I watched The Duchess last weekend and The Girl with a Pearl Earring last night on DVD rental. Enjoyed both.
I think The Duchess is the superior film of the two, though it would never be called a happy movie. It makes you relieved to be a woman of modern times and not those times, that's for sure. The only thing that bugged me just a bit is that the film takes place over quite a few years and Ralph Fiennes as the Duke of Devonshire is already well into adulthood when he marries Keira Knightly as a young girl and yet he looks the same at the end of the movie as he does in the beginning, when he clearly would be closing in on age 60 or 70 by the end. Maybe it's just a decision the filmmakers made to not fuss with all the makeup and such, but it did sort of stick out to me as unrealistic. The performances, though, are fantastic and the story is very engaging.
Pearl Earring has a stunning soundtrack. Performances are fine, story is fine...I didn't find much outstanding about it other than the music, which I found really soul-stirring. It was of a similar time period (though a different country) and dealt with issues of class as did Duchess, but it just wasn't as rich or as well done as Duchess IMHO.
Posts: 7864 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by jillybean: The writers of this show are unbelievable-very smart guys-they sure keep you guessing. I wonder, at times, did they know the ending of the show from the very beginning or did they figure it out as they went along?
They certainly are very smart guys. Very devious too! LOL I have read many interviews with them in Entertainment Weekly, a magazine that covers TV, movies, books and pop culture. They definitely had the story plotted out WAY ahead of time, but it was my understanding that they didn't have it plotted clear to the END until they had decided on a definite end date for the show...and now I've forgotten when that is...either this year or next, I think.
In the early seasons, they outraged many fans by posing way more questions than they answered. EVERYTHING was a big mystery and that just became pretty unsatisfying for the fans, including me. In response to the fans, this past two seasons they have changed their strategy and they tend to answer almost as many questions as they pose new questions...or at least they give major hints.
I am getting very curious about this guy who is ALWAYS on the island...the dark-haired guy...Richard? They have gone clear back to the 50s now in time travel and he is still there AND he looks exactly the same in all times.
I don't know if you saw the episodes several seasons back surrounding the crashed plane that had a stash of heroin on it and a pilot dressed as a priest...well that plane that flew over John's head this week and crashed is that plane. So I thought it was pretty cool for them to come back around on that.
Posts: 7864 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by jillybean: [...] The writers of this show are unbelievable-very smart guys-they sure keep you guessing. I wonder, at times, did they know the ending of the show from the very beginning or did they figure it out as they went along?
Jill
Really good authors will tell you that the characters take over and control their story. I guess it is a hard concept to understand unless you are an author .
Originally posted by jillybean: Sheri-just wondering how your feeling about the new season of Lost?
I am enjoying it in that it is tying together a lot of characters and answering (or giving glimpes toward answering) some questions that have been posed in previous episodes. I thought it was QUITE cool that John met Mr. Widmore as a young soldier this week. That explains how Widmore knew about the island and explains his fascination with its powers and mysteries.
On the other hand, the first few episodes haven't been as good in terms of those wonderful "OH MY GAWD! I can't believe that just happened!" Lost moments of past seasons, and the time jumps are getting a bit much to keep up with, even for a long-time fan like me. I'm sure, though, for the folks who really delve into all the puzzles and try to solve them, these last 2 episodes have been gold.
Unfortunately I've not watched all seasons of Lost so maybe I have missed too much. I do have a gazillion questions, things I just don't get. And yes, very cool for John to see Widmore back in the 50's as a young soldier. I'd like to see more of the Oceanic 6, and I'm sure we will. My dd started watching Season 1 with us the other day(we are buying/renting each season to see what the heck we missed) and now she is getting hooked! The writers of this show are unbelievable-very smart guys-they sure keep you guessing. I wonder, at times, did they know the ending of the show from the very beginning or did they figure it out as they went along?
Jill
I have no specific goal(s) right now. I am trying to find the spiritual side of myself that I lost somewhere along the way.
I watched Mamma Mia! on DVD rental this past weekend. It was still very enjoyable seeing it a second time (I saw it in the theatre the first time). It definitely doesn't have the singing quality of the stage version, but I found the movie more fun in some respects because I knew most of the people in it.
Posts: 7864 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by jillybean: Sheri-just wondering how your feeling about the new season of Lost?
I am enjoying it in that it is tying together a lot of characters and answering (or giving glimpes toward answering) some questions that have been posed in previous episodes. I thought it was QUITE cool that John met Mr. Widmore as a young soldier this week. That explains how Widmore knew about the island and explains his fascination with its powers and mysteries.
