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cats16
Half-elven
Dec 1 2022, 5:51am
Post #1 of 14
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What are you watching: the December edition!
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That's right, it's somehow December (though not quite yet here in the western U.S.), which means nastier weather, more time indoors, and more movie watching to get us all through the dark winter months.
I've been slacking a lot more than usual lately due to moving apartments. I hope to catch up this month on some things I've missed!
A few weeks ago I started the new season of The White Lotus. The first episode or two had some familiar beats, so my hope is that by now the season has clearly differentiated itself with S1 so as to not feel like we're doing the same raucous song and dance merely in another location. Either way I'll catch up soon, and will be cringing all the way through as one tends to do with that show.
I also watched Lola, the feature debut of Jacques Demy, who went on to direct more famous musical films The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort. Demy was married to Agnes Varda, whom I hold dear in my heart and certainly is better remembered these days for her work. But I deeply appreciate what Demy goes for in his films, which are often pop-y, moody and youthful popcorn movies that are artful but always retain a level of accessibility to them. He's not trying to be pretentious or cheeky - his characters wear their hearts on their sleeves and on their faces, so much so that a mature child could glean something from his characters. Perhaps his lesser known works don't retain that quality as well, but this first one certainly pops off the screen in an enjoyable way.
So, what have you been watching lately?!
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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Kimi
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Dec 1 2022, 6:43am
Post #2 of 14
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A dramatised depiction of the early days of the SAS. Not at all my usual fare, but I'm loving it. As the intro says: "Based on a true story, the events depicted which seem most unbelievable … are mostly true." A story far too over-the-top for fiction; "Boys' Own" for grown-ups. "Reckless" is a hopelessly inadequate word for these chaps.
This enthusiastic review from an actual historian says it all far better than I could.
As a bonus, some members of the Long Range Desert Group, a fascinating lot with a strong Kiwi link, also appear.
Caveats/warnings: lots of swearing (which feels very realistic). Violence, of course, but there's an effort made not to have it too gory, e.g. a lot of the most intense scenes of raids are at night, and so dark that there are few details clearly visible. Some sex; realistic, and I didn't find it overdone (but that's an area where individual tolerance varies wildly). I did find the gorgeous and glamorous and completely fictional spy strained my credibility - I once spent a week in Cairo, and felt limp, dusty (there was a sandstorm) and washed out the whole time, so her perfect, uncreased cream silk blouses and the like made me smile every time she appeared. But I found that more amusing than irritating.
Still one episode to go, and though I know how it ends, I can hardly wait.
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
(This post was edited by Kimi on Dec 1 2022, 6:49am)
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Annael
Immortal
Dec 1 2022, 2:59pm
Post #3 of 14
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I will watch it.
I've been watching American football (alas my pro team, the Seahawks, who were doing so well for a while there, seem to be tanking - but my college team has been winning) and a lot of Christmas movies. Hallmark seems to be stuck in a rut with similar plots and the same old, rather tired now, stable of actors, but I enjoyed "My Southern Family Christmas" with Bruce Campbell and a plump actress in the ingenue role. Lifetime has been offering up good ones, with plots that make sense, believable characters, and a lot more diversity, "The 12 Dates of Christmas" was light-hearted fun with a nice nod to how important it is for women to mentor each other in the workplace.
Watched "The Wonder." Bleak, but Florence Pugh is great as usual. I also watched "Slumberland" which got bad reviews but my friends & I enjoyed it; fun to see Jason Momoa playing against type. I couldn't get in to "Spirited" with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds; I gave up after half an hour, but will probably go back & finish it. They were all trying to hard, imho.
I just finished "Hotel del Luna," a Korean series on Netflix about a hotel for the dead where they can work out their unfinished business before moving on, run by ghosts but with a human manager to handle the worldly stuff. A lot of scenes where a song plays and everyone stands and looks at each other, but I enjoyed learning more about Korean beliefs.
On regular TV I keep up with NCIS, Young Sheldon, and Jeopardy. The Celebrity Jeopardy contest is on now; I'm hoping Wil Wheaton will win.
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
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NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Annael
Immortal
Dec 2 2022, 12:06am
Post #4 of 14
(849 views)
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"On the 12th Date of Christmas" is on Hallmark! Good to see them raising the bar.
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Dec 2 2022, 12:25am
Post #5 of 14
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I know it's not accurate, but it's compelling anyway. Some viewers apparently are having trouble separating Imelda Staunton from her iconic role as Dolores Umbridge, but I thought she was great as Elizabeth.
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GNU Terry Pratchett
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"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."
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"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
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Starling
Half-elven
Dec 2 2022, 3:23am
Post #6 of 14
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I wasn't going to bother with this season
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Last season I really lost interest, but now I'm thinking maybe it was the casting, as I am actually enjoying this one so far. Imelda Staunton is perfect I think.
Although I adore Olivia Colman, she just never worked for me as The Queen. Some of the others in that season didn't work for me either.
I was irritated by the bad and impossible mish mash of showing and dressage in the Royal Windsor horse show episode, but that's really just me being an equestrian trainspotter bore. 
I do feel a bit queasy about it all sometimes, the closer it gets to current times.
