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Morthoron
Gondor
Feb 19 2013, 3:38am
Post #26 of 55
(364 views)
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Lincoln and Django Unchained...
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First of all, I do not see how Daniel Day-Lewis will not receive another Oscar (number 3, I believe) for his stunning portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. I have seen numerous incarnations of Lincoln in various movies, and no one else comes close (except perhaps Raymond Massey) to Abe in his gravitas and homespun habits that hide a keen intelligence, making Lincoln's devilish wit all the more lethal when unleashed. Leave it to an Anglo-Irish method actor to outperform every American before him! The supporting cast was also superb, particularly the parliamentary sarcasm of Tommy Lee Jones as Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, and David Spader is a real hoot as the Republican operative William Bilbo (yes, Bilbo!). My only dislikes regarding the film were the very beginning and the ending of the movie, both given too much Spielbergian heart-tugging pomposity. The entire movie is spent making Lincoln a very real and conflicted person, complete with all the horse-trading, double dealing and dishonesty that marked politics of that era. But then the beginning and ending drag the poor man back to legendary status. It was not necessary. Keep it real, Spiel! As far as Django Unchained, it was one of my least favorite Quentin Tarentino movies. The graphic violence was utterly ridiculous, and the plot even more far-fetched than the grossly inaccurate (but still entertaining) Inglorious Basterds. The movie left me scratching my head at the good reviews it has received. Because, in my opinion, it was worthless, and it really started to drag after 2 hours: the sort of drag where you find yourself looking at your watch every few minutes praying for an ending. Much like I felt watching The Hobbit. But that's another topic altogether.
Please visit my blog...The Dark Elf File...a slighty skewed journal of music and literary comment, fan-fiction and interminable essays.
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Patty
Immortal
Feb 19 2013, 3:50am
Post #27 of 55
(368 views)
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http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/18/julian-fellowes-discusses-a-season-of-comings-and-goings-at-downton-abbey/
Permanent address: Into the West
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Patty
Immortal
Feb 19 2013, 6:13am
Post #29 of 55
(347 views)
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He will be missed. I also know him from the radio version of the Jeeves and Wooster stories with Michael Hordern as Jeeves. How sad.
Permanent address: Into the West
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macfalk
Valinor
Feb 19 2013, 8:39am
Post #30 of 55
(366 views)
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I remember him from Midsomer Murders from the great episode Death's Shadow back in 1999.
The greatest adventure is what lies ahead.
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Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
Feb 19 2013, 2:36pm
Post #31 of 55
(325 views)
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I always think of him first as Tom Good in the show that's known in the US as Good Neighbors but I think is The Good Life in the UK. He was great in Monarch of the Glen, too. He was in a Dr Who episode in the (I think) Sylvester McCoy (Radagast in TH) era, and more recently played a villain on New Tricks. I'll miss him.
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Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
Feb 19 2013, 3:00pm
Post #32 of 55
(325 views)
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It is funny about human nature, isn't it? I mean, we the viewers seem to feel as though we have a proprietary interest in the actors and they should shape their careers to amuse us I suppose this is a backhanded compliment, in that it shows you how much we respond emotionally to their work.
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imin
Valinor
Feb 19 2013, 3:20pm
Post #33 of 55
(325 views)
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This is one of the first negative reviews i have seen for Django Unchained - other than by people who haven't seen the film but dislike Tarentino. I really liked Inglorious basterds so i was thinking i would like this. Be interesting to see what all the fuss is about!
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Feb 19 2013, 5:20pm
Post #34 of 55
(322 views)
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Mrs Hughes as a heart of gold and good sense. Very motherly to her charges. In the 1st season 1st episodes, she was a scold, but she warmed up later, as Mrs Pattmore did. I'm looking forward to Rose's vivaciousness stirring up things at Downtown. She'll probably do scandalous things, and they could use some more scandals. I was getting tired of feeling sorry for Ethel, and am glad she's probably finished in the show. I wish they'd bring Gwen back! I enjoyed her. Yes, the death scene was syrupy to me, with Robert's LONG buildup of how everything was so wonderful and happy and they'd finally reached a state of peace and comfort and blah blah blah. That was just way too much buildup to the tragedy that was coming. A little subtlety, which the show is good at, would have been far better. Agree that the maid & Branson was forced and didn't feel real. I was worried we'd keep getting that in more episodes, and glad it ended here. Nice to see Daisy growing up. She's one of my favorites. Having Thomas still in the house doesn't seem credible to me. They know he's a thief, he's rude to everyone and vexes Carson, and in an age where gays could be sent to jail and he exposed himself as one, I don't see that scandal-sensitive estate risking scandal by keeping him on. I think it's just because he's a popular character that the show keeps him.
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macfalk
Valinor
Feb 19 2013, 5:24pm
Post #35 of 55
(322 views)
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I don't think Gwen will come back
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She's currently busy harrassing Jon Snow on Game of Thrones
The greatest adventure is what lies ahead.
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Feb 19 2013, 5:32pm
Post #36 of 55
(321 views)
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The popularity of Downtown launches the careers of the actors, so they'll keep leaving. I hope Gwen gets to hone her secretarial skills by harrassing her bosses--secretaries can be fearsome! :)
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Rostron2
Gondor
Feb 19 2013, 7:01pm
Post #37 of 55
(316 views)
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It's all contractual, which is sad.
