Tag: Netflix

What’s Up?!

What I’ve Been Watching:

  • Smash (NBC Tuesday Nights) – It’s so fun to watch this show about putting on a Broadway show.  There’s much that is predictable, but the music and locations are so fun.  
  • Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – Still loving this show and never miss it.  Prince was on Friday night and that was a blast!  He looked like he was having a great time, which doesn’t seem typical Prince to me.  He was smiling so big… maybe being on Jimmy’s show makes everyone feel that way.  I know I am always smiling throughout his show… good stuff!
  • Eulogy (from Netflix) – a very fun movie with a lot of people in it!  Ray Romano, Hank Azaria, Debra Winger, Zooey Deschanel, Rip Torn… and more.  The patriarch of the family passes away and the oldest granddaughter is asked to read his eulogy.  His four children have different views of him and their relationships today are strained and difficult.  Pretty good stuff.
  • Undertaking Betty (from Netflix) – Brenda Blethyn is so fun.  This is a crazy story about a small Welsh town with two funeral homes in
    Plots with a View
    Plots with a View (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

    competition with each other.  One funeral director reaches out to his unrequited love and they decide the only way they can be together is if she fakes her death.  Very crazy.  And Naomi Watts?  Christopher Walken?  Craziest.  🙂

  • The Commitments (from my library) – While watching Once with Deadra, I read that Glen Hansard was in The Commitments – one of my all time favorite movies! – so I had to watch it again.  Still an amazing movie with amazing songs.  Glen doesn’t have a big role in the show and doesn’t sing much at all, but it is a strong movie.   What are the chances – two of my favorite movies of all time have a few things in common!

What I’ve Been Reading:

  • Gone With the Wind – Finally started this and about 100 pages in.  I’m sure that I have watched the movie in its entirety only twice in my life, but it’s amazing how it is so firmly in my mind as I read it. I can hear Scarlett’s mama’s voice in my head as I read the words.  I can picture the barbeque (which I’m just coming up to) and Scarlett and her admirers. I look forward to reading more and then having a viewing party!
  • My City, My New York: Famous New Yorkers Share Their Favorite Places – A fun little “guide book” that Sarah bought and I borrowed.  I’ve been taking notes, Troy, so will have some little additions to my itinerary when I visit next!

What I’m Listening to:

  • “Nice Work If You Can Get It” has a great Broadway Cast Recording!  Love the Gershwin tunes!
  • Noisetrade is introducing me to a lot of new musicians for the cost of my email address.   – just downloaded a SXSW sampler. Love samplers!
  • NPR Music also has a free download of 100 songs featuring artists who will be at SXSW.  Love NPR!  Good through the beginning of April!
  • Still listening to my weekly stash of podcasts – Pop Culture Happy Hour, Satellite Sisters, Wait, Wait!, Filmspotting, The Moth, …
  • Listened to a few hours worth of Gaelic Storm via their youtube channel – good stuff!

What I’m Looking Forward to:

  • It’s March!  Spring is right around the corner!
  • Gaelic Storm this weekend – can’t wait!  “What’s the rumpus!” Guess I’m going to find out!
  • Cosmo Girls Thursday – stargazing!
  • There are some movies that I look forward to seeing (Oz! Admission!), but many of them are on DVD already (Anna Karenina! Celeste and Jesse Forever!  The Sessions!)!  More to come on that front!

What about you?  What’s up?

 

 

 

Related articles

First February Friday Film Footnotes

I know I have mentioned a few films in my past few posts, but thought I’d do a full-fledged Film Footnote.  It is Friday the First of February, after all.

“The Impossible” – Saw this with Marissa at the late-late show on a Wednesday.  Before going, I read a bit about the family the movie is centered on.  It  would be interesting to read the book that they wrote, as it is very amazing how they came though the horrific situation as whole as they appear.  Having lived through a national disaster, as well as spending time thinking about a crisis response to a disaster, it is hard to imagine the response needed to a disaster of this magnitude.  The underwater scenes were painful to watch; the search for family was painful to watch; the difficult hospital situation was painful to watch.  I guess, it was painful to watch!  The middle son broke my heart when he said, “But I’ve never taken care of anyone before” after he is asked to take care of his younger brother.  Wow.  I cried throughout the movie and thought that the flashback underwater scene was a bit much.  I can recommend this movie, even as it isn’t the kind of movie that I would usually be drawn to.

