I will but I'll wait till it comes out on DVD. It takes a lot to get me to the movies anymore. Now that I have a large screen with surround sound at home, it's better than the movies! No cell phone conversations going on, no kid kicking the back of my seat, no crying baby whose parents won't remove him/her, no spending $10 for popcorn and coke, no watching movie ads (and I don't mean coming attractions) for 20 minutes before the feature starts.

Sorry! I'll get off my soapbox now. I know that's not what you were asking.

Yes, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing this movie. I haven't read the book but if I like the movie I'll probably read it then.

like May, I'm waiting for the DVD... (we love netflix!!! )

but yes, it's already on our list!

I LOVE Netflix!!!

Yesterday I watched some trailers on the net. It looks hilarious and I love Stan Tucci as Paul Child. Can't wait for this one. I'm adding this one to my queue right now.
Teresa

Yes, probably. Has it gotten good reviews? I like Amy Adams a lot. If anyone hasn't seen Enchanted, you are missing a wonderful movie.

I started to watch Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia. Wow -- what terrible miscasting. Meryl is good but not good enough to pass herself off as 20 years younger than she actually is. The daughter looked like she could be Meryl's granddaughter. I couldn't even finish it.

LOL Pam, you and I think so much alike! I loved the play Mama Mia, but HATED the movie. Pierce Brosnan's singing was painful and while Meryl Streep is a versatile lady, I didn't buy her as the mom for a second! Agreed about Amy Adams and Enchanted, a delightful movie!

Oh, wow, I thought my sister and I were the only ones who loathed Mamma Mia. I love Meryl Streep in general but when it was over I didn't think she had a career left. The play was great... I'm with you, Ellen! Did you see it at the Schubert back in the day?

I'm looking forward to it but for some reason whenever I think about someone playing Julia, I picture Dan Ackroyd chopping up the at chicken :)

In case anyone needs a laugh :)

Here is a link that might be useful: SNL

Diana- I sure did! I really miss that theater!

I'm looking forward to the movie, too. In the ads for the movie, Meryl Streep looks like she's got Julia down pat. Notice they've cast short people against her, since there's no way they could find someone as tall as her to portray her, except maybe Gina Davis, but I don't see her as Julia Child at all.

I doubt I'll see it in the theatre, though, as it's way too expensive to go to the movies. I didn't even go see the Star Trek movie, and it used to be my rule that if the movie has spectacular special effects, as in a sci fi movie, I'd go see it in the theatre.

I love Amy Adams, too. Never, ever, was interested in Mama Mia, since I'm not wild about the music. I loved Enchanted, and everything I've seen her in.

Sally

I read the book and was so disappointed. It is such a great idea - a woman who feels she is floundering in life decided to cook her way through Julia Child's The Art Of French Cooking and blog about it. I was expecting some fun cooking and self-discovery through Julia's words of wisdom, but really there wasn't much cooking at all. Mostly she just whined and complained about various non-food facets of her life throughout the whole book - well, as much of it as I read. I stopped reading about 2/3 of the way through.

As for the film, Meryl Streep looks FABULOUS as Julia, and I hear that Julia's part of the story is much greater than in the book. These are the only reasons I am interested in seeing this.

Actually, I just decided earlier tonight that I will not go to the theater to see the movie. The author is such a Whiney MsWhinerson who seriously annoyed me. So, she will not get a dime from me! I will wait to check this out from the library.

Nicole

The author of the book isn't getting any movie profit participation, so don't let that hold you back.

I enjoyed the book tremendously. I liked that she talked about her life and what was going on, and thought her writing was amusing.

Why isn't she getting any money from the movie? That's just wrong.

Sally

Sally, she probably made a tidy bundle selling the story for a movie, but unless she also wrote the screenplay she probably is not getting a percentage. The big stars have contracts that get them a base pay plus a percentage of what the movie actually makes. So a blockbuster movie earns the stars, director and some others (maybe screenwriter, not sure) $$$$ above and beyond the base pay they get even if the movie is a flop.

But the person who sells her book probably won't have such a contract.

I've been reading this and am not enchanted by it; loved it at first but it guickly got repetitive and is not evolving into anything I would feel like sticking around for. Julie's sink is often backed up, how fascinating.

Once the movie is out in dvd, and gets reduced to a low price, I would perhaps buy it to watch Merryl Streep perform, I really love her acting.

