tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9775058829686580732024-03-14T02:53:49.180-05:00Gorging Myself on MoviesWarning: Spoilers abound! Nothing is sacred!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.comBlogger210125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-90736293408570961242019-02-02T17:37:00.000-06:002019-02-02T17:37:01.482-06:00Bird Box<br />
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<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bd/Bird_Box_%28film%29.png/220px-Bird_Box_%28film%29.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for bird box movie" border="0" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bd/Bird_Box_%28film%29.png/220px-Bird_Box_%28film%29.png" /></a>Watched Bird Box last night. Most stressful 2h of my life. </div>
Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-129173202603342262012-11-18T15:22:00.000-06:002012-11-18T15:22:27.444-06:00Management<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Why can't Jennifer Aniston find a decent movie to star in? Not that <i>Management </i>was indecent, or even <i>that </i>bad, but it was just . . . okay. Which is the assessment I would give every other Jennifer Aniston movie I've seen. Some have been sweet, some have been funny, some have been entertaining--most have been a mix of all three--but there's not an Instant Classic or even a New Favorite among them. Well, <i>Office Space</i> is a contender. But I argue that it's the script of that movie that is the genius of its soul, and Joanna the Waitress could have been played by any number of cute twenty-something actresses.<br />
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Anyway, <i>Management </i>is not <i>Office Space</i>. But it is somewhat sweet and somewhat funny and, for what it is (a cautionary tale against feeding a stray puppy that you don't really want to keep), it's a relatively worthwhile way of helping to pass the time while folding laundry or washing dishes.<br />
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By the way, is it just me, or does Steve Zahn look weirdly like Michael J Fox in this picture?Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-14958350961152467992012-11-12T20:40:00.000-06:002012-11-12T20:40:00.239-06:00Julie & Julia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wasn't overly excited about watching this movie. I vaguely remember hearing it was boring or dull or slow or something along those lines. There's just something about women finding and following their passion that sounds like it belongs in the same category as an "extraordinary true story" or a "heartwarming experience" or . . . or . . . I don't know, some other sappy cliché about inspiration that would be used to describe <i>The Blind Side</i>.<br />
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So I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed this movie. And even more surprised to feel I could not stop watching it. I was sure there was something wrong with me. Because it actually <i>was </i>inspiring to watch Julie and Julia find and follow their passions, and under normal circumstances I don't do inspiring.<br />
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Speaking of inspiring, how could this movie <i>not </i>make me want to blog again? And really (I swear!) this had nothing to do with harboring an absurd hope that my blogs will ever turn into anything more than a trivial pursuit for me. Instead, it was all because I was reminded of how much I enjoy blogging purely for the sake of blogging alone.<br />
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An observation: Meryl Streep is so affected in this movie. It would have been really annoying if her portrayal wasn't so perfect an impersonation of the real Julia Child.<br />
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And something I learned: Did you know that if you don't dry meat, it won't brown properly? Now I know why I've been rinsing my chicken and patting it dry all these years.</div>
Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-58565945601295031582012-11-11T20:20:00.001-06:002012-11-11T20:20:31.336-06:00The Slums of Beverly Hills<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is one of those weird little comedies that's more depressing than funny. It doesn't veer off into drama territory, fortunately, but it's definitely not one of those feel-good movies. And I'm kind of surprised they didn't just call it "Breasts," as that body part seems to be the major theme. (Though I must warn you, if you're now planning to watch this movie based on that statement, you'll probably be disappointed. I didn't say it should have been called "All Breasts All The Time.")<br />
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And I just realized that the reason I didn't see Alan Alda anywhere in this movie is that he and Alan Arkin are actually two different people.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-22046704232593195242012-10-31T22:24:00.000-05:002012-10-31T22:24:00.291-05:00Swingers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Can't remember when I first started watching this one (it has to have been months ago), but I just now picked up the last 15 minutes of it. I also can't remember what I thought of the first 81 minutes, but evidently they weren't enthralling enough to keep me going until the end. So, all I can think to say about this movie now is that it's strange to see Vince Vaughn in a time before he was puffy and unattractive. I almost didn't recognize him.<br />
