Welcome to FlixChatter’s primary blog series! As is customary for this monthly feature, I get to post five random news item/observation/poster, etc. and then turn it over to you to share your take on that given topic. You can see the previous five-for-the-fifth posts here.
1. I feel like I just did my Five for the Fifth not too long ago, September practically ran away from me. But Autumn is my all time favorite season. Not only is the crisp, cool weather is just perfect and refreshing, I also love Fall fashion and the fact that there’s TCFF to anticipate in October as well as a slew of great Fall films to look forward to.
It made me think of films set in Autumn. Right off the bat I think of When Harry Met Sally, but films like Dead Poets Society, St Elmos Fire, Class, The Village, and another one starring Meg Ryan You’ve Got Mail all have scenes involving gorgeous foliage that put me in an Autumn mood.
So what’s your favorite movie(s) set in the Autumn season?
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2. I haven’t done a spotlight on an actor in my FFTF in a while but since yesterday is Liev Schreiber‘s birthday, I thought I’d highlight this underrated but talented actor. I actually haven’t seen too many of his work, to be honest, but of the ones I have seen, I enjoyed his performance, i.e. The Manchurian Candidate, The Painted Veil, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, and The Butler. I even saw his directorial debut Everything is Illuminated at TIFF in 2005, which I thought was very good.
When I checked on his Wiki page, I was surprised to learn he has won a Tony in 2005 for his performance in the play Glengarry Glen Ross. Right now he’s juggling film roles as well as his Showtime series Ray Donovan. Wow, talk about a versatile talent who can wear many hats. He apparently can speak Russian, too, as he’s playing Russian chess grandmaster Boris Spassky in the upcoming film Pawn Sacrifice. Check out this clip:
What’s your thoughts on Liev Schreiber? Which of his performance(s) is your favorite?
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3. I gotta include some new trailers and I thought I’d highlight two very different films just to keep things interesting. First off, we’ve got the latest one from SPECTRE that finally puts Daniel Craig face to face and bantering with Christoph Waltz.
Well I wasn’t enthused with the new Bond theme song Writing on the Wall which sounds more like writhing against the wall from the excruciating pain of having to listen to Sam Smith’s whiny voice. But I sure hope that the film will be much better!
Now, the second trailer that caught my eye recently is A Bigger Splash that has a rather intriguing premise: The vacation of a famous rock star and a filmmaker is disrupted by the unexpected visit of an old friend and his daughter. It also has quite a cast: Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Matthias Schoenaerts and Dakota Johnson.
It looks like a lot of fun but things are likely about to turn real ugly real fast. But hey, Fiennes looks like he’s relishing in his comedic side again.
So what are your thoughts on either one of these films?
4. I was going to do a separate post on this and I still might do that later in the year. Having just seen ROOM last night and was very impressed by Brie Larson‘s performance, it made me think of other strong female performances of the year so far.
On the top of my head, I immediately thought of these fine ladies…
- Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina
- Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road
- Karidja Touré in Girlhood
- Carey Mulligan in Far From the Madding Crowd
- Juliette Binoche + Kristen Stewart in Clouds of Sils Maria
- Rebecca Ferguson in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Now, I haven’t seen Sicario nor Brooklyn yet, but I’ve heard lots of great things about the performance of Emily Blunt and Saoirse Ronan, respectively.
If you had to pick just three, who would make YOUR list of best 2015 female performers?
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5. This month’s Five for the Fifth’s guest is Anna from Defiant Success Blog!
There are so many movies (and potential award candidates) based on books being released in the coming months, i.e. Carol, Brooklyn, The Revenant, The Martian, Macbeth, In the Heart of the Sea, among others. would you read the books as well as seeing the movies?
So would you read the books as well as seeing the movies? If so which one(s)?
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Well, that’s it for the October 2015 edition of Five for the Fifth, folks. Now, please pick a question out of the five above or better yet, do ‘em all! 😀
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FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
I first saw Liev in Kate and Leopold (2001). He was great in his role as Stuart, who found an entrance to time travel on the Brooklyn Bridge.
