Friday Night Movie Widgets Open Thread

[...] Original post by SusanUnPC [...]

Breach is definitely a must-see movie. Laura Linney is also good as the dogged FBI investigator of Hanssen.

Chris Cooper got raves for his portrayal of Robert Hanssen, and many reviewers have said he’ll be nominated for Best Actor. And there’s no doubt that Cooper is a great actor, particularly as a character actor.

But here’s what bugged me. Years ago, I read a book about Hanssen, and got a definite picture of his giant ego, his smarminess, his kinky sexuality, his malevolent self-absorption, etc. I can imagine Powers Booth playing Hanssen to a T. But Cooper didn’t give off the narcissism and smarminess that Hanssen definitely had. Not his fault — it’s just not in Cooper. Powers Booth could do it perfectly, and has the acting chops for the role. Just my opinion.

Ryan Philippe was fantastic as the young agent that Linney plants in Hanssen’s office.

I really liked Zodiac. Lots of little touches like the investigative cartoonist getting his kids to help him (and not tell Mom!).
Don’t have cable or a fast ISP, so the widget only kind of works. Text is fine.
I’ve found that watching old movies again is like rereading a book: lots of sections you’d totally forgotten. Renting Dr. Strangelove was a treat after so many years. And the DVDs have interviews and special features that make classics very special. Even for a comedy such as There’s Something About Mary.

Just realized that the documentary didn’t make it in the widget because there’s no image. It’s The Power of Nightmares, the very powerful BBC documentary on the rise of the Neocons and how they use fear to control the masses.

Thanks to your comment, I realized the widget should be below the fold for those who come to the blog and are on slower computers or ISPs, so it doesnt slow the loading of the page for them.

Yes, the cartoonist’s obsessive digging was fascinating — really the best part of the movie.

Agree with you abou re-watching. When I had HBO and watched Deadwood, I’d often watch each episode two or three times because, each time, I caught snippets of dialogue I’d missed … for one thing, David Milch wrote such profound, rich dialogue that it was hard to take it all in while also watching the action.

Lately, I’ve been watching the old Sopranos on A&E, and realizing how much I’d forgotten over the years, especially since it began, what, in 2000 or 2001? That’s a long time ago. A&E puts tops on the women at the Bada Bing, and cleans up some language (maybe David Chase filmed two versions of each scene?), but that doesn’t bother me.. otherwise, it seems they’ve pretty much kept the show intact.

Dr Stangelove is one of my all time favorites especially Peter Sellers in multiple roles. A good friend of mine ran a haberdashery in London years ago and Peter Sellers was a client. He said peter was always in character.
Of course then there is always Inspector Clouseau. As far as comedy’s go one of my favorites is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Sometimes these days the only escape from all the trouble in the world is a good classic movie whatever you preference might be.

well my friends…
It’s open thread…let’s talk
it’s 3 am in the morning and my birthday party was a blow out..
everyone is sleeping and i’m on the computer wondering what the hay?
favorite movie? Crap..there are a million..i loved forrest gump, oct. sky, jar head, i dunno too many to list.
favorite shows: entourage, 2 1/2 men, survivor.american idol..what ever
favorite moment: When my wife said she would marry me
favorite country: Holland..It’s a long story..our very close friends live in the netherlands.
Favorite president: JFK, Clinton
Favorite food: Mexican, French,chinese, pizza
Favorite city: MONTREAL…there is no city as fun and so cool as montreal.. I absolutely love montreal.
Favorite state: Hawaii…lived there for 3 years.
Favorite Language: Chinese My best friend as a kid was from China..i speak and write fluently…Freaks people out….who knew?
Favorite saying : Ask not what your country can do for you…but ask what you can do for your country..
**********************************************

Well i suppoose i should go to bed..it’s 3:30 am on my birthday…
But i have a few thoughts for you all..
Leslie: If more people were like you…we would live a better world.
Susan: your courage inspires me.
Larry: wish i was as smart as you..politically wise.
ok. It’s 3:30 am and it’s time for bed..
Kind regards

Movies you probably never heard of and have to see:

- The Five People You Meet in Heaven

- The Opposite Sex; and how to live with them

Susan,

You might also want to see Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear & the Selling of American Empire
http://www.hijackingcatastrophe.org/

This should have been shown all over the nation rather than the Moore movie.

Happy belated birthday Hoosier!

