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Post by Gail in SC on Nov 3, 2021 1:29:21 GMT
Ruth, when you said the first two seasons of AMERICAN CRIME STORY were on Netflix, I thought that included IMPEACHMENT. I will see that when it comes to Netflix.
Tonight I watched KODACHROME, starring Ed Harris (APOLLO 13, POLLOCK) and Jason Sudeikis (TED LASSO). Elizabeth Olsen is also in it. It touched me deeply. It is about a world-famous photographer who is dying. He has the shot some film in Kodachrome that he never developed. Kodak announced that it will be developing its last Kodachrome film on a certain date. The photographer wants to develop them and he wants his son to drive him. He has been estranged from his son for years, having been a terrible father and unpleasant man most of his life.
If you watch it, wait till the credits start. They show the photos that were supposedly shot by the Harris character, but were really shot by Steve McCurry, whose photo of an Afghan girl became famous. The photos are amazing.
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Post by woolworker on Nov 3, 2021 17:47:09 GMT
Iani and Ruth and whoever has been watching Impeachment, do you think the grand jury was as empathic toward monic Lewinsky during the discussion of the FBI questioning her? It seemed like a very sympathetic reaction from them. I do think the FBI was harsh, but am surprised that the grand jury was almost friendly toward Monica. I'm curious about what the rest of you thought.
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Post by lani on Nov 3, 2021 21:21:46 GMT
woolworker, haven't seen the most recent episode yet. I DVR most everything and watch at a later time. I will look out for the testimony.
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Post by Gail in SC on Nov 3, 2021 23:40:55 GMT
I don't know where to talk about this, but if I remember correctly at least one of you went to a Beatles concert. Terry Gross on FRESH AIR interviewed Paul McCartney today as he has written a new book and a film of the Beatles recording together is about to come out. I was a big fan of theirs and think they wrote and performed some beautiful music together. I recommend the podcast.
One thing he talked about very briefly was his experience with meditation and how important it was for all of them to get out of the craziness of sex, drugs and music and into themselves. I started meditating on a regular basis two weeks ago and it is already having an impact on my life. I was getting panicked about some things I need to do and I am finally getting unstuck and getting them done. I also feel much more relaxed and am sleeping better. I started this with a woman who is teaching a short series here once a week. She is amazing and has given us some good materials to read. I am learning from the other participants as well. There are just under 15 participants and we share what is happening with our practices, do some meditating, then discuss a new topic. The only thing stopping me is my cat. I have to find a way to keep her in another room while I do this. After 20 minutes today I felt a tickling in my nose (whiskers) and then she started nudging me...hard. I did get 20 good minutes in though.
If you care to share, I am interested. Do any of you meditate? How do you do it? Where, when, for how long, guided or not?
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Post by geritru on Nov 4, 2021 1:38:26 GMT
I don't know where to talk about this, but if I remember correctly at least one of you went to a Beatles concert. Gail, I went to The Beatles Concert in Detroit in 1966. I am interested in the Podcast and will listen to it. I am not sure, but I think Lani may have also been to a Beatles Concert. For anyone else who is a Beatles or Paul McCartney fan, here is a link to the podcast. I will listen to it tomorrow. www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/2021/11/03/1051911966/fresh-air-for-nov-3-2021-paul-mccartney?showDate=2021-11-03Yes, I meditate and have doing so since before my 2nd divorce in 2011. I have been doing it daily since Aug 2020. It does make a difference. Sometimes I do a guided meditation and sometimes on my own.
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Post by geritru on Nov 4, 2021 1:40:39 GMT
Iani and Ruth and whoever has been watching Impeachment, do you think the grand jury was as empathic toward monic Lewinsky during the discussion of the FBI questioning her? It seemed like a very sympathetic reaction from them. I do think the FBI was harsh, but am surprised that the grand jury was almost friendly toward Monica. I'm curious about what the rest of you thought. Yes, I do think they were more sympathetic towards Monica, but not at first. I also agree that the FBI was very harsh on her.
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Post by woolworker on Nov 4, 2021 15:52:46 GMT
Linda Tripp's experience with the Grand Jury was interesting, too. I thought their questions were right on. Nobody was a hero and nobody acted ethically or thoughtfully. I really think the series does an excellent job of laying out all of the nooks and crannies of a terrible time in the lives of the people involved. Edie Falco plays Hilary very well. She is an excellent actress.
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Post by lani on Nov 4, 2021 16:50:43 GMT
woolworker , I saw the episode in question last night. I thought the Grand Jury questions were far-fetched in both testimonies, and it calls into question for me just how accurate the rest of the series is. (A lot of it is public record, of course. For example, DH read a book by a former Secret Service agent, and he confirmed that they heard Hilary smashing the vase, as was shown on the series.) Grand Jury testimony remains secret forever on the part of the Grand Jurors. The testifiers can speak about it if they wish. It seemed like what was filmed was the Grand Jury experience that Monica wished had happened. I have read that members of a Grand Jury can ask questions, but most often they do not. I have more, but Mr. Lani is kicking me off the computer so he can buy stock. He's finally done. Gail in SC , yes, I saw the Beatles in 1965 in Minnesota. Paul did hang in with the ganja until he gave it up because he didn't want his grandchildren seeing him smoking pot. I've been meditating for many years. I started doing unguided, then did many Deepak Chopra 21 day sessions (and have purchased quite a few). Currently I'm doing the 10% Happier app that Dan Harris (formerly of GMA) runs. It has really helped my practice. It's $99 a year (why can't they ever just round up?) but on the other hand DH's therapist, who is out of our insurance network, charges $150 a session. And DH can do all the meditations on my phone, so we're getting two for one, I figure.
