Thursday, February 20, 2020

Thursday Movie Picks-Love in the Tech Age


Love is all around from music, books, film and real life but there are so many versions of love that it’s hard to figure them all out. This week, at Wandering Through The Shelves, it is about Love in the Tech Age and I had to think about this one for a while but I think I chose 3 that work and here they are...

1.  STAR WARS-1977


Friends can love each other deeply and nothing speaks love of friendship in the tech age than R2D2 and C3PO. It is with little wonder that George Lucas was inspired by the great friendship team of Laurel & Hardy( my dad’s favourite comedy duo). Laurel & Hardy were tied to the hip and Hardy would always complain and blame Laurel...sound familiar? These 2 robots almost stole the picture because they were funny, endearing and loving as only 2 dear friends could be.  We know the plot of this great film but no one thinks that the best love story is between these 2 robots.

2. YOU’VE GOT MAIL-1998


Oh, this tech love story sounds like a relic nowadays but it still fits since this involves computers. This is a remake of The Shop Around The Corner with James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan and In The Good Ole Summertime, a musical remake with Judy Garland and Van Johnson. This film stars Tom Hanks as a big chain bookstore owner who is despised by a small children’s bookstore owner played by Meg Ryan and they often argue. Unbeknownst to both, they are “pen pals”  who discuss their problems specifically with the jerk/jerkess that is irritating the hell out of them. It’s a nice little romance movie made better by the acting of Hanks and Ryan even though I found her annoying in this flick. I prefer the original and the musical over this one.

3. A. I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-2001


This is an under-rated gem of a film with a heartbreaking performance by Haley Joel Osment as a young robot who can feel love and only wants to be loved. He is with human parents whose son is not expected to ever come out of his coma. The mother enacts the human emotion from her robot son who loves to have a mom. This is cut short when their human son regains consciousness and comes home only to become jealous of his robot brother. He makes sure the robot brother is blamed for something the human son instigated and the parents agree to send the robot boy away to be demolished only the mother can’t do it so she lets robotboy off in the woods and leaves. The robot boy wants to become human and goes in search of the blue fairy to make him human going on an adventure that is equally thrilling and dangerous. It was not widely received when it came out but I thought it was brilliant and shows how much a boy just wants to be loved.

Which 3 films would you choose?

51 comments:

  1. I'm not a fan of you've got mail; don't know why but it just doesn't do it for me. But Star Wars is a brilliant idea! And AI is a good one too. Hey, I actually know all 3 films you talked about today. Happy end of your week. Hope its a good one. Hugs-Erika

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  2. I agree with Erika - didn't care for that movie. It was trying too hard to be Sleepless in Seattle, which was trying too hard to be When Harry Met Sally.
    Well, if you picked Star Wars, I'll pick Guardians of the Galaxy - they were friends and family.

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    1. Guardians is a great pick and works out really well. You've Got Mail is ok but I prefer the original

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  3. Hi Birgit....hasn’t seen any of these but have put the last one on my list to have a look for...sounds intriguing....
    More rain here today and wishing for a ray of sunshine.....enjoy your weekend and Ihope you feel a lot better soon xxxxx

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    1. I hope you like AI. The weather here is blah but we didn't get hit like you did. stay crafty!

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  4. I love that you went with Star Wars, that's a very inspired pick. I expect You Got Mail will get a lot of love today. AI infuriated me lol. I remember going to that in theaters with my older sister and both of us were just perplexed when we left.

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    1. Glad you like my Star Wars pick. I do expect You've Got Mail to be the pick this week. I think if you saw A.I. again you might not be as perplexed. It is a sad one for sure

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  5. I've seen Star Wars. It's amazing I've actually seen one of the flicks you chose this week. Yes CP3O and R2D2 were the comic relief of the films. They were fabulous and I can see the "brotherly" love there, too.

    I didn't see the other two, but would NOT see You've Got Mail if you paid me. I've heard too much about it being syrupy and gag-me dreadful. You are the first person I have read who actually LIKED it. I would LOVE to see AI. I heard it was good when it came out.

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    1. Glad you like my Star wars pick. You've Got Mail is not wretched even though it is typical. The best is the original with James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan which deserves to be seen. I really like A.I. but many didn't

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  6. Don't know the last movie but it sounds rather sad to me. I always loved the robots in Star Wars. I agree about You've Got Mail, not the best movie by any means.

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    1. A.I. is sad..quite sad but very good. I love those 2 robots and yes, You've Got Mail is not the best but it's ok if you don't want to think too much

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  7. Hi Brigit, I've only seen Star Wars and so long ago I've forgotten it.
    Anyway, I hope you are feeling much better now, Kate x

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    1. Hahaaa-not many can say they forgot about Star wars:) I am in pain and it is frustrating

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  8. I've actually seen all three of your picks. Will wonders never cease?

    I saw the Judy Garland first, I think. I only went to see You Got Mail because I was familiar with the original. There are several movies from the '90s that I saw for reasons such as this.

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    1. I too saw the Musical version first and enjoyed it. I am glad you saw all 3. What other films did you see in the 90's that fir this theme?

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  9. I've seen all three of the films you chose and they make sense. I couldn't think of anything offhand other than maybe Logan's Run, but I don't recall exactly of that story line fits the criteria of this theme.

    Soylent Green had an element of "love" so maybe that could qualify. Or how about 1984? I never saw the newer version of that film, but I know that love is at the core of that story.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. I think all 3 hit the mark. Logan is running with the girl to escape being killed. Soylent Green is sick but a good choice and 1984 also fits even though it is quite dark

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  10. Hi, Birgit!

