Movies - Summary, Director, Stars, Grade

My husband and I don't often agree on TV shows and movies, but we decided last February to start watching a show together every night, and it has become a favorite activity.  So, when we ran out of series, we turned to movies.  There were some classics we hadn't seen and some Academy Award winners and nominees.  We still don't always agree, but we watch together anyway.

Here are the last 13 movies we've watched.

1. Taxi Driver (1976) A mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action.   

Directed by Martin Scorse.  

Stars:  Robert De Niro, Cybill Shepherd, and a young Jodie Foster.  

My grade = C

 

2. Carlito’s Way (1993)  A Puerto Rican former convict just released from prison pledges to stay away from drugs and violence despite the pressure around him to lead a better life outside of New York.

Directed by Brian De Palma  

Stars:  Al Pacino, Sean Penn, and Penelope Ann Miller

My Grade = B

3. Streetcar Named Desire (1951) Mentally unstable Blanche DuBois moves in with her sister in New Orleans and is tormented by her brother-in-law while reality crumbles around her. (Based on a play by Tennessee Williams

Directed by Elia Kazan

Stars:  Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh

My Grade = C

4. North by Northwest (1959) A New York City advertising executive goes on the run after being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies and falls for a woman whose loyalties he begins to doubt. 

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Stars:  Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason

My Grade = B+

 

5. Seabiscuit (2003) Based on the true story of a Depression-era, undersized racehorse whose victories captured the spirits of a nation. 

Directed by Gary Ross

Stars:  Toby Maguire, Jeff Bridges, and Elizabeth Banks

My Grade = A-

6. The Nest (2020)  Life for an entrepreneur and his American family begins to take a twisted turn afgter moving into an English manor.

Directed by Sean Durkin

Stars:  Jude Law, Carrie Coon, and Oona Roche

My Grade = F

7. Nomadland (2020)  A woman in her 60's has lost everything in the Great Recession, so she goes on a journey through the American West living in her van.

Directed by Chloe Zhao

Stars:  Frances McDormand, David Straithairn, and Linda May

My Grade = F   

8. Lincoln (2012) (We watched half before we realized we'd already seen it, and it was a long movie.) Set during the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln struggles with his own cabinet over the decision to empancipate slaves.

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Stars:  Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, and David Straithairn

My Grade = B

9. Green Book (2018)  A working-class Italian-American bounces becomes the driver for an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960's American South.

Directed by Peter Ferrely

Stars:  Viggo Mortenson, Mahershala Ali, and Linda Cardellini

My Grade = B+

10. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) The mostly true story of 7 people on trial for the uprising at the 1968Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Directed by Aaron Sorkin

Stars:   Sasha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Eddie Redmayne, etc.

My Grade = A-

11. The Last Emperor (1987)  The story of the last emperor of China, Pu Yi, the 11th and final leader of the Qing dynasty. The story begins when he becomes emperor at age 3 to his youth in the Forbidden City, and through revolution and captivity.

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci

Stars:  John Lone, Joan Chen, and Peter O'Toole.

My Grade = A

12. Gandhi (1982)  The story begins when Mohatma Gandhi, a lawyer, is thrown from a South African train for being in a whites-only compartment.  It covers his leadership of the nonviolent independence movement in India against the British all the way to his assasination.

Directed by Richard Attenborough

Stars:  Ben Kingsley, John Gielgud, and Rohini Hattangadi with an appearance by Candice Bergen

My Grade = A

13. Argo (2012)  Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescus six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.  Directed by Ben Affleck

Stars:  Ben Affleck, John Goodman, and Bryan Cranston

My Grade = C

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Fun Photos (Wizarding Summerfest)

 My daughter, sister-in-law and I went to the Wizarding Summerfest, a Harry Potter themed event, last weekend, and even though there were no stars there, this HP fangirl was geeking out over the realistic re-creations.

The Dursley's Fireplace.  All the letters were addressed to Harry.

Platform 93/4

Diagon Alley

I love the black and white version of this scene, too.

Olivander's Fine Wands

The Great Hall

Hogwart's

I took a lot more photos, but these are my favorite.  For more fun photos, visit Image-in-ing and Wordless Wednesday.

Focus on the Positive

   

Today is my "Focus on the Positive Day!"  Here is my happy list!

1.  My relationship with my husband is in a good place.  We are enjoying each-other's company with some quality time for just the two of us every day.

2.  I've been looking online at dresses I could make for this little cutie.

3.  We are going to see that little cutie in a few days!!!!

4.  I'm looking at things to make for this little cutie's sibling who will be born  in about 3 months:  Bibs, blankets, burp cloths.  We won't know gender till he/she is born.  I'll be making an "I'm the big sister" shirt and an "I'm the little sister/brother" onsie.

5. Three days ago, my daughter, sister-in-law, and I went to "A Wizard's Summerfest" which was a dinner theater and marketplace with a Harry Potter theme. Another HP themed event is coming in August.

6.  I started working on the handbag I'm making for myself.  It will be made like this one but with my choice of fabric.

This is the fabric I chose.

7.  My daughter introduced me to an app called Bonza which is a twist on crossword puzzles.  I feel like it will help me keep my mind sharp.

8.  My husband and I tried a new restaurant called Go Shabu Hot Pot Buffet.  It  reminds me of The Melting Pot, a churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse like Fogo de Chao, and an Asian buffet all in one.

9.  My pretty kitty makes me happy!

Taking a nap under the covers.

And as soon as I finish this post, I will probably think of something else to list!

The website Verywellmind discusses some of the benefits of positive thinking.  They are realistic knowing that everything isn't happy 100% of the time, but it is helpful to face problems with the mindset of finding solutions.  You can read more here if you're interested.

Visit Stacy Uncorked and Happy Tuesday for some additional fun posts.

Have a great week!

Current and Future Projects *A T13

I love using my creativity to make things, either sewing, crafting, card-making, cooking, scrapbooking.  These are some ideas.

1.  Currently I am making a zippered handbag.  I'm just at the every beginning of this project. I'm using this fabric for the outer part of the bag.

2.  I want to make some comfy shorts.  Maybe out of this fabric.

3.  I want to make a shirt using this pattern

and this fabric.

4.  Hogwarts Castle Engraved Line Drawing on an aluminum sheet (using my maker and a special marker to make the cut lines stand out more)

5.  Harry Potter Stickers for one of my daughters

6.  Fabric coasters to give as gifts

7.  Keyfobs, also for gifts

8.  A cat hammock

9. Heat transfer vinyl on a wooden circle (different phrase, though)

10. Layered letter shadow box

11.  Travel wrap (similar to the nail care wraps I made last year)

12.  Eyeglasses case ( which I have made one before)

13.  This "I am a little door key" card.  (Dad pun- dorky)

Did you like any of these?

Vist Thursday Thirteen for more lists!