On the Waterfront as a date night movie

I love catching favorite classic cinematic works on Turner Class Movies and one of them that I don’t see often is “On the Waterfront” (1954). The night before it was set to air again, various celebrities gave some commentary on the performance of Marlon Brando, his character’s interaction with others and the film itself.

The two most memorial comments in my opinion had to do with Brando, each for different reasons. Several people described his talent in the role of Terry Malloy as a top five of all time, if not the best. I love his mannerisms; he comes from a rough territory and background, yet is sensitive. That also leads to the second comment about his character, which is the connection he shares with the much more innocent Edie Doyle (Eva Marie Saint). I feel as though I can relate to that, as I’d been drawn to someone who was opposite my reserved personality. It was that good girl falling for the bad boy scenario. Anyway, the budding romance between Terry and Edie was reflected on by John Turturro as a date movie. It’s odd to have never looked at watching this classic in the same sense, even though a love interest was building onscreen. I just hadn’t paralleled it before to my own life experiences in terms of who my heart desired. But now, having my own way of relating to Terry and Edie, I can definitely see it as romantic. So I would absolutely have a stay-in date night to watch “On the Waterfront,” especially with a guy who has that mysterious, tough, even dangerous air about him, yet also possesses a sensitive side. Maybe that’ll be a date night idea sometime.

Outside of the commentary on TCM, I have to add some of my own thoughts about another cast member, Lee J. Cobb. He stars as Johnny
Friendly, who runs the waterfront workers and isn’t to be slighted. I’ve only seen him in one other classic, “12 Angry Men” (1957) opposite Henry Fonda. Whichever one of these films I first watched, that’s all it took to be a fan; Cobb was amazing in showing emotions. In both roles, he represented different types of villain characters – one as an overall bad guy and the other driven by a sour family relationship. I want to check out Cobb’s other roles as well.

If you haven’t tuned in to “On the Waterfront,” it’s worthy of adding to a movie-watching bucket list. Directed by Elia Kazan, this classic
also stars Karl Malden as Father Barry and Rod Steiger as Terry’s brother Charley.

Thoughts on the Golden Globes 2020, upcoming awards

For this year’s award season, I’m already behind in posting about my favorites to win as I usually do. So, like last time, I’ll just share
any thoughts afterward and go back into my nominee picks next season.

When entertainment award shows air, I often catch the red carpet arrivals and interviews. Sometimes, I wish I could be among the
spectators because it’s so exciting and glamorous. It would make me feel as though I’m back in old Hollywood in that sense. The fashions sure have changed, yet there’s that overall extra glamour for the special event that has continued. Speaking of what the stars are
wearing, follow-up coverage always includes those best- and worst-dressed lists. So far, I’ve only seen a worst-dressed list and although some I can agree with, there was one whose gown wouldn’t have been on my worst list if I were posting regularly about celebrity
fashion. Maybe that’s another area I could go into later, just for the purpose of sharing thoughts. Anyway, Michelle Williams was featured on the one worst-dressed list I saw, however I personally liked what she donned for the red carpet. She’s one of my favorite actresses, yet that wouldn’t blind me on any opinion of what someone wears for such
events. The peach color was appealing and a floral shoulder accent in blue added an extra pop to the gown as well. Even if she isn’t wearing something that reflects back to a classic Hollywood era, something about her reminds me of that; always classy style and mannerisms. Williams won for Best Actress in a Limited Series, “Fosse/Verdon,” which I didn’t see yet, but congrats to her on this win!

I do have an overall favorite among the gowns worn at the Golden Globes and this year, it’s the one worn by Rachel Weisz. A long black column style (if I have the fashion terminology right), topped off with a stunning glimmering neckline; such a classic look! In terms of acting, Weisz has also been one of my favorites, going back to when first seeing her in “The Mummy” (1999). I still laugh at the library
mess scene! I’ve enjoyed Weisz’ acting talent, whether in comedy, action / drama such as “Chain Reaction” (1996) or fantasy including
“Oz the Great and Powerful” (2013).