“Silver Linings Playbook” – I just can’t say enough about this movie.  I saw it a second time last week and can’t wait for its next viewing!  I will refrain from purchasing another ticket and will wait until it comes out on DVD, but it is truly my favorite movie from 2012.  I’m glad it is nominated for so many Oscars and I hope that it takes a few!  Although it tackles the serious subject of mental illness, it is happy and light and funny.  It is sooo feel-good.  The first time I saw it, I was surprised by some of the plot.  No spoilers here.  It is just a clever story.  I ordered the book and will see if it lives up to the movie!

From Netflix:

“What to Expect When You’re Expecting“ – a second viewing for me.  I saw this in the theatre and was pleasantly surprised.  It isn’t great literature or film, but it is a cute movie, well-done.

“The Ides of March“ – political intrigue, not my usual cup of tea, but this was well-done as well.  Ryan Gosling and George Clooney, oh my!  But aside from being easy to look at, it had a good story.

In Honor of Pride & Prejudice being 200 years old:

Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice (Photo credit: elycefeliz)
A scene with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy after a ...
A scene with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy after a swim in a lake is recognized as “one of the most unforgettable moments in British TV history”. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Pride & Prejudice- BBC version” – I own this and thought it deserved a viewing upon finishing reading “Persuasion” by Austen and in honor of the 200th year since publication of the book.  It is just so delightful.  Colin Firth is a perfect Darcy; watching him play disagreeable and prideful and then seeing the love in his eyes when Elizabeth plays piano… amazing.  Ah…. such good stuff.  All 5 hours of it.   I’ll watch the most recent version sometime soon, too.

Coming next from Netflix: “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and “Ruby Sparks.”  Can’t wait to see what the Oscar buzz is about for Beasts and think that Ruby will be a fun one to watch.  

What about you? What have you seen lately?

 

Related articles

Movie Monday!

I haven’t seen anything in the theatres for a few weeks (not that I haven’t wanted to!) but had good Netflix viewing time…

Movie night
Movie night (Photo credit: Andrei Z)

Blu-Ray DVDs – so fun!

  • Safety Not Guaranteed – The ad: “Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 91 Ocean View, WA 99393. You’ll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.”   Answered by magazine writers looking for a story.  Mark Duplas was very enjoyable!  Jake Johnson (from New Girl) was unlikable and sad.  Aubrey Plaza was just crazy enough to join in the fun.  Nice little movie!
  • Brave – beautiful in Blu–Ray!  I didn’t fully tune in to the story as I was multi-tasking, but got the gist and enjoyed the Scottish accents, men in kilts, and bears.
  • Liberal Arts – recommended to me as a Josh Radnor fan (How I Met Your Mother, happythankyoumoreplease).  Again, I wasn’t fully attentive.  It was good but not as good as happythankyoumoreplease in my mind.  Thirty-something guy goes back to his alma mater for professor’s retirement party and falls for a student.  Sixteen year age difference may not be the deal-breaker, but roommates and cafeteria lunches may be.  Maybe it’s a guy movie.

Netflix Instant:

  • Sleepwalk With Me – I watched this on PPV and re-watched it on Netflix instant.  I’m tempted to buy the autographed blu-ray from the star, but we’ll see.  Just an enjoyable look at a comedian who is avoiding facing his life.
  • Serious Moonlight – Meg Ryan.  Timothy Hutton.  Married.  He’s planning to leave her.  She’s planning to surprise him by coming home from the city early for the weekend.  She realizes (by the rose petals everywhere) that he is unfaithful and as he is trying to leave she throws a pot, hitting him in the head, rendering him unconscious.  He wakes, duct taped to a chair. Comedy ensues.  🙂  Just kidding. It’s not funny, but it was not a bad movie.  But what is up with Meg Ryan?  Those lips take up 1/3 of her face.  Poor thing…

Coming up:

  • Seeing Silver Linings Playbook with Deadra – yay!  The previews continually to make me happy, so I can’t wait to see it again!
  • Bringing movies to Deadra’s for some girl-time while she is recuperating – Magic Mike, Once, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, and the Ides of March.  
  • Still wanting to see The Impossible (if I can hack it – hear the tsunami is difficult to watch).
  • Before Midnight is the third movie by Richard Linklater about the same couple – played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. In Before Sunrise (1995) they meet on a train and after spending the night walking around Vienna they talk about meeting in 6 months, after they tie up loose ends in their lives.  In Before Sunset (2004) they meet again, when she sees that he is speaking at a book signing (or something) in France and neither of them knows if the other showed up at their planned meeting.  And now, almost 20 years after the first, it premieres at Sundance.  Very exciting.  Can’t wait til it comes to a “theatre near me.”
    66ème Festival de Venise (Mostra) Ethan Hawke
    66ème Festival de Venise (Mostra) Ethan Hawke (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     

What is your movie news?

