Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Loved it...
 

Let's see...this weekend we watched:

Dallas Buyers Club...based on a true story of Ron Woodroof a rodeo cowboy who was diagnosed with HIV in 1985 and given 30 days to live. His desire to live drove him to seek out other means than the medical treatment of the times both legal and illegal. "Bypassing the establishment, the entrepreneurial Woodroof joined forces with an unlikely band of renegades and outcasts, establishing a hugely successful buyers' club."

Ender's Game....based on a book, set in the future. "Ender Wiggin, a shy, but strategically brilliant boy is pulled out of his school to join the elite. Arriving at Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters increasingly difficult war games, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers. Ender is soon ordained by Graff as the military's next great hope, resulting in his promotion to Command School. Once there, he's trained by Mazer Rackham to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race."

Enough Said..."A divorced and single parent, Eva spends her days enjoying work as a masseuse but dreading her daughter's impending departure for college. She meets Albert - a sweet, funny and like-minded man also facing an empty nest. As their romance quickly blossoms, Eva befriends Marianne, her new massage client. Marianne is a beautiful poet who seems "almost perfect" except for one prominent quality: she rags on her ex-husband way too much. Suddenly, Eva finds herself doubting her own relationship with Albert as she learns the truth about Marianne's ex."

We watched Concussion on Netflix. It is a is a 2013 American drama written and directed by Stacie Passon, starring Robin Weigert and Maggie Stiff. We liked it a lot.

The 2013 remake of "Carrie". Woah! Chloë Grace Moretz nailed it! I don't usually like remakes but I was very impressed with performance of the entire cast. There was actually acting in it. They didn't dumb it down or rely on sex, nudity, and special effects to get the point across. All of it was in there, yes, but the acting is what sold it for me.

Just watched "The Counsellor" on DVD and we could not figure out what the heck was going on. Knew it had to do with the drug world but even at that was kinda making ya wonder cuz of lack of visual drugs lol (meaning you did not really see any)

Paris Was a Woman (1996)
75 min - Documentary
Director: Greta Schiller
Writer: Andrea Weiss
Stars: Juliet Stevenson, Maureen All, Gillian Hanna

Literary Paris in the teens and 20's. This documentary touches on the lives of so many women who in their way have inspired us to be who we are. It is based on the book sellers of the period which were many women. It was they who touched the literary pulse of the nation and the world. The film touches on aspects of Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, Splita Solano, Renee Vivian, Natalie Barney Colette and so many of the women who shared their love of each other in the open. They were not judged but set into a separate society of literate women. Wonderful watch. I enjoyed it thoroughly enjoyed it.

Great Movie!!!!!

One of my faves from the Film Noire class i took many years ago. My critique got rave comments from my professor.

I really reveled in debate over my POV. Discussion got heated, it was grand!

Miss that class.


Great Professor.

Went and saw "Divergent" yesterday on a date with my favorite blonde Princess, Jennifer. It was actually pretty good!

Jack and I watched "Dallas Buyers Club", "Saving Mr Banks", and "Her" last week and loved all 3 of them!

Next on my list is "12 Years a Slave"!

These Wilder Years (1956)
The Lodger (1944)

The last one I LOVED was "Saving Mr Banks" <3 <3 <3 The best unexpected treasure in a long time!

Not sure if it was the movie so much (no one else I know has seen it), or the fabulous day that went with it; adventure day all by myself...church for the first time in years, visited friends, walked in the park, movie with yummy/nasty buttered popcorn.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

What can I say... you had me at Wes Anderson.

The Majestic....with Jim Carrey. I think its been out a while...I just finally got around to seeing it.... everyone I know who saw it said it was great...and I was skeptical....because the only Jim Carrey movie I ever truly loved was the Lemony Snicket one... I was happy to gain a new perspective..... :)

Bad Words

Starring Jason Bateman (Arrested Development).

