Hello there and welcome to Thursday Movie Picks a weekly series where you share three movie picks each Thursday. The rules are simple simple: Each week there is a topic for you to create a list of three movies. Your picks can either be favourites/best, worst, hidden gems, or if you're up to it one of each.For further details visit the series main page here.
---
This week's Thursday Movie Picks
is All in the Family Edition - Father-Son Relationships (Biologically Related)
---
About Time (2013)
The big misconception about this movie is that it is just a romance/romantic comedy and people probably gave it a miss because of that. Yes there are elements of romance and comedy in it, but it is as the title says it is. It is about time, about valuing it and family. One of the relationships that was focused on is the relationship between Tim and his father. They have a great relationship and it's just one of those that is just so rarely seen on screen. One of the saddest scene in the movie was when Tim and his wife decides to have a third child and we understand what it means for his father so I was pretty much sobbing when Tim and his father went to the beach near the end of the movie.
Billy's father may not approve of Billy's fondness for dancing, but when he realises how good and dedicated Billy is to dance he comes around to supporting him. The goodbye scene is one of the most heartwarming scenes of very masculine characters expressing their love for each other.
This movie is just perfect for today's theme since it has three father-son relation though one is not biologically related so I won't go into that one. The first is the relationship between the mob boss and his foolish reckless son. The other is between the mob's hitman who has been shielding his sons from his life of crime until one of them spies on a hit which leads to disastrous consequences and I'll just leave it at that.
---
So that's it...my three picks. What three movies made your list today?
---
Check out some of my random Thursday Movie Picks
Thursday Movie Picks #28: Movies with Colour in the Title
Thursday Movie Picks #17: Movies Featuring Amnesiacs
Thursday Movie Picks #25: Bank Robberies
Thursday Movie Picks #13: Zombie Movies
Thursday Movie Picks #22: Movies that Feature a Family Secret
Thursday Movie Picks #28: Movies with Colour in the Title
Thursday Movie Picks #17: Movies Featuring Amnesiacs
Thursday Movie Picks #25: Bank Robberies
Thursday Movie Picks #13: Zombie Movies
Thursday Movie Picks #22: Movies that Feature a Family Secret
---
If
you are participating be sure to add your blog post to the linky widget
below (Enter your Blog Post URL, your Blog Name and your email {which
will remain hidden}). Please also visit the other participating blogs,
spread the word about this meme, and also link back to my blog on your
own Thursday Movie Picks post :)
---
Participating Blogs/Bloggers
your post reminds me that About Time isn't only about romance and time-traveling, it's also about father-son. I overlook that aspect!
ReplyDeleteOMG, how!?!?! The father aspect (father/son and father/daughter) is such a strong presence!
DeleteThese are such great selections! All three movies are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen Road to Perdition of these. I love that movie so much I was "this close" to picking it, myself, but it doesn't fit my own selfish agenda, so there. I go back and forth about whether I want to see About Time or not. I somehow missed it when it was new(ish) and just never bothered. Maybe, one day. Though I'm familiar with the title, I didn't know anything about Billy Elliot so thanks for putting it on my radar.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...what can your agenda be?
DeleteDefinitely see About Time. It has Time travel too, how can you resist that?
Billy Elliot is great, I do hope you see it.
I never did see About Time for one of the reasons you mentioned, it looked like a cheesy romantic movie. I've had it in my Netflix queue for awhile though, so I'll get to it eventually. Excellent choice with Billy Elliot! I haven't seen Road to Perdition though.
ReplyDeleteI blame the poster for About Time - anyway I hope you do see it eventually.
DeleteRoad to Perdition is soo good. It's about family, loyalty and I guess even morality in a profession in where there is none.
The only one of these I've seen is Road to Perdition, which was a pretty intense film from what I recall. This was actually a more challenging one and took some time to find all my choices, which should be going up later tonight. Two of them weren't so hard, but finding the third one was really tricky and I had to do some bizarre out of the box thinking to find it (it's a movie that deals with the stress of being a father in an EXTREMELY roundabout way). You'll see what I mean.
ReplyDeleteRoad to Perdition - Yes very intense.
DeleteStress of being a father in an Extremely roundabout way? Hmm I'm coming up within nothing.
I also picked one of these! And probably would have picked About Time if I had seen it lol. I've only heard good things about it and I love the main cast. Interestingly enough, one of my other picks also deals with time travel!
