Tag Archive | movie
September 21, 2019  

‘Downton Abbey’ THE MOVIE — Shameless, Gleeful Pandering To The Adoring Fanbase.

by Anura Guruge

Click to ENLARGE.

Click to ENLARGE.

When we got there 30-minutes ahead of the start.

At the end.
It was in their largest theater. It was NOT full. Maybe not even 1/2 full.
Maybe 120 people.

I am at a loss as to how you could be critical or even objective about this movie.

It gave the punters 120% EXACTLY what they were hoping, what they were expecting, what they were salivating about.

It was entertaining, amusing and, per the ‘Downton’ trademark, beautifully crafted.

How can you complain.

The audience loved it and there was (near thunderous) applause at the end (– which I was expecting & at the same time dreading).

Our 3 tickets cost just over $33 (mainly because I get a STEEP senior discount). $11 for 2-hours of escapism? You can’t beat that.

It was British Bollywood.

It was shallow, superficial and ‘they’ (i.e., Julian Fellowes & his fellow writers & producers) were having FUN with the audience. They actually were taking the mickey out of the audience — in particular the Americans. But, ‘taking the mickey’ is a popular British (contact) sport. So, it is fair game.

That message in the trailer said it all.

It was British pantomime. They gave the audience the punch lines they wanted. The audience loved it — and that is ALL THAT MATTERS.

This a movie, unashamedly, for ‘Downton’ fans like US. Teischan loved it, though she said that some parts were boring!

It is not a movie for those that are not already fans. They will be confused.

Yes, the sequel is already in the works and will star Branson — the Irish ‘republican’.

IF you are a ‘Downton’ fan you have NO CHOICE. You have to see it.

IF you are NOT a ‘Downton’ fan go see ‘Hustler’ instead. SMILE.

Related posts:
Category ‘Downton’.

by Anura Guruge

 

September 12, 2019  

“The Doctor’s Wife” By Elizabeth Brundage — Wow, Quite The Story; Would Make A Gripping Movie.

by Anura Guruge

Click to access the Amazon listing for this book.

Quite the book. Quite the story. I just checked IMDb.com. I can’t find a movie of this book. That is pretty amazing. IF a book was made to be a hit as a movie it has to be this. C’est la vie. Maybe it is still in the making.

It is an ‘old’ book. It had come out in 2005. Deanna had picked it up at our ‘Swap Shop‘. I heard so much about it while she was reading it that I too had to read it.

Very topical. Very powerful. Does make you think and wonder.

She is an incredibly gifted writer. No denying that. She had me in AWE with her writing. I was, thus, amused to see that she won a ‘James Michener‘ award. So, she has to be good.

I will confess that the book was amazingly two-paced — maybe, very intentionally. The first & last chapter are classic page-turners. You can’t wait to see what the next sentence holds. But, parts of the middle were hard going — possibly even a tad boring.

But, definitely a book to read. I might even order one of her others. I am glad I serendipitously stumbled across her.

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Check Category ‘Books’.
Search on ‘Michener’.

by Anura Guruge

September 11, 2019  

‘Downton Abbey’ THE MOVIE Will Be At ‘Cinemagic’, Portsmouth, N.H. As Of Friday, September 20, 2019.

by Anura Guruge

Click to ENLARGE.

Of course we are definitely going to see it. That is a given.

That it is at ‘Cinemagic‘, Portsmouth is GOOD. That is our favorite movie theater. Not the closest. That would be Gilford or Concord. But, they do not hold a candle to ‘Cinemagic‘.

I was just checking today. So, this is exciting though I already have a pretty good idea what the movie is all about. I saw an interview on British ‘Sky News’ earlier today. SMILE.

I am sure it is showing in Manchester, Nashua etc. But, Portsmouth is good. I am cool.

Related posts:
Category ‘Downton’.

by Anura Guruge

 

September 11, 2019  

‘Downton Abbey’ T-Shirt From The UK, Not From ‘The Exhibition’.

by Anura Guruge

T-shirt sold at ‘Downton Abbey — The Exhibition’

Saying that Teischan (13) is a ‘Downton‘ aficionado and devotee doesn’t still quite get to her relationship with this show. We quite like it too, but not to the extent she has. She has watched all of it — i.e., all the seasons and all the episodes — at least twice (and I am glad that we have unlimited access to the shows thanks to Amazon Prime).