On the other hand, the first few episodes haven't been as good in terms of those wonderful "OH MY GAWD! I can't believe that just happened!" Lost moments of past seasons, and the time jumps are getting a bit much to keep up with, even for a long-time fan like me. I'm sure, though, for the folks who really delve into all the puzzles and try to solve them, these last 2 episodes have been gold.
Posts: 7864 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by jillybean: Tonight I plan to watch the new season of Lost...I am confused about a few things because I've missed some episodes, but I cannot wait for tonight.
I've watched Lost from the beginning; it is a show you can be confused about a few things even if you saw every minute. But I'm with you...I can't wait for tonight. I thought I had missed the season premiere last week! I was SO happy to hear that I hadn't. Must have been a repeat of the season closer from last season that they were reshowing last week.
Sheri-just wondering how your feeling about the new season of Lost? I'm not sure myself. It seems they are spending a lot of time focusing on one person/situation. One of the reasons I got hooked on the show was the fast-moving plot and the "keep-em-guessing" changes throughout each show. There is still that air of mystery and suspense and total confusion but it does not seem the same.
Jill
I have no specific goal(s) right now. I am trying to find the spiritual side of myself that I lost somewhere along the way.
Originally posted by jillybean: Tonight I plan to watch the new season of Lost...I am confused about a few things because I've missed some episodes, but I cannot wait for tonight.
I've watched Lost from the beginning; it is a show you can be confused about a few things even if you saw every minute. But I'm with you...I can't wait for tonight. I thought I had missed the season premiere last week! I was SO happy to hear that I hadn't. Must have been a repeat of the season closer from last season that they were reshowing last week.
Posts: 7864 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Tonight I plan to watch the new season of Lost. I was not a Lost fan until Sci-Fi began running 4 hour Monday night marathons from the very beginning. I haven't seen every single episode but I'm hooked! That show never fails to surprise. I am confused about a few things because I've missed some episodes, but I cannot wait for tonight.
Jill
I have no specific goal(s) right now. I am trying to find the spiritual side of myself that I lost somewhere along the way.
I watched Secondhand Lions with Michael Caine and Robert Duvall and Haley Joel Osment over the weekend. What a joy! Why did it take me 5 years to see this film? I don't know either.
I watched Dark Knight (the latest Batman movie) on DVD Saturday night and I was quite disappointed. I guess I had my expectations up too high from reading glowing reviews and such. I could barely stay awake until the end...I was really fighting it the last 30-45 minutes...and it is a very long movie.
I rented it because I adored Heath Ledger and I wanted to see his final performance, which I had heard many raves about. He is good (very creepy/evil) as The Joker...but the movie on the whole just was too dark or something.
Posts: 7864 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by GoingSkiing: I saw Benjamin Buttons.
As far as I can tell, I am the ONLY person in America who did care for it.
I have read some amazingly glowing reviews for it, so I doubt that you are the only person in America who liked it.
That is a typo. I did NOT care for it, but that is worded too strongly... more like "I didn't care for it and some things bugged me". I did think that the acting was exceptional. And I thought that they did a GREAT job with the whole story line of a person getting younger and I never once thought, "This is so stupid... him getting younger". Other things bugged me.
One of the things that bugged me was it is LONG! I think that it might be more than 3 hours. I would have perfered some sections shortened and a shorter movie.
Denise
Posts: 9221 | Location: Silicon Valley, CA | Registered: March 17, 2004
Originally posted by GoingSkiing: I saw Benjamin Buttons.
As far as I can tell, I am the ONLY person in America who did care for it.
I have read some amazingly glowing reviews for it, so I doubt that you are the only person in America who liked it. I had planned to have already seen it but things didn't work out to see it with my friends...so I'm going to plan to see it by myself in the next week or so.
Posts: 7864 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by GoingSkiing: I saw Benjamin Buttons.
As far as I can tell, I am the ONLY person in America who did care for it.
We can compare notes when you all have seen it.
I have been wanting to see that movie!! I'll let you know once I do.
We saw "The Day the Earth Stood Still" in IMAX. Had I seen it in a regular theater I would have been bored to tears. I think the only thing that kept me interested was the fact that the IMAX screen is gigantic and the surround sound is unbelievable. The movie left me feeling like I had no idea what was going on through the majority of the film and the ending fell totally flat. I do not recommend this film at all.
Jill
I have no specific goal(s) right now. I am trying to find the spiritual side of myself that I lost somewhere along the way.
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But I'm with you...I can't wait for tonight. I thought I had missed the season premiere last week! I was SO happy to hear that I hadn't. Must have been a repeat of the season closer from last season that they were reshowing last week. 