Has anyone

[maggiesmommy GayLee]

Has anyone seen the Family Stone??..no really, this is on topic...Have you??

[Ray]

No.

[vkm91941]

Sorry me neither. 

[Ray]

tell us about it Gay.

[maggiesmommy GayLee]

A good movie on many levels.  My dgtr in law lent it to me after our conversaton about BBM.  It is a family who has a son that is gay. his partner is black. they are the sweetest fmily..the couple are totally accepted by the parents and siblings. it is wonderful to see and you hope that thier attitude is mirrored in all families.  anyway...one of the sons brings a woman into the family that just does not fit in, you will see when you watch it that she has a problem with gays AND blacks to a certain degree...this isn't the whole story line, i think that is about love and loss, but i'd like for you guys to rent it and tell me what you think. it is a wonderful portrayal of the gay couple, their love for each other and the goodness in people...you'll see..its just a good movie...not BBM...nothing will ever be, but this resonates
gay

[MaineWriter]

I saw it in the theater back at Christmas-time...I remember liking it when I saw it but as I thought about it, alot of it was so...pat that it bordered on trite.

I really got annoyed with the daughter that didn't like the Sarah Jessica Parker character (sorry, I can't remember their names). And it really bugged me that the mother (Diane Keaton) just went right along with it and in fact, was just as unaccepting before she'd ever laid eyes on the young woman. I just don't think that's how a mother would/should behave.

They make this big deal about being an accepting, inclusive family (the whole thing with the gay son & his partner) but then look how they treat a potential daughter-in-law. It makes me wonder what the partner had to go through--or did they just welcome him with open arms? And if so, why? Isn't that sort of a double standard?

And then of course, mom has Hollywood mystery disease--looks healthy as a horse and then, bingo! She's dead! LOL


Maybe we can talk about Casanova--Ennis in Venice! LOL

Leslie

[serious crayons]

I'm sorry, maggiesmommy, but I'm pretty much in agreement with Leslie. I did like Luke Wilson's character, though.

Who here has seen Casanova? It never came to my neighborhood theater, I don't think. But then, I was kind of scared to see it, anyway -- it distubs me to see Heath in any other role (except, for some reason, in Lords of Dogtown). Anyway, it sounds good, and maybe now I could handle it.

[maggiesmommy GayLee]

i guess we all see different things..and it was no brokeback, never could be, not even close...and all you say is true...however,we all see movies in a different light depending where we are emothinally..guess it just spoke to ME a bit becuase of that and i wasn't judging the film as a whole, but on the part that touched me..I suppose in retrospect it was a bit trite, but that wasn't on my mind while watching it..

My mentioning the film was not in the role of film critic, but rather on the human, emotional level that it reached me...i guess you'd have to be inside my head to understand..anyway... 
thats the great thing..humm..we can all have our own opinion!

[MaineWriter]

I'm sorry, maggiesmommy, but I'm pretty much in agreement with Leslie. I did like Luke Wilson's character, though.

Who here has seen Casanova? It never came to my neighborhood theater, I don't think. But then, I was kind of scared to see it, anyway -- it distubs me to see Heath in any other role (except, for some reason, in Lords of Dogtown). Anyway, it sounds good, and maybe now I could handle it.

I liked Luke Wilson, too, but we were supposed to like him...the dope smoking California dude, right? LOL

I actually saw Casanova in the theater--saw on a day when BBM was sold out and my daughter and I went to Casanova, instead.

It is totally mindless, silly fluff, but it has lots of nice scenery of Venice (a place I have never been but want to visit). When I saw it, I had just finished reading "The City of Falling Angels" by John Berendt (same guy who wrote "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."). This book is about the fire of the Fenice Opera House and also has lots of description of the city, so seeing the movie gave me a nice visual.

Heath made this on the heels of BBM and he truly looks and sounds like Ennis in Venice with a British accent. He's sexy and fun. The movie is silly--but I have watched sillier movies and enjoyed them too. If you want serious and deep, stay away. If you are a hard core Heathen, you won't be disappointed. Our boy is in many, many scenes--lookin' good and sounding better ;-)

Leslie

[EnnisDelMar]

I saw it in the theatre expecting a comedy (since they advertised it as one) and didn't laugh at all..kinda ruined the movie for me.

[Kelda]

This is the one with SJP yes?

It looked like a bit of a chick flick in the ads..(and I like my chick flicks every so often! Dirty Dancing RULES!) so thought I may see it once out on video in the UK or something. But interestingly, I never noticed the ads showing the gay couple. Is this just becasue they aren't a core part of the story or what?

Another question I've been meaning to pose... do people think that a male gay couple is more socially acceptable than a lesbian couple and if so, why?

My take is yes, but I'm not quite sure why.. TV maybe? More male gay characters on TV? (I know there was The L Word but I never watched it)

[MaineWriter]

I saw it in the theatre expecting a comedy (since they advertised it as one) and didn't laugh at all..kinda ruined the movie for me.

