April Movie Reviews

Life is flying by so fast! Thanks heavens for having my movie-loving son home and a week of vacation for spring break. We managed to see three movies, and completely enjoyed every one of them. Here's a quick review.

Pompeii
A slave-turned-gladiator finds himself in a race against time to save his true love, who has been betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator. As Mount Vesuvius erupts, he must fight to save his beloved as Pompeii crumbles around him. The ultimate Romeo & Juliet story set against a historical background. From the opening battle scene to the final moment of climax and resolution, I was completely hooked. Kit Harrington and Kiefer Sutherland were superb in their roles as the hero and villain. As a matter of fact, I wanted to grab a sword and take care of Sutherland several times myself because he was so evil I couldn't stand knowing he was going to strike one more time. Fortunately he and the people of Pompeii got was deserving them for the wickedness, although the final hope for Milo and Cassia was buried in the end, as we knew it would have to be. but still, the romantic can hope. Perhaps that final moment is the reason the film didn't set well with audiences. I'd still recommend it it you like disaster films with a love story and some epic battle scenes.
Pompeii [Blu-ray]
 

 Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Jack Ryan, as a young covert CIA analyst, uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack. A well-written and well-directed back story for Tom Clancy's familiar character, Jack Ryan. I was on the edge of my seat the entire film, not only because of the action scenes, but because this movie strikes a little too close to home. The story question is: When it comes to the governments of both Russia and the U.S., who can you trust? The twists and turns will keep you guessing and the only way you know Jack will make it out alive is because this is a prequel story to the rest of the Jack Ryan collection (Sum of All Fears, Clear and Present Danger, The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games). Chris Pine, Keira Knightly, Kevin Costner, and Kenneth Branagh were all excellent in their roles, and kudos to Branagh on the directing. It was a nice touch to include Mikhail Baryshnikov in an uncredited role. I can't wait for my husband to see this because it is his kind of movie.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and battles a new threat from old history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier. An excellent follow-up, that is perhaps better than the first. No more back story for Captain America, he is part of our fighting force in today's world, and like Jack Ryan, Steve Rogers has to decide who he can trust. This time the enemy is the entire government operation known as S.H.I.E.L.D. The film is filled with high action, building relationships, moments when you think it is all over for our hero, and challenges all you thought you knew about the Marvel characters. Chris Evans was good but Anthony Mackie and Scarlett Johansson sole the show. Robert Redford was incredibly believable in his role as well, almost to the point of wondering if he's been there in real life. Be sure to stick with the movie until the final time the screen goes black. There are two bumps during the credits and at the very end that preview a coming sequel and the next Avengers.

January Book / Movie Review

What a crazy month January turned out to be! A huge writing opportunity came to me which completely threw me off my schedule for so many things. Project complete, I'm furiously trying to get caught up again. Since I didn't want to miss any of my planed blog topics, the first order of business today is to jump back in time and write the blogs I missed for the past two weeks. Thanks for being patient. 

Saving Mr. Banks

Since the premiere of this delightful film, critics have tried to debunk it. Everything from Meryl's Steeps' inappropriately timed comments about Walt Disney being sexist in a time when everyone was sexist, to biographers who insist "the story didn't happen that way," and now members of the Disney family fighting over their inheritance. My response? Who cares?

Saving Mr. Banks was a wonderful film about--of all things--forgiveness. Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson were fabulous, and both should have received Oscar nods for their work, yet they were ignored. I grew up watching Walt Disney on television and Hanks played him perfectly, even managing to capture the twinkle in Walt's eye.   

If you haven't yet seen the movie, you must. Be sure to take some tissues, yet know you will come from the theater with a song on your lips and a lighter step than when you went in. Oh, and you'll want to pull out your copy of Mary Poppins to watch as well when you get home.

