Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group discussion

PART SIX - ONGOING THREAD FOR 2013 (Continued from Part Five)

What movies or DVDs have you watched (or will you be watching)?

Earl wrote: Big fan of Supernatural, hate Walking Dead (which is supposed to be hugely popular). Kind of like American Horror, but a little too cruel. Like Tanartino's Hostel, which I HATED. Probably you'd have to psychoanalyze me to correctly identify my tastes.

Well then take me with you to the shrink because that's how I feel about those you just mentioned.

Funny about taste. My sister LOVES the dark movies. I prefer the lighter ones. Guess it's because I grew up with the "screwball" comedies.

Finally got to see The Hobbit today. As Jackie said, it is long but well worth it! It is going to be a long wait till December, 2013 for part 2!!

I wonder how long it will be before I can see The Hobbit via Netflix.

The DVD release of The Hobbit is estimated for April. How long after a DVD release does Netflix usually get a movie?

I'll be waiting longer because I want the Extended Edition which won't be out til the later part of 2013. But it will be worth the wait. I have all 3 LOTR films in extended editions and they each have about an hour of extra footage. Not as deleted scenes at the end, but right where they belong within the movie. And extended scenes too.

Jackie wrote: "The DVD release of The Hobbit is estimated for April. How long after a DVD release does Netflix usually get a movie?
I'll be waiting longer because I want the Extended Edition which won't be ou..."

I don't know the answer to that question, Jackie. I don't mind waiting.

BTW, I saw the funniest movie last night. I've never laughed so much at a movie before. The name of it is "Death at a Funeral" (2007). It's streamable from Netflix:
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Dea...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795368/
"Chaos ensues when a man tries to expose a dark secret regarding a recently deceased patriarch of a dysfunctional British family."
Stars: Matthew Macfadyen, Peter Dinklage and Ewen Bremner

I saw that movie, it was very funny. Chris Rock did a remake of it, it wasn't nearly as funny.

Jackie wrote: "I saw that movie, it was very funny. Chris Rock did a remake of it, it wasn't nearly as funny."

True, Jackie. Leonard Maltin said: "This sort of thing seems to work better with British accents." :)

I found the above comment in my hardcover copy of
Leonard Maltin's 2011 Movie Guide (Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide.
Maltin always hits the nail on the head.

We just purchased a Blue Ray DVD player in order to stream wireless on Netflix directly onto TV. (Our Sony tv doesn't have a wireless connection.) Works very well. Cancelling our dvds with Netflix and will sign up for streaming.

Trying to reduce our Time Warner Cable fees - may go with just basic tv and internet (no longer have land line phones). Still in the learning stages with Hulu, Amazon and some of the free streaming movie services available.

First streaming movie we watched was: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839654/

The Magic of Belle Isle, 2012 with Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen.

Enjoyed the movie. Feeling good kind of movie.

Linda wrote: "First streaming movie we watched was: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839654/
The Magic of Belle Isle, 2012 with Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen.
Enjoyed the movie. Feeling good kind of movie."

Sounds like a good one, Linda. (The Magic of Belle Isle)
Morgan Freeman is one of my favorites.
I see that it's already in my Netflix Instant cue for streaming.
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The...

I use Roku for streaming to our TV.

As for giving up the Netflix DVDs, I would miss their larger choice and I would miss their queues and lists of movies already seen. I like having a history because I often forget which movies I've watched. I hate starting to watch a movie only to realize that I've already seen it.

I also have Netflix streaming for the times when the DVD hasn't arrived. But their choice is limited.

We hate to give up our land line telephone because it works when there's a power outage.

We use our cell phone only for calls between the 2 of us. I don't want to receive any other calls on my cell phone.

I watched a movie this morning, "Peace, Love and Misunderstanding" with Jane Fonda and Catherine Keener, set in Woodstock NY. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1649780/
I only watched it because Jeffrey Dean Morgan was in it and because they played The Grateful Dead and other music I love. And it was nice recognizing places in Woodstock.
Jane Fonda looks amazing for a 75 year old woman. Amazing what money can do for appearances!

Jackie wrote: "I watched a movie this morning, "Peace, Love and Misunderstanding" with Jane Fonda and Catherine Keener, set in Woodstock NY. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1649780/
I only watched it because Jeffrey..."