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Strangely, though, I was halfway tempted to watch the movie again just to see the swing dancing scene (which I couldn't remember at all, but it was mentioned during the last 15 minutes of the movie). I always did like those <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knW1hGwmEXQ">GAP ads</a>. I wish I could dance like that! But hey, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GMWJ0FkStU">YouTube</a> to the rescue. Now I don't have to watch the movie again.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-56779678267482690462012-10-30T19:49:00.001-05:002012-10-30T19:49:38.262-05:00License to Drive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Man, this was a stupid movie. Maybe if I'd seen it when it first came out (I was fourteen!) I would have loved it. But now that I'm old and crotchety, I guess I'm well past the age where I might have appreciated this drivel. It's certainly nowhere near <i>Clueless</i> caliber.<br />
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Dull plot and lackluster script aside, not even The Coreys were enough to rescue it for me--not least because they weren't anywhere near as cute as I remember. Although I suppose it shouldn't bother me a bit that I no longer find teenage boys attractive.<br />
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The best parts about this movie: Corey Haim's old, pregnant mom (who, by the way, I recognized from The Princess Bride; I wish she'd had the same line in this movie: "I'm not a witch, I'm your wife!") who reminded me of me, and the fact that now I can remove <i>License to Drive</i> from my netflix queue. One down, 290 to go . . .Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-47969819893074112012-07-18T22:35:00.000-05:002012-07-18T22:35:33.943-05:00Keith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6JW6s8I_2MICfDFMFLKlN3N7Lu7QOrWGoyHBH1efIzNJACImDFnN-rbHVfS-W5EMDajmp49WvUTOJW6qM_oewdAOTTyQiJ48JgY9TIGbMqGUA5PpUYK6YYMI8rGoTC49K3MuN4-mcsc8/s1600/m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6JW6s8I_2MICfDFMFLKlN3N7Lu7QOrWGoyHBH1efIzNJACImDFnN-rbHVfS-W5EMDajmp49WvUTOJW6qM_oewdAOTTyQiJ48JgY9TIGbMqGUA5PpUYK6YYMI8rGoTC49K3MuN4-mcsc8/s1600/m.jpg" /></a></div>
According to netflix: "Natalie is high school royalty, but her status crumbles when she falls for--and soon befriends--new guy Keith, who seems to be hiding something." So sue me if I was surprised and disappointed to find that Keith's secret wasn't more sinister, though I suppose I should have realized this as the movie was labeled an indie drama rather than a psychological thriller. At least this wasn't a Nicholas Sparks Shameless Tearjerker like <i>A Walk To Remember</i>, even if (as it turns out) this is the same story with the roles reversed. I may never forgive my friend Kristy for tricking me into going to the movie theater to see that one. Funny thing, though: I think that same friend Kristy looks a whole lot like Natalie in this movie.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-90273445538573311072012-06-18T22:17:00.001-05:002012-06-18T22:17:50.666-05:00Middle of Nowhere<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm knocking movies out of my netflix queue one by one. I think it's possible that I've finally reached the point where I am watching movies more often than I'm adding to my list of movies to watch. Obvs this is not because I'm watching so many movies; it's just that it seems (though I'm sure this isn't possible) that all of the great (and good, and even merely mediocre) movies are either in my queue already, or I've previously watched them.<br />
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So. This is the story of a somewhat unlikely summer friendship between college hopeful Grace and poor little rich boy Dorian who has fallen on hard times. They meet through their soul-killing jobs working for a local water park, and bond through their scheme to rake in the money by selling pot.<br />
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Consider <i>Middle of Nowhere</i> another mediocre movie. It's <i>Adventureland </i>without the comedic timing of Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig . . . it's <i>Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist</i> without the lovely Kat Dennings . . . it's <i>Star Wars</i> without Han Solo. (OK, right. This movie is nothing like <i>Star Wars</i>. But if it were, it would be missing that essential ingredient.)<br />
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Funny, I seem to remember I really liked Anton Yelchin in <i>Charlie Bartlett</i>. But here he was just sort of meh.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-9922188509570259232012-06-18T21:51:00.001-05:002012-06-18T21:51:50.525-05:00Friends With Benefits vs. No Strings Attached<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAV1SMl2zEzKovOGzNctjl3GMeHwLiEk7E2g-1rOwkETGe8ZfvkoEUDuzfU-CPO8AQ3ZyFl8cPBeITacyWfNnhG98T0kOxIdVY123rcFI1W0FKHp8gFk0pGPdRlCftxgyNxdRwevwfH2k/s1600/fwb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAV1SMl2zEzKovOGzNctjl3GMeHwLiEk7E2g-1rOwkETGe8ZfvkoEUDuzfU-CPO8AQ3ZyFl8cPBeITacyWfNnhG98T0kOxIdVY123rcFI1W0FKHp8gFk0pGPdRlCftxgyNxdRwevwfH2k/s200/fwb.jpg" width="134" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuLduis29dhvCYpUKiJhD5C61xE2bHgZ5dqE7JCoCFxtunhAhFbp3ArulZecOf3iPjSHy68yr3-vKZzMkbPF7fVe1pJ5RT7Ujh7iFeGSJ33Vb-8-1dIfG0up4pfipWODVt9HF5sudMly0/s1600/nsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuLduis29dhvCYpUKiJhD5C61xE2bHgZ5dqE7JCoCFxtunhAhFbp3ArulZecOf3iPjSHy68yr3-vKZzMkbPF7fVe1pJ5RT7Ujh7iFeGSJ33Vb-8-1dIfG0up4pfipWODVt9HF5sudMly0/s200/nsa.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>
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Here's another pair for <a href="http://kathy-movielist.blogspot.com/2010/08/cinematic-espionage.html">my list</a> of oddly similar movies. The same sentence could describe either plotline: Two friends agree to add uncomplicated casual sex to their relationship and are SHOCKED to find they can't set their emotions aside.<br />
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I'm probably too tough a judge of romantic comedies (as far as I'm concerned, there are very few that are worth watching multiple times--and too many that aren't even worth one shot), so take it with a grain of salt when I say both of these movies are basically just mediocre. They are surprisingly different from each other, given the inherent similarities, but I award FWB the edge solely because of Mila Kunis. That girl is funny. And I love her voice. And she is simultaneously cute and sexy. Of course I think Natalie Portman is absolutely beautiful, but she just doesn't seem to fit in this kind of movie. It's as if, try as she might to resist, she can't hide the fact that a romcom is beneath her.<br />