The movie combines 2 books and I haven't read the one Julia wrote with her nephew yet. I did read Julie, the blogger's book after reading so many great reviews when it came out. I didn't hate it, but it didn't live up to my expectations.

Like people above have expressed, I found her to be quite whiney and I had a hard time relating to her. At the time I figured it was just a generational thing. I remember when DH, our kids and I went to see the play "Rent" I had a similar reaction. I loved the music, acting, energy, etc., but all I could think was, "Geesh, go out and get a real job so you can pay your rent and moonlight to 'follow your dream' already!" My kids thought I missed the point, LOL!

Nora Ephron brought one of my favorite movies, "You've Got Mail" to the screen. Since she is a great cook, herself, I
bet she has gone heavier on the "food stuff" and less on the "whiney aspects" of Julie's book in this film.

I can't remember the last time I've been to the theater to see a movie, but I am going to splurge for this one. Mostly because I'm eager to see it, but also I think that if movies like this don't do well at the box office they won't get made. All we'll be able to get on DVD & Netflix in the future will be movies made for adolescents featuring special effects over good performances. Just my HO.

I'm late getting back to this thread. Sue, I agree that there will never be another Julia Child impersonator as good as Dan Ackroyd. He really had her nailed.

I agree that Meryl is a wonderfully talented actress but somehow I have never been able to warm to her. I think it's because no matter who she is portraying, I still see Meryl Streep.

Of the more "senior" actresses out there, I would have to say that Judy Dench is my favorite by far. Also Helen Mirren. Her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth was astounding.

Speaking of Amy Adams, I also enjoyed the movie Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. It stars Frances McDormand, another actress I really enjoy. The movie is light but Adams and McDormand are wonderful.

Dedtired, I was trying to remember the name of that movie (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day). DH brought it home from the library, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Amy Adams is such a chameleon! The first movie I saw her in was Junebug (another one brought home from the library). It was an odd movie, but good, and worth seeing just to see Amy Adams. She totally stole the show.

Amck, you make a very good point about supporting movies like this at the theatre.

Sally

Just wanted to mention that I really enjoy watching a film on a big screen in a big theater with big sound! Of course I am fortunate that as a retired young gal, I have the privilege of going to the early matinees with no kicking and screaming children although once about 12 redhats came in and they were a little rowdy during Helen Mirren's Calendar Girls. We also bring our own sandwiches from home and and only get popcorn when our ticket has been punched 12 times and we get a free box.

I agree with Pam, Ellen and Diana about Meryl as Donna in Mamma Mia - I didn't "hate" her but I think I actually did "hate" Pierce Brosnan when he tried to sing. Oy. Diana, when you mentioned the Shubert, well I think of NYC - surely there could be no other? :)

I'm looking forward to seeing this movie. And Moe has already agreed to see it with me. He loves Meryl. I must be the only one that liked Momma Mia. It was on TV last week. It certainly wasn't an award winning movie or performance but I found it a light weight enjoyable movie. Pierce Brosnan's singing was so bad that I found him rather endearing. Took at lot of nerve to take a part that required him to sing when he obviously can't carry a tune.

Ann

Ann, I liked Mamma Mia, too, and I hate ABBA! I agree about Brosnan's singing... almost endearing. Almost.... ;-)

I remember when DH, our kids and I went to see the play "Rent" I had a similar reaction. I loved the music, acting, energy, etc., but all I could think was, "Geesh, go out and get a real job so you can pay your rent and moonlight to 'follow your dream' already!" My kids thought I missed the point, LOL!

amck,
I felt the same way about Rent. The music was good, but the sense of entitlement the characters exuded horrified me.

Count me as another one who didn't like Mamma Mia. I hadn't planned on seeing it since I'm not an Abba fan but it was playing on a plane trip so I figured what the heck. I think I could have gotten into the music if only the story had been engaging. But it was like trying to squeeze a square peg into a round hole -- the story was so contrived as they tried to make the action match the music. And I found neither Streep nor Brosnan endearing.

And while I'm dissing... I like Helen Mirrin's films, she's always good, but in an interview with Barbara Walters a few years ago before the Oscars, she made some disparaging remarks about American women which struck me the wrong way. I got the idea that she thinks just a little bit too much of herself and being British. Maybe it's a defense mechanism since she has to compete with a lot of American actresses, but ugh, it just left me cold.

and now for something I DO like...
I agree about Amy Adams being a chameleon. When I watched Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (which I really liked), I didn't even realize that Amy Adams was the same actress who was in Doubt (another excellent film). Then realizing she was also in Enchanted surprised me. She's good.

