Sept 2018 Food n Flix

This is going to be the most informal Food n'Flix post I've ever done.

I've had a crappy week my lovely Spudguns!. I really hope your's has been decent.  September 2018 marks the 8th anniversary of Foodn'Flix. The first year I joined in; which was 2015, when September rolled around we were allowed to do a viewer's choice. And at that point, I did a 4 movie combo with a common theme. I also went with 4 different recipes. So of course, the second our fearless leader Heather said that this month would once again be a viewer's choice month and hosted by the official Food n'Flix blog, allowing us to pick any of the previously viewed months' movies; I knew I wanted to do something like that again. So I quickly picked my four dvds Eat Pray Love, Under the Tuscan Sun, Ramen Girl and Julie/Julia. I had a common theme - starting over. In Julie/Julia, the characters move for their husband's jobs. In Under the Tuscan Sun and Eat Pray Love, the characters move because of a divorce. In Ramen Girl, she moves for her boyfriend's job only to end up getting dumped and stranded. I even had a common food link this time...eggs.  What I didn't really have was the recipe.

I knew that the movie Eat Pray Love, had a scene where the lead character is shown making herself a simple plate of food on a lazy Sunday morning, that included olives, cheese, bread with olive oil, grapes, prosciutto, asparagus and a hard boiled egg.  The movie Ramen Girl, has a quick shot of a bowl of ramen containing noodles, broth, greens, pork and a soft boiled egg being placed in front of the Master for his approval. The movie Julie/Julia has a scene where our lead character is hovering over a large pot trying to get one perfect poached egg while arguing with her best friend. And the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, has an egg shaped  blue vase that the lead character clings to for her sanity. Each scene represented a major turning point for the characters involved.

Now, normally, when I do a Food n'Flix post, I give you a detailed account of the food throughout the entire film. I can't this time. Even had I chosen one of the movies and not the whole lot, there is just too much food to keep up with in each. From chocolate cake, wine, grapes, garlic, cheese, fish, noodles, bruschetta, onions, duck, stew, breads, leeks, pizza, tea, olives, ice cream, to tomatoes, peppers, pork, rice, and of course the eggs; these films were jam packed. And that's just naming a few.

But it was the eggs that stood out in my mind. Each egg scene -seen, came with a lesson for the character.

"Eat Pray Love"- The egg is seen as part of the basic meal our lead character makes for herself. It represents her accepting solitude. The character had been looking at a fancy nightgown while out with friends, and when her friend tells her to buy it, she as "For whom?" her friend replies "For you." We then see the lead character sitting on the floor in the fancy nightgown with her egg plate, having for the first time accepted that she's going to be okay single. She's finally accepted the company of herself as being enough. Up to this point, she's never been without a relationship. It's also the first time in the film we see her cook. Up till then, all her meals have been out at restaurants or at other people's houses.

"Julie/Julia" - The character of Julie has stated near the beginning of the film, that she's never eaten an egg as is. The eggs are done as a bit of a group effort. We see her, her husband and best friend standing in their tiny kitchen, sweating over the idea of making the perfect poached eggs. Which they seem to do. This is the big learning curve moment of truth for our lead as she admits to her desires and envies. It's the first moment she has any real confidence. It's also the first meal she's cooked we see her share with her friends, as well as the first time we see her really being taught by the cookbook. It represents her confidence and what would end up being her celebrity.

"Ramen Girl" - The egg is delivered here two separate ways. The physical egg is shown in a bowl of ramen but not by our lead. Instead, it's a minor male character whom serves the Grand Master Chef in order to get his approval. When it's the lead character's turn to serve her bowl of ramen, she's gone off recipe. The Master then tells her she's yet to learn what she needs to know. The lead character's struggle throughout the film is learning to make order out of chaos. It isn't until the day she leaves town, and is handed a large red egg shaped lantern, that she finally gets the approval she's been waiting for. And has discovered the balance within the design/plating of the ramen bowl. Up to that point, she managed to learn technique but without soul.  For her, it was representing restraint and balance.

