Friday, June 10, 2016

Armchair Squid Film Society...The Answer



I really stumped all of you and I say that with a bit of a wicked smile:) My choice is a new film which came out last year at the Toronto Film Festival and only opened in the States this year. I will answer my 3 hints below and then tell you the film.

1. Stars 2 Oscar winning actors.......Christopher Plummer and Martin Landau

2. It involves a search....Christopher Plummer's character goes on a search for a man.

3. Issues of Old Age comes up in the film-The leading character has dementia

The film is....REMEMBER-2015



My hubby and I rented this film and we were quickly enthralled by its story. Atom Egoyen is the director who weaves you through a story of aging, Alzheimer's, death, the holocaust, family and revenge. It starts with the recently widowed Zev, played by Christopher Plummer, lives in a long term care home and is friends with another elderly man, Max, played by Martin Landau. They have both endured the holocaust and have lost their families due to one man who ran the prison and Max says it is up to Zev to find this man, now living under another name and kill him. Max is too ill to travel so he creates a list for Zev to keep close to his person and read constantly since Zev suffers from dementia. The list tells him how to leave the home, buy a gun and search for the killer of their families but there are 4 men with that name and Zev must make sure he finds the correct man. Zev goes on this journey and you are taken with him and deal with his fears from being with a man who thinks of the War as glorious to a neo-nazi. During his search for this man, Zev's son is searching for his missing father and has no idea what his father is truly up to.

The film is a German-Canadian  co-production and was filmed in Canada. I need to see this movie more than once because it makes one think. It is slow paced but you can't give up on this film because the ending is superlative. I love the sounds in this film which really come to the fore when Zev is in the horrible home of the neo-nazi. I will not say more but you will understand when you watch this film.

I highly recommend it for anyone to see. Some people may think it is slow moving but I do not...I find it deliberate in its movement like a musical piece that starts slowly and quietly and becomes louder and more prominent as it nears its conclusion. It is worth a watch for sure especially in the masterful acting hands of these 2 great film actors.

To Check out the other film nuts head on over to The Armchair Squid




58 comments:

  1. OK. I am not as clueless as I look. Never saw any of the three Thursday films and never even heard of this one. More to put on my list.

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    1. This is an excellent film and I hope you see it

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  2. Second visit here. Blogger ate my first comment:

    I saw the previews for this when it came out in the US and then forgot all about it. Thanks for the reminder! It looks very intriguing. I'll keep an eye out for it on Netflix or HBO.

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    1. I hope you see it because it is so well crafted

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  3. Egoyan is a GREAT direction. I can't believe I haven't heard of this!!! Love Plummer and Egoyan so I really should check this out. Thanks for bringing it to my attention :-D

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    1. Oh Wow...This must be a first! You usually know about films before I do:) I would love to know what you think of it

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  4. I haven't heard of this film, but it does sound interesting. I bet it's really intense- a film you have prepare for. Perhaps I'll see it one day.

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    1. It is excellent and well thought out. I hope you do see it one day

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  5. I saw Remember but wasn't even close on any of my guesses to your clues. Christopher Plummer gives an excellent performance in this film. The pace didn't bother me, but I thought it implausible.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Oh ...yes implausible but it didn't matter to me because it was so much of a "what if". I don't want to say more

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  6. Wonder if the library has it yet. I will check it out. Sounds interesting and so very topical although I suspect any such prison guards would be long dead by now. In fact I would have thought Zev and Max would have gone too. We were too young to know much about the war let alone participate and are serious oldsters now.

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    1. It is not plausible for that reason alone but it does not diminish the story for me one iota. This is a film that should take place more in the 70's for the stars of the film to have been part of the war as adults otherwise they would be all in their late 90's by now or older but it still doesn't take away the meaning of the film for me

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  7. Never even heard of this one before. Bet you stumped everyone this time. Ones that make you think are good ones indeed, usually.

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    1. I did stump everyone. I didn't think that would happen. It is excellent, in my book anyways

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  8. Well, of course I couldn't guess it because I hadn't seen it. Probably not for me, as there are themes there that I can't stomach. But it sounds like a great film for others.