Another who really enjoyed Mama Mia....and so did Clive which is really shocking! Mind you I am a huge ABBA fan so the music alone was enough to have me up and singing.

It was just fun and silly and I so enjoyed the fact that "old broads" could run and jump and dance and sing...sorta sing....I just seemed to me like they were having a ball!

Meryl is such an amazing actress. I am awed by her range, quite remarkable! I think she is on a bit of a fun and silly streak what with Mama Mia and now Julia.

As for Pierce, I think he was just having fun doing something he had never done before. I give them all credit for letting it all hang out.

I'm looking forward to seeing this one too. Love Meryl! I haven't been to the movies in years so I'm not sure If I'll wait for the dvd or not.

Another ABBA fan here and I loved the Mamma Mia broadway show for sure...everyone was up dancing at the end. Like the movie version too....600 million plus in sales... I think others did too. Yes a little campy and not the best singing but like Sharon mentioned I think they were have fun with the whole thing. Managed to pass up Hairspray in sales. Another stage and movie fave of mine. Loved Travolta in drag in that one...LOL! Have to say that I like Baranski too. Her number on the beach was fun as was the lady from the Potter movies at the end....can't remember her name tonight. What cracks me up is the little ones down here love it too....they dance and sing all the way through the whole thing. We had to watch it twice the last time I had them over for the night babysitting.

David

Julie Walters. Mrs. Weasley. Wasn't she terrific?

OMG, I adore Christine Baranski. She was outstanding in the old tv show "Cybill." She and Cybill Shepherd relly played off each other so well.

She was also the only "Who" in How the Grinch Stole Christmas who didn't have to wear a fake nose since hers turns up so drastically anyway.

And yes -- Julie Walters is wonderful in that role. The Potter movies are filled with great performances.

Mamma Mia is scary-looking - I changed the channel immediately, ack!

I love Meryl Streep - I could watch the silly The Devil Wears Prada over and over again to see Stanley Tucci mincing, Meryl being evil, and of course the clothes. And Tucci's playing Paul Child in Julia & Julia - yippee!

I just watched Devil Wears Prada. Was disappointing overall, except for Meryl, especially her, "That is all."

I ADORE Christine Baranski too! My favorite line - they are in a bowling alley and somehow get friendly with a couple of guys - Maryann comes over to Cybill to tell her that one guy was off to go buy her a coke - she says to Cybill "is the rum implied?" - gosh I love it :)

I also loved Devil Wears Prada - I think I need to see it again - I love everybody in it - especially Meryl!

I agree. Meryl was really at the top of her game in Devil.

I am going to see it since my aunt suggested the name Julia for my mother when she was looking for a name that went with my middle name, I am named Julia Dawn.

I wouldn't miss it! I love Julia and love Meryl and everything she has done that I have seen, beginning with Sophie's Choice....but I haven't seen Mama Mia.
And I love love LOVED Rent! Movie! Stage show, music and all!
When that little riff from Boheme came in I thought I would just die!
Linda C

A subject near and dear to my heart!

About 1-1/2 years ago, I read Julia Child's My Life In France and loved it. The book was recommended for a book group I'm in by a woman who doesn't cook but was curious.

Then, I got a documentary from the library on Julia Child's life with lots of old video. Excellent.

Then, I read Julie & Julia and loved it. I really related to the main character and lived through her experiences. It is a true story, not a novel.

Then, I got Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and selected the recipe for Quiche Lorraine to try. I didn't have exactly the same size pie/quiche pan as Julia so I ended up making and remaking six quiches to take to book group.

Then, I froze some quiche and gave one of them to another woman in the book group when she had a baby.

Then, the woman who selected the book for book group invited me to see Judith Jones speak at an author's lecture series at the Carnegie Library - she was Judith Jone's editor who recognized that Mastering the Art of French Cooking was ground-breaking.

Then, this Spring, I visited Julia's kitchen at the Smithsonian and had my daughters take my picture there.

