Capitol Hill Blue Forums Misc. Topics Book, Movie & Podcast Reviews The Netflix Thread

Slept through most of The Lives of Others. That won an Academy Award? Yuck!

Really liked Grave of the Fireflies--even if it's horribly sad.

It's so sad I haven't seen it again since the first time - although I went out and bought a copy the next day.

It's about the only movie that makes me seriously cry. For extended periods of time.

Several months ago a friend recommended an old John Ford western called "Sergeant Rutledge." Plot line described by IMDB is this: "Respected black cavalry Sergeant Brax Rutledge stands court-martial for raping and killing a white woman and murdering her father, his superior officer."

The movie wasn't bad at all, but the best part of it was the star - an actor I'd never heard of, named Woody Strode. He reminded me a bit of Yul Brynner in his compact structure, the feeling of barely-reined-in force, and, okay, his hellacious physique.

I looked at his filmography with my friend and she recommended that I see "Black Jesus." "It really isn't much of a movie," she said, "but you ought to see it."

Black Jesus is loosely based on the capture and murder of Patrice Lumumba. It is a low-budget movie; God knows what languages the various actors were speaking (several were dubbed) but the dialogue would have been cheesy in all of them. The set is stagy, the action choppy and sometimes illogical (If you're burning down an African village, is it really necessary to use explosives? Would you shoot the inhabitants, then burn the village, and THEN look for a fugitive?)

The pace is slow and the direction sometimes very heavy -- lots of slow, deliberate footsteps

Having said that, this was an extremely disturbing movie, even though I was familiar with Lumumba's story and knew how it would end. I don't know whether it's Strode's amazing face (particularly his eyes) or something else entirely but I found the film gripping (even as I was yelling for a film editor.)

It's only an hour and a half. Woody Strode may be one of my favorite actors - and I'd never seen or heard of him before this year. Jean Servais as the prison commander is also very good.

Has anyone seen these movies? Am I out of my mind, never having heard of them before?

I'm scared to watch "Life Is Beautiful" again. "Fireflies" will be the same.

Watched Raise the Red Lantern night before last. Maybe I missed something, but here's the story as I saw it. A young, attractive and self-centered woman becomes the fourth wife of a wealthy man, dislikes her rank in the pecking order, treats the servants horribly, fakes a pregnancy so that—among other things—she gets use of the best foot massager, rats out wife four who is consequently killed, and goes insane. Someone, please, fill me in on this one's beauty and greatness.

Innocent Voices was a powerful and heartbreaking.
The little boy will steal your heart.

It is a foreign fim with sub titles. It isn't political specific but the political inferences are strong.
It you're not sympathetic to (American facilitated) civil war torn countries south of us and what it does to the families.....specifically the children, skip this one.
It impacted me greatly. I cried buckets.

A Mighty Heart was okay. An old-home-week for fans of the supporting cast of Judging Amy. Glad Angelina Jolie didn't collect any awards. All she really did that had any merit, IMHO, was scream well when she learned her husband had been chopped up.

I just joined Netflix (writers strike) mostly for my "Midsomer Murder" movies which they took off the BBC Biography channel. I did watch and enjoy a great deal; Hamish Macbeth. Sort of a Northern Exposure Scotland style. Only three seasons but it was a fun show with absolutely wonderful scenery.

Not familiar with "Midsomer Murders." Do you have a suggested one with which to start. I looked them up on netflix and saw there were many.