Christmas Cottage

Christmas Cottage (2008)

PG

Directed by Michael Campus

Starring Jared Padalecki, Marcia Gay Herden, and Peter O'Toole

My Rating 6.5/10

Language: A few deity words, and a small handful of other mild words.

Violence: None

Sexuality: a woman poses with bare shoulders for an artist, one man makes a few sexual references, one woman has  cleavage in every shot of her.

Movie Blurb: Returning home from college one Christmas, young artist Thomas Kinkade is dismayed to learn that attempts to promote local tourism have failed and his mother is dangerously close to losing the family cottage to foreclosure. Inspired by his mentor, Glen, a famous artist who lives next door, Thom accepts a job painting a mural of his small, idyllic hometown. With Glen's help, Thom not only discovers his calling as the Painter of Light but also helps the town rediscover the true meaning of Christmas in this nostalgic, humorous, and heartwarming true story that's destined to become a holiday classic.

My review: So, I watched this on Netflix. I think we've had it saved in our Instant Que for quite some time now and have never watched it. We're the kind of family that only allows for anything Christmasy...after Thanksgiving. Don't get us wrong, we are very religious and faithful and know the true meaning of CHRISTmas, so we're ok with having Christ centered lives, but movies and music are out! Once Thanksgiving dinner is over...bring it on! I can handle anything and everything at that point! So...we are finally watching Christmas movies. 

I really enjoyed the movie. It is a low budget film, to be sure. But that didn't change the fact that actors did a great job, and the story was wonderful! It says it's inspired by a true story...I mean we all know who Thomas Kinkade is right? The hard part of movies based on true stories is that you don't know what is true to the letter or what liberties the writers or directors may have taken. This story was beautiful, either way. It taught the lesson of the true meaning of Christmas. I don't just mean giving and sharing and being kind...but of remembering Christ, and who we are really celebrating! There were religious references, and many scenes in the town church house.  But it didn't go so far as to be a hokey religious movie. Make sense? It was touching, and real. 

I enjoyed the array of characters that really did portray a small town of completely different personalities. There were a handful of times in the movie that I laughed! And the actors were chosen well. I think my only complaint was the father. He was creepy...so I hope that's what they were going for. Although, in his defense, he did help save the day in a small way in the end.

My favorite character was the old man/famous artist, Glen (played by Peter O'Toole). He touched my heart in a place that holds my dear grandmother. He was suffering with arthritis and dementia while struggling to produce one more magnificent piece of work. He had spunk too! And a heart of gold. That's what I liked the most.

I must warn you though: if you are a crier in movies, this one'll get ya! My hubby was sound asleep by the end (don't take that as a portrayal of the movie...he can sleep through almost anything!) and I was bawling my eyes out.

Overall, it was a wonderful movie to help me get in the true Christmas spirit. I was happier after having seen the Christmas Cottage.

Would I recommend this movie to a friend? Oh yes! and lend some tissues!

Would I watch this movie again? Yep, next Christmas! ;)

Green Lantern

Green Lantern (2011)

PG-13

Directed by Martin Campbell

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, and Peter Sarsgaard

My Rating 7/10

Language: Less than 10 swear words, with most being pretty mild. Some sexual references.

Violence: A lot of fighting. Death is portrayed in several scenes. (It would be frightening for younger children)

Sexuality: A few subtle innuendos. A man and woman wake up in bed together without clothes but are covered by bedding.

Movie blurb: Hal Jordan is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the green lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corp has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris, if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Paralax...he will become the greatest green lantern of all.

My review: Loved it. Sadly it has very poor ratings on the internet. I never let that stop me form watching for myself, because often...very often...I have very differing opinions than the norm when it comes to movies. First off...you cannot go wrong with Ryan Reynolds! That being said, what more could ask for than Ryan Reynolds as a super hero? Right? 

I honestly expected cheesy lines and silly CG...but I was pleasantly surprised! 

Granted, the plot could have been more developed. I feel like more could have happened, and adding a few more minutes to the movie would have done very little harm. You don't get much of a taste for the rest of the green lanterns, and that would have been cool. The ending especially, was a little lackluster and could have been written differently. Now, I don't know anything about the original comic, so I could be trying to make a point that is more than likely moot. BUT...still. As an audience member with very little background in comics, which I would guess a majority of the audience is the same, we could have seen more. 

Character wise, I didn't like the senator. I thought he looked younger than his supposed son. His son, who was one of the villains, could have had more of a role than he did and his ending was a little lame. But he was a very good actor for the part. Greasy and gross. :) 

The typical damsel in distress, Carol Ferris (played by Blake Lively) was so-so. I think I just didn't like the actress playing the part. The character herself was good, but I could have done with someone else. She didn't fit. 

