Friday, May 13, 2016

Friday, May 13, 2016

What the Beck???

A Night out with "The Guys"

"The Guys"
(L to R) Gary, Bill, Dan, Jeff, Jim, & Buzz)

 On May fifth, Gary called and said we were going to 

get together with the guys at the Filling 
Station.  I had such a good time!

Bucket List Update

Academy Award Nominated Movies

I did a 2013 Movie Marathon this week.  I watched all of the nominated movies. Whew! 

12 Years a Slave

starring: Chiwetel Eriofor, Michael Kenneth Williams, Dickie Grovois,             Adepero Oduye, Brad Pitt, Scott Jefferson

plot – Based on a true story and adapted from a book written by               Solomon Northup. This is the story of a black New Yorker who is       kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South.

This was a great example of the inner bravery and strength Solomon demonstrated as a slave. He had to brave a lot of cruelty, and suffered greatly.

Gravity

starring: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney

plot – Bullock and Clooney are two astronauts who initially survive a          space ship disaster. Eventually they are separated.

This was a great movie!!!! Bullock and Clooney do an excellent job keeping the movie interesting and suspenseful. This movie won the Academy Award for 2013.

American Hustle

starring: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner,             Jennifer Lawrence, Louis C.K., Jack Huston, Michael Pena,               Elizabeth Rohn

plot – Based on a true event, two con artists help the FBI setup and             catch Congressmen taking bribes.  There is an unexpected twist         at the end.

This was a pretty good movie. I hate the idea of con-men, con-women, but I know they really do exist.  It takes lot of effort and planning, but they were successful.

Dallas Buyers Club

starring: Matthew McConaughhey, Jared, Leto, Jennifer Garner, Craig             Borten, Dennis O’Hare, Steve Zahn, Dallas Roberts

plot – In the 80’s in Texas, a roughneck cowboy named Ron Woodroof          learns that he has AIDS. He has just 30 days left to live, but              refuses to give in to his disease. He starts the Dallas Buyers Club        which for $400 per month gives the buyer the drugs they need          for the month. Woodroof finds alternative therapies and                smuggles unapproved drugs into the country.

This was a great movie. McConaughhey is wonderful in the role of Woodroof. He lost a lot of weight for this role because he looked emaciated. Why is it easier for guys to lose it than woman???  Darn hormones!!!! Gartner is also primo as a doctor who questions the drug trial she is a part of at the hospital. This was a movie to see.

Her

starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde,              Chris Pratt, Scarlett Johannson

plot – Set not too far in the technological future, a man has a                 relationship with an operating system on his computer.

This was a good movie. It was a little frightful that this might be our future as computers become able to learn. I was bothered as all of the people walked around talking into computers everywhere they went.  I see it a lot already now. People cannot just sit still without looking at some device.

Philomena

starring: Judy Dench, Steve Coogan

plot – A young girl becomes pregnant and is sent to a convent to have          her child. Once she gives birth, she has to work to pay off her          debt to the convent for four years. She is allowed to see her            child once a week. The child is sold to a wealthy American              couple without the girl’s permission. This movie shows the              woman grown and wanting to locate her son. Fifty years after          giving birth, she obtains the assistance of a reporter to find the        boy.

I think this is a fabulous movie. I was appalled that young girls were hidden away in shame. It was awful that she had no say in what happened to her child. I loved the hunt for her son.

The Wolf of Wall Street

starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Margot          Robbie, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreaa,            Jean DuJardin, Christine Eberstol

plot – The story of stockbrokers and their rise to being wealthy selling       penny stocks and starting up a new successful company.

I hated this movie! It was just blatant sex scenes in the office, drug use, and offensive swearing. It was so unrealistic that it seemed like it was all for shock value. I wonder how much of it was accurate, because it was based on actual characters and events.

Captain Phillips

I reviewed this previously

Nebraska

starring: Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Stacy Keach

plot – Dern plays an elderly man who believes he has won a million            dollars in one of those mail contests. His son humors him and          they drive from Montana to Nebraska to check his ticket. This is        the story of a father and son growing closer and creating a              positive bond. It has many funny scenes when they stay at a            relative’s home in the father’s hometown.

This was a great movie!  Dern is amazing as the confused father. Will Forte is excellent as the supportive son, and June Squibb is hysterical as the negative wife and mother.  I enjoyed every minute of this one.