Besides the gorgeous style, wouldn’t it be awesome to see so many favorite stars? A number of mine won statues, even though I’ve yet to catch them in the particular role leading to this year’s Golden Globe win. For instance, I missed “Joker” in theaters, but every time I’ve
seen a clip from the movie Joaquin Phoenix wows me. I’m rooting for him to win an Oscar this year. Later today, my local gym will be
featuring “Joker” in its cinema. So, now I have my chance to catch up on that and maybe a few other award-nominated movies before the rest
of the season.

My other favorite winners of the night included those in TV and in movie roles. Stellan Skaarsgard (Best Supporting Actor, “Chernobyl”); I’m always behind particularly in hit series and it was no different with this one. I’ll have to catch up at some point. Brad Pitt (Best Supporting Actor, “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood”); every now and then, I see him in a rerun of an episode or two of “Growing Pains,” a TV series I grew up watching. Pitt is a long-time favorite, that’s for sure. In his speech, he joked to costar Leonardo DiCaprio about that “Titanic” scene in which Kate Winslet‘s Rose is floating solo on a large piece of wooden debris.

Another long-time favorite, Tom Hanks won the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award and I loved the montage of his roles. TV,
movies, comedy, drama, voiceover for animation; he can do it all. The clips even included showing him in “The Love Boat” credits; there’s one I didn’t know he acted in! My earliest memory of Hanks is probably
when he played a relative of the Keatons in “Family Ties.” Other clips showed him in a few roles I haven’t seen. Anyway, Hanks is
well-deserving of this award and he is so humble. In his speech, he honored his “Captain Phillips” (2013 ) costar Barkhad Abdi for his
acting talent. He did the same for Charlize Theron, who presented the award to him. And her reaction; it was one of those happy tear-jerker moments!

Earlier in the evening, another special award went to Ellen DeGeneres and as they showed her early stand-up comedy acts, I remembered seeing a few way back when on TV. I wouldn’t have been able to recall specific jokes, but one clip had a joke about when people try on new
shoes; so funny and true! Her thank-you speech was hilarious as well and she paid tribute to funny lady Carol Burnett, who has that
trademark ear-tug. I was almost too young to catch Burnett’s early work while new episodes aired, but I could still think of that about
her. It shows how those in the public eye can have something about them that is recognizable, iconic, from one age group to the next. DeGeneres even mentioned the ear-tug in paying honor to someone of inspiration in comedy. I think that DeGeneres is in a realm with Hanks; they are both celebrities who people love, whatever the area / areas of talent.

Since I went back to Hanks momentarily, one whose characters were about real-life people and their situations, another favorite who did
so this year was Renee Zellweger. She portrayed classic Hollywood star Judy Garland in “Judy” and this is one of those cases in which simply seeing the clips gave that sense of ‘she’s gonna win for this.’

One more favorite winner was Laura Dern (Best Supporting Actress, “Marriage Story”) and while I didn’t see this movie, I admire her for
overall talent throughout the years. With a theme of what many go through in real-life, along with a talented cast, I’ll have to catch
up on this award season movie as well.

Among the presenters was one of my latest (and that of many others) celebrity crushes, “Aquaman” star Jason Momoa. I didn’t even know he’d be onstage, so that was a nice eye candy surprise! I’ve got to catch him in his TV series, “See” (2019), among other roles. My best friend and I can’t wait for the “Aquaman” sequel to be released in theaters.

So, those are my favorite moments to recap the Golden Globes this year. Congrats to all winners and on to the next award shows!

Movies still to see in 2019

The majority of these picks are from a list of 2019’s most anticipated movies, which I saw in an article on CBS News. At this point, I’ve missed most of them on the big screen and haven’t yet picked up my own copies on
DVD/Blu-Ray. But I have another option for catching movies – my local gym has a cinema! Each month, a different round of movies is on the calendar and they include both new releases and old favorites. So far, I haven’t watched a movie in full at the gym. I just have to plan my schedule to be there early enough before a class or personal training sessions. Anyway, here are a few that have caught my interest this year.

“Avengers: Endgame”

I have to re-watch the previous installment in this franchise, but I know I’ll enjoy this for the amazing special effects and action scenes. Within the overall superhero genre, I have to catch up on the “Iron Man” movies and I still haven’t seen “Thor: Ragnarok.”

