COMMENTS

47 responses to “Open Thread: Movies!”

1. In no particular order:

   Jaws
   Sunset Boulevard
   The Shining

   !

   Reply to MONA LIESA

2. Love Actually – my go-to holiday movie, always makes me shed a happy tear and Bill Nighy’s portrayal of a washed-up rock star is brilliant.
   Blue Velvet — first David Lynch movie I ever saw. Deeply disturbing and highly entertaining at the same time. Yes, I am that person who saw every episode of Twin Peaks several times over.
   Withnail and I — cult British movie about two unemployed, drunken actors who “accidentally” go on holiday to the countryside. There’s a good spin-off drinking game — every time they take a slug of alcohol, so do you. Don’t know anyone capable of standing by the end.

   Reply to Annette Witheridge

3. Sneakers for the chemistry between the characters:
   Whistler: I want peace on earth and good will toward man.
   Abbot: Oh, this is ridiculous.
   Bishop: He’s serious.
   Whistler: I want peace on earth and goodwill toward men.
   Abbot: We are the United States Government! We don’t do that sort of thing.
   Bishop: You’re just gonna have to try.
   Abbot: All right, I’ll see what I can do.
   Whistler: Thank you very much. That’s all I ask.

   The American President for Aaron Sorkin’s writing:
   “We’ve got serious problems, and we need serious people. And if you want to talk about character, Bob, you’d better come at me with more than a burning flag and a membership card. If you want to talk about character and American values, fine. Just tell me where and when, and I’ll show up. This is a time for serious people, Bob, and your fifteen minutes are up. My name is Andrew Shepherd, and I AM THE PRESIDENT!”

   Dave for the humor and heart:
   “If you’ve ever seen the look on somebody’s face the day they finally get a job, I’ve had some experience with this, they look like they could fly. And it’s not about the paycheck, it’s about respect, it’s about looking in the mirror and knowing that you’ve done something valuable with your day. And if one person could start to feel this way, and then another person, and then another person, soon all these other problems may not seem so impossible. You don’t really know how much you can do until you, stand up and decide to try.”

   Reply to Ryan Kawamoto

4. The Galapagos Affair: Satan Comes to Eden
   A fascinating documentary (Netflix and libraries have) about German expats who move to an uninhabited island in Ecuador in 1930s. First, a romantic couple. Second, a family with a kid. Third, an Austrian baroness with her two lovers. Then, murder(s)! Never solved, excellent vintage film footage etc.

   Reply to Sharon F McDonnell

5. Recent movies (all now streaming):
   Parasite–amazing social commentary, won both Best Picture and Best International Film at Oscars, subtitles
   JoJo Rabbit–incredibly inventive, wacky, disturbing, touching
   Marriage Story–great performances from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson as a couple divorcing

   Streaming series:
   Unorthodox on Netflix–fascinating, disturbing glimpse into Hasidic Jewish culture in Brooklyn and woman who escapes it…is it a matriarchy or a patriarchy?
   Counterpart on Prime–dystopian spy thriller

   Reply to Nancy Monson

6. That movie about Weinstein’s fall
   CNN
   CNN
   You can see I need help

   Reply to Kathleen Doheny

7. Rear Window
   Dirty Dancing
   How to Marry A Millionaire
   The Big Chill

   Reply to Vicky Wright

8. Forrest Gump
   Uplifting and touching

   Reply to Beth

9. Three favorite movies:
   First movie seen in a threater – The Sound of Music
   Quoted all the time – “What we have here is a failure to communicate” – what I call a “Cool Hand Luke” situation
   Watch again & again – Elf which I still laugh at even though I know it by heart. Best line in Elf — Congratulations! (for the world’s best cup of coffee at some greasy spoon diner in NYC). Best scenes — Elf getting on the escalator and Elf spinning in the revolving door and getting sick from it.

   Reply to Richard

   1. OMG, “The Sound of Music!” Takes me back to the days of Saturday at the movies, carrying a brown paper bag with a baloney sandwich and a can of soda!

      Reply to Virge

      1. Casablanca, Maltese Falcon and Princess Bride

10. Just discovered this thread so here you are.
    Best Western: Tombstone. Intriguingly developed characters. of Wyatt Earp & Doc Holiday : Doc Holiday commenting on Johnny Ringo after killing him in a gunfight: “He was just too high strung” .
    Best Comedy: Annie Hall. Great Rom-com by a great comedian, comic actor & director. Woody Allen character after listening to Annie’s brothers account of his urge to veer into oncoming traffic while driving: “Excuse me I’m due back on planet earth”.
    The Godfather. Iconic crime drama. Vito Corleone: “Women & children can afford to be careless, not grown men”.