Good point, Brandon. The scenes that were supposed to be funny were so slapsticky that they were overdone...and the whole thing with the casserole (the scene you see in all the ads) was yet another example of the mother and daughter being mean.

[serious crayons]

Another question I've been meaning to pose... do people think that a male gay couple is more socially acceptable than a lesbian couple and if so, why?

I don't know about real life, but you're right, in movies this certainly seems to be true. Maybe it's because most filmmakers are straight men who feel even more threatened by gay women than they are by gay men.

And back to Family Stone, yes, I saw that family not as cute and funny -- just mean.

Heath made this on the heels of BBM and he truly looks and sounds like Ennis in Venice with a British accent. He's sexy and fun. The movie is silly--but I have watched sillier movies and enjoyed them too. If you want serious and deep, stay away. If you are a hard core Heathen, you won't be disappointed. Our boy is in many, many scenes--lookin' good and sounding better ;-)

I AM a hardcore Heathen. But the prospect of seeing Ennis in Venice with a British accent scares me. I was in Venice about a year ago, though, and I'd love to see it for that reason, too.

[MaineWriter]

I AM a hardcore Heathen. But the prospect of seeing Ennis in Venice with a British accent scares me. I was in Venice about a year ago, though, and I'd love to see it for that reason, too.

LOL...What's the worst that can happen? You suddenly start hating Heath because he takes on non-Academy Award caliber roles? Actually, the story I heard is that he signed on to do this movie because he was stressed/burned out from BBM...wanted something fun and light and this gave him a 6 month sojurn in Venice--with Michelle, too. Apparently, he started doing research on Casanova and found out he didn't need to because the whole story is total fiction. It gave me more respect for him as an actor that he does take the time to read and learn about the character--even in a silly movie.

For Candy (his new Australian movie) apparently he went out and hung out with heroin junkies. There's a cheery thought.

For me, Ennis will always be Ennis, immortalized in BBM. Heath is a versatile actor and I look forward to following his career in the years to come...serious movies, silly movies or whatever. Maybe even as a director (I hear he aspires to that).

L

[Kd5000]

Their is a connection with The Family Stone and BBM.  The director of THE FAMILY STONE did THE BIG EDEN. A modern day gay western. It's utopia, not realistic of course, as the townspeople are incredibly gay friendly. Too bad Jack and Ennis never stumbled into such a place.

[serious crayons]

LOL...What's the worst that can happen? You suddenly start hating Heath because he takes on non-Academy Award caliber roles?

No chance that I will start hating Heath. But when I see him in real life or in another role it disturbs my image of Ennis as a real person. OK, I know I'm crazy. And I definitely will have to get over it. On the basis of this role, Heath has become my favorite actor. I think he's better than Sean Penn, better than Johnny Depp, better than Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I'm sure he will be good in other movies too; as I said, I liked him in Lords of Dogtown. Still, it's hard to imagine that he will ever match his performance in BBM, not due to any fault of his, but just because no role will ever be as good.

[MaineWriter]

Still, it's hard to imagine that he will ever match his performance in BBM, not due to any fault of his, but just because no role will ever be as good.

I would like to think that he will, in fact, match and surpass this performance. I think he has the talent and I think he will be sought out for exceptional roles because people (directors, producers, casting folks) will know he has the talent.

Didn't people say the same thing about Marlon Brando? He had the performance of a lifetime in "Streetcar Named Desire" but he topped that with "On the Waterfront" and so on.

That said, I do think that Heath has set the bar very high for himself, but I have no doubt he is capable of topping it.

L

[serious crayons]

I would like to think that he will, in fact, match and surpass this performance. I think he has the talent and I think he will be sought out for exceptional roles because people (directors, producers, casting folks) will know he has the talent.

Didn't people say the same thing about Marlon Brando? He had the performance of a lifetime in "Streetcar Named Desire" but he topped that with "On the Waterfront" and so on.

That said, I do think that Heath has set the bar very high for himself, but I have no doubt he is capable of topping it.

L

No, to clarify: I don't mean he's not capable. He's certainly that, and the Brando comparison is a good one. It's just that Brokeabck is the first movie that has ever caused me to spend four months obsessing about it, thinking about it constantly, discussing it online day and night. Obviously, it's my favorite movie ever. And a good chunk of the credit for that goes to Heath. So, sure, he will be great in a lot of other roles. He's extremely talented. But it's hard to believe that any of his other movies will be as great as Brokeback. If they are, well, I can't wait!

[FuzzyChanny]

I loved the Family Stone.

I didn't see it as they were immediately unaccepting of her. They didn't think she was right for him, which was true. And because they were such a close knit family they were able to see that immediately.