“Godzilla: King of the Monsters”

I’ve always been a fan of the giant creature movies, so this was among the must-see works for me. I caught part of it at the theater in the
gym I go to, although my timing was off and I saw it in this order: last 20 minutes, first 20, another 10 in the middle. Despite catching
it in an odd manner, I was impressed. But it’s not just oversized lizards and apes; it’s those more-than-pesky insects as well. My favorite big bug flicks include “Tarantula” and “Them” of the 1950s. With new Godzilla and King Kong movies made over the years, I wonder if those giant spiders and ants will get remakes. Not that I’m in favor of remakes and reboots for everything. I’m just curious about what they’d be like, how much of an audience they would draw in to theaters.

“The Addams Family”

The movies starring Angelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci have always brought laughs with the humor reflecting creepy lives. I saw a Broadway play of this spooky family on a college bus trip to New York City. I know I’ll also enjoy an animated film
version, as I have several other favorites in that genre. One perfect example is the “Hotel Transylvania” franchise, with its own comical
family of monsters.

“Terminator: Dark Fate”

One of the franchises I grew up with, this makes me curious about how the story of humans against cyborgs will play out. I wasn’t too much a fan of “Terminator Salvation” (2009), but I think sometimes there’s a least favorite installment in one franchise or another. A re-watch could help me get more into it because as of now, I don’t remember
much of this one.

“Men in Black International”

The original with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones was one of my alien-themed favorites. In recent years, I’ve become a fan of Chris
Hemsworth, whether he is Thor or stars in action, thriller or comedy movies.

“Hobbs and Shaw”

Action sequences in the trailer are jaw-dropping and frenemy humor between Hobbs and Shaw continues from “The Fast and the Furious” franchise. I’m also looking forward to the next installment of the overall
action-packed films. I caught 20 minutes of this one in the theater at my local gym; that timeframe included the scene when the title
characters are trying to get security clearance. Shaw is pressing a guard’s face up to the facial recognition screen, while Hobbs remains
humorously unimpressed and bored.

“Little Women”

I will enjoy this as a fan of book-to-film works, as well as for the elaborate historical time period costumes. The settings of such movies
are always romantic and even inspire me to visit locations used in filming.

“Booksmart”

Much like with other teen movies, I think my best friend and I will watch this and find something we relate to in it. We enjoy watching
“The Breakfast Club” and “Sixteen Candles,” from our generation, along with “The Edge of Seventeen” (2016). There’s always that teen crush element and an embarrassing moment, whether or not it has to do with those feelings.

“Ford v Ferrari”

I love cars and as far as somewhat recent racing movies, I thought the 2013 movie “Rush” was awesome! That starred Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt and Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda, real-life names of the Formula 1 racing scene. As soon as I first caught a trailer for “Ford v
Ferrari,” featuring two acting favorites, Matt Damon and Christian Bale, it had me hooked. I can’t wait to see this one! Another movie of
this genre that I’d recommend is “Le Mans” (1971), because it stars classic Hollywood actor Steve McQueen.

“Charlie’s Angels”

Despite often seeing e-news about the latest movie and television remakes and reboots, I missed anything about this one in the works.
But it looks pretty cool. I like one of the trailers for it, focusing on Kristen Stewart and stating in a new way. It’s always interesting to me seeing an actor or actress in something considered totally different role compared to previous ones. Also, Elizabeth Banks is starring as Bosley, for a female twist on a character that was male in past versions of the movie and earlier TV series.

Any thoughts on these?

More Movies To See In 2016

A variety of cinematic works have caught my interest over the past few months, from animated to sci-fi. Several were in theaters earlier this year, so now I’m waiting to buy them on DVD or Blu-Ray. Independents aren’t always playing in theaters closest to where I live. Whenever they’re available to buy, I’ll catch up those at home as well. However I watch them, here are a handful more movies I’m hoping to see.

