Number 14-- Favorite Movies of All Time

One of my good friends guessed the NUMBER 14 correctly-- it is Finding Neverland.

Finding Neverland

Honestly this movie makes me feel so good because it brings back memories of watching Peter Pan and wishing I could fly. As a history buff it gives me the background in the life of the author and what he was thinking as he creates it.

Some have called the story boring but I enjoy it because life is not always about a car chase or gun show. Instead life is about the little moments that bring people together. It was a sweet love story of Jonny Depp's character and Kate Winslet's character. They fall in love but it becomes a tragic type love story.

I am a HUGE Kate Winslet fan-- the only other actresses I love more are Meryl Streept, Bette Davis and Kathrine Hepburn. Winslet just has a way of making the acting look so easy and yet so complex. She made me cry so many times throughout this movie-- but especially at the end when her children created Neverland and they went for a visit. I was a mess during that scene the first time, and every time since them.

An unsung hero in the movie, Julie Christie--- she was beautiful as Kate Winslet's mother. She gives the perfect among of worrying and motherly love. She loves her daughter no matter what!

I highly recommend this simple movie! Let me know what you think.

CLUE-- Number 13 is a Christmas time favorite that I have to watch every year. There are so many clues I could give but then you would know the movie right away. It is black and white and when it was originally in theaters it was a FLOP!!! It wasn't until NBC (I believe) got the rights to show it on TV that it became a favorite of America. It shows how one person affects the futures of so many people.

Put your guess in the comments section!

Review: Secretariat

Review:

4.5 out of 5 stars

I have a guilty pleasures-- those movies that don't try to hide the sentimental feelings they want you to feel. They go for broke and want you to cry. This is one of those movies. You know how it ends-- the horse becomes the first horse in 25 years to win all three major horse races in the United States and yet I was on the edge of my sit leaning over to my mom going--- OH NO HE IS GOING TO LOSE!!!

That is a true great movie, you know how it ends and yet you get sucked into it and fall in love. It is a truly uplifting story about how a woman risks everything to keep her father's dream alive. Diane Lane does a FABULOUS job playing the part. She is one of my favorite actresses (since Unfaithful-- another WOW great movie and Under the Tuscan Sun). She places the woman so well she overshadows the horse who is the true star.

What I wonder why I watch these movies about animals is how they make the animals do such a good job acting because in reality the horse was acting (he posed at times-- which was hysterical).

People are comparing this movie to The Blind Side and I see parallels but personally this movie was better. I was not a huge fan of The Blind Side and I didn't think Sandra Bullock deserved the Oscar (maybe a nomination but not a win). I think Diane Lane deserves a nomination but not a win for this movie. People are also calling this the next big movie for the Conservative Family Values (like the Blind Side) and once again I do not see it. The woman ditched her family in Colorado to virtually move to Virginia for three-four years to train the horse and take care of the farm. How is that good family values? It makes for a great movie but not a good family values.

I do recommend this movie and kids would love it too-- it is a good Disney film.

Let me know what you think!

Number 15-- Favorite Movies of All Time

This is literally the number one movie I watch when I am upset and need a pick me up. Of course someone borrowed this movie and never gave it back-- VERY VERY UPSET!!!

Number 15---- Love Actually

This is a movie that you either heard of and have seen or never even heard of. It came out in 2004 with little fanfare and little buzz but ended up being on a lot of critic's top ten lists that year. It is a brilliant movie about how love is not perfect but you need it.

It shows about 10 different stories at once (like Crash) and each character is in another story line for a little bit. It has a 10 year old kid coming to grips with his mother dying and falling in love for the first time, a middle age couple drifting apart as the husband has an affair, the prime minister falling for his secretary and learning to stand up for himself, a couple meeting while making porn, along with many more couples.

It is a Christmas type movie-- or at least it is set around that time and it has an hysterical plot about a horrible song becoming the most listened to song of the holiday season and the perform will perform it naked.

