Last movie you watched......

"Lilies of the Field," another old (1963) movie that I'd seen before but didn't remember having as many gently humorous moments as it did. As usual, I also really enjoyed another top-notch performance by Sidney Poitier. What an actor (who you, somehow, never get the sense is actually acting). So good.

He was deservedly rewarded for the performance, for which he won a Best Actor Academy Award.

And...four hours or so later:

For the second half of a double feature in our house, I watched another 1963 movie, "The Nun's Story."

Another understated but very good old movie, this one starring Audrey Hepburn in the title role.

I watch a lot of oldies-but-goodies, and always seem to come away with an appreciation for the variety of ideas/story lines that occurred in older films, usually without much use of overt violence or sex. The stories and writing were often just so good as to make it so nothing else was needed, particularly in the hands of some of the best, most recognizable actors and actresses of those times -- like Poitier and Hepburn.

 

The Prom. I had horrible expectations going in based on the name, but enjoyed it. For most of it, I was completely nonplused by Meryl Streep until I realized she was intentionally playing a bad actress and then realized this may have been her hardest role ever. There is four seconds of brilliance, though, where she threatens to kills a gay teen that were just about perfect. Nicole Kidman was underutilized completely, but she doesn’t age ever and remains gorgeous. Tracy Ulmann was in it, but her character was flat. James Corden was good, but his character felt too much like a caricature. Andrew Rannells stole a lot of scenes as a Julliard grad with a giant ego, but little talent. The actors who played the teens showed promise.

 

I hated Thor: The Dark World, but I always kind of chalked that up to my appendix bursting while I was watching it.

 

Maybe Loki did it. "If you are this willing to subject yourself to suffering, mortal, then..."

Seriously, it wasn't just your bursting appendix. The movie really did suck. It is the worst of the MCU so far. I'd re-watch Incredible Hulk first. Actually, I don't hate that one nearly as much as most others seem to hate it. I thought Norton was good, though Ruffalo is better in the role.

 

Soul. Boy was I wrong, I thought it was about music; instead its more about the mind, like Inside Out. A well done production from Pixar, enjoyable and provoking. But a bit too existential for me. Three stars (out of 4).

 

We are watching as a family New Year’s Eve. Hope it is better than our Christmas Day movie, Wonder Woman 1984.

 

My condolences.

 

We watched Soul as part of our New Year's Eve. My daughter, who adores Pixar movies, loved it. So did her boyfriend. I enjoyed it. My wife thought it was just okay. It really is typical Pixar, with music, visuals, and humor that will appeal to younger children, but larger themes and character types for adults. I do advise anyone who watches it to not think too much about the rules for souls in the movie. Just enjoy it and focus on the big ideas. There is a message in there that is worth thinking about, but you can also just enjoy the ride.

 

Watched Midnight Sky this week and I agree, I'll have to hunt down the book. It's an interesting concept ... I'm always down for a good, apacolyptic story ... but they tried to jam too much into the movie.

And IMHO, they went 1-for-2 on the "humanizing" scenes. Flicking peas back and forth? That worked. The umpteenth set piece for "Sweet Caroline"? No.

 

First cow. Fantastic. Chill frontier story about friendship. Watch it.

 

It was an OK movie but yeah the Sweet Caroline scene, uh, no.

 

I thought the whole movie sucked.

It was like I was watching an attack on science.

SPOILERS below, but they will save you two hours of your life.

A weather station with a HUGE dish? Uh, no.

Trekking out to said dish in a death-defying move, and not even knowing if you can even get into the facility? Locks? Anybody home? Uh, no.

Getting to the facility and immediately jumping onto the computers. Hello, ever heard of cybersecurity and PASSWORDS? Trekking out there with no knowledge of locks and passwords? Oh, fucking hell no.

Hypothermia? And why did the ice break in the first place? Uh, no.

No vapor when exhaling in the weather extremes? Nice film set. Comfortable apparently.

Spacesuit penetrated - no depressurization and no immediate realization of it? Uh, fuck no.

Sending 60% of your crew out on a spacewalk? Uh, no.

Two flying back? Uh, no.

Two hours of this incredulous shit? Uh, no.

Film seemed like it was shot by people who have never left the weather of SoCal.

The only thing missing was fucking Greta.