• “Eddie the Eagle” (2016)
• “The Shallows” (2016)
• “The Boy” (2016)
• “Nine Lives” (2016)
• “Me Before You” (2016)
• “Love & Friendship” (2016)
• “Cafe Society” (2016)
• “Why Him?” (2016)
• “Bad Moms” (2016)
• “Elvis & Nixon” (2016)
• “The Abolitionists” (2016)
• “10 Cloverfield Lane” (2016)
• “Finding Dory” (2016)
• “Midnight Special” (2016)
• “The Space Between Us” (2016)
• “Approaching the Unknown” (2016)
• “A Monster Calls” (2016)
• “Ghostbusters” (2016)
• “Godzilla Resurgence” (2016)
• “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” (2016)

A few of the movies above are coming to theaters or are now playing. So I’m looking forward to some great flicks on the big screen in the near future.

Which of these are you most interested in seeing or have seen?

Thoughts on “The Outsiders” movie adaptation

The spring semester was winding down as my YA Genre classmates and I discussed Francis Ford Coppola’s onscreen adaptation of “The Outsiders.” We recently watched it as a follow-up to reading S. E. Hinton’s novel in the first week of classes and to compare how each format told the story of greasers versus socs.

I always feel nostalgic about the movie, remembering when several neighborhood friends and I watched it together. Back then, we all had our favorite actors among the cast; mine were Ralph Macchio and Patrick Swayze. As my spring semester classmates talked about the movie, everyone most favored the late Swayze as the eldest Curtis brother, Darry.

Someone in class stated that Matt Dillon in the role of tough greaser Dallas Winston didn’t appeal to her. Although he wasn’t one of the actors I liked the most when I was younger, I think he might have been had I first watched “The Outsiders” in high school. That’s when I began to notice the rebellious, bad-boy type of guys in real life. I think Dillon was great as Dallas, a.k.a. Dally, for his character’s streetwise talk, facial expressions and overall demeanor.

Having several film classes behind me, there are many other reasons why “The Outsiders” is a favorite onscreen adaptation. This is why I am a fan not only of the book, but the movie as well. These have to do with cuts and fades to represent moments in the book in a different way to the audience.

One example is part of Johnny’s background story in which he had been jumped by socs in the book. In the movie, his nervous demeanor from that history is intensified by close-up cuts going back and forth from his eyes to brass knuckle rings worn by a certain guy. Rather than showing when it happened, there is a brief story being told of trouble having occurred and Johnny puts up his guard.

Another moment of movie editing that I liked was the fade to the old church as Ponyboy and Johnny first saw it. That visual transition had a dreamy feel. Maybe because it represented a new day for the two friends, as well as a place where they’d let some time pass in hopes for a resolution to prior events. Also, the dreaminess reminds me of the Robert Frost poem, when Ponyboy recites it to Johnny while gazing out at the beautiful sky.

Seeing the emotion of the characters throughout the story was also a great element brought to life in the acting. Dally made for a perfect example, because he comes off so tough. However, Johnny’s fate hit him hard and I feel that he broke down more than anyone.

The clothes and cars were two more aspects I liked, partly as a way to show the time period. Socs wore the preppy styles; greasers had the rebel look of leather jackets, t-shirts or tank tops and jeans. That blue Mustang in which a group of guys from the socs drive up in is one cool car. When I see a classic of Ford’s iconic car, I always wish I had one, especially a red convertible. Johnny’s description of the soc Mustang is perfect.

So, for these reasons, I said in class that I favor the Coppola’s adaptation of “The Outsiders” nearly if not equally as much as Hinton’s novel. I love books, but am also a great fan of movies for their visuals and the acting talent.

Check out my blog post on Bookish Grad for more of my thoughts on the novel.

What do you think of “The Outsiders” movie in comparison to the novel? Who was your favorite cast / character onscreen?

A unique journey in “Letters to Juliet”

A trip to Italy is not yet in my future, yet taking in the sunny Tuscan scenes of “Letters to Juliet” (2010) definitely added to my summer wanderlust. Whenever I finally do travel to Italy, I’ll be sure to explore Verona, where Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) learns of people writing to Shakespeare’s famous and tragic character.

 

Besides the travel aspect, I also love that Sophie is a writer. Her instinct for a potential story kicks in when noticing a collection of letters. She soon finds a unique, romantic topic inspired by people writing to Juliet about love. Travel. Writing. Two activities that would make up my own dream job. From the start, this movie was right up my alley.

