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but I goggled her image and yes! she does look like Lucille Ball. Good call.
It's not just the physical resemblance...Messing has a gift for slapstick/physical comedy that is very similar to Lucy.
Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review
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It's not just the physical resemblance...Messing has a gift for slapstick/physical comedy that is very similar to Lucy.
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Huh, I've never heard of her before. Gideon did you see my review of Steel Magnolias? Do you concur or disagree?
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Writers: William Styron(novel), Alan J Pakula(screenplay)
Cast: Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol
Genre: Drama, Romance
Brief Synopsis: A young, naive writer who's inexperienced in life and love, moves to New York City to start his writing career. After taking a room in a boarding house that's been painted pink with war surplus paint, he encounters the unusual upstairs tenets...a man and woman who fight viciously on the stair well outside his room. After getting over the initial tumultuous meeting, the couple befriends the young writer. Thus begins an emotional odyssey wrought with conflict and self discovery.
My Thoughts: A very young Meryl Streep won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She deserved it! Her performance in this movie is nothing short of miraculous. She transforms herself through vocal accent, facial and body language into Sophie, a Polish concentration camp survivor with a dark secret. This is one of the great acting performances and Meryl Streep is the reason to watch this movie. The only reason actually.
Kevin Kline...this was his first theatrical release movie. He's good and engaging, too much so! Every single time he's off on one of his angry rants, he bulldozes the other quieter performers which doesn't work for the flow of the film. This is about Sophie, much more than Kline's character. Kline needed to be instructed by the director not to steal the scenes, but he does over and over again, overshadowing the other two characters.
Peter MacNicol...character, 'Stingo', is the focal point of the story, he does the voice over narration too, which reminded me of John-Boy in The Waltons. He's the weak part of the movie and has got to be the worst casting mistake I've ever seen. He has zero screen presences and is not even worthy of being a bit character in the movie. Had the casting director choose a more suitable actor, Sophie's Choice might have been a better film.
However, nothing can save the story which takes two and half hours to unfold...with little happening on the screen. The film drags and that's too bad because the story concept is a powerful one...and Meryl's performance certainly deserved a top notch film to be showcased in.
Last edited by Citizen Rules; 04-29-20 at 02:51 PM.
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Yeah, Sophies Choice is definitely a one time watch. They could have shaved a half hour off that and it wouldver been even more impactful, but what a horribly depressing movie nonetheless. Im not saying its bad, just not "condusive to happiness" 
Sophie's Choice is a very depressing movie, and as I recall it was too long. It's worth watching once just to see Meryl Streep, but other than that, I probably wouldn't recommend it.
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Hey everyone agrees with me tonight
I would have cast Robert Downey Jr. as the young writer. Oh and shave 30 minutes off that film.
I would have cast Robert Downey Jr. as the young writer. Oh and shave 30 minutes off that film.
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The Special Relationship (2010)
Cast: Michael Sheen, Dennis Quaid, Hope Davis
Genre: Historical inspired drama
A HBO produced movie that dramatizes the special relationship between the U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair and the U.S. President Bill Clinton
This was fun. I don't remember much about Tony Blair's personality but to me Michael Sheen made a good Tony Blair. I thought Dennis Quaid did a decent portrayal of Bill Clinton. But two things I noticed: his eyebrows weren't right, they needed to be thicker and lower...and Quaid's Clinton almost never smiles. Bill Clinton smiled a lot. But he does have Clinton's accent and mannerism down pat.
Hope Davis is Hillary Clinton. I thought she passed well for Hillary. She looks sort of like her and at times I could her Hillary's voice in her voice.
One should never get history from a movie...and if you do you are likely to think that Tony Blair was a goofy happy go lucky go that somehow got elected even though he was green as hell. You will also learn from this movie, that Bill Clinton was his muse and taught him everything he knows. Now I don't believe that I think Tony Blair was his own man and yes he was at times a political and personal ally of Bill Clinton, but...he was not a Clinton wanna be.
Oh yes, there is time in the movie for covering the Monica Lewinsky scandal. I mean of course they are going to cover that.
I thought this was a really enjoyable film and I'm not a political type person.
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Pretty in Pink is the reason I cant stand James Spader.. no matter what film or tv show he is on... I know many who love his acting.. but he will always be a d*ck!
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Apollo 13 (Ron Howard, 1995)
"Houston, we have a problem."
"Houston, we have a problem."
Fact is stranger than fiction! That's the one stunning truth I learned from Ron Howard's tale of the ill fated Apollo 13 mission to the moon.
On a crisp April 11th day, back in 1970 the 7th manned mission in NASA's Apollo moon program was launched. Apollo 13 left the launch pad at exactly 13:13 center time zone from the Kennedy Space Center located in Florida. The news media only gave sparse coverage as it was deemed as just another 'moon shot'.
