Well the themes of cultural differences....were more secondary to me in the plot compared to the other themes.

I dunno. The movie cultural clashes seemed so pale to real life stuff I've been through. (And it's not over.) Cultural clashes which involve linguistic problems, meaning one party not knowing language of the other, take on a different spin when lived for many years.

For myself, having a mother who doesn't speak much English and unable to convey all a mother wants to her adult children, causes all sorts of real life (dramatic) and heart-tearing situations.

This is a more positive spin where I don't discuss the pain /serious conflicts here: http://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/asia-in-my-dreams-romanticizing-the-east/

Imagine if Judy's character fell in love with an East Indian guy..now THAT might have been a real story spinner.

I still love watching movies on the big screen. I admit, I get up and go to the early morning matinee (10 or 11 am). No crowds, the theater is clean, tickets are a little cheaper, and I am not hungry - so I skip the food. I still love a large screen.

I follow #cinematreasures which is someone (or group) collection of old movie theaters and artifacts and with many renovated. A few near me show favorite older movies that are fun to see. Last year I saw an old 1944 American film noir directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Deanna Durbin, Gene Kelly, and Richard Whorf. It was before Gene Kelly was really famous. He was so young.

This Christmas holiday, at one (they are trying to save called The Retro Dome), obtained Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. It was so fun to see it on a large screen again.

Interesting idea, Orchid. Of course, we've all seen that happen in real life, with people in their 20s. Especially after WWII and the VietNam wars, but it WOULD add a new and tantalizing twist, if it were to happen with people of retirement age.

Maybe the sequel will get into a story line of that type...

dwsun, we have an old renovated Art Deco movie theater here that shows old movies periodically. They also have concerts and stuff there - saw Joan Baez there, and Arlo Guthrie, and a few others - it's a great venue for that.

yonuh, This is cool. It is great to see the other uses they may have.

I am curious, has anyone seen August: Osage County? Any thoughts about it?

Donna, I have not yet seen it, but I am planing to. Can't miss it, since so many of my favorite actresses are in it. This despite the fact that the reviews I've read of it are not all that positive...

The reviews I've read seem to indicate that all the actors try hard, but that it s just too much: too many famous actors, too many plot lines, too much screaming...

So what did you think? I seriously want to know what a "real person," not an "official reviewer" would say about it.

Usually when the reviewers/critics say a movie is no good, I will love it. I'm not sure about this one though because of the subject matter.

Thank you Anne and Yonuh. I am not sure I understand it, and I am hoping others will give some points of views too.

Because I am from proudly from central USA - KC, Mo, I hope that people do not think this is the way family life is in this region. Because it is not.

Anyway, the actors did fairly well in portraying their roles of this dysfunctional family. There was quite a bit going on though. I love both Streep and Roberts - they always do well with their characters. It is a dark humor movie though. And, the dinner table scene went on a bit too long.

I wondered if reading a book might be better to get a better understanding of the story, I was left hanging-wondering in the end.

After a nights sleep. Is this movie about strong women, a little deeper, what really makes these women strong? Past experiences?

I did enjoy the seeing the region in the background because it is where I am from.

I live in Oklahoma. There are plenty of dysfunctional families here, just like there are everywhere else. I suspect, though, that this movie is Hollywood dysfunctional, so it's extra over-the-top.

Since I already live here, the last thing I need to do is go see a movie set here. Plus, I have no interest in yet another setting of drunken, screaming women. I have seen that before and just get tired of it. If others enjoy the movie, good for you. I'll give it a pass.