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Both movies had their funny moments; either would be a pleasant (if brainless) way to spend an evening when you have nothing better to do. But here's an even better suggestion: why not just watch <i>Pretty Woman</i> or <i>Clueless</i> again?Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-52488659183646018412012-02-17T22:18:00.000-06:002012-02-17T22:18:21.020-06:00Dirty Pretty Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGk-lf-KbKIaVlJ-Gl4oRoauNeMgrQpKzmXmvh2huWWkfIpNcj6jbu3p03ySEB71jgRpXonuisBJlDpjQdBWbXkTKjRyrEWz1_EOUFappgzTJ7FZan5UCkj7YCpII8FpJxuWddhD07rqRr/s1600/poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGk-lf-KbKIaVlJ-Gl4oRoauNeMgrQpKzmXmvh2huWWkfIpNcj6jbu3p03ySEB71jgRpXonuisBJlDpjQdBWbXkTKjRyrEWz1_EOUFappgzTJ7FZan5UCkj7YCpII8FpJxuWddhD07rqRr/s320/poster.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>This movie was not AT ALL what I expected. I was thinking black comedy a la <i>Very Bad Things</i> (because both movies have a three-word title, the third word being "things," I guess?) but I was very, very far off. Although dark, this was <i>not </i>a comdey. But it was certainly an engrossing film.<br />
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It's the story of two illegal immigrants in London who work at a posh hotel. But not all is as pretty as it seems, the dirty side first becoming evident when Nigerian desk clerk Okwe fishes a human heart out of the toilet in Room 510.<br />
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Beyond being a dramatic thriller, <i>Dirty Pretty Things</i> also raises some interesting questions. When you live in a grey area, how do you choose between right and wrong? Or, more likely, how do you choose which wrong is less wrong?<br />
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Oh, and I really like Audrey Tautou for being so cute. Or pretty. Or both.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-20058902595124817652012-02-17T17:18:00.030-06:002012-02-17T17:18:00.173-06:00Red Riding Hood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmhhc5UnancP0mF5qF2bNOmBtqilZXQympqZIAV0fnOQzEnSsO5PcABkPLS4vB4kCBJLOAqqzMI1PEqlfSPT9YEwUVHOIwpsB1XJ9U8GIMuOxhyphenhyphenC0gZ1HRzfjEqJKUKk60JbOs7HS-6N1/s1600/red+riding+hood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmhhc5UnancP0mF5qF2bNOmBtqilZXQympqZIAV0fnOQzEnSsO5PcABkPLS4vB4kCBJLOAqqzMI1PEqlfSPT9YEwUVHOIwpsB1XJ9U8GIMuOxhyphenhyphenC0gZ1HRzfjEqJKUKk60JbOs7HS-6N1/s1600/red+riding+hood.jpg" /></a></div>Take your classic love triangle and throw in a fairy tale <i>and</i> a werewolf and what do you get? <i>Red Riding Hood</i>. I took a chance on a long shot and bought the DVD. And while I did not find it to be my new favorite movie, at least I don't completely regret the purchase. I liked some parts (the ones my twelve-year-old son would hate: the kissy stuff) and rolled my eyes during other scenes, but overall I must admit it's not an entirely awful movie.<br />
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It's a little bit awful, though. Here's a sampling of the STELLAR dialogue:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">Henry: "You need me." </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Peter: "Okay. Fine. But if you're the wolf, I'm going to chop your head off."</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Henry: "I will do the same to you."</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Peter: "Fair enough." </blockquote>This movie was totally <i>Twilight</i>, from the opening scene flying over piney mountains to Peter with his quintessential Edward hair (and similarly wooden acting) to the score, which sounded to me like it could certainly have been written by Carter Burwell (but it wasn't) and the soundtrack, which I was certain was compiled by Alexandra Patsavas (but it wasn't). The movie was, however, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, and I think her style was evident.<br />
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(Yep, you caught me. I know far too much about <i>Twilight</i>.)<br />
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So, good things about the movie? I literally clapped my hands when Gary Oldman stepped out of his carriage. Not that his presence guarantees a worthwhile film (see <i>The Fifth Element</i>--not that there's anything <i>wrong</i> with that one--it's just not exactly an example of High Cinema), but he did lend a much-needed note of gravitas to an otherwise frivolous cast. There was some pretty cinematography, too, to go with the pretty people. Not sure if I'll ever watch it again, but I suppose I'll appreciate the fact that I can if I want to!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-17643740020318132532012-02-16T18:25:00.022-06:002012-02-16T18:25:00.757-06:00Catching up with mini-reviewsI have come to the conclusion that I will never, ever manage to blog about all of the movies I've watched over the past eight months (even though there haven't been that many), and in order to get past this backlog and get back on the blogging train I need to publish a composite post and be done with it. So here ya go:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpr0jBf_bG0QrHupGOy7CFqk4hWXLcTxBcXToAAc4aC1_iX3tgY7dB7KT1W7GvBYq0as9wGbgNi0cYL2R-chc4wGBC9lbmB_nH1eubEmB9RRktLG-FoGv5BRzaCnHtKjqR87-utZmLNBHb/s1600/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-2-movie-poster-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpr0jBf_bG0QrHupGOy7CFqk4hWXLcTxBcXToAAc4aC1_iX3tgY7dB7KT1W7GvBYq0as9wGbgNi0cYL2R-chc4wGBC9lbmB_nH1eubEmB9RRktLG-FoGv5BRzaCnHtKjqR87-utZmLNBHb/s320/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-2-movie-poster-01.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><i><b>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two</b></i><br />