[opinionista]

A good movie on many levels.  My dgtr in law lent it to me after our conversaton about BBM.  It is a family who has a son that is gay. his partner is black. they are the sweetest fmily..the couple are totally accepted by the parents and siblings. it is wonderful to see and you hope that thier attitude is mirrored in all families.  anyway...one of the sons brings a woman into the family that just does not fit in, you will see when you watch it that she has a problem with gays AND blacks to a certain degree...this isn't the whole story line, i think that is about love and loss, but i'd like for you guys to rent it and tell me what you think. it is a wonderful portrayal of the gay couple, their love for each other and the goodness in people...you'll see..its just a good movie...not BBM...nothing will ever be, but this resonates
gay

I didn't see it that way. In my opinion Meredith didn't mean to be rude about it, she was just trying to say that a person who is gay and deaf, beacause that guy was deaf too, might have it harder than anyone else to be accepted in society. I don't recall very well the scene but it was about being happy or something like that, and Meredith focused it from society's point of view. But she didn't know how to convey her thoughts too well, because she was nervous and all, and the whole family misunderstood her. I saw the movie a long time ago but that's how I remember that scene.

[FuzzyChanny]

I didn't see it that way. In my opinion Meredith didn't mean to be rude about it, she was just trying to say that a person who is gay and deaf, beacause that guy was deaf too, might have it harder than anyone else to be accepted in society. I don't recall very well the scene but it was about being happy or something like that, and Meredith focused it from society's point of view. But she didn't know how to convey her thoughts too well, because she was nervous and all, and the whole family misunderstood her. I saw the movie a long time ago but that how I remember that scene.

The reason she gets so caught up is because the mother (Diane Keaton) says that she tried to make all her sons gay and that she only got lucky with one. Unfortunately, Meredith took that the wrong way (at the end of the day, she's a highly strung person and that's the way it is) and so therefore could not understand how a mother could want that for her sons, in the sense that they will so often not be accepted. However, she then made it seem that she believed being gay to be "abnormal" and insulted the entire family.

[opinionista]

The reason she gets so caught up is because the mother (Diane Keaton) says that she tried to make all her sons gay and that she only got lucky with one. Unfortunately, Meredith took that the wrong way (at the end of the day, she's a highly strung person and that's the way it is) and so therefore could not understand how a mother could want that for her sons, in the sense that they will so often not be accepted. However, she then made it seem that she believed being gay to be "abnormal" and insulted the entire family.

Thank you FuzzyChanny. I guess I have to see the movie again!

[serious crayons]

I didn't see it that way. In my opinion Meredith didn't mean to be rude about it, she was just trying to say that a person who is gay and deaf, beacause that guy was deaf too, might have it harder than anyone else to be accepted in society. I don't recall very well the scene but it was about being happy or something like that, and Meredith focused it from society's point of view. But she didn't know how to convey her thoughts too well, because she was nervous and all, and the whole family misunderstood her. I saw the movie a long time ago but that's how I remember that scene.

That's pretty much how I saw it going, but I hated this scene more than anything else in the movie. It seemed contrived and unlikely and cringe-making. However high-strung or nervous, she would not be that blatantly tactless. And if she were, the family would have good reason to dislike her. It changed her character from someone who was sort of bumbling and annoying but ultimately likeable to someone MUCH less sympathetic. It didn't match the tone of what is basically a fairly light romantic comedy.

[FuzzyChanny]

Thank you FuzzyChanny. I guess I have to see the movie again!

Not a problem.

[serious crayons]

Gay, I just rethought my post above and felt guilty about being so harsh. I didn't love the movie, although part of that was probably that I was there with my 10- and 11-year-old sons, who absolutely hated it, and I felt bad about dragging them to it. And actually, there were parts of it I did like.

I usually try to make an effort not to trash movies that other people in the conversation enjoy. So I apologize for being so outspokenly negative about it.

[maggiesmommy GayLee]

oh, i didn't feel that you were negative..and i didn't LOVE the movie either, but it had parts that spoke to what i have discovered latley, and  that is that soicety as a whole is pretty closed minded and there is so much overt bigotry out there that it is just sad to alwyas have to rise above it...i am just a bit tender about what my new friends have to go through..so it hit me on a different level than it would have if i had gone to see it to be entertained.
i think the charachter was so uptight and anal about so many things, that even if she did "approve" of the relationship she was totally unable to express it in a way that anybody understood...
she was that way  because she KNEW that the guy wasn't for her, even though she didn't admit it until later, after she fell for the brother....i also agree that they made it seem like a comedy, which it really wasn't..yes, the plot was trite...
so, the only part i really thought was good was the realtionship between the brother and his partner. that was portrayed in such a normal offhanded way, no jokes about it, no tv type sterotyping...but maybe if I were gay i would look at in in a totally different light...i don't know...i just thought it was a good for that reason..if i'm wrong its out of ignorance...

[delalluvia]

Yep, I saw the Family Stone.

It was so trite and bordered on offensive.

The family was so extremely hateful yet so PC correct.  I wondered why the Sarah character even wanted to be one of them.

And as for 'family', the Sarah character couldn't even trust her sister alone with her fiance for more than 5 minutes.

Ick Ick Ick Ick, yuck yuck.