College Road Trip
Lots of fun and lots of laughs. Great for the family. Albert the pig just about steals the show.
Eastern Promises
Lots of blood and gruesome killings. Not great, not bad.
Veronica Guerin
Excellent film about drug trafficing in Ireland. Stars Cate Blanchett.
The Great Debaters
Excellent and inspiring!!
Into The Wild
Enjoyable, but sometimes sad and disturbing. Lots of flashbacks. Guy just graduates from college and decides to embark on an adventure with no money or possessions, winding up in the Alaskian wilderness.
The Groomsmen
Not bad, not great. Guy is about to be married and hangs with his buddies...each of the guys is dealing with some issue that requires working out.
The Jane Austen Book Club
Loved it!! (chick flick)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
French film about a playboy that has a stroke and now has 'locked in syndrome'. Moving and interesting, but not for everyone.
Gone Baby Gone
Well done with interesting twists and turns.
Vantage Point
It was an interesting premise and very high energy.
The Kite Runner
Wonderful film, but at times quite hard to watch.
In The Valley of Elah
Excellent film, but sad in so many ways.
Girl With a Pearl Earring
Not bad, but not very interesting.
Death at a Funeral
Typical British Comedy with all sorts of hijinx going on during a funeral.
Smart People
Most fun, especially Thomas Hayden Church.
Lars and the Real Girl
Not for everyone, but cute and quirky little comedy.
Music Within
Interesting story about the man who created the American's With Disabilities Act.
Sex in the City Movie
Squeeeel...the shoes, the clothes, it was most magical.
Baby Mama
FUNNY!!! Loved it!!
p.s. I Love You
Very nice and sweet film.
The Bucket List
A fun watch on a somewhat dark subject. Enjoyable.
The Savages
Interesting film about a brother and sister who must deal with a father they don't care for through his final days. Excellent acting.
The Other Boleyn Girl
A paired down version of the book. Enjoyable.
The Astronaut Farmer
Nice movie with good lessons about perserverance and believing in your dreams.
Jumper
Not so hot. Story is week and all the jumping around gets tiresome.
Eagle vs Shark
Foreign film from down under. Cute love story about 2 nerdy people.
Charlie Bartlett
Cute comedy a la Ferris Bueller. Loved the characters and the writing.
There Will Be Blood
Gritty oilman is only interested in trying to acquire and create a bit oil empire for himself. Excellent acting, very well done.
A Love Song for Bobby Long
Character study of people lacking direction, who wind up forming a family after living in a house together. Good, but not great.
La Vie En Rose
Movie about the tragic life of Edith Piaf. Jumps around a bit, but the acting is wonderful and I enjoyed learning about this wonderful French singer.
Elizabeth the Golden Age
If you liked the first one, this is just as good. Awesome costumes and acting. Cate is incredible. Loved it.
Atonement
Wonderful story, interesting ending. Beautiful costumes and scenery.
27 Dresses
Cute and Sweet, laugh out loud funny!!! LOVED IT!!
Reign Over Me
Not great, not bad. Kinda depressing at times.
No Country For Old Men
Excellent acting and suspenseful, but I did not care for the ending and really had to think about what it meant. Lots of senseless killing and death. Not really my kind of film.
Ratatouille
Cute cartoon movie about a rat that likes to cook.
National Treasure (second one)
Lots of fun and action, in a light hearted way. Certainly not Oscar material, but it was a most enjoyable way to spend a Saturday evening.
Sweeny Todd
Very Tim Burton, kinda dark and mysterious. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter were excellent. Lots of squirting blood, and a bit gorey.
Juno
Totally cute and fun movie. Ellen Page is fantastic, and the supporting cast was exceptional too. Very endearing story.
I Am Legend
Very good and suspensful, but scary. Will Smith did a great job!
American Gangster
Excellent film.
We Own the Night
Enjoyable, leaves you on the edge of your seat.
Dan in Real Life
I really loved this movie, and I am not a Steve Carell fan. Great story and I love the story line of big families getting together. Great house too!
Bee Movie
Very cute.
The Kingdom
Enjoyable, but lots of violence.
Live Free or Die Hard
Action packed Bruce Willis film...we loved it.
The Last Mimzy
Not great, not bad.
The Nativity Story
Nice family film.
The Good German
Done in black and white...very Perry Mason-like feel. Stars George Clooney (looking mighty fine in a uniform). Interesting.