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Feb 19 2013, 8:36pm
Post #39 of 55
(317 views)
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I don't dispute that Fellows writes that way, but it's funny that, I think in the 1st season, the Dowager is commenting on some situation and says she deplores Greek tragedy where the action happens off the stage--she wanted to witness things firsthand. Maybe that's an inside joke on the show.
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Patty
Immortal
Feb 19 2013, 8:45pm
Post #40 of 55
(325 views)
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Well, judging from all The angst I'm seeing on the Internet…
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I'd say that if I were a producer looking to cast someone in what may possibly be a long term series, I'd never cast Dan Stevens. His departure made Julian Fellows have to really scrounge around for a way to write him out and this has been very very unpopular amongst Downton fans, not to mention that it will be a challenge for Michelle Dockery and the rest of the cast if the show flounders because of this. If it flounders, looking even further a field, the Lord and Lady of Highclear Castle have been benefiting from this shows popularity to help fix up the estate, so I read . And PBS is riding a wave of popularity that they haven't enjoyed for years. I doubt they'll thank him for it either.
Permanent address: Into the West
(This post was edited by Patty on Feb 19 2013, 8:48pm)
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Feb 19 2013, 11:48pm
Post #41 of 55
(302 views)
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It's just one job of many jobs to the actors. To us fans, it's emotional because we get attached to a show and how it entertains us, and we don't want it to stop (until we decide that on our own). Seems that gap will always exist between actors and fans.
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Patty
Immortal
Feb 20 2013, 8:51am
Post #42 of 55
(284 views)
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I think this is my dog in the race for the Oscar.
Permanent address: Into the West
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Feb 20 2013, 5:38pm
Post #43 of 55
(269 views)
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I don't get the raves about Argo.
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It's a good enough film, well made and well acted, but for me it didn't rise to the level of Oscar consideration let alone all the Best Picture awards it has received. What am I missing?
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..." Dwarves: "Pretty rings..." Men: "Pretty rings..." Sauron: "Mine's better." "Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak. Ataahua's stories
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Feb 20 2013, 6:38pm
Post #44 of 55
(264 views)
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Because this story is being told in real time, they're taking a year to unfold this modern version of "Pride and Prejudice". Spoilers below if you haven't read the book. Even if you have, there's some suspense wondering how it will all shake out in the modern interpretation. Spoilers: This week the website that advertised the sex tape Wickham made of Lydia was magically taken down, just hours short of the count-down to zero on Valentine's Day. We're pretty sure Darcy made that happen, but we still don't know how. Fitz and his boyfriend Brandon are off to Fiji for a well-earned vacation, after Fitz helped Darcy with whatever it was they did to get the site down. Gigi (Georgiana) was involved with some phone espionage on Wickham, which gave Darcy Wickham's location. Lydia is back home, and she and LIzzie have reconciled, in a huge but welcome departure from the book. I cried during that episode. Lydia cries "Why doesn't he love me, LIzzie?" and Lizzie answers just the right thing: "*I* love you." And now--Darcy is trying to undo the damage he did with Jane and Bing Lee. Jane has lost her job because she came home to deal with the Lydia crisis, so I expect Darcy will help out on that front too. The suspense is really hard to take, now that videos are only coming out twice a week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Patty
Immortal
Feb 21 2013, 12:49am
Post #46 of 55
(251 views)
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Ii don't expect to see him leave. What I think will happen is that Downton will struggle to get through series 4. I think this will probably be the end of it. But it was fun while it lasted.
Permanent address: Into the West
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Aragorn the Elfstone
Tol Eressea
Feb 21 2013, 12:55am
Post #47 of 55
(267 views)
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It's a movie about Hollywood saving the day. Whaddya expect? ;)
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The Academy loves movies that allow them to pat themselves on the back. Personally, I liked the movie a lot - but I wouldn't pick it as one of the best films of the year.
"All men dream; but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds awake to find that it was vanity; But the dreamers of day are dangerous men. That they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible." - T.E. Lawrence
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CuriousG
Half-elven
Feb 21 2013, 5:55am
Post #48 of 55
(243 views)
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I have trouble picturing a Season 5. They can only move so far ahead in time without the actors aging to catch up. Go too far, and the beloved Dowager will be dead. Though maybe they could have a real shake up and have the Abbey damaged in a fire, so they have to live somewhere else while it's rebuilt. That could put new life into a new season.
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Annael
Immortal
Feb 22 2013, 4:56am
Post #49 of 55
(242 views)
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Each Monday & Thursday morning I wake up and think "yay! A new LBD!" I'm hugely impressed with how the two young men who came up with this concept have caught the spirit of the book while setting it so totally and believably in today.
The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives. - James Hillman, Healing Fiction * * * * * * * * * * NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Feb 22 2013, 5:06am
Post #50 of 55
(231 views)
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now that Gigi and Lydia aren't posting on the in-between days. But I hear there's going to be a Q&A video from Lizzie soon, maybe Saturday.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories leleni at hotmail dot com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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