Tag Archives: movies in bed
Movies in Bed: NOVA science NOW
Post by Mark T. Locker.
Neil deGrasse Tyson or David Pogue? Sorry, David, but Neil has a rock star appeal you’d be hard-pressed to live up to. This question only makes sense if you are a regular watcher of the PBS show which makes science approachable to the masses, NOVA science NOW.
In our home, if we are all going to watch something together, we try to make it as pleasant as possible for we the grown-ups. Luckily for us, our kid likes some pretty fantastic programming. Most recently, we turned him on to this show. We watched an episode called, “How Smart are Animals?” which discusses, as you doubtless guessed, the intelligence of animals. We all love to watch it. It’s approachable enough that a 4 3/4-year-old enjoys it and takes something away from it. And, IT’s FASCINATING. Dolphins are SO smart! They can coordinate all new tricks together, like a new synchronous twirly flip without EVER having done it! Even dogs are apparently smart; it’s not just dog peoples’ bias. I like the older episodes because of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s aforementioned appeal. But David Pogue is actually quite entertaining. A little grating to me but he definitely gets the 4 3/4-year-old crowd.
They have a bunch available online and on Netflix. It’s entertaining and you get to feel good about yourself for watching it!
Movies in Bed: Oregon Field Guide
Post by Mark T. Locker.
Okay, I know that this is a very regionalist show to be writing about. But maybe your neck of the woods has a similar show. I am also using this as an excuse to celebrate the new development that PBS now has a channel on Roku! (Really, I’m not paid to sponsor them; I consider it poor man’s cable so any new developments are noteworthy to me.) What’s great is that all the nationally broadcast shows are available any time for DVR-less folk such as myself as well as local programming! For me, this means Oregon Field Guide.
OFG is one of those shows for me that is like a big comfy blanket you wrap around yourself to feel safe. If the outside world is too noisy and stressful, watch a piece about Oregon’s brown pelican population, or the oak prairies of the Willamette Valley. Watch people canoe in the sun. It’s lovely. They also address a lot of important issues, such as invasive species and habitat destruction. These are hot-button issues in Oregon.
If you live outside of Oregon, you really ought to see if there is a similar program in your area. Otherwise, you can go to OPB.org and stream some episodes from the comfort of your own big comfy blanket.
Movies in Bed: Night at the Museum
Post by Mark T. Locker.
When your kid is sick, you let them do pretty much whatever they want. And they learn pretty quickly that they get to do whatever they want.
So when Felix woke all flushed and feeling crummy, we set him up in his comfy chair and asked what he wanted to watch. Without missing a beat, he replied, “Night at the Museum”.
Honestly, there are a lot of worse movies out there that a 4 3/4-year-old might request. Like most mainstream comedy movies, it follows the required formula and chooses the meanings/messages dutifully from the list of clichéd options. In this case, it’s twofold: divorced father with no follow-through is competing with the new husband for his son’s admiration. Also, there is the love interest to win over.
Of course, those parts are just to flesh out a movie which is really about a Natural History Museum whose relics come to life every night due to a magical Egyptian tablet. Larry takes a job as a night guard at the museum in order to garner a little respect from his kid. Of course when he learns that everything (including a T-Rex skeleton) comes to life at night, well doesn’t that just make Larry way cooler than the stock broker step-dad with a cell phone holster.
Like I said, there are worse movies out there to watch. Owen Wilson as a tiny cowboy and Steve Coogan as his natural enemy, the tiny Roman centurion, are pretty entertaining. My kid’s favorite parts? The Easter Island head that always says, “Hey dum-dum! You bring me gum-gum?” And the scene in which Larry and a Capucin monkey get in a slap-fest.
Happy watching!
Movies in Bed: Les Misérables
Post by Mark T. Locker.
This is the first movie I have seen all the way through since hobbling my way through The Hobbit back in December. My wife is a huge fan of the music and was needless to say eager to watch this together. The only musical I really enjoy is Singin’ in the Rain, which has amazing tap dancing and Gene Kelly is so handsome and Debby Reynolds is just cute as a button!
Neither Hugh Jackman nor Russell Crowe could be described as cute as a button. Some may describe Anne Hathaway as such, but not me. What Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway are, however, are outstandingly talented singers and actors. It’s hard not to choke up seeing Anne’s rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream”. It’s also even more difficult to watch Russell Crowe bleat out his lines. I don’t know who cast him in this movie, but it was an unwise decision. He very nearly manages to ruin the movie.
But he doesn’t, thank goodness!
It is a very sad, dark, intense movie, so it may give you sad, dark, intense dreams. It certainly did me. But more than that, it gave me lots of dreams about “I Dreamed a Dream.” If I had one criticism of the movie (besides Russell Crowe) it’s that that song gets stuck in my head, and I don’t know the lyrics so I end up making up my own lyrics. Happily, mine are less heartbreaking and tend to be about monkeys and sausages.
So, go rent this if you haven’t seen it.
Movies–er– T.V. in Bed: Grimm
Post by Mark T. Locker.
I’m going to be honest with you: I am a sucker for anything fairy tale-related. Especially things which highlight the inherent darkness present in so many of their tales. (And really most folklore.) Mind you, I’m not going to consume something based only on that one criterion. That show “Once”, for example, simply irritates me. Too many pretty people, perhaps, I don’t know.
“Grimm” is not without its flaws: holes in the plot; unbearable characters; loosening interpretation of Grimm as the show progresses. But for some reason, it is the only show on television that I find myself keeping current on. It’s also fun that it is shot right here in Portland. Basically every summer the city is filled with equipment and actors as “Grimm” and “Portlandia” shoot their seasons.
Nevertheless, I enjoy tuning in to this good-but-not-great show (especially since Burn Notice is on cable) on the rare nights of the week that I don’t fall asleep at the same time as my kid. If you like to watch people turn into weird monsters, like fly-headed people or beaver-faced folk, or if you like watching people open trunks of ancient weapons like morning stars and crossbows (thank you, David Greenwalt for bringing a bit of Buffy to the show!) then this is definitely for you. Enjoy!
