Well, we have been pretty busy watching movies ---- we skipped one evening, as we had a socially distanced out of doors supper with friends, and by the time we arrived home it was too late to start.
As usual with the exception of the first one listed, they are in no particular order.
SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER ---- been years since we last watched this one, however, every summer when the sky is a white hazy hot day, one scene in the film always comes to mind. Stars Katherine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift --- set in New Orleans sometime in the 1940's or '50's, so this one is certainly not to be considered politically correct to today's norms. That being said, the acting is LIGHT years ahead of what comes out of Hollywood these days. There is NO ONE currently acting who can even come close to Katherine Hepburn and her craft. It is filmed in GLORIOUS BLACK AND WHITE, and the white hot summer scene would NEVER work in color. Due to this film, I went on an DVD ordering spree (at the library) with movies starring Katherine, Elizabeth and Montgomery!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
STATE OF THE UNION ----- Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracey star in this politically charged film about a businessman who is recruited by a prominent newspaper heiress and owner to run for the highest office in the land----- PRESIDENT OF THE USA! --there are so many moments of what has happened in our country's last election, crazily, the party mentioned in the film is the Republican party, which is portrayed as a sleazy, underhanded party of doing favors under the table to get their candidate elected. Angela Lansbury stars as the newspaper "mistress" of Spencer Tracy's businessman, who starts out as a man with high morals (except for having a mistress), Katherine stars as the wife putting up with the affair - how ironic that this film mirrors what our current president is, does and was, except I don't think he ever had high morals. 👍👍👍👍👍
THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS ----- stars Elizabeth Taylor, Van Johnson, Donna Reed and Walter Pidgeon. Paris has just been liberated and WWII is at an end. Van Johnson portrays a news reporter with the Stars and Stripes, when he meets and falls head over heels with Elizabeth Taylor's character - eventually the two marry and have a "fairy tale" marriage for several years, until he gives up his dream of writing a novel, after many rejections of previous novels. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT ------ this version is a remake of the original (Katherine Hepburn) starring Maggie Smith, I had hoped to get the original, so I was very disappointed when this one arrived. As much as I LOVE Maggie Smith, I didn't enjoy this one as I had hoped. Augusta Bertram is on a wild goose chase, trying to "save" her years ago lover by traveling on the Orient Express to a destination unknown. 👍
THE AFRICAN QUEEN ------ Katherine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart.... What can I say? Two fantastic performances by two of the late greats. What a marvelous "documentary" of many of Africa's "lost" animals and their habitats. 👍👍👍👍👍
DEFENDING YOUR LIFE ----- Not sure how I picked Albert Brooks, what with all the other greats..... However, Albert and Meryl Streep were perfectly cast as two "folks" who meet in the afterlife, having to defend all the choices they made during their lifetimes - the judges give you a thumbs up, you get to go on (where they don't tell you), if they give you a thumbs down, well you have to go back (not as the same person) and try again, sometimes it takes many "goings back and trying over and over again". 👍👍👍👍👍
DEATH IN PARADISE ----SEASON 8
BBC production of a "funky" mystery series set in Saint-Marie in the Caribbean. We have been watching this series through the progression of 3 different detective inspectors sent from London to solve the various crimes in Paradise. My husband really liked the first DI, I have enjoyed all 3 DIs as they have all brought different personalities and crime-solving to the program. The first actor left as he did not enjoy being separated from his family for the amount of time required to film each episode. Usually, there are only 3 suspects who have a close connection to the victim. Each DI had his own way of solving the crime. In the latest episode, we have been introduced to a new member of the "squad", she is a REAL kick, also the niece of the Island's police inspector!👍👍👍👍👍👍
JULIE & JULIA ----- based on the book with the same title. The one thing about the movie is that Language was really cleaned up --- in the book Julie uses the "F" word so frequently, that I felt like I needed to wash out my eyes and ears! Julie has been working the phone banks after 9/11, and needs a diversion from the stress she faces on a daily basis, and decides to spend 1 year cooking every recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. As a backdrop to the film, Meryl Streep gives a superb performance as Julia, while Amy Adams portrays Julie. Hovering between Julia's life and Julie's life, we go back and forth to Paris after WWII, and NYC after 9/11. Food scenes bring out the aromas, and tastes of each dish. 👍👍👍👍
BROADCAST NEWS ------ William Hurt, Holly Hunter, Albert Brooks star in this film about professional news journalists, and a Johnny Come Lately. Bittersweet moments throughout the film, as Albert's character has had a one sided love affair with Holly's character, who naturally falls for William's character ----- it all comes out in the wash.
MISS CONGENIALITY ------ Sandra Bullock portrays an FBI agent from the hard part of NYC, lacking grace and finesse, when it becomes apparent that there is "evil afoot" concerning the outcome of the Miss United States contest ---- and as the ONLY female FBI agent in the field office who could fit the bill as a contestant, Michael Caine's character has his work cut out for him... Sandra does a really good job going from the "sloppy eating' agent to the graceful Miss New Jersey, although not without a fight! 👍👍👍👍
LOST IN AMERICA ------- another Albert Brooks film. Albert portrays a "successful" advertising executive, who decides to drop out - with his wife, Julie Hagerty,- when he is not given the promotion he believes that he deserved. They sell everything and buy a huge motor home and hit the road! When they hit Reno, they come face to face with the fact that his wife is a compulsive gambler, unbeknownst to either of them previously --- the scene when he tries to convince the casino manager is classic! Watch the interview with Albert and filmmaker Robert Weide, was really interesting.👍👍👍👍👍
ONE TRUE THING---- Meryl Streep and William Hurt star in this film, William's character is a college professor who is not always lovable to his wife Meryl, especially as she is facing an end of life illness. Daughter Ellen is facing a crisis of her own in her journalism career, when her father calls her home to care for her mother ---- angst all around.👍👍👍
WORKING GIRL --- Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, Melanie Griffin star in the comedy about moving up in the business world. Sigoureny's character is a tough minded, hard pushing boss, who falls and breaks her leg while on a skiing trip ---- Melanie takes over the bosses house, clothes and office, puts forth a proposal to Harrison (Sigourney's invesment banker boyfriend, who did NOT go on the skiing trip)! Let the games begin!👍👍👍
PLACE IN THE SUN-- starring Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor and Shelley Winters. Montgomery does not play a "good guy" in this one--- stringing Shelley along, and falling for Elizabeth. How to end the "affair" with Shelley, who happens to be carrying his child.
Nothing good can come to anyone in this. 👍👍👍
KITCHEN STORIES ----- Swedish/Norwegian film, set in a small village, where single men are "observed" for a survey showing how they use their kitchen space. Slow moving, yet thoughtful look at how we all perceive others, and how we behave when we are being observed.👍👍👍👍👍👍
That's a wrap for this version.
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