No Country for Old Men

Good movie, but I didn't like seeing the cattle gun used as a weapon. It was awful, but it added so much to the horror aspect of Javier Bardem's character, Anton Chigurh - a creepy, slow-moving, freaky criminal. I like his coin toss theories. Tommy Lee Jones could have been Sherriff Bell if he hadn't become an actor. He was born to play that role. The Sherriff really grows on you. I was rooting for him to save the day. I wish his ending could have been better. Josh Brolin played a pretty smart character, and I liked watching him anticipate his next moves. I love that his character decided to go after Chigurh instead of just be chased. The rest of the cast was perfectly chosen as well.

It was a great chase with good horror and a lot of suspense. It's pretty cool how much tension there was considering that I don't recall ever hearing any scary music the whole time. I would watch it again.

Six Degrees of Separation

This is a story about the separation and bonds between people who have and have not. It's a good concept, and I understood it but didn't like the movie. Some of the story was just too unbelievable, and some of the acting is awful...I like Will Smith, but in this movie he's too fake as the con-artist, Paul. I know con-artists are supposed to be convincing, but Will Smith just seemed like an actor trying way too hard to act like a con-artist which made it painful for me to watch. He doesn't convince me as being homosexual either. It was like he was too afraid to really step into that role completely. He wouldn't even do an on-screen kiss with another male actor, but I'm glad because I would have been grossed out even more so than I was when he faked sex with a man. I don't get that. He faked that but wouldn't fake a kiss.

I did like Stockard Channing. I thought she did a great job as Ouisa, and I felt bad for her at the end when she had her realizations about her life and marriage. She was the only person in this film that I enjoyed watching (besides Ian McKellen in his small role) because she really got into her character, and I believed her emotions. Donald Sutherland did well, but Channing really carried the film. The rest of the cast was decent, but I couldn't get past focusing on Will Smith's weirdness in this movie to really care about them.

Honestly, it wasn't completely horrible. I'm glad I finally saw it and don't have to wonder what it's about anymore, but I don't think I'll ever watch it again.

Dan in Real Life

This movie was kind of like a home video without all the dizziness. I liked watching the family bond together doing fun activities like normal people do. I really liked their house as well, and I want to visit Rhode Island now.

Steve Carrell cracks me up. I love him in The Office. He does such a good job with his facial expressions. He can be subtle and hilarious at the same time. My favorite line from this movie happens during the big dinner scene when Mitch is talking about meeting Marie for the first time and he says she was like an angel, and Dan, with a straight face and serious tone, adds, "This corn is like an angel." It was funny and pitiful at the same time. Loved it.

I have to add that I was so happy to see John Mahoney on the big screen again. He's such a good actor...I love Frasier.

This was a an amusing family/love story, and I would watch it again.

Enchanted

What a great fairy tale of a movie! I love the whole cartoon come to life idea. It was so fun! Amy Adams is perfect in the role of Giselle. She was so animated in the toon and in real life. I cracked up at her making outfits out of curtains and carpet. She played the innocent would-be princess part very well. Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden both make great leading men, and I think James Marsden's voice certainly matches his dashing good looks. And Susan Sarandon was the perfect wicked stepmother.

I really liked all the songs, but I was kind of hoping for one more big-finish song in the end. Still, it was so entertaining and enjoyable. This movie was my cup of tea because I just love fairy tales and happily ever afters! Great family flick.

Nacho Libre

It was Jack Black funny, as per usual. I love all his facial expressions, and the accent he did was great. His singing was, of course, hilarious. It was amusing and sweet. Definitely a good kids movie.

Waitress

Not at all what I expected. Not really worth a rental. The girls' accents were pretty annoying and the story was strange. It's funny b/c the commercials looked funny. It's one of those where all the funny stuff was in the previews b/c the rest was just weird. PLUS you get that stupid song she sings about pies stuck in your head. Baby don't you cry. I'm gonna make you a pie. Blah, blah, blah heart in the middle.

Second Chance - Jane Green

This book was good, but it was a bummer. It's all about this group of people who were friends in high school, and they lose touch only to be reunited when one of the group dies in a crash. The main character is a lady who is unhappy in her marriage b/c her husband is a jerk, and she spends the whole book either being treated badly or deciding whether she wants to leave him or not. I feel like there is an overwhelming amount of sad in this book and not enough empowering life is good moments. Maybe that's just me being Pollyanna-ish, but I like to read happier fiction than this. Oh well.. maybe I've just run my course with Jane Green books. I liked them when I started with Jemima J., but the ones I read after that were just kind of downers. It was a quick read though. About 4 lunch breaks and an afternoon of reading was all it took.

The Jane Austen Book Club

Ok, I was going to wait and read the book first but couldn't! Yay! I loved it! I love all things Jane Austen, and this movie was so good! You don't have to have read her books to appreciate what goes on in the movie, but if you want more insight and understanding then it helps. The movie is mainly about the women (and one man) and their relationships with each other and with their romantic interests. As the group reviews the Austen novels and characters, they begin to see more of their own lives in greater relation to the stories, and I think that is perfect - showing how Austen's books are still appicable to modern day trials in life and romance. And I have to say that I just love Hugh Dancy! He's my favorite! I have been a fan of his since Daniel Deronda. He was so perfect in this movie as Grigg! He does such an adorable American accent, and his character is so cute the way he pines after Jocelyn. Aw! I know I said it already, but I just love him! And the rest of the cast is perfect, too. There isn't any one person that really stands out more than the others in terms of celebrity, and I think that is what makes the whole thing work. I don't think it would be the same with someone like Julia Roberts or Jennifer Aniston in the club...they would take away from the whole of the story too much.

Great, great movie. I loved the ending. It was satisfactory, but I realy wish The Jane Austen Book Club could go on forever!

A Room with a View

I thought this one was just OK and not anything really great. The scenery was beautiful. Italy is such a romantic place. The story was good, but I haven't read the book. Maybe if I had read the book first, I would have appreciated the movie more. It was funny (there's a scene with a good amount of male frontal nudity and an awkward nude chase - a little entertaining and a little ew!). It was fairly romantic, but I thought the romance wasn't intense enough. I did like George and Lucy's first kiss...that was kind of hot. I love how he just kind of swept her up in the barley field and took her with raw passion. That was good! Too bad they got caught. I thought the acting was pretty good for most of the cast, and I loved seeing Daniel Day-Lewis in his younger years. That was a nice treat despite the fact that his character was a fuddy stud. The movie had a happy ending. Yay. Maybe I need to watch this one again. I might try to read the book sometime before I do that.

Vacancy

This movie is exactly why I don't ever want to stay at a seedy, side-of-the-road motel. I know not every one of them is the setting for snuff films and murders, but I would rather just stay at a nice hotel chain that accomodates lots of guests on a regular basis. Anyway, it was definitely intense and had me shaking the whole time because I couldn't tell where the killers would come from. I didn't like the cameras in the vents. The idea of that creeps me out, and now I'm always looking at my vents. I know there aren't cameras behind them but still. I enjoyed seeing Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale on screen together. They acted well at being scared. I don't think I could do it...I would probably be really scared, even if it was fake. The movie was satisfying, but I kind of expected there to be more to the ending. Thanks for watching it with me, Summer!