Hi Becky! I like him in Kate & Leopold, he’s got quite a good comic skills that we rarely see as he’s often cast as a big tough guy. I think he’s really talented!
1. When I think of Autumn, The Outlaw Josey Wales by Clint Eastwood, with beautiful cinematography from longtime collaborator Bruce Surtees, is what immediately comes to mind.
2. Certainly, Liev’s work has grown on me over the years. A lot of range, and plays villain and victim with equal charm.
3. SPECTRE is a must-see, while the latter is intriguing, kinda, I’ll have to wait and see.
4. Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina, Emily Blunt in SICARIO, Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road, Rebecca Ferguson in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation.
5. Yes, it a fairly common habit for some work. Especially this one: Andy Weir’s ‘The Martian’, my favorite novel of 2014, and I’ve seen Ridley Scott’s splendid film adaptation.
Hi Michael!
Hmmm, I haven’t even heard of The Outlaw Josey Wales but now I’m curious!
Yes Liev does have a lot of range doesn’t he? I think he’s massively underrated as he can do sweet & scary so effortlessly on screen.
I know SPECTRE is a must for us Bond fans, btw what did you think of the song? Boy do I miss the Shirley Bassey era.
Nice to see we have similar taste in actresses 😀
I’m neutral toward the song right now (which could be an indicator), wanting to give it a listen with that opening titles sequence and in the context of the story. We’ll see soon enough. 😉
1. I’m with Michael, when it comes to film set around the fall season, The Outlaw Josey Wales will always be on the top of the list. Also, I love to The Untouchables and I’ve just re-watched The Last of the Mohicans, I don’t think those films were set during the fall season but they looked beautiful just like a fall weather.
2. I can’t say I’m a fan of Liev Schreiber since he hasn’t starred in any memorable roles, memorable to me anyway. But I think the first film I saw him in was Mel Gibson’s Ransom 20 years ago!
3. SPECTRE just a month away, I can’t freaking wait! I don’t care for most of the Bond theme songs and I definitely didn’t care for Sam Smith’s latest.
4. I guess I’ll go with Blunt and Theron
5. I usually read books way before they were announced to become films but that’s when I had a lot of time on my hands. Now I tend to read books that will become films, for example I read both World War Z and The Road a year before the film version came out.
Wow, another mention for Eastwood’s film. Oooh I forgot about Last of the Mohicans, it’s got some EPIC Autumn scenes, great one Ted!
I’ve been hearing great things about his show Ray Donovan, sounds like it might be something right up your alley.
Well I LOVE Skyfall’s theme so this one is so disappointing, hopefully the film itself will be good though.
Great picks, those two are certainly talented as well as beautiful.
1. oh I really like those scenes you mentioned in You’ve Got Mail. I also really like one dream sequence in Vanilla Sky set in park in autumn
2. He is a very good actor but I don’t think I have favorite performance from him
3. Spectre looks good but Waltz looks pretty bad, like he is just doing a standard villain part to cash in the paycheck
4 just 3 would be Theron, Ferguson and Josephine Japy in Respire, did it even open in US?
5. The Martian looks interesting, I’ll definitely see the movie but I’m not sure I’ll have the time to read the book
Hi Margaret! You’ve Got Mail have so many lovely NYC scenes in Fall/Winter, I just love that movie so much. Haven’t seen Vanilla Sky yet, but I might at some point.
I think Liev flies so much under the radar, so it’s surprising to see how accomplished he is.
Yeah, Waltz doesn’t look at all menacing either, similar to that villain in Quantum of Solace.
Oooh Respire has been getting a ton of buzz, that’s Melanie Laurent’s debut right? I’m curious to check that out now.
I haven’t read The Martian novel either, but the film is really good! Glad to see Ridley Scott back in top form again and the film is not at all dark or somber.
