Thursday, December 29, 2016

Thursday Movie Picks-Coming Home



This is the last theme for this year and we are all here to read about it or pick our favourite (or non favourite) for this week. As I'm writing this, thinking of 2 of the films I will use, the 3rd comes on TV! It is an obvious choice but never crossed my mind until I hear the music. I hope everyone had a good Christmas. I was behind and wrapping Christmas Eve which was pathetic but at least it got all done and it was wonderful. Now, the theme this week is about Coming Home and there are many films that can fit this bill but these are my 3. If you wish to know what the others have picked, head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves to see what everyone else has chosen. The The list for next year have already been picked so if you wish to join, just start Next Thursday. By the way Happy New Year!!

1. THE WIZARD OF OZ-1939


This is the movie I am re-watching right now when I should be in bed but I am late in writing this and I am enjoying this movie. I wonder if there is anyone who has not seen this film. It's all about a young girl, named Dorothy, who sings about being over the rainbow and after a tornado, ends up there or so she believes. She kills the wicked witch of the East by accident when Dorothy's house falls on top of  the meanie. Glenda, the good witch, places the Ruby shoes onto Dorothy's feet which just pisses off The Wicked Witch of the West. During Dorothy's trip down the yellow brick road she meets a Scarecrow, a tin man and a cowardly lion who all decide to venture to the Emerald City to meet the great and powerful Oz. Personally, I always thought Glenda was a smarmy bitch, I mean, she could have told her from the get go that she could go home. I mean, after seeing the munchkins, I would have believed without that long trip:)

2. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES-1946


This does not show the war at all but, yet, you experience all the horrors of it through the 3 men who are coming home. We meet them on the plane as they are coming back from the war and all have reservations coming back to their family, their job and resuming their lives as if nothing changed.  One man is a banker with a wonderful family, another was a hero and an officer who returns to a slutty wife and his job as a soda jerk. The third, a true real life war veteran who lost both his hands in the war, is coming home to his family and his fiancée and is wondering how they will have to deal with someone crippled by the war. This is a powerful statement, not only on the war but on how families were affected, PTSD, coming home to jobs that no longer seem fulfilling. This is a powerful film, brilliantly acted and one of the best films dealing with men who have trouble fitting back into society.

3. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES-1987


I am expecting this film to be big this week and with good reason, it's brilliant! Every time I watch this film, it makes me miss John Candy even more. This is so funny, sweet, sentimental and it has heart. Steve Martin plays an uptight advertising man who is trying to get back home to Chicago but due to a major snowfall, his plane is diverted to Wichita with the amiable doofus, John Candy in tow. Somehow, the uptight, neat Neal Page becomes partners with the huge, slobby Del Griffith to get home to Chicago. I can watch this film over and over again and it never fails to make me laugh. The music is brilliantly juxtaposed with some great scenes that can only be seen to be appreciated. There are also many great lines("those aren't pillows!) that leave you laughing and the ending makes you tear up...at least it does for me.

I will be doing a post on Carrie Fisher and her mom, Debbie Reynolds. This is so very sad especially for their loved ones left behind.

Let's hope the New Year will not be as big a year for famous deaths. Regardless, I wish you all a very Happy New Year filled with love, health and happiness.

33 comments:

  1. Great picks and we match once again!!

    Oz is such a special film and Judy just the perfect Dorothy. I never thought of Glinda as a bitch, Dorothy needed the journey to realize the importance of what she had. Glinda was always there in the background ready to save her, as she does in the poppy field, if necessary.

    Trains, Planes...is a fun ride with two expert performances.

    Best Years is just such a special film. What I've find incredible though is that three of the standout performances, Virginia Mayo, Dana Andrews and especially Myrna Loy weren't nominated. Of course that holds true for the entirety of all three's careers!

    I came up with my three in a snap this week, and I was delighted that I could use Best Years. Because of the happenings of the week I did quickly add an unplanned extra.

    The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)-Three members of the armed forces strike up a friendship on a return flight to their home town at the end of WWII. The film follows their three stories, Al (Fredric March) an upper middle class banker, Fred (Dana Andrews) a poor but hardworking clerk and Homer (Harold Russell) who has lost his arms during the war, and their difficult readjustment to a life that now seems foreign to them. This is loaded with brilliant performances by the entire cast, especially Myrna Loy as March’s patient wife and was the winner of multiple Oscars including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Russell-he only made a few film appearances but he’ll tear your heart out) and Best Actor (March-though Andrews is the standout male performance). A great film.

    The Myth of Fingerprints (1997)-After a three year estrangement four adult children, including Julianne Moore & Noah Wyle, return to the Maine home of their parents for Thanksgiving. Their mother Lena (Blythe Danner) is a gentle soul hoping for a pleasant holiday but their remote, stern father Hal (Roy Scheider) remains closed off and the gathering is fraught with tensions.

    Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990)-Quirky comedy/drama of a small town preparing for the return of hometown movie star Roxy Carmichael. The person who is most anxious for her return is young orphan Dinky Bossetti (Winona Ryder) who is sure that Roxy is her birth mother and is secretly planning to claim her as her own on her arrival.

    Tribute Bonus: With the incredibly sad passing of mother & daughter legends Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher within the last two days I wanted to include at least one of their films in memoriam, I wanted to do Bundle of Joy since Debbie was expecting Carrie when she made it (the ultimate costarring vehicle!) but the subject matter wasn’t right for the theme. This is the only one that really fit…happily it’s both a good film and a charming comedy.

