Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

[aud19]

The wife and I quite enjoyed this one :T Touching story/characters by talented cast in bright, lively surroundings.

The sound won't knock your socks off/rattle the walls but dialogue is clear and "atmosphere" is well executed. There's also a few noisy India street scenes etc that will keep the surround channels from falling completely asleep.

Good date night movie IMO :T

[YOUTUBE]dDY89LYxK0w[/YOUTUBE]

[Chris D]

Thanks, Jason--added to Netflix queue.

[George Bellefontaine]

This is the type of film I used to watch with my wife. I've been avoiding them for awhile ( for obvious reasons ), but I like Wilkinson and Dench so maybe I'll rent it some time soon.

[aud19]

Yeah I was thinking of you when I wrote this George... I'm sure it's one you're wife and you would have enjoyed it. Maybe watching it will help bring back some fond memories :T

[Alloroc]

A sweet movie. Watched it last Saturday night....

[George Bellefontaine]

I wanted to rent this for the weekend but no copies were available. I rented Friends With Kids instead and wasn't all that happy. See my comments in my earlier post devoted to that particular movie.

[wkhanna]

Like you, Sir George, I too am a great fan of both Wilkinson and Dench.
This will be one of the few movies I will be watching ths year.
Now keep that stick on the ice, ay! :W

[George Bellefontaine]

Now keep that stick on the ice, ay! :W

I will, Bill.

Speaking of sticks and ice, the NHL season not looking good. If talks are still going on, neither the owners or the players are saying anything.

[Chris D]

Rented this as a blind rental based on recommendations here. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and glad you guys posted it. I very much appreciate movies that are about LIFE, and the human condition. And there were aspects of the movie that I appreciated even more with some of my current circumstances.

George, if you still haven't seen it yet, there are elements that may or may not cut a little too close to home for you, but I'm not in a position to evaluate.

I give :4: out of :5: on this one.

[George Bellefontaine]

George, if you still haven't seen it yet, there are elements that may or may not cut a little too close to home for you, but I'm not in a position to evaluate.

I haven't seen it as yet. I have a great deal of trust in your ability to evaluate things, Chris, so I think I will give this a pass for now. I'm making pretty good progress, but I have some difficult " firsts " coming up, with Christmas without my wife being a huge one, so no need to do anything to make matters worse. Thanks, old pal.

[wkhanna]

Speaking of sticks and ice, the NHL season not looking good. If talks are still going on, neither the owners or the players are saying anything.

I am V disappointed.

There must be latent Canuck in my genes in as now it seems hockey has displaced all others as my favorite sport. I never thought it possible, but I even don’t get excited about college football anymore.

So consider it fair warning, the curmudgeon may be moving to your Northern Land of Wonder & Plenty some day. Heck, even The wife was enthralled & still talks with longing praise of our visit to NS a few years ago.

[George Bellefontaine]

So consider it fair warning, the curmudgeon may be moving to your Northern Land of Wonder & Plenty some day. Heck, even The wife was enthralled & still talks with longing praise of our visit to NS a few years ago.

Hey, Bill. If you do move this direction I hope it's somewhere near old Nova Scotia.

[Chris D]

Something I meant to add-- I really liked the line in the movie, "Everything will be alright in the end. If everything is not all right, then you're not yet at the end."

[wkhanna]

Hey, Bill. If you do move this direction I hope it's somewhere near old Nova Scotia.

If we were ever to move to the Great North, NS would be the only place we would consider. I wish we would have had more time when we were there 2 yrs ago to get up to New Glasgow. Based in Lunenberg, Peggy's Cove was as far North as we made it. That may be the most beautiful spot in the world I have ever seen.

[George Bellefontaine]

Hope you didn't get too close to the water, Bill. Waves can come crashing over the rocks without warning. There's been a few drownings there after visitors went too far out on the rocks.

Nice pictures. They really capture the essence of Peggy's Cove.

[wkhanna]

There's been a few drownings there after visitors went too far out on the rocks.

We did our homework & knew to stay back from the water's edge.

It is a real training ground for Darwin Award competitors, though. They lose a few witless souls there just about every year, I believe.

From Wikipedia:
Visitors may explore the granite outcrop on Peggys Point around the lighthouse; despite numerous signs warning of unpredictable surf (including one on a bronze plaque on the lighthouse itself), several incautious visitors each year are swept off the rocks by waves, sometimes drowning.

[Ovation]

Checking the tide times is always recommended when exploring rocky coasts. Lesson learnt when I was a wee lad vacationing in Maine.

[wkhanna]

I have V good news on two important topics.

First & foremost, Hockey is BACK! Wooo WHOOO !!!!