What I love about the movie (besides the British humor and sarcasm) is that it shows love for what it really is. It shows love as this thing that controls people and makes me do stupid things. It shows how love can hurt and blind you. But love is something you cannot live without. It is something that you need right up there with air, water and food. Without it there is no reason to love.

I highly recommend watching this movie, but be ware I believe it is rated R (or at least PG-13)--- for language and sexual content. But it is worth it, just make it a date night with the person you love.

Let me know what you think about !! This is one I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Clue for Number 14--- This is a movie also from 2004 like Love Actually. It was in most people's top ten list for the year and it is about the creation of a beloved animated movie from the 60s about children traveling to a far off land. It shows how the author created the book (which eventually became the movie). It stars Kate Winset in one of her BEST performances and Jonny Depp (who doesn't love him). Let me know your guesses!

Review: Showgirls

The only reason I saw this is because it won the Razzie for worst movie of the year it came out, the worst movie of the decade (1990s) and then worst movie of the last quarter century. That must mean it is a pretty bad movie and of course I had to see it.

Review:

3 out of 5 stars

As you can see from my review-- I did not hate it, actually I loved it compared to what I thought I would think. The biggest problem I had with this movie was the overuse of nudity-- honestly I felt like someone was naked in every scene. I understand it went with the topic of showgirls but still it was a tad overdone for a Hollywood mainstream film.

It did receive a NC-17 rating and it deserved that. There was drug use and nudity in most of the film. But the reason I enjoyed it is because it did not try to be a different film, it embraced the topic and went for it. It was a parody that was not to be taken seriously like many critics hoped for.

It also had a lot of comparisons with one of my favorite movies-- All About Eve. Both films involve a younger character trying to overtake an older character who is on top of their career. They overtake them and become the top dog only to be taken done by their need for fame and fortune. I love that it showed the dog-eat-dog world that is Hollywood, fame and fortune.

The movie did go for broke and in the end most people hated it. But since then it has become one of the top selling movie in rental and buying for Sony and it has become a true cult classic. People love to hate it (I am in that category too).

I am not necessarily recommending the movie because of the content but it was a very fun watch, just be prepared.

Review: For the Bible Tells Me So

Disclosure: I have very liberal views when it comes to social issues (like the one discussed in this film).

Review:

4 out of 5 stars

This movie is about homosexuality and how it is perceived by the right and left side of the political spectrum. It showed the differences the Bible mentions when discussing the topic along with others. It shows how people tend to believe the passages that say homosexuality is evil and a sin but overlook the parts that say it is an abomination to eat shrimp.

The movie had about 4 families where there is a child that comes out as homosexual and the consequences that follow. Each family came to terms with the revelation in different ways. It was a very uplifting and heartbreaking movie at the same time. One mother came to terms with it too late, after her daughter committed suicide. It was a very poignant film to be watching at this time.

I heard of the movie from www.ew.com that had a posting of 10 documentaries that changed the world. I have seen most of the documentaries but not this one. So I rented it with my Blockbuster Online membership.

The ending brought me to tears --- the song they are playing over the background was amazing. The reason I did not give it a 5 out of 5 rating is because they through the gay Episcopal priest drama. I thought because of adding that in, the movie lost focus. It is just my point of view but the documentary was very well done.

I definitely recommend it, it is unlikely to change your views but it is always fun to see another side of a controversial story.

Review: Crimes and Misdemeanors

I rented this for the sole reason of it being called one of Woody Allen's best films. I want to start out by saying, I am not a Woody Allen fan. I do not get his unique style of directing. I love his modern films (from Match Point, Scope or Vicky Christina Barcelona) but not the ones from his apparent great period (Hannah and Her Sisters, Annie Hall, ect...)

Review:

3 out of 5 stars

I will admit this is one of his better films, but maybe I just liked it because of the actors who were in it. I love Mia Farrow, Anjelica Huston, Jerry Orbach, Alan Alda, Sam Waterston, and Martin Landau. It is amazing to watch all of them in one film. The writing was amazing, like most of Woody Allen's films. He is a great writer and director. The only reason I enjoy him as an actor is because he is hysterical at delivering lines with such sarcasm.