I saw The Martian yesterday and really liked it, it was very light and moving but whenever they wanted to go into Damon’s character breaking down etc. the film was dragging a bit. Respire is so good, I think it was in limited release in US recently. A shame the movie is not getting more exposure because the actresses in it are just wonderful
Oooh I’m glad you like The Martian! Yeah fortunately we don’t have too many of the crying scenes like in Interstellar, I think the light tone makes it a lot more entertaining and fun, but without making light of the dire situation either.
It is a bummer about Respire, I’ve only heard about it from film festivals all over the world.
1.) The Village has some gorgeous colors. Not a favorite, but Woody Allen made autumn look beautiful in Hannah and her Sisters (1986), which I watched recently.
2.) I too hope Spectre is good. I’m skipping the trailer, prefer not to know anything. Although I do know the song and which actors are involved.
Carey Mulligan in Far From the Madding Crowd is my pick, I thought she was very convincing in that role, and even when she did unlikeable things I still cared about her character. Charlize Theron and Rebecca Ferguson were badass so I could easily pick either of those as well. Another memorable female performance this year worth mentioning is Naomi Watts in While We’re Young.
Hi Chris! I haven’t seen Hannah and Her Sisters, but I heard it does have some beautiful Fall scenes.
The SPECTRE trailer actually doesn’t reveal much which is good but yeah, it’s better to go about it blind.
I really like Mulligan in pretty much everything I’ve seen her in. Ooh I haven’t seen While We’re Young yet but I do like Naomi Watts.
Talking of female performances. I haven’t seen 45 Years (2015) yet, which is talked of by critics as an acting clinic by the two leads. Maybe even oscar worthy acting by Charlotte Rampling. She won Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival. Might be too low-key for the Academy, though.
1. Far from Heaven just for Ed Lachman’s photography alone.
2. My favorite Liev Schrieber performance is in Walking and Talking as a friend of Catherine Keener and a potential love interest as he was just hilarious. I love that guy, especially for his narration of HBO Sports Films.
3. SPECTRE is a film I definitely want to see as I’m also interested in A Bigger Splash.
4. Right now, it would be Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road and the duo of Greta Gerwig and Lola Kirke in Mistress America.
5. No. Books and films are completely different mediums. There’s no point in reading a book that would become a film since the film will always do something that is different from the book.
Man, I really need to see ‘Far from Heaven’ soon, somehow I just haven’t got around to it yet.
Oh I haven’t seen ‘Walking and Talking’ but you’ve sold me now. He’s a really talented jack of all trades type, isn’t he?
I love the premise of A Bigger Splash, esp w/ Swinton and Fiennes reuniting after Grand Budapest Hotel!
Mistress America is one of Noah Baumbach’s isn’t it? I haven’t seen any of his film yet, I should rectify that.
Hmmm, interesting answer about the book & films thing, I’m actually in your camp as I usually only have time to watch the film.
Awesome post, Ruth. Wow. Liev! Oh, I think he’s so talented and underrepresented. I loved him ‘Defiance.” I’d like to check out his television series. I know he’s been nominated and I suspect it’s quite good. Oh, Spectre. That’s the one film I will drive down to Phoenix to watch. I simply can’t wait to see it.
Hi Cindy! He has a great name doesn’t he? And oh so talented! I love an actor who can do so many different things. I hope SPECTRE is good, I’m such a huge Bond fan as I grew up watching the Bond films, so any new Bond film is automatically a must-see!
1) Does Autumn Sonata count?
2) I’ve been a fan of Mr. Watts (AKA Schreiber) for years and have always desired him to get the role he deserves. I personally LOVED him in A Walk on the Moon.
3) I can’t wait for BOTH!!!
4) I’ve seen like 9 films from 2015…and Touré and James (Cinderella) are the only two lead female performances…so them.
5) Carol (or The Price of Salt) is a brilliant novel. I really want to read The Revenant…and I’d read Brooklyn too. I love to read, so there’s that.
