What have you watched recently?

[Tycho]

I love First Blood and all the subsequent Rambo movies. Did you know Stallone had written a lot of them?

He has a speech impediment and as a muscle man, you think one stereotype about him.

But he's an accomplished WRITER and director. Stallone is actually a very intelligent man and didn't get brain damaged from the Rocky movies even though the fighting effects would make you think so...

I am still watching The A-Team episodes and they make me really happy.

And I've watched Steven Speilberg's Into the West save for the final chapter.

It's really good, especially chapter 3 in Bleeding Kansas!

[Bel-Cam Jos]

Thursday was the 50th anniversary of the original release of the To Kill a Mockingbird film, and AMC, in connection with Turner Classic Movies, had screenings that day. There were HUGE crowds of people camped out around the theater, so my teacher heart and my societal honesty heart soared to realize people care about beautiful cinema and moral themes... until I found out they were just Twilight midnight showing waiters. But TKAM on the big screen was amazing; there was even audience participation during the pre-trail scenes (talking back, laughing, pointing, etc.). I'd say there were over 100 in the theater. The trivia was interesting... the first TWO times it ran, and NOT the next 10 times (seriously; there's NO way to get OTHER questions over a ten-minute time period? ). A good appetite-whetting for our last weekend of stage shows.

[edit] One of my students apparently went to a midnight Twilight sequel, because there was a ticket stub on my classroom floor; it had only Breaking 2 as its title. With 50 years of TKAM, how did I miss an Electric Boogaloo encore?

[bigbarada]

Watched the new version of The Thing last week. It was okay. I think the creature started attacking too soon for proper dramatic buildup and many times it revealed itself, when it was otherwise perfectly disguised, for no good reason. I had totally forgotten that it was supposed to lead right up into the first scene of the John Carpenter movie, until I watched the end. But I don't feel that it really built up to that moment seamlessly enough and it felt more than a little tacked on.

[Bel-Cam Jos]

Got around to seeing Lincoln today, and I was shocked to find NOTHING about cities in the state of Nebraska in the movie at all. Excellent story and acting; Spielberg obviously knows how to make passing legislation work in a movie, unlike Lucas in TPM. I was surprised at how Spielberg decided to end it, but I guess shouldn't have been.

[bigbarada]

Got around to seeing Lincoln today, and I was shocked to find NOTHING about cities in the state of Nebraska in the movie at all. Excellent story and acting; Spielberg obviously knows how to make passing legislation work in a movie, unlike Lucas in TPM. I was surprised at how Spielberg decided to end it, but I guess shouldn't have been.

I'm curious as to how historically accurate the film is. I'm sure Spielberg can make an entertaining and visually stunning film, but I wonder how factual it really is.

[Bel-Cam Jos]

It wasn't all that visually stunning, even the few battle scenes; but more authentic-looking. It reminded me of Shindler's List in that regard.

[Bel-Cam Jos]

I finally was able to check out Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter on DVD from the library. I really liked the book, but the movie didn't have the same "historical" aspects to me; just flash and less substance. When the back of the disc case says the movie has "spectacular special effects," you should be wary. Oh, well.

[bigbarada]

Watched Fiddler on the Roof today, it's probably the first time I've sat down and watched the entire film in over 20 years. I remember they would play it on TV a lot when I was a kid and my parents would always make it a point for us all to sit down and watch it as a family. It's probably the only musically I can actually watch AND enjoy.

However, without getting political, I was actually kind of surprised that there were so many socialist undertones in the film. It's something that I never would have picked up on as a kid, obviously; but it's interesting that this film touches on a lot of the class-warfare themes of pre-revolutionary Russia, and that in itself is very similar to many of the economic concerns of people today (not to mention the political and economic climate of the US in 1971 when the film was released).

[Tycho]

I will only ask, how can one vote or support policies that adversely affect their class. I hope I'm a gazillionaire one day myself, but I can double-check with my bank and they'll tell me I'm not

Meanwhile, private message me and tell me how Lincoln ends, as I don't think I can afford movie tickets right now. I guess I'm not poor, but editing my novel and attending writing conferences WILL cost more than I have anyway - on top of grad school auto re-registration, subscription and club renewals, etc. I can't really do Christmas shopping

But I've been disappointed to hear that Lincoln does not include big Civil War re-enactor battles. I do that and am even filmed for movies like Hatfields & McCoys as well as other History Channel and Military Channel stuff, and we work hard to have special effects coordinated with a well-rehersed performance staged before live audiences. We have real horses, wagons, and cannons, not to menion the use of real swords and guns.


Meanwhile, I am resigned to staying in and watching YouTube videos. But some of them can be really fun. I like the HowItShouldHaveEnded movie cartoons (look up HISHE) on YouTube and you can find Star Wars, Iron Man and more. Hunger Games, Terminator, and Batman are especially funny. And don't miss the ones where Superman goes to a coffee shop with Batman and reviews each Batman movie.

[Bel-Cam Jos]

I will only ask, how can one vote or support policies that adversely affect their class. I hope I'm a gazillionaire one day myself, but I can double-check with my bank and they'll tell me I'm not

Meanwhile, private message me and tell me how Lincoln ends, as I don't think I can afford movie tickets right now. I guess I'm not poor, but editing my novel and attending writing conferences WILL cost more than I have anyway - on top of grad school auto re-registration, subscription and club renewals, etc. I can't really do Christmas shopping

But I've been disappointed to hear that Lincoln does not include big Civil War re-enactor battles. I do that and am even filmed for movies like Hatfields & McCoys as well as other History Channel and Military Channel stuff, and we work hard to have special effects coordinated with a well-rehersed performance staged before live audiences. We have real horses, wagons, and cannons, not to menion the use of real swords and guns.

Without getting to Rancor Pit-y; if a person realizes that in order for all the society to improve, you cannot get everything you want, then that is why you support policies that seem to "hurt" you and your class. And not just to get a kick-back at some later date, either.

Well, the movie is more about the PERSON Lincoln and his policies, than the time period and fighting at that time. Gettysburg, or Glory, or even Gone With the Wind have more "action" scenes, and seem to put the individuals into that time's context.