Hollywoodland
Not that great.
Running With Scissors
YUCK. Too many dysfunctional people.
Apocalypto
Wasn't sure I was up for this, but it was very well done and even though it was all subtitled, it draws you in right away. Excellent suspense movie!
Bourne Ultimatum
If you like the series, this is for you. Lots of action.
Factory Girl
So so...Movie about the life of Edie Sedgewick when she hung around Andy Warhol. People with too much money getting into trouble..
The Painted Veil
Wonderful film...very Merchant-Ivory. Set in China in the 1920s.
No Reservations
Loved it!!! Such a nice story...light and happy!
Mostly Martha
Foreign version of No Reservations. I really liked this. Some parts were totally the same, others slightly different.
The Illusionist
Enjoyable, but not great.
The World's Fastest Indian
Wonderful....Stars Anthony Hopkins as an older gentleman who wants to break the worlds land speed record.
Friends With Money
YUCK. Rich people with problems.
Perfect Stranger
Stars Bruce Willis and Halle Berry...not bad, unexpected ending.
The Ultimate Gift
Loved it...great family movie and great message.
Wild Hogs
Cute, but not really my style. Middle-aged men on a motorcycle adventure.
The Nanny Diaries
Stars Laura Linney and Scarlet Johansen. Similar to the book, but a bit different. Not bad, but not great.
Becoming Jane
Loved it...Stars Anne Hathaway as Jane Austin.
Georgia Rule
Not bad, but mature subject matter. Stars Jane Fonda and Linsey Lohan.
The Shooter
Wonderful action film starring Mark Wahlberg.
Blood Diamond
Excellent, but sometimes hard to watch due to the brutality.
Driving Lessons
This movie stars Laura Linney, Rupert Grint (Ron Weasly from Harry Potter), and Julie Walters. The story centers around a young man, Ben, who starts working for an aging actress (Julie Walters). She takes him on an adventure, and his mother (Laura Linney), an evangelical Christian, is not too happy. Slow paced, but interesting. Not for everyone, but if you like British films, you will probably enjoy this one.
Radio
Recently rented this because I had not seen it in the theater. Loved the story and the interaction of the people in the story. Really positive and uplifting. If you have not seen it, I would definitely rent it. Great family movie!
Infamous
Story about Truman Capote during the time he wrote In Cold Blood. Exceptional acting and interesting watch.
Nancy Drew
Blair and I went to see this with one of her friends, and we LOVED it. Cute story, love the outfits, great message about staying true to who you are.
Spiderman 3
If you like the Spiderman series, you will most likely enjoy this film. Not much new, but a fun watch.
Miss Potter
LOVED IT!!! This was the story of Beatrix Potter and was just the movie for me. Light and beautiful. Wonderful characters, costumes, scenery, and cute animated drawings. Probably not for everyone (I think Blair was bored), but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Keeping Mum
British dark comedy about a housekeeper who comes to live with a vicar and his family. The family is falling apart, but somehow she manages to start pulling them back together and anyone who is causing them problems seems to be missing. If you like British comedy, this is a good watch.
The Last King of Scotland
Fictional movie about a Scottish doctor who becomes the personal physician to Ide Amin. The acting was excellent, but the story was quite hard to watch in places. I can appreciate the movie for all of its excellent qualities, but not really my kind of movie.
Vera Drake
Movie set in the early 1950's in London about a woman who is a wife, mother, housekeeper, and helps girls who are in an unfortunate situation. Excellent acting, but I wanted more at the end. Subject matter not recommended for younger kids.
Breach
Movie about the spy Robert Hanssen. What an intesting film and what a strange man Robert Hanssen was! I really enjoyed it and thought Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillipe were excellent. Recommended.
Real Women Have Curves
Cute movie about a young high school graduate who wants to go to college, but her family wants her to work in her sister's dressmaking shop. Recommended.
Pan's Labyrinth
WOW! What an interesting movie. A bit gory and cruel in parts, but certainly worth seeing. The movie is in Spanish with subtitles, but it draws you in so fast that you don't even realize it til the movie is over. It kind of reminds me of a Harry Potter for adults with fantasy characters and a young girl who has to be brave and perform some tasks that none of us would ever thing of doing (like going in the muck and bugs to find a mega huge toad in the middle of a large oak tree, ewww). Mark loved this movie too. It definitely deserves to recieve some awards!!! Hope you find some time to check it out!!!
