Movie Talk

Dog Day Afternoon just went on Movies channel.

Watching The Ten Commandments and actually paying attention for the first time in years.

Some thoughts, 1/3 of the way through:

Bithiah and Nefretiri look too much alike. They confuse me.

I just found out that the woman who was going to be crushed by the moving stone was Moses' birth mother. Who knew? (ETA: Yes I see that they explain that in the movie now, but I guess it never sunk in.)

Production-wise, the movie is pretty damn awesome. The work involved building all of those sets was incredible.

The "brief synopsis" on TCM's site is pretty darn long.

In Memory of Roger Ebert

drummerboy said:

Watching The Ten Commandments and actually paying attention for the first time in years.

Some thoughts, 1/3 of the way through:

Bithiah and Nefretiri look too much alike. They confuse me.

I just found out that the woman who was going to be crushed by the moving stone was Moses' birth mother. Who knew? (ETA: Yes I see that they explain that in the movie now, but I guess it never sunk in.)

Production-wise, the movie is pretty damn awesome. The work involved building all of those sets was incredible.

The "brief synopsis" on TCM's site is pretty darn long.

 If you want to see Anne Baxter,(Nefretiri) in a wicked role, I invite you to watch one of my favorite films, All About Eve starring Betty Davis. Great dialogue and fun to watch Anne Baxter's passive aggressive challenge to Betty Davis.

Main difference between Nina Foch and Anne Baxter is in the nose. 

 My favorite scene as a child was the presentation of gifts from Ethiopia.  Cecile B Demille new how to throw a party. And my taste in design for years was Neo Egyptian temple  During the Tut exhibit years later, Bloomingdales sold sheets with Egyptian designs and I snatched them up and then hand painted throw pillows in similar designs.

Great film. Wouldn't mind seeing Ben Hur as well.

For the musical fans, My Fair Lady is on the Movies channel.

I'm going to tackle Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy again.

Morganna said:

For the musical fans, My Fair Lady is on the Movies channel.

I'm going to tackle Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy again.

TTSS The movie?

ridski said:

TTSS The movie?

 Yes, I always get interrupted and it is not the kind of film you can follow casually. And once again, I missed sections.

Is it very good?  It seems like a film I would like.  What's your review?

The Ten Commandments and Ben Hur are always on this time of year and we’re both on this past weekend. 
Saw the Ten in the movies as a child, intermission and all,  and was very impressed with Yul Brynner, if you know what I mean. 
Now the historical inaccuracies just drive me crazy. Always preferred Ben Hur. Novel has an interesting Civil War connection.

Wait. The Ten Commandments is not accurate?

Morganna said:

ridski said:

TTSS The movie?

 Yes, I always get interrupted and it is not the kind of film you can follow casually. And once again, I missed sections.

Is it very good?  It seems like a film I would like.  What's your review?

 Haven't seen the movie yet - it's on my list. Saw the mini series with Alec Guinness as George Smiley in the late 70s, but I don't remember much of it. Both are considered extremely well done though.

The_Soulful_Mr_T said:

I got tickets to see FRENCH EXIT (with Michelle Pfeiffer) on Saturday night at the newly reopened Angelika and NOBODY (with Bob Odenkirk) Sunday at ShowPlace ICON Kerasoyes in Secaucus. I'm so excited. 

 I saw these two films this weekend. 

FRENCH EXIIT was a nice indie drama/comedy of manners. Some nice writing and very nice performances but Michelle Pfeiffer was fab. She's so good and still stunning at whatever age she is. She played her character's jadedness with real knowing and feeling. So good. 

NOBODY  was a coarse, violent, savage bullet-and-punchfest. I went to see Bob Odenkirk, who I enjoyed in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. This is very much against type for him. I imagine it'll be on streaming soon. Not for everyone, that's for sure. It had a few funny moments. Not a great film but it was fun. 

ridski said:

 Haven't seen the movie yet - it's on my list. Saw the mini series with Alec Guinness as George Smiley in the late 70s, but I don't remember much of it. Both are considered extremely well done though.

 It's on Showtime. I'm going to look for it On Demand.

Any film that gives me a glimpse of England makes me happy. I only regret that I didn't get a chance to live there, London was one of my favorite cities.

I remember thinking the miniseries was great but it was so long ago I barely remember it.  Will try to watch it again.  Haven't seen the movie.  It's on my list.  

WeWork doc on Hulu was really good!  I had no idea of the cult culture in the background.

I have nothing to add on The Ten Commandments, except to say I was extremely bothered by all the bare chests.  It's an amazingly hokey movie, but as fun to watch as Tony Curtis in (insert fake Hollywood historical movie he was in here of your choice).

