Television Today

[Marilyne]

Lots of great movie suggestions here. Most, or all, are based on true stories.   I have the Ruth Bader Ginsburg DVD on order at my library, so I hope to watch that one over the weekend.

Jean - the Temple Grandin, movie was featured on HBO a number of years ago. I saw it then, and would love to see it again. I believe it won some awards back then? As I have mentioned in the past, I have an autistic granddaughter, who is now 28 years old, so I'm familiar with the challenges and problems of adults with autism. 

I recommended Green Book, back a couple of weeks ago.  That film is my favorite of all those that were nominated for Academy Awards, this year. It is also based on a true story.  Many of the others are about real people and real events. Bohemian Rhapsody, is also a true story.  I didn't like it as much, but it was interesting and different.  The Old Man and the Gun, is also about a real person, as is A Private War.  Another one that looks like it might be good, is The Mule, directed and starring Clint Eastwood. 

[maryc]

Marilyne,   For some strange reason the "strikethrough" button above will not disengage.   I hope you can read this.   You asked me about a week ago if the Firestick allowed me to see Netflix.   Yes it does.   I have watched those series that you mentioned.  With Firestick,  I can see movies on youtube and any of the subscriptions that I have access to.   I have Amazon Prime myself and Debby has Netflix.  We share them both with each other.   Pandora is free (with commercials) and I enjoy that for music most of the day.    I am reading an interesting non fiction but I won't get into that here....see Library bookshelf. 

[SCFSue]

If you are interested in Ruth Bader Ginsburg's career, I hope your movie theater has the recent movie about her first encounter with the Supreme Court when she was a young woman.  It is an amazing film and the entire cast was very special.

SCFSue

[Marilyne]

Does anyone have any good TV shows or movies to recommend this week?  We've mostly been watching the hockey playoff finals, for the Stanley Cup.  Out local team, The San Jose Sharks, are still hanging in there and doing reasonably well. 

Other than that, we have been watching the new and final season of Game of Thrones, on HBO.  So far, not as good as earlier seasons, but still a very intriguing show.  You just can't help but watch it, once you know all the characters and their stories. 

The only other show that I like, and find to be very light and entertaining, is the Netflix series, Selling Sunset.  The story revolves around a high-end Real Estate company in Hollywood.  The owners of the company are two men, (twins), and the Realtors who work there and show and sell the homes, are all women.  It's really quite good, and always fun to see and "walk through" the homes for sale in the Hollywood Hills, and around other areas close by.  This is the first season for the show, and I think there are 10 episodes, so if anyone is interested, you can find it listed on Netflix, and you can start with episode #1.  My husband AJ, is not as fond of this show as I am, but he watches it with me.  It would probably be classified as a woman's show?  The storylines (so far) are mostly about the women characters.

[Lindancer]

Marilyne, the other night when I could not sleep I watched Jane Eyer (spell) I wish they could lighten up,it is so dark. To day I needed to watch something light and The Russians are Coming,The russians Are Coming was on. I think that is one of the funnest movies I have seen, with a great ending

[Marilyne]

Gloria de - I also like The Russians are Coming, and would have watched it or recorded it if I'd known it was playing.  It's one of the funniest, that always makes me laugh.  Another one like that, is  It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.  There are scenes in that movie, that I look forward to, and always laugh.

For those of you who have Netflix, here is a suggestion for something good that you might remember from long, long ago?  The old original black and white TV show, The Twilight Zone, is being shown, one episode at a time, starting with #1, from 1959.   We watched the first episode ever shown, from 1959, called, Where is Everybody, starring Earl Holliman.  It was good!  Then we watched Episode #2, One for the Angels, starring Ed Wynn. We enjoyed both of them, and plan to watch them whenever there is nothing else on that we want to see.  Each show is only a half hour long.  The black/white photography is sharp and clear, and the sound is great.  Closed captioning is large, and easy to read.

[Tomereader1]

Marilyne, "Go Sharks"  I hope your team wins.  I think our Dallas Stars are not going to be in another playoff, they are doing poorly (intermittently) against the  Blues.

[Marilyne]

Hello to all who read this folder.   Not many posting here about TV shows or movies? I know that everyone doesn't have Netflix, Amazon or HBO, which is too bad, because I think you would all enjoy watching the shows on those channels. 

