"Brooklyn," "The Big Short" and the song "Kilkelly"

Dear F,

Thanks for bringing "Brooklyn" to my attention. It appeals and has a cumulative IMDb rating of 8.1. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2381111/

The melancholic theme of Irish emigres "never returning home" reaches apogee in the world's saddest song, "Kilkelly." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N76kAivCb20

Here is a more "polished" -- and seemingly less repetitive version - sung by a woman. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4uRgpYXgKI 

If you have but time to listen to one rendition, for me the spareness of the former wins out. 

That said, the latter version is well worth a listen. 

"The Big Short" also calls out to me and has a very engaging cast -- Bale, Pitt, Carrel -- and is rated 8.2 on IMDb. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596363/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

I would welcome seeing both, although "Brooklyn" would be my first choice.

I don't warm to the prospect of spending 2 hours probing the lives of sociopaths.

       "The merely rich are not rich enough to rule the modern market. The things that change modern history, the big national and international loans, the big educational and philanthropic foundations, the purchase of numberless newspapers, the big prices paid for peerages, the big expenses often incurred in elections - these are getting too big for everybody except the misers; the men with the largest of earthly fortunes and the smallest of earthly aims. 

         There are two other odd and rather important things to be said about them. The first is this: that with this aristocracy we do not have the chance of a lucky variety in types which belongs to larger and looser aristocracies. The moderately rich include all kinds of people even good people. Even priests are sometimes saints; and even soldiers are sometimes heroes. Some doctors have really grown wealthy by curing their patients and not by flattering them; some brewers have been known to sell beer. But among the Very Rich you will never find a really generous man, even by accident. They may give their money away, but they will never give themselves away; they are egoistic, secretive, dry as old bones. To be smart enough to get all that money you must be dull enough to want it." G. K. Chesterton http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/12/chesterton-quotations.html  

Love

A

On Sun, Nov 29, 2015, FV wrote:

Dear A

I've been looking forward to Brooklyn. It's a mid 20th century story of an Irish girl who immigrated to America and falls in love with an Italian. She is also homesick for Ireland and the love she left behind. I think it's more than a chick flick and I believe has good reviews.  There is also one with a stellar cast about the hedge funders who made out betting against the housing bubble. Pitt being among them.

Love 

F