    The Pleasure of His Company (1961)-“Pogo” Poole (Fred Astaire), a continental gadabout returns unannounced to San Francisco, his original home, for the wedding of his daughter Jessica (Debbie Reynolds) to cattle rancher Roger Henderson (Tab Hunter). Arriving at the palatial home of his ex-wife Kate (Lilli Palmer) and her present husband Jim Dougherty (Gary Merrill) when no one is home. He basically takes over the joint ensconcing himself in the best room and overtaking their servant Toy (Harold Fong). Kate, knowing what Pogo is like is leery or his return at first but eventually is lulled into letting him stay since Jessica wants him at the wedding so much. Kate’s sly father (Charlie Ruggles-in a highly enjoyable performance) who sees right through Pogo as well as Jim and Roger are less yielding especially when Pogo turns up the charm on Jessica and tries to convince her to take off with him to see the world rather than marry. Many humorous complications ensue capped by a mad dash to the airport. Breezy comedy played by experts.

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    1. I'm just joking about Glenda....she is there and Dorothy needs to go through her journey to learn. Glad we picked the same film which works so well here. You are right about The Best Years....Dana Andrews should have been nominated along with Virginia and Myrna. Myrna was excellent as the devoted wife who knows her husband is dealing with major issues. One of my favourite scenes is when Myrna and Frederic talk about their marriage to their daughter about how much they fight. It is a realistic scene about marriage. I haven't seen your other 2 but want to but I have seen your bonus pick. It's a fun film although I do wish Fred would dance....just saying.

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  2. I agree about Oz. After having survived a tornado and showing up in Munchkin land, Dorothy no doubt would have believed anything told to her by anyone... especially someone who was a witch, traveling in a giant pink bubble!

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    1. Yes...true but it could be a drug LSD haze.....actually that makes sense.

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  3. I feel bad because I hate Oz and Planes and Trains. Lol. I never couls love those two like everyone else does.

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    1. OMG! I just have no words and hang my head low......😄

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  4. Now I feel like I should really rewatch The Wizard of Oz.

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    1. I haven't seen it in a while until last night and it was fun to watch

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  5. Wow. I've seen all three. Must be the first time that has happened. But to be brutally honest, other than for the song 'Over the Rainbow', I hate the 'Wizard of Oz.' I do, however, have a beautifully illustrated book that I love. Go figure.

    Happy New Year to you and yours!!!!

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    1. I would love to see that book with the illustrations. You are the 2nd person to dislike that film.

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  6. I've watched two of three. I'd go nuts way before the end if I had to deal a John Candy's character in that movie haha

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    1. Yes....I could not deal with that character either and we have all met versions of that person.

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  7. Happy New Year!

    The first one was the only one I saw in your 3 movies here. Glad you had a great Christmas :)

    So sad about Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. I look forward to your post about them.

    betty

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    1. It is sad about them and a shock. I'll be writing about them soon.

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  8. LOVE Wizard of Oz (anyone who doesn't... I don't want to know them) and Best Years of Our Lives, one of the BEST Best Pictures ever.

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    1. Hahahahaaa.2 people here don't care for that film. Best Years is one of the finest and I love it.

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  9. Sadly, I'm with Brittani. I've never cared for Planes, Trains... I saw it in the theater, even. Just not my kind of film. And The Wizard of Oz... Should be in my wheelhouse, but it never captured my imagination. Best Years... I've seen bits of. One of these days I should sit through it. I think that's more my speed.

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    1. Oh, meant to tell you I sent you a photo of how the B gift card holder turned out. Let me know if you like or not.

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    2. Oh, I hang my head low that you don't like PLANES, etc.. that movie is close to my heart. I will check my email and will respond

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  10. Haven't seen Wizard of Oz in a very long time. It was one of the first movies I saw on Canadian TV when we got here some 40 years ago. I am unfamiliar with the other two picks.

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    1. I wonder if you will think differently about WIZARD if you watched it again. Best Years is an excellent film that I think you might like.

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  11. So the theme is Coming Home and you didn't pick Coming Home? LOL.

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    1. I did almost pick that film but I didn't care for it that much.

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  12. I loved your first pick. I've never seen the other two. Kansas (state I live in in the US) has signs everywhere, like a dedicated highway called the yellow brick road, etc. We take our tornadoes AND our Oz seriously here (grin).

    Thanks for stopping by even when I was either offline, or so busy (like you) I didn't have time to be on my old, slow computer. I'll be by more often now that my computer is much faster.

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    1. I bet they take Oz seriously and I think that's pretty cool. Glad your computer is running faster

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  13. BIRGIT ~
    Your choices of 'OZ' and 'PLANES, TRAINS...' are perfect. The latter is, for me, the "Most-Laughs-Per-Minute" movie ever made, and I thought EVERYONE liked 'Oz', but apparently not.

    I laughed at Elliptical Man's remark because I'd had the same thought. Even though, honestly, that movie isn't one I really care for.

    Hmmm... 'THE DEER HUNTER' comes to mind -- another Vietnam War picture and one of the most intense movies ever filmed.

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    1. I thought of Coming Home but I also never cared much for it. I still have to see The Deer Hunter! I must rectify this.

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  14. I never thought of The Wizard of Oz as a coming home film, great pick! Every Thanksgiving I watch Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and it never gets boring or unfunny. Have a happy new year!

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    1. I didn't think about Oz u til it came on tv and then I realized it is all about her wanting to get home. I love Planes so much..glad you do too.

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  15. Birgit good movie choices! I, especially love Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. We watch that every Thanksgiving and never tire of it. Have a happy new year and may God's blessings be with you in 2017, dear friend!

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    1. Happy New Year to you also and hope all is well. Let's see what this year will bring.

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  16. I'm not really a big fan of Wizard of Oz, but I'd say I did enjoy it and some of the tunes were catchy.

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