Nicki

The blue collar middle class woman who fell in love with movies and just wants to talk about them.

[nicki-lewis903]

Watched the Bob Ross documentary on Netflix this morning. Talk about heartbreaking. Never buying anything with Bob Ross’ face again.

*No Bob wasn’t evil, just those who own the licensing are using his name in a way he never approved and even copied other known artists to sell products. Bob’s legacy should be his lessons and not the product you can buy.

[nicki-lewis903]

The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996) Staring: Barbra Streisand, Jeff Bridges, Lauren Bacall, Pierce Brosnan, Mimi Rogers.

Summary: A Shy middle aged professor enters into a relationship with an unlucky in love colleague.

My personal Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Review: Okay I actually hate myself for not watching this movie sooner. I’ve had it in my collection for a few years but never reached for it. No rhyme or reason just didn’t. I came home last night and not really feeling like sleep just yet figured I’d watch a little Netflix. This came on the recommendation list and I couldn’t pass up Jeff Bridges; can you blame me?

I assumed this movie wouldn’t be anything special but boy was I wrong. This movie is such a rollercoaster of emotions for the audience as you watch these two start a relationship with such uncertainty about what they’re doing and slowly developing feelings. Bridge’s character Gregory doesn’t really think he could develop feelings without being physical with a woman and chooses Barbara Streisand’s character Rose. Now let’s address the elephant in the room. BY NO MEANS IN BARBRA STREISAND UNATTRACTIVE. She is undoubtedly a stunning woman and has always been. But frequently she played characters who were not seen as conventionally attractive. Look at her in Funny Girl where she plays a character that pokes fun at the beauty standards of that time and decides to make herself a star by being different which was to be the funny girl.

In this film she is knocked down by her own family for not trying to look pretty; and when Gregory finds her he finds that as the perfect reason to date her because she won’t try to look sexy or alluring and he can actually be in this relationship without getting hurt. The movie does have a makeover montage (what Rom com from the 80’s or 90’s would be complete without one) but this one felt somewhat similar to My Big Fat Greek Wedding, or Bridget Jones. She wasn’t trying to get her man, or change for him necessarily; she wanted to show him she was beautiful and deserved to be appreciated.

The topic of that transformation happens by way of the need for more in a relationship coming up for both of them; she has these feelings and wants to act on them, he has them and denies them. It’s a push pull that feels so fun at first but then becomes devastating. You want them to be happy but both have to learn to appreciate the person they have.

The best scene in this movie however is with Lauren Bacall; upon reading some behind the scenes I learned Streisand (who directed this movie) invoked the emotion from Bacall after struggling to get the scene right by asking her to think on her days of acting when she was younger. You can see the emotional reaction from Bacall was genuine and she let her guard down while she fidgeted with a toothpick as her character opens up to her daughter. This wasn’t just the mother apologizing to her daughter; this was a woman remembering her life and those who she lost. It was a beautiful scene and you could see it was Bacall in that moment reflecting on her own life. Just beautiful and knowing she won a golden globe because of that scene it’s understandable why.

This movie is not as widely known as Streisand’s other romantic film The Way We Were with the late great Robert Redford; but don’t skip out on this one. It’s a wonderfully underrated film that i feel more lovers of the classic rom com genre but also fans of movies in general should see.

[busterkeatonsociety]

@venlaflaxine Here's an explanation of how it was done.

[thoughtkick]

“The past remains the past. We can learn from it, but we cannot change it.”

— George R.R. Martin

[nicki-lewis903]

What’s more important; to be happy or to be successful?

That’s basically why the film I watched last night asked. (You can’t take it with you)

When young banker prodigy Tony Kirby finds himself head over heels for his secretary his family scorns the idea. He should consider his reputation and what this could do to his family’s name; not be in love with someone in a different class. Yeah the movie was already making me angry at the elite within five minutes.

On the other side of this dynamic is the Vanderhof/Sycamore family; headed by the matriarch Martin played brilliantly by Lionel Barrymore in one of his most charming characters. From the minute he asked a man in an office if he was happy and what he actually enjoyed; I liked him. His main concern is that people are happy in their lives.

As I said before at the center of all this are Alice and Tony; please by Jean Arthur and Jimmy Stewart. They’re adorable in their scenes together and the characters give that carefree energy most modern romance movies wish they could convey. It seemed like if they were not attached at the hip they’d fall over like ragdolls.

The movie itself asked the question of what is standing in the way of your happiness and took stabs at the way society treats people. You must succeed and do as you’re told, make all the money you can and then die. The film also had some similarities to another Frank Capra classic (It’s a Wonderful Life) with how someone who stands up to those in power and the power in friendship.

All and all it was a beautiful film to watch and I’m going to recommend it to my family as they may enjoy it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[nicki-lewis903]

The world is getting dark and worse each passing day. Turning on the news or even just scrolling through social media is causing a huge spike of depression in me. So I’m going back to something I used to passionately discuss and post about. Movies, more specifically older films.

