I'm attempting to watch all the movies that were nominated for an Oscar
this year. I am going to post my review of each one with how I actually
felt about the movie. I'm not going to give a detailed plot because
I'm not amazon and you can easily look there... or imdb... or
wikipedia...
I was at work the other day and heard some of the old biddies talking about recent movies they watched. One of them said she watched August: Osage County and thought it was boring. I would have to agree... but only for the first 15 min or so. At the beginning, it's hard to get into because it's pointless drivel. However, make sure you don't give up too soon because it gets better.
My favorite thing about this movie was the development of the characters. Each one was very well developed, very well acted out and it was easy to understand why they did what they did in given situations. There were many parts that made me laugh out loud. Just the way the family dynamic is because they are more of the "typical" American family than the Brady Bunch families of the past.
There's quite a bit of profanity and some sexuality, but it's not really that extreme that I think it would be off-putting to those with delicate sensibilities.
I was really happy to see the mom from The Millers on it. She did a great job as well. It was also nice to see Julia Roberts as a non-cutesy character.
Oh, and someone explain to me why any one of the people there didn't turn the air conditioning on!! Who cares what one person thinks?
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
My 2014 Oscar Movie Reviews: 12 Years a Slave
I'm attempting to watch all the movies that were nominated for an Oscar
this year. I am going to post my review of each one with how I actually
felt about the movie. I'm not going to give a detailed plot because
I'm not amazon and you can easily look there... or imdb... or
wikipedia...
I had forgotten that this was the movie that actually won best picture until I was talking to my mom about it last night. I finally got around to watching it during the day yesterday.
It was good. I hesitate to say "great" because it's one of those movies that leaves you feeling like a horrible person when you're done watching it. Of course I never owned slaves, but some of my ancestors probably did. Maybe not... probably not... I don't really know. But if they did, shame on them.
So, it's another movie based on a true story. Chiwetel Ejiofor was fantastic. I don't remember who won for best actor, but he probably should have. Oh, wait, it was Matthew... Mccccblahblah. Well, that's understandable too... soo... I liken a black actor playing a slave in a movie to a Jewish actor playing someone in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. You are realizing how much your ancestors went through and the great unjustices that were done to them. They were demoralized and treated like dogs, when they were human beings and should have had the same rights as everyone else. It's despicable.
But if you can put aside the revulsion of what you are witnessing, knowing that it is very typical to the time of slavery, it's a good movie. The acting was very well done, with the villainous characters being very easy to hate. I wouldn't watch it with your kids, just because of the material. You might think it will help them learn about slavery, but really... I wouldn't let a kid under 14 watch it.
I had forgotten that this was the movie that actually won best picture until I was talking to my mom about it last night. I finally got around to watching it during the day yesterday.
It was good. I hesitate to say "great" because it's one of those movies that leaves you feeling like a horrible person when you're done watching it. Of course I never owned slaves, but some of my ancestors probably did. Maybe not... probably not... I don't really know. But if they did, shame on them.
So, it's another movie based on a true story. Chiwetel Ejiofor was fantastic. I don't remember who won for best actor, but he probably should have. Oh, wait, it was Matthew... Mccccblahblah. Well, that's understandable too... soo... I liken a black actor playing a slave in a movie to a Jewish actor playing someone in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. You are realizing how much your ancestors went through and the great unjustices that were done to them. They were demoralized and treated like dogs, when they were human beings and should have had the same rights as everyone else. It's despicable.
But if you can put aside the revulsion of what you are witnessing, knowing that it is very typical to the time of slavery, it's a good movie. The acting was very well done, with the villainous characters being very easy to hate. I wouldn't watch it with your kids, just because of the material. You might think it will help them learn about slavery, but really... I wouldn't let a kid under 14 watch it.
Monday, April 21, 2014
My 2014 Oscar Movie Reviews: Philomena
I'm attempting to watch all the movies that were nominated for an Oscar
this year. I am going to post my review of each one with how I actually
felt about the movie. I'm not going to give a detailed plot because
I'm not amazon and you can easily look there... or imdb... or
wikipedia...
