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.
Yes, this is a day late. I am impressed I am getting a chance to post period. I think it is because I am trying to avoid dealing with the snow that is falling at the moment. It was supposed to be just a nice covering, but we are reaching shovelling levels. I have about a million things I should be doing, but I am just going to pretend they don't exist for the moment.
On another note, I would like to thank everyone for the Christmas cards! I feel a bit bad because this is the second year in a row I didn't. I will have to try and actually get them out next year. Also, I apologize for not visiting all the blogs for Virtual Advent. I will try and get a chance in the next few days.
Now, I should get this post finished so I can do the other things I really should be doing.
New Fall Shows
New Girl - I have every episode of this show so we can watch it, but we just never seemed to find the time. We finally had a bit of time the other night and caught up on the episodes we had missed. I honestly can't decide if I like this show. It is just a bit strange... We will have to see in the New Year if we keep it up. I still think I would have liked it better if the casting hadn't changed after the first episode.
Movies
Jim Henson CNN People Profiles, 1999 - I was looking for something on YouTube and this came up. I figured I would check it out and it was actually rather interesting. I enjoyed watching Henson grow-up in the show-business world and I actually learned a lot. It is still a real shame he died so young.
Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas - It might have actually been this movie that lead me to the special above. I hadn't seen it in years and I think they mentioned it on Tor.com. I had to track down a way to watch it. It's a great little movie and a perfect holiday film. If you haven't seen it, you should. It is from 1977 and includes the voices of all of your favourite Muppets.
The Smurfs - The other day I 'cleaned' the channels off the TV. There were some coming up that we didn't actually have. Needless to say, I seemed to have found a few channels. This movie was playing on one of them and I decided to give it a watch. I really enjoyed The Smurfs when it was on television, but not enough to flock to the theatres to see the movie. It was cute. The only problem I had with it was the cat vomited in one of the scenes and I was eating lunch at the time.
Jim Carrey's A Christmas Carol - If you follow me on Facebook you may have noticed where I said I started to watch this movie... I just thought it was terrible. I am thinking I only like this classic tale if it has a Muppet or cartoon character in it. So, I turned it off partway through to watch:
Muppet Christmas Carol - I love this movie! It is one of the movies I make sure to watch every Christmas. I introduced people to it over the years. It is just a fun movie and a great holiday tradition!
And, I did forget some movies last week where I hadn't posted the week before. They were:
Grown-ups - I REALLY wanted to see this movie at theatres, but we never made it. I thought it had an amazingly funny cast and would be fun to see. It was! I enjoyed it and am glad I finally got a chance to see it. It is not my favourite movie ever, but sometimes you just need to laugh.
The King's Speech - I don't get it... I am starting to think that I never agree with the Academy. It wasn't a terrible movie, but I found it boring at times and the cc stopped watching entirely. I actually wound up shutting it off about halfway through and then watching it by myself a few days later.
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...
We tend to tune in for movies and television on a mostly regular basis. I posted a general look at what I have been watching a couple weeks ago, but I thought I would talk a bit about what I have seen since.
Older Shows
NCIS - We are up to the fourth season on our rewatch. One of these days we will make it to the newest season that I received for my birthday. We didn't watch it on television religiously, so I am rather curious what happened! We can only watch so fast, though, and other things have been vying for attention.
House - I received the newest season on DVD for my birthday. I still haven't sat down and started watching it. I have had other things going on. The guy will watch it, but it is more my show than his. He isn't big on needles. My thing is anything to do with eyes... This also means I haven't watched any of the season airing on television. I have been hearing it is gone in a strange direction, though.
Bones - I decided to go back to the beginning and watch all the episodes of this show. I have made it through one. Very sad! I really like this show, but I just never remember to watch it unless I happen to catch it on television...
New Fall Shows
New Girl - I haven't watched this show since episode 3... I have episode 4 to watch, so maybe tonight we will at least watch that one. I am not even sure how far behind that makes us. I have to admit I REALLY liked the first episode, but then there was a cast change and I was a bit disappointed...