Last night we watched the finale episode of Game of Thrones, which has been on HBO for about eight years now?  Although we're not, and never have been, fans of Medieval fantasy,  we followed the advice of friends and relatives, and started watching this show a few years ago.  We were hooked right away, enjoyed it, and are sorry that it has come to an end.

Other than that, we are watching, or at least sampling, a lot of the Netflix series.  I won't list all of them again, but I have talked about them in past messages, if anyone is interested.  Our son and dil suggested a new show on Netflix, called Dead to Me.  They said the title is misleading, and that it isn't about killing or mayhem of any kind. (As so many shows are now.). We will probably give it a look tonight, and see how we like episode #1. 

We've exhausted all the humorous shows on Netflix, except for one, called Wine Country, starring Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph. We started watching episode #1, but we weren't impressed. Daughter Sandy, has watched it, and loves it, but I can see that it's really a comedy for and about women in her generation, not our generation!

The light British comedy After Life, is much more suited to us, as is the short series starring Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin - The Kominsky Method.. I highly recommend both of those.

Hope to hear from all of you soon.  Let us know what you've been watching?

[phyllis]

Marilyne, I had no intention of watching GOT but gave in a year ago and watched the very first episode....and then the next episode...and then the next, and so on until I had watched every episode. I was hooked!  But, even though I was a fan I was pretty disappointed in the way the story ended last Sunday.  So many things just didn't make sense.  What did you think of the way it ended"?

As for humorous shows, I subscribe to Britbox and it has so many good old British comedies including The Vicar of Dibley.   I watched a couple and it was good to laugh again.....I will go back for more when I get tired of all the violence, sex, and morbid shows that seem to be the only thing that they are producing now.

[Marilyne]

Phyllis - Good to know that someone else in S&F was watching GOT!   I've been thinking about the finale a lot since Sunday night, and have Googled, "GOT Finale", and read reviews from all the major media sources.  The review from The New York Times was pretty good, because they mentioned each of the main characters who were left at the end, and how they ended up. 

I was okay with Bran, being "elected" King, although I was hoping it would be Tyrion. (the Dwarf).   Bran has that mystical, wise, "three eyed raven" thing going for him, and I think he is the right one to lead, and start the rise of Democracy.

I liked Daenerys, and hated to see her die, but it was only way, after she went too far, and wiped out the entire city.   There was no way she could be the ruler, after that holocaust.   

So, Jon Snow was later relegated to the Night Watch for the remainder of his life?  But apparently, he chose to disobey, and took off for the North with the Wildings.  I thought it was a good ending, to see him leaving, and knowing that he would be free at last!   The Wildings were known as the "Free People", because they were not attached to any of the families or rulers, and Jon would never again have to answer to anyone.

My liked a lot of the characters who were killed off over the years, and hated to see them go, but at the end, my favorites were Tyrion, Dany, Brienne, Jaime, The Hound, and Arya.

Here is a link to the NY Times review:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/19/arts/television/game-of-thrones-series-finale-recap.html

[JeanneP]

I see Britbox adds but no idea how to get it. Doesn't it tie into the donating to public t.v?

[Tomereader1]

Brit Box is a subscription channel, much like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. You sign up, pay a monthly fee via credit card, and then stream their programming.

[Marilyne]

Tome - Thanks for the Britbox explanation. I already have Netflix and Amazon, which gives me a seemingly endless selection of shows to watch on those two channels, with new things being added all the time, so I doubt that I will add another pay channel. . However, I can see that Britbox, would be great for someone who especially wants to see British films and TV shows. 

I've watched two older movies on Netflix and Amazon, this week, that were both excellent!  The first was on Netflix - True Confessions, 1989, starring Robert Duval and Robert DiNiro.  They play brothers - Duval is a detective, and DeNiro is a Catholic Priest. The story takes place in Los Angeles in the late 1940's.

The second movie, available on Amazon, was Desert Bloom, from 1986.  It takes place in Las Vegas, during the early 50's, when Atomic bombs were being tested in the Nevada desert.  It's about a family living there, and dealing with the impending  nuclear tests. The father, Jon Voight, is a WWII veteran, who is struggling with flashbacks from the War.  Annabeth Gish, stars as the 13 years old daughter.  Lots of good acting here, from everyone! The story is especially interesting to those of us who remember that era . . .  the bomb testing, and the drills that took place in school, where we had to take cover under our desks.