….A&E puts tops on the women at the Bada Bing, and cleans up some language (maybe David Chase filmed two versions of each scene?), but that doesn’t bother me.. otherwise, it seems they’ve pretty much kept the show intact….

I’ve been watching the Soprano reruns too. “Cult”, which is the Italian equivalent of A&E, doesn’t find it necessary to cover up the Bada Bing girls. Our young people find the naked breast to be perfectly normal and not something shocking. Maybe that’s why they grow up to be lovers and not warmongers.

Favorite movie, In search of the Holy Grail. It mirrors life much more than a lot of people imagine. But then again, The Blues Brothers ranks up there too. In truth, I haven’t watched a movie in years. Just have no interest in the current offerings for my “viewing pleasure”.

In other news, Think Progress has published the methodology used to determine casualities that Gen Petraeus alluded to in his testimony before Congress. It is at: http://thinkprogress.org/ For any of you acronym buffs out there, you will think you died and went to heaven!

Good day all!

http://www.oneplanetonenation.com/ponightmares1.html

Last night I was watching some news out of Dubai and it had a story that one of the Iraqi ministers was in Moscow about the Russians getting oil rights in Iraq. As part of the deal the Russians would forgive around 80% of the debt Iraq owed to them. I had not seen or heard this anywhere else. Has anyone seen similar information? I sure would put a knot in Cheneys pantyhose if this turns out to be true.

Side question: How do you watch news out of Dubai?

Digression: I’ve begun taping BBC World News, which airs at 3AM here on BBCAmerica. Friday morning’s top story was a long one on the assassination of the anti-Syrian Lebanese leader and his funeral. Such a contrast in emphases.

CNN/MSNBC: A sentence or two about OJ Simpson et al. is enough. It was disgusting that Chris Matthews devoted 1/3 to 1/2 of Hardball to the stupid story this week. CNN this morning did a big “in-depth” story on the history of O.J.’s girlfriend … oh, I needed to know that she was a cocktail waitress and stole drugs from a neighbor. And, if I never hear Britney Spears’ name again, it’ll be too soon. That goes for you too, Keith. Half the time, I turn off your show when you get into the nasty celeb gossip, and I don’t like your snarky tone either … even if they are easy objects for your derision, they are human beings who are clearly in a lot of trouble. If you can’t get beyond your own need for derisive amusement, then don’t talk about them at all.

That’s a great start to a list of classic comedies, Bill. Thanks.

Thanks for the tip about The Power of Nightmares, Susan. I’ve ordered one. Glad to know about it…and will spread the word.

HH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Hope it’s a great birthday….and glad you’re celebrating. Woo Hoo!

Forrest Gump is one of my favorite movies, too. Our late son Eric is in it!

The story out of Dubai was on Mosaic on Link TV.
You can view at http://www.linktv.org/mosaic They provide a synopsis of news from the Middle East each weeknight. They also had a bit of coverage on the Lebanese MP funeral from Al Jazerra.

About Keith and his Britney snips. I too tire of the coverage. The only thing is Worst Person is on after the celeb junk!

Oh, Sandy. I’m so sorry you lost your son. Brenda Stewart, who posts here sometimes, lost her daughter a few years ago, and while she deals with it so gallantly, it will always, always hurt her. She has her daughter’s cat, Bob, and I get this feeling that Bob is like a lifeline to her daughter.

Can you tell us what he did in the movie? I’ll have to look for it — it airs a lot on the movie channels — and then watch for your son.

(Glad you ordered Nightmares … it’s great visually too … i.e., it’s not a dry documentary. A couple years ago, Infoclearinghouse had it up, but BBC made them take it down. There are other sites that have it but, oh I forget the name of the zipping program those sites used, it’s complicated to download and view it. Glad it can be ordered now.)

The Americanization of Emily

Black and white, and does require an attention span longer than that of a finch…

Thank you, Susan. WRT Brenda and her daughter, you’re right, mostly you just learn how to keep going.

To watch for our son, you will have to watch…FAST! It was his first speaking role…but it comes and goes …FAST! He is the mail call sergeant….in the scene after Forrest gets hit in Vietnam and is in the hospital. Eric calls out the names and comes walking down the row of beds and hands Tom Hanks his stack of letters from Jenny (she’s returned, unopened). And, blink, he’s out of the frame ….(but his voice is still calling out names.) He used his friends names…since they told him to just make some up. VERY big deal to get to be working around Tom Hanks and Gary Siniese! Well, and, when you get a speaking role, you’re eligible for a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) card.

https://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.asp?bookid=20766

(a shameless plug….shows his face. Though in the movie, the props guy put big, dark horn-rimmed glasses on him for some reason — he didn’t wear glasses — so it’s hard to recognize him (for those who knew him). And, I think they slicked his hair back. Anyeee way…..) Great memories.