 

"Under the Tuscan Sun" - Still hurting from her divorce, our lead character grabs an egg shaped blue glass vase as she moves out. She chooses to let her ex husband have everything else, but for some odd reason of defiance, she dumps out the contents of the vase and takes it with her. She keeps it for the first few years as she moves from a rundown apartment to her villa in Italy. Later on, she grabs it throwing it against the wall shattering it. Releasing herself from her hate, desperation and pain. The egg vase in this case represents the cycles of relationships. She first takes it when depressed at the end of her marriage, and breaks it at the beginning of her neighbours' marriage. The egg lesson here is healing and love.

Eggs have always represented beginnings and endings, fertility and protection.

So after all that what did I make?  I had made deviled eggs, (basic egg yolk, mayo, salt, pepper and paprika) but they were just so ugly. Then I remembered the line from Julie/Julia, where the character is taking about how she decided to tackle the poached eggs on a day when nothing in her life seemed to be going well.

So, I ended up making poached eggs. Which, were far far less than perfect.  And paired it with a quick instant ramen and green veggies. So, not really a recipe this time around, but just what the day needed. Ugly eggs to comfort at the end of a bad week. 

That's all I've got for you this time. Yes, I know, not the usual way I like to do Food n'Flix, but it's what I have to offer this time around.  Don't forget to join us next month, when once again, Heather from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen, will be hosting. The selection will be the Disney movie Princess and the Frog.

Random movie June 17th 2018

I just saw the Canadian film Hunting Pignut. It stars Taylor Hickson and Joel Thomas Hynes.

plot: After the ashes of her father are stolen at his funeral, a teenaged Bernice runs away in search of her father's friends. She soon finds herself thrown into a new and semi-welcoming world she was never sure she really wanted to know about.
 
This is based on a true story.

I'm sort of torn on how I feel about it. I liked it, but I'm not sure I loved it?  I have to admit, I watched this because of Joel Thomas Hynes. I've been a fan of his since the movie Down to the Dirt. He definitely steals the scene in every second of footage he's given.

It's a beautifully shot film, set in the heart of Newfoundland, showing us both sides of the so called coin. It's grit and confusion balanced perfectly as we watch young Bernice become Story, and try to walk the tightrope of who she feels she should be for whom she's with. To say the character has daddy issues, is pretty much an understatement.  She finds a diary which she at first thinks belongs to her father but quickly realizes belongs to his best friend Pignut. Her attachment then to Pignut becomes blurred as she seeks him out. What starts off at first as her connecting with Pignut as a role model and substitute father figure, soon crosses into a crush before turning romantically volatile. And all within the time frame of about 72hours.

What makes this such a powerfully emotional film, is what makes me say I'm not sure I loved it. The very core of the relationship between Story and Pignut. They have both just lost an important part of themselves, and struggle to reclaim a piece of it within each other, only to self destruct.

year 5 day 175 What the movie Inspired

movie: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
starring: Johnny Depp, Benicio del Toro
genre: Comedy,
year: 1998
format: DVD

plot:Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, have decided after much deliberation over drinks, that Duke should take an assignment for a magazine to cover the events of one of the biggest drag races in Las Vegas. After renting a very loudly stylish car, they find themselves on the desert highway stoned, drunk and decide to pick up a hitchhiker. Whom they promptly scare away by screaming about bats. The two then proceed to invade the hotel with zero intention of paying for their bills. Having gotten completely caught up in their own version of the trip, they end up missing the end of the race. As Duke is about to flee, he gets a message informing him he's to go across town for another journalism assignment, at a different hotel. The madness gets deeper for them, as Dr. Gonzo has gotten involved with a young girl. Dumping her at yet another hotel, the duo continue their rampant destruction while in a drug induced nightmare.

This is based on the book by Hunter S. Thompson.

This is my favourite Johnny Depp movie. I think he's at his ultimate peak in this. He manages to get the dead pan humour down to point, as well as having amazing on screen chemistry with  de Toro.  This is by far, the best buddy road trip film, I've ever seen! Specially given the fact they only travel together for about 10 minutes of the film, the rest of the time they are either camped out in posh hotels or trying to meet up in the posh hotels.

Besides the fact this is one of the craziest adventures, you have to remind yourself that this is based on fact. At lest most of it, given Thompson wrote a 50/50 style of fact/fiction to begin with, creating the "gonzo style of journalism". (he's my god!)  There are so many layers to this, from the culture of the 70's, to the drug/alcohol addiction, to the extreme excess of the times, to the underlining idea that easy is never really easy...that I could try to write an essay and never get close to the core.

