Here we go, first Thursday of 2019 is upon us like nothing has changed! Well, few things have changed – all new topics for an entire year and a new header image! I’ve been participating since mid 2016, so it’s been quite a while now. This series is probably the most consistent thing in my life, and makes Thursdays almost as great as Fridays. So here we go, let’s get the 2019 Thursday Movie Picks up and running!
1. THE FLORIDA PROJECT (2017)
This critically acclaimed movie was definitely not my favourite during the award season. I hardly had any interest towards the movie before seeing it and had a hard time with watching it. It’s just tad bit long, feels empty and I was pretty bored. It’s mostly a reflection of life in the middle of nowhere. But that being said, you can’t deny the great performance in the middle of the movie by Willem Dafoe. That’s what kept me watching, even though I really didn’t want to. And yes, the warm tones and almost suffocating heat that reflects from the screen, was also a nice touch.
2. DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (2013)
Another award season favourite with its stellar performances by Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto. The movie is based on true events and tells a story of a (most likely) racist and homophobic man being diagnosed with HIV. With his new diagnosis, bad medication and the possibility to obtain better medication, he starts Dallas Buyers Club. Then sparks up a friendship with a transvestite played by Leto. Both actors slimmed down into a dangerous weight for this film, and it’s literally scary to look at them. But the biggest achievement? Dallas Buyers Club won an Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyle by only having a 250 dollar budget for it.
3. SWEET VIRGINIA (2017)
Oh, can you hear it? It’s me squealing because The Punisher is almost back and my sweet sweet Jon Bernthal will be back in my life. Meanwhile I’m thinking back to Sweet Virginia, a brooding film about a guy who befriends a violent man. While everything in this film was on the weaker side, Bernthal in the centre of it captures all the attention – in a good way. The scruff, the brooding, all of it is just worth the entire experience for any Bernthal fan. Plus this movie will definitely help you to pass time while the wait for The Punisher is getting harder and harder to handle.
THIS SERIES IS CREATED BYÂ WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES
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Snap! I picked The Florida Project too 🙂 Sorry you didn’t love it, but I completely agree about Willem Dafoe. It might just be my favourite ever role of his.
I picked it because then I have it picked.. I try not to repeat movies so it’s hard to keep all my “recommendations” my favourites. But I know many liked The Florida Project and I get it, there are things to like.
YEY for Sweet Virginia! Punisher 2 is gonna be released 2 weeks from tomorrow!
I KNOW!! So excited I will probably burst soon.
Great picks! I’ve seen all three. Sweet Virginia is a great gem.
Hey, that’s great! I think I’ve never gotten 3 out of 3 before, right?
I can’t believe I didn’t think of Dallas Buyers Club! It’s such a brilliant film.
Hah, well, I know the feeling. You see it picked and you’re like…. why did I forget!?!? 😀
We share Sweet Virginia! It was so much better than I thought it’d be. I hate The Florida Project lol
Well, I have a strong dislike towards The Florida Project but it fit the theme too well to leave it out.
Uh-oh I haven’t seen any of these though I have heard of the first two. I wasn’t terribly interested in The Florida Project and your underwhelming reaction to it only strengthens my indifference. I keep meaning to catch up with Dallas Buyers Club but I’m not much of a McConaughey fan coupled with the surely grindingly sad subject matter has kept me away. The last I’ll have to look into a bit more.
When I found out how many films there were that had my title city in them, and how many I’d seen, I had to do a theme within the theme and still left out several that I’d watched.
Shanghai Express (1932)- In Peking, China, during a civil war, British Capt. Donald Harvey (Clive Brook) meets his old flame Magdalen (Marlene Dietrich) and learns with dismay that she has become a prostitute known as Shanghai Lily. Both are traveling to Shanghai via train, and while they grow reacquainted, they remain unaware that they are traveling with spy and rebel army leader Henry Chang (Warner Oland). On Chang’s orders, his forces attack the train, terrorize the passengers and hold Donald hostage. Full of atmospheric cinematography and amazing costumes with both Dietrich and Anna May Wong extraordinary.
The Shanghai Gesture (1941)-Weird hothouse drama about gambling house/brothel boss Mother Gin Sling (Ona Munson)-originally Mother Goddamn in the stage play this was based on-who out of spite degrades her British ex-lover’s (Walter Huston) daughter (Gene Tierney). Last completed American film of famously difficult and exorbitant director Erich Von Stroheim.
The Shanghai Story (1954)-When a police raid in search of a Communist spy strands all westerners within a hotel in post-WW2 Shanghai disillusioned American Dr. Dan Maynard (Edmond O’Brien) initially clashes the Tangier-born Rita King (Ruth Roman). But they are drawn together as Rita attempts to use her connection to new police chief, Colonel Zorek (Marvin Miller) to outwit their interrogators and armed guards to help their group flee to safety. Standard adventure is boosted by the strength of the performances of its two lead performers.
The Florida Project is dividing people left and right, some love it, some dislike it. It’s a very interesting film in that scene.
I like your theme within a theme! So brilliant and I had no idea how many films have Shanghai in its title!
I have yet to see The Florida project and am on the fence with it because of exactly what you describe. I really liked Dallas Buyer’s Club and thought the acting was superb but Matthew really needs to put some weight back on. I have not seen the 3rd pick but I will mark it down as it sounds interesting
You will never know if The Florida Project is for you or not, if you don’t watch it. I’d say, skip it, but I know many who would say the opposite. So now it just depends. 😀 I’d be curious to see if you would end up liking it or not though, so le me know if you do decide! 😉
I love The Florida Project! What a fantastic film that is. I’m not so big on Dallas Buyers Club. Leto and McConaughey were both great, but it just didn’t work for me. Haven’t seen your other pick.
I don’t think Dallas Buyers Club is a fantastic film but it’s still better than The Florida Project for me. But I totally get why one would think the opposite, so it’s just interesting to see what you would think of my third pick now. 😉
The second time I’ve seen Sweet Virginia for this theme, I’m going to look this one up.
Yay, do it! It’s mostly one of my recommendations because I really like Jon Bernthal.