Tuesday
May132014
Open Thread. Sick Day
Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 9:22PM 
I regret to inform that though I have about four or five articles halfway finished I came down with some nasty summer cold or some such and am having a helluva time finishing anything, drifting in and out of coherency and am going back to bed. Don't catch the summer cold. Despite what you might have heard, it is no fun.
While we await new posts, including tonight's "Best Shot" party for Blow-Up, discuss amongst yourselves.
What's on your cinematic mind? And did you spend your last sick day watching movies?
Reader Comments (23)
One time, I was so sick I stayed in bed and put Bring It On on repeat. I watched it 8 times in one day. I put the 'whore' in horrifying that day. Ugh, that line doesn't work as well typed out. :-/
The last time I was sick, I watched two different versions of Treasure Island (1934 and 1950) in a row.
Right now Kentucky from 1938 is on my cinematic mind. It's been several days since I've seen it and it isn't exactly memorable either, but I can't forget it because with watching this film, I now have managed to see every single Oscar-winning performance in all the four acting categories. (Unless you count The Way Of All Flesh, but I don't since the film is lost and Emil Jannings is already towering enough for five movies in The Last Command.) Does that make me an Oscarsexual? In any case, I'm very proud of myself, especially since it took me only about 20 years to accomplish this feat.
They're doing the next Fantastic Four as a "dark and gritty" take and...what? (sigh) Fox is going to lose this franchise and current reports indicate they almost know this. (sigh) They could have cut their losses and earned another quarter billion or so by admitting it won't succeed and selling to Marvel for double their total profits. But no, we're going to get ANOTHER disastrous Fantastic Four movie and Marvel will buy them back for peanuts when it BOMBS. Which it will.
Saw this quick clip of Grace of Monaco.
I'm glad Nicole looks wonderful but since i'm not that familiar with Grace Kelly, i don't really know how good the accent is.
http://www.vogue.com.au/culture/features/exclusive%20clip%20nicole%20kidman%20in%20grace%20of%20monaco,30763#.U3GPkjGYSMY.tumblr
There's a crapload of other clips released today too but those are in Italian. So far, the movie looks quite pretty (for the lack of a better word.)
Just watched Lina Wertmüller's Swept Away. Lol what a movie. Like if the Goldie Hawn movie Overboard was made by a Communist anarchist visual genius with a penchant for domestic abuse. That movie would NEVER get made today, but I LOVED it.
TB: That makes sense, because Overboard was "loosely inspired" by Swept Away.
I have Carol, Only Lovers Left Alive and Foxcatcher on my mind. Need to see, need to see...
I only watch TV shows and read magazines when I'm sick. Movies are too much for me in a weakened state.
I spent the last couple of days watching and re-watching Peter Dinklage's Emmy FYC monologue. My God it was beautiful. The way the camera circled him, the way he moved within the witness box, his glare, his seeting. It was amazing. I think I'll watch it again tonight!
what's on my mind? i am waiting for your 2014 best actress list and supporting actor. and i am thinking diane keaton's new movie looks exactly like every movie she has made since "something's gotta give." however the lost dog movie with kevin kline was the worst of the worst.
Volvagia -- I'm curious why you always come to this site to rant on and on about superhero stuff, since no one else around here seems to care about it nearly as much as you do. Surely there are some other sites out there that are better suited for that.
Dragon Seed is on my mind since it's next up on a Year with Kate and I'm trying to think of something positive to say about it. So far I've got nothing.
When I'm sick I watch something colorful and escapist like There's No Business Like Show Business or Show Boat. If my eyes can't handle the Technicolor I watch something in black & white usually along the lines of Dark Victory, A Letter to Three Wives or Humoresque.
Sorry your sick Nathaniel, hope you feel better soon.
joel6 - Yeah. Just... yeah. Dragon Seed is... Well, we'll talk about it tomorrow.
I don't usually watch movies when I'm sick. Instead I stick with cartoons, Discovery channel reruns, or rewatching old favorite TV episodes. I don't like to think too hard; I just want to be distracted from the pain.
I'm sorry you're sick, Nathaniel. Get well soon!
Once I was in bed with a very high fever and I tried to watch In the Cut. It wasn't a good idea.
I'm really perplexed as to why they decided to show the entire Godzilla monster in the most recent TV advertisements for the film. Wouldn't they want to foster the mystery that fuels the public desire to see the movie?