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N.E. Brigand
Half-elven
Dec 2 2022, 5:09am
Post #7 of 14
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"Jeanne dielman, 23, quai du commerce, 1080 bruxelles" -- the greatest film of all time.
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Just kidding! I've never seen it, although I've been meaning to get around to it eventually since first hearing about it 30 years ago. Maybe I shall. But in a shocker today, that 1975 film written and directed by Chantal Akerman jumped from #35 in 2012 to #1 today in the decennial critics' poll conducted since 1952 by the British film magazine Sight & Sound, knocking each of the top three films from ten years ago down a notch. Here's the new list:
1. Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975, d. Chantal Akerman)
2. Vertigo (1958, d. Alfred Hitchcock)
3. Citizen Kane (1941, d. Orson Welles)
4. Tokyo Story (1953, d. Yasujiro Ozu)
5. In the Mood for Love (2000, d. Wong Kar-wai)
6. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968, d. Stanley Kubrick)
7. Beau Travail (1999, d. Claire Denis)
8. Mulholland Drive (2001, d. David Lynch)
9. Man With a Movie Camera (1929, d. Dziga Vertov)
10. Singin’ in the Rain (1952, d. Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen)
The most recent top ten film ten years ago was 2001 from 1968. As you can see, four newer films, including one from this century -- which Darkstone once panned as a "failed television pilot" when it topped a different list 12 years ago -- appear on the new list. The times they are a changin'.
Falling from the 2012 critics' top ten list are The Rules of the Game (1939, d. Jean Renoir), The Searchers (1956, d. John Ford), The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928, d. Carl Theodor Dreyer), and 8 1/2 (1963, d. Federico Fellini). There's also a directors' poll, which was won this time by 2001. Unless I'm overlooking something, nothing directed by Peter Jackson or Guillermo del Toro made the top 100 films selected by either the critics or the directors.
Glory to the heroes.
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Discuss Tolkien's life and works in the Reading Room!
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How to find old Reading Room discussions.
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SirDennisC
Half-elven
Dec 2 2022, 5:59am
Post #8 of 14
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The critics do love films that concern film making -
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There are two on the list, and another fallen from a previous list as you say. That’s why Once Upon a Time in Hollywood did so well (though it was pretty good imho). Another on nobody’s list probably that had an element of film making is Down in the Valley staring Edward Norton, just brilliant. Mulholland Drive is too as far as I’m concerned.
I’m surprised No Country for Old Men isn’t on the list, a perfect film (though not about film making).
Hmm
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cats16
Half-elven
Dec 2 2022, 11:34pm
Post #9 of 14
(814 views)
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I never thought I'd see the words "Jeanne Dielman" on TORn, unless perhaps I myself had posted it in this recurring thread. I saw it a couple of years ago. It's not a film I can exactly recommend to most folks given it's a 3 1/2 day-in-the-life movie with zero Hollywood conventions; however, I found it riveting in its own very unique way, as someone who watches very difficult, and at times obtuse, foreign films on the regular.
Thanks for sharing Darkstone's post! While I personally disagree with his astute opinion on multiple points, I found it nonetheless enjoyable to read.  Though I appreciate his love of Inland Empire, which is one of the more challenging films I've seen in quite sometime and was recently restored for theatrical re-release.
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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N.E. Brigand
Half-elven
Dec 4 2022, 9:54pm
Post #10 of 14
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Two films by Agnès Varda made Sight & Sound's top 100 this year.
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Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962) placed 14th and The Gleaners and I (2000) tied for 67th. Nothing by Jacques Demy made the top 100.
As it happens, I've seen none of Varda's films, but I have seen Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.
Glory to the heroes.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Discuss Tolkien's life and works in the Reading Room!
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
How to find old Reading Room discussions.
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cats16
Half-elven
Dec 5 2022, 6:32am
Post #11 of 14
(758 views)
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The Gleaners and I is especially wondrous, in my opinion. All of her documentary work contains an unabashed playfulness and champions real, normal people in a way few others even attempt to show on film, let alone so enjoyably.
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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Annael
Immortal
Dec 5 2022, 6:02pm
Post #12 of 14
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thanks to both of you for the recommendations. I will look for her work.
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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cats16
Half-elven
Dec 5 2022, 7:15pm
Post #13 of 14
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...has the most extensive collection of her work, for what it's worth (IMO one of the highest value streaming services if you don't already have it, when you consider the depth of their library).
Mur Murs is another wonderful, shorter doc of hers that highlights Chicano mural culture in east LA in the 1970s.
Excited to hear your thoughts on her work, once you get to dive in! I was lucky enough to see her at two separate Q&A sessions in her final years, and she was just as playful, wry and enjoyable in person as she comes across in her films.
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
(This post was edited by cats16 on Dec 5 2022, 7:15pm)
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DGHCaretaker
Rohan
Dec 5 2022, 9:17pm
Post #14 of 14
(725 views)
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Instead, Andor (Disney+) is the best Star Wars to come along in a long time. That and Mandalorian are better than all the sequel trilogy movies or anything else since. Solo suffered from following the turbulence of the awful Last Jedi so I'll put Solo in with the other two as worthwhile..
Also started The Peripheral (Amazon) with Chloë Grace Moretz (from Kick Ass) starring, which is decently interesting, but Andor is better.
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