Yup. To each their own. I find war awfully bleak even if it for a cause I might believe in.
We saw Dunkirk yesterday. While I recognize that it is artistically well done I really didn’t care for it that much. It made me feel terribly anxious in fact.
I think that the director was trying to make people feel anxious but I get not everyone enjoys feeling that way.
Dunkirk was very emotional because my grandfather was in Dunkirk and the film mirrored many aspects of his stories (down to getting a cup of tea, bread, and a newspaper before being put on a train - although he never read the paper, unlike the soldier in the film, he was too exhausted and just slept. THey also got a pre-written card, which they had to address and sign, so the army could send it to the families to let them know they were alive and safe - transportation being unreliable). It was really cool to go see it with in-laws, whose father had also been, and my own mother, but emotional. I kept expecting to see a short guy with curly hair, carrying a mandolin on his back (the mandolin made it, although without tuning pegs, bridge, or strings.)
We checked out 99 Homes from the library. Wow. Andrew Garfield. It was one of those movies you keep thinking about later.
“The Glass Castle” is based on a true story about how four children overcome their parents nightmare upbringing. Woody Harrelson deserves an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the alcoholic father. Unfortunately far too many of us will see someone we know up on the screen in a few of the scenes. The acting is terrific.
Saw the 40th Anniversary re-issue of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” Boy, was Richard Dreyfus young! He was even younger looking than he did in Jaws. He has come a long, long way from “Duddy Kravitz.”
@TonyK We saw The Glass Castle with my youngest son (a college senior). It’s the first movie I recall that brought him to tears at the end. He had just finished spending the summer working with kids from “not so great” families at a youth camp. They had shared many “this is our life” stories with him. He had them (each) for a week, then had to send them back to their lives. Then too, my guy just “might” have a grandpa (my dad) who perhaps never was “dad of the year,” but as with the end of the movie, it wasn’t “all” bad either. There are aspects that can be appreciated making us who we are (for better or worse).
So true about seeing folks we “know” on the big screen. So sadly true.
FWIW, youngest plans to get The Glass Castle when it comes out on DVD to share with his college friends. It made that big of an impression, esp right after being at the camp. Way too many “lucky” kids with the birth lottery have no clue what some others go through.
Another FWIW, I told him about the book and how it goes into far more depth (same story). IMO, both were very good - although not necessarily “uplifting” if one wants that from a movie/book.
^ ^ ^
The young actors and actresses are talented individuals and I hope we see more of them in the future. Some of us have steeper mountains to climb. The scene where they join hands and vow to all get out and be somebody is an emotional one.
I worked as a summer camp counselor at a camp on Cape Cod for disadvantaged youth, as they were then called. Mostly poor kids from every big city in Massachusetts. Once I got to know them they seemed as well adjusted as their peers from the other side of the tracks. Your son sounds like a great person who will succeed no matter what he chooses to become.
If you just want something to laugh at and not have to think about too hard, try Logan Lucky. We saw it Friday and loved it.
Finally saw Fences. Really outstanding film. Viola Davis and Denzel Washington were fantastic, as were all of the supporting actors. It took a few minutes to adjust to the amount of fast-paced dialogue. So many movies now are all action, little talking.
Speaking of movies that are mainly talking (and because I’ll use any opportunity to talk about Tom Hardy 
), it’s not new but if you haven’t seen the movie Locke, check it out.
We finally saw “Wonder Woman” this weekend and I will have to stop saying Linda Carter is “THE one and only”. Gal Gadot was excellent in the part. It was a nice telling of the story.
@psychmomma, seeing “Fences” inspired me to read the Pittsburgh Cycle. I’ve read almost all of the plays now. They’re very thought provoking.
@rosered55 …I saw Hacksaw Ridge and truly enjoyed it. I wasn’t prepared to either.
We saw Hacksaw Ridge recently as we had 4 month free trial for HBO. I was impressed with the film, really strong performance by Andrew Garfield and well done. I had been in the National Archives in Washington in December and had listened to the story of this medal winner so was familiar with the story before seeing the film.
I really enjoyed the Big Sick, I agree with another poster that it was probably 15 minutes to long, but it was a great story.
I have no interest in the Planet of the Apes trilogy, but I saw War for the Planet of the Apes with a friend. We sometimes drag each other to movies we don’t want to see and thought I would suffer through this one. It turned out to be better than expected. Good story even though I knew nothing about the previous two movies.
@bookmama22 – glad you liked Wind River. You didn’t find parts hard to watch? I did. But it was very powerful and Jeremy Renner was great.
Upcoming films I want to see: Super Dark Times looks good. Brad’s Status doesn’t. I might take my mom to Victoria and Abdul.
Just saw Lucky with Harry Dean Stanton & I was disappointed.