    Reply to Anthony Smart

    1. These are excellent picks! Thanks for sharing! I own the Tombstone DVD and I fully agree. I’m your huckleberry!

       Reply to Virge

11. It’s a Wonderful Life-
    – “You want the moon? Just say the word, and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down.”

    What Dreams May Come-
    – “ Sometimes, when you lose, you win”

    -”What’s true in our minds is true, whether some people know it or not.”

    Closer
    – I can’t pick a favorite quote but I love the dialogue in that movie!

    Galaxy Quest
    – ” Because I died… in episode 81!”

    Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back- ” I know.”

    Reply to Aaron Santis

    1. OMG, Galaxy Quest! That scene with Alan Rickman holding the dying alien always tears me up. It’s on my list of Desert Island Movies. (Hm, maybe that’s a good Open Thread…?)

       Reply to Virge

12. Notting Hill – love
    Love, Actually – love, love, love
    The American President – more love
    Master and Commander – gripping adventure, excellent soundtrack
    French Kiss – love + lactose intolerance

    Reply to Annie

    1. Annie, I’ve got to see French Kiss now.

       Reply to Virge

       1. French Kiss is adorable.

13. Hatari – My name is Luis Francisco Garcia Lopez, and I don’t wear pajamas.

    Singing in the Rain – Make ’em laugh!

    Breakfast at Tiffany’s – It’s useful being top banana in the shock department.

    Charade – Because I already know an awful lot of people, so until one of them dies I couldn’t possibly meet anyone else.

    Reply to Sheri

    1. Great picks! Debbie Reynolds just lights up the screen, doesn’t she?

       Reply to Virge

14. BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S (I am very Holly Golightly…the best soirées!)

    GONE WITH THE WIND (Love the way Rhett would tell you off w/o cursing!, and loved Scarlett’s attitude..”I can’t think about that right now…”)

    THIN MAN feat. William Powell (anyone of them)

    Reply to La’Verne

    1. Hm. Two votes for Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

       Reply to Virge

15. Senior Planet San Antonio took a poll today via Zoom. We came back with:
    -Imitation of Life
    – Steel Magnolias
    – Coco
    – Dune
    – Spirited Away
    -Footloose
    – About Time
    – Love Story
    – Terminator 2
    – Pretty Woman

    Reply to DeAnne

    1. Wow that’s one varied list:sci-fi, rom-com, drama, dance,romance. Thanks for doing the poll!

       Reply to Virge

16. Sound of Music – “Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles, and warm woolen mittens…”
    Sweet Home Alabama – Melanie: “Why would you want to marry me for, anyhow?” Jake: “So I can kiss you anytime I want.”
    Hocus Pocus – “Amok, amok, amok, amok”

    Reply to Judy Rough

    1. So two votes for Sound of Music, and I love that Sweet Home Alambama quote! Thanks for sharing!

       Reply to Virge

17. Easy
    1) Best in Show
    2) burn After Reading
    3) naked gun 331/3
    I can cite from all but too lengthy
    But in Naked Gun 331/3 is my single favorite line in moves ( and my 2nd)
    Leslie playing LA undercover cop frank Drebbin goes to penitentiary as an inmate to get close to super bad guy Rocco Dillon to find out his secret plan ( to blow up the Oscars)
    In the prison dining hall, Leslie causes a riot complaining the wine they serve is not properly chilled ( or some such)
    A major riot ensues with hundreds of inmates fighting the guards and Nielsen and bad guy Rocco hide under a table for safety
    Rocco says to Nielsen in thanks for causing the riot “Ya did good Drebbin”
    Nielsen responds “ Did WELL”
    ( even in middle of prison riot, grammar still matters)

    Reply to geoffrey abrams

    1. Thanks for the picks…Best in Show is indeed one of the funniest mockumentaries ever. And Burn after Reading..Brad Pitt’s performance as an incredibly dumb hunk was just priceless.

       Reply to Virge

18. SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER – “Would ya,just watch the hair.”

    SCARFACE – “say helloto my little friend”

    CONTAGION- The average person touches their face 2,000 to 3,000 times!!!!

    Reply to Silvana

    1. ‘Wouldja just watch the hair!” When I wanted to tease one of my brothers I’d make a quick motion towards his hairline and he said the exact same thing. It’s funny ’cause it’s true.

