Burt Reynolds, Thursday Movie Picks, & Kat’s Writing Prompt
Purrrs & hisses, Kittens & Dawgs! It’s time to settle in with your first cup of coffee or in my case my second cup to read my morning mews. Last week, I rebooted my Thursday 2 Question series. Let’s begin there, shall we? 😉
At the end of last Thursday, Burt Reynolds passed away. I was saddened to learn the mews. We saw him in July 2016 while shooting the film, The Last Movie Star. He didn’t look his best and I feared he wasn’t well. Recently, we watched the flick. He did a fabulous job in his role as an elderly forgotten actor despite his fragile appearance.
We watched many of Reynolds’ movies from the end of the 70s and probably most of his 80s productions. The onset of parenthood knocked us out of going to the theater but I think by that time Burt didn’t do many more afterward.
Anyhow, my favorite of all of his films has to be Smokey and the Bandit series. There were a couple of sequels and then there were The Cannonball Run films that we liked which bring me to my T2Q.
1. What was the first movie starring Burt Reynolds you recall seeing?
2. Which Burt Reynolds movie is your favorite?
Whew, that was a lot of fun! I mentioned last Thursday that I wanted to incorporate more hop participations in this time slot and so I wanted to say if you’re a movie-goer or like us who prefer to stream films then you might enjoy Thursday Movie Picks hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. Today’s movie theme is Good Remakes. I’m taking the bait and tossing a few good remakes out for your consideration.
In the past year, I watched a couple of Disney remakes. I loved the animated versions of many of their classics and I wanted to see the non-animated versions after seeing the trailer ads, so when The Jungle Book (2016), Cinderella 2015, and Beauty and the Beast 2016 became available for streaming on Netflix/AmazonPrime I happily watched!
The Jungle Book wasn’t my favorite Disney classic but I figured why not give it a try! I’m glad that did because I enjoyed it more than I thought. The remake of Cinderella might be my favorite of the three and I hated that Disney felt the need to hint that Lafou (Gaston’s buddy in Beauty and the Beast) might prefer men to women, but otherwise a fabulous movie. All three non-animated film productions were good. I think the computer animations making animals or inanimate objects life-like was a super touch. I recommend you give these remakes a try.
It’s difficult to find good movies period, so you might find the Internet article, 30 Best Movie Remakes, appealing.
Today, I’m adding a blog hop, Writer’s Workshop, I used to participate in many moons ago hosted by Kat Bouska of Mama’s Losin’ It who does a weekly writing prompt where you can choose your topic of discussion from six choices. I’m going to take the easiest pick of the lot or at least it’s easy for me by going with #6.
What were you blogging about last year at this time? How have things changed?
I’m not sure what to make of this question regarding the actual date. Am I to assume, a year from today’s date or a year ago from today’s posting slot (Thursday)? Alrighty, I’ll all bases. The 13th last year was a Wednesday. If you’re a loyalist here then you know that’s when I publish my not-so-Wordless Wednesday but I also did a second post with the hope of reviving an old mid-week hop that I once co-hosted, Wayback Wednesdays.
My Thursdays last year in Blogosphere was blank, no posts. Chances are good I was responding to comments, making return visits, or composing an upcoming post. These things are a constant in my blogging life but the thing that’s changed is I’m the startup of my Thursday 2 Question series. This is my second contribution since January. I hope to stuff a few more hops found on my ‘Daily Blog Hop’ page in this slot until I figure out what works best. It always amazes how others routinely pull together multiple posts for a single day. How do they keep track?
Alrighty, I’m going to leave you for now, but please join me in the morning for more coffee and some giggles
18 Comments
Patty
It’s always great to have bloggers return to the proverbial writing nest. I think we’ve all gone through times of wondering just what to write about and take a step back for a while. Then, of course, there are times when you just cannot turn off ideas that you want to expand upon and share. As is often said, you just have to go with the flow!
So sad about Burt Reynolds. I think that somewhere up in my attic is a copy of that Cosmo magazine that he posed for. Just what I needed, another distraction from writing to go in search of it! But, I will!
madamdreamweaver
Welcome back! I think keeping up with one blog is a full time job. My biggest memory of Burt Reynolds was those Smokey & The Bandit movies. Trucker songs and CB radio lingo were hot in back then.
Kim
I hate so much that I missed the Writer’s Workshop this week. I don’t know what I would have blogged about, honestly, as I didn’t have much free time to decide on a topic. But I don’t think I was even blogging semi-actively this time last year, because I recall using NaBloPoMo as a springboard to jumping back into it.
I was sad to hear of Burt’s passing….the first movie (and my favorite) of his was Smokey and the Bandit. I was so obsessed with the Trans Am that I got myself one about a dozen years ago….put a bit of work into it, then had to sell it to help get a little ahead and free up some driveway space. But Burt was always a national treasure and will definitely be missed.
-Eugenia
I was saddened to learn about the demise of Burt Reynolds. He was a looker back in his day and movies I enjoyed best – The Longest Yard and Smokey and the Bandit. Have a great weekend, Cathy!
