Thursday, February 24, 2011

Movie night

Carey Mulligan and Peter Sarsgaard in An Education

We just watched a couple of Netflix movies you might enjoy if you like something a bit different. These aren't big Hollywood productions with complicated stories, but entertaining because of the unusual settings and good acting. An Education takes place in London in 1960, right before the Beatles and rock n' roll changed everything. Life was still quiet and conservative as Europe finally recovered from the war, and the movie captures the atmosphere of London and Paris perfectly. The storyline is a bit light-- it's about a bright 16 year old girl who is seduced right under her parent's noses by a suave man twice her age. I know that sounds creepy and salacious, but the acting was great and it was interesting watching this drama slowly unfold. Carey Mulligan looks like a young Audrey Hepburn. Peter Sarsgaard is a heel, but a likable one. And the music in An Education was so good John bought the soundtrack.

White Wedding is a romantic comedy that takes place in South Africa. While his bride-to-be is busy planning a big white wedding, the groom Elvis leaves Johannesburg to pick up his best friend in Durban. The two journey across the beautiful country, but of course things don't go according to plan. The guys get lost and reluctantly allow a British hitchhiker to travel along with them. The story is predictable, but sweet and witty with (of course) a happy ending.

2 comments:

  1. They both sound like a good way to pass the remains of this interminable winter. I'll add them to our list. Thanks for the recommendations.
    Candi

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  2. We really enjoyed "An Education".. It didn't go where I thought it was going and it really did paint such a great picture of that time which facinates even those who did not live through it. Maybe more so as it has been so romanticized! Oh, by the way, I watered my air plant this morning. I soaked him in a big bowl of water and now he is sunning himself in the window. I am sure he would rather be hanging on a tree in the tropics. The instructions on the link you gave seemed a bit daunting for keeping him alive! Whew, good luck!

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