Dreamgirls
PHENOMENAL!!! We LOVED this movie, and Jennifer Hudson is AMAZING!!!
The Pursuit of Happyness
Yet another excellent film. Super story and I love the perserverance and attitude of the Dad (Will Smith). Great lessons and love the ending. We all walked out of the theater with a smile, I like that.
Night at the Museum
Excellent movie, lots of fun!! We saw it at the IMAX for extra impact and had a great time! Lots of recognizable faces in this movie too!!
Casino Royale
A new James Bond and a new feel to the movie. Seemed a bit less flashy than the past Bond movies. Still a good action flick and we all enjoyed it.
Happy Feet
Great movie. Lots of fun and excellent message. Good for adults and the kiddos.
The Holiday
Excellent girlie film. Blair and I loved it.
You, Me, and Dupree
A cute film when you want something that is light and funny.
Joyeux Noel
This movie is a foreign film which takes place during WWI on the frontlines with soldiers from Scotland, France, and Germany. They decide to call a truce for Christmas Eve. It is probably not for everyone, but I really enjoyed it.
The Departed
Hmmm. Well Mark REALLY wanted to see this and he is a big Jack Nicholson fan, so he loved it. I, on the otherhand really did not care if I saw it or not. I don't particulary care for ganster type movies. The acting was good and the story ok, but lots of bloody gore. Not really my type of movie.
Monster House
This animated feature had some pretty funny clips, so we decided to rent it. Cute, but I would not recommend it for really young kids beause it might be a tad scary. Interesting idea, but I would not rush out to see it.
Hoot
Blair and I really enjoyed this movie about some kids to want to stop a pancake house from being built on some land where owls live. Great story!!!
The Sentinel
Decent suspense movie, but not great.
The Insider
This is an excellent drama about the 60 minutes expose on the tobacco industry. Excellent acting and really interesting, yet scary story. Mark was mezmerized and gave it a 2 thumbs up.
Vanity Fair
Rented this one from Blockbuster recently and it was enjoyable. This is a period piece about a girl who tries to better her life through the people she meets and enchants. It was enjoyable, but Blair did not care for it. She had a hard time keeping up with the plot (but she was on the computer at the same time, so not really paying attention closely).
RV
I love almost anything that Robin Williams does, so this was a must see for me. Blair and I laughed A LOT and were sometimes grossed out too (when he had to dump the waste from the RV). I liked that it had a nice ending too.
Good Night and Good Luck
Set in the McCarthy era it is an interesting look at what those times must have been like. The black and white film really adds to the feel of the era for this film.
John Tucker Must Die
Mark and I went with Blair and her friend (who had already seen it). We laughed and thought it was quite fun. The girls and I thought it kinda reminded us of Mean Girls. Not Oscar material, but an enjoyable, fun movie!
Matchpoint
Not your typical Woody Allen movie. Interesting ending, but some parts seemed a bit slow.
Shopgirl
Interesting story. Not one of my favorites, but it was worth watching.
Save The Last Dance
Enjoyable and loved the dancing.
Little Man
Went to see this with Blair and her friend. We all liked it and laughed quite a bit. Just to see the little guy in his onsie with the bunny ears is enough to make me laugh. Obviously not oscar material, but if you are looking for light comedy, this is a good one.
Rumor Has It
Rented this one and finally got to see it on Friday night since Mark worked later than we hoped. Glad I didn't pay big money to see it at the movies. I actually ended up falling asleep, but Blair told me the ending. Not one I'd highly recommend.
The White Countess
The last collaboration between Ismail Merchant and James Ivory. A lovely film set in Shanghi prior to the Japanese invasion of the late 1930's. The main characters are a blind American diplomat and a Russian Aristocrat who is working as a dance hall girl to earn a living. Great characters and story.
A History of Violence
Rented this the other night and although it was well acted, I just didn't like it. It had several scenes which were QUITE steamy and so not appropriate for teens (it is rated R for good reason). It also had some violence (like you didn't know that) which as not pretty. I guess the ending was just not what I was hoping for or expecting.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Yeah!! Finally got a chance to see this tonight and WE LOVED IT!!! Great effects and lots of fun. I would not take small children, because some parts could be scary for them. If you liked the first movie, you will like this too!
Best in Show
This is one of those ensemble movies about several sets of people who own pets and like to go to dog shows to compete. I had been wanting to see this for ages. It was such a hoot and so much fun to watch. Probably not for everyone, but Blair and I found it most enjoyable.