I had never even heard of this movie before I saw it listed as an Oscar nominee. So, aside from reading the back, I didn't know what it was supposed to be about.
Basically, this movie was slow and boring. Another nominee that was based on a true story. Is it an interesting story? I guess. Is it a crazy bizarre unusual going-to-make-your-jaw-drop story? No. I'm not really sure what about it made it movie worthy. Yes, Judi Dench is great at what she does. Aside from that, there's nothing really wow about this movie. I fell asleep and had to go back a couple times. It's not a BAD movie... just ... boring.
I had never even heard of this movie before I saw it listed as an Oscar nominee. So, aside from reading the back, I didn't know what it was supposed to be about.
Basically, this movie was slow and boring. Another nominee that was based on a true story. Is it an interesting story? I guess. Is it a crazy bizarre unusual going-to-make-your-jaw-drop story? No. I'm not really sure what about it made it movie worthy. Yes, Judi Dench is great at what she does. Aside from that, there's nothing really wow about this movie. I fell asleep and had to go back a couple times. It's not a BAD movie... just ... boring.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Shameless Promotion: ME
I now have a Facebook page... no, I'm not just now becoming aware I should have one to go along with my blog. I had one once and did nothing with it. Let's see if I can not do nothing with it this time.
I know from looking at my stats that there are many lurkers on here... so lurk on my Facebook too- I won't tell anyone!!
(Even if it doesn't show the image like it's supposed to, you can still click the icon.)
Thursday, April 10, 2014
My Weird Dream: Who's Blowing Up My Phone??
I haven't had an installment of "My Weird Dream" in a couple years, so might as well resurrect it.
So last night I was having this dream. It started off that I was at home (but not my actual home) and my husband and I were fighting. We were both angry and decided to split up, so I opened a hidden door in the wall that lead to the utility room. I grabbed my coat and left. Switch to my kids and my husband are in someone's house with a HUGE living room/den and it is filled with people watching a sporting event. I came in and the people I recognized were my dad, my kids, my husband (David) and a quasi relative and her family.
The aspects I remember include me trying to convince David to take me back, me following him around hoping my presence will change his mind and this quasi relative/friend and I gossiping. We were sitting on the floor watching the babies play and somehow I hit my head and right after that she hit her head on the floor even harder. We looked towards her husband and he looked at her, knowing she just hit her head, and then went back to the conversation he was having with David. Well her head hit harder than mine, so I tried to care for her head wound while she cried and lamented over the fact her husband didn't care.
So as I was sitting there, I caught an AP post on the TV that said Seth Rogen's mother and brother died (horrible, I know.) Then my phone starts vibrating and I ignore it. It just won't stop, so I look and it's my mom calling me. I'm busy, so I don't answer. So my phone vibrates again and I look and she has texted me to tell me about Seth Rogen's family tragedy. I tell my dad about it and we start pondering as to whether we still think Seth will host Saturday Night Live. He thinks he will because he would think it was unprofessional not to. I think he won't because he will think family is more important than work. While we're having this conversation my phone starts vibrating again, but I don't recognize the number. I go to find my toddler to get him ready to leave and the whole time people keep calling me because my phone is vibrating...
I started to wake up and saw my phone and immediately checked it to see if it was going off even though my phone is never on vibrate. It wasn't. I was so confused. I checked the time and realized it must be my husband's phone. Normally his alarm goes off to a song, but for some reason he had it on vibrate.
Mystery of the phone that would not quit going off in my dream is solved. But boy, did it take me a long time to realize that it was actually happening outside of my dream.
Random, Man... random.
So last night I was having this dream. It started off that I was at home (but not my actual home) and my husband and I were fighting. We were both angry and decided to split up, so I opened a hidden door in the wall that lead to the utility room. I grabbed my coat and left. Switch to my kids and my husband are in someone's house with a HUGE living room/den and it is filled with people watching a sporting event. I came in and the people I recognized were my dad, my kids, my husband (David) and a quasi relative and her family.