Kat
Yay, you’re back! 🙂 I was so sad to see the Burt Reynold’s passed away. I didn’t even realize he was sick.
I don’t know what I was doing a year ago, but it probably involved taking care of my 2 year old niece and complaining about my son’s bad attitude. Not much has changed!!
May
I think I saw Smokey and the Bandit three times at the drive-in. (Showing my age!)
Wordless Wednesdays…..I had completely forgotten about them. I used to love taking just the right photo for that link party.
Stephen T. McCarthy
CATHY ~
The first movie I recall seeing Burt Reynolds in was ‘THE LONGEST YARD’, and that has always remained my favorite of his, by far.
Although I haven’t seen it in ages, my second favorite might well be ‘THE END’. (I do like a lot of Black Comedies.)
~ D-FensDogG
Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends
messymimi's meanderings
Smokey and the Bandit was the first of his films that i remember seeing, and it holds a special place in my memories. It does not surprise me that even if Mr. Reynolds was not well, he was working hard to turn out as great a performance as he could.
No way do i remember what i was blogging about last year, i’d have to look, and seldom do i have a lot of time for looking backward. There’s too much ahead!
Comedy Plus
I’ve seen many of his movies, but I think the one the sticks out the most is Deliverance. Okay, perhaps the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. He was most handsome in his youth.
Have a fabulous day and rest of the week, my friend. ♥
Arlee Bird
I first remember Reynolds from Deliverance which is among my favorite films.
Last year at this time I was mainly focused on blogging about what I have been doing of late–Battle of the Bands. That may be what I’ll still be blogging about next year if I’m still blogging.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Kimberly (@momgosomething)
Dang it…I think the internet ate my comment!
I was going to say that the last movie we saw with Burt Reynolds was The Longest Yard. It was the remake with Adam Sandler. I was really sad to hear of his passing.
Cheers to second cups of coffees and hoping this comment goes through!!
Kimberly (@momgosomething)
I cannot recall what my first Burt Reynolds movie was but the last one I watched was on vacation. We watched the Longest Yard remake with Adam Sandler. I was really shocked to hear of his passing.
My blog is so sporadic and random – kind of like my me! I used to do a weekend series but it never picked up so I ditched it.
Have a great Wednesday and cheers to second cups of coffee 😉
John Holton
Glad to see you’ll be joining me and whoever else in the Writer’s Workshop!
I think the first time I remember Burt Reynolds was from “Gunsmoke.” Either that, or “Hawk,” where he played a detective. Anyway, he was a good actor; he was great in “Deliverance” and the “Smokey and the Bandit” movies. But by far, my favorite was “The Crew,” where he and Richard Dreyfuss played retired mobsters who have moved to Florida. He was hilarious in that. There was a running gag where, if they needed an idea from him, they’d beat him up and knock him out, and when he recovered he’d say “I got an idea.” I just looked at his IMDb page: his career was over sixty years and covered the movies and TV. He was a leading man but not too proud to pick up guest appearances and to play supporting roles. The only thing I remember that I didn’t like was a dark comedy called “The End,” where he played a guy who kept trying to kill himself. Dom DeLuise was in it, and usually that makes for a funny movie, but suicide is never funny…
Cathy Kennedy
John,
I didn’t like “The End”, either. Dark comedies I can’t get into at all. I don’t think I’ve seen “The Crew” but it sounds like a fun movie. I’m glad to play along with you and Kat’s other readers. It’s been a long time since I’ve linked up with her but hopefully I won’t let things slip again. Thanks for stopping by, my friend!
Birgit
Yeah for joint Thursday Movie Picks! I have yet to see Cinderella….the Disney animated version but I do like the most recent one with tha beautiful blue dress. I love the inmates Beuty and the Beast but my heart belongs to La Bell eat La Bette..see it if you can. I still have to see the latest Beauty. I felt sad that Burt Reynolds died but I am not surprised. Hmm…..I remember The Longest Yard which I loved and then the film Fuzz which I thought was quite funny and not well known.
Cathy Kennedy
Birgit,
I think we saw The Longest Yard remake. Burt was in it, too. Which one did you see? I’m not sure if we saw the original, though. I believe we saw Fuzz but my brain is fuzzy. I need to watch a trailer to refresh my memory.
Birgit
I saw the original one made in 1972, I believe. I saw the newer one but I love the original. Fuzz starred Burt and Raquel Welch and I thought it was quite funny
Thomas Anderson
Hi, Cathy!
Thanks for remembering actor Burt Reynolds, another icon of the 20th century that has left us. The first film I remember seeing Burt in was Deliverance (1972). I also saw him in The Longest Yard, Gator, Smokey and the Bandit, Cannonball Run, Striptease and Boogie Nights.
The movie remake I could name that in my opinion is just as good as the original would be The Thing (1951/1982). I love to watch both versions and never get tired of either one.
I wish you a happy Thursday, dear friend Cathy, and I will see you tomorrow for Friday Sillies!