Ender's Game 

I'm not sure exactly how long ago I first read the novellette that grew to become the multi-book series about Ender Wiggin and the other children who were taken to battle school to save the world. At the time I though the science fiction would remain just that--fiction. How wrong I was. Has anyone stopped to consider that author Orson Scott Card actually invented the iPad? No wonder it took so long for this movie to be made. Technology had to catch up with the ideas Card had all those years ago.

Ender's Game is worth seeing just for the performances of Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley alone. They made the movie.

I will admit, having read most of the book series helped me understand the significance of the events, the relationships between Ender and his Battle school colleagues, and why his sister was so important to him, but even viewers without that background will become involved in the story.

I love the fact Ender's Game left the door open just far enough that we might just see a sequel.

Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin
Liesl Shurtliff

If you're looking for a delightful story to read with your upper elementary or middle school student and you like retold fairy tales then Rump might be just the book for you. 

The story starts with poor Rump, who has never known the rest of his name, discovering that he has inherited a wonder skill--he can spin straw into gold. But like all things that seem too good to be true, Rump soon discovers that what he thinks will be his ticket to freedom actually binds him into chains. 

Shurtliff has done a wonderful job of developing reasons as to why Rump would want to take someone's baby, why names are so important, and how friends and family are the greatest riches anyone could ever ask for. 

Rump is a finalist in the Middle Grade category for the 2013 Whitney Awards.  

Best of 2013 - Movies

Thus approaches the end of another year, and like many bloggers, it's time for me to post my annual Best of Lists. One caveat, none of us have seen every movie that was released the previous year, nor do we like the same things, so these lists are often useless when it comes to making comparisons to the lists our readers would make. That's okay. It's still fun to see what our friends enjoyed. My list has no particular order, but it is filled with 20 movies I enjoyed.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Rare is the moment when I've enjoyed a movie more than the book it is based on, but that's exactly what happened with this episode of The Hunger Games. (This was NOT the case with the first movie and the original book, where I felt too many details about the way their world worked were omitted from the movie for the audience to understand the significance of so many details.) The tension that was built through this movie was compelling, the way details were changed made scenes more dramatic, and I cared more about the characters than I did in the book where they seemed a little flat. Perhaps that was because I read the book after seeing the movie this time. In any case, I enjoyed the film more, especially liking the way the wedding dress reveal was changed and the scenes in response to Gale's beating. Well worth seeing, but not as a stand-alone, and if you don't like to wait for what happens next, you might want to wait until closer to the release of Mockingjay.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Since I'm talking about movies I liked better than the book, I'd better jump in here with The Hobbit. I've read the book twice. I hated it both times. I fell asleep watching An Unexpected Journey. I was reluctant to see this episode in the theater. My husband tricked me, making sure we arrived too late to get tickets to see Saving Mr. Banks, which is still on my must see list. But, I was pleasantly surprised. For the first time I was able to tell the characters apart--the Lord of the Rings trilogy is a nightmare for me to watch for this very reason--and I was able to follow the story without feeling like I'd already seen this battle before--another problem with LOTR. I know purists aren't sure about this film because Jackson took the liberty of adding to the original plot, but since these new scenes and characters helped someone like me finally figure out important elements of the LOTR, perhaps he wasn't so off-base in doing so. This is another film that if you want to know what happens next, wait until the end of the year to watch it, right before the final episode is released.

The Lone Ranger
If you're one of those people who listens to the national media when it comes to movie reviews, then you probably think this movie was a real clunker. Not so! Disney marketing was the problem. Like they did with John Carter, the marketing department had another epic fail, trying to sell the movie to the wrong audience in the wrong way, thereby cutting off their own noses to spite their face when it comes to sales. I grew up watching The Lone Ranger as a child. Every Saturday morning my brother and I watched the show, which we recognized as somewhat campy even then. Sure Hammer's Ranger comes off a little more like Dudley Doo-Right, but that's okay. We loved that show too. This movie was hysterical! The subtlety Depp brings to the character of Tonto kept me in stitches. From the moment the William Tell Overture begins I was totally into the chase scene--both times I saw it in the theater. I bought only six movies this year for Christmas, and The Lone Ranger was one of them. Give it a chance, and be prepared to laugh!