When he learned his part had stayed in, he called us from L.A. and said, “Hey, mom, now I’ll be immortal….”

It’s why the movie — the Oscar winning movie — means so much to us.

Oops! Sorry…..walking down memory lane here.

Dang, I missed it . it was on this afternoon, but I’ll watch for it again.

Sandy, that is your book. Oh my. How did you find the strength and discipline to write a book? Well, you did, and it sounds like you gave countless parents much to hold onto and consider. I am profoundly impressed, Sandy.

Eric was very handsome. He has a distinctive face. And he was an engineer too. A very accomplished person.

Thanks, Susan. I appreciate that. He was an incredible person. I wrote it for other survivors….because they helped me through it, and there are, unfortunately, always others coming along who need help, too.

We all have our stories.

Two of my all time favorites, from a ways back, but not forgotten. An Amazon Widget will be happy at the fact that Amazon still carries them both.

Mirage, Gregory Peck, 1965 black and white
- A man finds himself walking in a NY skyscraper stairwell, and comes to realize he has severe amnesia. A film noir cerebral suspense thriller.

The Prisoner, Patrick McGoohan, tv series, late sixties
- For anyone who ever came to this website because of an interest in spying, this is the definitive spy series of all time. McGoohan had finished the Secret Agent series, then did this, taking the spy series genre in a whole new direction of psychological suspense. Originally released as a summer fill-in, it now has a substantial cult following, including whole clubs and societies, and also college courses.

The opening lines I can still recite from memory:
#6(McGoohan)- Who are you?
#2(different every episode) – the new number two
#6 – who is number one
#2 – you are number six
#6 – I am not a number! I am a free man!
#2 – [laughter]

We do all have our stories, but some of us have had some shattering experiences for which there is no right or wrong response, no winning strategy to recovery, and no ultimate solace. If you’d never written a book or had the courage to tell your story publicly, as you’ve done here, that’d be a normal response. That you somehow found a way to write about it is quite exceptional.

Don’t have your e-mail address, Sandy. Please e-mail me.

A metaphor? If not, it’s a remarkable story in today’s LA Times:

Spared by fire, tree is extolled by hikers

By Steve Lopez

I’d heard about the lone surviving tree on the edge of the big burn, the jugs of water hanging from its branches to drip-feed the roots, and the notebook with entries from intrepid hikers who have made their way to the spectacular overlook. …

Sandy, you are absolutely right on the need to just keep on truckin’. I know you will understand this–I do not remember the first 72 hrs. or so after this happened. I think it the emotional shock is just what I needed to do the hardest thing ever in my entire life, that is to resign myself to the fact that she was gone [forever!]. Anyone who has lost a child, will definitely understand. Sure it is hard to loose someone we love, such as parents, husband, wife, brother, sister; however, to loose a child, is one of the most devastating things ever. I give my heart to anyone who has lost a child! I [so] do understand the emotion. I found my work as a nurse so relieving for loosing myself into. It took the edge away so I could truly mourn, if that is how it is to be said. (sigh) Anyhow, we, as mom’s [dad's] do understand. I know how you hold onto your son’s idea’s and best words spoken…I too think back to those times. Memories are what life is based upon, I suppose. Many hugs to you, Sandy. You and I think alike on many issues….;o) Someday we need to just share with others our thoughts on this issue. It just might be helpful….who knows————

Thank you, Susan. I’ll e-mail you. (I guess I can find yours….I’ll look!)

I’m touched by what you’ve said, Brenda. I, too, “give my heart to anyone who has lost a child!” I’ve lost (we have) all our parents (my husband’s and mine) now and my best friend (pancreatic cancer), just awful….but nothing quite matches the pain and shock and devastation of losing one’s precious child. Nothing. It’s why this senseless, illegal war is particularly outrageous to us…and is such a sensitive issue, I think. On the Truthout website, e.g., recently there was a photo of an Iraqi mother cradling her beautiful (dead) six-year-old son caught up in, and killed, in this awful war. It reminded me of the Pieta statue…so eloquent. So heart-wrenching! So UNNECESSARY!