The Secret Circle - I have also fallen behind with this show. Did I mention I am really bad at keeping up with things? I have all of them to watch, but I just haven't got around to it. We might have to pause on NCIS and catch-up on a few things!
I have also fallen behind on Pan-Am and A Gifted Man. I really suck at keeping up with things!
Once Upon a Time - I LOVED this show. The first two episodes were awesome! I love fairy tale retellings and this has been a lot of fun so far. I think the guy even likes it. He doesn't really say because he is basically forced to watch it! I cannot wait for more!
Grimm - There has only been one episode of this so far. It is another fairy tale-type show. I am intrigued, but I can't say I loved the first episode. I look forward to the next one to see what I think of it. I think I will keep watching no matter what.
Movies
The Three Lord of the Rings Movies - I watched these and then decided to join in for the read-along of The Fellowship of the Ring. I am thinking I will have to rewatch the movies after finishing Return of the King in November. This is only the second time I have seen the extended versions of the movies. I have to admit it had been so long since I had seen the older versions that I probably missed a lot of the changes. It was still great to watch them. It was the first time that the cc had seen the extended versions. It gives me a good basis to compare and contrast the books as I reread them.
Jane Eyre - I finally read this book, so it was perfect timing for seeing the new movie. It was actually pretty good. It wasn't amazing and probably not my favourite movie ever, but I thought it was true to the book enough to be worth a watch. There were a few scenes that were cut out I would have liked seeing, but nothing major. It was a perfect Gothic movie for this time of the year, actually. I am glad I finally read the book and watched the movie.
Rebecca - When I read this book last year I knew I was going to have to watch the movie. It is the Alfred Hitchcock version and you can actually watch the entire thing on YouTube. I was very happy to have the chance to watch this! It was really good, I must admit. I think it perfectly captured the atmosphere and the mood of the classic novel. I am going to see about tracking down a copy to own.
Seven Year Itch - The guy wanted to watch this movie because of the classic Marilyn Munroe scene where her dress flies up. Overall, nothing amazing, but not a terrible movie. It is about time I got back to watching classic movies after doing rather well with it earlier this year. I have many more that I want to watch!
Volcano - I had actually seen this before, but the guy was home sick from work and he was having a movie night. I didn't see everything he watched, but I did watch this one. It is pretty good Tommy Lee Jones movie. It was nice to see the little girl from Now & Then. I loved that movie!
Bad Teacher - We actually watched this last night. It had its good parts, but overall I think most of the good scenes were in the trailer. My favourite Cameron Diaz movie remains The Holiday. That was actually on television the other night and it was nice to get a chance to see parts of it again. I will have to get my own copy at some point.
It all began with a letter inquiring about second-hand books, written by Helene Hanff in New York, and posted to a bookshop at 84, Charing Cross Road in London. As Helene's sarcastic and witty letters are responded to by the stodgy and proper Frank Doel of 84, Charing Cross Road, a relationship blossoms into a warm and charming long-distance friendship lasting many years.
I love books about books, so when I started seeing reviews of this book around the blogosphere, I knew I was going to have to read it. Helene Hanff is frustrated by the books available in American bookstores, so when she sees an advertisement for Marks & Co. in a magazine she decides to try her luck overseas. She writes a letter to the bookstore telling of her wishes. This letter starts a friendship that will play out for years. The letters are almost always answered by Frank Doel, but while her letters are very informal and often humourous; he has a bit more restraint. This was a charming little book. It is told through letters both between Helene and Frank, but also with other employees of the store, Frank's wife, and other friends of Helene making occasional appearances. If you haven't read this book yet, I strongly recommend it.
The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff
Completion Date: August 17, 2011
Reason for Reading: Sequel to 84, Charing Cross Road.
A zesty memoir of the celebrated writer's travels to England where she meets the cherished friends from 84, Charing Cross Road.
Over the years of correspondence in the first book, Helene often speaks of visiting England and meeting the people that have kept her in books for many years. There is always something that comes up that prevents her from doing so, though. Then, Frank dies and it seems she has left things much too late. She always promised to visit, though, so she has finally made her trip to England. At this point she has published her famous book and it is it that largely plays a roll in her finally getting the chance. The first book is told through letters, but this one is told through journal entries. She seems like such a fun person and she really comes to life through this book. It is a bittersweet journey, but she makes the best of it and visits all the places she has dreamed of for years. This book could also be seen as a travelogue.
