There's a lot of part watched films I've enjoyed and suffered through in April for a variety of reasons.
Several of the Harry Potter's were repeated on and around Easter and despite seeing them more than once in the past, they are guaranteed entertainment for the family. Don't those kids look young?
With my head distracted by Luton's efforts achieve promotion back to the Football League and the uncertainty that surrounded it....... the closer it came to reality, the further away the finishing line seemed...I sort of dipped in and out of them. Happy days we got there in the end and at the season's climax had actually clinched the title by a massive 19 points over Cambridge. We played a lot better, once the pressure was off. Roll on next season.
The same could be said for The Forbidden Kingdom - a martial arts flick with Jackie Chan and Jet Li and one of the Rush Hour flicks with Chris Tucker and Mr Chan again. It might have been number 3, but it was the one where some of the flick is set in Paris.
George Clooney's The Descendants was also on TV recently. Fortunately I didn't take the head out of a book long enough to be bored comatose by this. When I did pay attention, my thoughts were - what a load of crap!
Went to watch The Tailor of Panama with Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush - a film based on a John Le Carre novel and found that my secondhand DVD was actually a Region 1 disc so we couldn't play it. That's a whole pound wasted and I'm fairly sure the person who sold it to me is still sniggering. I was looking forward to this as I do like a bit of espionage and intrigue and having recently enjoyed Rush's performance in The Book Thief was keen to see more of him. TTOP also has Jamie Lee Curtis and a young Daniel Radcliffe.Put on What's Eating Gilbert Grape instead and started but never finished that. My son went to the pub half way through and we went to bed. Hopefully we get back to it in May. The film is 20 years old but it does surpriseme how fresh faced and young both Johnny Depp and Leonardo De Caprio both look. John C Reilly also figures.
Two films I can claim to have seen start to finish, both of which I have seen before were Taken and the cunningly titles sequel Taken 2. These are my youngest daughter's favourite films and she would have us watching them every week if we let her. Liam Neeson is pretty terrific in both films as he takes on a whole bunch of Albanian crooks. By the end of the second, I was kind of wondering whether there were any surviving Albanian males between the ages of 25 and 60 left on the planet, as he does seem to hasten the passage to the after-life for a considerable number of them. 
Watched a bit of Criminal Minds Season 9 - youngest daughter's favourite show and if we aren't sitting through another re-run of Taken she will be happy for us to re-watch old episodes of this while staying up to date on the current series. I don't mind it to be honest. I quite like Matthew Gray Gubler. |
| Matthew Gray Gubler |
We watched some NCIS which may have been repeats. I never used to like this as I didn't especially warm to Mark Harmon as Gibbs the team leader. A bit too good looking for his own good in my opinion, but I have slowly come around to enjoying this one. I do like the dynamic between the team and it's a decent way to spend the best part of an hour at least one evening a week. We did try NCIS Los Angeles with LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell but it wasn't a hit in our house.
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| The Original! |
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| Not as good as the original. |
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| Fargo |
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| Mark Addy |
I was really hoping for a verdict on Tailor of Panama, so you certainly ratcheted up the tension there! We have a box in our house that does play Region 1 but I can a) never remember which one it is (for some reason we have about 6 ancient machines) and b) it's a pain to hook up. So I have to really want to watch the film. Otherwise, a nice wide selection. One of my favourite watch-with-the-family films is Knights Tale (never fails to entertain) and Mark Addy is in that.
ReplyDeleteMoira, I'm going to have to get another copy of Tailor as I want to see it now.
DeleteI did buy a copy of In the Heat of the Night last month, but got shouted down - OK out-voted - when we were deciding what to watch. I might have to sit through that one on my own. Someone at work suggested Reg 1 discs may play on my laptop - so it might be another solitary viewing experience! Or else I'll get another copy.
I have probably seen Knight's Tale but can't say it was a house favourite, TBH. Holes, School of Rock, Mrs Doubtfire and Mean Girls - ruled. Apparently it was the 10 yr anniversary of it this week, so I expect you were wearing pink yesterday? It was noted in The Guardian.