I'm just going to say it's what a road trip buddy movie should be trying to live up to.  

what did I learn? You may not know you're on top of the next wave because you're still looking at the one that just past

Okay, so this is our 90's day! I have had so much fun doing the single theme days (80's, Disney, Supernatural) with Heather, at All Roads Lead to the Kitchen, that we had to do the next decade.
(I had massive issues with the rotation of the photos, they looked fine on my phone, but uploading to the blog...well yeah.)

Notes: fruit, alcohol, peanuts, fries, steak dinner, salmon (mentioned) pie, bagels, cheese plate, coconuts, eggs, crab (mentioned) candy floss, hot dogs, candy apples, donuts, coffee, candy, soup, bread, pretzels, desserts, club sandwiches, shrimp cocktails,

I took my inspiration from a scene at the end of the first half of the movie. The part where Duke wakes up after days of his drug coma, to find that he's been abandoned by his buddy Dr. Gonzo, and left with such a large hotel bill that just can't be paid. He picks up a plate of days old fries and decides it's time to hit the road.
I decided to do a vegetarian version of Poutine.  I was thinking of originally doing fries with a homemade sauce of some sort, to incorporate the fact the movie has a ton of limes and grapefruit, but I'm not that talented. So instead, I went with the "magic mushroom" idea, making Poutine with mushroom gravy.

I did make this with cheats, frozen fries and gravy mix.  Just cook the fries to package instructions.

Normally, you would use a cheese curd, but I used a lactose free vegetarian friendly cheese. This melts slight bit better than the vegan soy cheeses they sell here, but still not as good as proper cheese does.

 

The gravy came out a bit more on the watery side than I was hoping for.

I'm a fan of quick meals, even better when they are one pot-style. As you can see, the cheese was just starting to melt when I took the photo, I couldn't wait. As I said, it was little on the runny side and even with the spiffy Hallowe'en bat place-mat, it was dripping everywhere. (we can't park here it's bat country)

So, if you haven't headed up over to Heather's blog yet, it's time to do that. I love seeing what movie she picked and what is on the table. We've got a few more of these coming at you next month, heading quickly into Hallowe'en, so if you would like to jump in with us, you can leave a comment on either this post or Heather's. Next month's theme has not been pinned down just yet, but if you let us know you want in, we'll let you know the theme.

year 5 day 173

movie: The Lady in the Van
starring: Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings
genre:Comedy, Drama
year:2015
format:Netflix Canada

plot: After a hit and run accident, a nun finds herself on the run from the cops and because of it, homeless.

Based on a biography

This is made to seem like a comedy, but it's not really. The main character is a writer who besides talking to himself, talks himself out of having a life of his own; and ends up arguing with a physical representation of his alter ego a lot. He's sort of cornered between his elder mother and what ends up being the "neighbour" this lady who drives around the block randomly staying in front of everyone's house for a few nights at a time. That is, until the streets are rezoned and she finds her van too large to just park on the street for more than an hour. This leads to her parking in Bennett's driveway.

We watch as she slowly begins to take over not just his space but his mind as well, becoming the central character in his work over the course of the next 15 years.  This sort of leads you to wonder, is she suppose to be a surrogate mom for him or a surrogate wife? (or in this case surrogate husband as the lead male is gay)  The dynamics between the two leads is interesting; in this push pull attitude. Neither wanting to admit they really need the other in their life.
There are a few scenes where the Lady, gets a new vehicle, each smaller than the one before, leading the audience to believe she'll eventually end up in the house with him. But, oddly it never plays out this way. It's just suppose to show their comfort level with each other and how their trust has grown.

I thought it was interesting the way the two leads manage to show more compassion for each other than for members of their own family, each hiding elements of themselves from their families, afraid of how they will react.

what did I learn? It's always easier to tell a stranger your secrets, until they are no longer a stranger.

year 5 day 170

movie: Urban Cowboy
starring:John Travolta, Scott Glenn
genre: Drama
year:1980
format: TV Edit

plot: When a young cowboy is injured during a construction job, he is left watching his marry fall apart.

It seems this is based on a news article.

