Hello there and welcome to Thursday Movie Picks a weekly series where you share three movie picks each Thursday. The rules are simple simple: based on the theme of the week pick three to five movies and tell us why you picked them. For further details and the schedule visit the series main page here.
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This week's Thursday Movie Picks is Movies Featuring an Actor/Actress that Passed Away in 2016
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This week's theme is a suggestion by Birgit (BB Creations). I'm picking Anton Yelchin because I think I've watch his films the most (Alan Rickman is probably around the same number as well but like 7 of those are Harry Potter films) and I'm picking his earlier films.
A high-schooler becomes a "psychiatrist" to his fellow classmates when he begins dispensing advice and prescription drugs to them. I really wanted to like this movie, the trailer looked like it could be good but I just found it just ok. It's sort of feels like a mash of Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Harold and Maude that doesn't quite reach the same level of humor and greatness.
Fierce People (2005)
A massage therapist and her son moves into the guest house of her client, an old billionaire. It's been so so long since I've seen this that I've forgotten so much of the plot and I can't believe it has such a terrible Rotten Tomatoes ratings because I remember liking it and thought the young cast, Anton Yelchin and Kristen Stewart, were pretty impressive in it. And oh...Captain America, Chris Evans is in this as well.
Hearts in Atlantis (2001)
The oldest film of the lot, but the one I saw most recently. I like it, I thought it was good coming of age story with a touch of supernatural element. Based on a Stephen King book it's about a young boy that befriends an old man with special abilities. Fierce People (2005)
A massage therapist and her son moves into the guest house of her client, an old billionaire. It's been so so long since I've seen this that I've forgotten so much of the plot and I can't believe it has such a terrible Rotten Tomatoes ratings because I remember liking it and thought the young cast, Anton Yelchin and Kristen Stewart, were pretty impressive in it. And oh...Captain America, Chris Evans is in this as well.
Hearts in Atlantis (2001)
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I also chose Anton Yelchin for one of my picks. I haven't seen Hearts in Atlantis. I think if I had to pick 3 favorite Anton performances, they'd be Like Crazy, Alpha Dog, and 5-7/Green Room tied.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen Alpha Dog and Green Room. Can't say I like 5-7 much, it was just fine. I think I like Like Crazy when I saw it.
DeleteInteresting you went with a single performer. Yelchin is perhaps the actor who I am the least familiar with that passed away last year outside of the Star Trek films where he was spot on as Chekov. However I have seen Fierce People though it was a while ago, I thought it was okay with a very good cast.
ReplyDeleteThe other two I've heard of but haven't gotten around to yet.
Despite the sad subject it's been interesting looking at the other entries since several have picked the same performer, Alan Rickman is popular, I chose him too, but not once has anyone yet selected the same film for the shared performer.
This Happy Feeling (1958)-Debbie Reynolds-When her boss makes a pass at a party in the Connecticut countryside New Yorker Janet Blake (Debbie) dashes into the rain just as Bill Tremaine (John Saxon) is passing and offers a ride to the subway. When she misconstrues a comment Bill makes as a come-on she jumps out and makes her way to the nearest house which belongs to retired star Preston “Mitch” Mitchell (Curt Jurgens) which he shares with his live-in housekeeper, the tippling Mrs. Early (a hysterical scene stealing Estelle Winwood). Stuck and soaked to the skin she stays the night in his guest room but when Mitch’s lady friend, the droll Nita Hollaway (a standout Alexis Smith) stops by in the morning she assumes the worst. Mitch sets her straight and hires Janet as his secretary beginning a charming romantic comedy with Debbie falling for Curt while John falls for her and she being pulled one way and another while Alexis makes caustic remarks from the sidelines. Little known Blake Edwards comedy is a hidden gem and a first-rate showcase for Debbie’s special magic.
