I’ve had a bit of the cobbly mobbly and self-medicated with TV. While I have been among those who complain actors make too much money, entertainment is a valuable service, is it not? As far as I’m concerned, they earn it.
Amazon Prime and Netflix are my two principal sources of distraction. I’m a tight wad about “paying by the drink” on Amazon, so I’m always on the prowl for free movies and shows. But I’ve had the cobbly mobbly, so all bets are off.
In the “free to me” category on Amazon, I watched (again), Bull Durham, Cinderella, Blue Hawaii, Dances with Wolves, Seabiscuit and two versions of Heidi. I love Heidi.
And Elvis, so beautiful before it all went bad. His girlfriend in the movie wore a dress with a fitted bodice and a flared skirt, and in one scene, she flings off the skirt to reveal the fitted bodice is actually a one-piece swimsuit, so leaving the skirt behind, she jumps in water for a swim. Why don’t they make those anymore?
On Netflix, where it only feels free, I watched (again), Legally Blonde, The Queen’s Gambit and My Fair Lady. I liked The Queen’s Gambit better the second time around. Not sure why, but it seems I was less concerned about what was going to happen and could just stay in the moment and watch what was actually happening. This might be an important life lesson.
I love the music from My Fair Lady, but the story doesn’t hold up over time. Professor Higgins was an asshole. She should have married Freddy, although he was a bit of a stalker hanging around on the street where she lives.
New to me were Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Rebecca. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom was excellent. Not a feel-good story but exceptionally well-done and quite powerful. Chadwick Boseman, who recently passed away from colon cancer, was remarkable.
Rebecca is a remake of the classic. I liked it!
Last night I did not dream I went to Manderley again, but instead, I started watching the second season of the French show Lupin on Netflix. Omar Sy plays a gentleman thief with an ax to grind. He’s a good actor, and I find him to be quite sexy. So far, so good.
And that takes us back to Amazon, where I’m waiting for the final season of Bosch to drop. In the meantime, I had to throw some money at it. I watched News of the World with Tom Hanks. I recently read the book and loved it. Usually, the movies aren’t as good as the book, but this one was great and followed the book pretty much exactly (as best as I could tell).
I’m happy Tom Hanks chose acting as his profession, and he can have all the money. He really is good. If it ever turns out he’s a creep in real life, it’s all over. Civilization screeches to a halt.
I also threw some money at Kate Winslet, because damn, she deserves it. I watched Ammonite for the second time. That’s twice I threw money at it. She plays British paleontologist Mary Anning. The story takes place in the mid-1800s and delves into her professional and personal life, including a same-sex relationship with Saoirse Ronan.
No, I swear I didn’t watch it twice just for the steamy sex scenes. But stop me if I go back for a third. It’s such an interesting story, the scenery is spectacular and Kate Winslet captures the soul of a woman on the edge of shutting down emotionally. You can see and feel both her pain and her hope that maybe she can let someone in.
Whilst we’re on the Kate Winslet trail, I paid for the first season of Mare of Easttown, which was originally on HBO. She plays a deeply troubled detective in the Philadelphia area trying to solve a murder and the case of a girl who has disappeared.
Good story, great acting and in my humble opinion, Kate does a damned good job with that unique Pennsylvania accent. It’s all about the O’s.
That’s a wrap.
If it ever comes out that Tom Hanks is a real-life asshole, I don’t think I will ever regain the tenuous and strained hold on my love of humanity.
Deb
I third this sentiment. But then again, Tom himself has admitted that he is not always the ‘nice guy’ that fans think he is. 🙁 https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/tom-hanks-admitted-he-isnt-always-the-nice-guy-fans-think-he-is.html/
Somehow, this newsflash makes me admire him even more. Tom Hanks can get pissy? Good stuff! I like him even more now. Thanks, Donna C!
Deb
Interesting! But still not a deal-breaker for me.
Ditto on the tenuous and strained hold.
Usually I’m not overly happy when actors appear to be taking over films, by appearing in absolutely Everything. But Mr Hanks does a very fine job, as does Kate Winslet. In truth, the problem is when the actor is simply flavour of the month and not particularly talented. Naming no names of course…
Excellent point. Talent always rules!
I’m curious which two versions of Heidi you watched. I recently treated myself to a Heidi marathon but only one thrilled me like reading the book did so long ago. It was a 2015 German movie with Anuk Steffan as Heidi. Those mountains! That grandfather! That open hearted little girl! Now I have to watch News of the World. Thanks for that recommendation and this post. Good movies and tv shows really are a treasure.
Another Heidi lover! I had the book as a child. It was a shiny oversized hardback with lots of illustrations. I think my mother got it at a rummage sale. I read it over and over. Like you, I watched the 2015 version with Anuk Steffan. That was my favorite, too. I also watched a 1968 version with Maximilian Schell. That version changed the story line a good bit and made Fraulein Rottenmeier a very sympathetic character. I recall enjoying the Shirley Temple version many moons ago.