The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Netflix)

I loved this movie.  I have not read the book, but enjoyed the story and characters so much I'm going to get the book.  This was hugely popular with Reading Groups when it came out, and I can see why.

It's a mystery, a historical tale, a romance, and is filled with a love of books and reading that may not have been captured anywhere as well in ages.

It's the story of a young woman writer named Juliet Ashton in 1946.  As London is being rebuilt after the Second World War she is assigned an article by her publisher to write about Reading.

She's not too keen on it until she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams.  He's a pig farmer from the island of Guernsey who has her personal copy of Lamb's Essays of Elia which had her name and address inside it.  He attends a book group called The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society which was begun during the Nazi Occupation of Guernsey during the war, and which has continued.  He'd like recommendations for more books by author Charles Lamb, and London bookstores which might carry them.

She loves the story of this book group helping it's members through such terrible times and feels it will be just what she needs for her article on Reading.

Feeling like she knows the Society and it's members from Dawes letter, she hastily packs and sets out for Guernsey, letting Dawes know she's on the way and that she'd like to do an article on his group.

Her reception is so funny.  There's nowhere in town to stay so she ends up in the home of a grim matron.

The Society members are shocked by her presence, and the meeting starts out very awkwardly.  The group meets at Amelia Maugery's house, and Amelia is particularly frosty in her reception.  She immediately tells Juliet she must lead the discussion.  Then coldy advises that the leader stands for her presentation.  By the end of the evening everyone is comfortably seated and is having a lively discussion of the evenings book.

Lily James is luminous as Juliet.   Juliet is a very modern girl, who knows what she wants, and is completely lively and in the moment.   She handles the reception by the members with aplomb.  When she finds there is much more to the story of the Society and it's wartime origins, she stays on the island, researching, and becoming friends with most of the members.  To her surprise, she eventually feels very much like they are family as well as friends.

Penelope Wilton, an alumni from Downton Abbey as is James, is so wonderful here.  She's this seemingly hard, tough woman who has borne too much, seen too much.

Michiel Huisman plays a remarkably sensitive man for his profession, so well read and a fine letter writer to boot.

I love the book discussions.

Love the interwoven mystery of Elizabeth.

Love that the children are included in the readings and discussions.

Most films don't capture the love of reading as this one does.

Loved at the end while the credits ran that you could hear a rather heated discussion of another book.

Read on, Peelers.

DOA's Top Five Films for 2017

It appears I spent almost no time at the theater this year.  Yikes!  I was hard put to find five films I've seen.  Most years, I would have seen pretty much all genre films that were out there.  This year, I didn't even see all the ones I was interested in.  I need to improve on that for 2018.

In order:

1.    Star Wars, The Last Jedi

 I loved the movie.  It may be the best of all the films.  While I didn't care for Rey in The Force Awakens, she was resplendent here, and everything a Jedi should be, to her core.  All of the cast were in top form, their characters were great.  Long Live General Leia Organa!  I'm ok with how Luke's story went, except for the drinking of the milk from that creature on the island, eep.

2.   Wonder Woman   

This was a great movie by any standard.  The action was perfect, Gal Gadot was perfect as Diana Prince and Wonder Woman.    A film in which a hero is allowed to be purely heroic.  Imagine!



3.  Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2.   

You'd think you couldn't follow up Guardians of the Galaxy with an equally entertaining film, but they pulled it off.  Pure fun start to finish.



4.  Blade Runner 2049

   

The movie needed much more Harrison Ford, is my only criticism.  The world was gritty yet compelling.  The villain slimy.  I loved the AI love of "K".   How a completely utilitarian bit of household AI could have such intelligence, personality and soul, and ultimately bravery is a wonder.  No Rick is not a replicant.



5.   Logan    

I wanted Logan and Professor Xavier to sail off to that little island.  No reason they couldn't except the plot didn't allow it.   I really didn't like the destruction of the farm family that took them in.  Also not necessary.   On the other hand, the little girl Laura and all of the child mutants on the run would be a great movie on their own, and they should have started filming it right away before the kids aged a day.