Despicable Me 2 
 Speaking of laughs, this second installment about Gru, the girls, and those crazy minions will also have you laughing like crazy. The first time I saw it was in a theater packed with a hundred kids younger than eight-years-old and I felt like a fool whenever I laughed at the humor that was obviously aimed toward adults. The kids didn't get it. But then, I'm sure i didn't laugh as hard as they did and the physical comedy based on bringing pain to the characters. That's okay. It's all part of understanding the ladder of comedy. Those kids will grow into it. In the meantime, I loved the film enough that this was another movie I bought for Christmas. We watched it this week and I found even more to laugh about because I could actually hear the dialogue over the constant chatter of little people in the movie house. The producers left the series open if they decide to do another episode, but this one also has the perfect ending. 

The Saratov Approach
Perhaps its because I currently have two sons serving LDS missions; maybe it's because one of those sons started telling me I had to see this movie long before I'd even heard of it; maybe it's because I like to revisit events in history, even if they were unfamiliar to me before seeing the film. Whatever the reason, I was touched by this movie and I've been recommending it to people everywhere. The core of the story is one every missionary mom prays she will never experience--a phone call from the Church office letting you know something is wrong. Your missionary has been hurt and you're half a world away with nothing you can do to set things right. As an audience, we go in knowing that everything works out alright--the two elders are still alive and doing press junkets, but that doesn't stop your heart from beating a little faster, your palms getting a little sweaty, and the tears from pouring out of your eyes uncontrollably. One of the best LDS movies I've ever seen, yet any audience will understand. 

 So, there are detailed reasons why I enjoyed five of the movies on my list. I could write about the other fifteen, but that would take me all day and I don't have all day. You don't have all day to read them either, so here are the remaining films that made it onto to my favorite list for 2013. 

Man of Steel

Fast & Furious 6

Star Trek Into Darkness

Iron Man 3

Oz the Great and Terrible

World War Z

White House Down

The Croods

Oblivion

Epic

G.I. Joe Retaliation

42

Jack the Giant Slayer

Austenland

Monsters University

Hope you had a great time in 2013 At the Movies! 
 
 

Week in Review: Summer Movies Part Deux

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ll know that my summer started off great with the time to see ten movies within the first few weeks of being on break. I had high hopes to have as many films ready to review for this time, but unexpected circumstances and family trips put the brakes on my efforts. In any case, I did manage to see five movies since the last time I wrote reviews, so I’d like to share my thoughts now on those with you. Like before, I’ll be careful not to include spoilers, but I’m also warning you—I WILL be honest.

 Inception. I guess I’ll start off with the biggest movie, not only in the terms of box office receipts, but also to our family because my husband—the set medic—worked on the L.A. construction crew a few days. Inception is somewhat of a guy’s movie, although as a writer, I did enjoy the premise. To understand the movie, you really have to think, every single moment! Do not let your attention stray or you will be more lost than you thought you were. Despite the fact I paid very close attention, I still sat in the theater at the end of the movie asking, “What happened?” The movie is worth seeing for the concept alone, but in asking people who’ve seen it the greater number of positive responses seems to be from the man, rather than the women. My sons have seen the movie three times and loved it every time. Of course, Chan and Kent also loved the photos we took of them from the visits we made to a few of the actual film locations. All part of why these boys are destined to make movies.