       Reply to Virge

19. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, musical
    The Longest Day, drama
    and any western historical, romance or whatever

    : D

    Reply to Kathleen Pacheco

20. The Sound of Music
    Wizard of Ozy
    Love, Actually

    Reply to Jennifer

21. Hiroshima Mon Amour- Dense and elliptical love story. Always see some new angle every time I view it.
    The Producers- Funny as all get out. Zero and Gene such a mismatched pair. Great movie for when things are going bad.
    Nights of Cabiria- Exploited prostitute with indomitable spirit. 10 hankies for a brilliant performance from Giulietta Masina.

    Reply to Rowland Hill

22. Oh the horror!

    This was always such a funny alternate destiny for Mary had George not been around. It’s such an antiquated line of thinking, but I suppose back in 1946 a woman being an old maid and working at a library was comparable to death or being locked up in a nut house.

    Reply to francesca

23. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – It should take you exactly four seconds to cross from here to that door. I’ll give you two …
    It Takes a Thief
    Rear Window

    Reply to Mauri Richberg

24. IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE – “Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends.
    GONE WITH THE WIND – Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a dam!
    BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN – I wish I knew how to quit you!

    Reply to Francesca

    1. Nice picks! Have you ever wondered why, in the ‘nightmare alternative reality” of “Wonderful Life,” Donna Reed is wearing glasses? Did mean Mr. Potter drive all the eyedoctors out of town?

       Reply to Virge

       1. Sorry to say it was probably old Hollywood’s way to make sure the audience knew she’s an “unattractive, spinster”! Forgot, was she to be the town librarian?

       2. No, I didn’t wonder why she is wearing glasses, because if there was no George Bailey, she became a librarian (a fate worse than death apparently) and ruined her eyes reading in poor light. She also wore ugly rubber boots, and was terrified of her own shadow. As a librarian, even tho it’s one of my favorite movies, this always makes me see mad!

25. Casablanca- (because Rick <3)
    National Lampoon's Vacation- (verbatim)
    The Fisher King- (I love New York in spring, how 'bout you?)

    Reply to BJKelly

    1. “Round up the usual suspects.”

       Reply to Virge

26. Tootsie had me laughing out loud again – really well written script and cast…
    quote: Michael… I was a better man with you as a ‘woman’ than as a man – …
    something like I will work on that…
    The Big Chill, The American President, Dave, That’s Entertainment, Goodbye Girl,Ghost, Sister Act
    But I am finding out that most of these are now on a pay to view cable station – ugh!
    Even most of the Classics but I did watch ‘Charade’ not too long ago… Ahh Cary Grant… Audrey Hepburn.
    And I know that I am forgetting alot of goodies..
    also current ‘Yesterday’ I’ve watched 3 times… Love it!!

    Reply to Diane

27. “The Big Chill” works well – a great cast of characters with many issues that do not even allude to a pandemic!

    Beatrice

    Reply to Beatrice

28. Gone With the Wind
    The Godfather and Part II
    Bonnie and Clyde

    “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn!”

    Reply to Melanie Jeffcoat

29. My choices are not necessarily comfortable to watch but you will be engaged;
    The documentary about Toni Morrison, the first Afro American woman writer to win the Nobel for literature.
    ‘Get Out” direction by Jordan Peele
    Comic relief in the midst of a romance gone bad! Won for Best Screen play.
    Toy story, touching and teachable moments for you and family.

    Reply to Janis Hochman

30. This isn’t an answer to your question, but it’s related. The Silver Spring (Maryland) Village holds a monthly Cinemaniacs event during which we gather together to screen and discuss a film under the aegis of a college film instructor. This month, we’re holding our first virtual session via Zoom. We’re in the middle of a Howard Hawks series, and we’ll be screening “His Girl Friday” (1940) independently in advance courtesy of our library’s free streaming platform (Kanopy) and discussing the film at our usual time. Should be fun.

    As for films I’d watch over and over again, there are too many to mention, but here are three (since that’s what you asked for): Citizen Kane, Out of the Past, and The Stunt Man. Also, one guilty pleasure, Steven Spielberg’s 1979 flop, “1941.” And here’s my favorite extended quote, courtesy of YouTube: https://youtu.be/16WC_Dyo6Fo

    Reply to Jay

31. I love watching The American President, Gunfight at the OK Coral, The Big Country.

    Reply to Harold Stevenson