Yes, I’m relatively new to this blog…and thus to you, Brenda. So I don’t really know your story. But from all you’ve written here since I arrived, I know you to be eloquent and passionate in sharing your views. YOU should write a book, m’dear! What better time than now! Think about it. I have another close friend…who lost her son…who is also a nurse….so you both are giving much of yourselves in that way….in ways I could never do. I admire you. Thanks for speaking here, Brenda. I look forward to hearing more of your story.

It’s susanunpc at gmail dot com

Yes, Brenda has a heck of a life story. She was — I hope I have this right, Brenda — a military flight nurse in both the Navy and Air Force. And she was one of the major figures in the long, long effort to build a D.C. memorial to the women who served in Vietnam.

That photo, Sandy. Will see if I can find it. If you can remember where you saw it at Truthout, please e-mail it to me and we can post it here.

http://www.harpers.org/archive/2006/09/sb-revolving-door-blackwater-1158094722

This is such an intriguing story if ere there was one…at least one of many for this administration, anyhow. I ran into this [[trying to figure this out by zander1 over on booman]] he/she has done a great service in detailing the issue, IMHO. This kind of pander and government abuse must come to a halt!

Just for what it is worth in the public eye of scrutiny is and should be a top reporting situation for out MSM but is not…just about says it all….

Now back to Sandy and Susan. Ladies, I love you both…you both have a special place in my heart. If you go back to the comments here on this sight I will be noted as saying, “Sandy, I could not agree with you more or Sandy, you and I think alike…”

Well, so there is more to our knowing of our paths that have crossed and they have, Girlfriend, in more ways than most. KARMA!!!!..:o)

I was navy hospital corpsman then went to school on my GI bill and became a nurse and joined the AF and always wanted to fly so became a flight nurse. Loved both positions tremendously!!!!!

Yes, was and still am the TN coordinator for the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation. Come to DC and look at our lovely salute to the women who served in country…and to all the women who served in the military during this time. While you are there do not forget to go to Arlington and visit the All Women’s Memorial at the gate of the Cemetery. I assure you it will be two of your most favorite sights to share with others….BTW, there are 8 nurses names ont he WALL…did you all know that????

We just lost one of our most charming and loving nurses in the VWMF just this 2nd of Sept. Here is the email I got in ref: to this. If you should be interested. We have many vets here from this era..this just might hit home…
Ann Cunningham, September 2, 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know we are all shocked and saddened to learn that Annie has left this world too soon. She leaves us with our memories of her warmth, kindness and enduring legacy of what she gave to our country as a nurse and veteran advocate. I just can’t believe I won’t see her this Veteran’s Day.

Annie was one of the most loved and dedicated women veterans of the Vietnam era. She died unexpectedly of a cerebral hemorrhage on September 2nd while attending the Wolfhound, 25th Infantry, Reunion in Lexington, Kentucky. I cannot think of a better place for Ann to leave this world than in the midst of the men and women she loved and who loved her so dearly. Ann was on duty at the 12th Evac Hospital in Cu Chi, when she received word that her fiancé, Gary Jones, 25th Infantry Division, was killed. She lost Gary, but gained a huge family of hundreds of brother veterans who admired and loved her. In l968, after finishing her first tour of duty in Vietnam, Ann and I were roommates at Ft. Lee, Virginia — until I left for Vietnam. Annie was beautiful, inside and out. We became fast and close friends. I called Ann in the early 80’s to ask her if she would help with the Vietnam Women’s Memorial effort. Annie said, “No, I don’t do Vietnam.” She wanted no part of it. Soon we started talking about things, and the woman who wouldn’t speak of Vietnam became one of the most vocal proponents for her sister and brother vets. She leaves a trail of friendships from the many hospitals she served in during two tours in Vietnam, stateside, and the hundreds, if not thousands of people she touched.

Most recently, Annie has served as the Treasurer, and member of the Board of Directors of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation.

Peace to Annie, peace to us.
Diane Carlson Evans

In Memory of Annie………….Your love radiates within us until we join you.

Diane Carlson Evans
(406) 457-8440 (office)
President and Founder
Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation, Inc.
1735 Connecticut Avenue NW
3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20009
http://www.vietnamwomensmemorial.org

*************************************************************************************
From: Diane Carlson Evans

Ann Cunningham Memorial Service

The date, time and location for Ann’s memorial service has been confirmed:

Saturday, October 6, 2007
4:00 – 5:30 P.M.

