I like to consider myself an honest man. At least I do try to be. Which is why I will mention that my lovely wife and I watched Anne of Green Gables last night.

*looks around and watches everyone's jaws drop*

I know...I know...I'm an Aliens fan, a Predator fan...indeed, anything with a good plot, great action scenes, explosions, A-10 Thunderbolts on strafing runs...any of that is so very much my cup of tea. But I wanted to watch something with my wife and I got her the whole Green Gables set on DVD a few years ago and she never watched it, so last night was the night since I wanted to spend some time watching her stuff (in lieu of me just watching my stuff alone ). Bottom line?

*looks around again with serious trepidation*

I liked it. There, I said it. What are you all looking at me like that for? I remember seeing snippets of this on TV growing up in the mid-80's...but my older sister Liz loved it, which was the death knell for it because she likes stuff that doesn't have alien invasions, explosions, or the gratifying zipping noise of an A-10's gatling gun. *sigh* Yes, I liked it. I found Anne to be very charming and discovered myself chuckling (and even laughing a bit) at some of her quirky dramatic speeches, which is odd because I sort of walked into the thing with a strong scowl like Colleen Dewhurst wore for the first half of the movie. As fun as the film was I can clearly see that the followup is headed in a possibly chick-flick sort of direction.

*looks around again* Ok, now that that's all said and done...let's cleanse the palate with something more along the lines of traditional "SL fare", movie-wise.

A few nights ago I was in for a real treat and got to see a film which scared the chicken nuggets out of me when I was a little kid. Interestingly enough I still find it a little frightening now. The film I refer to is Salem's Lot, a made-for-TV film from back in 1979 starring David Soul (of Starsky & Hutch fame...I think he was Hutch, but I can't be sure), Bonnie Bedelia, Lew Ayres, and the ever solid James Mason.

Given the limitations placed on made-for-TV movies this film was a real shocker of a success, and at the tender age of 7 I sat in front of our family TV and watched as a Nosferatu-like vampire moves to a little town called Salem's Lot in Maine and starts doing what vampires do when there's lots of bare necks around. If you believe that vampires are "romantic" characters, misunderstood, or sparkle in direct sunlight, this film will destroy any perceptions you have and make you hide under your blankets. This film is very intense...and yet there's not one drop of blood throughout, weird, given that it's not only a horror movie but also a vampire movie. The citizens of the town of Salem's Lot (short for Jersusalem's Lot) lead standard small town lives, filled with the usual scandals here and there. All that changes when a strange man named Mr. Straker (played to the hilt by James Mason) moves into town and opens up an antique shop. It just so happens that the movie's main protaganist Ben Mears, a novelist who used to live in the town when he was a young boy, has returned to Salem's Lot to get some inspiration from the local "haunted house", the Marsten House, a domicile with a twisted history (they did the house up so well you couldn't triple-dog dare me to go in there!). Mears is convinced that the house itself is evil and attracts evil to it. And he may be right because Straker just moved in and set up shop there. Straker sends some townies down to the port to pick up a large crate he's been expecting, telling them it's antiquities from overseas. But something much more sinister is inside...and once it emerges the town starts to see some disappearances from the local population. And the local hospital starts to get in a lot of cases of pernicious anemia, and patients with not all of their red blood cells.

Tobe Hooper, who has a lot of experience in the horror genre, really pulls this film off in spades. Despite there being no blood, no overt violent acts (other than a staking or two), or commonplace things one might expect to find in a film of this type it is filled to the brim with dread and fear. It is a very psychologically frightening film because the viewer knows what's going on but the characters have to piece it together. You grow attached to the characters and when bad things happen to them you're right there alongside them experiencing it. If you manage to get to see this gem of a film opt for the 3 1/2 hour version as it originally aired. The shorter versions chop it down to a point where one doesn't get to know the characters as well, and since the film is largely character driven that's a crime. I still don't know why my mom let me watch this when I was only 7, but it's a memorable film that scared the waffle cones out of a whole generation of us and that few films have the ability to match. This movie is not for the feint of heart! But if a 7 year old can take it you should be able to as well.

I'm willing to wager GB has seen this film and will probably agree with me.

Anne of Green Gables? Wow. Apparently Isao Takahata's adaptation of the series from 1979 is better and more true to the novels (and also about 25 hours long). Not that I've read or watched them. The blog below mentions that an English version will be released soon.

Here's the trailer for the series:
http://ghiblicon.blogspot.com/

I like to consider myself an honest man. At least I do try to be. Which is why I will mention that my lovely wife and I watched Anne of Green Gables last night.

Hurrah! You listened to us and watched it! Anne of Green Gables is a favorite of my family's; everyone including my dad. The entire book/movie rides on Anne's shoulders and she is a very worthy heroine. She's so dramatic and rash, and wonderful. The second one is actually very good. Anne leaves home, so you lose her wonderful interactions with Avonlea, but it's a very good "growing up" movie.