The reason I am always against seeing his films is I do not like him as a person, he is a great artist but as a person I do not like his choices. There are so many stars that I think are brilliant actors, actresses and directors but they make choices I cannot condone. Woody Allen is one, Jane Fanda and Roman Polanski are two more. They are great artists but they have made horrible choices.

But back to this movie, it is about choices people make and the consequences that follow. It is also about the consequences and the choices that follow those. There are really two stories, one where Martin Landau has an affair and then it goes horribly wrong. I did not care for this part of the story. I liked the Woody Allen one where he is making a documentary with Mia Farrow and he falls for her.

This movie dealt a lot with martial indiscretions and what happens as a result. I LOVED that at the end the two stories come together and we see how they learned to deal with the choices they made throughout the movie.

The MVP was Alan Alda in my opinion because he went for over the top and then went times ten. He truly was a caricature of Hollywood and being famous and he did a brilliant job.

I will admit this is one of my favorite Woody Allen films because it goes for broke. I recommend this.

What is your favorite Woody Allen film? Did you like this one?

Let me know!

Review: The Social Network

I always try and see movies that have the possibility of being nominated for Oscars but my budget keeps that from happening. This is one movie I needed to see because I LOVE facebook!!

Review:

5 out of 5 stars

Honestly, one of the best movies of the DECADE!! It is a socially relevant movie about something that is a part of almost everyone's life. My parents even have a facebook. I have had a facebook since May 2005-- just like the people in the movie, I started receiving spam from all of my friends which turned out to be an invitation. I joined it within the first year facebook went public!

The writing was so witty and sarcastic but still very smart. The movie is about geeks and yet I didn't feel stupid, everything was explained so thoroughly. One of my favorite quotes come from the first ten minutes when Mark Zuckerberg's girlfriend, Erica Albright, breaks up with him and says, "Mark I want you to know that when you look back you might think girls don't give you a chance because you are a geek but that is not true. I want you to know it is because you are an asshole." Honestly brilliant writing and I caught myself laughing out of loud a few times.

The writing was not the only strong part of the movie, the acting was amazing! Who knew some of these people could actually act. Jesse Eisenberg was so great I completely forgot he was acting, I thought I was watching a documentary. He was so sarcastic and antisocial it was great. Then there was Andrew Garfield who played his best friend that eventually sued him. He was able to show the naive side along with the money hungry side. He actually cared for his friend.

Thus why this movie has been described as a movie about friendship and betrayl.

The biggest shocker was Justin Timberlake can actually act!!! Yes it is true!! He played Sean Parker who was the inventor of Napster. He is a slimball, sleezeball, just a plain asshole and Justin Timberlake did a brilliant job! He had some of the best scenes in the whole movie.

Armie Hammer was also brilliant as the twins who sue Mark Zuckerberg, they had good scenes. All of these guys could end up with Oscar nominations if they play their cards right. But the guys aren't the only ones with great acting, Brenda Song from the Disney channel did an amazing job and was honestly shocked she could act so well. She went from a nice character to crazy (it was a bit of a stretch but I loved watching it happen)!

I highly recommend this movie because it is a lot of fun and you will love the movie. From what I am hearing, anyone will love it-- young and old, men or women. Just go and see it!! It is a lot of fun and I NEVER checked my cellphone for a time. That is very very rare, especially for a two hour plus movie.

David Fincher, as director, create an amazing movie from the screenplay by Aaron Sorken. They are very respected artists in Hollywood. They create movies that are amazing! And this is no different.

Let me know what you think!

Review: Mommie Dearest

I am a huge Joan Crawford and Faye Dunaway fan so a movie about the one and staring the other is absolutely amazing!!

Review:

3 out of 5 stars

First off I have NO idea why this was nominated and won so many Razzies! I absolutely loved it. I think part of the reason is the movie was not understood. It is a parody of an amazing actress based on a book by her daughter who has mommy issues. The movie was suppose to be how one person saw her and not necessarily the truth.