Related articles

Award Shows Reflections

Sunday night the Golden Globes were awarded, and before that, on Thursday the nominees for the Oscars came out.  Ah.  Good stuff.  So, of course, award shows cause me to reflect and make lists – of what I’ve seen, what I want to see, and what is not worth my time!  Isn’t the same true for you?? 

Academy Award
Academy Award (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here are my thoughts on the Oscar nominees:

  • Amour – haven’t seen it.  It won for Best Foreign Film at the Golden Globes.  It looks terribly terribly sad, and a blogger I follow said that she felt it was very sad but not terribly depressing.  I’m sure it’ll be a renter for me (it’s in my saved list!).
  • Argo – I liked this.  It was intense, suspenseful (although you kinda know the ending), and fun (the movie-making part).  I think it’s always fun to watch Ben Affleck in a movie, 70s beard or no.
  • Beasts of the Southern Wild – Haven’t seen it, but will (in my Netflix queue); have heard mixed reviews of it by my film critics.  Hear the girl is unbelievable, so that will be fun to see.  She’s nominated for an Oscar, the youngest person ever to be nominated.
  • Django Unchained – I won’t see this.  I’m sure it’s fine. I’m just not a Tarantino fan (so much violence).
  • Les Miserables – I had a great time watching this. I enjoyed the performances, the scenery, the music, and the feelings behind the movie.  It was fun to see it with Marissa, who grew up force-fed the music.
  • Life of Pi – It’s funny because 2 years ago I blogged that I did not want to see this movie (giving myself an out here) unless it was getting great reviews.  Well, it was getting great reviews and it was great to see – even in 3D!  Maybe, especially in 3D!  It was beautiful and true to the story; very well-told.
  • Lincoln – This was good.  Daniel Day Lewis was amazing (up for best actor, won the Golden Globe). He inhabited Lincoln.  It was a good slice of history that I had no knowledge of.  Well done.
  • Silver Linings Playbook – I think this is my favorite of this list.  I was pleasantly surprised with the story, with the acting, and with the ensemble.  I will see it again in the theatre and every time the preview shows on TV I smile.  Good stuff.
  • Zero Dark Thirty – I probably won’t see this in the theatre.  I eventually watched The Hurt Locker and it was good, but it isn’t my favorite type of movie.

Many of the movies overlap with the Golden Globes, in either the Best Motion Picture – Drama or Comedy / Musical, but there were a few that weren’t included in the Oscar nominees:

  • The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – This was soooo fun to see with a theatre filled with people of a certain age (I know we brought the average down!).  They were hooting, talking back to the screen, and it was just a great time.  Good movie.  
  • Moonrise Kingdom – Ah, the quirkiness of Wes Anderson.  I enjoyed this but honestly can barely remember the story at this point.
  • Salmon Fishing in the Yemen – I got the DVD from Netflix a few weeks ago.  Hmm.  Don’t know if it was the B&W TV in my bedroom or the distraction of the iPad, but I didn’t get into this.  I’m sure it would be beautiful in full color, so I didn’t give it a good chance.  Meh.

Because of the Golden Globes a few things have been added to my Netflix queue or DVR.

  • I watched Brave last night, as it won best animated film.  It was nice.  I wanted to take Gracie when it was in the theatre, and I think she’d like it a lot, what with the archery and all.
  • I will NOT see The Master. I’m sure it’s great, but I’m just not interested.
  • I want to see The Sessions.  It was in Rochester briefly, so now it’s in my Netflix queue.
  • I still want to see The Impossible – maybe tomorrow or Sunday night?
  • The Intouchables was nominated for the Golden Globe but not the Oscars. It was so fun, I will see it again.
  • Rust and Bone is getting some buzz – in my queue.
  • I didn’t see most of the TV shows that were nominated – they were mostly from Showtime or HBO.  I watched half of season 1 of Girls as I bought it for Marissa for Christmas.  That was a big winner.
  • I am anxiously awaiting season 2 of Smash and think I won’t watch the first hour of the premiere on the internet.  I’ll wait!
  • I put House of Lies and Hemingway & Gellhorn in my Netflix queue.  Both looked interesting.  Hitchcock may be fun, as well.

I think that’s it for now… what about you?  Do you have an Oscar pick? Did you play any Golden Globes drinking games ?  There was a pretty fun one online: drink whenever an actress cries during acceptance speech!  drink whenever politics are mentioned!

