Saturday, July 28, 2012

AT THE MOVIES AT MY HOUSE - QUICKIE REVIEWS

"Of Gods and Men" ("Des Hommes et des Dieux") tells the story of a small community of French Cistercian monks in their monastery on a hilltop in North Africa, who live peacefully amongst their mostly poor Muslim neighbors. An elderly monk who is also a doctor offers what medical care he can to the people in the surrounding area with minimal medical equipment.   

Enter militant Muslim fundamentalists who kill a group of foreign workers and instill fear in the local population.  The situation of the foreign monks becomes dangerous, and the monks must make a decision on whether to leave or whether to stay.

I loved the scenes in the monastery with the monks praying, chanting, and going about their work.  The actors in the film perform superbly, and the camera work shows off the landscapes surrounding the monastery beautifully.  Viewing the film was altogether a powerful and moving experience.

In French with subtitles.

The fast-moving "Source Code" called for two and a half viewings for me to work out exactly what was going on.  The first time around, I was interrupted more than once for rather long periods, which made it difficult for me to follow the intricate plot.

The surprised and confused Jake Gyllenhaal wakes and finds himself on a commuter train, thrust into a mission to stop a terrorist from carrying out his plot without knowing who the terrorist is, only that the man is on the same train, and Gyllenhaal has to find him before he carries out his plan.   Doing the job involves him in life extension, a form of time travel, and an alternate universe.   With Michelle Monaghan, as a fellow-commuter, and Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright, as Stevens’s military handlers.

In "The Descendants" George Clooney plays the stressed, workaholic scion of a large, extended family, descendants of Hawaiian royalty, who are heirs to vast and valuable land holdings in Hawaii.  An offer to buy the land for development divides the family.

At the same time, Clooney grieves for his wife, who now lies in the hospital on life support following an accident and fumbles and stumbles through learning how to be a father to his two daughters after leaving all the parenting to his wife through the years.  The movie shows Clooney at his best, which is very good, indeed, and Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller perform with excellence as the two daughters.  Of course, the fine film includes gorgeous vistas of Hawaii.

It had been a long time since I'd watched "Young Frankenstein" all the way through.  I'd catch parts of the movie on TV, but I never timed it right to see the whole movie in the proper sequence.  I decided to order through Netflix, and I was not sorry to laugh my way through the film again.  I laugh out loud now when I think of some of the lines.

Dr Frederick: "Perhaps I can help you with that hump." 
Igor: "What hump?"

Inga: "Werewolf!"
Dr Frederick: "Werewolf?"
Igor: "There."
Dr Frederick: "What?"
Igor: "There, wolf. There, castle."
Dr Frederick: "Why are you talking like that?"

A good time was had by me with all the movies.  Grandpère does not watch with me, even when I tell him he'd probably enjoy the movie.  He's busy doing his own thing, and my timing is not always right for him.

8 comments:

  1. Of Gods and Men --I carried that movie around in my mind's eye for weeks after viewing it....

    I've seen the others --except Source Code --perhaps we'll watch it!

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  2. margaret, 'Of Gods and Men' stayed with me for a long time.

    'Source Code' is worth a watch. Heck, if the main character was confused and caught on to what was happening only gradually, why should I be embarrassed?

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  3. Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Igor, help me with the bags.
    Igor: Soitenly. You take the blonde, I'll take the one in the turban.
    Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: I was talking about the luggage.

    I'm not allowed to watch it while she is in the house.

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    Replies
    1. Well, now you see what a broadminded woman I am, that I don't easily take offense.

      Dr Frederick: "What knockers."
      Inga: "Thank you, doctor."

      Inga: "Vould you like to have a roll in ze hay?
      Inga: "It's fun."
      Inga: "Roll, roll, roll in ze hay."

      Delete
  4. "What knockers!" The brilliance of Young Frankenstein is that it brings out the adolescent in all of us.

    I watched "The Descendants" last weekend. Clooney's understated performance was excellent.

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    Replies
    1. KJ, that's it. Back to adolescence.

      Clooney has matured well as an actor. He's not just a pretty face; he never was only that, and he's still damned good-looking.

      Delete
  5. Elizabeth: "Taffeta, darling!"

    Frederick: "Taffeta, sweetheart!"

    ***

    Frederick: "Pardon me, boy, is that the Transylvania choo-choo?

    Shoe-shine boy: "Ja! Ja! Track tventy-nine . . . can I give ya a shine?"

    ***

    Kemp: . . . if he is vollowing in his grandvatter's vootschtaps!

    Villagers: His what?

    Kemp: Vollowing in his grandvatter's vootschtaps . . . (stamping in place)Vootschtaps! Vootschtaps!

    Villagers: Ohhhh! Footsteps!

    ***


    Inga: He vould have and enormous schwanstucker!

    ***

    One of my favorite films, obviously. BTW, bluecher (with a u umlaut, the two dots over the u, rather than ue)is German for glue. (whinny)

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    Replies
    1. I guess it would be against copyright laws to post the entire dialogue from the movie.

      Delete

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