Faye Dunaway was amazing as Joan Crawford-- she brought the right amount of crazy and then went a little extra which is needed to make crazy believable. I loved the actresses who played her daughter Christina as a child and young woman-- they were both great and very cute!

The plot was the life of Joan Crawford as seen through her daughter. Apparently Joan Crawford is a bit of a nutcase and likes everything to go her way-- personally WHO DOESN'T. It just seems Joan Crawford made it go her way or else.

I loved the ending where she left her children out of her will as one final FU!!! But the daughter did not let her mother get the final say-- she wrote a tell all book that became a best seller.

The acting wasn't great but it was not Razzie worthy, I just think Hollywood wasn't ready to accept the movie. And that can be seen through the years as it became a cult classic (and rightfully so).

It is for anyone that has issues with their parents (not that I do-- but I would have loved it more if I did) and for anyone that loves watching someone go crazy!!

Let me know if you have seen it!

Review: The Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

The first time I saw ads for this movie a few months ago I swore this looked horrible and I wouldn't want to see it. But the more I saw trailers the more it looked appealing. Boy am I glad that I ended up going to see this movie-- I truly enjoyed it.

Review:

4 out of 5 stars

It was a visually stunning film and I bet it would have been amazing in 3D (I saw it in 2D-- 3D is just too expensive). The one scene I bet that would have been amazing is when the owls are caught in a hurricane type storm-- it was gorgeous and absolutely amazing to watch. The animation is some of the best I have seen in a while.

Personally I cannot believe I actually sat through a movie about warring owls but the source material must have been very good because the movie was amazing. It moved very fast and before you know it the 90 minutes is up.

I absolutely loved that all of the actors and actresses were British or Australian and their accents were amazing. I absolutely loved trying to pick out all of the actors (I knew quite a few).

The plot of good and evil owls is a very generic form for a movie (imagine The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings) but it works so well. They added their own twist and I absolutely loved the evil owls. Also one of the greatest parts is the use of moon-blink an owl-- it is a kind of possession and control over an owl.

I love fantasy movies so this is a common movie I would love. But if you do not like fantasy movies this might not be for you (unless you love British accents-- then you would love it).

Beware!!! It is very scary at times (it is PG -- but at times it pushes that PG label. There really should be something between PG and PG-13). Some young kids might be scared while watching this movie.

Let me know what you think!

Number 16-- Favorite Movie of All Time

So I know I said I would be better about getting movies up here but what can I say, it is part of my charm to be behind- hehe.

Last time I gave you quite a few clues and no one guessed but it is a very simple movie that probably everyone has seen. But it is such a feel good movie I always watch it when it is on TBS (which it is a lot).

Pretty Woman

It is one of my favorite Julia Roberts movies and probably my favorite Richard Gere movie (and I LOVED Chicago).

Even though this is not Julia Robert's first movie (Mystic Pizza and Steel Magnolias came before this one) it is the movie that made her a star. She will always be a high class whore in many people's minds (hehe). Honestly this movie is not very believable because she doesn't come off as a prostitute very well and she has such a sweet naive feeling in the movie that makes me feel like she belongs to be a rich woman.

I love how she plays this character and absolutely believe she deserved the Oscar nomination-- she was brilliant. Richard Gere is one of the most undervalued actors in Hollywood and it is a sin he doesn't have an Oscar nomination for a movie. He has had so many great roles and this is one that he did very well but he makes it look so easy for him.

I highly recommend seeing this incase you are one of the few that has never seen it. Let me know what you think!

Clue for Number 15--- It is probably one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time. It has one of my FAVORITE scenes from any movie. A man is marrying a woman and during the giving of the vows a band begins to sing a song that brings me to tears almost every time. I love how this movie brings so many characters together (like Crash) and they are all connected. There are so many amazing scenes that some of my favorite were cut. It is a purely British film with the only American being the President played by Billy Bob Thorton.

Let me know if you think you can guess it!