LauraAnders

I would just like to make it clear that this thread was first opened about 3 years ago. I don't know if there's anything wrong with that. But people may think the info is current and I'd just like to make it clear that it is very old info.

RatGirl, Great post. I appreciated the info and your great attitude too.

Thank you ever so much. This was making me crazy. I spent an hour using Google to no avail. The song was amazing. It prompted me to read about Harry Nilsson's life. I was so sad to learn that he had a business manager or agent who cheated him out of all his money and left him penniless just as his career was ending. He suffered a massive heart attack and died at age 52 after that. She got two years in prison and never repaid a cent.

I just watched a movie (I think it was a very recent movie) that played the Harry Nilsson song (Can't Live) "Without You". When I heard it, I was just blown away. I know that I heard it before but I never realized how powerful and hauntingly beautiful it was. But I can't remember which movie it was from. I thought it was "Collateral Beauty" (starring Will Smith). But I searched through it and I guess I was mistaken. Does anyone know which film it was from? I'd really like to watch that movie again.

I just finished watching Detour and I'm now even more certain that I didn't like this movie. The main reason was that it was just so extremely unbelievable. A man is making a long trip from one end of the country to the other and he sees a girl hitchhiking. He's feeling lonely and decides to offer her a ride so he'll have someone to talk with. But this girl had been in the car before. She was given a ride just a few hours (or maybe a day or two) before by the previous owner of the car. She knows enough about this man that she can have him put into jail for murder. What are the odds that you will pick up a hitchhiker along a major highway and it will turn out this person will recognize your car and know the story of what happened to you and this car? At least one in a million or more. Then, this woman starts to "push around" the man. She talks tough to him. She threatens him. She orders him around. She talks meaner to him than any female I've ever seen before talks to a man. It was completely unbelievable. Completely unrealistic. So bizarre that I just couldn't stand it. There was not even any redeeming aspect to this story. They could have inserted a pot of gold (figuratively speaking) and arranged that these two people would learn a good lesson about morality and forgive each other and fall in love or something. But no! Nothing. Just a nasty story where this woman acts like a total b-word the entire time she is on screen. Well, I'm 100% certain that I hated this movie. But, I can understand that other people might enjoy it. I can't understand why they might enjoy it. But people always can have differing opinions and they are certainly entitled to their own opinions.

Padma, There is a film you may enjoy. In part, it discusses the relationship between Elvis and Col. Parker. It is a film titled "His Way" (2011). It is a biography of Jerry Weintraub who did several deals with Elvis and Col. Parker as well as Sinatra and many other famous people in Hollywood show business. I enjoyed this film very much and the part of it that deals with Elvis and Parker was especially entertaining. If you ever get a chance to see this film, I hope you will take it and that you will enjoy it.

I have to agree. I wasn't there, but it seems to me that Colonel Parker thought he knew best when it came to Elvis and he figured he would milk the deluxe cash cow that Elvis created and in that way, Elvis would be able to walk away with a huge amount of money and a very comfortable life. So many other artists failed to get what they deserved out of their work and talent. So, in one aspect, Parker was correct. But I believe Elvis was tormented by the terrible movies that Parker had him make. He was never given the opportunity to stretch and use his talent to its ultimate potential. I think that was one of the biggest factors that made Elvis so unhappy. Just compare the way Elvis' career developed with other artists. But, on the other hand, Col Parker did a good job of protecting Elvis from getting cheated and ensuring he would at least get what he deserved. Just compare Elvis with artists like Harry Nilsson or Leonard Cohen. Both of them had business managers who embezzled all their money and left them penniless when they were near the end of their careers. Leonard Cohen started touring and earned a large amount of money before he died. So his story was not a complete tragedy. Unfortunately, Harry Nilsson suffered a massive heart attack and died at an early age (around 50). Can't know for sure. But having all his money embezzled could not have done his health any good.