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My son first said it was too loud and there were too many explosions. Just a few weeks later (without re-watching it!) his opinion had changed and it had become the Best Movie Ever. I think I must have liked it, but it was also kind of just obligatory for a Harry Potter fan.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWM41Rh1jon9Cf95JCentGJVUEoJDKFg5qansTI_egbcCmeeIU5BkIfSVh0hta9n27dcuwV5sQUvJZ7l7r7XnPrM3hUrgM3jdiw2YWdZghBEZRR5WtvJ-2Zn6hBXMKQmdfzpvD7QtmDIXJ/s1600/Twilight-Breaking-Dawn-Part-1-Movie-Poster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWM41Rh1jon9Cf95JCentGJVUEoJDKFg5qansTI_egbcCmeeIU5BkIfSVh0hta9n27dcuwV5sQUvJZ7l7r7XnPrM3hUrgM3jdiw2YWdZghBEZRR5WtvJ-2Zn6hBXMKQmdfzpvD7QtmDIXJ/s320/Twilight-Breaking-Dawn-Part-1-Movie-Poster1.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><b><i>Breaking Dawn Part One</i></b><br />
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I'm really only watching (and buying!) these movies out of a sense of duty at this point--I've got to finish what I started. This one was about what I expected. That is neither praise nor condemnation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VpH0GddKg0qHbmuLiNb1fAiVbI32i3TWS8PRvJDSRL6SQHhSK8WqfZjTUH9_5Exeazd2FT3ZHNyTZSgbb2a8RHtJm_66adykQf0CngkAFfyurVcfi6il3ud4cUe6rqLgatQLjFBXs3fP/s1600/220px-Source_Code_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VpH0GddKg0qHbmuLiNb1fAiVbI32i3TWS8PRvJDSRL6SQHhSK8WqfZjTUH9_5Exeazd2FT3ZHNyTZSgbb2a8RHtJm_66adykQf0CngkAFfyurVcfi6il3ud4cUe6rqLgatQLjFBXs3fP/s320/220px-Source_Code_Poster.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><i><b>Source Code</b></i><br />
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THIS was a good movie. I was afraid it was going to be <i>Groundhog Day</i>, sci-fi style, but it was WAY better than that. It's good! Watch it! I will watch it with you!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHyQ6R2QXv4d_pY2xwv6fJPK5MHohzV4zs4VQmHdyQNE8fqyDeZt-nhM73T_Zik3MXC0UHw4ktCn1WogwaICrtBZFm4ebE0fnt9gjGldqwDRMBGWd8P3xbmDrquWbPH2ouaeRc2puXvUO/s1600/the+help.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHyQ6R2QXv4d_pY2xwv6fJPK5MHohzV4zs4VQmHdyQNE8fqyDeZt-nhM73T_Zik3MXC0UHw4ktCn1WogwaICrtBZFm4ebE0fnt9gjGldqwDRMBGWd8P3xbmDrquWbPH2ouaeRc2puXvUO/s1600/the+help.jpg" /></a></div><i><b>The Help </b></i><br />
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Excellent book, excellent movie. They captured Minny Jackson to a T. She was my favorite, and she was hilarious. Just as in <a href="http://kathylovestoread.blogspot.com/2010/08/help-by-kathryn-stockett.html">the book</a>, Hilly Holbrook is the only character without a good side to balance out the bad; but Opie's daughter did a bang-up job in bringing her character to the screen.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuxZLQ4bkQdq-N1id-jZbLdE_T0jp4L-fq9on2W0gZuxt2BWBhpp1-KLd5bgRch6hZiBZGew0iSHYbnpe3D7Mn00JLURcUkwU-YB2Asx5bFb60OybQqYGC6YFYSuB0fTk71oSxOrNKNR2/s1600/220px-Babe_pig_in_the_city.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuxZLQ4bkQdq-N1id-jZbLdE_T0jp4L-fq9on2W0gZuxt2BWBhpp1-KLd5bgRch6hZiBZGew0iSHYbnpe3D7Mn00JLURcUkwU-YB2Asx5bFb60OybQqYGC6YFYSuB0fTk71oSxOrNKNR2/s320/220px-Babe_pig_in_the_city.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><i><b>Babe: Pig in the City</b></i><br />
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I do not recommend this movie, whether for adults (it's depressing!) or for kids (they found it boring). I know, I know, it's a sequel and I should have written it off for that fact alone. You definitely need to watch the original, though. It's fantastic.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gkNyac72RscpKSJeCXLcyjzt08QabZF9WR6nIvnV4QUHxzhxzXr9CwGEShl90_-YUaHDEg3V-Vx9c2KPRl_wn7QBOf5HKd-8NVnlX4iV1C3Ltz3L4AUM2IMF3K3EfNqdmf1pncToO35Z/s1600/all+good.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gkNyac72RscpKSJeCXLcyjzt08QabZF9WR6nIvnV4QUHxzhxzXr9CwGEShl90_-YUaHDEg3V-Vx9c2KPRl_wn7QBOf5HKd-8NVnlX4iV1C3Ltz3L4AUM2IMF3K3EfNqdmf1pncToO35Z/s1600/all+good.jpg" /></a></div><b><i>All Good Things</i></b><br />
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I honestly don't remember if I even finished watching this movie, and I honestly don't care. But it <i>must </i>have come to an end because, well, you know what they say about all good things. (Hey! Stop throwing your popcorn at me.) Anyway, I remember that some guy (probably, more than likely) maybe kills his wife. I don't remember much more than that. It is based on a true story, though.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OBALcaVTtevFM-GiAZaaIpE6YlYDs_SLuxY26wbYNFIGfOqieTA-4pdwl-o97xsNlzYJj2vSzWsXKAlAIu7cHTgja4va6lOHWhRXg4SMr8jwtGYNCfqDquYMVbUAXWKuYKx_xz-RV33D/s1600/gnomeo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OBALcaVTtevFM-GiAZaaIpE6YlYDs_SLuxY26wbYNFIGfOqieTA-4pdwl-o97xsNlzYJj2vSzWsXKAlAIu7cHTgja4va6lOHWhRXg4SMr8jwtGYNCfqDquYMVbUAXWKuYKx_xz-RV33D/s1600/gnomeo.jpg" /></a></div><i><b>Gnomeo and Juliet</b></i><br />
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The kids liked it. Sorry, that's all I've got.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2Jz2yntHCjUbLsTvwP3eErU3MM5CCi8BCLXyr6BgFdNGvkVE60TtBnWV2RBUIeSbyHzWOkpRRLaMS7gMYyMHUt6Y-wtEUKzpgXhJNBSm6aa82JI5AEwuVwJfmyqdi6j0rf7iS6EIJHBD/s1600/24398_p_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2Jz2yntHCjUbLsTvwP3eErU3MM5CCi8BCLXyr6BgFdNGvkVE60TtBnWV2RBUIeSbyHzWOkpRRLaMS7gMYyMHUt6Y-wtEUKzpgXhJNBSm6aa82JI5AEwuVwJfmyqdi6j0rf7iS6EIJHBD/s1600/24398_p_m.jpg" /></a></div><i><b>Chapter 27</b></i><br />
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An interesting look at John Lennon's last few days through the eyes of his killer, Mark David Chapman (who, by the way, is still alive--did you know that?). The movie's title is in reference to the fact that the book <i>The Catcher in the Rye</i> has only 26 chapters.<br />