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    1. One doesn't see the past. It all takes place in the present. Even though the people would be in their high 90's which is not beleavable, it does make you think

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  9. I've heard good things about this movie but have yet to see it.

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    1. I think it's excellent and hope you get to see it

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  10. Plummer is consistently mesmerizing, so this is probably worth watching.

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    1. He is great in this film. It kind of reminds me a bit of Memento but only that he can't remember due to his dementia. Plummer plays it beautifully.

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  11. I've never heard of this film - but I'll be sure to watch it if I get the opportunity.

    Susan at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

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  12. I've never heard of this film - but I'll be sure to watch it if I get the opportunity.

    Susan at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

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  13. Birgit, I haven't heard of this movie before now. The trailer looks good. Hopefully, it will make its way to Netflix for us to watch. Thanks for the recommendation. I always like learning of new films that peak my interest. Have a good weekend, my friend!

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    1. I would not understand why it wouldn't be on Netflix since it is a new film. It is well worth watching and wishing you a great weekend as well.

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  14. Ah yes, we saw it ages ago at a festival. Glad you liked it so much. It was a pretty cool film.

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    1. Yes I figured you saw it and it is pretty cool

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  15. There was no way I was going to guess that one and it seems no one else did either. Well done. Sounds like a fascinating film, too.

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    1. It's an excellent film and no one guessed it...I was surprised

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    2. I am delighted to add it to the list.

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  16. I haven't heard of this one before- but it does sound intriguing. I am okay with a slow pace if it is purposeful and the whole movie is good. Thanks for sharing! :)
    ~Jess

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    1. I think the movie is excellent and the pace is deliberate.

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  17. The film sounds psychologically fascinating. I mean, what happens if he gets to the villain, but the guy's very ill or truly repentant - does he still kill him? What if one of the other names isn't the Nazi, but is a serial killer - does he kill him instead? I can definitely see how this film would make one think.

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    1. Oh yes and you have not even begun to know what the truth is

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  18. I love Christopher Plummer. Did you see him in Must Love Dogs?
    R

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    1. I did and he was such a scoundrel...loved it

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  20. Hadn't heard of this one. Sending someone with Alzheimers out with a gun sounds a bit risky:)
    It does sound very intense.

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    1. It is not the best thing and quite scary. It is not realistic when you think about it but it is riveting for sure and, I think, profound.

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  21. Watched this movie last night. What a shocking ending! Thanks for the recommendation.

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    1. I'm glad you watched it. Yes...it is shocking, my hubby and I were left dumbfounded as we didn't see that coming.

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  22. Wow! That sounds like quite a movie, but the nursing home setting sounds depressing. Thanks for sharing your insights!

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    1. The nursing home is in it only for a short time but this film is not an uplifter but more of a surprise

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  23. Replies
    1. Very sick...bad, bad throat infection

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    2. Oh No! Take care of yourself. I hope you get better SOON. CJ is sick too.

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  24. I'll have to see it. And, yes, you did stump us!

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    1. Oh I hope you see it and it will shock you

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  25. I've never heard of this movie, but I love Christopher Plummer! The trailer had me hooked and it's on the "watch" list. Thanks, Birgit!

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  26. Ha! I was way off. Golden Pond, indeed. I'll put this one on my list, too.

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  27. That sounds like the kind of film I'd enjoy. I previously watched another film Atom Egoyan directed, Ararat, and enjoyed it very much.

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  28. Sounds sad, real, and relevant. Thanks for adding to my cinema knowledge, and for this recommendation, Birgit.

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  29. Thanks for the shoutout to a Canadian film! I haven't seen this one, but our films tend to be heavy on story rather than action, and more than a little quirky.

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  30. Ooh, that sounds like a fascinating film. Will add it to the must-see list!

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  31. Not even heard of it, but this one sounds very interesting. I like a slow build!

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  32. I've always liked Christopher Plummer.
    Even when he was in Star Trek VI.

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  33. I've always liked Christopher Plummer.
    Even when he was in Star Trek VI.

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  34. Well it's nice to know I'm not just dumb. I hadn't ever heard of this one. So... I guess you could say I didn't remember Remember. Har har.

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