Tropic Thunder

This isn't usually my genre but I try to watch a few things Nathan might like, once in awhile. I like a smart comedy, ala Old School or Wedding Crashers. I had heard this was hilarious but I was disappointed. There were some great pieces, like Tom Cruise. He should've been up for an Oscar for that performance! And Robert Downey Jr. truly was amazing in his transformation!
So if you like this kind of thing, you'll probably love this movie. I didn't totally regret watching it.

The Duchess

This is a great film. As a woman and a mother, it really made me grateful that I live in the century I do and therefore enjoy the freedoms I do. I loved the way it laid out the class struggles of the century. I found it terribly interesting and fun that this woman is an ancestor to Princess Di. And the costumes and hair are amazing!

Brain Candy

First I want to start by bashing some of the critics who've been bashing these two movies. The critics bash "chick flicks" because they say it reduces women to these man-hungry idiots who don't think about anything else but snaring a man, as if it's their sole goal in life. That is not what I take from these types of movies. Yes, at some point in our lives we're all on the lookout for our soul-mate. Does that mean it becomes the entire focus of our lives? NO! But in a movie you only have two hours to tell a big story, so you focus on the parts where the woman is trying to get her man. You don't always have time to show all the other things she's also doing at the same time, like getting a college education (SDSU girls, didn't we have a damn good time with each other!!!!!!) or working her first big job. It is a shame that they can't differentiate because sometimes there are truly bad chick flicks (ala most anything with Kate Hudson and/or Matthew McConaughey).

He's Just Not That Into You. Nancy and I saw this one today. I had low expectations because of things I'd read, but was actually pleasantly surprised. Nancy thought it was ok but they just didn't close it for her. It's a chick flick/romance with alot of different stories that are mildly related. There are alot of good actors in it...Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper (love him!!), Jennifer Connolly, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson...need I go on? I thought they did a really great job of delving into the many kinds of relationships people can have and how things aren't always how they look!

Confessions of a Shopaholic. This one was hilarious. Isla Fischer is a true comic genius. I was laughing so hard the entire time! And Hugh Dancy is like a younger Hugh Grant...goofy and charming. And there are some great supporting actors like John Goodman, Joan Cusack, Kristin Scott Thomas and very briefly, Vanessa Redgrave. If you can only see one, see this one (Karen!)

Some good Oscar flicks

The Reader. I read this book a long time ago, but couldn't really remember the details so when going to the film it felt new. But now having experienced both I recommend you read the book first (if you are going to read it, and I recommend you do). The book allows you take in all the things the characters are thinking that is oftentimes the missing link when seeing the film. And the movie does make you think! It's not lite fare, if you really want to get something out of it. I do love Kate Winslet, she is the next Meryl. I knew she'd get the Oscar, not just for the Reader but for both her outstanding performances this year!

Milk. This film was also exceptional and Sean Penn really transformed himself for it. It has some great supporting cast members too...Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch and James Franco. Sean's Oscar doesn't make up for his and Emile's snub last year for Into The Wild but it was good to see some recognition finally!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

This is a really good movie. It was written by Eric Roth, who wrote Forrest Gump, and it has that same cadence. It spans Benjamin's entire life and it's just a well written story. The computer effects they used to make Brad Pitt unage are amazing. I highly recommend this one but bring ALOT of Kleenex. It's not necessarily sad, it's just moving. But then I am a big cryer so be your own best judge.

Bobby

We just rented this movie and it has become an instant favorite of mine. You will not find a more star-studded cast of really great actors like William Macy, Anthony Hopkins, Emilio Estevez (who also wrote and directed), Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Lawrence Fishburne, Joshua Jackson, Harry Belafonte, Helen Hunt, Shia LeBeouf, Elijah Wood, Martin Sheen and Christian Slater.
The story is about the events that happened at the Ambassador Hotel the day that Bobby Kennedy was assassinated there. It's a bunch of individual stories that all link together at the end and each story is a snapshot of something that was happening in society in those days.
Of course the story then weaves in the real story of the assassination by using actual footage of Kennedy speaking at the hotel that day.
It's an amazing glimpse into life in the late sixties and is even more poignant given the events of Obama's inauguration this week. The civil rights movement has finally come full circle, 40 years later.

Defiance

This is a great movie. I highly recommend. And if you're worried that it's really sad or depressing, don't be. It's an inspiring story about a group of Jewish people that formed a community in the mountains to survive the German occupation during WWII.

Latest kids movies

The Tale of Desperaux is excellent. We love Kate DiCamillo's books and they did an excellent job with this one. The animation is beautiful and the story is refreshing. I was a little concerned when it first started because the technique seemed confusing as they jumped between characters and situations. But they used a narrator to bring you along with the story and my kids loved it! They were totally hooked, despite the fact that there weren't any race car scenes or fart jokes! The story was a simple lesson in bravery and courage and love. It was beautiful and my kids loved it! I'd say they paid more attention here than they do in most kids movies!

Mall Cop is the exact opposite of Desperaux, but funny and sweet none the less! As my kids get a little older, they like to see live-action as well as animation and this one was fun.

Favorite Movies from the 80

We either still love them or we loved them once and feel they are classic representations of our era

Shelly:
1. The Goonies
2. St. Elmo's Fire
3. Sixteen Candles
4. Breakfast Club
5. The Lost Boys
6. Raiders of the Lost Ark
7. Top Gun
8. A Christmas Story
9. Some Kind of Wonderful
10. Say Anything

Nathan:
1. Say Anything
2. The Lost Boys
3. Fletch
4. Heathers
5. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
6. Caddyshack
7. Some Kind of Wonderful

Top 5 Wedding Movies

Cinema Girl asked for my top 5 wedding movies:

1. Four Weddings and a Funeral - this wins without a second thought - it launched Hugh Grant in the US and it's the character he does best
2. Sweet Home Alabama - It's so fun to watch beautiful people
3. Wedding Crashers - almost pee'd my pants the first time I saw this
4. The Wedding Singer - it's classic 80s at it's finest
5. Father of the Bride - both the original and this version are awesome for the classic actors that are in them
5. My Big Fat Greek Wedding - funny and original

Please write in your faves or your comments!!