Oh. I see. Heh. Thank you. :)

Seems to me that we saw his true nature just once in this show. Can you guess in which episode I think that happened? I never before realized just how talented Catherine OHara is. She is a huge talent. In many ways, I think she "makes" this show. IMHO, it wouldn't be very good at all without her (and her amazing wardrobe). Whoever designed her wardrobe is hugely talented. It's oh so fabuloso! Please? Can anyone tell me what does "fey-acting" mean? I Googled for it. But all that came back were pages about Tina Fey. Surely it doesn't mean anything like that. Does it?

The following is a link to "Collateral Beauty" on the IMDB data base. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4682786/ I have trouble understanding Will Smith's work - the quality of his work. Some of his films are really super. But, others are just, well, ... kind of crappy. I was very surprised that I enjoyed Collateral Beauty so much. The description of the plot just sounded so goofy. I thought that I'd get a big laugh out of this film because it figured to be so bad. But, I was dead wrong. I thought his acting was great. I thought most all of the acting was great. The quality of his acting seemed to me to rival that of "Concussion". I think that Concussion may have been his best film ever and I want to recommend that one to all of you as well as Collateral Beauty. The last time I cried watching a movie was in 1970. Love Story. But this movie had a surprise ending and I cried. I seriously cried. It was a wonderful film and I heartily recommend it to all of you. Wonderful. Will Smith hit it right out of the park. He did a great job with this film. I loved it and I'm guessing many of you will love it too.

Well, in the face of that powerful retort, I think I should take another look at Detour. Perhaps I mixed it up with another title. It wouldn't be the first time. But, I'd like to make sure that I didn't make a silly mistake and I thank you for speaking up I really admire people who can offer a strong dissenting opinion - but do it in a way that doesn't offend the originator (I mean me - it's oh so early in the morning). So, thank you for your courteous dissenting opinion.

Most of the films listed are well worth watching. However ... I want to warn people about Detour. I thought it was a very terrible film. Of course, YMMV. I found it to be boring. It was as if the script was written by 100 monkeys and each one was re-writing the script that was originally written by another. Brute Force is another. Despite the fact it starts Burt Lancaster and most of his films are very well done, this one isn't. It's about a prison in which the convicts are bullied by a sadistic guard. If I recall correctly, there is not a single woman in the cast. I can't remember any movie that had zero women but was also a good movie. I could be mistaken of course. But it just seems to be a stupid idea. Maybe it would apply just as well to a film without any men? I've seen Shield for Murder before. Edmund O'Brien is one of my most favorite actors. But I can't seem to remember much about this one. It wasn't very outstanding. I'd like to hear what other people think of this one. Out of the Past is very similar to The Killers. But The Killers is a much better movie. I would recommend to everyone that when Out of the Past is on, you should find a way to watch The Killers (stars Burt Lancaster) instead. Finally, in the spirit of Black & White Film Noir, let me recommend one of the very best crime films I've ever seen. White Heat (1949) is a great film and I'm sure you will enjoy it as much or more as any of the other films on this list. Cagney and Edmund O'Brien and they are both at their very best!

Oops. My mistake.

I don't know why but when Ray said, "Ciao", I had the biggest LOL moment of any previous show. Catherine O'Hara showed some true star quality IMO. She was just wonderful. Eugene Levy can deliver "Comedy Gold" as well. He's not as consistent as Catherine, but when he's "on", he's just one of the very best in the business. One of the best episodes ever.

I just watched this movie. Unfortunately, I was seriously preoccupied with some real life matters and I couldn't make a serious effort to concentrate on it. But from what I did get, it seemed to be kind of bland. It just plodded along. It wasn't very entertaining - not to me anyway. I kept expecting Tina Fey to do something comedic but she never did. I recall someone in this thread said they didn't think she was a very strong dramatic actor and her real talent was in comedy. I would have to agree with that. The reason I'm making this post is to say that several people seemed to be outraged or angered by this movie. It's probably my own fault for failing to make a serious or concentrated effort to focus on the film. But I just don't understand what it is that people object to. Was it all the Muslim restrictions and the nastiness that was related to the clash of the religions? I'm thinking I should watch it again. But I'd really appreciate if someone could tell me just why people seem to be so upset about this movie. I'd really like to have some idea of just what I should watch for if I do watch it a second time.