Back when I was in my early 20’s I sort of stumbled across a movie that made a huge impact on my view of what films could and should be. Art that moves you and stays with you long after the lights come up, it haunts your thoughts and makes you want to see it again and invite others to try and see what you’ve seen. This made me want to actually study film history and filmmaking.

Now I’m not certified in any media, I’ve never taken a college course in my life and I am not in the industry at all. I’m just a person who loves movies and wanted to share my love of them even if I didn’t have the credentials some carry. If you want to just get movie recommendations from the most middle class of people then follow along.

Day One of our journey carried me back to this 1938 slapstick comedy; Bringing up Baby. While not an initial critical or commercial success the film gained a following over the years especially when VHS surfaced and many found themselves laughing at this hilarious exchange of unusual circumstances and hijinks.

Cary Grant stars as David Huxley a scientist who is desperate to get his museum the money it needs to continue research and archaeological digs. He needs to gain the trust of the confidant to a local Widow but things go awry when a few chance encounters with a hare brained and flamboyant woman Susan Vance.

Susan finds something in David that he just refuses to see, or perhaps his frustration is clouding his view? She leads him through and series of wild adventures that find him face to face with a Leopard, the law, a psychiatrist out to brand him insane and a dog with a pension for taking things and burying them across a 26 acre property.

All David wants is to bring back the last piece to his brachiosaurus, get the money and marry his fiancé. Shouldn’t be too much to ask right?

The film as I said was not an instant hit with critics or audiences. Som found the film primitive and loud, some were confused at the plot and most unfortunate was the many who branded the film a disaster before it even released due to Hepburn being branded as “Box Office Poison” a mark that stuck with her until The Philadelphia Story released a few years later and most of the public was won over again.

The film inspired quite a few interpretations but two most noteworthy in my opinion are the film “What’s up Doc?” With Ryan O’ Neal and Barbra Streisand which had many of the same themes most notably O’ Neal’s nervous and frantic Geologist which was a take on Grants character from the film. The other being Christopher Reeves using the David Huxley character to help shape his take on Clark Kent in the 1978 Superman film. The funniest thing about one is Grant was doing an interpretation of famous silent film comedian Harold Lloyd who was most know as his Glasses character that always got into the wackiest of situations, Grant felt that was the best person to draw from, so why is that interesting? Well it’s been noted that Lloyd was the original inspiration for Clark Kent; and at the time his films were not readily available as this film was. So I took it as Reeves way to get as close to the original inspiration as possible.

The film has left its mark on more than those two films as it shaped a spin on meet cutes in film; rather than seeing each other across the room the characters find themselves at odds and have to overcome them to find that ground of which they could find love. It’s shaped a lot of slapstick and comedy in general in ways of innuendo and language in film that drips with quotability and ease. Each line comes in swift and with brute force, the comedy is in your face but it’s never to the point where they need to point out the it’s audience why it’s funny. You either get the joke or you don’t.

A lesson many comedy writers and films should take today, some jokes will hit with half of your audience and the rest will get the joke after that. But let the audience find the humor rather than try to make it obvious what the joke is, half the fun is figuring it out for ourselves.

Is this a film for everyone? No, but I do think some will, like me, be entertained immensely and the worries of the world fade for a while. Isn’t that what we watch movies for? To escape.

Back to reality for now. Tomorrow another adventure in film.

[nicki-lewis903]

A movie that takes a dark look into the entitled world or fine dining.

I walked in completely blind to this movie so I had no clue what twists were coming or the reason it was listed as a dark comedy. But as the film went along I could see the concept to the film and the examination being done.

We follow a group of people who’ve paid to dine at an exclusive restaurant where the food is to die for. 😉 Our main character to follow is Margo, played brilliantly by Anya Taylor Joy (actually this is my first movie I’ve seen with her 🫢), it’s clear from the beginning Margot has caused some sort of issue within the restaurant because she was not originally who was invited for the experience.

Margot’s date is Tyler who is a massive food lover that rambles on about how great the experience is and eats copious amounts of the food even when Margot admits to her distaste for the experience of this evening. And she’s not exactly wrong to have that uneasy feeling; it’s realized by their third course that this experience will stick with them for the rest of their lives.

The Chef played by Ralph Fiennes being just as sinister as many roles he’s played before and hardly an expression of joy throughout the film; it become clear to the viewer he no longer loves his work and find the patrons at his restaurant pretentious and entitled. Something that we will have made known frequently in the movie.

Also side note but I loved the dress Margot wore in this film; her style is just perfect.

[daily-spooky]

[nicki-lewis903]

Yes!!!!

[junior-stargazer-goke20-deactiv]

This shot from "Rear Window" of L.B. Jefferies' simple sandwich and milk reflects his dull, passive existence. The bland meal symbolizes his confinement and lack of excitement, contrasting with the looming telephoto lens, which represents his growing obsession with voyeurism. The tension between the plain meal and the intrusive camera highlights the film's central conflict: Jefferies' mundane life versus the thrill of watching others from afar.