A few things went through my mind while watching this. One, was the oddly repressive relationship between the main characters, their fight for domestic dominance. Each having their own ideas of what the relationship should be. Which, given the era the film was made, was a big theme in culture. Women finally getting a chance to prove themselves.  And the other thing, was the beard. The first few minutes of the movie has Travolta wearing this thick beard that I'm guessing is suppose to represent him as a rebel. Which, seems to loose it's power once its shaved off, having his character become the one trying to conform everyone else.

It seemed to get a bit pointless after the first fifteen minutes, focusing on a bull riding event. I don't really know if that was the point of the movie itself, or just the way the tv edit angled it? But, that part of the movie sort of lost me. I wasn't too sure why the wife had the affair to begin with, or why she'd let herself go from the oppression of her marriage to the outright abusive relationship she ended up in?

what did I learn? I wish I had something deep and meaningful for this today, but I couldn't get past the beard.

Year 5 Day 53

movie: We Bought a Zoo
starring: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson
genre: Drama
year: 2011
format: TV Edit

plot: After his wife dies, a grieving single dad relocates his family only to end up being the new caretakers of a zoo

Based on the book

I know this was suppose to be a big feel good happy family film, but for me it got weighed down with the idea of the dad just trying to escape. I don't know if it was because it was a tv edit, but it just seemed to focus too much on that. There were a few oddly placed commercials that caused a few gaps in the storyline. Such as one second the dad was complaining about having to buy butter and the next second (after commercial break) they were cleaning up snakes. How did the snakes get there during the commercial break?  This is the downfall of watching stuff on tv sometimes, edited for time.

The fact they had the dad deal with his grief by not dealing with the impending death of one of the tigers, was an interesting circle. It was almost as if the dad was allowing himself to feel the pain as long as there was someone who he could reflect it back to.
 
what did I learn? Animal in movies and cartoons will always make me cry.

Year 5 Day 36

movie: Magic Beyond Words the JK Rowling Story
starring: Poppy Montgomery, Emily Holmes
genre:Biography, Drama
year: 2011
format: TV Edit

plot: Following the years leading up to the publication of the Harry Potter books, we see how the author survived massive loss and abuse.

This was another of those movies I didn't hate and I didn't love, it was just sort of there. The first half hour spans from Rowling at about age 8 to 18 in jump cuts, basically to set up her fascination with witchcraft and stories in that vein; as well as her creativity.
We're taken through the death of her mother, which leads her to more then one career change and the resulting disastrous marriage. The Harry Potter books becoming her island in the storm.

I have to say, although completely different genre of books, I couldn't stop thinking of the movie Julie/Julia, and Julia Child's struggle in writing and publishing her cookbook, while watching this.

what did I learn? Never give up on your dreams. The muse is out there, you just have to unlock it.

year 5 day 35

movie: La Bamba
starring: Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales
genre:Biography, Drama
year:1987
format: TV Edit

plot: We follow the year in the life of Ritchie Valens on his rise to fame until the time of his death.

I'm not much of a Phillips fan, but whenever I hear the song La Bamba, it's the music video for the movie that comes to mind. 

I don't know about anyone else, but I got more wrapped up in the side story of the older brother. You feel sorry for him. His character is much more fleshed out then even the lead. I don't know if that was because this was Phillips first real role, or if Morales is that much better?

You feel the heavy overshadow when Morales's character snatches the talisman from him, swearing he'll kill him in a mad fit of rage, and the dread when he finds out Ritchie Valens died in the plane crash, which the talisman was holding back. His biggest fear having come true.

what do i think i learned? Omens should always be listened to.

year 5 day 10

movie:Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors
starring: Alyvia Alyn Lind, Ricky Schroder
genre: Drama
year: 2015
format: TV Edit

plot: The film covers about a year in the life of Dolly Parton at the age of about 9 years old.

This was disappointing I have to say. I was expecting a lot more to be covered then what was. The little girl who plays her, even though she's the star of the movie, doesn't have the full amount of screen time I was thinking she would. But, she does manage to pull off some emotional scenes.

What seemed to be the the angle they were hinging it on, that it was a Christian movie, kind of fell flat. It didn't work as well as some other movies I've seen over the years that come from that genre. Even with Gerald McRaney who played on both Promised Land and Touched by an Angel; and seems to excel in those kinds of roles.  It made it feel less like a true story and more like a forced ideal.  I get that it was a movie about having faith, in yourself, your surroundings, but it came across like "an either-or" statement and not one of balance.

what did I learn from this movie? Who you are isn't always where you came from.

