What Films Did You Watch Today?

[Poppy Fields]

I didn't read the book, but I might now. Love "Game Change" on HBO which I just watched. I'm thinking I'll watch it again at 3 p.m.

[AcookerTV]

My husband and I went to see Friends With Kids this weekend. He was a little bored but I just loved it. There were so many true to life scenes in it that I lost count. They also moved the story along very well. I highly recommend it.

[candor]

I didn't read the book, but I might now. Love "Game Change" on HBO which I just watched. I'm thinking I'll watch it again at 3 p.m.

The book is interesting with lots of insight into the candidates' personalities. John and Elizabeth Edwards come off the worst, but they all get both positive and negative treatment, including Obama. Sarah Palin's story comes near the end of the book, and is far less involved than what appears in "Game Change."

[prhoshay]

I have to admit to "Game Change" actually making me laugh out loud. There was just something about the looks that passed between the actors when they discovered, yet, another "thin spot" in Sarah Palin. I still need to finish the movie; I got about half-way through it this afternoon. Sometimes, it's not so much about what IS said as what ISN'T said.

[ClosetRTWatcher]

The Lorax - Went over the weekend with my kids. I did not expect the amount of singing involved. I went in with VERY low expectations, and it wasn't a complete flop. My 7 year old enjoyed it the most.

Pros:

• I liked the idea of the kid coming from a self-contained town where everything was artificial and people didn't really know how bad things were outside.
• The main kid's mom was funny.
• I liked the ending. It actually made my a *little* teary-eyed.

Cons:

• IMO, the Onceler wasn't a human. I'm afraid my brain will never quite buy into that concept.
• In parts of the film they tried to work lines from the story into the movie. Aside from "I am The Lorax, I speak for the trees", it didn't really work. It came across as very forced.
• In this version the Onceler is a kid with a mean family who has set out on his own. He is clueless, but not inherently a bad guy. His family is portrayed as a bunch of cruel southern hill-billies, while he doesn't appear to have a trace of an accent (at least not as a kid). After he has achieved a modicum of success, his family jumps in and turns him into a greedy evil guy. I am just uncomfortable with how this family was portrayed. Why are all of the people with southern accents cruel and ignorant? It also seemed to imply that ignorant people are the ones that will cause damage to our environment and ruin it. I know many smart people who don't think there is a big problem with the environment, so that struck me as propping up a pointless sterotype.
• The book is all about how this beautiful place got progressively bad, but the Onceler didn't really "see" it until it was far too late. In the film the Onceler turns into a bad guy and all damage to the land and the sending off of the animals happens in the span of ONE musical number. It was too fast and I thought the point of the book was glossed over in favor of the story going on in Thneedville.

[AZChristian]

Water for Elephants - I loved this book! I can't say the movie was better, but I did really enjoy it. It definitely followed the book, but I think I'm going to go back and re-read it because I do think it changed some things. This movie was really beautifully filmed. My only complaint with the look is that there were some special effects at the end that I thought could have been much better. Most of the acting was good. Reese Witherspoon was fine and Christoph Waltz was outstanding! I don't think they could have picked a better actor for August!! The weak link was Robert Pattinson. He was quite mediocre. I just don't think he is capable of showing the passion that this character deserved. Overall this movie was well done and worth watching.

I FINALLY got to watch "Water for Elephants" this evening. I enjoyed the book very much. Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon have as much chemistry as . . . hmm . . . can't think of anything with NO chemistry. Except them. I agree that August was perfectly cast, but RPatz has done nothing for me since "Goblet of Fire."

[AJane]

Game Change on HBO - interesting to watch combined with what I recall from the 2008 campaign...Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson did a great job. Ed Harris was a very likeable John McCain...

I'm finally watching this now. Julianne Moore & Ed Harris absolutely nailed Palin/McCain. When Moore first spoke I actually laughed out loud. Woody Harrelson is wonderful, again. He never seems to get it wrong but he never gets the accolades so many other great actors do.

[AZChristian]

I recently read "The Accidental Tourist," and just the DVD from Netflix. The book was really good. I didn't enjoy the movie. William Hurt was trying so hard to look emotionally stifled that he looked almost as though he were mentally impaired. His speech was odd and his eyes were weird. I have no idea why Geena Davis won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress . . . I couldn't connect with her "Muriel" character either.

Oh well . . . you win some, you lose some.

[Critical]

I went to a screening of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel last night and LOVED it! Great cast, lovely story....just a great way to spend a few hours! I think Judi Dench just gets more and more beautiful. Maggie Smith and Bill Nighy were wonderful too. I'll be seeing it again when it comes to theaters next month!

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) - IMDb

[Katydyd]

I went to a screening of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel last night and LOVED it! Great cast, lovely story....just a great way to spend a few hours! I think Judi Dench just gets more and more beautiful. Maggie Smith and Bill Nighy were wonderful too. I'll be seeing it again when it comes to theaters next month!

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) - IMDb

I'm so glad to hear you liked it! I saw a preview for BEMH when I saw "The Artist" and have been looking forward to it ever since