Col - I'd have liked to know what you thought of Tailor of Panama. How frustrating! It's funny; when I first watched NCIS I thought the same thing you did about Mark Harmon. But he's good in the role, in my opinion, and like you, I do enjoy the dynamics in the group. There are some solid cases too.
ReplyDeleteHopefully I can track down a playable copy in the next little while, Margot. NCIS and Harmon was definitely a grower for me.
DeleteCol, "Criminal Minds" is a fav of mine although I will admit it can be gruesome. Tracy doesn't like it but watches with me in trade for "Castle" which I don't like much. NCIS has been a family favorite for most of the years its been on but, like you, we did not take to the Los Angeles version. Other TV? You might like to try "Person of Interest". Rather than self-contained episodes it has a story arc. Re your region 1 problems with "Tailor of Panama" have you looked into a region free DVD player? Amazon US has them very cheap. As for Liam Neeson, you and family might want to give "Unknown" a try. The plot is only really good for one viewing but is very clever.
ReplyDeleteMy youngest is mad for CM and it entertains for the main part. I would agree re gruesomeness, but that doesn't bother me too much. I used to like Law and Order also, but it used to be on so late over here, I'd forget about it, even from a recording POV. I have never heard of Person of Interest so I'll look it up thanks.
DeleteI will look into Region free players, but it might be easier (cheaper) to get a replacement film and just be a bit more careful when I buy in future.
We have watched Unknown and enjoyed it, but funny enough I can remember the start and the set-up but not the conclusion, though I guess it would come back to me as the plot unfolded during a re-run.
I will try not to repeat what Glen said. We watched all of the Rush Hour movies since January... They are not all great, but still fun if you watch them every few years. Love Jackie Chan and he and Chris Tucker work well together. I also would have liked to know what you thought of Tailor of Panama. Sometime in the next year or two I plan to read the book and watch the movie.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely try Person of Interest if you get a chance. It took a full season ... over twenty episodes to grow on me, but now it is one of my favorite shows. It takes risks and changes and is not the same every show. Great cast.
I have the Tailor of Panama book somewhere but thought I'd skip to the film, so it's annoying. I love the Tucker/Chan thing, but you're right, I don't need to see them again for another couple of years now.
DeleteI've just looked up Person of Interest and it seems quite quirky. I didn't dig too deep on wiki, in case there's too much detail. I recognise one of the actors, but couldn't think what from. He was the guy from Lost, a series my son loved and made us sit through.
Col, I have seen most of the films barring 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape" that I didn't even know of. The Harry Potter movies are repeated throughout the week and my personal favourites are the first four in the franchise. After that Potter and his friends ceased to be adorable kids. I've seen them all, though. I enjoyed "The Tailor of Panama" book more than the movie which wasn't bad, of course, not with Geoffrey Rush around. I never tire of watching "Taken" though part two was pale and predictable in comparison. I hardly watch television nowadays.
ReplyDeletePrashant, I'm glad to hear The Tailor of Panama isn't too bad, I'll keep looking for it. I enjoyed the HP films but struggle to separate them in my memory. I don't particularly have a favourite. Taken 2 - I think I enjoyed just as much as the first, possible because the wife is a lot less irritating - I do like a happy ending!
ReplyDeleteCol, I have read very few books by le Carré and those include "The Tailor of Panama" and "The Constant Gardener" both of which I liked very much. Their film adaptations were pretty good too. le Carré brings a certain intensity to his narrative style. These two books were stark and realistic.
DeleteI've only managed the one le Carre so far - the first George Smiley book, which is a series I want to get back to someday. In the meantime I ought to read some of his standalones. I have seen The Constant Gardener on film and Tinker, Tailor. My sister bought me the book - Our Game new in hardback, which would have been out in 1995 - either as a Christmas or Birthday present and I haven't yet read it!
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