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Ahhh, I feel much better now.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-52891774369007527842012-02-15T18:24:00.000-06:002012-02-15T18:24:59.086-06:00Sliding Doors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQMRIZBRbIY96knr55S9NLdJb_AE37HNy4T5DSpPFLhZT_rWc0zpmps-1gAVImJ7_Cxp3euxm0Va9DYM6kBUJSgOEvN4DXNil5T0u-4IjwRGE81223saZ36XFxTSFCszkj3qmVdniZBII/s1600/sliding+doors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQMRIZBRbIY96knr55S9NLdJb_AE37HNy4T5DSpPFLhZT_rWc0zpmps-1gAVImJ7_Cxp3euxm0Va9DYM6kBUJSgOEvN4DXNil5T0u-4IjwRGE81223saZ36XFxTSFCszkj3qmVdniZBII/s1600/sliding+doors.jpg" /></a></div>I'd seen this one before, but it has been a sufficient number of years since my first viewing to allow me to forget most of the plot. Thus, it was almost like watching a brand new movie.<br />
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Of course I don't remember what I thought of it the first time around, but my opinion the second time is that it wasn't half bad. It's not a movie I would watch on endless loop, but for a romantic comedy it was actually pretty intriguing. It's a story of what-ifs, portraying the two different paths Helen's life would have taken merely based on either catching a train or arriving on the platform just after the doors slide closed (hence the title). Thanks to two totally different hairstyles (see the picture?), it is fairly easy to follow the movie's jumps from path to path, and (is this a spoiler? not really, since I'm not giving you any details) it's great the way the split lives are woven back together at the end. I think that says something interesting about Fate, which I'm not sure I believe in but I'm sure I would like to.<br />
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A fun diversion, even watched across three evenings (the way I did it). But if you find Gwyneth Paltrow annoying I'm not sure how you'll handle it, especially if English-accented-Gwyneth is more annoying than the usual.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-40376288667509410102011-12-19T22:38:00.000-06:002011-12-19T22:38:58.954-06:00Old Favorite: Ferris Bueller's Day Off<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaAQ2AUpY1yqb3cHSEpSQQzroBw81MbypOYFLZzJ9fDpsbWcQQDpUZFjKsnePfv1LPQoAAhJtjqHQxIfhfzeYdDEWugKs_hHqC1TpoZR0TlNCWdXPLaG5vqQ0cPIUsBBmOVLDSWq2hfAz/s1600/ferris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaAQ2AUpY1yqb3cHSEpSQQzroBw81MbypOYFLZzJ9fDpsbWcQQDpUZFjKsnePfv1LPQoAAhJtjqHQxIfhfzeYdDEWugKs_hHqC1TpoZR0TlNCWdXPLaG5vqQ0cPIUsBBmOVLDSWq2hfAz/s320/ferris.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><b>Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.</b></i></blockquote><br />
They simply don't make movies like this (or <i>Sixteen Candles</i>, or<i> The Breakfast Club</i>) anymore. No kidding, when was the last time they made a good clean high school movie that wasn't full of Serious Issues or raunchiness fit to rival Howard Stern? (If you know of some, this is where you should tell me what they are!)<br />
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Actually, I know what my problem is. I just sorely miss John Hughes (although perhaps not where the <i>Beethoven</i> or <i>Home Alone</i> movies are concerned). Mix that with a small dose of nostalgia, and there you have my love for Ferris Bueller.<br />
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Here's to stopping and looking around.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-65179478875389330882011-12-06T23:37:00.000-06:002011-12-06T23:37:17.116-06:00Morning Glory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dUBlAY71Jr1XiCDV9wE2__7PRyyMx-WqRYWlsay85t3V0K77VuPZlzrDyDYLpffpRqKhf7lLZlOGgaP-5yPImsU9-BWQ1BLogVnXth-Enh_mEPJQafIBZUVFh7HFhJ0kNEO0ATaHspPN/s1600/morning-glory-movie-poster-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dUBlAY71Jr1XiCDV9wE2__7PRyyMx-WqRYWlsay85t3V0K77VuPZlzrDyDYLpffpRqKhf7lLZlOGgaP-5yPImsU9-BWQ1BLogVnXth-Enh_mEPJQafIBZUVFh7HFhJ0kNEO0ATaHspPN/s200/morning-glory-movie-poster-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>After years as a netflix subscriber, I'm celebrating a new development: I can finally watch netflix movies on my TV! So what do I do? I impulsively watch a movie that wasn't even in my queue.<br />
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And what did I find? A stereotypical and saccharine romantic comedy with no surprises, wrapped up in a package that can only be described as "heartwarming".<br />
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But Harrison Ford was in it!! I thought surely that had to count for something. Even if he was channeling the gruff-voiced and serious-faced Clint Eastwood instead of the dashing young Han Solo. But I thought wrong.<br />
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OK, it wasn't <i>horrible</i>. But it was formulaic and conventional and unexceptional and I should have gone to bed two hours ago instead.<br />
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I'm wondering if it was intentional that the network call sign was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irritable_bowel_syndrome">ibs</a>? After watching this movie I feel I may be suffering from a bit of that myself. Or, more likely, a diabetic coma. This movie is <i>not </i>a fiber donut.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-55309935021667392982011-10-25T22:48:00.000-05:002011-10-25T22:48:43.473-05:00Abre los ojos (Open Your Eyes)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRM592XrLWidCvVNRxq_SPWatqdrsXw7UT37mkKVhR7UssO7SEaqEBczYkkEHIvetwZpYTYUCgYcJT_tYDXyOucooR6ZmnJlaiIHAt1H0af61uP_8avq2fYvAFw9eJJ4QTKk9C0rCboAg/s1600/open.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRM592XrLWidCvVNRxq_SPWatqdrsXw7UT37mkKVhR7UssO7SEaqEBczYkkEHIvetwZpYTYUCgYcJT_tYDXyOucooR6ZmnJlaiIHAt1H0af61uP_8avq2fYvAFw9eJJ4QTKk9C0rCboAg/s1600/open.jpg" /></a></div>I have had this movie out from Netflix since last MAY. I can't remember when I started watching it (July? August?) but I do know I watched about half of it, then never got around to watching the rest until tonight.<br />