I'm also wondering what happened with the "Gypsy" redux. Not that it's necessary, but every few years there's talk that never materializes into an actual film. It's probably for the best anyway. If neither Catherine Zeta-Jones nor Toni Collette portrays Madame Rose, then I'm not interested, and if Lea Michele is still in the running as Louise, then I'm truly already over it.
And how did I not know that Disney is producing "Into the Woods"? Ugh. I swear, if they gloss over the darker themes of the story, they will seriously piss me off. I have almost no hope that it's going to be any good.
When I'm sick I only want to watch movies that take place somewhere warm, have beautiful talented actors in them, preferably wearing pretty clothes, a happy ending, and good looking cinematography.
Last time I was sick I watched I Am Love with Tilda Swinton (beautiful - of course), All You Need is Love (Suzanne Bier with Pierce Brosnan), and rewatched A Good Year, the perfect sick movie. Then I looked up all the film locations of A Good Year and pretended I was there in the sunny south of France.
I never understand why A Good Year doesn't have a better reputation. It has a perfect cast, delectable Marion Cotillard, relatable Abby Cornish, funny and astringent Archie Panjabi, the great Albert Finney playing opposite Freddy Highmore. And one of my favorites Russell Crowe, playing a self-admitted asshole who becomes a better man. It's sunny and sun-kissed and gorgeous. It's brisk and lively. This is the way romantic comedies should be.
Last time I was sick I watched Singin' in the Rain and Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol. One of them made me feel better...
On my cinematic mind? Inherent Vice and Carol. I'm reading Vice now (really enjoying it!) and am very excited to start The Price of Salt immediately after.
Last time I was sick I watched Bridesmaids because, if anything in this world ever was imbued with magical healing powers, that would be Melissa McCarthy and lab puppies, thank you very much!
@ Troy - Lea Michelle ia definitely a no go for Louise, but the idea o CZJ killing it as Mama Rose is a delight! That and a new film version of Little Night Music (I love Liz, but boy was she wrong for that part). People scoff at CZJ because she was sick and had a bad performance at the Tony Awards, but if you listen to other recordings of her version of Send in the Clowns, it is heaven!
Hope you're getting better, Nathaniel.
My cinematic mind has rceently been going to Oscars (as it often does) and the acting awards.... how much of them are "Best Acting", and how much are "Best Opportunity-Taking with a Great Role"? A few examples: Cate Blanchett's Oscar this year was surely a mix of her great talent and Woody's great character creation. And last year, my pick of the five was Naomi Watts (as much as I love SILVER LININGS) - she took an ordinary movie (that would've been very bad without her) and elevated it to "OK" level purely because of what she did with the character. But because DavidOR wrote a great character for JLaw, and she inhabited it quite well, she gets to win.
I need to write an article about this.......
Hope you feel better now, Nat!
On my cinematic mind is an astrological thing: after 86 ceremonies not a single actress with the sign "Aquarius" has EVER won in Lead! (a few won in Supporting)
Isn't that funny? I say it's interesting at least.
Oh and I'd have never thought Grace of Monaco could be more panned by critics than Diana....
I feel sorry for Nicole.
So sorry your sick! Hope you feel better soon!
My last sick day I watched anime all day, but I remember fondly (or as fondly as one can remember a sick day) when I was about 10 years old and both me and my mother were ill and we stayed in bed and watched the Spencer Tracy movie Stanley and Livingstone. I MUST have had more movie-oriented sick days, but that is the one that is my most vivid memory!
No mentioning of Malik Bendjelloul's suicide? Tragic loss for such a young and talented man. RIP.
I'm excited that ABC picked up Viola Davis's TV show 'How to Get Away With Murder.' She looks fantastic in the trailer, and it seems like the role gives her the opportunity to be what she isn't allowed to be in films--sexy, powerful, and the sole lead.
Get well soon, Nathan! Think of all the Nicoleness that will soon grace our screens! That'll perk you up!
When I'm sick, I pretty much can't watch movies, rather I listen to them. I suggest a good musical (where the singing is more important than the dancing), or a great scripted movie like All About Eve where the images only enhance the words.
Yeah, and I agree about A Good Year. It's very well done fluff. The problem I think lies in the expectations. When you have Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe, I guess people expect DRAMA! I for one was very glad to get comedy, with a small c.