Both of these movies are free, and in my opinion, better that most of the new ones that are available to rent.

[phyllis]

If you are an Amazon Prime member you can subscribe to Britbox and many other subscription channels through Amazon.  The subscription price is usually a little cheaper but, of course, you must pay an annual membership cost to have Prime from Amazon before you can subscribe to the different channels.

Marilyne, I agree with most of your comments about GOT except I couldn't see any justification for Bran to become Ruler of the SIX Kingdoms, et. al.  IMO, he didn't do much to deserve it.  I loved the first 7 seasons but was disappointed in the 8th season.  I had the feeling that the writers, and everyone else, just wanted it over with so just wrote any solution for the ending whether it made sense or not.

[JeanneP]

I am not a big tv person. Don't have any of the pay for stations. Know nothing about Streeming. All I use is Comcast. Even then just the basic on tv. Need more for Internet and wifi. Watch all the public stations if things are British . As I am from uK. Think I would enjoy Britcom .

[Lindancer]

to day, I was checking out my CD.s and tapes.   I still have the machine that plays both.  One of the last gifts my husband gave me. I always watch That wonderful Night with James Gardner in Dec., Just finished watching Flower Drum Song, to night I might watch the one that Richard Gere Goes for dance lessons. Right now I cannot think of the name.  My memory is getting very foggy. Like a record with cracks in it, goes for a while then blanks out

[Marilyne]

Gloria de - I remember all the movies you recently watched, and I'd like to see them all again.  I had forgotten about Flower Drum Song, and haven't seen that one in at least 50 years!  I'm sure it plays on Turner, so I'll have to look for it.  This weekend, lots of the TCM movies are War movies, in honor of Memorial Day.  I recorded a couple of them yesterday, and will do the same today.  One of my favorites was playing - From Here to Eternity.  Such a great bunch of stars in that movie - Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed and Sinatra, as the ill fated private.  Looking forward to watching that one again.

As I mentioned, the old TV series, The Twilight Zone, is playing on Netflix.  I highly recommend it to everyone who has that channel.  At first I didn't want to watch it, thinking it would be grainy and the stories would seem dated.  Just the opposite! The picture is a clear black and white, the captions are large and easy to read, and every episode has a good message.  The most fun, is seeing all the old actors from the 1950's and 60's, and trying to remember their names.  They don't run the names until the episode is over.  So far we've seen lots of stars from the past, like Burgess Meredith, Gig Young, David Wayne, and even a pre-school aged Ron Howard! (billed as Ronnie Howard). He has been in movies and TV, his whole life - now a successful film director.

I hope we hear from many of you over this long weekend.  Let us know what you're all watching on TV?     

[Lindancer]

Marilyne, I have a lot of old tape and CD.s  Just before  my husband he died 11 years ago he bought me a combination CD and tape player, for my birthday. I still have a TV I can play them on I even have old Johnny Cash TV show, which I enjoy watching once in a while
Last night I watched a really old Johnny Carson show, he still had dark hair, and he was interviewing Bob Hope and Don Rickles He comes on 10PM every night here

[CallieOK]

Mostly watching severe weather watches and warnings in Oklahoma.
It's been going on for about 2 weeks and predictions are it will continue into June.

I've been recording the 8 episode series on Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon.  Plan on binge watching,,,,eventually, as well as catching up in Netflix programs.

Until then, I'll stick to reading and checking to see if I need to head for the hidey-hole,  So far, I have not. 

[Tomereader1]

Lindancer, the name of the Richard Gere movie, is "Shall We Dance", which is a remake of the original Japanese version, which, IMO, is better.  I saw it first, It was made in 1996 and then in 2004 they made the Richard Gere version.  Now the Japanese version, naturally is in Japanese; I think it was closecaptioned, but even so, what you're seeing is great, even if you don't understand the language.

[Tomereader1]

Callie, so glad you haven't been hit with that horrendous weather.  It seems to be awful everywhere.  Here in D it's just hot and muggy!

