The Leisure Seeker - Senior Couple’s Last Roadtrip

What a great film this is! It’s directed by Paolo Virzi and it stars Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland as John and Ella Spencer, a senior married couple who are both ailing in different ways. They go on a last roadtrip with their old Winnebago RV named The Leisure Seeker. It’s a trip that's entertaining, funny and heart-breaking. they travel from Massachusetts to Key Wesr, Florida.

This film is the Italian director's first attempt at an English language film. The crew was somewhat international. Helen Mirren is British with Russian ancestry while Donald Sutherland is from Canada.

Janel Maloney who portrays daughter Jane, is American and Christian McKay who portrays their son Will is British.

I love the soundtrack with songs like: Carol King's It's Too Late Baby. Janis Joplin's Me and Bobby McGee, Donna Summer's Don't Leave Me This Way.

I also found it very interesting to see real current political events included as part of this fictional story. It was also very touching how Ella and John enjoyed looking at slide shows of their lives together.

If you can watch the dvd of this film it has 2 wonderful special features which are ‘Making of’ and ‘In Conversation with Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland.’

Here are some quotes from this film:

"I think Mom turned off the cellphone we bought her."---Will

"Jane, Mom and Dad are gone. And you won't believe it! So is the Leisure Seeker."--Will to sister Jane on the phone.

"A Happy Swirl! I have no idea what that could be but it sure sounds promising!"---Ella

"Try to understand. And just let me have this vacation with your father."---Ella to her children

"Prose that is poetry is Hemingway's secret. Do you have any idea how difficult that is to do?"---John to the waitress in diner.

"I'm so happy when you come back to me."---Ella to John

"I am so glad to be back on the road again."---John to Ella

"It's so ice when you forget to be forgetful. Too bad it ends so quickly. I just can't get used to it."---Ella to John

"Goodness you've become pricey....When we used to  come here with the kids, it was $10 for the day."---Ella to Ticket seller who replies,"When was this, back when we were a colony?"

"I mean, you can't remember the names of your own kids, but you do remember that Jenny was always laughing. I'm speechless. I mean, what goes on in that head of yours?"---Ella to John

"It's so painful when you can't remember anything. I'm sick and tired of having to remember everything for you. "---Ella to John

"I can't believe I'm married to someone as beautiful as you."---John to Ella

'What's going on, old-timer?Thinking about running on me? You two want to end up on "The World's Slowest Police Chases"?"---police officer

"Traveling's very important. Broadening your horizons broadens your mind."---John

"There's no need to get upset just because you don't know grammar. You can learn it."---John

"Good me! I don't want to buy it. I just want to spend the night in it. I've never spent that much on a hotel room in my whole life."---Ella

You my friend? Yeah? Worst friend in the world!"---Ella

"I didn't know anything but I sensed that you returned to me. And knowing nothing, I forgave you."---Ella to John


Here are some scenes from this film:

This is the official trailer:

My Name is Khan---a different kind of romance & odyssey film

This is a film by director Karan Johar about an Indian Muslim man with Asperger's Syndrome. Viewers see his life as an odd child with a mother who tries her best to guide her son. When he has trouble attending a regular school, she finds him a private tutor. One of his special talents is his ability to repair many items.

After his mother dies, Rizvan (played oddly enough by an actor with the same last name as his character -- Shah Rukh Khan)keeps his promise to her to go to America and reunites with his brother Zakir in San Francisco. He starts selling beauty products to salons.

He meets Mandira, a Indian Hindu (played by Kajol) hairdresser in one of the salons. They become friends, get married and live together happily with her son Sameer.

Tragedy strikes shortly after 9/11 happens and many American Muslims suffer repercussions including Rizvan's new family. Rizvan sets out on a solo journey across the country trying to meet the President.

Along the way, he meets many interesting people and has some adventures. In Georgia, he becomes friends with Funny Hair Joel (played by Adrian Kali Turner) and Mama Jenny (played by Jennifer Echols). When he hears that their little town has been flooded by a hurricane, he returns to help them.

This film has multiple spoken languages: English, Hindi, Arabic and Urdu. In some ways, I think it's quite exaggerated, a bit corny sometimes but also touching and funny. As there's some flipping back and forth in time since the character is telling a story, be sure to pay attention so you don't get confused.

Also beware of the violence & racism in this film  This isn't gratuitous like in some films but an important part of the plot.

Some quotes from this film:

"My name is Khan and I'm not a terrorist."---Rizvan

"Oh, I think you recognized me. I am Rita Singh, ex-Miss India."---manager of salon

"You look so old. You must have been Miss India before I was born."---Rizvan

"A salesman and yet you speak the truth."---Mandira

"Mom, stop being filmy now. You're such a drama queen."---Sameer

"Fix Almost Anything"---Rizvan's sign

"...the way of Allah is of love, not of hatred and war."---Rizvan

Conversation:

"Mehnaz Herbal Beauty Products will make you glow like a newly-wed bride."---Rizvan to woman

"I'm divorced."--woman to Khan

"Uh-oh. We have nothing for the newly-divorced."---Rizvan

Here are some scenes from this film:

Here's the trailer:

The Way

It's a different type of road movie and it's also a father-son story. Tom Avery (played by Martin Sheen) gets the news that his son Daniel (played by Sheen’s son Emilio Estevez) has died in France. When Tom goes to France to claim his son’s body, he learns that his son was in the process of taking the pilgrimage called “El Camino de Santiago.” 

Scene from the film of pilgrims on "The Way."

Tom decides to go on this pilgrimage. The rest of this film tells the story of Tom’s journey and the interesting cast of characters he meets and travels with along “the way.”
The way is in France and Spain. Part of it goes through Basque country. Here's an aside: Basque culture is quite interesting and their area's economy has been invigorated by the growth of Worker Cooperatives. For those of you curious to know more about the topic of Basque and Worker Cooperatives, check it out.

Emilio Estevez also directed and wrote the screenplay. I found it to be an entertaining and heartwarming film.

It's interesting to note that Emilio's son fell in love with and married a young woman while he was in Northern Spain. He decided to live there with her.

Here's the trailer:

"Camping Gear Rack"