Hello and welcome (back) to Thursday Movie Picks, a weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves where you share three movies to fit the theme of the week each Thursday.
This week's topic is adverse weather. Personally I'm not a big fan of these films, but I have to admit they are perfect when everything seems to go wrong. I mean, what a better way to cheer yourself up than watching a film about other people's misfortunes? I highly doubt there's a better way. Here's my picks:
All Is Lost (2013)
Robert Redford is on his yacht, alone. Everything is just fine until he accidentally hits a container adrift on the sea, and the boat takes on water. But it does get worse. The poor man loses his navigation and communication equipment and a violent storm is coming. Kudos to the director for making this film interesting, and to Redford for communicating with his facial expressions and hands only.
Force Majeure (2014)
A Swedish family travels to the French Alps to enjoy a few days of skiing. The sun is shining, the slopes are spectacular and the family is having a good time, but an avalanche turns everything upside down, and the family vacation quickly becomes a family drama. Not my favourite, it's occasionally boring and dragged, but it fits quite well.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
A paleoclimatologist tries to save the world from the effects of global warming which plunges the planet into a new Ice Age, and must make a dangerous trip to New York to rescue his son. But the cold is a hell of an adversary. It's illogical and unscientific, the story is quite ridiculous, but, uhm, well, it has top notch effects, and it's not as bad as people say. At least from what I remember.
Whoever said "Tomorrow is another day" didn't check the weather.
Sigh. TDAT. It's terrible. Let's move on.
ReplyDeleteI did like All is Lost, but man, that's a depressing film.
Haven't seen Force Majeure yet, but I see it's streaming on Netflix so I will give it a look, soon.
I think I'll rewatch "The Day After Tomorrow" soon to see if the hate is legit.
DeleteThe Day After Tomorrow is popular today. I also chose that one. I never got around to seeing your other two picks, but I think they're both in my Netflix queue.
ReplyDeleteAll Is Lost is a bit depressing but it's worth watching. Not sure I can say the same about Force Majeure, for me it was tedious but some people seem to hate it.
DeleteBOW!!!
ReplyDeleteForce Majeure! Such an awesome choice.
Day After Tomorrow, as I expected, is slaying today.
Thanks! I guess everyone was expecting The Day After Tomorrow to be popular, it's hard to find someone who hasn't seen that film.
DeleteThe first two are intriguing choices and I love the third one in all it's preposterous ridiculousness, it's one of mine as well and seems the title of the week.
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to see All is Lost, I'm a Redford fan and usually make it a point to see his films but haven't gotten to this yet. I've heard of Force Majeure, I think there's a Hollywood remake afoot, but didn't know the story line. I love most disaster movies so I'll check it out.
As I said TDAT is one of mine and I love my last pick but the first is there strictly as a warning I wish I had gotten before I wasted my time!
Into the Storm (2014)-Soggy in every way movie about a mega-storm front that lays waste to a Midwest town. Like many current disaster movies this puts a group of people that the audience knows nothing about in peril and then expects them to be invested in their plight. Some good special effects but that’s about all. Starts out okay but quickly slips into absurdity.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)-Big, dumb but fun cautionary tale. Climatologist Dennis Quaid and his team witness a huge crack in an ice shelf and warn the world authorities that it’s a sign of a coming cataclysm but no-one’s listening. Next thing you know superstorms start forming and causing havoc and who should be stuck right smack dab in the middle of the biggest? Why Quaid’s son Jake Gyllenhaal of course! Hits its fever pitch when Quaid outruns the ice age!
The Rains Came (1939)-In Ranchipur, India the faithless Lady Edwina Esketh (Myrna Loy) and her cruel husband Lord Esketh meet Major Rama Safti (Tyrone Power) a doctor and heir presumptive to the throne and Edwina renews her acquaintanceship with artist Tom Ransome (George Brent), a former lover. Bored she sets out to seduce the principled Safti as a distraction but finds herself falling in love. It’s high class soap opera with good performances until the seasonal rains come and then watch out! An earthquake hits during the heaviest downpour causing a dam to collapse followed by a cholera epidemic while the water keeps rising! Winner of the first Oscar given for special effects.
If you are a Redford fan you absolutely have to watch All Is Lost. He is the only actor there and carries the film wonderfully. Force Majeure is a bit tedious but the story is quite interesting.
DeleteI haven't seen neither Into the Storm nor The Rains Came, but the first is on my watchlist since always, I'm just not sure I wanna waste an hour and a half with it.
I love The Day After Tomorrow! I haven't seen Force Majeure but I was only reading about it the other day on another blog somewhere, so that's going onto my watch list :)
ReplyDelete- Allie
Great to see I'm not the only one who didn't think The Day After Tomorrow is crap.
DeleteJ.C. Chandor is a damn good director (guy who did All is Lost), check out Margin Call.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen The Day After tomorrow and my old geography teacher hates it for the fact that "its illogical and unscientific". I liked it though. Quite fun.
I think I'll watch Margin Call soon. It's on my watch list already because of Kevin Spacey. Glad to see someone else liked The Day After Tomorrow.
DeleteUGH I can't believe I STILL haven't seen All is Lost. And Force Majeure, too. I've heard so many good things about both. I'm not a big fan of Day After Tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteGive them a try, you won't regret it.
DeleteThe Day After... Is big this week-fun flick. I haven't seen the othe 2 and the one with Redford seems depressing.
ReplyDeleteYes, the one with Redford is depressing, but it a good flick.
DeleteI tried watching All is Lost, but I couldn't seem to get into it. I have yet to watch Force Majeure but have only heard good things about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that. I gotta admit All Is Lost is a bit depressing and not a film all can enjoy. I hope you'll like Force Majeure more than I did.
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