Related articles

Friday Film Footnotes

I’m gearing up for the good movies coming out this holiday season!  Here’s a brief re-cap of movies I’ve seen since the last Friday Footnote –

In the Theatre:

Life of Pi 3D (matinee on New Car Day!) – I was hesitant to get excited about this because I loved the book and couldn’t figure how they would make it work.  But I knew I would see it and it was getting such great reviews that I went at the first available opportunity – and in 3D!  The movie didn’t disappoint.  Wow. It was true to the book, beautiful beyond words to see, and wonderfully told.  Just wow.  The 3D was not overly much and I actually forgot that I was wearing the glasses after a while.  Yay!  They didn’t ruin it!

From Netflix (on DVD):

Hysteria – 1880s London, “repressed women,” an inventor who works on “stimulation” using electricity… an interesting portrait of a time!

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen – I’ll admit it: I didn’t really watch this one.  It didn’t capture my attention.  So it was on and I was in the room but I was doing other things.

Take This Waltz – Kind of a sad little story.  Sweet quirky couple; she falls in love with someone else.  Bummer.  At the end I think she wishes she hadn’t.

3o Minutes or Less –  Mindless viewing during preparatory relaxation for working overnight.  Not horrible.  Stupid criminals..

Hung – I’ve watched as many seasons as are available.  Getting a little old and out of control.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – I’ve seen this but it’s worth a re-watch.  Still in the envelope at home.

Damsels in Distress – Also still in the envelope… looking forward to seeing this one!

I haven’t watched anything on Netflix instant in a while.  On Thanksgiving Day we all huddled around the TV/computer at Mom and Dad’s and watched the Thanksgiving episode from Cheers.  That was a lot of fun.  I would like to watch all the Friends Thanksgiving epidsodes in a row… anyone have all the seasons?

Holiday movie traditions: 

Every year between Thanksgiving and New Years I make a point to watch some of my favorite movies with a holiday theme.  Not in any rank order, they include:

  • Love, Actually
  • The Holiday
  • Elf
  • The Family Stone
  • It’s a Wonderful Life
  • Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas

I also have some Christmas musical concerts – Harry Connick, Jr., Trans Siberian Orchestra and Tonic Sol-Fa – that get brought out and played during the season.

Have any that you think I should add to my list?

Movies to look forward to this fall/holiday season – an update:  

A more realistic view of work/social/holiday fun has me paring down my list of movies that I will see in the theatre during this holiday blast.  My prior list included Cloud Atlas, Chasing Mavericks, Hyde Park on Hudson, Playing for Keeps, and The Impossible.  Those movies will probably not be viewed by me in the theatre, although a girl can hope.  I’m very bummed to read that Playing For Keeps is showing up VERY rotten in the Rotten Tomatoes ratings.  Because, Gerard Butler! That may be a guilty pleasure I indulge in despite my better judgment.  I’ll keep you posted.

For sure I will make it my priority to see:

  • Anna Karenina – although it didn’t get a rave review from my “guys,” because it is theatrically staged rather than locationally shot.  Interesting choice.  I will also have to rent some of the other versions afterwards.  Sounds like a good winter project.
  • This is 40 – already making plans to see it in January.  Gonna plan some kind of “theme” to go with it – a 40th birthday party for us all?
  • Les Miserables – also have a date to see this picked out and a group to go see it with!  Excited to see this as well.
  • The Fitzgerald Family Christmas – it’s available On Demand so I’ll watch that – may become a tradition to add to my list above!
  • Silver Linings Playbook – sounds right up my alley!

How about you?  Any movies you can’t wait to see?

(Leaving Gerard Butler’s picture here, because… Gerard Butler.  Ahh.. )

Scottish actor Gerard Butler at the press conf...

 

 

Related articles

Dickens & other Discussions

photo of Charles Dickens

My brain power is waning… I’m loving the new job but it’s exhausting learning so much!  It’s such a good thing!! Yay!  Earlier today I had so many thoughts about what to say in a blog… and now it’s kind of gone!  Oh well… I’m enjoying the learning so much that I don’t mind if I aren’t as creative as I want to be right now!  It’ll come again.  🙂

But I wanted to recognize the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth with a short blog post.  I loved A Tale of Two Cities and am going to put it on my list of books to re-read in 2012.  It’s been a long time since I first read it, so it’ll be fun to read again.

