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| December sunrise from my front porch |
I didn't actually know the setting of this musical from the 1980s, although I was pretty sure it was about fairy tales, and it is. It mixes Cinderella with Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood together with some clever songs. I enjoyed it very much, but you would have to be a fan of musicals to enjoy it at all. I found it to be entertaining and fun. Meryl Streep is wonderful in it, but she's pretty wonderful in anything, to me anyway. The reviews have been mixed, but I'd give it a B.
Last week we went to see Wild, with Reese Witherspoon playing the lead. This movie has gotten the best ratings, and it's another one I enjoyed. The book was adapted very well to the screen, and I think she will definitely get an Oscar nomination for her performance, which was outstanding. Laura Dern plays her mother and is also excellent. The true story (if you don't know it) is about a young woman whose mother's death at 47 threw her for a loop and she became very self destructive. She decides to hike the Pacific Crest trail alone for over a thousand miles to get her life back on track, and the movie covers the experience in excruciating detail, along with flashbacks to her earlier life. I'd give it an A.
The movie that has stayed with me the longest, however, is The Theory of Everything, the true story of the early years of Stephen Hawking's life and his relationship with his first wife. It's based on her memoir and as soon as I got home I went looking to see how closely the movie followed facts. It's pretty much correct, with some things rearranged for dramatic effect, but still very close to reality. Eddie Redmayne plays Hawking and is absolutely stunning in the role. He inhabited the part and the disability so well that I actually forgot he was acting. This one gets another A from me.
Next Monday we will see Unbroken, which has received rather dismal reviews. (It's the only one in the group that has received a "rotten" rating.) But I've learned to take other people's ideas about what is good and what is not with a grain of salt. There are plenty of movies that I hesitated to see because of the reviews and I loved them after all. Anyway, it's movie time for us!
:-)
And this is one, of the many, times when I wished you lived around the corner. I'd love to be your movie buddy!
ReplyDeleteInteresting reviews. Hubby saw Mockingjay yesterday and liked it.
ReplyDeletei'd like to see wild someday, but will try to catch it on cable. :)
ReplyDeleteNice pic! Yes, I read the book, and now I want to go see "Wild." I've been hearing good things about the movie. I also ready "Unbroken." It was a good book, but I think it would be a depressing movie. Thanks for the reviews!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I am not a movie goer on the whole, but your reviews tempt me.
ReplyDeleteAnd I LOVE that sky.
I will wait for them to come out on Netflix! We watched Nebraska today, I give it an A:)
ReplyDeleteYou really get at what the movie is about. It's good to go with somebody and then talk about what you've seen. It works the same with books.
ReplyDeleteI am so far behind on movies, these days. The closest theater is an hour and a half from our place. Enter Netflix! Good reviews, DJan. I'll catch them eventually, no doubt. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't see Wild, but I read the book, which I enjoyed but also wondered how much had been exaggerated or massaged by memory. I wanna see both Theory of Everything and Unbroken. I guess movie-going will be on my schedule for January!
ReplyDeleteI will probably see these on DVD and enjoy reading your reviews beforehand.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your reviews, DJan! I'm really wanting to see Into the Woods. I know some of the music already, but I don't know the story. I'm going to make it a point to see it at the theater.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that Eddie Redmayne is amazing in the Theory of Everything. Oscar?
I shall so enjoy Into The Woods and I am checking into Wild. Thanks for the tips always. Have a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteFantastic! Thanks for the reviews. Wild is the one I think I'd like to see.
ReplyDeleteWild is the only one that is not listed on Netflix for some reason. All the others I already had in my queue and am glad to hear you liked them. Looking forward to all of them and I'll keep my eyes peeled for Wild showing up on Netflix, too. :)
ReplyDeleteI also enjoy the movies and plan to see The theory of Everything next week so I'm glad you enjoyed it. Have you seen the Imitation Game with Benedict Cumberbatch? - another possible Oscar nomination.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reviews. I don't care for musicals so I will dodge that one. Wild is on my list as is the Steven Hawking one. He is a fascinating man.
ReplyDeleteLoved the book Unbroken and hope the movie is as good, though that doesn't always follow. Be sure to let us know on that one.
This is movie time for us too. we will eventually try to see all movies that receive Oscar nominations. Into the Woods and The Theory of Everything are on my list. We saw Wild last night and liked it very much. I'm not sure we will see Unbroken, maybe wait for DVD rentals.
ReplyDeleteFirst....I love Eddie! His freckles, and red hair. Yum, eye candy. Anything he is in would get an "A" from me. lol
ReplyDeleteAnd the Wild sounds like one I'd really want to see.
I so enjoy your movie critiques DJ!!!
This is apparently movie time for lots of people. We don't go to movies much... maybe 2 - 3 times a year. But we do watch some when they come out on DVD. However, I enjoy your reviews and would like to see *The Theory of Everything*.... and maybe *Wild*. *Unbroken* (although a good story) seems a bit depressing, and I'm not much into fairy tales (although I do love Meryl Streep!).
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