Blade Runner 2049

Blade Runner 2049 is a fitting sequel to the original Blade Runner film.  The world feels much the same, the stakes are similar when it comes to the lives of the Replicants.  The way they're hunted down and "retired" is familiar.  The guilt of the detective hunting them is much the same, though since he is a Replicant himself, you'd think it shouldn't be.

I haven't seen anything else with Ryan Gosling that I recall (though La La Land is in my To-Be-Watched Pile), and there is something of a teddy bear in his looks, particularly his eyes.  As his story unfolds, he maintains a childlike aspect that makes him relatable and you have to root for him.

In another era, you would be certain he would make it out of the film alive, but you never feel that way here.  At a certain point, he feels disposable.

Harrison Ford needed far more screen time.  He stepped comfortably back into the role of Deckard, and from previews, I hoped he and Gosling's character would spend some time as a kick ass team.  I liked his dog, and vote for him being a real dog.

Robin Wright's character was a surprise, and great to watch.  I haven't seen House of Cards because---politics---so I kept thinking, Oh, Buttercup.

Luv, the super efficient Replicant Secretary/Researcher Slayer seemed ripe for a redemption arc, you just know deep inside she would have liked things to be different.

Jared Leto, in the first thing I've seen him in, was creepy.  He seems invariably creepy in interviews.  I saw a quote from him that he isn't the villain of the piece.  Hmmpf.

Gosling's live in Electronic Girlfriend was quite charming and layer upon layer, who is real, who gets to live, she definitely deserved a chance.

Several storylines and plots are set up for sequels, I hope the stories get told.

DOA's Favorite Christmas Films

I can't put these in any order, except that my very favorite is Magoo's Christmas Carol.  Magoo was such an odd, bumbling, cranky at times character.  He seemed an odd choice for Ebeneezer Scrooge.  Somehow, the story, the other actors, and particularly the music made it the most touching of films.  The play within a play format added additional charm.

Magoo's Christmas Carol

Muppet's Christmas Carol

I don't know what happened to the Muppets, in recent times, but I'm sure you can't keep a good Muppet down.  In top form here, the phrase "light the lamp, not the rat" pops up frequently in our house. Michael Caine's lovable Scrooge is a big draw, as is seeing Kermit and Piggy happy at last with little froggies and piggies.



How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated with Boris Karloff)

There he is, the Green Monster with a tiny heart and a long suffering pup named Max, stealing Christmas, so he thinks.  His heart may have been two sizes too small, but it was always there.  Fantastic songs.


Frosty The Snowman

A simple story, lovely music, all good will and happiness.


Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

A classic tale of those who seem different being capable of wonderful things, with Burl Ives telling the tale and singing in his warm deep ol' voice.  There are some really great characters in this little film.

  
A Charlie Brown Christmas

Who better to tell a tale of Christmas love, hope and faith but Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang?  Not a fan of jazz music but I bop along to the tunes anyway.


Die Hard

Ho ho ho!  What a good cop won't do to save his wife...taking on a bunch of baddies who have crashed her work Christmas Party.  Yipee Kay Ay, Santa.


The Family Man

One of those What If... movies. Cold slimy executive Jack gets an unasked for glimpse of what his life would have been like if he'd married his sweetheart Kate, and been a tire salesman with two kids.  He hates this new life...until he realizes he doesn't. (sniff)


Prancer

I watched this a ton after my mom died.  A little girl misses her mom, who has died.  She finds a lost reindeer who she is certain is Santa's Prancer and tries to find a way to get him reunited with the Elf.  Her faith in the reindeer and Santa is so sweet, though no one believes her.


Jack Frost

Rock musician Jack Frost breaks one promise too many to his son, but is killed on the way home one night near Christmas as he tries to make good on his Christmas plans with the family.  A year later, his son makes a snowman that looks like the last one he and his dad made.  Playing his dad's old harmonica brings Jack Frost back for a bit as a snowman.  Your heart will melt.

 

The Little Drummer Boy

I love the song The Little Drummer Boy, and this simple and sweet little tale with puppetry always suited it very well.