Almost immediately one of the five engines failed, but that wasn't what caused the crisis. It was a short in one of the oxygen tanks, and when the tanks were electrical stirred, the short ignited the oxygen resulting in a huge explosion that ripped part of the service module outer wall away. Even worse the oxygen tanks leaked all of the life giving oxygen into space.
Ron Howard, expertly makes us feel like every moment of this film is real and that we are there! And that's what makes Apollo 13 so special, it's utter realism. We see and learn of all the technical crisis that the three man crew faced...and we also see the team back at Houston control that worked feverishly to bring the astronauts back home.
Kudos to the three actors who played the astronauts: Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon). And kudos to the Houston flight control including Ed Harris and Gary Sinise.
I equally liked the story of Jim's wife Marilyn Lovell played by Kathleen Quinlan. Her anxiety, her fear, her strength, her emotions...made the impact of what was happening in the cold of space, seem all the realer.
I can't say enough good things about Apollo 13 so I will let my rating speak for me....
On a crisp April 11th day, back in 1970 the 7th manned mission in NASA's Apollo moon program was launched. Apollo 13 left the launch pad at exactly 13:13 center time zone from the Kennedy Space Center located in Florida. The news media only gave sparse coverage as it was deemed as just another 'moon shot'.
Almost immediately one of the five engines failed, but that wasn't what caused the crisis. It was a short in one of the oxygen tanks, and when the tanks were electrical stirred, the short ignited the oxygen resulting in a huge explosion that ripped part of the service module outer wall away. Even worse the oxygen tanks leaked all of the life giving oxygen into space.
Ron Howard, expertly makes us feel like every moment of this film is real and that we are there! And that's what makes Apollo 13 so special, it's utter realism. We see and learn of all the technical crisis that the three man crew faced...and we also see the team back at Houston control that worked feverishly to bring the astronauts back home.
Kudos to the three actors who played the astronauts: Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon). And kudos to the Houston flight control including Ed Harris and Gary Sinise.
I equally liked the story of Jim's wife Marilyn Lovell played by Kathleen Quinlan. Her anxiety, her fear, her strength, her emotions...made the impact of what was happening in the cold of space, seem all the realer.
I can't say enough good things about Apollo 13 so I will let my rating speak for me....
Last edited by Citizen Rules; 07-06-17 at 09:57 PM.
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Apollo 13 (Ron Howard, 1995)
"Houston, we have a problem."
"Houston, we have a problem."
Fact is stranger than fiction! That's the one shining truth I learned from Ron Howard's tale of the ill fated Apollo 13 mission to the moon.
On a crisp April 11th day, back in 1970 the 7th manned mission in the NASA's Apollo moon mission was launched. Apollo 13 launced at exactly 13:13 center time zone from the Kennedy Space Center located in Florida. The news media only gave sparse coverage as it was deemed as just another 'moon shot'.
Almost immediately one of the five engines failed, but that wasn't what caused the crisis. It was a short in the oxygen tanks, and when the tanks were electronica stirred the shot ignited the oxygen resulting in a huge explosion that ripped part of the service module outer wall away. Even worse the oxygen tanks leaked all of the life giving oxygen.
Ron Howard, expertly makes us feel like every moment of this film is real and that we are there! And that's what makes Apollo 13 work, it's realism. We see and learn of all the technical crisis that the three man crew faced...and we also see the team back at Houston control that worked feverishly to bring the astronauts back home.
Kudos to the three actors who played the astronauts: Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon). And kudos to the Houston flight control including Ed Harris and Gary Sinise.
I equally liked the story of Jim's wife Marilyn Lovell played by Kathleen Quinlan. Her anxiety, her fear, her strength, her emotions...made the impact of what was happening in the cold of space, real.
I can't say enough good things about Apollo 13 so I will let my rating speak for me....
On a crisp April 11th day, back in 1970 the 7th manned mission in the NASA's Apollo moon mission was launched. Apollo 13 launced at exactly 13:13 center time zone from the Kennedy Space Center located in Florida. The news media only gave sparse coverage as it was deemed as just another 'moon shot'.
Almost immediately one of the five engines failed, but that wasn't what caused the crisis. It was a short in the oxygen tanks, and when the tanks were electronica stirred the shot ignited the oxygen resulting in a huge explosion that ripped part of the service module outer wall away. Even worse the oxygen tanks leaked all of the life giving oxygen.
Ron Howard, expertly makes us feel like every moment of this film is real and that we are there! And that's what makes Apollo 13 work, it's realism. We see and learn of all the technical crisis that the three man crew faced...and we also see the team back at Houston control that worked feverishly to bring the astronauts back home.
Kudos to the three actors who played the astronauts: Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon). And kudos to the Houston flight control including Ed Harris and Gary Sinise.