Something old, something new - I just watched and enjoyed Time Freak - I'm a sucker for a good time travel movie.  

I'm watching and enjoying Concrete Cowboys - Not done yet, but really interesting story conceptually.  I'm not 100% convinced it's not a bit trite, but I'm also not finished watching.  I do want a horse now, though.  

TheJmon said:

I have nothing to add on The Ten Commandments, except to say I was extremely bothered by all the bare chests.  It's an amazingly hokey movie, but as fun to watch as Tony Curtis in (insert fake Hollywood historical movie he was in here of your choice).

Something old, something new - I just watched and enjoyed Time Freak - I'm a sucker for a good time travel movie.  

I'm watching and enjoying Concrete Cowboys - Not done yet, but really interesting story conceptually.  I'm not 100% convinced it's not a bit trite, but I'm also not finished watching.  I do want a horse now, though.  

 Inserting Tony Curtis in The Vikings (although I loved the Kirk Douglas character) and Houdini a favorite historical character.

Speaking of Tony Curtis, I just saw The Great Race (w Jack Lemmon, Peter Falk, Natalie Wood). I've loved that movie since I was a kid.

Oh, and I just saw The Defiant Ones for the first time in years too.

hmm, Houdini. Haven't seen that in ages...

The Defiant Ones? Wow.  

I'm going to share two of my faves here, since we seem to be going back there - 

Angels With Dirty Faces - "Hey fadda whadya hear whadya say?"

and 

To Sir With Love - Those 'kids' really were not so bad, but what a great message about misreading people and trying to understand culture in general.  

Did the famous knock on Tony’s accent originate with Spartacus? 
Not the only thing out of place and time. Those hair styles! But love the movie. I found it to be joyfully subversive at the time.

TheJmon said:

The Defiant Ones? Wow.  

I'm going to share two of my faves here, since we seem to be going back there - 

Angels With Dirty Faces - "Hey fadda whadya hear whadya say?"

and 

To Sir With Love - Those 'kids' really were not so bad, but what a great message about misreading people and trying to understand culture in general.  

 Interesting to contrast To Sir With Love and Blackboard Jungle.

Since we are on a Tony Curtis path, I loved him in Sweet Smell of Success with Burt Lancaster. But it's hard to top him in Some Like It Hot with a favorite actor Jack Lemmon and the adorable Marilyn.

ridski said:

drummerboy said:

 That's too bad. I had been looking forward to Mank.

 I really enjoyed Mank, FWIW.

 Turns out I kind of liked Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar, too.

ridski said:

ridski said:

drummerboy said:

 That's too bad. I had been looking forward to Mank.

 I really enjoyed Mank, FWIW.

 Turns out I kind of liked Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar, too.

 Really???

Went to the theater in Secaucus this weekend to see Godzilla vs. King King. It was dumb as hell with some inane plotlines and stupid science/technology  representations but the effects and the action were amazing. Kong seemed so very real and alive. If you're into this kinda thing you must see it  on a big screen. The sound was also stunning[ly loud]. Bottom Line: It was tons of fun to see. 

Watched Burden with Forest Whitaker. I needed a redemption film. It's based on the true story of a former Klansmen and the Reverend Kennedy.  The film makers ask for donations at the end of the movie for their cause.  For those who do not know the story I won't go into detail.

The_Soulful_Mr_T said:

ridski said:

ridski said:

drummerboy said:

 That's too bad. I had been looking forward to Mank.

 I really enjoyed Mank, FWIW.

 Turns out I kind of liked Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar, too.

 Really???

 Did I just blow your mind?

ridski said:

The_Soulful_Mr_T said:

ridski said:

ridski said:

drummerboy said:

 That's too bad. I had been looking forward to Mank.

 I really enjoyed Mank, FWIW.

 Turns out I kind of liked Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar, too.

 Really???

 Did I just blow your mind?

 Well, yeah! What did you see in it that you liked? 

The_Soulful_Mr_T said:

 Well, yeah! What did you see in it that you liked? 

I like absurdist humor, and it was completely absurd, almost Pythonesque. The characters took a long time to get into (I was ready to leave the room and go hang out somewhere else), but they kind of won me over with the Trish stuff during the plane ride, and by the end of the musical number in the hotel I was hooked. Once I was able to grok the magical realism world they were setting up I was in for the ride. My wife loved it so much she watched it again on Sunday.

Just watched My Octopus Teacher.

Wow. Just wow.

See it. Netflix.

For all of the Edward Norton fans, HBO is running Primal Fear.