January '16 Movie of the Month: The Lion in Winter

Should be recording the podcast for this one shortly.

I'm still trying to find time to watch this movie, but our cable box (DVR) is having problems, so I have to clear the box quickly so we can exchange it. Hopefully I'll get to this movie some time next week.

I've requested the movie from my library, I'll post my thoughts after I've watched it.

Nice! I wasn't sure if you were doing one this time, it's awesome to hear you are!

Looking forward to your reviews!

Yeah, I wondered how conducive it was to a prolonged discussion, but it turned out there was plenty to talk about and I think you guys should enjoy it. Hopefully posted Monday at the latest.

Great choice Friendly Mushroom!

We just recorded the podcast, interesting topics and points abound I hope. Let us know what you think of it and what to improve on when it's up so we can keep getting better at them.

Thanks Yoda for getting these going and all of the editing work he does for them

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Mubi

Since we didn't go quite as long as we did with Gattaca, I just went ahead and edited this one right away. I'll bump this again on Monday to make sure everyone sees it, but for anyone who wants it now, voila!

As usual, a big thanks to bluedeed and Slappydavis for their time and insights. This one was funnier than most, so definitely give it a listen.


The best way to get it is to subscribe with iTunes. The next best ways are to just download it with this link (or add the podcast feed into your RSS reader). Or you can just listen right now with this embedded player:

I'm always surprised by how knowledgeable these two are, so it's been a pleasure getting to chat with them. I honestly feel like I'm learning a lot each time.

I may do a little write up here about some specific lines of the movie I enjoyed (we talked about some), left the rest out because it'd be too lengthy to bring up each one in the podcast.

Yeah, I kind of thought we'd end up just quoting our favorite lines a lot, but we basically didn't do that at all.

"How am I possible?"

Just listened to it.

Another great podcast, I really wouldn't mind listening to you 3 every month. You guys seem to be building great chemistry and I like how all of you have a good sense of humor and bring up some great points.

Since bluedeed asked if we could suggest some possible improvements—I'll say that the only one I could really think of is maybe having more of a verdict on whether you all liked the movie or not? I could get kind of an idea but I was still unsure what you all thought of it overall. I do remember one saying that he wasn't into it at first but then liking it by the end. I don't know, just a suggestion, but you can take it or leave it.

Overall, great job once again, and I'm hoping that there's another one next month!

Yeah a clear 1-10 would be nice.

Anyways, wonderful podcast! My favorite parts were the discussions on the editing and the stairs.

I think that's a fair request, especially because often movies I don't like will inspire interesting thoughts that I really enjoy thinking about, but doesn't change my fondness for the film.

For me, I think the film was a 7/10, but reading the dialogue from beginning to end after seeing the film was a 9/10.

I don't take my ratings too seriously but I'll make sure to mention them next time and I'll try to keep my mubi page (in my signature) updated at least with the Movie of the Month movies. For me, The Lion in Winter is about

Good suggestion, we'll talk a bit more next time about our overall opinion.

In my case, straight up, I think I'd give it . I really like good dialogue, the acting is tremendous, and I was genuinely unsure about how it would end (I mean, ya' know, history, but still). And perhaps more important, I gave it on Netflix, and would do so in any other such place that uses ratings to recommend films, because it's definitely the kind of film I want to see more of.

I just picked up The Lion in Winter from my library. I'm glad they had it, but it most be popular as I was on the waiting list...Anyway with luck I should be able to watch it tonight. This will be my first time too

Last night I started watching The Lion in Winter. I didn't have much time, so I decided to watch the first hour of it and hopefully will finish it tonight. I wanted to type something out now, before I forgot my initial reactions to it, so...

You can't judge a book by it's cover, but you can learn a lot about a movie during it's title credits. The title credits were powerful, the music heavy and dramatic. The scenes were of decaying statues, lit with an ominous green-tint light...with long, dark shadows for effect. I thought the title credits were effective and said: you're about to watch a dramatic, theatrical production with a Shakespearean feel.

One caveat: this is NOT a film that you can set back and vegetate to. It demands your full attention, as it's dialogue rich and very complex, with interwoven plans, to get one of three sons onto the throne. The King prefers one son and his estranged Queen another. The Lion in Winter is a serious film watcher's film, it's no popcorn movie.

So far the two leads Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn are amazing. These two thespians are masters of the theater and give livacious performances. It's amazing to see them together.

Geez, I sure can write a lot for only watching 60 minutes of it. So I'll wrap it up and post the rest of my thoughts after I finish the film.

Awesome start Citizen, looking forward to the rest of it!

Hard to believe that Katharine Hepburn had to share the Best Actress Oscar with Barbra Strident in Funny Girl. How anyone could rate her usual 'acting by numbers' bit as equal to Hepburn's superb Katherine of Aragon is totally beyond me.

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Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber on weekends.

I finally got a chance to watch The Lion in Winter.

First, full disclosure. I tried watching this movie for the 1960's countdown, but I just couldn't seem to get into it. I'm generally not a fan of these types of period dramas, and this one was no exception. Also, history was probably my worst subject in school, so I'm sure that doesn't help either. In the spirit of participation in the "Movie of the Month", I decided to give it another try.

Having said that, I didn't dislike the movie, but I didn't love it either. It was just okay for me. The acting, by some of the best actors in Hollywood, was top-notch, but I just couldn't seem to get into the movie. The idea that people would go to such extremes as imprisonment and attempted murder of their own family just to gain power and control just doesn't make sense to me.

On a side note, I spent about half the movie trying to figure out who played Philip. He looked so familiar, but I just couldn't figure out who he was, so I finally looked him up, and I was surprised to find out that it was a very young Timothy Dalton.