The aspects I remember include me trying to convince David to take me back, me following him around hoping my presence will change his mind and this quasi relative/friend and I gossiping. We were sitting on the floor watching the babies play and somehow I hit my head and right after that she hit her head on the floor even harder. We looked towards her husband and he looked at her, knowing she just hit her head, and then went back to the conversation he was having with David. Well her head hit harder than mine, so I tried to care for her head wound while she cried and lamented over the fact her husband didn't care.
So as I was sitting there, I caught an AP post on the TV that said Seth Rogen's mother and brother died (horrible, I know.) Then my phone starts vibrating and I ignore it. It just won't stop, so I look and it's my mom calling me. I'm busy, so I don't answer. So my phone vibrates again and I look and she has texted me to tell me about Seth Rogen's family tragedy. I tell my dad about it and we start pondering as to whether we still think Seth will host Saturday Night Live. He thinks he will because he would think it was unprofessional not to. I think he won't because he will think family is more important than work. While we're having this conversation my phone starts vibrating again, but I don't recognize the number. I go to find my toddler to get him ready to leave and the whole time people keep calling me because my phone is vibrating...
I started to wake up and saw my phone and immediately checked it to see if it was going off even though my phone is never on vibrate. It wasn't. I was so confused. I checked the time and realized it must be my husband's phone. Normally his alarm goes off to a song, but for some reason he had it on vibrate.
Mystery of the phone that would not quit going off in my dream is solved. But boy, did it take me a long time to realize that it was actually happening outside of my dream.
Random, Man... random.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
My 2014 Oscar Movie Reviews: Dallas Buyers Club
I'm attempting to watch all the movies that were nominated for an Oscar
this year. I am going to post my review of each one with how I actually
felt about the movie. I'm not going to give a detailed plot because
I'm not amazon and you can easily look there... or imdb... or
wikipedia...
When I watched the Golden Globes and I kept hearing about the nominees from Dallas Buyers Club, I assumed it had to do with a casino or gambling. I love me some Jared Leto, so I figured I'd give it a try. When I went to pick it up at Family Video, I read the back and man, was I wrong about the subject matter!! Soooooooo not about gambling or casino stuff. It's about a guy with AIDS.
I'm very open minded, so the subject matter didn't bother me at all, I still wanted to watch it. I think that it is always a good time for topics that highlight discrimination and how we treat people who are "different" as if they are pariahs. The main character was diagnosed with AIDS at a time when people thought you only got it from gay sex and that it was contagious just from being around people with the virus.
Matthew McConaughey's character is pretty gruff and unlikeable, but he has a good heart and decides to help people instead of wallowing in misery. McConaughey lost a ton of weight for the role, which usually gives an actor an Oscar nod for that alone. Jared Leto plays a trans(gender?) woman. He does a phenomenal job- I almost didn't recognize him. He's received some backlash from the trans community because they didn't like that a heterosexual man was cast in the part. I think that's ridiculous. He didn't write the script and he didn't hold a gun to anyone's head to get the part. He just played the part he earned as it was thought that he had the range to play the part. Should we be offended that Peter Pan was often played by a woman on stage? GET OVER IT. It's not an insult to the LGBT community (whom I support fully.)
Anyway, back to my thoughts on the movie. It was very "meh." I found it very boring. Yes, it was poignant in how cruel people can be to someone with something they don't understand. Like I mentioned, I found M.M.'s character to be not that likeable and crass.
Did I hate it? No. Would I watch it again? No.
When I watched the Golden Globes and I kept hearing about the nominees from Dallas Buyers Club, I assumed it had to do with a casino or gambling. I love me some Jared Leto, so I figured I'd give it a try. When I went to pick it up at Family Video, I read the back and man, was I wrong about the subject matter!! Soooooooo not about gambling or casino stuff. It's about a guy with AIDS.
I'm very open minded, so the subject matter didn't bother me at all, I still wanted to watch it. I think that it is always a good time for topics that highlight discrimination and how we treat people who are "different" as if they are pariahs. The main character was diagnosed with AIDS at a time when people thought you only got it from gay sex and that it was contagious just from being around people with the virus.