First Baptist Church
735 Park Street
Charlottesville, Virginia.

Followed by a celebration dinner. Place TBA

In lieu of flowers the family asks that remembrances be sent to:
Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation, Inc.
1735 Connecticut Ave. NW, 3rd Floor
Washington, D.C. 20009
or
Almost Home Pet Adoption Center
29 Stagebridge Rd., Lovingston VA 22949

Memories and tributes can be sent to: Opal S. Cunningham
P.O. Box 42784, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242-0784.

For those planning to attend the Annie Cunningham memorial service, a block of 20 rooms at the Best Western Cavalier Inn at 105 N Emmet Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903-1728 has been reserved. The Inn is on the University of Virginia campus and is 1.8 miles from the First Baptist Church. The telephone number at the inn is (434) 296-8111; when you call, tell them you are with the Ann Cunningham group. Do NOT use an 800 number; it will put you into a booking system that will not recognize the group reservation. You can pay individually. The cost of the Cavalier is comparable to other similar hotels in the area. If 20 rooms are filled the cost will be $119 + 11% tax = $132.09. Contact Charlottesville hotel guides for other available lodging.

*****************************************************************************************
If you know of a woman Vietnam veteran who has passed in the last 5 years, please notify the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation via this email address. On Nov 11th 2008, during the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the dedication of the Memorial, we will read the names of all those who have passed away during and since the Vietnam War.

Cindy Gurney
Executive Director
Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation, Inc
1735 Connecticut Ave. NW 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20009

866-822-8963

(((clearing throat))mmmmmmmmmmm now to sing…..

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear HH,
Happy Birthday to you………and many more!!!!!

HUGS

Have we heard from HH in the last 24+ hours? Wonder just how much fun he had!

I’m glad to see Steve Lopez is still writing for the LAT. He was one of the best things about the paper when I lived down there, and I’d heard an ugly rumor that he’d been let go in all the changes and debasement going on there. Good to know it’s not true.

And for my recommendation: I’ll venture into the SciFi realm and and suggest the series Farscape. Ran for four seasons on SciFi Channel with a miniseries to wrap up what should have been the last season. An American astronaut falls through a wormhole, lands on the other side of the galaxy and is swept onto a ship of escaping prisoners of various species. Shot in Australia; some of the characters are Henson Muppets of incredible complexity. Funny, dramatic, and gripping action.

Please indulge me and read the following…

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an Emperor – that’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone, if possible — Jew, gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another; human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness, not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there’s room for everyone and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone.
The way of life can be free and beautiful.
But we have lost the way.
Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.
The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for universal brotherhood for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women, and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.
To those who can hear me I say, “Do not despair.” The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass and dictators die; and the power they took from the people will return to the people and so long as men die, liberty will never perish.
Soldiers: Don’t give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you, enslave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel; who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts. You don’t hate; only the unloved hate, the unloved and the unnatural.
Soldiers: Don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty! In the seventeenth chapter of Saint Luke it is written, “the kingdom of God is within man” — not one man, nor a group of men, but in all men, in you, you the people have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.
Then, in the name of democracy, let us use that power! Let us all unite!! Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give youth a future and old age security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie! They do not fulfill their promise; they never will. Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people!! Now, let us fight to fulfill that promise!! Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness.
Soldiers: In the name of democracy, let us all unite!!!

The above for those of you who don’t recognize it is the farewell speech by Charlie Chaplin’s character in the 1940 movie “the Little Dictator” written, directed and produced by Charlie Chaplin.

I thought many lines in it were particularly appropriate in today’s world.

Run to see “The Valley of Elah”, a devastating critique of Iraq and what it is doing to us.

SusanUnPC writes: Chris Cooper got raves for his portrayal of Robert Hanssen, and many reviewers have said he’ll be nominated for Best Actor. And there’s no doubt that Cooper is a great actor, particularly as a character actor.

The character Cooper so often is given is cynical and unyielding authoritarian, making him a natural for the military roles he seems to so often have.

If you want to get an idea of Chris Cooper’s underappreciated range, though, check him out in “Adaptation” (2002), an inventive Charles Kaufman screenplay featuring… Charles Kaufman, and [laughing] Kaufman’s twin brother Donald.

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