 Knight and Day. Another one of my favorite movies from this summer, and looking at that cute, cute smile of Tom Cruise didn’t hurt this one for me in the ratings. It’s been a long time since I thought Tom was really just plain cute in a movie, but this one put that to rest. Of course, my husband enjoyed seeing Cameron Diaz and comparing how she looks now to back when he worked with her on A Life Less Ordinary. His judgement: she’s still looking pretty good. Knight and Day completed what Killers only tried to do. I totally believed this story and thought the end was the perfect solution to the couple’s life. Oh, and if you decide to see this one—be prepared to laugh. It really is a comedic-romance and not the action/adventure flick it might appear to be.

 Dinner for Schmucks. Although the premise of the movie didn’t quite match what we had expected from the trailer, and despite the fact the story itself took a little longer to develop that I might have liked, once the humor got started it was absolutely non-stop. Warning: there are several scenes that are not appropriate for kids, despite the PG-13 rating. Like Knight and Day, this one tied everything up with a perfect ending and left me completely satisfied. If you’re uncomfortable laughing right out loud in a small crowd, you might want to go on a night when the theater looks packed, because you WILL laugh out loud. It can’t be helped.

Despicable Me. Another vehicle for the wickedly funny Steve Carell, although I had a hard time remembering it was him because his voice was so different from what is expected. Super bad, or superdad? This movie left me feeling good. Move over Boo, there’s a new, darling little girl who wants to share the animated stage with you. Take a tissue with you just in case, and know you’l laugh in this one too.

The Last Airbender. Okay, this one was a real sleeper. Literally! I fell asleep about ten times during the film. And it wasn’t that I was so incredibly tired; I just couldn’t suspend my disbelief to attach to the characters. The kid who played the airbender was horrifically awful. Honestly, I’ve seen better performances on Saturday morning kid shows or at the junior high theater productions. It’s really sad when I couldn’t even stay awake for the climax and when the movie was over, I had no idea what had happened, other than the fact the director left the thing open for a sequel. Say it isn’t so!

So, I go back to work this week, but don’t mistakenly believe my summer moving going is over. I still have quite the list of want-to-see movies on my plate—The Expendables, Eat Pray Love, Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Charlie St. Cloud, and Nanny McPhee Returns among them.

Week in Review: Summer ‘10

I love movies, almost as much as I love books. I remember the very first movie I saw in the theater with my parents: a screening of the classic Gone with the Wind. I don’t remember for sure how old I was, but I’m pretty sure we saw the film in the Alexandria Theater, located across from Kyle’s Funeral Home. The cool thing about that theater was the soundproof room where parents could take their crying babies so they didn’t disturb the other patrons.

After the last couple screenings I’ve been to here in Utah, I would pay extra to have one of those soundproof rooms so I could hear the movie over the whimpering, chattering, and out-right talking I’ve sat through recently—and most of that was from the parents!

Sorry, I stray away from the purpose of this blog. I’m here to tell you about the movies I’ve seen so far this summer. Since I tend to find myself spending a lot of hours during the summer sitting in the local movie theaters, and since I’ve been known to express my opinions on things a time or two, I thought I should share. I’ll be careful not to include spoilers, but I’m also warning you—I WILL be honest.

So far, I’ve seen ten movies. Of those ten, I’ll likely buy eight to add to our home movie collection. The other two, I won’t even rent. One time watching them was painful enough, or at least satisfied my curiosity. So, here we go, starting with the best movie I’ve seen so far in the summer of 2010.

Letters to Juliet. I am a hopeless romantic. I have had a passion for Shakespeare since I first saw Leonard Whiting walk onto the screen as Romeo. I’ve taught Romeo & Juliet now for 31 years, and the biggest regret I have from my trip to Europe was that our train only passed through Verona on our way to Venice. I had heard the story before about the ladies who write letters to Juliet and leave them under her balcony, so the story premise made sense to me from the very beginning, and since Venice was my favorite stop on my own trip, I was absolutely in love with the scenery. Add all of these together with a totally clean and incredibly romantic plot, and Letters to Juliet was a perfect date night movie with my husband. We both loved it, and shed a tear or two in joy.

