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Hello there, it's Thursday Movie Picks's time, the weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves where you share three movies to fit the theme of the week each Thursday.
It's probably because they are kind of scary and mysterious, the fact is that in movies woods get along with horrors. That's why I picked three films involving the woods that are not horrors.
It's probably because they are kind of scary and mysterious, the fact is that in movies woods get along with horrors. That's why I picked three films involving the woods that are not horrors.
A Walk in the Woods (2015)
It follows an old travel writer as he decides to hike the Appalachian Trail. I watched this because there's Robert Redford, but it's a waste of time. This is a slapstick film that isn't even funny. Although true, the story feels flat and lacks credibility; the characters aren't that interesting and Nick Nolte's is utterly annoying.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
When a rebellious kid and his foster uncle go missing the New Zealand bush, it's ordered a national manhunt because everyone thinks the uncle kidnapped the kid. It's hard to put down in words how much I love this film. It's charming, funny, entertaining and probably the best adventure film I've ever seen. It's got great characters, it explores themes such as mourning and loss without being heavy, it's beautiful to look at and the cast is great too.
Into the Woods (2014)
The tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel are tied together by a couple cursed by a witch. It kinda sounds like a mess, but it's a pretty solid musical that puts a good twist on the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Too bad there's Johnny Depp playing a drunk pirate disguised as a pervert wolf.
I really need to watch Hunt for the Wilderpeople as I've heard great things about it.
ReplyDeleteYES YOU DO!
DeleteI wanted to see A Walk in the Woods knowing it is nothing special..now i wonder...The second film sounds great and is on my list. I want to see Into the Woods and have to watch it when hubby is busy with something else.
ReplyDeleteA Walk in the Woods is forgettable but you need to see the other two.
DeleteHunt For the Wilderpeople is awesome. Glad to see it getting some love. I thought Into the Woods was a bit of a mess. Haven't seen the other one just yet.
ReplyDeleteI found only the second half of Into the Woods to be a bit of a mess, but overall I enjoyed it.
DeleteI've been meaning to see A Walk in the Woods for Robert Redford but if it isn't that great I'll wait until I run across it sometime. Never heard of the second but I'm intrigued.
ReplyDeleteI had such high hopes for Into the Woods since I saw the original production on Broadway and really loved it and while it wasn't terrible it was a big letdown, except for Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen and their great duet.
I found this week a little bit more of a challenge after my first pick but I did finally come up with three.
The Emerald Forest (1985)-Engineer Bill Markham is in Brazil with his wife Jean (Meg Foster) and young son Tommy (the film’s director John Boorman’s son Charlie) working on a hydroelectric dam on the edge of the rainforest. One day while the three are having a picnic near the site Tommy is taken by a forest tribe known as The Invisible People. Markham spends the next ten years searching the jungles for Tommy meeting many obstacles including the cannibalistic Fierce People along the way. Beautiful looking complex adventure based on true events.
Sometimes a Great Notion (1970)-The Stamper family, father Henry (Henry Fonda), oldest son Hank (Paul Newman), his wife Viv (Lee Remick), younger brother Leeland and nephew Joe Ben (Michael Sarrazin & Richard Jaeckel) are independent Oregon loggers. When the local union loggers go on strike against the corporate giant that controls most of the area they urge the Stampers to join them but being struggling independents they fear they won’t survive and refuse. The tensions that run high among them and the townsfolk is mirrored within the family leading to conflict and tragedy. Based on a Ken Kesey novel this is a sometimes slow but extremely well-acted (Jaeckel is a particular standout) complicated family drama.
The Edge (1997)-Uber rich Charles Morse (Anthony Hopkins) has gone with his model wife Mickey (Elle Macpherson) on a photo shoot to a remote mountain area along with photographer Robert Green (Alec Baldwin), who Charles suspects is involved with Mickey, and his assistant (Harold Perrineau). While Mickey stays behind the three men fly into the wilderness for nature photos but the plane crashes killing the pilot and the three men must struggle to survive not only the elements but the giant bear tracking them through the woods and ultimately each other.
You really should check out Hunt for the Wilderpeople. It's one of my favourite movies of 2016.
DeleteHunt for the Wilderpeople! I love that movie so much.
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteHunt for the Wilderpeople is a strong choice. Solid comedy. Haven't seen the others, but I was not taken with the casting of A Walk in the Woods, so I skipped it. Bill Bryson is hilarious. I always wanted to read that book and probably will one day. The Appalachian Trail runs right outside my hometown. Can hop on it about 10 miles from where I'm typing this. Of course, I've never considered doing the whole thing. I'd die.
ReplyDeleteYou're so lucky! If I lived that close I'd definitely give it a try.
DeleteHaven't seen the first two picks but I hated Into the Woods.. man.. the only good scene was when Chris Pine had that showoff song scene with that other dude near the river. The rest, meh..
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that :( You should really watch Hunt for the Wilderpeople though, it's really awesome.
DeleteHunt for the Wilderpeople is the one I want to watch. Heard good things about it.
ReplyDeleteIt is good.
DeleteBest film of last year HFTWP is such a great film. Can't get enough of that majestical stuff.
ReplyDeleteNot seen the others, I was actually put off Into the Woods, the twisting fairytale thing was getting old, it should begin and end with Fables comic.
I know, but this one wasn't bad.
Delete