Today is another review of a movie watched by Suey and I. For those that missed it, we started with the BBC mini-series Sherlock Holmes and watched the first season. You can read my part of the discussion by clicking here. Then, we decided we should do it again and I suggested we try Midnight in Paris because I had been seeing it mentioned around the blogosphere. You can read my thoughts on the movie here. For this time around, Suey suggested The Tree of Life. You can read my answers to her questions below and be sure to head over to her blog to read her answers to my questions.
1. Did you have any expectations for this movie? If so, did it turn out like you expected?
- I really had no expectations for this movie. I had never even heard of it before, but you suggested it and I didn't have any reason to not watch it. I did glance at a synopsis when we were discussing when to watch it, but that was as far as I went. I find the synopsis makes this movie sound so simple, but it is much more complicated.
2. What do you think "the point" was of this movie? What were we supposed to learn, if anything?
Well, before I watched the movie I thought it was about a boy whose brother dies and he suffers from loss of innocence. But, I still didn't really get what happened to the boy. I also never really saw the loss of innocence because when the children were young there were always the three of them. It wasn't until he was old that you see him alone (played by Sean Penn) and I didn't really get it all. Instead, it is one of those movies where there is a lot of imagery is used to tell a story. I always tell people I am a bread and butter reader when it comes to storyline. I would much rather have everything laid out straight, with a few mysteries being fine, but not a story where you basically have to guess what happened.
3. What were your favorite parts, if any.
I do agree with people who say this is a 'pretty' movie. It might not have made sense a lot of the time, but at least those moments were nice to look at.
4. In the end, are you glad or bugged that we took the time to watch it? :)
Well, the entire experience started out interesting. We were watching through my computer because the Blu-Ray player is driving me nuts (turns out we have a loose cord). So, I push play and we sit there... No sound. And, the movie starts with some of those imagery moments, so I have to admit between the sound and the strange pictures on the screen that I thought the movie was entirely ruined. When I figured out that someone muted my sound and that those pictures were actually part of the movie, I got a bit scared. I actually am glad we watched it. The Twitter conversation was fun, the random commentary from the guy in the background was entertaining, and it is much easier to write this review than say the one for Midnight in Paris because that was a gushing positive experience.
5. What movie did 'the guy' watch after this one, and did it help ease the pain?
Yeah, he hated this movie. He had some colourful things to say the entire time. So, he decided he was going to stay up and watch another movie. For reasons that I am not quite sure, he chose Mona Lisa's Smile and he didn't like it. So, no, he just had a bad movie night all around.
6. Would you recommend this to anyone?
I think people that like artistic movies would probably like this one. I just don't really like artistic movies myself...
Don't forget to visit Suey's post! I believe that our next viewing experience will be The Help. I have seen it, but Suey has not. We have both read the book, though. Tune in soon to see our thoughts on the experience!
A family travel to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple who are forced to confront their differing views of a perfect life.
This was to be a buddy review with Suey from It's All About Books, but my day got away from me and I am just getting around to posting now. We watched the movie together and chatted on Twitter. It was fun! It was a really good movie, too.
What was your favorite scene from the movie?
There were many. Every time I recognized a 'real life' character I got a bit excited. The painters I had a hard time with, but the literary connections I usually made right away. Sometimes it would be just a matter of looking up the painters and that would connect with me, too. Otherwise, I just enjoyed the whole time he spent in the past. Paris is a wonderful place now, but the history is wonderful and I think this movie captured it very well.
How do you feel the famous literary/artistic characters were portrayed?
I loved their additions. For the ones that I knew they really seemed like my impressions of them. I thought that the actress that played Zelda Fitzgerald was wonderful! Ernest Hemingway was really good, too. The painters I don't have enough of an impression of to really make an opinion.
Did Gil make the right choice? (I guess this is quite a spoilery question!)
hm, well, I will be a bit un-spoilery I will just say YES!
Hi! I hope that even if you are not interested in the actual content of this post you will at least pop by to offer your impressions on my new template. I am very excited about it! It was designed by Alex at Le Canape. I think she did an awesome job and that it really suits me. I have been rearranging things a bit, but if you have any suggestions feel free to chime in.
Tuning in on Thursday - Week 10
This was actually a quiet viewing week...
Movies
Horrible Bosses - You know how everyone has celebrity crushes? Well, the guy is a huge fan of Jennifer Aniston. If she is in a movie I know that I eventually will have to see it. This worked out well when I wanted to see Marley and Me, though. I wanted to eventually see this one anyway, so I was glad that we sat down and watched it the other night. It was funny, but I expected better. It could have been a lot better than it was, though. There was not as much humour and laugh out loud moments as I would have liked.