Toy Story 3. In 1999, my husband and I were blessed to welcome into our home two little boys to be ours forever. Chan was 6 and Kent was 5, and they loved, loved, loved movies (How appropriate in a home like ours where my husband works on film sets, and I write scripts). One of their favorite movies was Toy Story, and one of the first movies we took them to the theater to see was Toy Story 2. Woody and Buzz dominated everything in our house from toys to Halloween costumes, birthday cakes to home video nights for the next couple years. “Reach for the sky” and “Are you mocking me?” became family institutions. Is it any wonder that the boys have been non-too-anxiously awaiting the premiere this weekend? Today we went to see the movie in 3D, and although Tommy and Zach went with us, I don’t think they quite understood why Mom and Dad blubbered like babies toward the end of the film. These characters are indelibly linked to our years with Chan and Kent, and the idea of Andy moving out to go to college struck a chord that soon we would be seeing our own little boys moving on with their lives as adults. Where did those little boys years go?

Shrek Forever After. After a forgettable Shrek the Third, I didn’t think I’d be able to drag my kids to see this one, but Zach and I went and I actually liked it—a lot! Enough that Chan and Kent decided to finally go see it as well, and the consensus is in—they ALL liked it. Maybe because this one takes us back to the beginning and lets viewers see an alternate outcome, what might have been in Shrek had never made it to rescue Fiona in the first place. The humor still shines for both kids and adults, the romance makes sparks fly, and the ending was truly satisfying at saying, at last Shrek feels like it’s over, and that’s okay. Of course, I cried a tear or two at this one as well. Are we seeing a pattern?

The Karate Kid. Okay, I told myself there was no way I was going to see this movie in remake. How could you possibly get better than Ralph Macchio and Pat Morika as Mr. Miyagi? Besides, why would I want to go see Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s spoiled son Jaden in a role he got simply because Mommy and Daddy were the executive producers for the film? Okay, okay, so it also stars Jackie Chan and his comedies always make me laugh, so off I went. And, WOW, was I surprised. I was on the edge of my seat during the final match, terrified that Dre Parker (the new name for the Karate Kid) wouldn’t make it back onto the mat. And Jackie Chan showed a whole new depth to his acting that totally sold me on him being the new Mr. Miyagi (So he was renamed Mr. Han) I LOVED the new version, and, you guessed it, I even cried!

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. I’m not a huge fan of video games, and think some of my kids have wasted too many hours of their lives attached to the PS 3, but what the heck, I decided to go see what the screenwriters came up with in their quest to turn a mindless video game scenario into a two hour film, and I liked it! Jake Gyllenhaal was funny, agile, and even a little cute in his role of Dastan.  I had Ben Kingsley pegged from the very beginning, but his acting was, as always, superb. The movie was filled with action, adventure, and humor, and so you won’t be disappointed, yes, I even found a moment to cry.

The A-Team. You know, I was thinking it was my dad who used to watch The A-Team on television then I checked the air dates on IMBD and realized, my dad was already dead by the time the show was on, so The A-Team fan in my house had to have been my MOM! This strikes me as pretty funny, until I consider how much I liked the movie. The cast provide a perfect bridge between the original actors and today’s action, adventure movies. I loved the humor, and I wasn’t offended by any of the violence. I wanted to stand up and cheer at the end, and hoped that someone in Washington would get a clue and hire this group to work for the defense of our country. I can’t remember if there were any tears on this one, but I do know I left the theater hoping there would be a sequel to this one.

Iron Man 2: If I can keep the theme song out of my head long enough so that I can think, I’ll tell you that I did like Iron Man 2. Oh, maybe not as much as Iron Man 1, but enough that I would recommend it. Once again, Robert Downey, Jr. is looking fine, and it’s great to see him holding his life together to make the string of movies he’s been in the past two years. I loved the romantic elements that continue to develop between Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. The only negative about this film was that I thought Tony’s health issues got solved a little too quickly and without enough difficult to sustain the angst the audience needed, but hey, what can I say other than there were still a couple of minutes that made me cry!