Random movie April 23rd 2015

Room 237

This is a 2012 documentary on the most common suspected themes in Stanley Kubrick's version of Stephen King's The Shining.  

There isn't really a plot as much as there are overlapping theories. And I have to say, I was glued to the screen during this film. Some of the theories given in this movie, I am ashamed to say I never thought of myself.  When I first saw The Shining, I looked at it at face value. A story about a man who through a combination of guilt, isolation and drug abuse opens a portal for ghosts.  This documentary helps to pull back so many other layers that are there.

Speaking of, one of the theories is that the movie is designed to be watched back to front and then front to back, at the same time. That the story uncovers more parallels by overlaying the movie properly with it in rewind. And I have to say, it does. Like another whole episode of drug induced nightmares/visions that just help to make the film connect better.

Another theme in this documentary is that Stanley Kubrick was basically telling the same story in all his movies. That each one was almost like another episode of the same plot. Which was the truth is out there. Pick your conspiracy he's revealing it, over and over and over...they keep repeating and connecting.  Which given the fact I've only seen The Shining, A Clockwork Orange and Eyes Wide Shut,  I can't say for sure.  And personally, I didn't care at all for Eyes Wide Shut.
And of course, the idea that he was secretly admitting...or not so secretly...that he faked the moon landing.

This documentary has got me thinking, and not surprisingly, got me wanting to re-watch The Shining. 

Random movie Feb 21st 2015

The Big Year

plot: Three birdwatchers, spend a year competing to be listed that year's best. Dropping everything at a moments notice to travel across the United States and Canada, they find themselves making choices about their personal and professional lives that they didn't think they'd be forced to make.

This is the 2011 movie starring Steve Martin and Jack Black.
It's based on the non-fiction book.

This was listed as a comedy, and there were moments that were funny, but this was a drama in every real regard.
The characters each had their own personal journeys they had to dive into, each at different stages in their lives. One character starts off with nothing to loose and looks at it as a once in a lifetime adventure, while another character sees it as a missed opportunity. And the third main character is afraid of live beyond what he's created, afraid to let go of his record.

I like that it managed to mix the buddy road trip film seamlessly with the dramatic point of having to find your own balance. All three of the main characters have to learn what they are comfortable with loosing in order to gain their real prize. So many of us now a days find it hard to balance our real passions with our responsibilities.

year 3 day 136

movie: Spinning Plates
starring: Grant Achatz, Mike Breitbach
genre: Documentary
year:2012
format: Netflix Canada

plot: Following three different chefs as they discuss the tragic events that led them to push for success.

Three different chefs from three different parts of the U.S.  One is a Michelin star chef, the other two are known in their communities.
I have to admit, I wanted to see this because I read Chef Achatz's biography few years ago, Life, On the Line. His part of the documentary talks about his battle with cancer, overlaid on top of scenes of him and his crew creating works of art for dinner. The beauty of the food creations leaves you in awe.
The Breitbach part of the film, talks about how they lost their restaurant not once but twice to fire within a year, and how the whole town helped to rebuild it. The sense of community is overwhelming from their segments.
The Martinez part of the film, talks about how their little restaurant is their world. How everything hinges on making it work, in order just to survive.

I loved that the last few minutes is done as a montage of the Breitbach and Martinez segments with a voice over by Achatz, talking about how he got his start in his own parent's diner, and how growing up in the back of the kitchen molded who he is at his core. And when it comes down to it, all three families are telling the same core story about family and community and comfort.

year 3 day 123

movie: Dracula Untold
starring: Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper
genre: Thriller, Drama,
year: 2014
format: Cinema

plot: Prince Vlad, already having earned his name as the Impaler, is now forced to either hand over his son to the Sultan just as he had been years before by his own father, in order to keep the peace, or fight an army larger then his own. Refusing to give in to the demands, Vlad seeks out the one person who is feared in his land, Caligula, a vampire. He makes a deal with Vlad, where if Vlad can resist the thirst for three days he will not be trapped as a vampire. 

