Valentine's Day

You can't help but adore this movie, about a whole bunch of people and their experiences of one Valentine's Day. There are a heap of famous actors in this, however the main story line is for Jennifer Garner, and Ashton Kutcher (cute!) I love that she is a teacher and he is a florist!

True love, betrayals, confusion, and revelations are all wrapped up in two hours of fun. There were some classic quotes where we laughed out loud! Even your kids can watch this movie with you, as there is nothing offensive in it. Loved it!

Pride and Prejudice

After struggling through most of the book, I thought watching the film would make me love it more. It did! While the book gets bogged down in the rich, verbose language of the 19th century, and I felt my attention wavering often, the conversations in the film move quickly and satisfyingly. The casting choices were brilliant, especially for Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. I fell wholeheartedly for the scenery, costumes and accents, and Mr Darcy's eyes were suitably sad and beautiful! When reading the novel I realised this story is more of a comedy than a drama with all the sarcasm and stirring between the characters. However, the cleverness of the conversations comes across so much more successfully in the film,.

For a story that reads like a pompous Days of Our Lives, the film encapsulates the era, the characters and their interactions perfectly, and I was utterly convinced that Mr Darcy and Elizabeth should be together. When Mr Darcy walks across the field to Elizabeth near the end of the film and they lean their heads against each other, oh what bliss!

Of course, I cannot deny that the novel is a masterpiece. The richness of the vocabulary is exquisite and the comment on class and marriage is a window to the societal values of the time. But it is so much easier to comprehend the interplay of characters when you can see their eyes and mannerisms and hear their tone of voice. While I have my head in a book just as often as I watch films (thank you Foxtel!), I must say that the visual media is generally more satisfying to me, and with this film in particular, much more satisfying.

The Reader

I've just watched this film with Kate Winslet, David Kross and Ralph Fiennes. A dark portrayal of life in Nazi Germany, with a glimmer of hope in one shining summer. Everyone can love and anyone can do the wrong thing, especially if they are lead to believe it is the right thing. A devastating love story, but one from which we can learn much about human frailties. Brilliant acting and an incredible story. Another example of how the written word holds much power. Words can uplift you, and they can be your downfall. I couldn't draw my eyes away. You must see this film.

The Time Traveller's Wife

FINALLY got to watch this, after totally loving the book. The film is PERFECT. The casting is spot on, the acting is spot on, the lead characters have so much chemistry together it's not funny. The interpretation from the book was brilliant, especially as it has a very complex sequence of events. I am not disappointed that I paid $28 for this DVD. I am so in love with it and cried for the last 15 minutes at the heart-wrenching story.

I think I probably found it easier to understand and follow because I read the book first, so maybe that is the best way to enjoy this movie. All I know is that is goes straight into my top ten favourites list!

50 First Dates

One of my favourite movies! Love the premise of the girl losing her memory and having to relive the same day over and over with everyone playing along to protect her. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore are perfect in this, and the chemistry between them is electric. Some scenes are so funny, and others are touching and beautiful.

The film is set in Hawaii, which is unusual and just gorgeous, the soundtrack makes you feel like you're on holiday, and the walruses are clever and utterly adorable. The ending brings tears to my eyes every time. Romantic to the nth degree!

Seven Pounds

Wow, this movie was intense! I stayed up late to watch this one by myself, because I didn't think my boys would be interested, and  I expect they wouldn't have lasted the distance, because it is quite slow-moving.

However, this is an emotionally driven, mysterious tale of a man, played by Will Smith, who takes it upon himself to help people in generous ways. Through the movie, we are unsure of his agenda, but become aware that he is very troubled by the death of his wife in a car accident. He becomes particularly attached to a woman who needs a heart transplant, and their slow-burning romance creates many sensual, heated moments. When the mystery of the movie comes together in the final fifteen minutes, I could barely watch, and was eventually reduced to sobbing, with the realisation of the purpose behind the character's generous acts. The only times I've sobbed like this are when Anthony Hopkins cries in Shadowlands, and in the final moments of Benjamin Button, and City of Angels, all heart-wrenching films that I will never forget.

This is a slow-moving drama, but, if you watch carefully, it leaves enough gaps in the story to make you curious enough to stay to the end.  The ending is certainly powerful and emotionally stirring, and completely worth the wait.

Made of Honour

I know you're all thinking, "I saw this movie ages ago!", but I only managed to watch it for the first time yesterday - and I'm adding it to my favourites list!! I think this movie is very sweet and completely believable. The acting is superb, and Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan are just beautiful to watch. The scenes in Scotland and the castle make me want to travel big time. This will be one of those movies I watch again and again and again. LOVE it!!!!

The Proposal

I love Sandra Bullock - especially in 28 Days and Practical Magic. And she has the best hair! But a straight out comedy/romance isn't really meaty enough for her - it just feels a bit disappointing. The movie is okay, but I didn't roll around laughing, I didn't cry, most of the scenarios were completely unbelievable or corny, and I just... didn't believe it. What I did love about it were the scenes of Alaska, and the exterior view of the family home. Wow! I want to go there!

Wedding Daze

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught this movie starting on the tele and saw it had Jason Biggs. I would never usually watch a Jason Biggs movie (too inappropriate for family viewing) but this one started out in a quirky kind of way, and Jason  Biggs looked cute instead of goofy, so I thought I'd give it a chance. Basically, he asks a random waitress (Isla Fisher) to marry him and she says yes! What then ensues is the awkwardness of deciding whether that should really happen or not, meeting each others parents ( who are by no means normal, and actually a tad over the top) and just general embarrassing new couple moments. While there were a couple of unnecessary sight gags and some silly goings on, Jason Biggs' character was so endearing and I really got into it. It was a sweet, funny movie - I liked it!