Yes, of course, we went to ‘The Exhibition‘ in Boston, last month. Yes, I got her a T-shirt and some other stuff. Luckily I did not have to get her any of the books since I had already got them for her over the last two Christmases.

By the MAGIC of Facebook an Ad. for the black T-shirt appeared on my timeline the day after we went to ‘The Exhibition’. It is scary. It quoted quite an attractive “can’t go wrong” price. Well, that was just a bait-and-switch price. In the end with shipping it was twice as much.

It looks classy. She likes it.

Came from the U.K. UPS. Took a few weeks.

So, if you are into ‘Downton‘ and want a T-shirt to coincide with the movie (next week) you will have to get one of these.

Related posts:
Category ‘Downton’.

by Anura Guruge

 

June 14, 2019  

The Ladies In ‘Hidden Figures’ Gets A Road At NASA Named In Their Honor (Though, Alas, Obliquely).

by Anura Guruge

Click to ENLARGE.

Click to access CNN original. Google for more.

Click to access my post.

One of my favorite movies. It was SO uplifting, humbling and inspiring. What a story.

I am glad that NASA is trying to make amends. The initial indignities they lived through were inexcusable. Yes, in the movie, there is the great scene when they take down the ‘whites only’ sign in the ladies restroom. So, NASA now is taking things a bit further. That is good.

But, I am NOT thrilled that the road is named ‘Hidden Figures‘. Hhmmm. That is the name of a book/movie. It only refers to these three AMAZING ladies obliquely.

Yes, I would have preferred to have seen their names — and to have had this honor bestowed when all three were alive — though Katherine Johnson is still alive, at 100! And yes, Katherine Johnson does have a NASA facility named after her, albeit again but this year.

What about the other two. They need to be honored and remembered too.

But, better than nothing. So, another small step.

If you haven’t seen it, please watch the movie. I have seen it twice already. You will be  glad you did. A wonderful story. Still very relevant.

Click to ENLARGE and read. Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Johnson

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Search on ‘movie’.

by Anura Guruge

February 28, 2019  

“Marvellous” (2014), True-Life Movie On “Acorn” Really Is Marvellous & Very Uplifting.

by Anura Guruge

Click image to access the ‘Acorn.TV’ homepage for the movie.

Click to access ‘IMDb.com’ listing.

Click to ENLARGE and read here. Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Baldwin_(Keele_University)

We watch a fair bit of ‘Acorn TV‘ — of late, the rather addictive detective series ‘Vera‘. Happen to see ‘Marvellous’ in the ‘New Releases’ section. Recognised Toby Jones, from the ‘Detectorists‘ and ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom‘, and knew that it would be worth watching. It sure was. It was a TREAT. Really was marvellous in all respects. A TRUE STORY and the real person makes cameo appearances in the movie.

Very well done. Really warms the cockles of your heart. You really should watch it. It is available, full-length, on YouTube.

I really liked. I might try and read the book. That is how much I liked and enjoyed this movie.

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Search on “Acorn TV“.

by Anura Guruge

 

February 1, 2019  

“Life Itself” Movie (2018), On Amazon Prime — Cerebral, Complicated, Yet Mesmerizingly Compelling.

by Anura Guruge

Click to ENLARGE.

Click image for IMDb.com listing.

This is the polar opposite of a mindless flick. It is not a movie that you should watch if you are not going to concentrate on it. Very clever and complex plot, some very profound dialogue sprinkled with brilliant humor. Keeps you guessing and intrigued.

I was not sure what to expect and what I got was nothing like what I would have ever expected. It was, in the end, awfully rewarding. Three very separate, but interwoven stories. How it all comes together is pretty amazing.

So, if you want a movie that will entertain through its cleverness this is for you. Pay close attention. Because, quite literally, ‘BANG’ — it is not what you expect.

Highly recommended, albeit with the caveat that this not going to be mindless flick. Even if you try switching off it will bring you rushing back … with a BANG!

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Category ‘arts’.
Search ‘movie’.

by Anura Guruge

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