Thanks, Jackie. I've put it on my Netflix queue!

As for older actresses looking younger due to surgery, I often wonder what they would look like if they hadn't had the surgery!

They'd look like the rest of us, lol

Linda wrote: "First streaming movie we watched was: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839654/
The Magic of Belle Isle, 2012 with Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen.
Enjoyed the movie. Feeling good kind of movie."

I just finished watching "The Magic of Belle Isle" (streamed via Netflix).
It was a touching story. Glad you recommended it.
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The...
"A burned-out author finds his creative passion renewed when he moves to quaint Belle Isle and befriends a single mother and her three daughters."

Below are comments from the Netflix user reviews:
==========================================
A slow-moving wonderful story...

Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen played so well off of each other and made the film.

Virginia Madsen has finally found herself. As a middle aged woman she is wonderful.

This movie is one that speaks to our times and how we can move forward: Thru love and acceptance.

It was a feel good movie with beautiful scenery.

This was an absolutely delightful movie. The wonderful Morgan Freeman is as great as ever playing a alcoholic man who is paralyzed and in a wheelchair and is spending the summer alone in a cabin with a dog. However, things change when he meets some neighbors. Friendships develop with a mother and her three girls. Everyone's life is changed. Virginia Madsen is wonderful as the mother. Terrific film for adults and older children.
========================================

Definitely a feel-good movie, especially the ending which had a bit of a surprise.

I gave it 4 stars. I didn't give it 5 stars because I found it a bit too slow-moving in parts. But that was the mood of the movie... and that is Morgan Freeman's style!

Jackie wrote: "I watched a movie this morning, "Peace, Love and Misunderstanding" with Jane Fonda and Catherine Keener, set in Woodstock NY. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1649780/
I only watched it because Jeffrey..."

Sounds interesting Jackie. I like Jane Fonda (even though she chose not to age naturally and make me momentarily envious!!) and the Grateful Dead. Adding to my list of movies to watch.

Joy H. wrote: "Linda wrote: "First streaming movie we watched was: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839654/
The Magic of Belle Isle, 2012 with Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen.
Enjoyed the movie. Feeling good kind..."

Never heard of Roku and will go investigate.

I'm not sure how we'll like just streaming movies vs getting them from Netflix on DVD. If I can save enough money downgrading our cable bill, perhaps will keep receiving the dvds.

Linda, if you have a Blue-Ray device, you don't need a Roku device.

DVDs are easier when you want to rewind back to a certain part of the movie. When you're streaming it's not as exact a process, but it is possible. Just takes a little longer sometimes to get to the exact part of the movie.

I also notice that when streaming to my computer, I often have the option to have subtitles (if they're available with that movie) but I've never seen that option when streaming to my TV with my Roku device.

As you use these things, you notice the fine differences.

Jackie wrote: "They'd look like the rest of us, lol"

LOL ! True, Jackie.

I'll never forget how the face of beautiful Ginger Rogers changed after she aged. Can't find any pics online showing her after she aged. They must have had them all removed.

Of course, one of the most famous examples is Farrah Fawcett:
http://www.popcrunch.com/celebrity-be...

Here's a site with various before and after pics:
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style...
(Click on "next".)

Wow, some of these people are not that old, and with cosmetic enhancements they look that bad? I wonder what they'd look like without it. Or maybe that's the point, we really don't need it. All I know is, I wouldn't pay all that money to look that hideous. My natural hideous is free, lol

Jackie wrote: "My natural hideous is free, lol."

Nah, Jackie --judging from your profile picture, you're a beautiful lady! (And Joy and Nina are, too; I don't think I've actually ever seen any profile pics for any of our other distaff members.)

Linda wrote: "We just purchased a Blue Ray DVD player in order to stream wireless on Netflix directly onto TV. (Our Sony tv doesn't have a wireless connection.) Works very well. Cancelling our dvds with Netflix ..."

My year package deal with Time Warner runs out in March and then they'll blitzkrieg me. I read an article in yesterdays paper about Aereo which NYC has, is cheap and they give you only 16 or so channels.
https://www.aereo.com/
That's about the number of channels I actually watch, but don't know what Aereo offers. And it'll be years before we ever see it in competition with TW up in my neck of the woods. A cheaper phone choice for me would be Vonage, I may go that way. I think TW will want to boost me to $170 or so in March.