Rachel Getting Married

My friend Jen and I recently saw this in New York City. I could tell we weren't in Minneapolis because people laughed all the way through the film and in Mpls I'm afraid there would have been awkward silences. It's a strange film. I loved some parts and hated others.

First, it's filmed like someone is using a camcorder half the time. And it feels a bit like you're at a second cousin's wedding whom you hated. Sometimes the people are extremely boring and drone on.

There are great scenes with Anne Hathaway however. She really is as great as the critics say...when they let her have the screen. I recommend waiting for the rental so you can fast forward through the boring parts because there is a really interesting storyline around the intricacies of family and how we hurt most those we love the most.

New fall TV shows

Karen recently asked for my opinions on the new shows. I haven't watched that many this year (and I changed jobs so I don't see the pilots anymore) but Life On Mars is great. It's about a cop who was sent back in time to 1973. I don't know why, but I have this fascination with the 70s on TV. I guess I must be fascinated with the pea green upholstery or it just takes me back to childhood. I'm not usually into cop dramas but the writing on this show is fabulous. And the main actor, Jason O'Mara, is wonderful.

Another new show I like is Fringe. First, it's from JJ Abrams, who can write no wrong in my opinion. Second, it stars Joshua Jackson, who, as Pacey, was always my favorite high schooler on Dawsons Creek.

Burn After Reading

The Coen Brothers do it again! This movie is in the Fargo genre, if you loved the humor of that movie. It is wickedly and disturbingly funny with a little violence thrown in for laughs (it has it's wood-chipper moments).

Brad Pitt is hilarious as a beautiful, "blonde" gym trainer. Frances McDormand is great as his sweet, dingy partner in crime. George Clooney is another Coen brothers regular who is great with Tilda Swinton, who's at her bitchy best again. And then there's John Malkovich, who kinda steals the show and is just delightfully tortured and funny. There really isn't one thing I hated about this movie! It's probably my favorite Coen brothers yet.

Vicky Christina Barcelona

That's it, I'm done with Woody Allen. I just don't get his movies. All the characters were so interesting in this, I really got into them. Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem are the best (except that I couldn't get that picture of Javier as Anton Chigur out of my head and kept waiting for him to start shooting people).

Just when you start getting into the movie and anticipating the ending, it just ends abruptly. And stupidly. It is so frustrating!!!!!!! I invested all that time into these people to have them turned into predictable drones. Ugh! But if you're a Woody fan, maybe this is what you like about him?

The Dark Knight

This is a fabulous movie. Heath Ledger deserves all the kudos he's gotten. He's absolutely fabulous in a terrifying way. Christian Bale is also fantastic in a haunting way. But it's not a movie for the kiddos cause it's creepy. It really doesn't feel like a superhero movie at all. For instance it's so different than Iron Man, which I also loved.

I'm back

I got two responses to my cry for help so I guess I'll keep doing this awhile.

In case you're living under a rock and haven't heard, I wanted everyone to know that the premiere of Twilight has been moved up to 11/21. Don't miss it!!

ANYONE OUT THERE?

Does anyone read this? If not I'm closing it down.

Wanted

It's funny that Angelina is so prominant on this poster because James McAvoy owns this movie. He's wonderfully intense as usual and burns up the screen.

This is not the kind of movie I usually go to, but James McAvoy drew me in. And it was so worth it.

It's sort of like Pulp Fiction in that it has a dark sense of humor while being a serious action flick. And yes the action is "out there" like the Matrix. Those two things with James and Angelina (who I do like as an actress) make for a pretty good movie. I recommend it!

Iron Man

I'm not usually an action movie fan but this one I loved. Maybe because Robert Downey Jr. is naturally a tortured soul and so he does that part so well in movies. He does it wonderfully here. He's electric on screen. And the movie was written more around the characters and the plot and less on "blowing things up".

Gwyneth Paltrow also stars, but more as eye candy. They definately set her and RDJ up for a sequel.

Great Sex

A friend, who knows I see a lot of movies, asked me, “Would I still enjoy the Sex and the City movie if I didn’t watch the TV show?”

To that I have two answers.

First off, I’m so sorry that there are women out there who haven’t seen this show. It’s a female right of passage to watch this show. It celebrates and empowers women and their messy lives and relationships. It’s like a good friend who gives great advice. And you don’t even have to like New York to enjoy it, because the stories and characters with their problems and their joys resonate no matter where you live.

My second answer is this: if you haven’t seen the show, you would probably still enjoy the movie. You might think it funny and clever. But you wouldn’t go from laughing hysterically in one minute to crying hysterically the next like a SATC veteran. And that’s sort of like giving a really expensive bottle of wine to a beer drinker.

I purposely did not read the reviews because I didn’t want to know what they had to say. Michael Patrick King didn’t write this movie or the series for the critics. He wrote it from the heart (he had to have been a woman in another life). He wrote it for us. And it was AMAZING. Absolutely amazing.

He was completely true to the characters. He didn’t contrive ridiculous plot twists to invent drama. He just let nature take its course the way things would really have worked out if these were real people, with real, every day issues like the rest of us. It was wonderful to watch and I hope to see it 10 more times.