About a month or so ago, Just Muttering was talking about her friend’s annual “film festival” birthday celebration (Two Thumbs Up ). I had seen only two of this year’s five screenings (Being Julia and Mrs Hendersen Presents) and liked both very much. Not long ago, I saw another movie that fits in well with this list: Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont. I hadn’t heard of it, just found a local listing online, but went on the strength of it’s leading lady, Joan Plowright, and a description I don’t remember verbatim but the gist of which was that this was one of those movies the type of which seldom gets made anymore.
And all of this reminded me of an article about movie makers realizing that there is a viable “older” audience who craves mature entertainment. I believe this to be true of music as well, but when most of America’s radio stations are owned by a single conglomerate, one that owns and controls the major concert venues, I rather feel that we are tilting at windmills.
I haven’t blogged about movies since late last September when I mentioned Calendar Girls with Helen Mirren and Ladies In Lavender (two sisters befriend a mysterious foreigner who washes up on the beach of their 1930’s Cornish seaside village) starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. I tend to prefer English films and English actors. I have no use for movie stars/pretty people Julia Roberts et al, but America’s got some real actors too — Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, and I’ll even include pretty boy Leonardo DiCaprio who I must concede did a masterful acting job in Aviator.
So what’s playing for us old folks now? Nada much. I like Meryl Streep so I’ll probably go to see The Devil Wears Prada. John likes Meryl Streep too, but I’m betting he would probably prefer to see Miami Vice. John also likes Johnny Depp and was curious about the hype around Pirates of the Caribbean, so he stolled into the movie theater one day a week or so ago to see for himself. (No, he did not sit through the whole two and a half hours.) I suppose we could see An Inconvenient Truth, but I’m already a believer and I’d rather be entertained than depressed.
Any recommendations?