A Few Films

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends now we are on the slippery slide to the weekend - woo hoo!!!  The wacky weather here in the City has again changed - we are now on the swing to the warm side... yesterday and for the next few days we are getting into the high 50's low 60's and with bright blue skies...  very nice and moderate, just like I like it!!

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I thought today I would talk about a few films I have seen that are worth a mention...

 

First up would be a Christmas film I have had on my Netflix queue forever.  "Midnight Clear" - 2006 - an ensemble film starring Stephen Baldwin, K Callahan, Kirk B.R. Woller, Mary Thornton Brown and Richard Fancy.  The film taken from a short story by Jerry Jenkins is about... a recently homeless and jobless loser, a senior citizen estranged from her family, a mother of one dealing with her husband's brain damage, a gas station owner stuck in a job he hates, and a youth pastor feeling irrelevant face depression and loneliness on Christmas Eve. As they cross paths and experience random and minor acts of kindness, their lives are changed forever.  I really enjoyed this film and the nice performances given.

Another film from 2006 - "Bonneville" - starring Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Joan Allen - is a road trip type film.

The story is about a widow, along with her two best friends - driving her husbands ashes from Idaho to Santa Barbara and along the way learns about herself and others.  Although the films ending was a little less than upbeat in the special features there where two alternate endings to watch - I liked the 2nd one and feel it was the best of the three - a much more satisfying one!

Last night there were two films - a short DVD from Netflix - again a Christmas one from my endless queue called "Holy Russia Celebrates the Festival of Christmas"  - again from 2006 -

 
This 58 minutes of beauty has The Moscow Chamber Choir celebrating a Russian-style Christmas in this collection of performances filmed at some of the holiest sites in Moscow. Many of the scenes were shot in the historic Golden Ring region outside Moscow, which is considered the birthplace of the Russian Orthodox Church. Russia's spiritual history is often overlooked, but the beauty of these monasteries and cathedrals demonstrates the country's deeply religious foundation.

Here is a 3 minute You Tube Clip from the DVD - 

It is a beautiful DVD  - not just the visuals but the music is so gorgeous!!

Also last night on TCM in Celebration of Angela Lansbury - she is the Star of the Month - they showed a favorite film of mine- "Death on the Nile" - 1978 - another ensemble film starring Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Angela Lansbury, Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Mia Farrow, George Kennedy and Lois Chiles.

A great Agatha Christie story of who dunnit - about a boat floating down the Nile river loaded with rich folks who hate a single woman!!.  Shot on location in Egypt - where everyone could have  - "done it"  a great destination film and well worth a look!

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There you sports fans - thanks again for stopping by and for your great comments - thanks for backing me up in my "floss" decisions!!  Do stop by again.

Take care,

edgar