Before all this happened, I only thought of Julia Child as a whacky personality on PBS. I asked my mother why we didn't watch her show and she said it was because we couldn't afford the ingredients. So she was only a caricature to me. I don't cook her recipes now because of time and butter involved.

However, it feels like I've been on a pilgrimage. Along the way, I grew to admire Julia and her tenacity. I envied the support she had from her husband and all the restaurants he took her to for amazing meals. I cheered when she was published and reveled when she was a hit on PBS. I lived vicariously when she dined with famous chefs. I cried when Paul Child died. What a journey she had in her 93 years.

I'll be at the movie theater this week.

Karigraphy (Also loved Mamma Mia and the authenicity of emotion in the singing, Meryl and Pierce included.)

And I have had the supreme pleasure of actually meeting her....shaking her hand and taking a picture of her with my Daughter in law....which now hangs on her kitchen wall.

On what occasion? about 20 years ago at some food show on Navy Pier. She was signing her new book ( The Way to Cook)inside the building and strolled out onto the pier and made it a point of looking for Maytag Blue.
And what did she say..."mmooooh...lovely...yes lovely...mmm....very nice..."
LOL! Something like that any way!
Linda C

I saw the movie yesterday and found it an absolute delight. So much about her I did not know, will probably want to do some further reading now!

I've liked pretty much anything Meryl is in. I liked the Mamma Mia movie, but not as much as the live show I actually saw twice! I love the music.

Matinee fans may want to take note of their favorite theaters' websites, etc: yesterday for the first time I encountered a theater that has moved its matinee cutoff up to 4 rather than the (what has been customary in my experience) 6. Odd I thought for a nice enough, but older (80s?), non-stadium theater. So yes, I wound up paying full price at 4:15, but it was well worth it in this case. They had a senior discount though, and I think I was the only non-senior there!

Netflix is all fine and good, but sometimes I just want to get out of the house and do something. I never, ever buy concessions so that is not an issue.

I was shut out tonight,darn it! I'll try again tomorrow!

My mom and I went to see Julie & Julia this afternoon. We loved it! I take back anything not-so-nice I said about Meryl Streep (except that she was all wrong for the Mamma Mia role).

What a delightful film. My mom is 92 and loves to cook. She especially enjoyed it.

The only thing that wasn't wonderful was the jerk sitting in front of me who kept incessantly checking his cell phone. It was like a beacon in the theater, lighting up everyone around him. When he started to MAKE A CALL -- I leaned forward and said "that is incredibly rude." Then his girlfriend told him to put the damn thing away.

Bon Appetit!

*Sigh* yes Ded...someone's phone rang twice (same ringtone) during my screening, even after the little thing they do on screen about it.

I just went to see it with my DH, and we both loved it. I read My Life In France a while back, and had fun recognizing some of the things that happened in that book that happened in the movie, such as that first meal they had together in France, eating the fish. That was a very life changing meal for Julia, according My Life In France, and they did it wonderfully in this movie.

I enjoyed the parts with Julie, too. I don't see why some people are ragging about it. I read Julie and Julia recently, and loved the book. But, I have to agree the parts with Julia/Streep were great.

Did anyone else leave the theatre hungry?

Sally

Hub and I saw it yesterday and loved it. We're foodies; I read My Life in Paris and loved that, too. Yes, we left hungry, but I was prepared...left dinner in the crock pot, cooking away while we were gone and ready when we returned.

As for Mama Mia....loved that, too. It was because Streep seemed right~not pretty and polished- that I liked it. Same with Brosnan. More like real people. I felt totally happy when I left the theater. She's not too old to have a dtr that young. I'm older than Streep is and the age difference between me and my dtr is the same as in the movie.

Sally, as we left the theater I told my mom that I felt like I should go home and eat a stick of butter.

In fact, last night I made crab cakes, which I usually fry in canola oil. Last night I used butter and it was sooo good.

Oh, Meryl Streep was so good! I wanted the whole movie to be about Julia and Paul. I read My Life in France (listened to it, actually) and read the blog, though not the book, of Julie Powell. I could have done without the whole Julie part, especially her incredibly annoying husband (mostly the way he eats... it just chapped me). But it's worth seeing! Meryl continues to amaze!

