Manchester By The Sea

Manchester By The Sea (Kenneth Lonergan, 2016)

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Rating: Q=5, P=3 / Thanks But No Thanks

Scale 1=2, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=1

Grief, Coping, Loss, Complex Relationships, Family

I'd been putting off viewing this film because I knew it would be hard for me to watch. And I was right, it was incredibly difficult. Stories about overwhelming grief are painful, especially so when the people failing to cope don't know how to communicate. Lee, played amazingly well by Casey Affleck, reminded me of so many young men I once knew. Struggles like his character's are very real in this world of ours. Even though I rated the film lower on the personal scale, I do still recommend it. It's important that we make movies about grief.

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I, Claudius

I, Claudius (1976)

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Rating: DSQ=9, SP=8 / Can't Get Enough

Scale A=2, Scale B=4, Scale C=3, Scale D=4, Scale E=4

Ancient Rome, Dynasty, Drama, History, Scandal

Only my second time watching I, Claudius but I loved it more this time than the first. Such a fantastic production with memorable performances by many greats--Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, Brian Blessed, Patrick Stewart... The episodes with Caligula were still my favorite and got me thinking more and more about the seemingly continuous narcissistic and unstable leaders we've had in human history.

Great dialogue, great theater, bold and edgy for the mid-1970s. There really needs to be more classic period dramas made today. Ancient Egypt, anyone?

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