I sat watching the opening scenes, thinking this is my new favourite Dracula.  The first hour and ten minutes flew by without feeling like that much time had lapsed. The movie is so intriguing, at lest is was for me, that the fast pace of it absorbs you.
It was a lovely departure from the usual Dracula stories out there, delving more into the "real man" behind the legend then the fable. The lead actor Luke Evans, manages to capture the idea behind the Prince of Wallachia, giving him the respect he deserves. Though, I couldn't help but keep comparing this film to the 2000 Rudolf Martin movie Dark Prince the True Story of Dracula, which followed a similar plot. There were also moments where the second Crow film, Crow City of Angels, which starred Vincent Perez, came to mind.

I understand this is suppose to be the jumping off point for the reboots of Universal Monsters films, and the ending sets up for ...wait for it...a sequel to Dracula. Which, me personally is the best movie news since I learned  Star Trek III was in production.

Dominic Cooper as the Sultan of Turkey...I was expecting him to have a larger roll, but he filled out the "villain" role-supporting role- perfectly. And the fact they pulled from folklore about silver made me happy. Giddy in fact. I love when a new take on vampires happens, but I love real folklore being used more.

Obviously, I loved this movie. I've got nothing bad to say about it, other then I would have liked to have seen more on screen time of Dominic Cooper, and maybe a little more back story on the Renfield character. With the promise of a sequel, I personally am hoping/expecting the Renfield character to have more to do with things.

This really isn't a horror movie in any sense of the word. It's a war film if you want to get picky about things. Which, also makes sense given it's suppose to be a take on Vlad Tepes. I do however love the nod to Easter, when this happens (the whole movie is suppose to happen within the three days of Easter weekend). He was said to have had a feast on Easter where he forced his highest ranking families to build a wall/castle. 

Year 3 day 122

movie: The Terminal
starring: Tom Hanks, Stanley Tucci
genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
year: 2004
format: TV Edit

plot: A man is detained at a major American airport after his visa is denied. What should have been a quick few hours, turns into a year of his life while he waits to find out if his home country is still at war.

This is based loosely on a true story.

I guess you can say that you can't really go wrong when you see Tom Hanks listed as a lead in any type of movie.  Okay, let's get it out there, I cried for the last 30 minutes of this film. I know this is suppose to be a keep strong and keep the faith in your destiny type film, but I personally was having a hard time getting past the whole left with nothing theme. The idea that in the course of a few hours, your life can be turned upside down to the point that you are left without a real home or identity, really really got to me.

Speaking of the keep strong and keep the faith in your destiny theme; this film hits on the nose the whole idea that no matter what, nothing is as bad as it seems. He figures out a way to feed himself, finds a group of friends who all happen to be immigrants/minorities, and even lands a job. The idea that the U.S. is a destination for millions of people every day, with the promise of starting fresh was more then clear.

Year 3 Day 91

movie: Haute Cuisine
starring: Catherine Frot, Arly Jover
genre: Food, Drama, Biography,
year: 2012
format: Netflix Canada

plot: A French chef is asked to be the personal cook to the President of the French Republic, and is faced with countless road blocks by other staff members. The two years she spent working there is inter-cut with her last few days working as a cook in Antarctica.

This is based on a true story.

Oh my god, don't watch this on an empty stomach! The food in this movie could give all the food scenes in Julie/Julia a major run for it's money. The whole tone of the film is comforting and daring and simple yet refined, as the food moves you from one emotion to another. This is more then just "food porn" this is a rare comforting passion in every scene. 

You see the lead teaching her sous-chef at the same time, learning from him in such a way, you are drawn back and forth between two ideals; that of a mother and son and on the other hand, like two people delicately flirting. This has a hint of courtly love to it. Not just in the dynamics of the chef and sous-chef, but of her and the president as well. Their scenes, which consists of them talking about their favourite recipes and sharing a truffle sandwich, gives you to understand what real respect should look like.

This is a beautifully done movie that leaves you wanting more. More of the food and more of the story. All the actors nailed their characters, dipping and diving into the complications of their relationships, while still making it seem like a surface shuffle. (manner and etiquette have a strangle hold on many of the characters ability to show any real emotions while at work)

If you don't mind subtitles, then I say watch this one...after dinner.

Year 3 Day 75

 movie: Rock Star
starring: Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Aniston
genre; drama, music
year: 2001
format: TV edit

plot: When the lead singer of a heavy metal tribute band is offered the chance to replace his idol in the group Steel Dragon, he spends the next two years of his life trying to fit in.