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That's not to say it's a bad movie. It's just that it is SO similar to the American remake (<i><a href="http://kathy-movielist.blogspot.com/2011/10/vanilla-sky-rewatch.html">Vanilla Sky</a></i>), and there's really nothing that marks it as superior. This Spanish version was done first, but not (in my eyes) done better.<br />
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Very interesting to see Penelope Cruz play the character of Sofia in both the original and the remake. I love her for being so pretty!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-21694062396546958052011-10-25T22:27:00.000-05:002011-10-25T22:27:25.037-05:00Vanilla Sky (rewatch)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWls3Yb7qxYYqVHU4xDjoJ18hshn5LkotiiXo5NKdTny9lGs7OcDwk4MrIa3LGFrWQ0J_RaXyaMzBGi-MXKsaPOnmtLrhdnCNw8uc4xLRf5YS8Nsgnc6FQUazpOwQk0dy8ADghtZRKylhd/s1600/vanilla+sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWls3Yb7qxYYqVHU4xDjoJ18hshn5LkotiiXo5NKdTny9lGs7OcDwk4MrIa3LGFrWQ0J_RaXyaMzBGi-MXKsaPOnmtLrhdnCNw8uc4xLRf5YS8Nsgnc6FQUazpOwQk0dy8ADghtZRKylhd/s320/vanilla+sky.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>I first watched this movie several years ago (can't remember exactly when) and, as time passed, I felt like I hardly remembered much beyond the fact that it was really good. I watched it again this past June and jotted down a few notes about it, but then never got around to making it into an official blog post.<br />
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Tonight I've just finished watching the Spanish original version, so I figured it was about time I posted what I wrote last June. Of course in the past four months I've not thought of anything to add; if anything, I've forgotten more than I remember. But here's what I wrote when it was fresh on my mind:<br />
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This movie was better the first time around, because as I watched it I found I actually remembered more than I'd thought. So the surprise of WTF was going on was dampened quite a bit. But I still enjoyed the re-watch. On the other hand, I'm thinking two watchings is about enough for this movie. Or maybe I should limit myself to watching it once a decade, anyway.<br />
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Notice the soundtrack when you watch this one! It's pretty decent.<br />
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I might add a little synopsis for you now: Pretty rich boy David Aames (Tom Cruise) has had everything in life handed to him on a platter, including Sofia (Penelope Cruz), the beautiful woman his best friend has just met. But when the golden boy's face is disfigured in a horrifying car wreck, his formerly charmed life crumbles. <i>Or does it?</i>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-90820507753263950032011-09-23T23:01:00.000-05:002011-09-23T23:01:32.745-05:00Bridesmaids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB59ofjBZjxi7HNpaJsfs4kn8I8qb8JhqxnDRQg-ZXB5PQCf9fX2BLSrJqky9PDEPtVVScPYLgJA9FBBm0gJMvjz66WOJnYsZL9FNMNrLC3k7aO1OV5p7Dfo1e8oCvBfqlGlovvivLQ82n/s1600/o-bridesmaids-movie-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB59ofjBZjxi7HNpaJsfs4kn8I8qb8JhqxnDRQg-ZXB5PQCf9fX2BLSrJqky9PDEPtVVScPYLgJA9FBBm0gJMvjz66WOJnYsZL9FNMNrLC3k7aO1OV5p7Dfo1e8oCvBfqlGlovvivLQ82n/s320/o-bridesmaids-movie-poster.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>Tonight, for a change, I watched a movie. With friends! (Because, you know, That's What Friends Are For.) And for an even bigger change, I'm actually going to blog about it. Who knows if I'll ever get around to telling you about<i> Vanilla Sky</i>, <i>Source Code</i>, <i>The Help</i>, or <i>Harry Potter 7b</i>, but you're going to hear about <i>Bridesmaids </i>whether you want to or not.<br />
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I'd been told <i>Bridesmaids </i>was Really Really Funny. I'd heard it was <i>The Hangover</i> for women. (Sorry, I had to say it. EVERYONE ELSE says it.) So, my opinion? Yeah, it made me laugh, and I like laughing. I still think <i>There's Something About Mary</i> is more funny, maybe just because <i>Bridesmaids </i>veers off into depressing territory (not when Annie hits what her mom <i>thinks </i>is rock bottom, but when Annie <i>actually </i>hits rock bottom). But at least things are looking up for Annie at the end.<br />
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Too bad I didn't watch this movie when it first came out. Where was Gil when I needed a note on my door that said "Do not come into my room and read my diary and wear my clothes"? At least now I'll know for next time.<br />
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Before I go, I just need to tell you this: You're more beautiful than Cinderella, you smell like pine needles and your face is like sunshine. Every girl needs to hear that at least once in her life.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-32677734893705808382011-07-30T22:04:00.000-05:002011-07-30T22:04:23.462-05:00Surfwise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6baeSeMnGe7qi4H4bMYIKNX7zfQdPE_fJijc3h1L3HhOj7HMlBNDvZUQzW_AreLNRgrAW6Kj09sarimi4r3nBphoJxFbS0V3ESKWlIC6BdPltE5P2Sgud3qUtZ7F7pu5Yy79x2B3Jjqh/s1600/surfwise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6baeSeMnGe7qi4H4bMYIKNX7zfQdPE_fJijc3h1L3HhOj7HMlBNDvZUQzW_AreLNRgrAW6Kj09sarimi4r3nBphoJxFbS0V3ESKWlIC6BdPltE5P2Sgud3qUtZ7F7pu5Yy79x2B3Jjqh/s1600/surfwise.jpg" /></a></div>Maybe my family isn't so weird after all.<br />
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<i>Surfwise</i> is the true story of the Paskowitz family: nine children and their parents, Dorian ("Doc") and Juliette, who spent years crammed into a teeny tiny travel trailer, living on the fringes of society and surfing whenever they could.<br />