Sense and Sensibility (1995)-Alan Rickman- When the Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne (Emma Thompson & Kate Winslet) and their mother are forced to move out of their home by their brother’s rotten wife they move to a cottage on their cousin’s estate in the English countryside. There Marianne becomes enamored of the dashing Willoughby (Greg Wise) while the more sedate Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman) pines for her. Meanwhile Elinor yearns for the unavailable Edwards Ferrars (Hugh Grant). There’s so much more in this top flight Jane Austen adaptation directed by Ang Lee but this is a great example of Alan Rickman’s versatility. Best known as the suave but ruthlessly evil Hans Gruber in Die Hard he is the complete opposite here and makes both characters fully formed people.
Me, Natalie (1969)-Patty Duke-Natalie Miller (Patty) is an average looking Brooklyn teen who has a developed a complex from her mother always telling her she’ll be beautiful someday so don’t worry about being plain now. Her traditional father’s no help, he’s bribed a nerdy family friend (Bob Balaban) to marry her so she can be the housewife he thinks is all she should or can be. Encouraged by her jovial Uncle Harold (Martin Balsam) she breaks free. Renting an apartment from the dotty Miss Dennison (Elsa Lanchester) in Greenwich Village she embarks on a sometimes rocky journey of discovery where she finds that being comfortable with herself is more important than how she looks. Somewhat heavy with late 60’s trappings but aside from The Miracle Worker this is Patty Duke’s best big screen performance. Al Pacino makes his screen debut in a short scene at a dance.
Silver Streak (1976)-Gene Wilder-While traveling to his sister’s wedding on the Silver Streak train easy-going George Caldwell (Gene) falls smack dab into murder and intrigue when he becomes smitten with Hilly Burns (Jill Clayburgh) the secretary of seemingly innocuous Professor Schreiner. When he thinks he sees a dead body thrown from the train it’s the start of a wild ride both on and off the train during which he partners up with escapee Grover Muldoon (Richard Pryor) who gets him in and out of one crazy situation after another. Mix of comedy, slapstick, thriller and adventure was the first and best pairing of Wilder and Pryor.
I love Sense and Sensibility, it's a very well made movie and Rickman's great as Brandon. Him as a villain, the one I remember better is perhaps the sheriff in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
DeleteOh Anton.. I could have not gone with just one actor for all three picks because I would have been too sad. Remembering all Anton's performances for instance is causing me physical pain, and it's one of those losses I can't accept. Who knows when I'll see Green Room because I can't think of watching him on screen that long. Star Wars was easier, because I thought he won't be as present on screen, and though he had a much bigger role this time around, it was not the lead.. oh boy. I miss him.
ReplyDeleteIt is tragic, his is the one that rattled me too I think it's because of his youth and it's the kind of accident (last I heard it was an accident) you think could never happen and is unbelievable when it does.
DeleteHis death was so, so sad and horrible especially that he just got the letter about the vehicle recall. I like that you chose one person and 3 of his films. I have only seen him as Chekhov but would like to see these others especially the last one which sounds neat to see.
ReplyDeleteOh I thought the company had been in the process of recalling but he hadn't gotten the letter yet (I'm not up to date on this). If he really had received the letter that is so much more tragic. If you like something like Stand By Me, I think you'd like Hearts in Atlantis, it has the nostalgia thing as well.
DeleteI also picked Anton for one of my films, but I went with Star Trek because that's pretty much all I've seen of him. Other than Like Crazy, which I completely forgot about.
ReplyDeleteHe's fine in Star Trek, but I usually find his Russian accent distracting knowing that he doesn't have any Russian accent.
DeleteI think like most people I interpreted this to mean picking three different people and one film each, and you can see my choices (plus an honorable mention for Debbie Reynolds since I figured a lot of people would pick her) here.
ReplyDeleteThis theme is Birgit's suggestion, I guess I was never quite sure what she intended either, but it was easier for me to go with just one actor.
DeleteAw Anton. Such a good actor- could have been great. Screw you 2016!
ReplyDeleteGreat picks! Haven't seen Fierce hearts but looks good.
For some reason I picked a whole other theme for some reason....my bad. I will correct this and catch up.
Oh yeah, I think I know why. When I published the updated themes with the picked suggestions I had rearrange the schedule to fit this week's theme in January since it's related to 2016. So refer to the updated schedule...some of the themes were not on the dates they were before.
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