[nicki-lewis903]

Haunting, gruesome, grotesque, and a story of vanity. I had no idea what to expect from this film but it did take me by surprise.

For a film from the 1960’s it definitely had its moments where my jaw dropped because of the gore that was allowed; I had to remind myself that what wasn’t allowed in the states at the time didn’t apply to other countries. In the case you could see the operation on a person taking place to showcase the horrifying depths one person will go to in order to “save the in they love”.

The story has one classic horror/thriller movie trope; the corrupt power hungry doctor who hides behind the facade that his practice is just what the public sees but behind a closed door is something far more sinister. After this particular doctor caused his daughter to lose her face in an automobile accident, he vows to try and replace her face and restore who to who she once was. In the meantime she roams the halls in this haunting and soulless mask he begs her to wear so no one sees her face.

The movie had a few moments I definitely was not expecting and probably will still make some people squirm at such as; the grotesque scenes of surgery; also some implications of animal cruelty (my least favorite scene in the film) and the mask alone would probably do some people in. The underlying story of suffering for the sake of beauty is more of the darker tale than what you get from the like of films like Death Becomes Her.

It’s definitely worth checking out for a horror movie choice this Halloween.

[thoughtkick]

“I wasn’t going to wait around for some prince, when I could very well save myself.”

— Jodi Picoult, Plain Truth

[nicki-lewis903]

Hey Nicki, I like your channel.

I also like movies and TV series.😙🤟🏾🥰🌟

Thank you! ❤️

[junior-stargazer-goke20-deactiv]

In this shot from "Strangers on a Train," the camera focuses on Bruno's distinctive shoes as he crosses his legs beneath a table, marking the beginning of his fateful encounter with Guy. Bruno, played by Robert Walker, wears flashy, two-tone shoes that contrast with Guy's more conventional footwear, subtly introducing his flamboyant and eccentric personality. This hints at the dark, obsessive behavior that will drive the plot. Hitchcock's decision to isolate the shoes draws attention to the anonymity of public spaces and the randomness of encounters, symbolizing the ominous crossing of paths that propels the film's central narrative and tension.

[nicki-lewis903]

Oh I am so devastated by the news of Dame Maggie Smith’s passing. She was such an icon and I loved watching her onscreen; her wit and passion for the acting craft was something many never even achieve.

I’ll always remember her primarily as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies and how that character felt like it was basically made for Maggie; and the same for the Dowager Countess in Downton Abby.

She will be greatly missed by her fans and those in the acting community. Rest In Peace Dame Maggie Smith; tonight we will all raise our wands in your honor.

[taylornation]

Autumn leaves are falling down like pieces into place because Red Taylor's Version season is here (like it ever left). 🍂

[stayuntilthefoglifts]

There are times when I am convinced I am unfit for any human relationship.

Franz Kafka, letters to Felice

[nicki-lewis903]

Many know of Full Metal Jacket as the movie with the chilling scene of Vincent D’Onofrio and the trademark Kubrick stare; but the film is more than that.

This is film in which we are shown the horrors of war, boot camp and the impact combat has on someone. And with Stanley Kubrick at the helm you know he will not shy away from showing us what would be a realistic take on that.

The film has been debated by many as being like two films in one. The first half showing us the men as they begin training at Parris Island and the brutality of what that can be. It’s here we are introduced to three crucial characters in the story; Private Joker played by Matthew Modine, Private Cowboy played by Arliss Howard and Private Gomer Pyle played wonderfully by Vincent D’Onofrio.

At the boot camp no one has it worse than Pyle who struggles with the most basic tasks and is physically unable to do the obstacle course due to his larger size. Their drill Sargent Sgt. Hartman played by R. Lee Ermey makes sure to punish the men in the platoon for any errors made by Pyle which results in a mass hatred for him. That and the treatment from Hartman leads to Pyle’s breaking point and the most shocking part of the film which is accompanied by an equally disturbing score.

After those scenes the film goes from an unsettling, eerie character analysis to a look at war through the eyes of the young men. They joke with each other, dehumanize the locals, make obscene remarks and sleep with the woman they can get. It still shows the realities of the war but the feeling you get between boot camp and the actual battles is something that makes many take note of the first half of the film that makes people feel is the stronger portion.

However I will say the last few moments of the film do take it back to that feeling again, this can be attributed to the score having and similar sound to that of the most iconic scene and giving you this overall unsettling feeling that you wish you didn’t see this happening.

Now of all the things I can say it is a damn shame Vincent D’Onofrio did not get many award nominations for his performance in this film because it is definitely the stand out of the film itself. The soundtrack was filled with lots of the classics from the 60’s and the score itself as I said had moments where it was just unnerving with the synth tracks and the low bass line.

Another thing I noticed is the use of color for conveying the tone at different points; in the beginning the fear is lit in tones of a cyan blue and lit as if by the moonlight in an old horror film, the second half the next pivotal moment is lit with a fire orange and it stays that way until the credits role; this is a way to showcase the character completely being changed by war.

It’s worth checking for the performances and the storytelling.