The Santa Clause

Certainly the funniest film on the list, The Santa Clause's Scott Calvin unwittingly becomes the new Santa after the old one falls off the roof of  Scott's house, oops!  Santa disappears, but his suit is left behind. Trying it on at his son's insistence, he finishes up the night's work.  He's informed that he will be the new Santa and has till the next Thanksgiving to prepare.  He gains weight practically overnight, his hair turns snow white, and a beard he can't keep trimmed keeps getting longer and longer.  It's so funny and touching at the same time, as the little boy loses his dad to the Santa legend.

Saturday Night At The Movies: Doctor Strange

I read a few Doctor Strange comics and liked the character and his occult approach to being a superhero right at the end of my comics reading years.

The movie was fun, I loved Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One and Chilwatel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo.   I loved Strange's buddy The Cloak.

Benedict Cumberbatch made for a very appealing Strange.  Brilliant but broken and ready to learn.   I thought he was perhaps too good of a student, learning way too fast.  At least he didn't gain much wisdom wise and he has a long way to go before he puts others above himself, so there is some character arc to work on ahead.

The city twisting visuals reminded me too much of Inception and took away a bit from the sense of wonder that seeing his powers develop might have had.

I liked the touches of humor throughout.  I hope Mordo will be back, by Thor's Hammer!

Saturday Night At The Movies: Brooklyn

Brooklyn is the story of a young Irish girl who leaves home for a new life in Brooklyn, New York when life seems to offer her nothing in her small Irish town.

Sick on the voyage across the ocean, terribly homesick as she struggles to adjust to life in a new country where she still seems to have nothing and noone, she meets a young man one night at a dance.

He's completely charming, and falls for her almost immediately.  Spending time with him and taking night classes at a local college give her confidence and a feeling of place.

A tragedy at home returns her to Ireland, where she doesn't reveal that she married her young man before leaving Brooklyn.

Everything she didn't have when she left home is suddenly presented to her.  With her bookkeeping certificate she has a temporary job.  She meets a young man she likes who has very good prospects.  She loves spending time with her friends and her mother.  Letters from America go unopened.

It seems she might leave the life she had in America behind to live this wonderful new life at home.

I haven't seen such a sweet movie in a very long time.  Saoirse Ronan is luminous in the role of Eilis Lacey.  The music, the costuming, the portrayal of life in the 40s, all just stunning.

Saturday Night At The Movies: Mockingjay Part 2

Saturday night, popcorn, and the last of the Hunger Games films, that's the way to live.  Mostly it was nice to see the characters a final time.  Everyone of them was so well realized.  To think before it all began, I didn't like any of the choices for the actors.  Wrong once more.

Jennifer Lawrence is always wonderful to watch, but she has been transcendant in the role of Katniss Everdeen from her first moments on the screen.  Here she finishes her heroic journey and emerges triumphant.

That said, while the movie was full of nail biting scenes, explosions, and incredible effects, I thought that dramatically and emotionally it would have been best if Mockingjay had not been split into two films.

Random Thoughts:

President Snow-deliciously evil, though I don't like evil as a rule.  Bad, bad Evil.

Peeta!  Sweetheart of the world.  Great scenes where he just went nuts.

Gale in the books seemed to be more ardently bent on the any means necessary approach.  He had more conscience about his actions here.

Poor sweet Prim.

Julianne Moore's Alma Coin was silkily Evil.  She could seem so convincing.  I loved the moment when she met her arrow of doom.  Muahhahaha.

I had forgotten what the Mutts looked like.  Icky.  Reminiscent of something else I've seen lately, that I cant put my finger on.  Maybe something from Grimm.

Deadpool: Talk About Lively!

He's not a hero, that's for sure. His attitude stinks, and though he saves people and secretly has a heart of gold, he's too busy quipping his way through this movie to bother with good vs bad distinctions.

I knew nothing about the character going in, and feared this would be The Punisher with humorous naughty bits.

Luckily, though heads fly, swords slash, and slow-mo guns do their damage, there isn't any lingering on gore.  It's all played for laughs.   

Deadpool is sassy, irreverent, and the best wise cracking (not hero) in ages.  Highly recommended.

One Movie Trilogy To Rule Them All

I was up till 3 in the morning watching Return of The King.  My plan had been one of the films each night, but as soon as I finished the Two Towers, in went Return of the King.  I don't buy DVDs anymore, but how nice to be able to watch the movies anytime I wish, without additional cost or worry that they wouldn't be on the list of available films.