84, Charing Cross Road - Starring Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins
Completion Date: August 21, 2011
Reason for Watching: The library actually had a copy.
True story of a transatlantic business correspondence about used books that developed into a close friendship.
It was fun to see the events of the book played out in a movie format. Anne Bancroft plays Helene and Anthony Hopkins plays Frank. It was a charming movie that I watched last night. I think Anne and Anthony did a really good job bringing the two characters to life. I also was impressed by how well the movie followed the book. The characters actually read the letters aloud, so they continue to play a large role. I enjoyed the movie and think I am going to see about getting a copy of both the movie and the two books of my own.
Have you read the books before? What did you think? If you have seen the movie, do you think it was faithful to the book?
Life in general. I am constantly attempting to catch-up on my reading, but there are other aspects of my life that I am constantly catching up on, too.
One television show I really like is House. I get the new season on DVD every year. The latest one I have had since October of last year and am just starting it now. That is mainly because the one that came out the year before? I hadn't watched the last disc. I am slow with everything it seems.
Another project we have been working on is watching all the movies we have bought and never watched. I don't watch a lot of television or movies when I am alone, so it is mainly what we do together.
As part of the Once Upon a Time Challenge, there is the Quest to watch movies.
Movies Watched for the Once Upon a Time Challenge:
Inception
I was really excited about this movie when I initially saw the previews. It was really good. A bit different than the normal movies out there. I have always been interested in dreams and dreaming, so a movie that explores them further was very interesting. Recommended!
Sin City
I had seen this once before, but it was a while ago and I don't think I saw it all. I knew it was something the cc would like, too, so I convinced him to watch it with me. It's a very well-done movie. I like movies that are filmed in interesting ways - plus have a good story. Recommended!
Tin Man
This is a mini-series and it was all kinds of awesome. It was better than the original movie! The story, the characters, everything was very well-done and I cannot wait to watch it again! Strongly Recommended!
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
This is actually only about the third time I have watched this movie. I was a big fan of the books growing up and was very excited about the movies when I heard they were going to be made. I am also happy that they are continuing after some setbacks. I really enjoy this movie overall. Recommended!
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
I actually hadn't seen this movie since it came out at theatres. I was happy to finally watch it again. I should have before now. Another interesting installment in the movie franchise. Recommended!
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
I had meant to watch this in theatres, but never made it. I was very happy to add the movie to my collection when it came out on DVD. It has been a while since I read the original story, so I think that made for a fresh watching experience. I look forward to more in the series. Recommended!
Bridge to Terabithia
I love love this movie for some reason. I have never read the actual book, but the movie feels like a trip down memory lane every time I watch it. Yes, it is a bit depressing at times, but I remember being like that when I was little. It also has one of the best endings for a movie I have seen. Strongly Recommended!
The Princess Bride
Another movie that I love. The cc wasn't sure if he had ever seen the movie before, and I am not sure what he thought of it, but it remains one of my favourite fantasy movie of all time. The story is so much fun and sticks with you long after you have watched the last scene. I really must read the book again this year. It has been a long time!
In other news, we went to watch Water for Elephants the other night. The cc didn't think he was going to like it, but he did. It was actually really well-done. I really enjoyed the book and I turned out to really enjoy the movie. I am always happy when that happens!
Dark deeds and intrigue abound when petty thief Sue Trinder (Sally Hawkins) helps con man Richard Rivers (Rupert Evans) defraud a wealthy heiress, Maud Lilly (Elaine Cassidy), of her inheritance. But Trinder's plans are thwarted when she falls in love with Lilly. The tale twists as the young women are separated but come to realize the strength of their passion for each other in this BBC adaptation of Sarah Waters Booker's novel.