The Greatest Game Ever Played
This movie is about a young man who dreams of being a great golfer and is very talented, but gets discouraged by his father and the snooty rich golfers of the day. I had planned to see it in the theater, but missed out, so we rented from Blockbuster. I really loved the story, and it was good for all ages. I especially loved the relationship between the golfer and his caddy (a 10 year old boy). I highly recommend this as a great family film!
The Lake House
Blair and I saw this and really enjoyed it. The concept is a little tough (for me anyway), trying to figure out who is ahead in time and who is behind. I really liked the characters and I'm glad we got a chance to see this!
Garden State
Just caught this last night on HBO. Had been wanting to see it, but never got around to renting it. It was a bit strange at first, trying to figure out what was going on, but the more I watched, the better I liked it. Blair liked it too, althought she came in after it had be on for a while, and there was one part where she had to cover her eyes and ears (thus the R rating). The gist of the story is that a man living in LA, (trying to make it as an actor, but works in a restaurant) that has to come home to New Jersey for his mother's funeral. He has a bunch of quirky friends that he has not seen since he was about 16 and a bad relationship with his father. Then he meets this girl in a doctor's office. He and this girl and his friends hang out and have a little adventure, while he starts to find out what he wants in life. Overall, I thought it was worth watching.
The Devil Wears Prada
LOVED IT, in fact all 3 of us loved it! Great story and the characters were fun to watch. I am a big fan of Anne Hathaway (from the Princess Diaries), so I new it would be something I'd like to see. Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci were terrific as well!!!
The Breakup
Blair and I saw this and it was good, but not the ending I expected. Had some funny moments, but I don't think I'd rush out to see it.
Poseidon
This was a real nail-bitter. It will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time. All three of us saw this and we liked it.
The DaVinci Code
Very Good, and suspensful, but make sure you watch and listen closely. I am not sure how much Blair liked this one. Mark had not finished the book yet, but he at least had an idea of what was happening. I think the actors did a great job, and overall I give it a thumbs up, but it is not for everyone.
Akeelah and the Bee
FANTASTIC!!! Blair and I loved this movie. It is such a positive movie and really shows how perserverance and postive attitude can make things happen. You will definitely walk out feeling good! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED****
Mission Impossible 3
Very suspenseful and good plot. Interesting twists. We all enjoyed it a lot.
Stick It
Really good teenage girl movie. Blair loved it, and I enjoyed it as well.
Inside Man
Very good, and I highly recommend it. Mark and I both liked it a lot. Interesting story and nice twist.
Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
I enjoyed this!
Capote
Interesting and well acted, but not one of my favorites.
She's the Man
Cute teenagey movie.
The 40 Year Old Virgin
Actually I did not watch it, but Mark did. He thought it was ok, but nothing great.
Crash
Rented it this weekend, and I did not really care for it. In fact, I feel asleep about 45 minutes into it. Mark liked it and thought it was very well done. I think the subject was too disturbing and depressing, and I was just not in the right frame of mind to watch it.
Eight Below
*** EXCELLENT!!! All three of us loved this movie!
Firewall
LOVED IT!!! On the edge of my seat the whole time. Harrison Ford still rocks!
Rent
I actually liked the movie better than the play. It was much easier to tell what was going on, and easier for me to follow. I liked the music more than I remembered. Just kind of sad to see all the problems the people were dealing with.
Elizabethtown
It was interesting, but not one of my favorites.
The Pink Panther
Blair and I really liked this movie. I was kind of silly and had LOTS of physical comedy, but it made me laugh. A lot. Mark was not so crazy about it.
Skeleton Key
Finally got a chance to see this. Blair had seen it at the movies and wanted to watch it again with us. LOTS of suspense, but why does she keep going in scary places?? Interesting ending too. If you like suspense, this one is for you.
Junebug
This is kind of an arty character study film. It is about a couple who own an art gallery and go to North Carolina to visit a folk artist that they want to sign with their gallery. He lives in the same town as the husband of the couple, so they stay with his peculiar family. It was OK, but nothing to get excited about. I rented it because one of the actresses was nominated in the best supporting role. Also, I thought it might be OK for Blair to watch. NOPE. It is PG13, but there are a few scenes that are just not appropriate.