ReplyDeleteYou have one of the Back to the Future movies...right.
DeleteBilly Elliott! I love that movie so much, and the father's evolving acceptance of his son's passion was handled so beautifully. It broke my heart when he crossed the picket line to pay Billy's tuition.
ReplyDeleteI know right! Such a great movie.
DeleteGreat picks! The only one I haven't seen is About Time. I almost put down Road to Perdition as one of my picks, I LOVE the father/son relationship that's crucial in the story. Mine will go up a bit late tomorrow but I definitely will be participating! :D
ReplyDeleteI expect Road to Perdition to be a popular pick this week because it is a movie about fathers and sons.
DeleteNo problem...the link widget is open for a week.
Road to Perdition is a great pick, the father/son relationship is so key to the story. I haven't watched Billy Elliott in a while, I always think of his relationship with the Julie Walters character but his struggles with his father are also a big part of the film. About Time is in my Netflix queue but I haven't caught up with it yet, I'm more intrigued by it now. I thought it was going to be just a romance with a time travel twist.
ReplyDeleteThis week's topic was so rich I ended up with an extra I had to include. Mine this week are:
East of Eden (1955)-Extraordinarily good version of the second half of the Steinbeck classic novel which is a reworking of the Cain and Abel biblical story. James Dean plays oldest son Caleb in this film of sibling rivalry for a father's love turned toxic by the father's obtuseness. Dean is riveting (in his best performance) as the conflicted Cal, hungry for love yet pushing everyone away. Raymond Massey is strong as the misguided and righteous father. Richard Davalos is fine as younger brother Aron but he doesn't stand a chance against Dean's force of personality. The real standout in support is Oscar winner Jo Van Fleet as the cruel Kate. Tautly directed by Elia Kazan. If you have the chance catch the Jane Seymour miniseries of the entire book, it has its faults but her performance in it is sublime.
A Hole in the Head (1959)-Frank Sinatra stars as the widowed dad of a young son, a feckless dreamer running a hotel with many colorful inhabitants in Miami Beach. While Frank chases one pipe dream after another his young son keeps everything on a even keel but their bond never wavers. As one character says Frank is a little boy in a 41 year old body while his son Ally is already a grown up at 11. Cute comedy directed by Frank Capra with a great cast, Edward G. Robinson plays Sinatra's brother (okay that one's a stretch), Thelma Ritter Edward G.'s wife, Carolyn Jones a mad free spirit and Eleanor Parker the lonely widow he meets. Sinatra sings one of his most famous songs, the Oscar winning High Hopes, which was written specifically for this film.
The Courtship of Eddie's Father-Gentle story of the sometime rocky love between a boy and his recently widowed father. Some of the standards are different since the film is over 50 years old but the simple story of a son and a father learning to accept each other is timeless. Shirley Jones is lovely as the sensible neighbor Eddie thinks is the perfect match for his dad and Stella Stevens wonderful in her small role, a vastly underrated actress. This was adapted in the late sixties into a very good TV series with Bill Bixby in the lead and Oscar winner Miyoshi Umeki as housekeeper Mrs. Livingston.
Honorable Mention-I Never Sang for My Father-Scenes of warm camaraderie intermingle with those of lacerating hatred in this story of a son's struggle for his hard and unyielding father's approval. Harsh, realistic view of a fractured relationship is highlighted by powerful performances by Gene Hackman and Melvyn Douglas, both Oscar nominated. A sad film but one worth watching.
The only I know about but have not seen is East of Eden.
DeleteThought I'd pop back in and say that because of your recommendation I made it a point to catch up with About Time. It was a much richer view than I had expected, you were so right about the father-son relationship being a major highlight of the film. Thanks for the tip.
DeleteHey so glad you decided to check it out. The father-son relationship is a major highlight but one that the seem to be left out in its marketing.
DeleteI think this is the third time I've seen Billy Elliot mentioned, I guess it's about time (haha) I get round to seeing it. Haven't seen the others either...there is so much I have yet to see.
ReplyDeleteBilly Elliot is such a great choice! That ending is so so great!!!
ReplyDeleteThat beach scene in About Time was fantastic, really loved the connection between father and son.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen Road to Perdition, and it almost made my list as well. Beautiful movie. Great pick!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant choices. Completely forgot about Road to Perdition.
ReplyDelete