Second, this movie is a triumphant hit my book & one that everyone should see. The script is quick, smart, real & engaging. The acting is exactly what you would expect from this caliber of artists. & the story is touching & sentimental without becoming overly cheesy or cliché. The humor is sharp & intelligent, the drama is real & unadorned. The story is one of personal struggle, personal growth, hope & the ability each of us possesses to find purpose and happiness in our life.

Sir George, I am sure you will absolutely love this film. I recommend you bypass the rental & purchase it at first oportulnity.

[Chris D]

Because nothing shouts "hockey" like senior citizens in a hotel in India.

Hahahahaaa... well, yeah, I'd be happy about hockey being back too, but I can't get any games in Alaska. The NHL seems to have abandoned the market here.

[wkhanna]

That is an absolute outrage!

Come to think of it, you guys should have your own NHL team up there!

[aud19]

I have V good news on two important topics.

First & foremost, Hockey is BACK! Wooo WHOOO !!!!

Second, this movie is a triumphant hit my book & one that everyone should see. The script is quick, smart, real & engaging. The acting is exactly what you would expect from this caliber of artists. & the story is touching & sentimental without becoming overly cheesy or cliché. The humor is sharp & intelligent, the drama is real & unadorned. The story is one of personal struggle, personal growth, hope & the ability each of us possesses to find purpose and happiness in our life.

Sir George, I am sure you will absolutely love this film. I recommend you bypass the rental & purchase it at first oportulnity.

Good summary Bill, glad you enjoyed it as well :T

[George Bellefontaine]

Sir George, I am sure you will absolutely love this film. I recommend you bypass the rental & purchase it at first oportulnity.

I finally did rent it, Bill, and loved it enough to buy a copy.

Chris, with all the ice in Alaska, I just don't understand why the NHL doesn't have a team there.

[wkhanna]

...... and loved it

I knew you would :W

So who you picking to make the finals?

I hear a lot of chatter saying LA is taking the cup for 2 years.

We in Penguin land have different ideas.

[Ovation]

Go Habs Go!!!! (the way they've been playing, stranger things could happen)

On a more serious note, I expect a Kings-Pens final, with the Kings pulling out a win in a hard-fought seven game series (they have the edge in goal).

[wkhanna]

Your optimism is greater than mine right now as the Pens are down 4-0 to the NYI's at the end of the 2nd. Arrrgh!!!!

But way I see it, a Canadian team should always take the Cup.....

If the Pen's can't, that is.....

[Chris D]

Chris, with all the ice in Alaska, I just don't understand why the NHL doesn't have a team there.

Yeah, it makes sense in every way but one. I think Alaskans are more hockey fanatic-like than any other area in the USA. (I don't think I could include Canadian markets in that comparison, though) Alaskans would almost certainly be die-hard fans of an Alaska NHL team.

The real show-stopper is just that we are not a big enough market here. Any team would certainly be in our largest city (by far) of Anchorage. And the greater Anchorage area only has like 450,000 people. We only have like 700,000 people in the entire state. So that'd be like trying to put an NHL franchise in some small lower 48 city like Lincoln, Nebraska, and knowing that you weren't going to get any other sort of fan-base than the local area around it.

[George Bellefontaine]

I knew you would :W

So who you picking to make the finals?

I hear a lot of chatter saying LA is taking the cup for 2 years.

We in Penguin land have different ideas.

Well, with a 48 game season, anything strange can happen. Sorry to see how poor a start the Penguin's are having, but it's still early. The Montreal Canadians are looking very good, providing they can keep Markov healthy because right now he is making a big difference. But look at Boston. No losses. So who can say ?

[Ovation]

I think there will be surprises (more than usual) among those who make the playoffs but I suspect, once there, teams with a recent solid track record will deal with the playoff pressure more easily.

Incidentally, Habs won again last night--a come from behind win over Winnipeg despite atrocious officiating in the third period (don't often complain about such things unless Chris Lee is reffing that night, and he wasn't). No such win would have happened last year (Habs were the worst team at holding a lead in the league and had worst comeback record). Markov another two points, as well as two points each for the new kids. :T

[aud19]

Your optimism is greater than mine right now as the Pens are down 4-0 to the NYI's at the end of the 2nd. Arrrgh!!!!

But way I see it, a Canadian team should always take the Cup.....

If the Pen's can't, that is.....