Tristian and Isolde
**** I took Blair and her friend Gina. We all gave it a THUMBS UP!!! Boy, people were so cruel and vicious in the dark ages! We were so glad the nasty lookin dude Isolde was supposed to marry got killed in a battle. I also say kudos to Lord Marke for some of his decisions.
Memoirs of a Geisha
*** As good as I expected. Although it did not get good ratings, Blair and I enjoyed it SO VERY MUCH! I had read the book a while ago, so I was really looking forward to it, and I was not disappointed.
Glory Road
**** WONDERFUL!!! What an incredible story and fantastic movie. We all LOVED IT!!!!
Last Holiday
I really liked it. Queen Latifa is great and if you like her other movies, you will like this. I took Blair and her friend and they liked it as well.
King Kong
*** All three of us saw this last night and really enjoyed it. Great story and lots of suspense. Lots of really nasty creatures too!!!! YUCK. Also, I had a hard time at the end of the movie with the scenes on top of the empire state building. Just thinking about being up that high scares the beejeebers out of me!!!
Cheaper by the Dozen 2
Great kids movie! I laughed out loud (which Blair did not like). She enjoyed it too.
The Family Stone
I liked it LOTS, but it had an unexpected twist that I was not prepared for. * You may need tissues.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
** Excellent (as always)! I'll be purchasing this one for sure! If you like the other Harry Potter movies, you will really like this too!
Walk the Line
*** Excellent!!! Makes me want to go get a Johnny Cash CD!
Wanted to share the gift I wrapped for the first communion last weekend. I was not real happy with the clarity of the photos I printed on the first run, but didn't want to just toss them, so I used them to create a gift tag matching the card. 
I took quite a few photos during the dress rehersal, but I don't like to use a flash and with all the movement, I had very few that turned out even halfway good. This is one of the better ones, and you can see Miss B front and center.
Yeah I know it's the back of the girls, but I really liked this photo and wanted to include it in the post.
And one last photo of her smiling face!! Glad she remembered to do that (sometimes she forgets). I almost didn't have any photos to share. We went to dinner after the dress rehersal and I brought my camera into the restaurant to take photos (which I didn't) and forgot it. I realized it once I got home and immediately went into panic mode. I called Mark, who was still up there, and he ran over to the restaurant, but they had not found it yet. I called them and left my number and all the details. I was so upset. I couldn't sleep and was just so angry that I did that. My camera is like my right arm. And, even though I want to get a digital SLR, I still want to keep and use this camera because it does a really great job. Anyhow, I had to bring Miss B up to the auditorium on Sunday am and so I stopped in and they had found it. To say I was ELATED was an understatement. Felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Next time, I am gonna tie the straps to my purse handles or shove it inside my bag. 
LOL... joe always laments his golf skills after its been a while since he's played. enjoy the activity. i'm sure the skill will come with time - you're so hard on yourself missy!
love the communion tag - so pretty
and gorgeous pics of little b... she's lookin so grownup... tell her to cutitout LOL (as if)
camera - oh gosh i woulda been frantic too - sooo glad you got it back!
i'm glad you took the opp to go in to the school and make them find your stuff. annoying that you have to put them on the spot and - they had it all afterall - i guess thats better than them having lost it all. perhaps they'll get their act together (or maybe at least for you and little b... they can lose someone else's stuff next time LOL!!!!!!!!)
Posted by:Tracy | Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Miss B is looking so pretty and so grown up. I know you must be so proud! I'm glad everything mentioned in this post went your way. :-) Life is good!
Posted by:jen duncan | Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 07:46 PM
I'm quite sure the sponge bob golf balls will help:) It's too bad my brother isn't in sunny Florida rather than sunny California because he is a professional golfer. Very good at teaching because he is amazingly patient. He was once hired to give lessons to one of the Kennedys. He was the nephew of Ted's son (can't remember his name...he's a Senator) so the great nephew of JFK and Ted. My brother called him Fauntleroy. LOL. It was pretty interesting, but they WANTED my brother. We never were sure exactly why.
So glad you found your camera. I can imagine how horrible you felt. The package is gorgeous and it reminds me that I need to send you some of this beautiful undyed vintage silk ribbon I have. I took it out of my etsy shop temporarily because ironing it gives my back fits. I will get the sizing out of it and let you do the ironing. Oh...you will love it.
Posted by:donnalayton | Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Your daughter is absolutely gorgeous!
Posted by:Michelle Infantino | Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 07:20 AM