This is loosely based on the real life of Tim Owens, who took over as lead for Judas Priest.

Good, but not great. This is one of those films, that if you grew up in the 1980's/early 1990's like I did, you would get a kick out of seeing so many of the bands/band members as extras and supporting characters (now I really want to find a  dvd copy of Decline of the Western Civilization Part 2 the Metal Years, mine's on vhs)

The themes seem to be a blend of never giving up on your dreams, and how we perceive (all about perception) our heroes. More then once in the movie, someone tells the Wahlberg character that he's got to create a "good story for the fans". This, over time eats away at his own sense of self until he has to make a choice, either continue deluding himself and the fans or stand up for what he believes in.

Year 3 Day 74

movie: Fatal Trust
starring:  Amy Jo Johnson, Paul Popowich
genre: Thriller, Drama
year: 2006
format: TV edit

plot: A widow moves back to her hometown with her young son after the death of her mother. She gets a job working for the local doctor, and discovers he's been killing his patients.

This is a made for tv movie.

The first hour was just stiff, total paint by numbers reading the lines badly, but the second hour of it seemed to loosen up some. The story improved as did the acting.
The story is loosely based on actual events of several different situations. Just as the credits roll, three separate end tags appear explain this.

This is a bit scary, the whole fact that the events this film was centered around happened, that they happen all the time in the world. There was a scene were the lead character actually brings up the idea to her boyfriend that what if this doctor got into the medical field to kill?  Kinda makes you not want to trust anyone.

Year 3 Day 67

movie: Murder in the Hamptons
starring: Poppy Montgomery, David Sutcliffe
genre: Crime, Drama, Bio-pic
year; 2005
format; TV edit

plot: A woman is thought to have murdered her husband in their Hamptons home, in order to inherit all his money. She quickly remarries her lover, and is told she has cancer. As she decides to turn down treatment, her second marriage spirals out of control.

This is a made for tv movie. Based on a true story.

There isn't a lot to say on this. It paints the Montgomery character as a very unsympathetic character from the start, placing her as the lead until the last twenty minutes, where it then shifts gears focusing on the character of the second husband, played by Shawn Christian.

I can't say that I liked it, and I can't say that I hated it. It played like a typical made for tv crime movie. It's told from the point of view of the people who knew the main characters, and not necessarily from the leads, giving it a news-documentary feel.

Year 3 day 61

movie: Dreamgirls
starring: Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson
genre: Music, Drama
year: 2006
format: TV edit

plot: Following the lives of three women in the 1960's and 1970's as they dealt with the highs and lows of being an all girl group.

Based on the stage musical, and loosely based on the biographies of the Supremes.

It's no secret that musicals and westerns are some of my lest favourite type of movies, but that's what's been on tv lately. 
I have to say, I got a bit bored mid-way through this, I was honestly tempted to turn it off. It was too much of a musical for me.  I liked the first half of it, the parts set in the 1960's, but the last half just sort of fell flat for me. It just seemed like the second half was suppose to go in one direction but seemed to swerve back on itself. Again, and I know I say this almost every time there is a tv edit, but it might have just been the way it was chopped for television?

I found the characters to be one dimensional, but that might have more to do with the fact there were so many characters that they had to fit into the story to progress it.

All in all, I loved Jennifer Hudson in this, but this isn't something I'd sit through again any time soon.

Year 3 Day 56

movie: The Pursuit of Happyness
starring: Will Smith, Jaden Smith
genre: Drama, Bio
year: 2006
format: TV edit

plot: In 1981, after a rough year where his wife leaves him, his company goes under and he finds himself homeless, a young man raises his son alone while trying to prove he can rise above it.

This is based on a true story.

Right off, they explain why the film's title has a misspelling, it's on purpose, as the lead character points out to his son that some graffiti on their block is spelled wrong. The word "happiness" then becomes a theme throughout the story.

This is a tear jerker to say the lest. It's also one of those films you can't take your eyes off of, it draws you in. There is a sub-plot happening, as the character sells medical x-ray machines door to door (hospital to hospital) and while he's trying to break free from that particular job, he finds himself so dependent on the job, that after two are stolen he chases down the thieves more then once in order to get them back. He's literally locked into that part of his life until the last two are sold. Only then does he seem to have a break through in his life, leading to better things.

What did I learn from this?  Never give up on yourself.