American Dreamz

I chose this movie to watch b/c it was new to HBO. When I saw that Hugh Grant was in it & that it had something to do with singing, I figured it was the movie with Drew Barrymore in it. It wasn't. That one is called Music & Lyrics & too new for cable I would imagine. I was pretty far into it before I realized that Drew was not going to show up, but I continued watching it anyway. I didn't really know anything about Mandy Moore and I'm really an American Idol fan, so I wasn't too crazy about this movie. If it weren't for Hugh Grant I probably wouldn't have finished it. Since I wasn't that into it, I spent the whole time web surfing, so it wasn't a complete waste of time. I'd say I wouldn't have minded seeing this if there wasn't anything else on to watch, but after seeing Little Miss Sunshine, this was kind of disappointing.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

I'd been seeing so many commercials for the upcoming Becoming Jane, that I had to watch a movie based on one of her books. Sense & Sensibility wouldn't work in the dvd player for some reason, so Pride & Prejudice it was. This is one of the very rare movies that I actually saw in a theater. I knew I'd want to watch it again & again so I bought it when it came out on dvd. I typically love anything Keira Knightley is in and this was no exception. I read the book between seeing the movie the first time & getting it on dvd. From what I've seen the movie versions pare down the characters, even combining two or more into one person. This is probably a good thing, because as much as I enjoy the books, it can be difficult to keep track of the many characters.

Pride & Prejudice is one of Jane Austen's happy ending romance stories. I really found myself rooting for Lizzie & Jane. Also for Mr. Bingley and even for Mr. Darcy. While I found parts of the story to be timeless, other things couldn't be more different today. Everytime I watch a movie from this period, I wonder what social class my family would've found itself in. In a time when we are raising our daughters to get educated & establish careers so they can be independent & self sufficent, it amazes me that there was a time where who you married might determine the course of your life. And even with all the guidlines as to whom can marry whom, Jane's heroines usually seem to pull off marrying well. Often extremely well!


And with the settings for socializing, the balls, chance meetings in town, and the brief visits, you hardly got to know someone before deciding if you could marry them. It's so easy to get caught up in the ways of the time that you almost hold your breath when Lizzie speaks her mind. How very different the Bennet daughters turned out to be, which I believe is exactly what Jane Austen wanted us to see. That, and also how the behavior of a family member could affect the rest of the family. I'm sure Jane never imagined just how different life would be today.

This movie will make my list of all time favorites.

Little Miss Sunshine

I had heard good things about this movie, but really didn't know what to expect. I was afraid it may be slapstick, from trailers I'd seen & the fact that Steve Carell was in it, but it really wasn't. It kinda reminded me of National Lampoon's Vacation and who didn't like that movie! Anytime you have a dysfunctional family driving state to state with the body of a dead relative, you just know there's going to be fun! Even the parts that were far fetched didn't turn me off. And there was Toni Collette who I'd only just discovered a week earlier in In Her Shoes. Steve Carell is talented & it was nice to see him in such a great ensemble cast. I'd recommend this as a must see movie.

Shakespeare in Love

I have seen this movie many times and never tire of it! I hadn't planned to watch it, but I turned the tv on and there it was. I just couldn't change the channel! This has to be one of my favorite movies of all time. I love anything about Elizabethan England. Joseph Fiennes is so full of energy. Gwyneth Paltrow is lovely as always. And I was happy for the few scenes that featured Ben Affleck & Colin Firth. And even Judi Dench as the queen - perfect! To imagine Shakespeare so young & full of life is a nice change from that famous portrait of him. How awesome to take some rather uninteresting historical facts & weave them into such a great story!

My Super Ex-Girlfriend

I liked this more than I expected I would. I do like Luke Wilson, but he wasn't as adorable as he's been in some other movies. Whenever I see Uma Thurman, I think Quentin Tarantino, but she was suited for this role. It was nice to see a movie that mixed a little comedy, some action, a bit of sci-fi, and even a bit of a love story, but not too much of any one genre. I found this movie entertaining.

The Devil Wears Prada

This was probably one of the better movies I've watched this month. I'm the only member of this household who would watch an Anne Hathaway, cinderella type movie, but this one was good. It kept my full attention for the entire movie and that says a lot. Meryl Streep really made the movie and i especially enjoyed Stanley Tucci. I wasn't sure what happened to the Andrea/Nate relationship at the end though. It seemed like they were working things out but he moved to Boston. Oh well, I didn't care that much if they got back together.

You, Me and Dupree

I'm not a fan of silly movies, so I wasn't sure if I should watch this one. But I think Kate Hudson is amazing and I have a soft spot for the Wilsons. Not terribly original, but we need comedies. I thought Michael Douglas played his part well, as he's played that role similarly in other movies. The Dupree character was a little over the top for my taste, but I suppose that's what made this a comedy.

Great Expectations

I decided to watch this movie to see Gwyneth Paltrow, as I usually like the movies that she's in. I think I was supposed to read this book in high school, but couldn't get into it - oops! Watching the movie, I couldn't decide if I was sympathetic to Ethan Hawke's Finn. Despite my insistence that I can't stand happy endings, I'm afraid that I'm always rooting for true love. And also for the underdog. The part where Robert DeNiro's character showed up in New York got my attention after I had started to lose interest. It wasn't until near the end when Finn ran into Estella & her child visiting her aunt's house that I realized that I had seen this movie before! I actually had thought some parts seemed a bit familiar, but I wouldn't have watched it again if I had realized that I'd already seen it.

In Her Shoes

This was one of the first movies I chose to watch this month. I chose it b/c Cameron Diaz was in it & I like her. She was ok in the movie. Shirley MacLaine was good. I thought the movie was pretty good. This was the first time I took notice to Toni Colette who I enjoyed.