Last Movie You Watched

[Tacenda]

"Lone Survivor" is a must see. There are a lot of F-bombs, but I'm probably so desensitized or I was able to look past it in this movie. The movie is incredible and the ending will surprise, I learned something that I had no idea about.

There is so much to say but don't want to give away anything. My high school son went and said it was the best movie he'd ever seen, I know it affected him. Normally I'd cringe at some R's that he might see but not this one. And definitely makes you realize what amazing soldiers we have in giving us a life of peace and freedom from tyranny.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Tacenda

[Calm]

This review might provide some additional info that gives what is described in the movie greater depth:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2014/01/09/movie-review-lone-survivor/zIiaDIYGiJ74wCHzRzeS6I/story.html

[thesometimesaint]

Under The Tuscan Sun.

[Garden Girl]

Actually, it was on BYU-TV...  "Night Crossing"

 

This is based on a true story and takes place in East Germany during the Berlin Wall days... Many of you here are too young to remember the Berlin Wall and every day the news stories about people trying to escape to the West... and the lengths to which they would go to try and do so.  And the terrible consequences if they were caught... many were shot in their attempts to escape.  Most were imprisoned. 

It  was hard to understand how a country could try such force, for the whole world to see, to keep its citizens from leaving...

This story is one I actually remember from the news as it was so touching... about the human spirit and the quest to be free.

These two families got together and actually made a hot air balloon that they pieced together from hundreds of square yards of material... constructed the torch to dispense the propane(?) which they would use to heat the air in the balloon...  and the basket they would sit in... I believe there were eight people (4 adults, 4 young children).  Anyway, when all was ready they went into the countryside where they launched the balloon, which carried them successfully westward far enough to soar across the border into West Germany.  It was an incredible story....

 

GG

Edited January 13, 2014 by Garden Girl

[Kenngo1969]

I re-read my post, the movie was up there, but realize I may have went over board on it being the best movie ever. Anyone actually have a best movie ever?

Casablanca, with Bergman and Bogart?

[Kenngo1969]

Movies I've recently watched:

 

As others have pointed out, It's A Wonderful Life.  "Ma mouth's bleedin' Bert!  Ma mouth's bleedin'!"  A Christmas tradition.

 

Catching Fire.  Excellent.

 

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug.  Also excellent.

 

Last night I watched Radio with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ed Harris, about a football coach (and later a team and a school) that befriends a mentally challenged man and brings him out of his shell.  (Perhaps not your cup of [herbal] tea, but as someone with a developmental [thought not a cognitive] disability, these sorts of things speak to me.  I thought Gooding's performance was excellent.

[Tacenda]

Movies I've recently watched:

As others have pointed out, It's A Wonderful Life. "Ma mouth's bleedin' Bert! Ma mouth's bleedin'!" A Christmas tradition.

Catching Fire. Excellent.

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug. Also excellent.

Last night I watched Radio with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ed Harris, about a football coach (and later a team and a school) that befriends a mentally challenged man and brings him out of his shell. (Perhaps not your cup of [herbal] tea, but as someone with a developmental [thought not a cognitive] disability, these sorts of things speak to me. I thought Gooding's performance was excellent.

First year I missed "It's a Wonderful Life" during Christmas, in I don't know how many years. And I've never watched with anyone but myself. My family won't watch black and white movies. It's probably one of my favorite movies. I choke up at the end every time.

[bluebell]

I just saw "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" on HBO last week and really liked it. 

 

It's about a bunch of 60+ year olds from England who each for their own reasons end up in India at this run down hotel for old people.  Good actors and very touching.

[Kenngo1969]

First year I missed "It's a Wonderful Life" during Christmas, in I don't know how many years. And I've never watched with anyone but myself. My family won't watch black and white movies. It's probably one of my favorite movies. I choke up at the end every time.

I'm not sure what I was doing instead, but I missed watching it with my family this year on Christmas Eve (Utah's KSL Channel 5 broadcasts it every Christmas Eve), as well.  I was bummed when I realized I missed it, but I figured "Better late than never," and found it on Youtube and watched it on Christmas Day.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frXklECPkD0

 

Happy viewing!

 

P.S.: I didn't realize that in the process of copying the above link from Youtube to paste it into this message, I actually started the movie.  When I clicked on the window again about 1 1/2 hours later and realized the movie was playing (I have headphones for my laptop that were plugged in, but I wasn't wearing them at the time), I said, "What the heck?!"  And I watched the last 35-40 minutes of the movie again. Still great, even "out of season."   

Edited January 14, 2014 by Kenngo1969

[Tacenda]

I'm not sure what I was doing instead, but I missed watching it with my family this year on Christmas Eve (Utah's KSL Channel 5 broadcasts it every Christmas Eve), as well. I was bummed when I realized I missed it, but I figured "Better late than never," and found it on Youtube and watched it on Christmas Day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frXklECPkD0

Happy viewing!

P.S.: I didn't realize that in the process of copying the above link from Youtube to paste it into this message, I actually started the movie. When I clicked on the window again about 1 1/2 hours later and realized the movie was playing (I have headphones for my laptop that were plugged in, but I wasn't wearing them at the time), I said, "What the heck?!" And I watched the last 35-40 minutes of the movie again. Still great, even "out of season."