Hello Drew!
1. Oh I haven’t seen Autumn Sonata but that sounds delightful!
2. Mr. Watts!! Ahahaha, well why not right? He’s in A Walk on the Moon? Somehow I haven’t seen it but I think I should!
3. YAY!
4. Thrilled that you have seen Girlhood!! Isn’t that GOOD movie? I forgot about Lily James, yes she was good as Cinderella.
Hello Ruth 🙂
Lama tak berkunjung 😉
Anyway, I always love your fftf…but I have to say this one is a bit tough for me tho share my answers.
I can only answer number one. You’ve got mail. I rarely pay attention to seasons so I don’t remember much which movie was set during fall.
The rest…I have no clue at all. Sorry.
Hi Nov! Yeah, seems that you’ve been quite busy eh? I was on vacation too last week, not sure if you saw my post on Sedona.
Hmmm, no comment about the Bond movie? I forgot if you like those or not. Ahah, well Indo only has two seasons and no Autumn, so I can understand 🙂
Anyway, thanks for stopping by!
Really loved Larson in Room. Thought Vikander was even better in The Danish Girl. Naomi Watts in Demolition. Lily Tomlin in Grandma.
Hi Jay! I’m actually most curious about Vikander’s role in The Danish Girl. Wow I forgot Watts was in Demolition, that’s another one I’m looking forward to!
So much goodness!
You’re lucky you’ve seen a lot of the best Fall movies!!
Definitely have to pick Dead Poet’s Society as my favorite fall flick!! 100%
Great pick Courtney! It’s just a great film all around.
As far as autumn themed films go the first that popped into my mind was the Joan Crawford starrer Autumn Leaves but the title really alludes to the older woman/younger man dynamic of the plot rather than the season the story takes place. So my five would be All That Heaven Allows with its super saturated colors, its loose remake Far From Heaven, School Ties, Sleepy Hollow and The Trouble with Harry.
I like Liev Schreiber though I wouldn’t say I always love him. The performance I always think of first when his name comes up is his quirky turn as Parker Posey’s somewhat pretentious but vulnerable boyfriend in the indie The Daytrippers.
I’m intrigued by both those films but probably more by Spectre since it’s a more known quantity.
I’m rather behind on my film viewing for the year but Carey Mulligan did a good job with Bathsheba in Madding Crowd and Alicia Vikander kicked some serious butt in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
I’ll usually watch the movie first before reading the book so I don’t have pre-conceived notions what to expect from the film since most deviate from the text to some degree. More often than not I prefer the book but there are exceptions, I liked the film version of Gone With the Wind quite a bit more than the book and I hated the novel Marathon Man though I love the film.
Hi Joel! Oh I forgot about School Ties! It does have some nice Fall scenes. Still need to see Far From Heaven and All That Heaven Allows, never even heard of the latter.
I wouldn’t say I love Liev but I respect his work and it’s a bummer he’s so under the radar. I think he’s a versatile actor.
I really hope SPECTRE is good, I’m getting Daniel Craig fatigue, good thing he said he’s retiring. Though sounds like if they offered him a ton of money he’d still be back
I like Vikander in Man from U.N.C.L.E, but the movie is rather meh.
Yay! I am not the only one who saw Everything is Illuminated! It’s m favourite film of all time.
I think I mentioned to you that I saw Everything is Illuminated at TIFF. Yeah, Liev’s a talented filmmaker, wonder when he’ll make another film again.
I remember now! I hope he does.
1. I’d go with Douglas Sirk’s All That Heaven Allows, though it isn’t set entirely during Autumn. 😉
2. Though I’m not really a Schreiber fan, he was terrific in A Walk on the Moon with Diane Lane. You should check it out!
3. I’m highly anticipating both films!!
4. Mulligan, Ferguson and Vikander… Though, I might chose a different three if you asked me again. 😛
5. Carol, The Revenant, and Brooklyn would be interesting to read. Carol would be my first choice.
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