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Doc eschewed money, espoused simple living, and tried to teach his children the difference between education and knowledge. He wanted to give them the opportunity to learn from life experiences rather than from schooling, allowing his children no formal education whatsoever. But it didn't work. Their life was like a failed experiment.<br />
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Doc admits that many times he was "far too radical and far too tight-fisted" in raising his children. He realized, too late, that "a real man should control himself before he controls his children." He feels he failed to give his children "the tools that invent opportunity," when that was what he most wanted to do. He did provide his family with "love, togetherness, food, clothing, shelter, diet, exercise," but at what cost?<br />
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The cost is evident in the range of reactions among his nine children. Most of them have rejected their upbringing and the family is splintered, though one of the boys asserts that "even a flawed family that sticks together is better than no family at all." I can't believe it, but one of the nine actually plans on "keeping the dream alive," intending to put his children through the same childhood his dad forced him to live . . . only on a boat instead of in a camper.<br />
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<i>Surfwise</i> exemplifies something my own parents (unintentionally) taught me: trying to keep tight control over your children is like trying to squeeze a wet bar of soap. Sooner or later it ends up out of your hands and farther away from you than you'd ever wanted.<br />
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Funny how so many of the kids look nothing like the dad . . .Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-67628224841901621092011-05-22T23:45:00.000-05:002011-05-22T23:45:22.079-05:00Black Swan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkc7P3Y16rRrO9GfAFHIa5cwwV58EmE_OypFrEiydKfk8Wly47h0-mx-V6bBvbW3Z4uBtxyaxwyLvHjkdA32y0GBdvKqGUSfWf_Cscnvwh2hUPGqEhKvtESykELLZPe1z0vRBK6fqgc4pc/s1600/340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkc7P3Y16rRrO9GfAFHIa5cwwV58EmE_OypFrEiydKfk8Wly47h0-mx-V6bBvbW3Z4uBtxyaxwyLvHjkdA32y0GBdvKqGUSfWf_Cscnvwh2hUPGqEhKvtESykELLZPe1z0vRBK6fqgc4pc/s320/340.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>WOW, this was a good movie. I mean, it's always fun to watch a ballerina go insane, right? And Natalie Portman does it to perfection.<br />
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I've always thought Portman was beautiful (though maybe not so much in this movie poster), but I've never been as impressed with her acting as in this film. Those <i>Star Wars</i> prequels didn't <i>quite</i> do her justice. In fact, it wasn't just her acting--I don't think any of the other films she's been in have been as good as this one. <i>Closer</i> was pretty good, but this one's better.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-39999898069970662792011-05-06T23:38:00.000-05:002011-05-06T23:38:57.829-05:00The Diving Bell and the Butterfly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTU7febxsgVJnOPncYU9yCDdmnob4gWvc36J842nQSYHoGvwfLCtpqTmCAljCcuArMIkuDbGyACrYGkx2vRcj0wHCS2XvXm5qHXJI62hqy7zQO7IkOH16R-EFI_ogcz5tHPvZQ2tMZ-EOy/s1600/diving_bell_and_the_butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTU7febxsgVJnOPncYU9yCDdmnob4gWvc36J842nQSYHoGvwfLCtpqTmCAljCcuArMIkuDbGyACrYGkx2vRcj0wHCS2XvXm5qHXJI62hqy7zQO7IkOH16R-EFI_ogcz5tHPvZQ2tMZ-EOy/s320/diving_bell_and_the_butterfly.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>True story: Author and <i>Elle</i> magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby, age 43, suffered a stroke in 1995 that rendered him almost completely paralyzed, though his abilities to think and communicate were unimpaired. In this debilitated state he actually DICTATED HIS ENTIRE AUTOBIOGRAPHY by blinking his left eye. If you're like me, though that is decidedly amazing, it also sounds like it makes for a really <i>really</i> boring movie.<br />
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Fortunately whoever made this movie has a better imagination than I do, so it was more than just two hours of a man blinking one eye. It was actually a pretty good (if understandably somber) movie.<br />
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Here's Bauby's one statement that impressed me the most: "I have decided to never feel sorry for myself again."<br />
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I kind of feel like now I'm required to watch <i>My Left Foot</i>.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-44521211178998827272011-05-01T23:19:00.006-05:002011-05-01T23:26:52.785-05:00Angel Heart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMpo8poVSbZQJYS-ueJ5oZ4MxvBZxfdwa9VlhjDp-0xDMKPJeH-MahjwgxqjkqAZ30Mm1fJ7CvX2jpWcWkjI7UEB-qkijM0f4ancv88jEW2TGebZ8SHMsR2hnTgQtvHd5N9eCx5sS2_40/s1600/angel-heart-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMpo8poVSbZQJYS-ueJ5oZ4MxvBZxfdwa9VlhjDp-0xDMKPJeH-MahjwgxqjkqAZ30Mm1fJ7CvX2jpWcWkjI7UEB-qkijM0f4ancv88jEW2TGebZ8SHMsR2hnTgQtvHd5N9eCx5sS2_40/s320/angel-heart-.jpg" width="216px" /></a></div>Here's a movie that had somehow slipped my notice for about 24 years. (Aww, I see that it came out in theaters on my brother's 7th birthday.) This is my kind of movie: full of suspense, dark atmosphere, and mystery.<br />
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But I'm going to have to stop reading those darn netflix synopses. After a nice spoiler-free beginning about private detective Harry Angel being hired to track down a missing singer, this one mentions that "each time Harry makes contact with someone who might know the singer's whereabouts, he or she is killed in a horrible, ritualistic fashion." So I was already suspecting what might not have otherwise crossed my mind. I mean, after reading that, who do YOU figure the killer is? The brazen striking of a match on the first corpse's shoe confirmed it for me.<br />
