ABCs at the Movies: The Doubles Round!

[Fran]

From www.filmsite.org:  After futuristic rebels Miles Monroe (Woody Allen) and Luna Schlosser (Diane Keaton) successfully kidnapped and killed The Leader's nose (by throwing it under a steamroller), Luna guessed correctly that Miles' jealous rant about rebel leader Erno (John Beck) was because he loved her:  "Of course I love you! What, this, this is what this is all about..." After Luna had unsuccessfully tried to convince Miles that science had proven long-lasting relationships were impossible, she amusedly asked:  "Oh, I see. So, you don't believe in science, and, and you also don't believe that political systems work, and you don't believe in God... so then, What DO you believe in?" Miles, in a deadpan tone, quickly replied:  "Sex and death. Two things that come once in a lifetime -- but at least after death you're not nauseous." They kissed passionately as the film ended.

 

[southendmd]

Plot: 
Acrobat Eddie Marsh [Gene Kelly] is in the army now. His first act is to become friendly with Kathryn Jones [Kathryn Grayson], the colonel's pretty daughter. Their romance hits a few snags, including disapproval from her father. Eddie's also plagued by fear of having an accident during his family's trapeze act in the army variety show, which also features a gallery of MGM stars.

[memento]

From IMDB: I just saw the film and I found it extraordinary. It's main story it's obviously the same of "The notebook", the base is the same, love at first sight that lasts forever and that even the Alzheimer's disease can't break. But the film itself is very different; while "The Notebook" relates basically their love story before the disease, this film narrates mainly the experience of the disease for the patient and the whole impact on the life, family and social circles. The interpretation by Ajay Devgan and Kajol is extremely well achieved in this part, and it's that that in my opinion makes the film really good. It's a very sad movie, but with a kind of a happy but totally unreal ending, although being a romantic film, we couldn't expect another thing. Despite the idealistic ending, the form of how this disease is explored and showed really gives value to this film, it ain't the first one that I see that explores deeply the impacts of the Alzheimer's disease, but it's definitely the best acted one. I had never seen Ajay Devgan on screen and I'm positively surprised. I give "U, me aur hum", 8 out of 10:)

[Fran]

Two of the most beautiful women in the European cinema of the 1960s -- Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Moreau -- team up under the direction of Louis Malle in this engaging comedy/adventure. Maria Fitzgerald O'Malley (Bardot) is the daughter of an Irish political dissident who has traveled to Latin America with her father to take part in an anarchist political uprising. When her father is killed, Maria, left to her own devices, happens upon a traveling circus, where she strikes up a friendship with one of the performers, also named Maria (Moreau). Maria O'Malley joins up with the carnival, and she works up a dance routine with Maria; the act is a smash hit, especially after the Irish Maria accidentally loses part of her costume during a performance. Despite their success, the two Marias find themselves increasingly distressed with the poverty and brutality of the peasants' lives, and they soon decide to use their talents in support of revolutionary leader Flores (George Hamilton). Viva Maria!'s original ending was trimmed slightly for its American release, but the complete version was later released in the United States on DVD.

~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide   

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEcLpmyulsQ[/youtube]
Trailer 3:05

[southendmd]

Wow, Fran, that's a hard act to follow...

Plot:  The story of two North Carolina teens, Landon Carter (West) and Jamie Sullivan (Moore), who are thrown together after Landon gets into trouble and is made to do community service.

[memento]

From IMDB: The Cooler is Bernie Lootz, and THE COOLER is a love story about the changing fortunes of this down-at-heels loser who has made a career out of spreading his virulent bad luck on the floor of Las Vegas' aging Shangri-La casino. When Bernie falls for a gorgeous cocktail waitress his bad luck is thrown into reverse.

[oilgun]

aka:  A cause d'un garçon

Plot:  When Vincent finds himself a victim of outing in his high school, he must accept to live with the drastic changes it provokes, and redefine his relationships with his friends and family.

[southendmd]

Plot:  A priest tries to reconcile his love for another man with his love for God, but when a girl steps into the confessional and reveals that her father sexually abuses her, he's frustrated by the laws of the church and questions his faith in a God who would allow this to happen.

[Fran]

The "School's Cool" Round!

Movies that have a connection to school or education

[Fran]

From IMDb: 

AMOR DE HOMBRE is a smart, snappy, fast-paced, entertaining little film which considering its release date of 1997 was a precursor to the now frequent appearance of films that deal with tender relationships between gay men and straight women ("My Best Friend's Wedding" and all the spin-offs). It is a smart script, well cast and acted and directed and scored and should be given the chance for a theater release now, in more expansive gender-friendly times.

Ramón (Andrea Occhipinti) is a handsome, successful lawyer in Madrid who happens to be gay and unlike most of his friends has not settled into a partnership. His closest friend is Esperanza (Loles León) who is a divorced school teacher, just turned 40, who love Ramón and constantly tries to help him find the "right man" while Ramón tries to help her find her "right man." They party together with all of Ramón's professional friends -- doctors, businessmen, teachers -- and Ramón is hedonistic enough to have a different bed partner every evening. After an automobile accident in which Ramón is injured, Esperanza moves in to care for him, a care that includes asking one of her fellow Phys Ed teachers Roberto (Armando del Río) to offer physical therapy and massage to the ailing Ramón. Because Roberto seems to rebuff Ramón's growing obsession with an unattainable straight man, the therapy ends when Ramón is able to walk. A twist occurs once Ramón is well and Roberto changes roles and is seductive to Ramón, a romance that comes to a tragic ending. In the end it is the quality of friendship between Ramón and Esperanza that provides the lasting nucleus of this tale.