[Lindancer]

Thanks Tomereader, I knew it had Dance in the title.  I found it just a relaxing movie

did anyone watch the Memorial on tghe lawn of the Capital last night? It brought tears to my eyes My son  was a Vietnam Vet. Plus gulf war.  My DIL that is with me now was in for AF for 25 years


Marilyne, every few years I watch Flower Drum Song it is good for me on a night when I a feeling low

[Lindancer]

Callie, I wish I could get a recording of those Bob F. shows. I guess I do not have the right net

[Marilyne]

So sorry to hear the sad news about the passing of,  Gloria de/lindancer.  She has been a regular contributor to this folder, from the very beginning of S&F, and has left many messages here over the years. In fact, I see that the last two messages here are from her!

She and I were the only two big fans of, Turner Classic Movies, and often mentioned our favorites, and what we had both recently seen.  We both loved the old musicals, and watched them time and again, whenever they cycled through TCM. 

She was a good friend to many of us, and we will all miss her messages here, as well as in many other folders in S&F.

A special folder has been opened in her memory:
https://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?topic=727.msg156471#msg156471

[SCFSue]

Thank you for the update on Gloria D.  She was a long time poster and amazingly held her own in her latest years.  She will be missed.

SCFSue

[CallieOK]

It's been a while since I've had anything to share in this folder - other than the national college girls' softball tournament which is played in OKC.  Both OU and OKState were in the tournament this year; UCLA beat OU for the national championship. (Had to chuckle at the reactions of people at nearby tables when the Sunday Out To Lunch Bunch (a/k/a " four little old ladies dressed for church") were having a heated discussion on the games.)

However, while watching (finally) "The Notebook" on Lifetime last night,  I saw ads for some movies coming this summer that I think are going to keep me busy.

Lifetime channel is beginning a series of  "Books to Film" that will be movies made from popular authors' novels. All of the ones in the ad seemed to be based on "beach books" and should be good light summer viewing (IMO)
 Tonight will be "Very Valentine" by Adriana Trigiani.  It's part of a series of novels about a young Italian woman who takes over her grandmother's custom shoe-making business in New York. I enjoyed the books and hope I'll enjoy the movies; looked as if part of the filming is actually in Italy.

Also saw an ad that another season of "Big Little Lies" will start soon on HBO.

I love being out until "dark thirty" on long summer evenings so, assuming this constant rain stops!)  my recorder may be busy - since most of them start before I'm ready to come inside and watch tv.

[Marilyne]

Callie - That series you mentioned on Lifetime, sounds like it would be good.  Have you watched any, and if so, what would you recommend?  Even if it has already played, I can probably get it On Demand.
Did you watch the first season of Big Little Lies?  I've been wanting to see it, because I really liked the book a lot! 

Since Hockey Season finished, we've been trying to catch up on all the movies that we recorded over the past few months.  Some are old, and some are new.  We've been on a "Film Noir" kick lately, and have been watching a lot of those old black and white Noirs from the late 40's and early 50's, like Pick-Up On South Street, Laura, and Out of the Past.  They are so good, and all the famous old actors are in them . . . Robert Mitchum, Richard Widmark, Dana Andrews, and dozens of others.  They all cycle through TCM, for any of you who have that channel?  Closed captions on all of the TCM movies, plus commercial free!  I belong to a couple of Facebook Groups, that are devoted to Film Noir, and have learned a lot about the directors, the stars, the stories, the unique photography, etc.

[CallieOK]

Marilyne, I've only seen one Books To Screen movie.  It was so cheesy that I don't plan to watch another one.
Yes, I watched season one of Big Little Lies and have managed to catch up on the season two episodes.
 I also read the book but it was so long ago that I don't remember how it ended.

Not watching much TV so far this summer.
The Good Witch has new episodes on Hallmark and I'm trying to watch or record those.

Otherwise....I'm either reading or watching weather news.  We can't seem to get out of severe storm season this year.

[FlaJean]

Marilyne, I've seen "Laura" at least three times over the years and love that movie.  I rarely look at recent movies unless they are based on a true event like "Bridge of Spies" or "Sully".

[Marilyne]

Any television recommendations from anyone?  We've been mostly watching short half hour shows.  Neither one of us has felt like getting involved in a movie, or even a one hour program.  Last night we did watch the Democrat Debate, where we got our first look at ten of the twenty candidates.  Tonight we plan to watch second group.