I’m a week late posting this but…better late than never. So this is what I watched…
1. LIVING-2022
I love Bill Nighy, not the Science Guy, but a great actor who stars as a civil servant who pushes papers around and makes sure things never get done. When he learns he has cancer, he decides to start …living. He was Oscar nominated and justly so for this understated performance. It is quite moving, and an emotional film.
2. WHERE EAGLES DARE-1968
This film stars Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood as spies who must infiltrate a fortress on top of a mountain that houses top secret information and a top spy. This is no easy feat since Nazis are everywhere and there is a double agent…but who? Beautiful scenery, great action sequences and action galore. Love this movie. There was a delay in the making of this film when Burton went missing for 3 days…he went on a bender with his 2 good friends, Richard Harris and Peter O’Toole.
3. SHENANDOAH-1965
I finally saw this movie! A different western/war film that takes place in this lush valley with the patriarch, James Stewart, presiding over his brood of grown kids-all boys and one girl. We find out that he is a pacifist who does not believe the war to be just ( no kidding! The South are still fighting..um slavery anyone…geez!) and keeps explaining the reason to his sons, one in particular. When his youngest is taken as a prisoner just for wearing a confederate hat, he and his sons, sans one, go on a venture to bring the young one home. It is quite well written, sad, funny and shows the brutality of war without showing many battles. It is worth a look for sure and I believe people who dislike Westerns would still like this film because it is not a real Western.
4. LITTLE LORD FAUNTELOY-1936
This is another that I finally was able to see after decades on my list. It stars the young Freddie Bartholomew, the male Shirley Temple but with a bit less talent, as a young boy who finds out he is an heir to his father’s holdings and goes England, with his mom, to meet his curmudgeonly grandfather. It’s quite a fun film which makes me wish all kids were a nice as this one.
5. THE OTHER MAN-2008
Liam Neeson plays the husband to Laura Linney, a fashion head who designs shoes. You find out early on that one day, she never returns and her husband is grieving until he finds out she has been having an affair with another man, Antonio Banderas and he decides to find this man. It sounds simple enough but it is anything but and leaves you with more than one surprise. A definite movie to watch.
6. ON WINGS AND EAGLES-2016
I was surprised by how much I loved this film that stars Joseph Fiennes as Eric Liddell, the Scottish Olympic gold medalist from 1924 who moved back to China (he was born there) after the Olympics and worked as a missionary until the Japanese invaded China during WW2. This man was amazing and very courageous since he helped his fellow prisoners in many a dark moment. This man was also written about in an Oscar film, “Chariots of Fire”.
7. LEATHERHEADS-2009
I enjoyed this fun frolicsome screwball type of comedy starring George Clooney as the head of a pro football team in the late 1920s to early 1930s and how the pro football team was considered a joke unlike college football. Renee Zellweger plays a newspaper journalist sent to cover the team and the college kid playing for a pro team. She is no Jean Arthur or Rosalind Russell, but she gives it her best college try and is a bit annoying in her pinched up face but I enjoyed this movie and it’s a good sports flick.
8. IL POSTINO-1994
A gentle comedy that takes place in a small Italian fishing village where the lead, played so well and so tragically, by Massimo Troisi, who learns about love, life and what he wants from the exiled Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda. It was up for many awards and won best Foreign film but, sadly, Massimo died a day after filming wrapped up. He delayed heart surgery to finish this film which was very close to his heart as he not only starred in the film but wrote it and co-directed it.
TV
Ya know….I do have a couple of shows but I want to finish it before I talk about them and the others…I already talked about so I have Nadia here.
What did you see…or read in March?
Hi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteI knew you had this monthly feature up your sleeve, and I am here hoping my comment gets published and stays published this time. :)
Living (2022) looks exactly like the type of film Mrs. Shady and I would love to watch together. With a setting in 1950s London, we're already there. Importantly, the main character is an older man running out of time and making every minute count, a refreshingly different plot from all those Disney movies about girls switching places with their moms or falling in love with princes. Thanks for the viewing tip! I see that we can rent Living through Prime.
Mrs. Shady is also fond of war films, and Where Eagles Dare is a good choice. I like Anton Diffring who starred in one of my favorite horror thrillers Circus Of Horrors (1960).
I know you were referring to friend Shady in your review of Shenandoah. While its true that I shy away from most Westerns, I like films with an anti-war message and I love Jimmy Stewart, two big reasons to catch this one.
