Thursday, December 18, 2014, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)
For the last meeting of the year, we will just have fun by examining the movies of 2014. The Golden Globes nomination just came out today, and we can use this as a guide. But if there is a movie that you would like to discuss, please add your movie suggestion as a comment. It does not matter if you saw the movie or not. Often the topic of the movie is enough for stimulating conversation.
We should do this every year but also do a regular movie day. HCC offers many film classes and very reasonable - like $50 for the semester. I have taken Hitchcock, Movies of the 30s and 40s, Westerns, etc., and this semester I took Hollywood in the 70s - next semester is Hollywood in the 80s and The Art of the Documentary.
ReplyDeleteExcellent books whose movies made the list are Still Alice and Wild.
ReplyDeleteStill Alice is about a 50 or 55 year old Psych professor who 'get's Alsheimer's in just one year. At first she doesn't tell her colleagues.
Wild is about a young woman who hikes the Pacific Crest Trail (the Appalachian Trail of the west) as an unprepared novice - hiking boots don't fit, too many pounds to carry, etc. She had been close to her mother who recently died in MN. This book was so good that I got the other one or two by the same author, Cheryl Strayed, but they were about the same struggle - getting along without her mother.
Dear Zoom-Iners: 12-12-14
ReplyDeleteA few thoughts about Diana Nyad. She is truly courageous and was something that will not be repeated. However, I cannot accept her message that individuals should set goals and not quit. The answer to not quit is not for all persons in all circumstances. It is obvious to me that goals may be different for each person. For some persons winning is everything. While for others, participation is enough. If we have goals, we should constantly reflect on whether they are realistic or not and how to put our goals to good purpose.
As we move forward in the coming week to discuss movies I want to make an observation or two about the movie, “Unbroken.” Obviously, I’ve not seen the movie which has not yet been released and I don’t have the technical skills to hack into Sony’s movie archives as the North Koreans have been have been alleged to have done. But I read the book, which I recommend as well as watching the movie.
What struck me in the book about Louie Zamperini was that he was a tough “street-kid” who received guidance and encouragement from his older brother. Zamperini put his talents to historic purpose, rather than displaying them on city streets for no good purpose as do many of today’s youth. With guidance and encouragement many of today’s inner-city kids could also put their talents to worthwhile and even noble purpose.
Vince
Good comments, Vince. Reminds me of a book, The Other Wes Moore. About two black boys in nearly the same neighborhood in West Balt at the same time. Both from disadvantaged 'broken' families. One is now in Jessup for life. The other became a Rhodes Scholar, spoke at the Democratic Convention, worked for Condy Rice, has a degree from JHU, etc.
ReplyDeleteWhy the difference?
We just saw WILD and I was a bit disappointed. Full of flashbacks to her mother and not as much about her trials and tribulations on the Trail or meeting up with her packages and other hikers. Could be just my memory, having read the book a couple of years ago. Almost a chick-flick.
ReplyDelete