What Films Did You Watch Today?

[MRD]

I'm watching Roots for the first time from beginning to end. I'll watch 1/2 now and 1/2 on Friday. My sister-in-law's husband loaned it to me. It's only into the 2nd hour so far but already I only really have 1 problem. (well, okay, 2 but one of them can't be controlled as it was the norm back then) I don't know if anyone here has seen it but if they have, maybe they might be able to give me some insight. In the first hour, on the ship when the Captain is given the "belly warmer" for the night. We see him looking at her and he tells her that he does not condone fornication. He then tells her his name but realizes that she doesn't understand him. He mutters a small prayer (to the heavens) and that's the last we see or hear of it. I kind of wish we would've been told what ultimately happened there. I hate scenes with no closure. Only in the 2nd hour and already I really love Levar Burton. My other problem (which as I said is uncontrollable as it was the norm back then) is the constant use of the N word. But what a great cast. Talk about "all-star". I know almost all the names in this movie. Rather disturbing to see what they went through on the ship but some really good acting.

The word you refer too was not always derogatory and came (as you probably know) from the french and spanish forms for the word black. Negre and Negro.
The word was used frequently during the time period that Roots was about and I felt that Roots used it incorrectly as at that time it wasn't considered a bad word. The negative connotations to it came later. (for the record, I too hate that word, but when you look at the historical aspect of it-and no, not all history is good, but still must be studied-it has context. If used correctly)
When Roots first came out, I was in high school and the mini-series caused some racial tensions in my high school and some bomb threats and school was actually cancelled for 2 days because of the tensions and threats. At that time, our school system had only been integrated for 7 years. Not long at all and not nearly long enough to erase the tensions from both segregation and integration.

We have been and will be discussing Roots in one of my classes this year as it's considered to be one of the "4 media events" that "defined" the South according to my professor.

And the scene you refer too I always felt that he did sleep with her. While he didn't condone fornication, the prayer suggests that he slept with her and used prayer to absolve himself before the fact.

BTW, the book is pretty powerful too. Some of the images in the show certainly were powerful and produced a lot of emotion, but the book has a lot more detail and clarity and is excellant.

ETA: The class we are discussing it in, is divided about evenly with tradtionally aged college students and students over 40. What I thought was funny was that the younger students only know Levar Burton from Reading Rainbow on PBS. The Professor suggested they rent the miniseries.

[ClosetRTWatcher]

ETA: The class we are discussing it in, is divided about evenly with tradtionally aged college students and students over 40. What I thought was funny was that the younger students only know Levar Burton from Reading Rainbow on PBS. The Professor suggested they rent the miniseries.

Don't forget Stat Trek the Next Generation! When my DH and I first saw Roots we were both thinking "Hey, it's Geordi!" when LeVar Burton came on screen!

[Kao]

I watched "Let the Right One In." VERY good movie...and the people at the end HAD IT COMING, lol. I can't believe that it wasn't nominated for anything.

[PhoneGrrrl]

I just watched "Let The Right One In" last night. It was, hands-down, the best movie of '08. The two kids playing the main roles were so perfect, so nuanced, and never cloyingly cute. They were better than anyone in any of the Oscar-nominated movies that I saw. And, Kao, ITA--the people at the end had it coming!

[nilesgirl]

Thank you for your input on Roots. I think I am going to get a copy myself and add it to my collection. Today I watched Mamma Mia! and I have some things to say about it. All in all, the movie was pretty good. I loved the music and the comical scenes. Now, that being said, can Meryl Streep be anymore unattractive??? Goodness. I finally realized why I don't like her. She's sooooo....I don't know. Now that's not to say that I dislike all unattractive actors/actresses because that's not true. But there's something about Meryl's looks that just bug me to no end.
But I did really like the movie. Just wish they had cast someone else instead of MS.

[ClosetRTWatcher]

Now, that being said, can Meryl Streep be anymore unattractive??? Goodness. I finally realized why I don't like her. She's sooooo....I don't know. Now that's not to say that I dislike all unattractive actors/actresses because that's not true. But there's something about Meryl's looks that just bug me to no end.

I don't necessarily find her unattractive, but I have always thought she has a very odd nose - it is really long and skinny.

[norealityhere]

I've always thought she was a great actress and I thought it even better that she never tried to change her looks like most of them do. Her wonderful acting and inner beauty illuminate her for me.

[Bunny555]

I don't necessarily find her unattractive, but I have always thought she has a very odd nose - it is really long and skinny.

I don't find her unattractive either. Her looks work for her. Remember what happened to Jennifer Grey after she had her nose fixed? I don't think she worked a lot after that. I met Jennifer Grey when she was a bridesmaid at my cousin's wedding (after the nose job) and she looked nothing like her former self.

[nilesgirl]

I don't find her unattractive either. Her looks work for her. Remember what happened to Jennifer Grey after she had her nose fixed? I don't think she worked a lot after that. I met Jennifer Grey when she was a bridesmaid at my cousin's wedding (after the nose job) and she looked nothing like her former self.

Wow! Lucky you. I would love to meet her. That's soooo cool!

[Cootie]

I agree that it was predictable, but that didn't matter to me. To me, there were to things that made the movie unique -- the way the story was told was very creative, and the characters were SO likeable that they just drew you in. The way the story intertwined questions from the game and events from his life was very creative -- it kept it from being a movie that could be described as being just like another movie, and I always like when that happens. And the characters - at each age, were SO endearing that they just totally sucked me in. I got teary eyed leaving the theater because I decided I was going to miss them. I think it especially worked because they used people who were essentially unknown. Each time I've seen the actor who played the main character since then, I'm drawn in to his smile again, almost fooling myself into thinking that he's his fictional character.

Veruka, I just got back from seeing Slumdog Millionaire and I agree with your impression of the movie, although it didn't move me to tears...while I felt that the movie was predictable, it still somehow left me thinking that twists were coming all along the way, so the outcome was a surprise somehow. Some people left as soon as they thought the end had come to the movie, I enjoyed the last song!