Lastly, Hal Jordan (played by Ryan Reynolds). YES! Is it painfully obvious that I might have a slight celebrity crush here? He was perfect for the role. He did look funny with the mask...but the suit was well...flattering. Your typical ladies man, with no sense of commitment. But gets his butt kicked...literally...into shaping up and acting like the hero that he is.

Overall, great movie. It deserved better ratings than it had. 

Would I recommend this movie to a friend? Yes. Even if you end up not liking it, you need to see it at least once.

Would I watch this movie again? Absolutely! It won't go into my top 10, but it's a keeper!

Pleasantville

Pleasantville (1998)

Rated PG-13

Directed by Gary Ross

Starring Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, and Jeff Daniels.

My Rating: 3.5/10

Language: One "F" word, several "Sh" words, and a handful of other obscenities.

Violence: A mob scene where a store is destroyed. One boy punches another who gets a bloody lip.

Sexuality: Lots of inappropriate references and innuendos. Several references to sexual things. Scenes of kids making out and having sex in cars. Not actually seen, but cars rocking legs sticking out of cars, etc.) A woman in a bath tub pleasuring herself. Paintings of nudity where private parts are shown.

Movie blurb: When 90's teens David and Jennifer get zapped into the perfect suburbia of the black and white 50's sitcom, Pleasantville, what results is a "visionary adventure" that Siskel and Ebert give "Two big thumbs up!"Pleasantville's perfect people include a mild-mannered soda jerk, a socially repressed mom, and a father who always knows best. But when 90's pop culture clashes with 50's family values, chaos ensues, turning the town of Pleasantville upside down and black and white into color.

WARNING: STRONG PERSONAL OPINIONS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK AND PROMISE NOT TO BE OFFENDED IF YOU LIKE THIS MOVIE. 

Ok, my initial reactions? Awful movie! Granted, it is entertaining, and well made, I think. It was a creative idea...and the black and white mixed with variously colored items is a great effect. But it doesn't override the fact that the whole movie is about corrupting family values and clean minds. 

The movie takes twin siblings, one a super geek and one a super sleaze who smokes and puts them in the black and white town of Pleasantville, where Jennifer (who become Mary Sue) teaches the simple people about sex. I felt dirty just watching while it showed rows of rocking cars with teenagers sprawled in them, while the mom masturbates in the tub, and people cheat on their spouses. It's terrible. The moral of the movie is that everyone has all these feelings inside them and they just need to find them a express them. Yuck. It was a degradation of values that I believe in.

I can say a few good things about the movie. The actors were wonderfully talented. And there were some creative streaks. I loved one part where one character tries to hide her "color" by applying make-up...which was all in gray hues! The character played by Tobey Maguire was my favorite. He seemed the one grounded character, with good standards. Even though he helped elicit the towns change, he encouraged the changes for the better.

Overall, I was disappointed at what could have been the makings of an amazing movie, but all it did was put down chastity, morals, and the overall idea of family values.

Would I recommend this movie to a friend? No. I've always wanted to see it, but it came out when I was in junior high and I heard bad things and good things about it. Luckily, my parents had a no PG-13 rule that I strictly followed so I didn't see it. I'm glad I got my curiosity quenched, but regret watching it at the same time.

Would I watch this movie again? I think you know the answer, but just for blog sake...no. I wouldn't watch it again...in fact I am going to throw away the copy I burned and delete it from my hard drive.

Flyboys

Flyboys (2006)
Rated PG-13

Director Tony Bill

Starring James Franco, Jean Reno, and Jennifer Decker.

My Rating: 6/10

Language: 1 "F" word, a few other swear words throughout. Not heavy on the language.

Violence: A lot of blood. There is quite a bit of shooting and shows many men dying.                                                                                    Sexuality: Some kissing. At one point two men end up in a brothel, but the women are all dressed. One man gets en injury on his leg wrapped so he is just in boxers for a brief scene. 

                  

IMDB blurb: The adventures of the Lafayette Escadrille, young Americans who volunteered for the French military before the U.S. entered World War I, and became the country's first fighter pilots.

My review: This movie was based on a true story, and most movies like this I feel are naturally great. Especially if they help share story of our history we might not otherwise know. The movie was well made and the actors were chosen perfectly. 

The characters were well developed for the most part. Rawlings a cocky Texas man who lost his ranch for foreclosure stars the show and becomes the hero of the movie. He ends up meeting and falling in love with a French woman who doesn't speak English, but learns for him.

The movie follows two stories. One, the story of the brave American boys who become some of the first fighter pilots. This story is set in World War I (before the US gets involved). Planes were a fairly new invention at the time, and survival during the war was not good for fight pilots. Watching these boys, while knowing it was based on a true story, was real to me. It made me more thankful to men and women who serve our country. (Even though these guys were fighting with the French, the US eventually joined the war and we were allies with the French...so same thing right?) 