I equally liked the story of Jim's wife Marilyn Lovell played by Kathleen Quinlan. Her anxiety, her fear, her strength, her emotions...made the impact of what was happening in the cold of space, real.
I can't say enough good things about Apollo 13 so I will let my rating speak for me....
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However, nothing can save the story which takes 2 and half hours to unfold...with little happening on the screen. The film drags and that's too bad because the story concept is a good one and Meryl's performance certainly deserved a top notch film to be in.
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I can't say enough good things about Apollo 13 so I will let my rating speak for me....
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Still, despite the tragedy scenes, I think you will like this...and if you haven't seen it, why not give it a watch?
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I'd say Sally Field's best movie and performance was Norma Rae (1979). She was really good too in Steel Magnolias. I thought all the actresses in the film were quite personable.
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Learning to Drive (Isabel Coixet, 2014)
Indie film maker, director Isabel Coixet known for her 'intimate feel' movies such as: (Paris, je t'aime, My Life Without Me,The Secret Life of Words), delivers another fine, yet simple slice of life film that follows a brief, chance meeting between a woman who has just been dumped by her cheating husband and the Indian emigrant taxi driver who picks her fare up. Both people are literally alone in the world. Despite their work skills, they have much to learn about life skills. The two NYC people learn from each other as the woman also learns to drive a car for the first time. Her teacher is the taxi driver who also moonlights as a driving instructor.
Like I said, this is a low key and simply film. It's not gussied up to be highly dramatic or cinematic. It's simple, thus it seems real.
The woman who finds herself without a husband to lean on, is played aptly by Patricia Clarkson. She's likeable, she's believable. The Indian taxi driver is played by Ben Kingsley who of course won a Best Acting Oscar for Gandhi (1982). He's as you expect, very good in his role as an emigrant who's trying to find the right Indian woman for an arranged marriage. The woman that he chooses to marry, knows little English and he knows even less about how to connect with her.
Also making an appearance as the woman's daughter Grace Gummer, who's the real life daughter of Meryl Streep.
If you like simple, yet effective small budget Indie films, give Learning to Drive a look.
Like I said, this is a low key and simply film. It's not gussied up to be highly dramatic or cinematic. It's simple, thus it seems real.
The woman who finds herself without a husband to lean on, is played aptly by Patricia Clarkson. She's likeable, she's believable. The Indian taxi driver is played by Ben Kingsley who of course won a Best Acting Oscar for Gandhi (1982). He's as you expect, very good in his role as an emigrant who's trying to find the right Indian woman for an arranged marriage. The woman that he chooses to marry, knows little English and he knows even less about how to connect with her.
Also making an appearance as the woman's daughter Grace Gummer, who's the real life daughter of Meryl Streep.
If you like simple, yet effective small budget Indie films, give Learning to Drive a look.
Last edited by Citizen Rules; 06-02-16 at 07:02 PM.
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Also making an appearance as the woman's daughter Grace Gummer, who's the real life daughter of Meryl Streep.
If you like simple, yet effective small budget Indie films, give Learning to Drive a look.
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I remember your list, but I didn't remember her. I thought I had only seen her in two movies, but she's been in a lot of big movies I've seen. So yeah, she should be a household name.
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Storm Center (1956)
Director: Daniel TaradashWriters: Daniel Taradash, Elick Moll
Cast: Bette Davis, Brian Keith, Kim Hunter
Genre: Drama, Social Commentary
Length: 1h 25min
What's it about: A small town librarian (Bette Davis) who loves helping children discover the joy of reading...is offered funding to build the children's wing in the library that she has longed for. There's only one catch, in return the city council wants her to remove from the library, one book that they find objectionable. She refuses on principal and is branded a communist. She's black listed by her friends and neighbors who can't understand why she won't give in to the council demands.
My thoughts: Wow, what a gutsy movie! During the height of black listing and McCarthyism this film dared to make a bold statement against über patriotism and commie hunting. The stars and producers of this film came under scrutiny for the films subject matter. And several well known actresses refused to take on the lead role of an elderly librarian who defends a book on communism that's on the library shelves....Only one actress would have the guts to play this role, Bette Davis! Who else!
Storm Center: Was the first film to directly criticize the McCarthy black listing and book banning. Which was a dangerous thing to do at the time.The movie is a small budget film, so don't expect big Hollywood gloss here. The movie is not cinematic perfect. The child actor has little screen presences and the scenes with him don't always work well. So what? This is a film about ideas and in that this film succeeds brilliantly. Brian Keith and Kim Hunter turn in fine performances as does Bette Davis.
A little known film that should be well known.
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Donnie Darko is no horror film, it wasn't even particularly violent, at least in a gory way. This is more of a psychological Sci fi movie, akin to a 21st century Twilight Zone episode...punched up and brought to the big screen.
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