What Movies Have You Seen Lately?

fljustice · Post by **fljustice** » Thu July 1st, 2010, 4:42 pm

I saw Winter's Bone last night - a chilling movie set in the rural Ozarks. My family were ex-ridge runners from the coal country in the Appalachian Mountains, so the local folks looked awfully familiar. The young actress Jennifer Lawrence does a wonderful job in the lead as Ree Dolly - a 17-year old with a sick mother and two younger siblings, trying to find her meth cooking dad before a bail bondsman takes away the family home. John Hawkes (played Sol Star in the TV series Deadwood) also does a great job as her uncle.

More in line with historical fiction, I saw Agora a couple of weeks ago and loved Rachel Weisz' performance as Hypatia the famous 5C mathematician and Lady Philosopher of Alexandria. It's beautifully shot. Too bad it's getting such limited distribution in the US. The director Amenabar distorts some history in service to his art (Hypatia and the Great Library didn't end that way and Synesius wasn't a jerk), but that's what artists do. I don't go to the movies for history. For people who want to know more about the historical Hypatia, I highly recommend a very readable biography "Hypatia of Alexandria" by Maria Dzielska (Harvard University Press, 1995). I also have a series of posts on the historical events and characters in the film at my blog - not a movie review, just a "reel vs. real" discussion.

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Thu July 1st, 2010, 7:18 pm

[quote=""Ash""]Sonja, I am not up on actors much outside of their roles, but now that you mention it, yes, I can see the genes! I love Will Smith, and Jaden looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Hope he gets roles as an adult, and not just coz he's a cute kid with a famous dad.[/quote]

You should check out "The Pursuit of Happyness" (Yes that is how it's spelled in the movie title), Will and Jaden work together, I liked the movie, it's based on a true story.

SM

cw gortner · Post by **cw gortner** » Thu July 1st, 2010, 11:28 pm

I've been wanting to see Agora and it's not playing in the Bay Area!

I saw The Descent, Part 2 (don't bother, it's like a bad parody of the first one) and Valentine's Day, which was cute but forgettable.

Tonight, The Road.

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Mon July 5th, 2010, 11:15 pm

Watched Sense and Sensibility this afternoon.

N. Gemini Sasson · Post by **N. Gemini Sasson** » Tue July 6th, 2010, 12:40 pm

Over the weekend, I saw The Lovely Bones - odd, sad, touching, but left an impression on me. Actually inspired me to want to read the book.

Also watched Colin Farrell in The New World. Geez, if they had taught about John Smith and Pocohontas like that in school, American History class would've been so much more interesting.

fljustice · Post by **fljustice** » Tue July 6th, 2010, 3:05 pm

[quote=""N. Gemini Sasson""]Over the weekend, I saw The Lovely Bones - odd, sad, touching, but left an impression on me. Actually inspired me to want to read the book.[/quote]

We also watched The Lovely Bones this weekend. It's very different from the book. There's some wonderful surreal imagery in the movie. Love that Peter Jackson!

Then went to see Toy Story 3 with our daughter to get out of the heat. Both my husband and I cried at the end when Andy goes away to college. Warning graduates: don't see this movie with your parents!

Jemidar · Post by **Jemidar** » Tue July 6th, 2010, 4:09 pm

[quote=""Nefret""]Watched Sense and Sensibility this afternoon.

[/quote]

The Emma Thompson one?

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Tue July 6th, 2010, 4:15 pm

[quote=""Jemidar""]The Emma Thompson one?[/quote]

Yes. I liked it.

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Tue July 6th, 2010, 4:30 pm

[quote=""Jemidar""]The Emma Thompson one?[/quote]

I think that's the best JA adap of all of them, yes even the legendary Firth version of P & P.

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Tue July 6th, 2010, 4:38 pm

[quote=""Madeleine""]I think that's the best JA adap of all of them, yes even the legendary Firth version of P & P.[/quote]

I plan to watch the legendary Firth version of P & P later today. Just to compare. I also watch one version of Persuasion last night.