It has been several years since I watched them.  I saw Two Towers in the theater at least eleven times.  Yet there I was, watching the battle of Helm's Deep, fully engrossed and so nervous for the fates of the characters.

I used to be all smitten with Aragorn, but now he seemed a bit flawed.  The character who impressed me most was Samwise Gamgee, the unassuming little Hobbit who found bravery beyond measure and whose encouragement got Frodo to Mount Doom.

When the films were in release, I felt they gave too much air time to Gollum, particularly Return of the King, which in the theatrical release seemed to have little of the King.

Now, I felt sorry for the creature, and noticed how much the tiny gangly mad thing was beaten by just about everyone.  It just seemed awful.  His crazy little self really was a marvel.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

I'm glad to have caught this at the theater, though late in its run.   The Mission Impossible movies are perfect for the giant screen and mega-sound systems.

Warp speed action, light humor throughout, incredible stunts...bring on the popcorn and a large red Icee.

The "rogue nation" of the title is an organization called The Syndicate.  It seems to be behind disasters and assassinations all over the world.

Led by a classic reedy villain type named  Solomon Lane, the organization has recruited "officially dead" operatives from every intelligence organization on earth.

Even with the resources at his disposal he can't get through security to reach a certain bit of information he wants.  He needs Ethan Hunt and the IMF, and he sets in motion a convoluted plan to get them involved.

One of the things I like about these films is that it is a pleasure to see how the IMF team works together.  While Ethan is the brains behind the operation and the front man, he'd never get any of his schemes off the ground without this group.  They're just perfect clockwork.

I loved Ilsa Faust, the very best female agent I've ever seen, and I just kept thinking she needs her own movie.  Slick, smart, brave, ten steps ahead of everyone though she appears ensnared, man, she was so perfect.

Saturday Night At The Movies: World War Z: Zombies Never Disappoint

In preparation for the return of Walking Dead next week, I watched this zombie fest.

Brad Pitt reluctantly leaves his family to try to find a cure for the rapidly spreading Zombie Apocalypse.

He travels to South Korea and then Jerusalem and Wales looking for answers.

For a former Operative of some sort, he seems to have more luck than talent.  I'd expect a bit of Chuck Norris or Mission Impossible but nope, just a worried looking guy just barely avoiding swarms.

The zombie swarms were impressive and frightening.  Instead of shambling dead creatures, zombies here moved like lightning.  They swarmed over walls like piles of insects.

Pitt's character is motivated by his desire to keep his family safe.  His love for them and desire to keep them safe is completely believable. He was very likeable and I was rooting for him all the way.  

I almost feel guilty saying it, but his wife and kids were so annoying.  The little girls kept wandering off, the wife was bored and kept calling him and setting off the zombies.  

A charming bit was Peter Capaldi as a scientist working for WHO.

The Hunger Games Catching Fire

If I wondered that a new director might not work out so well for the second Hunger Games tale, I need wonder no more.  Francis Lawrence and his remarkable cast absolutely nails it.

The second book spent more time letting you get to know these children and adults who were being sent to die more than the first.  They didn't really give everyone that depth in the film version, but with 24 tributes it would be difficult.

The points at which Katniss sees that people are helping her, trying to make sure she lives are just so powerful. 

All of the small and large ways the tributes and increasingly the people in the districts begin to rebel, to just quietly raise their hands in salute, I have no words for their bravery.  

I felt sorry for Katniss in the books because she was a symbol for the masses and hope for everyone who saw her bravery, especially Prim.  She wanted only to take care of her family, not the world.

I left thinking I need to read Mockingjay again to refresh my memory, because I felt so bad for Peeta being captured and I don't recall what happens next.  The movie creates the same urgency to know that as the books did, quite an accomplishment.

Coming out of the theater the woman behind me told her companion conspiratorially "We can't tell anyone about this".     Obviously they don't want to spoil it for anyone, but it was funny they thought they could keep what happens a secret from everyone.


I have to mention the costumes for Jennifer Lawrence, that wedding dress, the transformation into a Mockingjay, the other flaming dress on the chariot....wow.

http://mockingjay.net/