His and Hers Netflix

Let me tell you a little about my Netflix situation. I share an account with Boyfriend because he's got the money and I've got great taste in movies. However, since I sometimes let a girly movie slip into the queue, we've decided (well he decided) to get two at a time -- his choice and my choice. This has provided some interesting match-ups. Last weekend was Glory and Love and Other Drugs and this weekend was The Last Castle and The Goodbye Girl.

Love and Other Drugs, and The Last Castle were delightful surprises that exceeded my expectations. I was dying to see Love and Other Drugs since it has two of my favorites in it -- the beautiful Jake Gyllehaal and Anne Hathaway. The two had great chemistry, providing both great laughs and heart-breaking drama. Also, the sex scenes are probably the best I've seen in any romantic comedy, toppling my old favorite The Notebook.


The Last Castle was also great, although very different from Love and Other Drugs. A heavy drama about a military prison and a showdown between the warden (James Gandolfini) and a prisoner (Robert Redford). Fantastic and clever. I highly recommend this for your queue.

I expected Glory to be great although I was disappointed that it didn't have a more epic feel a la The Patriot or Braveheart. The acting was amazing, particularly Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman.

Finally, I'm going to dedicate a whole post to The Goodbye Girl, since it is one of my all-time favorites, so keep an eye out for that one :)

All in all, I love the fact that Boyfriend and I have such different taste in movies because then I get to see movies that I wouldn't normally pick, like The Last Castle. I can't wait to see what next weekend will bring...

New Poster for Last Harry Potter

So.Freakin.Exciting.

Movie Review: The Conspirator

So the other day I got to go to an advance screening of The Conspirator, which stars James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Tom Wilkinson, Kevin Kline, Jonathan Groff (LOVE), Alexis Bledel, and a random Justin Long. The movie is about the trial of the people involved in the assassination of President Lincoln, specifically Mary Surratt, and focuses on her lawyer’s struggle to defend her in an atmosphere of fear and vengeance.

Directed by Robert Redford, it’s the debut film of the American Film Company. This film production company was founded in 2008 on the belief that real life is often more compelling than fiction and plans to produce films about America’s past. Some of its other productions besides The Conspirator are The Arsenal, about John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry, and Midnight Riders, about Paul Revere’s midnight ride. I look forward to both of these films, especially if they’re as good as The Conspirator.

If you’re a fan of courtroom dramas or history, you will love this film. It tells a story that you don’t offer hear in the classroom. The film also provides some interesting parallels to the post-9/11 climate of fear and a suspension of the law. In fact, some of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton’s dialogue (spoken by Kevin Kline) could have said by Dick Cheney today.

AMDB Rating: Go see in theaters. It comes out April 15th, the 146th anniversary of the death of President Lincoln.

Netflix Recommendation: The Game

A great movie that I just rediscovered this weekend is THE GAME, starring Michael Douglas and Sean Penn. I don’t want to give away too much, but if you like psychological thrillers (or films by David Fincher), you should definitely add this to your queue. It will keep you guessing until the very end.

Favorite Movies: Moonstruck

When people ask me what my favorite movie is, it’s very difficult for me to answer. I have seen so many movies and love so many of them. However, one of my favorites is Moonstruck. This movie is so great that I’ve watched it twice in one week. Here are some reasons why it should be your favorite too:

1. By far, it is Nicholas Cage’s best movie role. If you don’t believe, you need to watch this scene: http://bit.ly/gurVSG. So overly dramatic, but in a fantastic, hot way.

2. Cher. I don’t need to say more, but I will. I think her character, Loretta, is one of the most realistic portrayals of women in a Romantic Comedy I have seen. She’s so pragmatic and realistic, and provides the perfect complement to the hotheaded, passionate Nicholas Cage character.

3. This movie features one of my favorite character actresses, Olympia Dukakis. She plays Cher's mother and has some of the greatest lines in the movie. One of my favorites: “Old man, you give those dogs another piece of my food and I’m gonna kick you ‘til you’re dead.” I also love her search for an answer to the timeless question “Why do men chase women?”

4. I have a slight obsession with Italian-American culture, and I’m not talking about Jersey Shore. I’m only part Italian (a very small part) but I just love their emphasis on the family and eating. This movie is so Italian, it makes me wish they would adopt me into their family. It’s also not a fake, overly Italian portrayal. It’s very authentic and realistic.

If you haven’t already, you NEED to watch this movie. Rent it, buy it, catch it on AMC (they’re playing it constantly). Just do whatever you need to do to partake in this cinematic delight.