 

One letter by a woman named Claire (Vanessa Redgrave) is of particular interest to Sophie, as it reveals of a love story from decades before. Her response as Juliet quickly brings Claire’s grandson, Charlie (Christopher Egan) into the picture. This made me think that, in real life, what are the odds? However, I love that because it adds to Sophie’s first moment of amazement in Charlie finding her letter.

 

Of course, Charlie isn’t too thrilled and even seems to find Sophie not very bright, although not in those words. His retorts imply that impression of her. It is clear that she thinks him rude, as well as close-minded in regards to finding his grandmother’s lost love. Is it romantic and worth the pursuit? Is it completely ludicrous?

 

The odds of Sophie’s letter having been found so quickly seem to be a sign that searching for Claire’s lost love will work out. As the search begins, they find out something that backs up Charlie’s feelings on the matter. Adding to the romance is how Sophie decides to narrow down where they’ll go to find the elusive man from Claire’s past. It gives the sense that the couple are meant to reunite, something for which I feel any viewer would hope. In Shakespearean tradition, some of the men they question bring comedic moments into the adventure.

 

Sophie and Charlie’s relationship changes while still facing obstacles as the adventure continues. Not tragic themselves as Romeo and Juliet are, they each have dealt with sad situations in their families. So, in this movie, elements of Shakespeare’s work come alive. Comedy and Tragedy. Also, as there is Paris in “Romeo and Juliet,” Sophie has her fiance, Victor (Gael Garcia Bernal). He’s supportive of Sophie’s work and seems like a great guy, yet is increasingly busy with his career.

 

The conclusion brings about a Tuscan setting that I’d love to visit in any travels throughout Italy. It also includes a moment paralleling a famous one between Romeo and Juliet. If only I knew whether a real structure or a movie set used in that scene, because it was a perfect touch to the story!

 

Overall, I thought it was a clever storyline of Shakespearean theme and I’ll have to add this to my DVD collection. Until then, I’m glad to have finally caught it at the beginning just a couple of nights ago. I knew I’d love it! Several other movies I’ve enjoyed that have locations in Italy include:

 

• “Roman Holiday” (1953)
• “Casanova” (2005)
• “Eat Pray Love” (2010)
• “Under the Tuscan Sun” (2003)

 

Oscars 2014 Favorites

The top honors in movies is just days away and it’s interesting how award season has turned out, with many surprises along the way.  As with the previous awards, I’m sure there will be more to come as envelopes are opened to reveal the Oscar winners.

Back when I first saw trailers for “Captain Phillips,” I thought Tom Hanks would be in the mix of Oscar nominees.  Recently, I saw an episode of “Inside the Actor’s Studio,” featuring Matthew McConaughey as the guest.  From seeing more of “Dallas Buyers Club” on the show and elsewhere, McConaughey became another one of my favorites to win among those in the Best Actor category.  I’d love to see Leonardo DiCaprio win, of course.  I think it’s possible for him to win because of his success so far this year for his role as Jordan Belfort.

Another category I’m anxious for this year is Best Actress.  Cate Blanchett is one of my overall favorite actresses, but I’ve been rooting for Sandra Bullock ever since seeing “Gravity.”  With its dramatic life-and-death situation, it reminded me of James Franco’s Best Actor nomination for “127 Hours.”  Franco was my favorite to win in that category.  In both that case and Bullock as an astronaut knocked loose from the space shuttle, it was the drama of such extreme ordeals and how amazing each star was in bringing it to life.

No matter who wins this year, there sure is a lot of great talent from familiar faces to newcomers.  I hadn’t heard much at all about in the short film and documentary short categories.  But other than those, here are my favorites:

