a new cast. From imdb.com: “In 1984, the most powerful drug dealer on the west coast was a 19 year old coed. Based on actual events.”

September 14th - Painless (Limited) – Thriller with a new cast. From imdb.com: “Henry Long desperately seeks a cure for the condition that leaves him unable to feel physical pain.”

September 15th - The Basement (Limited) – Horror with Mischa Barton. From imdb.com: “A seemingly innocent man is abducted by a notorious L.A. serial killer, who forces his victims to switch roles with him so that he can enact his own capture, torture and murder.”

September 14th - Don’t Leave Home (Limited) – Thriller with a new cast. From imdb.com: “An American artist's obsession with a disturbing urban legend leads her to an investigation of the story's origins at the crumbling estate of a reclusive painter in Ireland.”

September 14th - Hale County This Morning, This Evening (Limited) – Documentary. From imdb.com: “…constructed in a form that allows the viewer an emotive impression of the Historic South - trumpeting the beauty of life and consequences of the social construction of race, while simultaneously a testament to dreaming.”

September 14th - Museum (Limited) – Crime drama from Mexico with Gael García Bernal. From imdb.com: “In 1985, a group of criminals mock the security of the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City to extract 140 pre-Hispanic pieces from their showcases.”

September 14th – The Angel (Limited - Netflix) – Thriller with a new cast. From Netflix: “While operating at the highest levels of Egypt’s government, Ashraf Marwan walks a dangerously thin line as a spy for Israel. Based on a true story.”

September 12th - On My Skin (Netflix) – Drama from Italy. From Netflix: “Arrested for a drug-related offense, Stefano Cucchi suffers at the hands of Italy’s Carabinieri police and a broken legal system. Based on true events.”

September 11th - The Resistance Banker (Limited - Netflix) – War drama from the Netherlands. From Netflix: Risking his family and future, a banker in occupied Amsterdam slows the Nazi war machine by creating an underground bank to fund the resistance.
 
I watched the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society last night. I had read the book awhile ago, but it certainly isn’t fresh in my mind which probably helped my enjoyment of the movie. I was skeptical of a movie version but it was handled with care. It was a really lovely movie and I thought it captured the gentle spirit of the book really well.
 
But...you're one of those cranky Americsn conservative Republicans, aren't you?? ?
:yikes:
Oh dear! My secret is out! :scream:

I'll add that I didn't care that the American flag was planted specifically - was just amazed that astronauts actually made it to the moon (very cool to 13-year old me).

I agree that a universal symbol is more appropriate.
 
I'll add that I didn't care that the American flag was planted specifically - was just amazed that astronauts actually made it to the moon (very cool to 13-year old me).

See? That's how I know that you're an American conservative Republican. You believe that staged footage was actually a human stepping foot on the moon!!! :EVILLE::EVILLE::EVILLE:

:rofl: :D :rofl: :biggrinbo
 
I saw a trailer for a film Leave No Trace about a father and daughter who live in the woods until child services gets involved. It has Ben Foster as the father who I have seen in a few movies now and a very underrated actor. Kind of flies under the radar and a bit like Stanley Tucci in that he puts out great performances and transitions to whatever role he is in. One on my to watch list.
 

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