Little Lord Fauntleroy is the kind of film Mrs. Shady would most likely watch alone while crocheting and while I was in another room watching Russ Meyer.
I already informed Mrs. Shady that I would like us to watch The Other Man because we both love mysteries and I in particular love thrillers. She loves Liam Neesen, I love Laura Linney and I am often mistaken for Antonio Banderas.
On Wings Of Eagles is yet another must see for Mrs. S and me. I am aware of the credentials of Joseph Fiennes, brother of Ralph Fiennes. Mrs. S has a fascination with Scottish people and we like historical biographical dramas.
Regarding Leatherheads, I enjoy most screwball comedies. Mrs. Shady won't watch any movie about sports unless it's about baseball. I like Clooney but get spooked whenever I see Renee Z these days because, in my noggin, she always transforms into the evil Pam Hupp.
The Postman looks like a charming film, and we would appreciate the Italian setting and gentle tale of romance. I think you told us about this movie before, because I remembered the tragic back story.
In March, I continued to work toward my goal of being an Amy Adams "completist" by watching Psycho Beach Party, Cruel Intentions 2, Serving Sara, Sunshine Cleaning, Doubt, The Master and American Hustle. Amy is my favorite actress. On the small screen, Mrs. S and I are loving the British detective series Murder in Suburbia and River, the latter co-starring one of your faves - Nicola Walker.
Please give my buddy Harley a good belly scratchin' and have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend BB!
In March I finished reading the last five of Louise Penny's Gamache novels. I also binge-watched the first four episodes of The Last of Us with my son when his power went out and he came here to stay. Now I have to finish watching it.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t realise Chariots of Fire was not the only film about Eric Liddell!
ReplyDeleteSome nice variety there Birgit and you’ve given me some titles to seek out.
ReplyDeleteWhere Eagles Dare is a very good film though it could have stood another run through the editing room to sharpen its edges and shorten its run time.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen Shenandoah, maybe a little bit of burnout though I like the film. It used to play all the time when I was a kid and it was a particular favorite of my Dad’s so we watched it often. Love the song Oh, Shenandoah!
Freddie Bartholomew came along at just the right time being perfectly suited for films such as Little Lord Fauntleroy and they were very much in vogue. Freddie like so many child actors shows the perils of early fame and the treacherous landscape to make the jump to adult stardom which for the few who made it (Judy, Liz Taylor, Deanna Durbin, Jodie Foster, Natalie Wood) appears to be slightly easier for a woman. He did end up quite successful behind the scenes.
I didn’t love Leatherheads, of course it started with the black mark of that Zellweger creature in the cast, but it was pleasant enough for that one viewing.
I haven’t seen the others though Il Postino has been on my to see list for far too long. I’m intrigued by the other three as well and I’m always casting around for new titles.
I saw many things in March but only two stood out for different reasons.
First was 80 for Brady. The film itself was a sweet homily with some sauciness thrown in but I LOVED the four lead actresses both singly and as a group. They obviously were having a great time being together and that translated to the audience.
The other was an old "Hallmark Hall of Fame" from back in the days when that stood for the highest quality television and not the pablum that it churns out nowadays-The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer. It was a bit stagy but an intriguing alternate history of what might have resulted had Custer survived Little Big Horn. It was jam packed with talent-Blythe Danner, James Olson, William Daniels, Ken Howard, Brian Keith, Richard Dysart and on and on.
I've seen Leatherheads, but none of the others. I'll have to look out for them.
ReplyDeleteHi Birgit - so pleased you saw 'Living' - I loved the film ... I also saw 'Empire of Light' - another 1950s English film ... so nostalgic ... took me right back to that era. I haven't seen the others you mention ... but thanks for watching 'Living'!! Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteShenandoah was a classic wasn't it? Got to love Jimmy Stewart. Hope your pain backs off. Hugs
ReplyDeleteI've never seen any of these and never heard of several of them. But of course, I always enjoy your synopses and that i s the main reason I like to visit your site. Even if I know the film, seeing it through your eyes is always a new and enjoyable experience.
ReplyDeleteBirgit,
ReplyDeleteWhat we primarily watched in March has been the series Vikings. We're almost done with it and have enjoyed this show more than we thought we would. Where Eagles Dare is a fabulous oldie. I think I'd like to see "The Other Man". I like Liam Neeson as well as Antonio Banderas.
What an awesome list. I mostly watch crime thrillers.
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