Thanks Kenngo! I'll try to watch online, but you're right, it does play every Christmas Eve. I don't know why I didn't remember. I love your one liners from the movie. I can think of several great moments like that in the movie. And Jimmy Stewart is such a great actor. You've probably seen him in Mr. Krueger's Christmas also.

[Deborah]

Not a movie, but I've become hooked on "The Blacklist." James Spader is ruthless but my gosh what a great character. Don't ever get on his bad side.

[altersteve]

Lone Survivor is in my opinion the best movie of 2013. It absolutely shattered me. It's VERY violent and has a lot of swearing, but if you're able to sit through that, then please, please, please, see this movie. It loved how it broke down the "cool" image of war and showed it for the grotesque and heartbreaking affair it really is. And Mark Wahlberg gives the best performance of his career here.

 

Seriously, what an emotional ride this movie is. The best war movie I've seen since Saving Private Ryan. If you do see it, bring a tissue box, and get ready for one of the most vicious and intense action sequences I've ever experienced. One scene in particular in which four Navy SEALs are falling off a cliff is utterly brutal -- you could hear everyone in the audience give an audible collective groan when they finally hit the bottom. Scenes like that make this movie a difficult viewing experience, but it's worth it -- this is the most inspiring movie I've seen in years.

Edited January 14, 2014 by altersteve

[bluebell]

Can you tell us what is inspiring about it altersteve?

[Calm]

Not a movie, but I've become hooked on "The Blacklist." James Spader is ruthless but my gosh what a great character. Don't ever get on his bad side.

Very complicated story, very interesting and the characters are believable as who they are.

[altersteve]

Can you tell us what is inspiring about it altersteve?

It makes you grateful for what you have, and for me, it was one of those movies that reminded me of the good in this world. There's a lot of hatred and violence going on all the time, but the acts of love and kindness from good people proves that this world is still a great place to be. I love movies that show this.

[Calm]

I think this may be a case if the review i read was correct where reality is even better than the movie, sounds like the sacrifice made to help was even greater than portrayed....

[altersteve]

I'm reading the book right now. I'll let you know if that's the case when I finish it.

[Calm]

Good!

I would like to know, but these days I stay away from biographies and real to life hardship stories ven with happy endings. I just don't have spare emotional energy to invest in them and a well told story will drain me dry. Have to keep things fairly clinical or small bites.

But that doesn't stop my rabid curiosity unfortunately.

Edited January 14, 2014 by calmoriah

[PtolemyGlenn]

Last movies I watched last night was the Red Dawn remake. More action sequence than the original but no one can beat the original cast.

Also watched Identity with John Cusack and Ray Liotta. About 10 people stranded at a hotel and one by one they die. Very good twist.

[Okrahomer]

I was looking at the website “Rotten Tomatoes” today.  I was trying to identify a movie my wife and I might enjoy seeing this weekend.  I noticed this one which currently gets a very high 88% and was intrigued that one of the main characters is described as a “Mormon Princess.”  I'm not sure I know what a Mormon Pincess is; nevertheless, here’s the synopsis from Wikipedia:

 

“Social warfare breaks out in a suburban high school when the three clique queens who rule the school compete for this year's must-have teen girl accessory - the G.B.F. (or Gay Best Friend). GBF tells the story of two closeted best friends, Tanner (Michael J. Willett) and Brent (Paul Iacono). Brent longs for the spotlight and has a plan that will make him the most popular kid in school. He believes that coming out will make him instantly popular, as the newest must-have teen girl “accessory”: The G.B.F. Tanner on the other hand, would rather fly under the radar and graduate from high school without ever being noticed.

When things don’t go according to plan and Tanner is outed instead of Brent, the two boys go from B.F.F.s to instant frenemies and the three most popular girls in school -- queen-of-mean bombshell Fawcett (Sasha Pieterse), drama club diva Caprice (Xosha Roquemore) and sweet, Mormon good-girl ‘Shley (Andrea Bowen) launch an all-out social war to win Tanner’s status-enhancing friendship. Meanwhile, Tanner must choose between skyrocketing popularity and the friends he is leaving behind.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.B.F.)

 

Does this storyline interest anyone?  We will probably skip it and go see the new Jack Ryan movie with Tom Cruise instead.

[altersteve]

Jack Ryan has Chris Pine, not Tom Cruise.

[thesometimesaint]

I just saw "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" on HBO last week and really liked it. 

 

It's about a bunch of 60+ year olds from England who each for their own reasons end up in India at this run down hotel for old people.  Good actors and very touching.

 

I really liked it too. But then I'm 60+ years old.

[Okrahomer]

Jack Ryan has Chris Pine, not Tom Cruise.

 

Oops!

[Garden Girl]

First year I missed "It's a Wonderful Life" during Christmas, in I don't know how many years. And I've never watched with anyone but myself. My family won't watch black and white movies. It's probably one of my favorite movies. I choke up at the end every time.

 

I actually looked for this movie on TV during Christmas and I couldn't find it... there were numerous versions of "Christmas Carol" but no Wonderful Life...  I was so disappointed.

 

GG

[Kenngo1969]

I actually looked for this movie on TV during Christmas and I couldn't find it... there were numerous versions of "Christmas Carol" but no Wonderful Life...  I was so disappointed.

 

GG

Aha!  So there are disadvantages to living on The Beautiful Oregon Coast, after all!

Edited January 16, 2014 by Kenngo1969