In 2009 I had the pleasure of reading the book version. It was my second Sarah Waters, but it remains my favourite. Even though it is a bit of a mystery and I had solved a couple of them ahead of time, I was still gripped by the story. I loved the book and it has remained with me very well. When I am finally caught up with Waters I am going to go back and reread it. I had no idea, though, that there had been a mini-series made. When I happened upon it back when I first joined Netflix, I was intrigued, but also a bit scared. I have a hard time watching movies based on favourite books. More often than not, I have lots of problems or have to pretend that the book and movie are separate entities in order to enjoy it.
I decided to give it a try, though, and I am very happy that I did! There were obviously a few things taken out and such, but nothing was overly changed. The mystery was still there. Even though I had read the book, so knew where the movie was headed, I was still captivated and glued to my seat. When I started it I had only planned to watch a bit just to get a feel for it, but I ended up watching the first half. This completely destroyed my reading time. I kept wanting to know what happened next, even though I all ready knew. And, I have to say, which is a big deal for me, I actually enjoyed the romance quality of both the book and the movie. It was unconventional and sweet. While being a central aspect, it was still rather understated. And, obviously, there is so much more going on.
As to the acting, I thought it was very well done for the most part. Not to mention Rupert Evans is rather nice to look at. They all played their parts really well, though, and it honestly felt like I was watching the book come to life. I was a bit worried last night that the only reason I liked the movie was because I expected to hate it, but after finishing it, I know that I love it. I was freaking out all day thinking I wasn't going to be able to fit it in, but it all ended well. I finished and decided that I really wanted to watch it again very soon, so I am going to share it with the cc. I was trying to explain it all to him today and there is just too much to talk about. Not to mention I don't want to reveal too much.
Bottom-line, I really enjoyed this movie and am very happy that I took a chance on it. I now really want to read Sarah Waters!
One of the things that I am attempting for 2011 is to watch classic films. Unless they were on television, I never really watched them before. I thought I would share my progress so far.
Some Like it Hot
When musicians Jerry (Jack Lemmon) and Joe (Tony Curtis) accidentally witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, they get out of town the only way they know how -- dressed as women. But things heat up on the road when they meet a curvy blonde (Marilyn Monroe) who plays the ukulele. This legendary screwball comedy reveals dark, hilarious roots with its transvestitism, palpable sex and winning performances that helped it earn classic status.
This was my first Marilyn Monroe movie and it was very entertaining!
Casablanca
In this Oscar-winning classic, American expat Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) plays host to gamblers, thieves and refugees at his Moroccan nightclub during World War II ... but he never expected Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) - the woman who broke his heart -- to walk through that door. Ilsa hopes that with Rick's help, she and her fugitive husband (Paul Henreid) can escape to America. But the spark that brought the lovers together still burns brightly.
For some reason I wasn't crazy about this movie... I think I might have to try it again at some point.
My Fair Lady
In this classic cinematic version of the Broadway smash, Audrey Hepburn is at her most radiant as Eliza Doolittle, the Cockney flower girl transformed into a poised duchess by Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison, reprising his Broadway role). The restored and remastered special edition includes an audio commentary with crew members and Doolittle's singing voice, Marni Nixon. The film won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
I wanted to love this movie, but the bad singing and the horrible ending didn't do a lot for me... I wrote a longish review of this one here.
Funny Face
Fred Astaire's inimitable dancing feet come full circle in George and Ira Gershwin's airy 1957 musical gambol about high-fashion photography in Paris, co-starring Audrey Hepburn as a newly discovered fashion model. Paris (and Hepburn) have rarely looked better thanks to Ray June's luminous cinematography, and the classic score includes songs such as "S'Wonderful," "He Loves and She Loves" and the title tune.
This was a good movie. I was starting to think that I wasn't crazy about Audrey Hepburn, but there was something about this movie that really appealed to me...
The Philadelphia Story
Socialite Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) prepares to remarry, but her ex (Cary Grant) and a tabloid reporter (Best Supporting Actor Oscar-winner James Stewart) have other ideas as they converge on her home for a fateful visit. The three stars form an incomparable trio in one of the most tantalizing screwball romances ever. And under the direction of George Cukor, this once-urbane Broadway comedy springs to life with precision and wit.
I loved this movie! The wit was fantastic! I think I like Katharine better than Audrey so far. It was brilliantly done.