• Best Picture: “12 Years a Slave” or “Gravity”
• Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron (“Gravity”)
• Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club”) or Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Wolf of Wall Street”)
• Best Actress: Sandra Bullock (“Gravity”)
• Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (“Dallas Buyers Club”)
• Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o (“12 Years a Slave”)
• Best Original Screenplay: “American Hustle” – David O. Russell, Eric Warren Singer
• Best Adapted Screenplay: “The Wolf of Wall Street” – Terence Winter
• Best Animated Feature: “Frozen”
• Best Foreign Feature: “The Great Beauty”
• Best Music (Original Song): “Let it Go” (“Frozen”)
• Best Music (Original Score): “Gravity” – Steven Price
• Best Cinematography: “Gravity”
• Best Costume Design: “The Great Gatsby”
• Best Documentary Feature: “20 Feet From Stardom”
• Best Film Editing: “Gravity” – Alfonso Cuaron, Mark Sanger
• Best Makeup & Hairstyling: “Dallas Buyers Club” – Adruitha Lee, Robin Mathews
• Best Production Design: “The Great Gatsby” or “Gravity”
• Best Visual Effects: “Gravity”
• Best Sound Mixing: “Gravity”
• Best Sound Editing: “Gravity”
• Best Short Film (Live Action): ?
• Best Short Film (Animated): ?
• Best Documentary Short: ?

Any thoughts on which nominees will take home Oscars this year?

Catching up on Steve McQueen movies

Classic Hollywood actor Steve McQueen has been one of my favorites ever since the first time I saw “The Blob” (1958).  That was probably back when I was in high school or earlier.  It was a while before seeing him in anything else, but I thought he was great in the role as he led his friends in an effort to warn locals of danger.  I thought he was a handsome actor and there was something I liked right away about his onscreen demeanor.

As much as I love the sci-fi movie, I wasn’t at first aware of the annual Blobfest held in Phoenixville, Pa.  But last year, I finally made it out to the event celebrating the town’s ties to “The Blob.”  Check out my Blobfest photos on Flickr.  I bought a copy of this documentary about McQueen just outside of the Colonial Theatre.

Over the years, I eventually started to catch other movies starring McQueen whenever they would air on the Turner Classic Movies channel.  There were a lot of McQueen movies being featured on TCM throughout the day on Friday, Aug. 9.  Before that line-up, I had also seen him in:

• “The Magnificent Seven”
• “The Reivers”
• “Bullitt”
• “The Towering Inferno”
• “The Great Escape”

There were a number of McQueen’s movies included in the line-up that I hadn’t seen before.  So, I decided to watch what I could; now, I can add the following movies to the above list and they are all so well-acted by McQueen and his co-stars:

• “Somebody Up There Likes Me” (he didn’t play the main character)
• “Le Mans”
• “The Cincinnati Kid”
• “Papillon”
• “Soldier in the Rain”

Although I have “Papillon” on DVD, I still haven’t been able to watch it that way due to my laptop DVD drive still needing repairs.  On the desktop computer, the speakers aren’t working.  So, I’m glad that TCM included “Papillon” in their McQueen movies because his role in it was stunning.  I would describe it as one of those roles in which you see an actor like you’ve never seen him before.

I feel the same way about McQueen’s role in the movie that followed, “Soldier in the Rain,” with Jackie Gleason.  Only in this case, it was for the comedic style.  There were some moments of drama mixed in among the many hilarious ones as well.  I hadn’t heard of this movie before, but now I am planning to add it to my DVD collection; I just loved it!

I’m looking forward to seeing more of the movies in which McQueen starred.  What’s your favorite of his movies and roles?

Saving whales, a celestial fairy tale and erasing memories

Lately, I’ve been catching up on a few movies airing on higher-numbered channels that allow commercial-free viewing.  Here are three that I enjoyed for their various cinematic elements.

“Big Miracle” (2012)

One of my favorite things about this movie speaks to me as a communication graduate because of how the story of trapped whales spreads.  A situation caught just by chance by a reporter (John Krasinski), it eventually captures the hearts of people in many walks of life.  The way that people just take to this story tugs at the hearts of viewers as it shows how there is real concern, that people worldwide can unite over a cause.  The business of oil, politics and international relations even come into play and have their own impact on the whales’ survival chances.  Drew Barrymore portrays Rachel Kramer, the real-life environmental activist who passionately worked to save the whale family from ice closing in around them.

