Last night, I watched the original Clash of the Titans on TCM (it was Ursula Andress night; she played Aphrodite). What a fun movie! It certainly played fast and loose with classical Greek mythology, but the Ray Harryhausen effects were stellar. Lots of good actors, and Harry Hamlin had great hair…and a short toga.
I’ve never seen the remake and have no desire to do so.
Also, I established that Zeus says both “Let loose the Kraken” and “Release the Kraken’”, so both will be appropriate in Seattle. It should be noted, though, that the Kraken is Norse rather than Greek.
Ack! Last night I watched a new Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma - it was The Great Hack on steroids! Folks we are being manipulated so deeply we can’t even tell the difference anymore! I like to think that I’m pretty aware and I do notice at times the manipulation, but it’s really deep, and especially for children and young adults who have yet to form the ability to discern things in general, their processes are being horribly distorted.
Watched 20 Feet from Stardom last night and really enjoyed it. It’s a documentary about back up singers to some of music’s legends. It won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 2014, and it will be on Netflix for the rest of the month.
I agree with JustaMom, The Great Hack is worth watching. It got me to finally do what I’d been considering for years … delete my Facebook account.
We watched The Social Dilemma tonight and I agree with @JustaMom - everyone needs to watch this. I knew the manipulation ran deep, but there are aspects I hadn’t considered before.
Rebuilding Paradise is a new documentary about the Paradise, CA fires. Very human story about the families in this community. Directed by Ron Howard and very timely with so many fires ragging in the West right now. I believe it is for purchase only and highly recommend.
@csfmap - see if you can find the documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown…2002…it’s a documentary about the Funk Brothers, Detroit musicians who backed up dozens of Motown artists. The music is fantastic, the story a heartbreak. Joan Osborne (musician) does an amazing turn on the Motown classics. After seeing this doc when it came out I bought the CD. I never do that. THAT’s how good it is!
Thanks for the recommendation JustaMom. I love Motown. We still subscribe to Netflix DVD service in addition to the streaming service, and they have it. I put it at the top of my list.
We watched about half of Take Shelter before we baled. Forty five minutes of Michael Shannon having bad dreams and fitfully acting erractically in real life. Jessica Chastaine basically given nothing to do. The young deaf daughter is cute. I read the Wikipedia summary and I’m even more glad we didn’t bother to finish!
I don’t know if this qualifies as a “movie” - last night I watched HBO’s Coastal Elites…a socially distanced comedic satire - basically 5 monologues which are focused on all things 2020 beginning in January, and follows through June.
Bette Midler is the most known star and opens the piece. It was originally conceived for the Public Theater in New York.
I love the theater, and miss my 4-8 shows a year. This was fabulous! If you have access to HBO I highly recommend it!
I think someone recommended The Descendants? I had seen it years ago but noticed it was on HBO so watched it again last night. A tear jerker, but wonderful. The music was fabulous, and the scenery lovely. And George Clooney ?.
Just saw “Legally Blond”, which some how I’d always meant to see, but never actually did. What fun, I was totally willing to suspend my disbelief the entire time!
@mathmom - I remember when Legally Blond came out and my D went to see it with her grandmother - she was 12 or 13. I thought it was a ditz throwaway of a film (meaning not much substance). Those two came home raving and praising its merits, but I was having no part. NO PART! Alas, 10 years ago D was visiting from college and begged me to watch it with her. So I did (I was desperate for that college age bonding we were struggling to find) - and I admit I was ashamed at my initial reaction from back when it was first released. A good story, with some ditz thrown in for good measure, very much like one would find in a screwball comedy from the 30s or 40s, and add the brilliance of Kathryn Hepburn for the message.
I liked it so much that when it hit Broadway as a musical I went to NYC (same D was in college there) and D & I went to see it. I’ve seen the national tour 3 times now. What a fun show!
Last night I stumbled on a John Carpenter film from 1988, They Live. It’s a relatively low budget “sci-fi” film (my least favorite genre, but this was more Twilight Zone than Star Wars), but I swear to you, I felt like I was watching 2020 play out right before my very eyes. John Carpenter (always!) goes over the top, but I still think if you can get your hands on it, it’s a social commentary film that should not be overlooked.
I’d heard of the film through a podcast and went looking for it. Found it on Starz through the Apple TV.
@amsunshine. How did I leave Two Weeks Notice off the Hugh Grant watch list? Another movie I know the lines I’ve seen it so much. Music and Lyrics also such fun. Hugh and Drew play off each other, Kristen Johnson plus the funny 80s band videos with Jason Street from Friday Night Lights!
I may have posted on TV thread. Four favorite Clooney movies since The Descendants has been on HBO this month. Michael Clayton, Up in the Air, The Ides Of March the other three, all very good.
The Descendants and Up in the Air are two of my favorite movies. I recently saw Michael Clayton and enjoyed it as well. I’ll have to look out for Ides of March.
My husband found a funny movie on Amazon Prime - “The Love Punch”. (2013, Pierce Bronson, Emma Thompson). It’s about a divorced couple trying to get back money stolen from their company’s pension fund. For us an added bonus was some Paris scenery, a city we visited in 2018 (while Notre Dame was still unharmed). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3NsHnVGQPo