At the flicks

Our family is waiting, impatiently, for Madagascar: Escape "2" Africa. Opens Friday, November 7th. We are planning to be there..... though my youngest has a birthday party to attend.... so not sure yet what we're going to do. May just go see it on Saturday. UGH!! I'm too old to be told to wait patiently, yet I'm repeating it a lot lately around here.

Saw Burn After Reading...a savage indictment of...um...something or other concerning an Agency of somesort. BP was terrific, the bodies were disposed of...and all's well with the world.

Just finished John Adams. Six (I think) parts on HBO, out on 2 or 3 CDs. Highest recommendation. Says much about the forming of my humble nation, and what true citizenship means. Also about cosmic irony. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the last 2 surviving signers of the DoI died within hours of each other on July 4th, the 50th anniversary of the signing, and Thomas Jefferson was John Adams' last thought as he died. Based on Pulitzer Prize winning book by David McCullough who based the book on writings in the national archive. Angie, a great show to watch with the kids for a real appreciation of what being an American really means.

Hey Terry, any decent tv dramam sounds good...don't know if or when we will get it on free-to-air, but will watch out for it.

drama

Hi all - went to see the movie/documentary 'Young at Heart' yesterday. You probably know it's about a choir of elderly people in the US who sing, shall we say, modern music. It was entertaining, heartwarming, sad and funny. It's a testimony to the fact that music is good for the soul. Their version of 'Schizophrenia' was great. They were great! Top marks - go and see it!

Thanks, CynB. I'd not heard of it and I love choir films. I never get tired of the Sister Act movies because of the musical numbers. I'll keep my eye out for it.

Hey CynB, we have the Perth festival coming up so many good films get held over til then. It's very annoying, but I guess they need excellent movies to bring in the patrons. I think YaH must be one, as is Waltzing with Bashir and the Lemon Tree. All have got terrific reviews in the Eastern States, but are not showing here at present. The PIAF programme should be out tomorrow, so can plan my summer movies. They are all held outdoors in beautiful grounds, so it's not really a hardship except for b####y Daylight Saving which means they don't start til 9pm.

In honour of today's 'special day', our local paper had a selection of the 10 best movie portrayals of US presidents, either real or fictional. What say all? I vote for Dave 'cos I adore KK.

'Dave' was a bl**dy good movie!

Gail
Whoo hoo CynB, I was right. The Festival programme has just been released and YaH is the first movie. The other two I thought would be there are indeed...gosh I'm good!!!!!Modest too...

[It's a good day to be an American.] One of my faves is Michael Douglas in An American President. His speech at the end about knocking on doors if he has to because he will "get the guns" made my heart flutter.

Anthony Hopkins was a brilliant Nixon.

I fear KK is ineligible, though totally delicious as Dave because Dave wasn't a president. He was standing in for one. He only portrayed the prez in a coma. Don't think that counts.

Mary - that's great. Hope you enjoy them.
Terry - that's a shame that KK's not eligible - he would have got my vote too!
You'll all think I'm nuts but a movie I loved was 'Dick' with, I think, Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams as teenagers with a crush on Nixon. I thought it was a hilarious scenario making two silly teenage girls out to be Deep Throat. And Will Ferrell and the other guy, whose name I don't know, as Woodward and Bernstein. And with a fabulous Abba finish to it!!

Terry!!!! I am sorry; but I think, looking at some of your recent presidents, that being in a coma is no great impediment
Anthony Hopkins is a brilliant 'anyone'.
CynB, I will

CynB.... Bruce McCulloch, methinks

Fair observation, Terry. Great comeback though Mary!
How about the pres in Independence Day? Bill Pullman as President Thomas J. Whitmore and an equally good First Lady, Mary McDonnell.

Sorry Gail, but BP only plays BP. For heroic stoicism (!) I prefer Jack in Mars Attacks.

Oh, Mary, touche'. I must really like BP, though, because I always like seeing him in flix. Also Mary McDonnell.

Now that I think about it, my other fave BP role was in While You Were Sleeping, and his woodworker did act a lot like the Prez in ID but . . . I don't care! Hah! Taken alone, his turn as a Kennedesque fighter jock prez was adorable and I loved him in that movie.

A moment of silence for Joaquin Phoenix's announcement he's retiring from acting to pursue his greater love for music. [Tear.]

This weekend, Madagascar 2 opens (today actually ... as if you didn't know .... I keep mentioning it). We are going on Sunday afternoon. The trailers have been outrageous and the critics' critique has been quite favorable. Will let you know how it is.

Go Angie

BTW, did you ever see Burn after Reading? It's very funny...Brad Pitt is wonderful as a ditzy air-head...acting? maybe....

Brad Pitt has a fine sense of humor, thank you very much.

don't doubt it Terry, and a fine butt to match

Mary, did not get to see Burn After Reading. Went to go see it, and wouldn't you know, it was already out of the theater. Will now wait for it to come out on DVD.

I think Brad Pitt had butt implants or something. no one could possible have that perfect of a derriere with surgery

possible = possibly with = without. geez, must learn to proofread...

sigh.....

Now Mary - was that sigh for the lack of proofreading on Angie's part or the thought of a fine derriere?

Oh come on Cyn, if you have to ask, you haven't been looking hard enough!

hey, at least I proofread it afterwards!! I fixed the mistakes...!

He does have a fine tush

Madagascar: Escape "2" Africa. If you haven't seen the first one, don't bother to see the second. However, if you have seen the first one.... You MUST see the second one. It was hilarious. It had some serious stuff too, that made my 6 yr old deep thinker choke up a bit because it was soooo happy (his words). It was really done well. Could certainly have been longer, but, c'mon it's a kids movie. I give it 9/10 and def go see it in the theater!

Glad you enjoyed it Angie...there's a place for wonderful life-affirming movies..... I find that now my kids have grown, the memories of fabulous movies that we all watched together can still get everyone talking and laughing.

The Secret of Roan Innish was a big hit with my younger son when he was 7 or so.

Been a bit slow on movie reviews, so maybe we can try something to switch it up.

**Tell your favorite Christmas movie and why you like it enough to watch it again and again **

My favorite Holiday movie is "Elf" with Will Ferrel, James Caan, and Bob Newhart. The absurdity of the entire movie is what makes me keep watching it. My kids love it too. The best line in the movie "I like secrets, too". The best scene, the bathroom scene where they sing "Baby, It's Cold Outside". Check it out if you haven't seen it and like to laugh!

Great idea, Angie, but I'll have to get back to you. I'm drawing a perfect blank. I'll be the one who sits back and waits for submissions from others, then says, "Oh, yeah. I liked that one, too!"