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Post by Gail in SC on Nov 5, 2021 3:19:41 GMT
Gail in SC , yes, I saw the Beatles in 1965 in Minnesota. Paul did hang in with the ganja until he gave it up because he didn't want his grandchildren seeing him smoking pot. Paul does seem like a devoted family man. He talked about how much he loved being a grandfather. My film class had a very fine discussion of the French film AMOUR this afternoon. It is a film about a loving, culturally active couple in their 80s and what happens to both of them after the wife has a stroke. I first saw it years ago. Things like this take on a different slant when we see them again as we get closer to the ages of the characters. I want to see it again but I have to wait a while. It is a very good film but devastating.
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Post by conniej on Nov 5, 2021 16:49:10 GMT
UNDER THE SAND ( sub titles) A long-married Parisian couple (Charlotte Rampling and Bruno Cremer) takes a vacation at the beach. But Rampling's life is suddenly thrown into turmoil when Cremer goes for a swim and never returns. A penetrating character study into the nature of denial, Under the Sand showcases Rampling at her very best in a role that most comparable American actresses would kill for in Hollywood.
I loved this movie. If you love an ending that is truly an ending you probably won't like this one but It was well acted and I was carefully watching it all the way through . Forgot I was reading the sub titles.
LORE (SUB TITLES) After her Nazi parents are imprisoned, Lore leads her younger siblings across a war-torn Germany in 1945. Amid the chaos, she encounters a mysterious refugee named Thomas, who shatters her fragile reality with hatred and desire.
I was engrossed in this one. Glad I watched it but it did stick with me for awhile afterwards. An ending ? yes kind of !!! A bit graphic at time but find most foreign movies are.
I do enjoy foreign films and don't mind reading subtitles at some point in the movie, I think I need the sound up and strange but true!!!!
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Post by Gail in SC on Nov 5, 2021 19:10:22 GMT
Charlotte Rampling is a wonderful actress, Connie. Thanks for both recommendations! I need to hear the sound if there are subtitles too. Weird.
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Post by Gail in SC on Nov 6, 2021 17:03:11 GMT
I watched THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG for this week's film class. I saw it many years ago and enjoyed it even more this time. It is a French film, directed by Jacques Demy and starring a very young and, of course, very beautiful Catherine Deneuve (was she ever not?). It is a very different kind of musical in which every word uttered is sung. The music is beautiful. I had forgotten that it was composed by Michel Legrand, a wonderful composer and jazz pianist. The palette is in very bright colors. This film class is all about Palme d'Or winners at the Cannes Film Festival. The jury is truly international so we are viewing some from all over. So far Japan, France, Italy, Germany and Austria.
The one after this will be the 1974 U.S. film THE CONVERSATION, starring Gene Hackman. I loved it the first time I saw it and look forward to discussing it with this group as the classes are always enriching. The instructor asked me to work with her again. YAY. You always learn more when you teach.
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Post by lani on Nov 6, 2021 17:43:44 GMT
I think I need the sound up and strange but true!!!! I know! I do the same thing. I prefer subtitles always. I don't want to detract from the foreignness of the film. Plus I've gotten used to subtitles from watching the old Kurosawa films at an early age, among others.
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Post by woolworker on Nov 6, 2021 21:03:03 GMT
Iani: Thanks for the Info about the Grand Jury questions. That is helpful and seems right to me. It is a LITTLE understandable that Monica might want to change SOME of the story. Her poor decisions at age 25 ruined her life. It doesn't sound like she made great decisions before the age of 25 either!
Gail: I loved Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Such a lovely film. Would you share the whole list of the films you are watching in your film groups?
DD and I got a subscription to the virtual Boston Ballet performances and watched the first program this morning. It was stunning! The first segment was performed on Boston Common and the dancers looked so free, so delighted; lots of energy and exhuberance. They also performed the Romeo and Juliet Pas do Deux, Appollo and a Balanchine ballet. We loved all of them. Many years ago we got season tickets to the Boston Ballet and we've taken our grandchildren to their Nutcracker performance a few times.
Last night we watched my New Jersey granddaughter perform in her play, The Argonouts. It was also a virtual experience. It was futuristic and wierd, but GD did a great job!
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Post by Gail in SC on Nov 7, 2021 4:27:19 GMT
Ann, when I lived in Westchester County NY, I got a subscription to American Ballet Theater or the New York City Ballet for years. When I moved to Boston, I was thrilled with the Boston Ballet. A terrific ballet company adept with different dance genres. How much is a subscription to their virtual performances?
This semester my film group is viewing winners of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The films, picked by the teams of two that presented them are:
SHOPLIFTERS-2018-Director Hirokazu Koreeda - Japanese BLOW UP-1966- Director Michelangelo Antonioni - British THE TREE OF WOODEN CLOGS - 1978 Director Ermanno Olmi-Italian AMOUR - 2012 - Director Michael Haneke-French, German, Austrian joint production THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG - 1964- Director Jacques Demy-French THE CONVERSATION -1974- Director Francis Ford Coppola-American
The last two semesters were about films by Female Directors. Mary Jennings, the instructor, is a gem. Great class members too.
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