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Even without any help from netflix, I managed to guess the real identity of the character Robert DeNiro was playing fairly early on. It wasn't even his character's name that gave it away (although, in retrospect, the name was a huge clue). It was those too-obvious fingernails. I could swear they were longer and more pointy each time he was on screen. But I will admit (with relief) that I didn't guess everything. I don't think I realized who Johnny Favorite was a minute sooner than Harry Angel realized it.<br />
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It's kind of hard to believe Mickey Rourke used to be relatively nice-looking.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-19506415226756955592011-04-29T18:17:00.002-05:002011-05-01T22:30:53.464-05:00Donnie Brasco<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfXIR07ht6pzM5PaGinK2Ezr-r5nU-VK6hAKzvU5tGKALpoBCKeswDZoS3ddIUu00r8n9U6wvP7u8zNYufSf5ks-bO1egKhYNojaOXCAbQfuOkz0mIpw17ij5nLeI0VzmOgFbFtJ5pI35/s1600/DonnieBrasco-Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfXIR07ht6pzM5PaGinK2Ezr-r5nU-VK6hAKzvU5tGKALpoBCKeswDZoS3ddIUu00r8n9U6wvP7u8zNYufSf5ks-bO1egKhYNojaOXCAbQfuOkz0mIpw17ij5nLeI0VzmOgFbFtJ5pI35/s320/DonnieBrasco-Poster.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>Watched this one sometime in the past week or two, really can't remember when. It was pretty good, but I didn't have much to say about it then (which means I have even less to say now). Pretty much all I can come up with is that it's a (basically) true story about the NYC mafia and an undercover FBI agent who infiltrates it.<br />
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Al Pacino is the quintessential movie gangster. It's hard to remember he's played other types of roles.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-41206790708723707972011-04-23T22:29:00.008-05:002011-05-01T18:06:43.311-05:00Water for Elephants<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGV7B1LQ-o_ot7tsmaA5wXFhVTcBYsOQ44jgN4s5JpnaZNuV-f-hf7eM5sTP63_VxBl2W6MRsll3Zz3OLZNtV-53JS0T10hcR_dH_TxuGfBMTbZuHfPCXdKlNec1dmAKFpoNVDtQqnCXL9/s1600/Water-for-Elephants-movie-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGV7B1LQ-o_ot7tsmaA5wXFhVTcBYsOQ44jgN4s5JpnaZNuV-f-hf7eM5sTP63_VxBl2W6MRsll3Zz3OLZNtV-53JS0T10hcR_dH_TxuGfBMTbZuHfPCXdKlNec1dmAKFpoNVDtQqnCXL9/s320/Water-for-Elephants-movie-poster.jpg" width="216px" /></a></div>I was disappointed in this movie. I mean, it wasn't completely horrible (it's based on a pretty good book, and Robert Pattinson is in it!! How bad could it be? Oh, wait . . . ) but I just didn't think it was that great. I don't know how much of my disappointment I should attribute to high expectations, and how much was due to my unusual frame of mind while I was watching it. <br />
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My main complaint is that the whole thing seemed overdone. The acting was so <em>serious</em> and heavy-handed, and the lines (while not necessarily corny) were just So Dang Dramatic. OK, maybe my friend BR had a point--it's set in a circus. Of course it's overdone. But I could have gone for just a dash of subtlety and a smidge of figure-it-out-yourself, because it kind of sucks when a movie ALWAYS spells EVERYTHING out for you.<br />
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All movie adaptations are going to leave out some parts of the book, but two scenes stood out to me as very watered-down. This actually didn't bother me a bit, as they were scenes I really could have done without reading (walking in on a midget jacking off, and a <em>highly detailed</em> description of what went on in the "cooch tent"). Of course, I'm sure those scenes had to be attenuated because the movie was rated PG-13. But what the heck is that all about? ALL MOVIES WITH ROBERT PATTINSON IN THEM SHOULD BE X-RATED!!<br />
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Speaking of Robert Pattinson, though, I have finally noticed that he always plays the same character in every movie, and that is . . . Robert Pattinson. Edward Norton he is not. But at least he is smokin' hot. That makes up for a lot.<br />
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If you have to pick between the book and the movie, read the book. Just get the movie cover version so you can picture RP as Jacob all the way through.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-977505882968658073.post-5838590773400383012011-04-17T01:02:00.000-05:002011-04-17T01:02:24.679-05:00Taxi Driver<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxL53szWdsoeRtJiq2QnZ_j8kWeihQlq-euQlUCASwbpVY9XnrnrfyWvTmrLLs7ckMifiXCaIdvBT6FFhfXqOxbBhm-h1AS7rV83WRkCuJQ-eqm_Noj-OT5DVEgoAVZTbfbHlvIRZDiY2L/s1600/taxi-driver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxL53szWdsoeRtJiq2QnZ_j8kWeihQlq-euQlUCASwbpVY9XnrnrfyWvTmrLLs7ckMifiXCaIdvBT6FFhfXqOxbBhm-h1AS7rV83WRkCuJQ-eqm_Noj-OT5DVEgoAVZTbfbHlvIRZDiY2L/s320/taxi-driver.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>Yet another movie Hud told me I wouldn't want to watch, but he was wrong. (I am one step closer to watching <i>The Godfather</i>.) Yes, there's a child hooker and a date to the porn theater and a bloody shootout for a climax, and I wouldn't want to watch it with my mom, but I survived it and was even intrigued by it.<br />
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I can't help but compare this one to <i>Midnight Cowboy</i>. Not that they tried to tell the same story, but they're both about the seedy side of New York. However, <i>Taxi Driver</i> is a far better movie, and I think I can attribute that to Robert DeNiro vs. Jon Voight. Though I'm sure some of the credit is also due to Martin Scorsese vs. John Schlesinger. (Who?)<br />
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So here's an interesting question. (<i>The Sixth Sense</i> ruined me, by the way.) Did Travis Bickle <i>really</i> survive that shootout? And win the acclaim of the world, including Betsy? I can't help but wonder if that was all his dying fantasy.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867744753830511111noreply@blogger.com8