Earl, here's the channels Aereo has now https://aereo.com/channels
No good cable channels at all. 6 Spanish, 4 Asian, 2 kids channels, 2 home shopping, 5 local interest, 5 syndicated, 5 major networks and PBS.
For TW you can get a special deal if all you want is the 5 major networks and PBS, which is the only thing I see worth watching on Aereos list; my mother used to get that special deal and it was like $10 a month. That was about 5 years ago, but it couldn't have gone up much more than that.
You can also call TW and get a 2 year contract with a price lock guarantee. If I were you, I'd call them close to the time the year end runs out and see what they have on offer, they run specials all the time.

Werner, I have a fondness for the sound of the word 'hideous', I use it any chance I get, lol None of us are hideous, aging naturally is beautiful. Our lines are road-maps of where we've been, our experiences, our memories. I think most people age with grace, we know it's inevitable, why fight it? I don't care about looks anyway. None of us will ever be as beautiful as when we were 20, but I'd never want to that young again, and if some wear and tear on my body is the price, then I'm good with that.

About cosmetic surgery, I think it takes courage to undergo it. I feel sorry for the patients who get bad results. It's a risky thing. Of course, we see more of the GOOD results. Those who get bad results aren't about to advertise it, if they can help it.

At any rate, I think the good results are amazing! And the patients who get successful results are very lucky indeed!

Our culture puts so much value on appearances. We don't think about how superficial appearances are. Many times the packaging is worth more than the contents. :)

Jackie wrote: "Werner, I have a fondness for the sound of the word 'hideous', I use it any chance I get, lol None of us are hideous, aging naturally is beautiful. Our lines are road-maps of where we've been, o..."

You have a good attitude, Jackie. Very wise.

"It is kindness in a person, not beauty, which wins our love." -Author unknown

Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks, shall win my love.
-William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew

Well said, Jackie!

Thanks fo r the compliment, Werner. My picture was taken about seven years ago but at eighty five now I enjoy all of them I can get. The best one I ever received was when I went to my cardiologist this fall and told him my age he replied, "You look fifteen years younger." Whee! I really don't but nice to hear, in any case. And my heart didn't beat any faster.

You're welcome, Nina!

Movies: Tonight we are watching, "The Way We Were," which is an old one with Barbara Striesand and Robery Redford. If for nothing else I love the music. Mostly, we are as are my friends hung up on the "Downton Abby," series on Public TV. Almost can't wait for the next episode. Did watch "Big Miracle," which both my husbnd and I enjoyed. Seems like if a movie is based on truth it is usually good.

Nina wrote: "Movies: Tonight we are watching, "The Way We Were," which is an old one with Barbara Striesand and Robery Redford. If for nothing else I love the music. Mostly, we are as are my friends hung up on ..."

Coincidence! Tonight I am reading the biography of Barbra Streisand: Hello, Gorgeous: Becoming Barbra Streisand published October 9th 2012. I'm enjoying it! I can imagine her singing as I read the book. It's an inspiring story so far. I'm on page 60. She is such a talent!

Also, I recently listened to an audio-book which was the biography of Robert Redford: Robert Redford: The Biography. My review is at:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Cloud Atlas http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/
It was amazing. Truly.
But it's one you have to pay attention to every thing, it's got about 6 storylines going on and all are interconnected in small but significant ways. Intelligently scripted. I love complex movies and books.
It should win an Oscar just for the make up alone. The core cast is playing multiple roles and each actor looks, speaks and acts so differently, some of them you wouldn't know were the same actor.

Jackie wrote: "Cloud Atlas http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/
It was amazing. Truly.
But it's one you have to pay attention to every thing, it's got about 6 storylines going on and all are interconnected in..."

Interesting comments, Jackie. I'm not so keen on complicated plots or stories with multiple storylines. Give me the simple life. lol

It's exactly what I want. I can't stand the simple stories, I've read far too many, watched far too many to be content with that. I like to think, if I want mindless I always have TV, hahaha

Well, I wouldn't say that uncomplicated stories are mindless. They often have great depth.

