Medicare For All
Movie Monday
This posting revolves around a comment on IMDB about the movie Saving Grace. First, a short review of Saving Grace and then the comment.
Saving Grace is a wacky, little comedy about Grace Trevethyn played by Brenda Blethyn (who was excellent as the bewildered mother in Secrets and Lies -1996.) Grace learns after her husband’s suicide that not only was he a philander (she knew that) but he had mortgaged everything and she was broke. Having no marketable skills except her abilities as an exceptional gardener, Grace turns to the cultivation of that for-sure cash crop - marijuana. We follow Grace through the tribulations of growing, cultivating and selling the crop and only the most jaded (or self-righteous among us) would begrudge Grace her happy ending.
It is definitely a happy ending with a deus ex machina appearing from the most unlikely place. But, hey, it’s a comedy.
This segues into the IMDB comment because there were pages of postings ranging from people who liked the Saving Grace ending (“lighten up, it’s a comedy) to people who hated it (“I loved it until the ending.”)
Truth be told, I read all the comments. Yes, I did have some free time yesterday and obviously I was not spending it doing quality stuff.
As I read, it was clear that commenters were divided between Americans and the rest of the world. In fact, one overseas commenter concluded that 1/4 of all Americans were stupid (I think that number may be larger based on the antics of our “birthers” and “tea-baggers” - and again, yes, I do know the sexually connotation of that second phrase.)
There was definitely the belief that most Americans could not appreciate a “small” comedy like Saving Grace. No one wrote it but I’m assuming they are basing this on American movie comedies’ proclivity to fart and penis jokes. (Oh, they are such hoots!)
And in my modest viewing of European subtitled movies, I have concluded that the “C” in movie making for Americans stands for CGI; for Europeans it stands for conversation.
Then there was Friday night when I saw Indiana Jones 4 or Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. You know, the one where the logic was that this Crystal Skull had magical earth-shaking powers and, oh, yes, it was connected to Roswell, NM. The place where aliens came down to earth in the 1950's and the U.S. government has been hiding this fact ever since. (It’s all in that mysterious place called Area 51 in case you’re planning a field trip.)
But what really appalled me in this movie, IJ #4, as well as all the others, was the excessive and gory violence. Ants graphically devouring bodies; poison darts, bodily assaults; the mind becomes numb. And don’t forget the car chases; one in particular where Shia LaBeouf straddles two vehicles while engaging in sword play.
Cripes, the first Indiana Jones had the poor villain dressed in biblical robes at the end of the movie (just before he melted) chanting to Noah’s Ark. That premise didn’t improve with the next two movies of the series though I did think Sean Connery was a great foil for our hero in Indy 3. (And surprisingly, Shia LaBeouf performed that role quite well in this final movie.)
I say final movie because Harrison Ford is rather embarrassing to watch at his age performing the gymnastic feats to escape the bad guys. Now there’s a new drinking game: a gulp every time it’s a stunt man and not Ford - you’ll be drunk in no time. Money can pay actors for embarrassing performances and enough money (meaning for those fantastic CGIs) can sure bring in box office.
The box office gross for this fourth of the Indy Jones series was close to $800 million dollars. It earned 31% of its gross on its opening weekend. The worldwide gross for Saving Grace was $26 million. http://www.boxofficemojo.com
But if you’re renting a movie this weekend, take a look at Saving Grace. I think you’ll enjoy it.
Saving Grace is a wacky, little comedy about Grace Trevethyn played by Brenda Blethyn (who was excellent as the bewildered mother in Secrets and Lies -1996.) Grace learns after her husband’s suicide that not only was he a philander (she knew that) but he had mortgaged everything and she was broke. Having no marketable skills except her abilities as an exceptional gardener, Grace turns to the cultivation of that for-sure cash crop - marijuana. We follow Grace through the tribulations of growing, cultivating and selling the crop and only the most jaded (or self-righteous among us) would begrudge Grace her happy ending.
It is definitely a happy ending with a deus ex machina appearing from the most unlikely place. But, hey, it’s a comedy.
This segues into the IMDB comment because there were pages of postings ranging from people who liked the Saving Grace ending (“lighten up, it’s a comedy) to people who hated it (“I loved it until the ending.”)
Truth be told, I read all the comments. Yes, I did have some free time yesterday and obviously I was not spending it doing quality stuff.
As I read, it was clear that commenters were divided between Americans and the rest of the world. In fact, one overseas commenter concluded that 1/4 of all Americans were stupid (I think that number may be larger based on the antics of our “birthers” and “tea-baggers” - and again, yes, I do know the sexually connotation of that second phrase.)
There was definitely the belief that most Americans could not appreciate a “small” comedy like Saving Grace. No one wrote it but I’m assuming they are basing this on American movie comedies’ proclivity to fart and penis jokes. (Oh, they are such hoots!)
And in my modest viewing of European subtitled movies, I have concluded that the “C” in movie making for Americans stands for CGI; for Europeans it stands for conversation.
Then there was Friday night when I saw Indiana Jones 4 or Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. You know, the one where the logic was that this Crystal Skull had magical earth-shaking powers and, oh, yes, it was connected to Roswell, NM. The place where aliens came down to earth in the 1950's and the U.S. government has been hiding this fact ever since. (It’s all in that mysterious place called Area 51 in case you’re planning a field trip.)
But what really appalled me in this movie, IJ #4, as well as all the others, was the excessive and gory violence. Ants graphically devouring bodies; poison darts, bodily assaults; the mind becomes numb. And don’t forget the car chases; one in particular where Shia LaBeouf straddles two vehicles while engaging in sword play.
Cripes, the first Indiana Jones had the poor villain dressed in biblical robes at the end of the movie (just before he melted) chanting to Noah’s Ark. That premise didn’t improve with the next two movies of the series though I did think Sean Connery was a great foil for our hero in Indy 3. (And surprisingly, Shia LaBeouf performed that role quite well in this final movie.)
I say final movie because Harrison Ford is rather embarrassing to watch at his age performing the gymnastic feats to escape the bad guys. Now there’s a new drinking game: a gulp every time it’s a stunt man and not Ford - you’ll be drunk in no time. Money can pay actors for embarrassing performances and enough money (meaning for those fantastic CGIs) can sure bring in box office.
The box office gross for this fourth of the Indy Jones series was close to $800 million dollars. It earned 31% of its gross on its opening weekend. The worldwide gross for Saving Grace was $26 million. http://www.boxofficemojo.com
But if you’re renting a movie this weekend, take a look at Saving Grace. I think you’ll enjoy it.
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