I wouldn't worry too much yet With the lockout and all the issues surrounding it, I'm guessing we won't see the "true" version of teams for another week or two yet. Too many guys getting back up to speed after too many months of no in game play/intensity. Some of the teams flying right now will come crashing down to reality and some of the teams struggling right now who aren't expected to will get their crap together and pick it up

I knew you'd like the movie George :T

[Ovation]

I wouldn't worry too much yet With the lockout and all the issues surrounding it, I'm guessing we won't see the "true" version of teams for another week or two yet. Too many guys getting back up to speed after too many months of no in game play/intensity. Some of the teams flying right now will come crashing down to reality and some of the teams struggling right now who aren't expected to will get their crap together and pick it up

So, a Canucks fan, I take it? :lol:

[aud19]

So, a Canucks fan, I take it? :lol:

Yup :P

It's funny though, this is at least as "good" of a start as they've had in four years and they've won the presidents trophy the last two and went to the cup final the year before last.

They're slow starters normally and with the lockout it makes all the more sense (not to mention starting the season without 2 of 3 players of it's second line out with injuries).

Let's just say I'm not worried. Yet

[Ovation]

It's my third favourite team. I'm not too worried either. I'd be a lot more worried if I were a Flyer's fan. However, I'm far too busy enjoying their plight to actually be concerned (after the Bruins, my least favourite team).

[Chris D]

George, I'm really glad you liked this movie. I did think you would, although I was sensitive to certain themes in the movie for you.

[George Bellefontaine]

George, I'm really glad you liked this movie. I did think you would, although I was sensitive to certain themes in the movie for you.

I know, Chris and I recall and thank you for mentioning it. I was certainly moved but was at a stage in my grief that I could handle it better when I finally got around to viewing it. I`ll probably be even less bothered the next time I give it a watch. Some things get a bit easier with the passage of time, but there are some things that never get easier.

[wkhanna]

Dearest Sir George,

The healing is a long process.
One's grief for the loss of a loved one is like the love given & shared.
Both unconditional & never-ending.
Time will lessen the paralysis but never the sense of loss.
Be strong, cherish the memories, all of them, & remember to be good to yourself.

I first auditioned this movie by myself when recovering from phenomena.
Last night I watched it again with The Wife.
She absolutely fell in love with the film.
I have never heard her so quiet during a film; or quite so engaged.
We had watched Argo a few days earlier & both agreed that it was not nearly as good a film from multiple standpoints as we lamented Marigold's lack of recognition.

For me, it was V rare occasion to not only see a film more than once, but to have relished the experience.

[George Bellefontaine]

Hey, Bill. Thank you for those thoughtful words. I agree with everything you said.

[wkhanna]

BTW, I forgot to say, "Keep your stick on the ice"!

Speaking of ice....(what an oporturn way for a segway)......

Aside from Calgary & Edmonton, all the Cannuks are holding forth!
The Habs are hot!
And so are the Jets, but they don't seem to have the offence they will need to get thru the Playoffs.
The short season has been an interesting one!

Be well, my dear friend.
Oh, & Keep your stick on the ice, too!

[George Bellefontaine]

Well, Bill, Mr. Crosby and company are really running hot, so maybe Pittsburgh will take the cup this season.

Oh, yeah, Bill, my stick's on the ice.

[Ovation]

Habs gave them a run for their money last night. If they played that way against the Pens 10 games in a row (and the Pens played no better than last night), the Habs would win 8 out of 10. Couldn't buy a goal last night (or last Sat. against Buffalo).

Still, Pens are gearing up for a serious run at the Cup.

Oh, as as for this movie, I think I have finally found a movie both my wife and I will enjoy equally (as soon as we can actually get around to watching it).

[George Bellefontaine]

Oh, as as for this movie, I think I have finally found a movie both my wife and I will enjoy equally (as soon as we can actually get around to watching it).

Find time, Paul. Life can be fragile.

[Ovation]

We will. I've known that since my daughter survived her first day (was not a sure thing by a long shot).

[wkhanna]

Habs gave them a run for their money last night.

They sure did.
Excellent goal tending by Price, too.

If they played that way against the Pens 10 games in a row (and the Pens played no better than last night), the Habs would win 8 out of 10.

You guys are always welcome to come back, anytime. ; )

Oh, as as for this movie, I think I have finally found a movie both my wife and I will enjoy equally (as soon as we can actually get around to watching it).

I feel strongly the both of you will thoroughly enjoy the film.

[George Bellefontaine]

Hey Bill, just heard this morning about Jerome Iginla joining Crosby and company. I recall how well they played together for Canada so I really think things are in place for a cup win. Playoffs will be interesting this season.

[aud19]

Yeah Pens are looking STACKED up front. Still have question marks on D/in net though. Still, they have to be the favourite to come out of the East if Fleury can play even moderately well.

Iginla's probably the classiest guy in the league, congrats to the Pens on getting him.

[wkhanna]

Shero (Pen's GM) has made some shrewd moves......

Picking up Benden Morrow from Dallas first........now Iginla.