The Reader

Who: Liz
What: The Reader
Where: my living room
Why: I heard it was a good movie

This was a fabulous movie. I believe Kate Winslet won the Oscar for this role. She played Hanna, and Ralph Fiennes played Michael. Basically, they were the only real characters in the movie. In the beginning of the movie it is 1958 and Michael gets sick in an alleyway and Hanna helps him out, it seems he has scarlet fever, so he goes to bed for three months. Michael comes searching for her to say Thank you after the 3 months and she seduces him. Mind you, at this stage of the game, Michael is only 15 years old and Hanna is about 35. They have this affair, yet she is very cold and he falls in love with her. He lets his life be run by Hanna. She wants him to read books to her and he does. Its very sweet. After a little while, of course an affair like this ends.
The movie jumps 8 years and by this time Michael is in law school and Hanna is on trial for being a guard in Auschwitz….who knew? There wasn’t an indication in the beginning of the film. I don’t want to give away the rest of the movie, I just want to note that Kate Winslet definitely deserved the Oscar for this role. She played Hanna with such fervor. This woman ,whose life just got away from her and didn’t really turn out the way she wanted. Ralph Fienne’s character’s life is also consumed by her. This movie showed how one event can change someone’s life forever. Sometimes we have to let things go and just can’t. It was a great movie. Be aware there is a definitely adult theme in this film, as well as nudity.

Henry Poole Is Here

Who: Jaclyn 
What: Henry Poole Is Here
Where: At Home
Why: Who doesn't like Luke Wilson?

I briefly remembered seeing preview for this movie a while back and then never heard about it again. Thankfully for Netflix, I was able to check it out. 

This movie is about Henry Poole (Luke Wilson) who buys a house from a kooky realtor and insists that he'll pay whatever they, the sellers ask and he doesn't want any repairs done on the house. The realtor thinks this is odd so she has someone come to fix the house up after he purchases it.

Turns out, Henry believes he doesn't have much time left to live so he's not really worried about the state of his house. 

Henry has a neighbor that knows everything about the neighbors and one day comes to visit him and notices the face of Jesus on the side of Henry's house. He believes that it's just a stain from a bad paint job but the neighbor isn't buying it.

The whole movie revolves around the stain/image of Jesus and it's somewhat endearing. Henry finds hope (though he fights it every step of the way) and finds a friend in his other neighbors. 

I'll admit, I fell asleep during this movie...but I was also doped up on Benadryl. But what I saw, I liked. 

Blind Dating

Who: Jaclyn
What: Blind Dating
Where: At Home
Why: Netflix

Blind dating is about a man named Danny who has been blind since birth (he was born 3 months early). He is desperately seeking love and his brother Lorenzo tries to set him up with all the trashy women he knows. Danny doesn't like any of them and gets mad at his brother.

Danny is due to be part of an experiment to allow him to see and in the process, ends up falling for a girl who works as a receptionist at his doctor's office. However, this girl is already engaged. 

It's a cute fluff story about how a man with self esteem issues overcomes his fears to find happiness. Sounds cheesy, but I was amused.

Mamma Mia!

Who:  Amber, Jonathan and friends
What:  Mamma Mia!
Where:  Leu Gardens, Orlando FL
Why:  It was outdoor movie date night!

I've always been curious about this movie, but I know Jonathan would never want to see it. Thankfully, his work friends were all going to a local garden to watch their monthly "date night" outdoor movie - and it was Mamma Mia!

20-year-old Sophie lives with her mother Donna (Meryl Streep) in Greece Donna runs a a cute and rundown hotel. Sophie is about to get married and wants her father to give her away. The problem, she has no clue who her father is. After reading her mother's diary, she discovers that she "got busy" with 3 guys the same month 20 years ago. One of them must be her father!

So, what does any bonehead 20 year old do - invite all 3 of them to the wedding. The moment she sees "her dad", she'll just know ... right?

Wrong! All 3 guys are pretty cool, and she has no idea. The 3 guys finally figure out what is going on, and they all 3 assume they are her father. Donna is mortified all 3 of these guys are staying at her hotel.