I also love Anne of Green Gables, and it's sequel is very good too. Now the more recent third movie, with same two leads, is just OK. I can do without it.

I haven't watch The Karate Kid (the old version). Some say it's nicer than the new one, well, is it??

Shadowlander: I love Anne Of Green Gables! don't feel ashamed: my dad loves that movie! your not alone!

Wow, this is ironic; I literally just finished watching Anne of Green Gables with my mom before coming on here to find this conversation. My dad is also among those who likes Anne of Green Gables. It's a VERY well made "movie" and the acting is superb.

Shadowlander: The sequel is actually every bit as good as the first, in my opinion, and in the opinions of all others I've talked to. The third has a definite drop in quality, lacks the innocence of the first two, and doesn't follow any of the "Anne" books but, having never read the books, I still managed to like it. The characters aren't butchered, and there are still some really great moments.

Overall, I'm a bit ashamed of liking them because they do have such a "girly" look to them, but I just can't help myself.

I'll always be a,
NL101

Wow it's been a while since I've seen Anne of Green Gables. I have it taped somewhere so I'll find it.

There is NOTHING shameful in liking Anne of Green Gables. The book (and its sequels) are fabulous too, btw.

The only two "new" movies I've seen recently were both quite mediocre, in my opinion (I did also rewatch The Emperor's New Groove tonight, and enjoyed it as much as last time ... why did the ten-year-old me ever think it stupid? ). Inkheart was in some ways an improvement on its source material, but floundered in a few crucial places. While it lacked the book's mysterious opening, it had a much more tightly-plotted and less repetitive second act; unfortunately, it all became a little silly and confusing as things neared the climax. None of the characters looked anything like I imagined them (with the possible exception of Elinor and Resa), but all of the actors did pretty well in their roles ... with one GIANT exception. I just couldn't take Brendan Fraser seriously as Mo. I know Funke pictured him for the role, but that doesn't (a) make him a good actor or (b) means that he'll fit in with a cast of European actors. On the plus side, the movie looked beautiful: I loved the European locations and the glimpses we see of the Inkworld. But overall, not a movie I'll remember.

The other was - GASP! - The Hurt Locker. Another one I won't remember ten years down the road. I know it was critically acclaimed, and many of my friends love it, but I just don't understand the appeal. Can anyone else explain to me why they like it? I would post more, but when I asked this question on Facebook, all I got was surprise and ridicule, so for now I'll hold my peace.

Add me to the list of people who love the Anne books and movies (except for the newest movie). Grew up on them and really need to dig them up again for another read/viewing.

The other was - GASP! - The Hurt Locker. Another one I won't remember ten years down the road. I know it was critically acclaimed, and many of my friends love it, but I just don't understand the appeal. Can anyone else explain to me why they like it? I would post more, but when I asked this question on Facebook, all I got was surprise and ridicule, so for now I'll hold my peace.

Don't worry. I can understand why it'a critically acclaimed- the movie does have some spectacular scenes, but imo they are few and spaced out. I'm of the opinion that it's overrated- but that term is flawed, most critics loved it and it got its best Picture Oscar. So it seems I'm we're just in the minority- it really wasn't that great, aside of a few scenes which I can't deny.

does anyone remember the Focus On The Family movie series "McGee And Me"? I used to watch those all the time when I was little and I grew up with them! I still love them!

I LOVE Anne of Green Gables. I have fond memories of my mom reading us the book and watching the movies and the cartoon show when I was younger . I really need to watch them again (and read the book too!)

I've been rewatching the '95 P&P the past few days. Re-reading the book made me want to see the movies again . Once I'm done with this version I'm going to watch '05 again...and maybe 'Bride and Prejudice' .

Well, I like The Hurt Locker, and actually own it on DVD. However, I don't think it's necessarily a great movie, and like lysander said, won't be one that looked back on as one of the greatest films of the decade or anything like that.

What I like about the film is that it seems to be a brutally honest look at not only the War in Iraq, but modern warfare in general. It's an exhilarating, suspenseful movie, but is in a lot of ways a character study more than an action film. The acting is excellent (something that always garners brownie points from me), the three leads really have a presence on screen, and watching it I could feel their emotions, and have empathy for them.

I do understand though why some people might not like it. There's no real narrative flow, and to me the movie at times almost felt like a collection of short films rather than a full movie with a narrative structure, with three acts and things of that nature.

lysander: I thought Inkheart was awesome, though I do agree that the beginning wasn't as mysterious as the book, but it worked well, IMO
I see what you mean about Brendan Fraser, but I think he was awesome as Mo! he is funny.....