For me, uncomplicated means I know what's gonna happen in the first 10-20 minutes, the rest of the time is wasted waiting the reveal I already know. I don't begrudge anyone else liking it, it's just not for me, my time is too valuable to me. I like when I have to think and try to figure things out, I feel my time is being well spent. I like to be engaged with the story, the characters.

I don't think "engagement" has anything to do with multiple plots. I think you get engagement when the characters are well-fleshed out and the story resonates.

Also, a simple linear story isn't necessarily predictable.

For me it does. The more complex, the more interested, thus engaged, I am. But everyone's brain works differently.
As far as predictable, 95% of books and movies are predictable to me. It takes the joy out of it, so that kinda sucks too.

Yes, Jackie, everyone's brain works differently. I can hardly ever predict the endings to the stories I read. There are usually so many possibilities.

We may be talking about different types of books here. I do see what you mean about a story being too simple to enjoy. Right now I can't bring any example to mind except some children's fairy tales.

For me, detective, mystery, they're just too easy for me to enjoy, and considering it's supposed to be a mystery I would love to be stumped just once. Fantasy is often too predictable, sci fi just a little less so. I think it's from reading so many books that I've pretty much seen it all, every variation. As much as predictability bores me, I get that much extra excited when I didn't figure it out. Books lose at least one star for predictability, unpredictable gets an extra one.

We just finished watching the first season of Downton Abbey, an early 1900's English soap opera. It's fun. Electricity is new enough that some don't trust it in some rooms or even the house. They got a telephone in the last episode of the season. I don't know how accurate some of their lives are, but I find it kind of fascinating. Unfortunately, we don't get much of a look outside the house.

I am a HUGE Downton fan. PBS is currently airing Season 3, in fact, it starts in one minute! Sunday is my favorite TV night, for programs like Downton and Once Upon A Time! That's where I'll be for the rest of the night.
PBS recently aired a special, about the house, called The Secrets of Highclere. It's owned by the Carnavon family, of King Tut's Tomb fame. Very interesting special. The writer of DA is friends with the family and has based some of the storylines on actual Carnavon family history. I also like when actual history is brought in, like with the sinking of the Titanic and it's impact on the heirship. Each season has real historic events as the backdrop. I hear the music, which I love, gotta go....

That's neat. Thanks. Makes it even better.

Jackie wrote: "For me, detective, mystery, they're just too easy for me to enjoy, and considering it's supposed to be a mystery I would love to be stumped just once. Fantasy is often too predictable, sci fi just..."

Jackie, before Goodreads, I had never thought about "predictability" as related to stories. I guess I just took them as they came. But I haven't read as many books as you have. After a while, I guess a certain plot scheme gets familiar.

Predictability can be a major flaw, usually is, although I really enjoyed The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, the last of Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy a lot. My review is here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

It was both a happy & predictable course & ending, which I often find weak. In this case, there had been enough hardship that I enjoyed it. It's books like this that make every general rule full of exceptions. Some authors can pull things off that most can't.

Jim wrote: "We just finished watching the first season of Downton Abbey, an early 1900's English soap opera. It's fun. Electricity is new enough that some don't trust it in some rooms or even the house. The..."We also have been enjoying tremendously the Dontown series; some of which we ordered on Netflix. The next episodes won't be realeased until Jan 29th. I especially think the characters are so true to life you almost feel you know them personally. One exception; Shirley McLaine's character seems a false note; compared to the British actors,she misfires. The mother/daughter thing doesn't ring true. Can't wait for next Sunday's airing.

Nina, check your PBS station, you don't have to wait for Netflix.
The purpose of Shirley MacLaine's character is to show the different between the British mentality and the American. She's a device, nothing more. You're not supposed to care about her, she's merely a guest.

Jackie, we are now watching the D. series on PBS on Sunday evenings. I mentioned Netflix in case someone can't get it on their TV weekly. I realize Shirley McLaine was a one time shot; but, I think her character was a mistake as there was no feeling shown between Cora and her mother in contrast to Cora and her daughters. Too me, as I said, throwing in the mother was a false note. But, that was just an opinion and perhaps no one will agree with me. Although my friends here who are watching say, "Good riddance," when she no longer appeared.

I think Cora's mother knew she was being used, under those circumstances I might be less than affectionate too. I didn't care for her character and I too feel it's no great loss when she left. I much prefer Maggie Smith's style, how she slings the barbs with grace and decorum, lol