Marmaduke. I have a ten-year-old son. That’s what got me to the theater to see this movie, based on a cartoon character I once hated, and that’s why I’m so surprised I actually thought the movie was cute. Okay, cheesy romance and gang fights between talking dogs doesn’t make for high quality entertainment, but Owen Wilson and pleasant memories of Marley & Me helped me get past the faults and see the fun. I’m sure Zach will want to own a copy, which means I’ll probably have to sit through at least parts of this one again. At least it won’t be totally painful!

Killers. I loved the premise. Some of the romantic and action scenes between Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl were enjoyable, but there was much to be disappointed in with this one. I usually love Tom Selleck, but I never really connected with   him in this one. The look was wrong, the lines didn’t seem to fit him, and the usual charisma he shows in his other films was simply missing. My biggest complaint was that it seemed like the producers were worried about running out of money and chopped the movie into ill-fitting pieces. The story arc was missing, and the resolution didn’t feel well developed. If they had added another ten minutes after the wedding in the beginning and after the climax in the end, I think the story would have been better crafted and worth seeing again (this time without the giggling grandmas who could hardly contain themselves every time Kutcher was on the screen!) As it stands now, I’m hoping that Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz bring me a film that is much better at putting it all together.

Robin Hood. By far the biggest disappointment of the summer. Russell Crowe’s mumbling was rarely understandable. Cate Blanchett was the ugliest Maid Marion I’ve ever seen. If I hadn’t already known the back story, I would have been completely lost for the entire three hour movie (it only seemed like it lasted three days!) And, despite its length, never once did we get around to Robin Hood taking from the rich to give to the poor, seeing the Merry Men as his Merry Men, or ever finding Robin Hood to be the kind of hero I would trust to do anything. Boring, boring, boring, and the only tears I cried were those of joy that this painful movie was finally over.

That’s it for this time. I’m sure I’ll be back soon with another ten movies to review. The calendar is already filling up as we await Knight & Day, Grown Ups, The Last Airbender, Despicable Me, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Inception (my husband worked on this one), Eat Pray Love, The Expendables, and Nanny McPhee Returns.

Make 'Em Laugh

I was watching the film The Secret the other day, and one of the seconds talked about a woman who diagnosed with cancer. This woman decided to forgo the usual treatment and spend her time releasing stress by watching the funniest films she could find.

Now, I'm not suffering from cancer, or any other devastating disease that I'm aware of, but I do place myself under a lot of stress in my daily life, so I decided that maybe I needed to revel in a bit of humor from my own video shelves in the past few weeks. And I've found some doozies! Even after multiple viewings of each of these movies, they make me laugh right out loud every time I see them.

I know I always feel better after watching one of them. Maybe they can do the same for YOU!

Rhinestone



The premise of this one alone is enough to make me start to chuckle. Sylvestor Stallone as a country singer? Add the perfect timing of real-life country singer Dolly Parton and you have a pair you will fall in love with, if you don't laugh yourself to death while Stallone is singing --is that what we call it? And the moment he dons the Rhinestone cowboy outfit and hits the back of a horse straight from The Electric Horseman? Priceless! You gotta watch it! This one's funnier than the auditions for America Idol.

Galaxy Quest



If you enjoyed last year's new Star Trek film, and if you were ever any kind of a fan of the TV show, you'll appreciate the subtle parallels that Tim Allen and crew bring to this movie. Maybe not every fan at World Con is wearing a costume, but when some real aliens show up, Commander Peter Quincy Taggert gets taken on a ride that teaches him more about himself than he ever could have learned alone if he really had traveled the entire universe. I really loved seeing "Snape" play a character perhaps a little too close to Mr. Spock than Nimoy himself would have liked. Laugh out loud at this one without feeling the least bit guilty.