Matthew McConaughey's character is pretty gruff and unlikeable, but he has a good heart and decides to help people instead of wallowing in misery. McConaughey lost a ton of weight for the role, which usually gives an actor an Oscar nod for that alone. Jared Leto plays a trans(gender?) woman. He does a phenomenal job- I almost didn't recognize him. He's received some backlash from the trans community because they didn't like that a heterosexual man was cast in the part. I think that's ridiculous. He didn't write the script and he didn't hold a gun to anyone's head to get the part. He just played the part he earned as it was thought that he had the range to play the part. Should we be offended that Peter Pan was often played by a woman on stage? GET OVER IT. It's not an insult to the LGBT community (whom I support fully.)
Anyway, back to my thoughts on the movie. It was very "meh." I found it very boring. Yes, it was poignant in how cruel people can be to someone with something they don't understand. Like I mentioned, I found M.M.'s character to be not that likeable and crass.
Did I hate it? No. Would I watch it again? No.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
My 2014 Oscar Movie Reviews: Wolf of Wall Street
I'm attempting to watch all the movies that were nominated for an Oscar
this year. I am going to post my review of each one with how I actually
felt about the movie. I'm not going to give a detailed plot because
I'm not amazon and you can easily look there... or imdb... or
wikipedia...
Oh.My.Goodness. I think I need to go to Confession after watching this movie. Let me just put this out there because if you are going to rent this movie, this is the most important thing you should know: it is graphic! GRAPHIC!!!!!!!!!!! Wow... I mean... wow. It is graphic in the gratuitous nudity, many many graphic sex scenes and the F bombs drop like nothing I've ever seen or heard. I probably wouldn't feel comfortable watching this with anyone other than my husband. I would say I'm definitely not a prude and I'm very open-minded, but boy do you have to be careful who you expose this to. Oh, and if you are uncomfortable with constantly seeing people do cocaine and quaaludes, don't rent this.
I hope my warning was emphatic enough. Don't watch this with your children, don't watch this with your grandparents, don't watch it if your children might walk into the room at any moment unless your finger is glued to the pause button and you have supersonic hearing to detect the sound of footsteps.
Okay, now that that part is out of the way. I liked the movie, lol. After you sift through the shock factor, it's an interesting plot. If you took out the sex and drug scenes, the movie would have probably been one hour instead of three, but the point was to show what being rich and powerful can do to people. I don't really understand the stock market or Wall Street activities, so I'm not positive which aspect about what they were doing was illegal. But, it had a lot of parts that made my jaw drop or made me laugh and it held my interest the entire time.
So, if you can sift through all the naughty parts and try to pay attention to the actual plot, it's worth the watch. I definitely liked it more than Gravity.
Oh.My.Goodness. I think I need to go to Confession after watching this movie. Let me just put this out there because if you are going to rent this movie, this is the most important thing you should know: it is graphic! GRAPHIC!!!!!!!!!!! Wow... I mean... wow. It is graphic in the gratuitous nudity, many many graphic sex scenes and the F bombs drop like nothing I've ever seen or heard. I probably wouldn't feel comfortable watching this with anyone other than my husband. I would say I'm definitely not a prude and I'm very open-minded, but boy do you have to be careful who you expose this to. Oh, and if you are uncomfortable with constantly seeing people do cocaine and quaaludes, don't rent this.
I hope my warning was emphatic enough. Don't watch this with your children, don't watch this with your grandparents, don't watch it if your children might walk into the room at any moment unless your finger is glued to the pause button and you have supersonic hearing to detect the sound of footsteps.
Okay, now that that part is out of the way. I liked the movie, lol. After you sift through the shock factor, it's an interesting plot. If you took out the sex and drug scenes, the movie would have probably been one hour instead of three, but the point was to show what being rich and powerful can do to people. I don't really understand the stock market or Wall Street activities, so I'm not positive which aspect about what they were doing was illegal. But, it had a lot of parts that made my jaw drop or made me laugh and it held my interest the entire time.
So, if you can sift through all the naughty parts and try to pay attention to the actual plot, it's worth the watch. I definitely liked it more than Gravity.
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