h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's in the U.S. now.

Pride.

This one was an absolute cracker. Sad and very funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZfFvsKDuUU

PP.

I just got back from seeing "The Drop," a depressing crime tale set in a bar in Brooklyn. I felt sorry for the poor dog that was found stuffed in a garbage can. It's the kind of thing that shouldn't happen to a dog! Not only that, but the dog was the most sympathetic character ion the film.

I managed to get my husband to the cinema to see a film that wasn't all about action and explosions. This one is probably only ever going to be released in Germany, though. It's called "Rheingold" and is a sort of documentary about the Rhine, its history and its geography. It was really nice not to have a lot of unnecessary commentary as is so often the case on the equivalent sort of thing on TV.

It made for a nice afternoon out, particularly as my husband recently cycled the whole length of the Rhine. This was a chance to see it from the birdseye perspective, with some amazing shots of the landscape from the Alps to Rotterdam.

I only once saw the Rhine, at Schauffhausen in Switzerland. There's a great set of falls there, as the Rhine works its way toward the German border. The Rhine tends to flood in the Spring, so you hear about flooding every so often. That melting snow has to go somewhere.

I remember going to Munich [Munchen?] and the Bavarian Alps, but I'm not sure if the Rhine goes anywhere near those areas.

No - it goes from the Alps westwards and flows through Lake Constance, then up the German-French border, through Cologne and over to Holland. Bavaria is East and North of its course. Although the Easternmost tip of Lake Constance does border on Southern Bavaria.

Just watched Survivor, and I can't say as I'd recommend it.

There's nothing *wrong* with it, but it's obviously done on a budget. A limited budget. It's got Kevin Sorba in if that tells you anything.

It's pretty well acted for the most part, although a couple of characters are badly done. And the story line could have been expanded more.

So yeah, it was alright, but I wouldn't rush out to buy it.

Lucy. We both enjoyed it (and Morgan Freeman never disappoints). My non-sci-fi friend lost the plot but my partner and I both understood it (I wouldn't call him a sci-fi fan either). I especially enjoyed the ending which I thought would end another way but it wasn't disappointing. Recommended.

GB

I agree. "Lucy" is great!

Last night I saw "Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby" under less than ideal circumstances. Half an hour into the film, the electricity for the whole block went out. The ushers had to give us vouchers for some other time when there's power.

Now there's an idea. Perhaps cinemas could fit the seats with pedals so that the audience can power the projectors themselves.

I'd like to see that, though something tells me it might come to that some day anyway...

I watched War Horse on DVD last night. Not as horrific as I'd expected it to be. Totally corny, and yet it has everything a film should have.

A proper film.

I'm hoping War Horse is an action movie featuring a heavily armed horse on a quest for revenge against a glue factory.

No, it's a Geordie film about my horse.

Just finished re-watching all the Lord of the Rings films.

Sam's the hero and Frodo's a snivelling little wretch. Not sure if that's how they wanted it to come across, but that's how it did.

I'm hoping a cinema round here is going to have showings of The Hobbit and Return of The Hobbit before The Hobbit Strikes Back is released in December.

PP.

Movies I've seen recently:

"Trip to Italy"

Steve Coogan and Rob somebody or other -- playing themselves -- take a tour of Italy, enjoy eating in fashionable restaurants, do goofy impressions of De Niro, Pacino, et al, and rejoice in parts that they've just gotten for forthcoming movies. Coogan claims to be unknown in America, his success in "Tropical Thunder" notstanding.


"Book of Life"

A children's animated feature that starts with a group of schoolchildren arriving for a tour of a museum. Not their favorite activity until a comely female tour guide gets them through a secret back entrance and introduce them to an enormous book -- the eponymous book of life. The story segues into a Mexican story about two boys who are sweet on a girl named Maria. The gods of the remembered dead and forgotten dead place wagers as to which boy will get the girl going forward.

"My Old Lady"

A 57-year-old American heir [played by Kevin Kline] arrives at a Paris apartment he has just inherited from his father, only to find it occupied by an elderly lady [Maggie Smith] who has the right to live there and receive 2,400 Euros a month from him until she dies. The lady's daughter, who treats the man savagely, lives with her.

"The Judge"

A tale of two Roberts: Duval plays a cranky elderly judge whose car gets a dented fender [complete with dried blood] after he drives it to a convenience store and argues with a man who soon thereafter is discovered dead after a hit-and-run. Downey, Jr. plays the hot-shot lawyer who comes out to Indiana for his mother's funeral, only to find that his father needs him for a murder defense. Excellent acting by two men who easily convince you of their antagonism toward one another.

"Gone Girl"

Ben Afleck thinks he has the perfect wife -- until she disappears, leaving behind a journal that sets him up for suspicion of having murdered her. And as if that wasn't bad enough, her return, which seems to exonerate him, scares him half to death, for he now knows that she is capable of murdering *him* if he doesn't do everything she tells him to do.

"Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, no good, very bad day"

As a movie, it's a lot of fun, but it has hardly anything to do with the iconic book of the same title. But the sentiment's about the same, and the actors have a lot of fun running with their characters.

Fellowship of the Ring extended edition. Just had to trawl through this thread and then through my tweets to check when we last watched it (31 Jan 2014 it turns out) *because* I don't previously remember noticing that one of my favourite shots has been trimmed (from the cinematic release version) and another cut altogether. I will check again in the morning but I was a Bit Miffed.

As always, we found a whole new angle. This time, we decided that after Boromir and Aragorn have their argument on the river bank, they aren't talking to each other. So all conversation then becomes via Legolas: 'Legolas, please would you tell Boromir that his oar is splashing my hair' etc.

I do love these films. Two Towers tomorrow.

Mol

This week I saw "Saint Vincent" and "The best of me."

"Saint Vincent" seemed like an uncharacteristic role for Bill Murray, but as the movie progressed I began to see that it was a good role for him after all. Melissa McCarthy, in a noncomic role, impressed me for her acting cg\hops. The kid who played Oliver stole every scene he was in. he has a bright future!

"The bets of me" was marred by the poor matching of young and old actors. I couldn't believe that they were playing the same people at a divide of 21 years.

Ghostbusters - last night at the cinema with my #1 daughter, her son my #1 grandson and his g/f. The seats were 9/10 filled, and a great time was had by all, we were all quoting lines and laughing and jigging to the Ghostbusters tune. When the film ended no-one moved until the entire song had been played over the credits and I spotted some children in fancy dress, even some adults were in Ghostbusters t-shirts.

I hope there'll be more "special showings" at my local cinema.

"I ain't afraid of no ghosts!"

GB