    Meg Ryan might be a little annoying but, as we established last time, she sure is cute. :) I enjoyed You've Got Mail. I favor any film that has Greg Kinnear in the cast. He's always great.

    I am not a Star Wars fan but I saw the original film twice. I'm not into same sex robot love but I see the similarity between the R2D2/C3PO shtick and Laurel & Hardy. I have not seen A.I. but you'll be happy to know that Shady has hired an A.I. character as a new Shady Bunch deejay. Stay tuned for that. The "Love in the tech age" example that immediately pops into my head is the relationship between Derek Morgan and tech whizette Penelope Garcia (aka "Baby Girl") on the TV crime drama Criminal Minds.

    Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend BB!

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    1. Yes, Meg is cute and she was great in French Kiss and in others but in this she bugged me a bit. Greg Kinear is great. R2 and C3 were not in love but had a brotherly love and a deep friendship and Lucas did base them on Laurel & Hardy so I thought they were perfect. Now I can’t wait to see the robot you choose...it will be fun to see. I never watched Criminal Minds..I tried but it was just too dark for me

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  11. Those two droids are practically married.

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  12. My gosh; I've seen all of these movies!!! I liked them all too!

    betty

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  13. The robots sure loved away, in a robot way haha

    I enjoyed You've Got Mail, even though it was just trying to be sleepless in seattle.

    I haven't watched AI in years, but when I did I found it rather boring.

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    1. The bots had a brotherly love. You’ve Got Mail isn’t bad but the original is the best. Boring?? Ok, well, no but hey maybe a second viewing will change your mind

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  14. Charlie is here on winter break so this week I've seen Star Wars 1, 4, 5, and 6. Can't even begin to think how many times I've watched them all since 1977.
    Enjoyed You've Got Mail but never saw AI.

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    1. You must enjoy Charlie being home and glad you saw them but you have me beat with watching Star Wars more than once. You might like A.I.

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  15. I didn't know Good Old Summertime was also a remake of The Shop Around the Corner. I'm with you. The original was the best. I liked the soundtrack on You've Got Mail so much, the Husband bought it for me. I like the love story between the two robots in Wall-E.

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    1. Yes, the musical is based on the Stewart movie and both are done quite well. Wall-E is such a good film and is perfect for this week.

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  16. Hi Birgit - I do believe I've seen all through ... slept through Star Wars - I had been out all night and was whacked as i'd driven my brother down to London to see it ... but I did enjoy You Got Mail- I could switch off, relate and just enjoy ... but your snippets are a great selection - cheers Hilary

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    1. Glad you have seen all of them. Star wars fans would be in shock that you slept through it...hahahaa

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  17. I love the brotherly love angle you chose for Star Wars, (which I haven't watched in its entirety; not my taste). You've Got Mail was pretty good, but as you said, the original Jimmy Stewart classic is better. Haven't seen AI, but it sounds interesting. I couldn't think of any movies for this category. Tough one!

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    1. This was a tough week. One went a great route choosing a film about Bell and another about the typewriter

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  18. Gee, BIRGIT, I came close to drawing a blank for this category. I'm really a Low-Tech, Old School kinda guy.

    I eventually had just two movies come to mind that I remember liking, but I'm not sure if they both qualify:

    WAR GAMES with Matthew Broderick

    and

    V FOR VENDETTA with Natalie Portman

    I haven't seen that first one in decades, so I don't recall how much "romance" there was in it. And the second one definitely had some "love attraction" stuffs going on, but I can't remember if it was really high-tech enough to qualify for this category.

    ~ D-FensDogG
    STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

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    1. I think they both work especially V for Vendetta

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  19. You've Got Mail is a popular choice this week, I love it! I have seen the other two but if I had to pick, I'd go for YHM every tie. D

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  20. I did not know the idea for R2D2 and C3PO came from Laurel and Hardy. You share the neatest factoids.
    Hope you are having a great one.

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    1. Thanks and yes, They come from this legendary duo

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  21. Good picks! AI is an especially inspired choice. It has such a weird vibe which I attribute to it being a Kubrick/Spielberg mashup, but it works really well!

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    1. You are right about the mash-up. Glad you like this choice

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  22. I've never seen AI. You have intrigued me.

    I can't think of others. However, it occurs to me that quite a lot of these stories have an ancient precedent: Pygmalion. And a more recent one: Pinnochio.

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    1. AI is like Pinnochio and has been compared to it

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  23. I was intrigued by Artificial Intelligence but feared it would be sad and never saw it.

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  24. I like but don't love Star Wars but I know I'm in the minority.

    You've Got Mail is by far my least favorite version of the story. The first was a delicate gossamer charmer and the second sweet though without the pathos but despite Tom Hanks, Jean Stapleton and Steve Zahn the last didn't engage me. I also found Meg Ryan annoying in it.

    I didn't really like A.I. too much from the beginning. It was a terribly cold film but had it ended with the obviously bleak (Kubrick) intended ending I would have at least respected it's clarity of purpose. But then Spielberg tacked on what was supposed to be a feel good ending which completely screwed with all that had gone before.

    I had already used the two I thought of for this, Desk Set & Bells Are Ringing before so I sat out the week.

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  25. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks have always been such a winning team, haven't they?

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  26. Can't fault the three you've chosen, Birgit. :)

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

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  27. I love Star Wars and You’ve got mail. We boys copy of You’ve got Mail.
    Jilda pointed out that it’s a remake of Shop Around the Corner with Jimmy Stewart.
    R

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  28. OMG! I have seen all of these! This might be a record for me. I actually saw AI at a drive in along with another movie (that escapes me now). I can't believe that was 19 years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday. Great picks! :)
    ~Jess

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