Michael Stuart Kelly Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 This is a thread for people to comment on movies or TV shows they just saw and enjoyed (movie theater, TV, DVD, whatever).I will start with a most charming one I just saw called National Treasure with Nicholas Cage (2004). This is sort of like an Indiana Jones adventure, but the setting is a modern day quest through USA historical items and places from the times of the start of the country. The treasure of the Knights Templar that the founding fathers hid after the Revolutionary War is the prize.A secret treasure map is on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Two groups of people try to steal it (good guys and bad guys), with the FBI in hot pursuit. The romp is a typical one for this kind of film, but the fun is in seeing the Declaration of Independence, the Liberty Bell, etc., all used as cultural elements instead of pyramids, snake charmers, etc.Just for fun, I took a look at the goofs in the film. Good Lord! I didn't realize that there were that many. The movie was so much fun that I missed all of them (and I'm normally pretty good at getting some of the continuity mistakes as I watch a film.) I became a kid again and simply got wrapped up in the story.Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bohica Bob Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 I enjoyed National Treasure as well. It held my attention for some time until, unfortunately, I found myself too far ahead of the plot. A mind can be troublesome thing ... some might say? By the way, The World's Fastest Indian is now out on DVD. I look forward to purchasing my copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 One of my favourite films is Pleasantville (1999). It's about teenage twins whose parents are divorced and they don't get on; he's a geek and she's only interested in looking cool to her mates.He's mad on an old B&W 50's sitcom called Pleasantville and knows everything that happened in every episode verbatim. Pleasantville is a perfect town where suppression rules, everybody always gets along, the sun always shines, it never rains, the books don't have words in them, nothing burns, women are only homemakers, there's nothing outside of the town - it just doesn't exist, and most importantly, everybody knows exactly what is going to happen - there are no risks, no surprises and definitely nothing dangerous. It's centred around one family who have teenage twins.The teens end up being transported into Pleasantville as 'Bud' and 'Mary-Sue', and they're in B&W too. Bud is eager to keep everything as it is - he likes it that way! But he also thinks if they change anything they'll never get back home.Mary-Sue, however, refuses to play along and act how her character should in the episodes they've been transported into. And she is definitely not just interested in holding hands...Doing something different, expressing emotions that they have normally suppressed, causes colour to creep into their world. It's an interesting analogy for how people resist change and want to keep everything the same, because it's safe. Also, how people try and resist change in others and can even react violently towards this change, out of fear. Most importantly of all - it has a happy ending I'm definitely a happy ending person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsha Enright Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Hi Fran! Good to 'see' you again. Are you coming to Orange County this summer? If so, we must have some fun together again.I haven't seen Pleasantville in a long time, but remember enjoying it for its clever dramatization of its theme. I think it was one of the first things I saw Spiderman in (geez, I forget his name now!).Best,Marsha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsha Enright Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Michael,I enjoyed National Treasure too - I think it's a bit of a take off on DaVinci Code as well.Did anyone see V for Vendetta? (You guys have probably talked about this movie already). I thoroughly enjoyed it for its highly stylized, Romantic plot, characterization and theme. It has more subtly than at first glance, too. I disagree with those who argue it promotes anarchy. I don't think they followed the plot.One of my all time favorite sweet/funny movies is Bossa Nova (2000), by the Brazilian director Bruno Barreto, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0180837/.It's a romantic comedy, plotted somewhat like a French farce, with more depth and a slightly less frantic pace. Amy Irving is a widowed American teaching English in a gorgeous, romantic Rio (the filming is fantastic). Through a set of circumstances, she and a wistful, recently divorced Brazilian lawyer meet and fall in love. Meanwhile, parallel love stories abound, including the lawyer's brother, Amy's friend, a soccer star. In the end, all plot lines come together in an hilarious resolution...all to the backdrop of fabulous Tom Jobim Bossa Nova music.Ahh!Marsha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordanz Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Hi Marsha,I really liked V as well. There's an interesting thread on Robert Bidinotto's site on it. It seems views on this movie are split on the Oist community.http://bidinotto.journalspace.com/?cmd=dis...364&entryid=364 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggrad02 Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 I was just fliping through the channels with nothing to do and I found Pulp Fiction on. It is my favorite movie and Ive probably seen it a hundred times, so the night just got better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted April 29, 2006 Share Posted April 29, 2006 V for Vendetta was going to be my recent movie pick. Whether you enjoy it or not depends heavily on your attitude and how you watch it.Someone watching for realism could actually find it depressing. An Objectivist who tells himself each morning in the mirror that anarchy is an evil floating abstraction is probably not going to appreciate it much either. However, anyone who can appreciate the elequent monologues, heroism, and also allow their inner anarchist (even Objectivists have one!) to enjoy the fantastic individualistic story of triumph should have a smashing good time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted May 3, 2006 Author Share Posted May 3, 2006 I just saw a strange movie on TV called "Prozac Nation" based on a best seller by Elizabeth Wurtzel.Normally, a down film like this makes me change the channel in the first five minutes, but I had a strange reaction to this one. I felt somehow revived on seeing it. Something kept me from changing the channel. This film is not me, so I am doing some heavy thinking right now. I vastly prefer to see films where the good guy gets in serious trouble with a bad guy, overcomes great odds, kicks the crap out of the bad guy and gets the girl in the end. If there is a cute dog jumping around as they kiss right before the credits, all the better.The main character in this film is a young woman who goes to her first year at Harvard. She lives in a Sylvia Plath kind of depression, is extremely bitchy at the drop of a dime, worries the hell out of the people she cares about, turns on them with no compunction or mercy, spends a lot of time feeling remorse, cries a lot, and is a really strange bird. Lou Reed appears as Lou Reed and there is some other similar counter culture stuff.Prozac gets her over the hump at the end.It just now dawned on me that I suffered a great deal with my own addiction problems and overcame them in the end. Maybe I felt good about this film because the person who was suffering found a way out. That's only part of it, though. There's other stuff rumbling underneath in my psyche. I've got some thinking to do.I do not recommend this film for everybody. It is not a fun film at all. Instead, it challenges you and messes with your head. If you are not into that sometimes, don't bother.Great acting, though.Back to thinking...Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Has anyone gone to see The Da Vinci Code. I thought it was a very good movie and recommend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Bissell Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Kat, Becky and I went to see the Code last weekend, after just recently having read the book. We both thoroughly enjoyed the book, and she thought the movie was very good, while I thought it was good, maybe a B rating.Angels and Demons, the prequel to The Da Vinci Code, is actually more gripping, in my opinion. I've read all four of Dan Brown's books now, and I've enjoyed them all.REB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 I haven't been to see the film because I didn't enjoy the book enough. The Code was a page turner until I found out what it was they were looking for, then it lost all meaning and therefore interest for me. To be honest, I thought it read more like a trash novel and thought the ending appallingly weak. They were looking for a bunch of bones - big deal! The only thing I liked about it was that it rattled the cage of the Catholic Chruch so much :evil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzalo Jerez Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 (edited) Well... I have seen a interesting film. The first part of "The Godfather" at its original version (English). It is too better when you see it, and hear it, in the original language. Do you recommend any film to me? I like the 30s-40s-50s films. Thanks. Edited August 18, 2006 by Gonzalo Jerez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Grieb Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 There are some wonderful lists at the Movies and Entertainment. The Godfather One and Two are very well done. I can't say the same about GF 3. I have some lists I've made up. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzalo Jerez Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Hello, Chris,I am seeking in Spain for "Fountainhead" but I cannot find it. Might you make me know how much is that film if I buy it by Internet? Gonzalo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Grieb Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Try the Atlas Society or the Ayn Rand Bookstore. There is a report that the Fountainhead has been discontiued. Does anyone know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNA Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 (edited) I recently saw V for the first time. I did like it for very personal reasons that I identified with in Evey and her journey of what happened to her. It did bring me to tears when she was finally set "free." Self ownership and self responsibility, being set free of fear, being set free of many emotions such as guilt with one small exception of feeling guilt if you know what you did was wrong, facing your own battles without fear, coming to grips with your fear, setting off for the future without fear of what will happen, your decisions, where you may end up, etc. You embrace your future with open arms, a huge smile, and you emphatically look forward to it and what it will bring you. Watching what happened with Evey brought back many of my own memories and personal triumphs and battles and finally being set "free" of it. It is a movie I very much enjoyed. Anyone who has walked a very very tough road should watch it; they would probably enjoy it just as I did.When Atlas comes out, I am sure I will need a hefty bag of tissue to bring along with me as I already know right now I'll definitely be crying.Angie Edited August 18, 2006 by CNA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Pross Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 Hi Angie,Can I take you for dinner and drinks when Atlas comes out? I have a broad shoulder to cry on. VictorpsI loved 'V' too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNA Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 oh, my, it looks like I just might have a date !!! Woohoo....hehehehe !!! How the hell are we going to manage that one? That's going to be an awfully expensive date as I see you are in Toronto and I am in Cali. But so sweet and gentlemanly of you to offer your shoulder for me to cry on because I'll definitely be crying, no doubting that one. Angie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Pross Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 Angie,You're an angel...you can fly to Toronto, free of charge, with those wings. I'll buy the pop corn. V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNA Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 Damn, that's right. I am an angel but an angel with horns. It looks like I'll be flyin' to Toronto for my upcoming date !! hehehehehe You can buy the popcorn and I'll buy the drinks. Whatever your heart desires. LOL An apple martini sounds good for me. Where are we going for dinner? Angie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Pross Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 We’re going to Toronto’s wonderful Sky-Line restaurant---30 stories up in the air. At night, you can see the expanse of the entire city, and all the lights look like brilliant little diamonds on black velvet. A toast to you, to Atlas, and life. We the living! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNA Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 We’re going to Toronto’s wonderful Sky-Line restaurant---30 stories up in the air. At night, you can see the expanse of the entire city, and all the lights look like brilliant little diamonds on black velvet. A toast to you, to Atlas, and life. We the living!Sounds very romantic and I'm looking forward to it !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Pross Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Then it's a date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNA Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Then it's a date. Oy, my secret is sooo out now, ohmigod, I gotta date, Everyone !!!! hehehehehehehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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