Hilarity ensues, Sophie's fiance is getting jittery, but the wedding goes off with out a hitch. Not! Come on, this is the movies remember?

The entire time I was dying to find out which guy is Sophie's dad is! It was such a suspenseful movie! Is it cutie Pierce Brosnen (sp?). Some crazy hippy guy with eye tattoos on his knees and butt (yes, we see some old man butt). Or the business suit guy who just might be gay.

Did I mention that every 10 minutes, somebody would break out into singing an ABBA song? It was pretty clever how all these random songs fit together to make a movie musical.

If you like cheese ball weddings and cheese ball music, then I recommend this movie. It was fun, cheesy and the location was gorgeous!

Grosse Point Blank

Who:  Amber
What:  Grosse Point Blank
Where:  @ home on cable
Why:  John Cussak (sp?) is always fun!

Martin (Cussak) and is a tough hitman, but he's a little messed up in the head. He has recurring dreams about his high school girlfriend, who he stood up on prom night 10 years ago.

Thankfully, his 10 year class reunion is coming up! And, he's got a hitman job to do around the same time, so he heads home to Grosse Point, Michigan.

His high school girlfriend Debi (Minnie Driver) is kind-of a moron. She seems stuck in the 80s, and she's pretty annoyed at Martin for ditching her at prom. Martin is pretty open and honest about being a hitman, but nobody seems to A) believe him or B) care. Martin and Debi hang out and have a great time at the reunion ... until another hitman shows up to get rid of Martin. Seems like his agency has decided that he's no longer needed. I think there was a back story that I missed or didn't really understand.

Debi finally realizes that Martin is a real killer (when she finds him sitting next to the hitman who came to kill him, and Martin is covered in blood) and totally freaks out!

Remember the hitman job that Martin has in Michigan. Could it be a good friend of Debi's? Will she finally realize Martin loves her, and give him another chance?

Dog Park

Who:  Amber
What:  Dog Park
Where:  @ home on cable
Why:  I like Luke Wilson

A laid back guy, Andy (Luke Wilson) is in mourning. His girlfriend has just left him, and he's all alone. He's not too upset about the girlfriend (she was a little nuts), but she's taken his dog! Mr. Mogley!

He meets Lorna at a single's bar with the pick up line, "Haven't I seen you before?" She thinks it's a corny piece of junk, but he actually has seen her before at the the local dog park. They go home together, but she ends up throwing up all over the place, and is horribly embarrased. She refused to take his phone calls or accept his flowers.

This movie is kind of slow moving, but still a lot of fun. All the characters are inner twinded, even though they don't realize it. Everybody seems to be connected by the local dog park. Andy's girlfriend (and dog!) have actually moved in with Lorna's ex. Andy's friends who seem to be in a great relationship are actually having an affair with one of Lorna's co-workers. It's a big relationship mess.

It all kind-of get's sorted out in the end, but not in some fairy tale, lovey dovy moment. It's all kind-of realistic and very refreshing!

The Running Man

Who:  Amber & Jonathan
What:  The Running Man
Where:  @ home off cable
Why:  Jonathan has never seen it, and it's a classic in my book

In the far future ... 2017 ... the world economy has collapsed. Sounds familiar huh? Well, in the late '80s, the year 2017 was far away.

The US has become totally controlled by the government, even TV. The most popular TV show is called The Running Man. It shows a couple criminals running away from "the stalkers" whose job is to kill them. Literally - kill them. People love seeing criminals killed by the stalkers!

Ben Richards (Schwarzenegger) used to be an Army military pilot. On a routine mission, the Army asks Ben to fire on some innocent people. He refuses and his Army captain knocks him out, and fires on the innocent people. Then he frames Ben, and he goes to jail for 2 years ... until he escapes!

Unfortunately, he doesn't get very far. Next thing he knows he's on The Running Man, along with 3 of his good buddies.

Richards is a tough dude. Unstead of being killed by the stalkers, he takes them out one by one.

This movie is a cheesy ball of goodness! Although, I highly recommend the short story by Richard Bachman (aka: Steven King). It's a fantastic read! Way better than the movie!