The second story was the love story between Blaine Rawlings and a French girl Lucienne. They first meet in a brothel after Rawlings and a copilot crash during a practice flight. Lucienne knows only a few English words, and is raising her brothers three children. They end up falling in love, but it's not easy. The war makes it hard for them to see eachother often, until one night the Germans invade her home. Lucienne ends up getting hurt and is taken to a hospital in another city. This story helps you see that love knows no boundaries, whether they be language, race, war, or distance.

The movie is very predictable. (But I am really good at predicting movies.) I could basically have chosen each person that was going to die throughout the movie. It also had a few lame scenes, that ended up making my laugh despite their supposed serious nature.

The ending is where I really had a hard time. It's one of those moves where at the end it flashes through a picture of each main character and has a little blurb of "where they ended up" kinda stuff. This is where I struggled. I won't spoil it for you, but I was pretty mad. I have to remind myself that it was based on a true story, not a fairy tale.

Overall, I did enjoy the movie despite the sad ending and the funny awkward scenes.  I wonder though, why they choose to make movies with sad endings. The movie could have survived with omitting certain aspects so that you aren't built up to a huge let down! Oh well. C'est la vie!

Would I recommend this movie to a friend? Yes. It is a "You gotta watch it once" kind of movie.

Would I watch it again? Probably not. Not worth buying.

Love Walked In

Love Walked In

by Marisa de los Santos

A Plume book, published by Penguin Group

2005

My Rating: 8/10

Language: around 10 "F" words. A few deity usage. Around 20 of the combined "Sh", "D", "H" and a few others.

Violence: None

Sexuality: A brief scene where a child walks in on her mother and a man, non-descriptive. Other alluding points in the book.

This is my first post here! How exciting! Please be patient with me as I start this and try to really get into it. I watch movies and read books way more than I blog, so hopefully I will have all the time I need! (And I'll encourage James to get on here too, he watches movies like crazy!)

This was a book selected for my book club for the month of November. It was the perfect book for the month of November.
Back of the book blurb:

When Martin Grace enters the hip Philadelphia coffee shop Cornelia Brown manages, her life changes forever. But little does she know that her newfound love is only the harbinger of greater changes to come. Meanwhile, across town, Clare Hobbs—eleven years old and abandoned by her erratic mother—goes looking for her lost father. She crosses paths with Cornelia while meeting with him at the café, and the two women form an improbable friendship that carries them through the unpredictable currents of love and life. Invoking classic movies to illuminate the mystery and wonder of love in all its permutations, Love Walked In is an uplifting debut that marks the entrance of an enchanting literary voice.


My review:


Yes! I love when I read a book and end up totally and completely falling in love with it. Marisa de los Santos has an amazing way of writing that is so fluid and pulls you right into the book. She uses descriptive language so vivid, you can almost picture the scene in your head. I was captivated to say the least. The book had so many twists and turns throughout the story, I never knew exactly what to expect. I loved that about her book! Unexpected deaths, unexpected love. 


As far as characters, I feel they were well developed. Some more than others. The main character, Cornelia (great name right?) is a small woman, who is very intelligent. I liked to picture myself as her...if I were about 60 pounds lighter. :) She was a strong character, yet so gentle at the same time. When Clare falls into her life, she picks up the pieces her mother and father have dropped. Her character was a great example of pure maternal instincts within every woman, just waiting to have the opportunity to surface. 


Martin, the man whom Cornelia is dating, is a suave and debonair fellow...and Cornelia uses so many classic movie references, that you almost feel he really is Cary Grant with a different name. Cornelia even compares his looks to Grant. I wanted to love Martin and then hate Martin...and in the end feel compassion and pity for him. He was the perfect out-of-the-movies character...who ends up being deeply flawed in one very important respect.


Clare is the eleven year old girl who's mother has gone crazy and left and whose father is not a part of her life. Her character makes you fall in love with her. She is a smart, brave and strong girl for only 11. But she is not without her childish qualities as well, which make her more believable. I first thought the author hadn't done well by making an eleven year old more mature that reality. But then I thought...I have an eleven year old cousin and an almost eleven year old brother...and the author was spot on. 


Teo is a lovely spanish man, with the appearance to take a normal woman's breath away. He is kind and gentle, smart (a doctor!) and humble. He is Cornelia's brother-in-law...and through the whole book you just wish he weren't married! Did I completely fall in love with him? yes, I sure did. 


The rest of the characters are also those whom you love and hate at different points in the book, but make you happy they are there because they add the color to the story.


My favorite side character is Cornelias best friend, Linny. I love the relationship they have. Linny is extreme and over the top, and teases Cornelia. And yet Cornelia loves and craves her. Linny has a way of knowing exactly what Cornelia is thinking, that makes their friendship so special. It reminds me so much of my best friend from college.


Overall, very pleased with this book. It has a semi-happy ending, that is truly happy and perfect if you think about it.

Would I recommend this book to a friend? Yes! Absolutely yes...with the language disclaimer.
Would I read this book again? Yes. It is one worth reading again, and purchasing!