American Dreamz



Wait! If you're really an American Idol and Simon Cowell fan, then you have GOT to see this one! Hugh Grant is dead-right on spot in his Cowell-like personae as the host of American Dreamz--with a Z! Mandy Moore's performance didn't thrill me all that much, but hey, the rest of the movie TOTALLY made up for it!

In & Out



By far the most irreverent, but also the most absolute side-splitting movie in the bunch, Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck can actually make you believe they are gay, even while knowing in your heart they are not. Joan Cusack's performance is perfect, and Debbie Reynolds and Wilford Brimley deliver stellar performances as the parent of the now-outed English teacher played by Kline. Just try not to pee your pants when Howard tries out his manly man tapes by trying to keep himself from dancing a little Y.M.C.A.

Chick Flicks and Valentine's Day

February 14th, the day that used to be the most dreaded day of my life. Back in the days before I was married, I hated Valentine's Day. Why? I didn't have a boyfriend, lover, or special someone--a fact that was brought even more clear into my life and to the eyes of the world every Valentine's Day as flowers, candy, and special presents were delivered to the other girls in my classes starting somewhere when I was in grade school and following through for years of my teaching career.

Of course, all that changed for me when I met and married my husband, but I still found myself feeling the hurt of those girls who didn't get something special during the Valentine delivery parade at school on Friday. Oh, the student council tried to right the wrong by delivering candy-grams to almost everyone in the school (somehow a half dozen kids in my class got missed), but word soon spread who those secret admirer messages came from and those who got them still felt let down.

I understood their pain. Too many years of my own life found me hoping, wishing, praying that things would change. I was 40 before that happened. Even now, I think of al those years of looking for love and find myself ready for a good cry.

That's where a great chick flick comes in handy. If you want a great reason to cry without looking like you need to, find a film and settle in for the evening, tissues at the ready. My husband has been working out of town--although he will be here for the special day--but that hasn't kept me from hitting the video shelves and finding some great chick flicks to remind me just how special love is and how much I miss him.

Here's a quick run-down of the movies I've watched in the last couple weeks. Lucky for me, he was here for a couple to snuggle and remember just how much he loves me.



Who needs to go to a packed theater to enjoy a star-packed romantic comedy? Julie Roberts, Billy Crystal, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and John Cusack headline this hysterically funny film that hits perhaps a little too close to the world of movie-making and celebrity where my husband and I sometimes live. Funny or not, this one will still make the true romantic have a little cry.



Another laugh-out loud comedy, Greek or not, I still identified with screenwriter and star Nia Vardalos in this film as Toula made her search for the perfect man by becoming the perfect woman. Every time I watch the movie, I thank God my family is NOTHING like hers, well. . . almost!



I first saw this movie in the theater with my husband, and we both loved the rich beauty of Italy, mixed with the romance of relationships that don't always work out the way you expect them to.



Okay, so you might ask how does a story about a man who ends up in a "It's a Wonderful Life" scenerio classify itself as a chick flick? Because Tia Leoni makes you want to live her life and love this man so much that when she almost loses him it will break your heart. I had to call my husband late, late at night after watching this one, just to tell him just how much I loved and missed him.



I watched this movie this afternoon in the kitchen with a houseful of boys, and cried like a baby when it looked like all was lost. And no, the tears weren't because I was figuring out the paperwork for taxes at the same time! I knew the problems worked out too easy in this ghost-like relationship between Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo, and even though I was seeing the movie for a second time, my heart was broken when I thought, just for a moment, that nothing would work out right in the end. That's probably what hooked two of those boys to sit down and watch the movie with me to the very end. It's a good thing none of us walked away unsatisfied.

So, if you forgot to get your special someone a Valentine, or if your special someone hasn't yet walked into your life, I hope you have a great, romantic time anyway this Valentine's Day, and consider watching a chick flick sometime during the day. It will make you feel good about love, no matter what your current circumstances.