Jason plays Guy Trilby who is a 40-year old who finds a loophole in the rules of the National Quill Spelling Bee and decides to cause trouble by hijacking the competition. Contest officials, outraged parents, and overly ambitious 8th graders are no match for Guy, as he ruthlessly crushes their dreams of victory and fame. As a reporter attempts to discover his true motivation, Guy finds himself forging an unlikely alliance with a competitor: awkward 10-year old Chaitanya, who is completely unfazed by Guy's take-no-prisoners approach to life. (Published review, not mine).

I laughed but it is absolutely rated R. If the F word bothers you or off-beat humor does-avoid it. I also wondered about parents that would let their little kids act in a movie like this to be honest.

I guess I have mixed feelings about it.

not a movie, but...
 

Dallas Buyers Club
American Hustle
Escape Plan
Captain Phillips

300: Rise of an Empire
and
Mr.Peabody and Sherman

Both were good films. 300 was a a good telling of the larger sea battle of Thermopylae, and not just the battle of the 300 Spartans. Very powerful key roles played by women in the film. If you are into brutal CGI fight scenes, it's a winner.

Mr.Peabody was fun and I am sure if you weren't a fan of the original it was a blast. I was left longing for the original voices and timing of narrators from the Rocky and Bullwinkle shows, but overall it was fun. Enjoy!

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)


Director: Francis Lawrence


Writers: Simon Beaufoy (screenplay), Michael Arndt (screenplay).



This was like the 1st film which i found just as enjoyable. This sequel was over long though. I like the brutality of the story without it being explicit in its imagery. It still has the same garish costumes that copy, it would seem, every extreme of fashion. The gaudy reality show Hunger Games keeps the masses from revolting and Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is still the somewhat reluctant symbol of hope.


Quote:
Katniss Everdeen: Any last advice?
Haymitch Abernathy: Stay alive.


My husband's review.

I loved this film. Found it to be better then the first Hunger Games film.

Makes me want to start reading the books!

Mandela...was a good movie. I was told it was boring and long, but geez it was about the life a man who lived to be 95 yrs old, it couldn't have been a hour movie.

Frozen...chuckles my Christmas Elf would be so proud of me for sitting threw this one. Cute movie, the lesson was the best part. Great move and music if you are a 3 yr old.

Gravity
- starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.
I had heard mixed reviews on it but I really enjoyed it. It has amazing graphics.

I finally saw Million Dollar Baby.....

Watched the Wolf of wall street today... not a bad movie..to much drugs, sex and nudity. I know I don't believe I just said that either. I'm just not into that kind of stuff in a movie anymore. Think I will like it better when it comes out on TBS LOL..

But hey it was as great a movie as Scarface if you ever want to watch it with ten friends and take turns drinking tequila shots each time someone drops the "F" bomb.

The Haunting (1999 version). Remake of the '63 classic from Robert Wise with Julie Harris who passed away recently. Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Interesting F/X.

Up next, tonight...

Non-Stop (2014)

Coming soon
 

I'm just getting ready to sit down to Wolf of Wallstreet. I'm hoping it's as good as I've been hearing. Sex, nudity?? Hmm sounds great! :-)

Im watching the mini series (bio pic I guess youd call it) about John Adams. I came to admire him and Abigail when I read an amazing biography about their profound and beautiful relationship.

Anita O'Day - Sweet Georgia Brown, Tea for Two
 

while flipping through the channels I found a really old really good movie....Same time, next year.
It stars Alan alda and Ellen Burstyn. Its an interesting story...

'Kill Your Darlings'

about the very 'early years' of Ginsberg, Burroughs, Kerouac.

I was kind of keen to see this, having missed it in the cinema, but I found it quite boring - which is a feat in and of itself - how can a story about Ginsberg, Burroughs and Kerouac be boring? :| And yet, have any of the biopics about the Beat Poets been any good? Maybe 'Fear and Loathing' ...

April, 2014
 

Concussion

A lesbian becomes disillusioned with her domestic life and career after suffering a mild concussion when accidentally hits her in the head with a thrown baseball. She then begins working as a prostitute for other women.

The newest 300

I watched Twelve Years a Slave the other night....
what an amazing story and movie. Its difficult to watch in parts...but....worthwhile for the truth in its difficulty....