Valkyrie - This was actually on television the other night. I am not a huge fan of Tom Cruise, but I like movies set during World War 2. It was actually rather good. I wanted to see it when it came out, but forgot about it for a while there. I actually recommend it and would like to watch it again without the commercials.
Friday Reads - 3rd Edition
Hypothetically... I haven't had much time to read this lately and I really need to get back to it.
Also hypothetically...
I am reading this now. My audio book plans have taken a vacation because the guy's mp3 player broke and he borrowed mine. He was at least nice enough to wait until I got this from the library. If I was a big audio book listener it would probably be a big deal, but where it was still relatively new I am good for the time being. The guy can't handle not having music, so I was nice.
I was hoping to at least finish this book tonight, but I went to see a play that my friend was in earlier, then I had to shovel the driveway, and now the guy is coming home early from work because of a heating issue in one of the apartments. It is mainly because we are both a bit concerned about the space heater they are using in the meantime...
I was so excited to watch Once Upon a Time last Sunday and then it wasn't on until partway through because of a football game. I have it to watch, but I just haven't had a chance to since. I am really disappointed because I had waited all day to be able to watch. So, that's it for newish shows and I didn't even watch it.
Older Shows
I have had all sorts of hopes, but I did not get around to any of the older shows I have been watching lately either. I was supposed to have watched Sherlock Holmes and I really want to watch Bones, but it just hasn't happened. Hopefully this week!
Movies
The guy has been a movie mood lately, so these are just the ones I have bothered to pay attention to lately. He has watched more.
16 Blocks - This movies stars Bruce Willis as a washed-up alcoholic cop. I wasn't super thrilled by the movie choice, he always seems to play the same role, but I have to admit it wasn't entirely bad. It is basically about a guy who is a witness and is to testify in court in order to be freed from his own life of crime. Bruce Willis has to take him 16 blocks to testify, but things do not work out as easy as all that...
The Invasion - I wanted to see this movie back when it was in theatres, but then never got around to actually watching it until now. It was a science-fiction movie, so it was perfect for the month of January to coincide with the Science-Fiction Experience. It was also rather good. The guy says it is a new version of The Body Snatchers. I am proud to be able to say I have even heard of that movie before. I haven't seen it, though...
28 Days - I had seen this movie before, but the guy hadn't. We have combined our movie collections, but really do not branch into each others all that much. I always really liked this movie for some reason, probably Viggo Mortenson, and I think he enjoyed it for the most part.
Mercury Rising - Yeah, more Bruce Willis. The guy watched some interesting movies that I would have watched other than this one, but this is when I tuned in. Again, not a terrible movie, but mainly because I thought the little boy in it did a REALLY good job. Bruce basically just played himself...
Gothika - Now, this movie was strange. I didn't really know if I was going to like it, but it was actually not that bad. I seem to like movies and books that are tied in with mental institutions and this was no exception. It was another one that I thought looked interesting when it came out and then never got around to watching it. I think the guy liked it, too.
I missed last week, so now I am probably going to forget to talk about a few things... I should have written things down! Let's see how I make out...
Older Shows
NCIS - We watched maybe one or two episodes of NCIS, but then the other night when it was time to watch something I put a movie on. I just need a change. We will probably resume our re-watching in the New Year.
Bones - I have paused on watching this show. I have too many things that I want to do, so I will probably pick this back up in the New Year, too. I have been dropping many, many hints about getting the seasons of this show on DVD. I don't think they registered...
Big Love - I also paused on this show. I never even finished the first season... I got a bit distracted with other things, but I do at least want to see how it plays out. I will have to find a bit of time for it soon.
Sherlock Holmes - I am not sure where to put this, so I will stick it in here. I decided to finally watch the show that is done by the BBC. I mentioned that I was and now I am buddy watching it with Suey from It's All About Books. I watched the first episode a few nights ago and really enjoyed it. Suey has caught up with me so I should be watching episode 2 tonight or tomorrow.
New Fall Shows
Once Upon a Time - I continue to love this show! I am amazed that every Sunday I watch this show with the guy. This is a very unheard of thing. For one thing, I didn't expect him to even like the show. Then, there is the actual sitting down to watch a show when it is actually on. There is one Sunday a month where the guy is at work for it, but otherwise we are religious watchers.