We finally saw it last night and also loved it! And yes, we were hungry, even though we had a bite before the movie began. Meryl was fabulous, I do wish that I could have seen more of her! I thought that the Simone Beck character was poorly developed. If she was the co-author of the cookbook, it would have been nice to see her testing some recipes with Julia. I read half of 'My Life in France' and wasn't enamored. After I left it in a doctor's office waiting room, I didn't bother to replace it.
I'm interested to read Julie's blog and maybe the book. I didn't find the character annoying or poorly done, but would have preferred more screen time for Julia/Meryl's character.
Final thought- Julia created such masterpieces (as did Julie?) in a kitchen with little counterspace compared to the new "ideal" kitchen!

When we left the theatre, we headed across the parking lot to World Market to pick up some olive oil and some wine, then to the grocery store for some ingredients for a dish I had in mind to make, (although not French and including no butter!) then home to cook. I had more fun cooking that afternoon than I have had in a long time, just feeling inspired by those two ladies. And yes, I did notice the kitchens. The one Julia had in France was so small, as was Julie Powel's. I not only thought about producing those meals, but also about clean up. What a chore!

Sally

Loved the movie! I laughed, I cried, I wanted to cook and eat . . . I enjoyed the Julie Powell portrayal because she seemed so vulnerable and earnest.

Karigraphy

My dear friend, Cedar and I, get together 1-3 times a week for dinner and chatting,while our DH's play disc golf. We enjoy cooking together and planning our meals. She is moving north about 2 hrs this month, to start her music teaching career. We are trying to get together often before she goes, so this made a great outing on Saturday night. We left hungry and craving beef stew. So yesterday we spent our day food shopping and making an irish beef stew, homemade cheese bread and for dessert chocolate fondue. It was soo much fun.
Because we are now inspired to build our cooking skills we are going to take a class or two at the Stonewall Kitchen cooking school. Its only 40 minutes away, and we get to eat the yummy creations!! Yay!
The only interruption we had while watching the movie was a man in front of us snoring verrry loudly. At one point the whole theater was giggling...but nobody was upset. The woman he was with seemed to be trying to ignore him...When we later told my husband, he suggested perhaps it was the time she had been left alone in years, LOL.

Can't believe I started this thread before the movie opened and still have not seen it. But today's the day!

We had wall-to-wall people all August & through Labor Day up at the lake. Just couldn't get away. But DH is heading home from work early today and we're going to try to catch the 4 p.m. show. Can't wait!

I really enjoyed the movie. After reading all your reports I knew we'd leave hungry, and we did. We went into Portsmouth, NH and enjoyed a fine meal. Neither DH nor I could remember the last time we did "Dinner & a Movie."

I loved seeing so many people my age enjoying a show, and was touched by the number of mother/daughter pairings. In many cases it looked like the daughters were treating their older moms to an outing. I can't think of too many other movies out recently that would appeal to such an audience.

My only complaint - aside from how Julie's husband ate, which someone mentioned above - was that between all the promo ads and the clips on various talk/morning shows before the movie aired, I felt like I had already seen most of the best parts. I guess that's just part of marketing these days... Otherwise, it was great. Meryl was superb!

DH insisted we stop & buy "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" on the way home as reminder of our time. Can't wait to try something from it!

Finally getting around to adding my 2 cents worth. Joe and I went to see the movie a couple of weeks ago and both really enjoyed it. Wonderful movie!

Only bummer was a day or two after, my curiousity got the better of me and I looked up the Julie blog online..... it wasn't what I had expected and I think that I understand why Julia wasn't positive about it or the author.

That said, the story of the movie was great and I liked both the Julie character as well as Julia onscreen.

Grace

I agree, Grace, I was not at all taken with the blog, after I looked at it.

Elery and I saw the movie Saturday, we were two of exactly six people in a very empty Saturday matinee on one of the last beautiful days here in Michigan. That's OK, it gave us a chance to talk and we had lots of room to spread out, LOL. The other viewers were an older couple (older than us, at least), and a much younger couple.

I enjoyed it a lot and didn't even get up a single time to stretch my legs or use the bathroom and I liked Meryl Streep's portrayal of Julia and I liked the portrayal of Julia and Paul's ever enduring love for each other. I had read the book "My Life in Paris", it was a gift from the California contingent of this forum, and I promptly read it in its entirely on the flight home two years ago, so I knew some of the pieces of the Julia portion of the movie. It did not detract, for a change, I usually don't like movies after I've read the book.

Still, I kept wishing for Julie to meet Julia...

Annie