Reader of the Day: Yonatan
Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 3:00PM We're wrapping up Reader Appreciation Month but so many people seem to be enjoying "reader of the day" that we'll keep doing them... just not every single day. Stay tuned...
I thought we'd close the month with Yonatan (you can call him "Jonathan") from Israel. Why? Well because he had a job a couple of years back that I think all of you (not to mention me) would be jealous of: talking about the movies on TV! Sweet.
He started reading The Film Experience due to the foreign film Oscar pages and he was one of many readers who started sending me regular info on their home country so I could keep up the pages. Yonatan and I share a love of really insignificant trivia. For instance, he recently wondered aloud by e-mail if Kathryn Bigelow's Strange Days (1995) and Jane Campion's Portrait of a Lady were the longest English language films directed by women... I countered with An Angel at My Table, also by Jane Campion, at 158 minutes but he argues that what conceived as a miniseries so it shouldn't count. Referee!?
Nathaniel: Do you remember your first moviegoing experience?
YONATAN: I'm sure I've been to a movie theater before this, but the first movie I remember being taken to see was The Journey of Natty Gann, a few months before my sixth birthday! A few months later my mother let me stay up late two nights in a row to watch the 1985 star studded mini-series "Alice in Wonderland". I had no idea at the time who those "stars" were, but I had to see it!
What's your moviegoing diet like right about now?
Three years ago I got the chance to have a weekly live movie review segment on TV. Unfortunately, I don't appear on TV anymore, but I do write reviews (in Hebrew, at edb.co.il), and attend 2-5 advanced screenings a week. On slow weeks, I also watch movies at home, bringing me to a healthy average of 200 movies a year (not including movies I watch again just for fun).
[Here's Yonatan talking about WALL•E. I couldn't understand a word but I'm certain he is saying adorable things.]
Your 3 Favorite Actresses. Go!
Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep. Can I say Cate Winslet and Kate Blanchett to count them as one?
Elkabetz photographed by Jérome Bonnet I haven't seen a movie with Parker Posey in years, so she's been demoted. And let me just slip in Jodie Foster, Debra Winger, Jane Fonda, Gong Li, Carole Lombard, and everybody in the world should know the Israeli actress Ronit Elkabetz.
Ohmygod. She was brilliant in Late Marriage. I need to see her in other things.
Okay... They make a movie of your life. Tell us about it.
I like my life but it's pretty boring from the side and I wouldn't want to see that movie; you'll have to wait for the movie I wrote which is in early stages of development.
What's one movie you always recommend to people?
A movie that tops my list of recommendations is The Big Chill (1983). It's just perfect. The cast, the soundtrack, the dialog. It's touching and it has humor- so many great lines! Every scene ends with a punchline.
all reader of the day posts: Yonatan, Keir, Kyle, Jamie, Vinci, Victor, Bill, Hayden, Dominique, Murtada, Cory, Walter, Paolo, Leehee and BBats
Reader Comments (15)
Elkabetz was wonderful in The Band's Visit, and the entire film is a treat.
Not to turn this into Adult Friend Finder, but her is adorable. And Elkabetz is AWESOME!
what else should i see Ronit in ?
also i wanted to note that i find it funny that people are always grouping Kate & Cate together because of their homophone names? . Because really, aren't they two VERY different actresses? One techincal and chameleon-like and the other like raw emotive soul?
I find them both technical and chameleon-like, actually.
I agree they're very different actresses but they have something is common, which is that they are both amazing!
Btw, why do you always ask for three favorite actresses and not three favorite actors?
Nina -- cuz i like actresses more :) maybe i'll switch it up eventually.
I'm with Yonatan, "An Angel at my Table" doesn't count!
Haha, I should have known because of all your articles, that are mostly about actresses. And I think I might like actresses more too. Women are just better at showing emotions i guess.
@Marsha. Yeah, now that I think about it I do find them somewhat similar. However, I do think of Blanchett as more of a chameleon, who sometimes can be a bit technical like Streep (see Elizabeth and The Aviator). And I think Winslet is always trying to find the core of her character which sometimes proves to be successful, such as in Beautiful Creatures, and other times not so successful, such as in Revolutionary Road.
I've definitely enjoyed the reader of the day stuff! And you have such good looking readers!!
Yay another Israeli! :-) And a cute one, at that. :-) Oh, and I guess it's an Israeli thing cause I remember "Natty Gann" so well, too! I loved it as a kid.
I agree that Ronit Elkabetz should be more known; she is a fascinating actress. I recommend "Or" for another great perfomance by her - the movie is kind of bleak, though.
How does one become a Reader of the Day? Just sayin'..
Although I also believe Cate and Kate are very different actresses, I wouldn't say Kate isn't technical.
I would say Kate moves me and Cate does not.
I LOVE this guy for "The Big Chill" recommendation. It's in my top 10 favourites, and so few remember - or even care to - remember it, which is weird because it's a great movie for group viewings (it seems to appeal to all) even though it's a very EIGHTIES' movie.