Grimm - I think we are an episode behind in this show. Friday nights are just a bad night for planned television watching. We will have to catch-up sometime soon. I don't think we are going to be home for this weeks episode either.
Movies
This is where my memory will have to start working...
The Muppets - This is the new movie that is playing at theatres. We went to see it a couple weeks ago. I was very happy to get a chance to see it in theatres. I don't go to the theatres very often, so you know a movie is special when I make the effort (and pay the ridiculous price). It was fun to visit with old friends. It really is The Muppets for a new generation, though. The voices are different. I just can't imagine The Muppets without Frank Oz, for example, but the newer generation wouldn't really know any different. I think they should have made more of this franchise when they had the chance.
This was one of my favourite parts of the movie (this is changed a bit):
Muppet Family Christmas - You can actually watch the entire thing on YouTube. When they released it on DVD they didn't include some of the songs because they didn't want to pay the fees, but this is the original movie in its entirety. I was so excited! I'll probably watching it again with the guy because he was saying he hadn't seen that movie in ages. It was just a nice trip down Memory Lane.
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson - Jim Henson makes a cameo at the end of the movie above, so it got me thinking about him. I found out that this was made. I probably have seen it before, but it was so long ago I only have vague memories. I think he would have really enjoyed his tribute. It also lead me to finding this video, which everyone should watch:
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years - It is hard to believe that The Muppets are now 50 years old. I think it was a bit disappointing that more of a big deal wasn't made about it. It really was just a money-making period by releasing the older movies on DVD. I appreciate that, but I still think they should have had some fun with it. I really wish Jim Henson had lived longer. As you can tell the new movie put me in a Muppet mood. I still have to watch Muppet Christmas Carol and I am getting Muppet Treasure Island for Christmas. I just love Jim Henson. I have his other movies, too. I collect them every time they are released on DVD.
Moving on...
A Single Man - I am a bit of a thief, but I am attempting to broaden my music and movie horizons. On Wednesday's I have been posting about music that Ana recommended for Debi. And, well, I have also been browsing the movie selections. I really hope Debi doesn't mind! Anyway, Chris recommended this movie for her and I really like Colin Firth. Apparently this movie had some award buzz. Did I mention I live under a rock? I probably did hear about it, but I didn't pay attention. I really liked this movie, though. It was a very different movie for Colin Firth, but he acted in it very well and the movie itself was overall done well. (And, wow, what a contrast from The Muppets!)
I know there were probably more, but I can't remember.
And, you know what? I can tell you easily where my love of science-fiction came from: Star Trek. I have always struggled with an answer for the fantasy question, but it is so apparent now... Jim Henson. Have you ever seen the greats like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth? (Also, watching the Jim Henson Tribute reminded me that I have misplaced my DVD of The Storyteller. That is sad...) Anyway, he was my earliest influence, so it is easy to trace him from those movies to my fantasy reading. I bet you needed to know that desperately, right? And, yes, I am bit of a nerd. Puppets are cool, though!
Moving back on the correct subject, I came across a challenge tonight that fits with my current goal of attempting to broaden my movie horizons. It is called The 2012 Movie Madness Challenge.
Guidelines:
· Record each movie you watch. You don’t have to review any or all of them but at the end of each month make a post with the list of movies you have seen that month and a final tally of 2012 to help keep track of it all.
· There are four levels in which you can attempt to achieve:
25 Movies: Movie Newbie
50 Movies: Movie Fanatic
75 Movies: Movie Critic
100+ Movies: Movie Master
· Mini Series count but only as ONE movie, as do Television Series (the entire series and not just single episodes)
· The movies don’t need to be new, old favorites also count.
· We will post a monthly update at both The Talking Teacup and A Girl, Books & Other Things where you can also share your progress in the comments if you are not a blogger, and we will show last months leaders and what not.
· Have fun with this guys!
My List:
1. 16 Blocks (Watched January 6, 2011) (review)
2. The Invasion (Watched January 6, 2012) (review)
3. 28 Days (Watched January 7, 2012) (review)
4. Mercury Rising (Watched January 8, 2012) (review)
5. Gothika (Watched January 9, 2012) (review)
6. Horrible Bosses (Watched January 14, 2012)
7. Valkyrie (Watched January 15, 2012)
I still haven't made up my mind about book challenges for 2012, but I am going to join this one for sure. I think I will sign-up for Movie Newbie, watch 25 movies, and then take it from there.
If you are interested in joining yourself the information is all found over here.
I will probably keep these posts up in 2012... If anyone is bored I wouldn't mind a button for it...