“Stardust” (2007)

The medieval sci-fi fantasy is one of my favorites to watch and this movie didn’t disappoint as an addition to a long list of many like it.  A number of classic fairy tale elements come together in a magical world filled with a variety of adventure-bound characters.  A charming prince (Charlie Cox) embarks on a journey to find where a star fell and bring it to his love (Sienna Miller).  The star, turning out to be a young woman (Claire Danes), is sought as well by evil.  That evil is a witch (Michelle Pfeiffer), who desires to salvage her youth and beauty.  Then there is a pirate captain (Robert De Niro) to top it all off.  Their combined adventure revolves in part around a necklace with a jewel pendant and it will reveal who the new reigning king is to be.

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004)

Each time I saw this movie in the tv listings lately, it was at the point of being at least half way through.  I always want to see movies from the start when first watching them.  This is one case which particular really needed that in order to follow it and understand what happens.  The visuals and how the scenes transition were amazing from beginning to end, getting more intricate in the memory-erasing sequences.  I also love the writer tone of Jim Carrey’s character, Joel, as well as the quirkiness of Clementine (Kate Winslet).  Other favorites among the cast include Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst and Mark Ruffalo.

If you saw any or all three of these, what are your thoughts on them?

Parental heated bullying debate in “Carnage”

The opening scene of “Carnage” (2011), shows a group of boys and a physical fight brewing among them.  Following the incident, two couples meet in the home of one family, the Longstreets, to resolve the fight between their sons. Nancy (Kate Winslet) and Alan Cowan (Christoph Waltz) are the parents of Zachary; Penelope (Jodie Foster) and Michael Longstreet (John C. Reilly), the parents of Ethan.

Nancy clearly believes that there should be an apology and that the two boys should talk it out.  It was her son who had been hitting the Longstreet boy in the fight, yet she doesn’t want to let him off the hook.  You can’t hear any words exchanged when the boys fight, but she later brings up name-calling as a part of bullying and of the particular incident.  An argument of which boy is really to blame ensues; did Zachary start a physical fight or was it in defense of being called names?

Alan is rather removed, busy with taking business calls as Nancy tries to continue talking with the Longstreets about the boys’ problem.  He also doesn’t feel that his Zachary will ever apologize due to his personality.  In Alan’s opinion, kids fighting is just something that happens here and there.

While going over and over the situation between the Zachary and Ethan, the already tense discussions spill into further differences.  The Cowans and Longstreets argue about differences in their marriages and parenting styles.  However, it’s not just one set of parents against another; husband and wife get annoyed with each other as do both men and women.

Penelope is the much more aggressive of the two Longstreet parents, while Michael is laid-back and tries to make light of things.  She goes from showing a fairly reasonable demeanor to the parents of the boy she believes is entirely at fault.  However, various moments in the parents‘ meeting, as well as certain statements by Nancy, greatly anger her.

Early on, Michael is disliked by Nancy because of his disregard for a hamster’s well-being.  As part of his relaxed personality, simply letting the family pet go is an action which he tries to excuse as humanely as possible.  It is one such incident which causes judgement against the Longstreets and their characters as parents.

Some laughs come about, showing how the adults can still find some basic aspects of life that give common ground.  It’s all in how people communicate as mature, intelligent adults who are the starting points for a solution to a bullying incident.  Those moments of laughter make you feel as though they’ll all come together in mutual agreement.  Stay tuned.

“Carnage” features a lot of great acting to relay dealing with bullying, a topic that is so important to address.  It gives a glimpse of parents reacting and attempting to remedy such an incident among each other, debating the best follow-up steps.  From the boys in the beginning, to the assumed close of their parents’ meeting, the story filled with hard feelings reflects real life.  Kids are not the only ones who engage in bullying; adults do as well, even if it has nothing to do whatsoever with any offspring.  In some cases of bullying among adults, the one in the wrong never apologizes.

The parents in “Carnage” come from different worlds and one thing in particular about them makes it easy to imagine a real-life scenario of adults bullying.  It is especially as they begin to get personal in arguments about their married lives and parental skills.  Did they apologize after hitting on such personal and sensitive topics?  You’ll have to see what happens; I find it interesting how the scenes in the Longstreet home conclude.

This movie is one that I could really connect with in terms of the idea of apologies between people.  Whatever their age, I feel that people should talk things over and apologize when something hurtful is said or done.  Sometimes, blame might be mutual.  However, if only one person is clearly in the wrong, the apology is owed by that person to the other party involved.  In either case, why let it drag out for a long time?