In other news…

  • I have really slowed in my reading.  I’m plugging away on “A Moveable Feast” but behind in the assigned reading for last week and this.  Some aren’t enjoying reading Hemingway, but I think it’s fun to read after reading “The Paris Wife” and hearing the author speak.  I’ll keep on trucking…  It has been easy to read it on the iPad.  I tried to look up a word within the book, but it wasn’t in the dictionary.  He must have made up words!
  • The blogs I read daily really are taking up a lot of my reading time.  I must figure that out.
  • I’ve been enjoying old episodes of How I Met Your Mother on Netflix instant.  How fun to meet these characters in the beginning!  I just started watching (and loving) the show a few years ago and it has many seasons under its belt!
  • I love love love Downton Abbey!  I’m going to watch a bit of Sunday night’s episode tonight.  It’s hard to believe this season is almost done!  Love the fast pace of the British series.
  • Book club is coming up on Thursday!  We read “The Center of Everything” and I’ll have to refresh my memory, since it seems like I read it a while ago!  I look forward to seeing those peeps!
  • And SocialICE is this weekend!  The ice bar downtown.  It has been a fun event every year and I can’t wait to participate in another!  It’s fun to see the fur hats, coats, and boots that come out, but I’m afraid I won’t be sporting any of that!  Uggs and wool for me!

Off to read!

Related articles

2011 in Movies

The Wehrenberg 100th Anniversary logo (2006).
Image via Wikipedia

The last post of the year, I promise.  Three in a day, really?  🙂

I am a bit of a movie fiend, as most people know.  So it was fun to sit down and look back on my moving viewing in 2011.  I’m a Netflix subscriber, even through their troubles.  I even upped my subscription, going to two DVDs at a time plus streaming!  I cancelled my cable (and don’t even miss it) so my streaming and DVD watching has drastically increased.  I stream a lot of TV shows – watching old episodes of Cheers and thirtysomething or finding British TV shows that I’ve never heard of, or even American shows I’ve never heard of (What About Brian? – heard of it?).

I also took advantage of the “theatre near me” and their Rush Hour Pricing – all shows between 4-6PM are $5 (or $5.50 now) and they have free popcorn on Wednesdays for Wehrenberg card holders (and of course I am!).  So I have gone to the theatre a lot on Wednesdays.

Going to the theatre hasn’t lost any of its appeal.  I remember a long time ago going to the first movie in a theatre in a long time and wondering why I didn’t do it more often!  I believe the movie was “City of Angels,” and it just is a magical experience to see a movie in the theatre.  I try to prioritize my theatre-going and keep up with what’s new and coming soon through podcasts and IMDB gazing.

In 2011 I watched more than 110 movies, probably more than 120.  30 were seen in the movie theatre and the rest from Netflix, streaming, or the library.  I watched 16 TV series either partially or in their entirety (mostly in their entirety).  During my Ferragosto vacation in August I watched 7 movies – 4 in Italian.  I find that without cable I often will turn on a streaming movie or rewatch a movie that I own while I am doing other things.  It feels more purposeful than having a random TV channel on!

Below is the movies I saw in the theatre in 2011.  I know there were some clunkers, but I always enjoy the theatre-going experience, whether it be alone, with kiddos, or with good friends and family, so I have nothing but positive feelings about all of the movies below.

Here’s to more movie magic in 2012!

The King’s Speech
Take Me Home Tonight!
Cedar Rapids
Something Borrowed
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
Company
Cars 2
Bad Teacher
Larry Crowne
Horrible Bosses
The Help
The Guard
Puss in Boots
Harry Potter
Crazy, Stupid Love
Smurfs
Sarah’s Key
Our Idiot Brother
The Lion King 3D
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Footloose
50/50
The Muppets
Hugo
New Year’s Eve
The Descendents
Young Adult
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher)
My Week with Marilyn

 

Books: Catching up with myself!

Cover of "Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, w...
Cover via Amazon

I’ve been busy blogging about Boof’s list and my list and meanwhile books are being finished!  That’s a good thing.  I’m definitely going to make my Goodreads goal (and surpass it!) of 55 books by year end.  Good times.  Love Goodreads.

So far in September I have finished the following:

“A Lover’s Dictionary” by David Levithan – My Goodreads review:  A quick, satisfying read. David Levithan tells a love story through word definitions (and you know I love the dictionary!). Sometimes silly words, often powerful words. It tells a story fully in short, packed definitions. Good stuff.

“Attachments” by Rainbow Rowell – My Goodreads review: What a fun and unique book! Told through emails that get caught in a filter and the IT guy who reads them. It was amazing how much you learn about people from reading their emails and all characters were very likeable. I was cheering for them to be happy and really unsure how it was going to turn out until the very end. How satisfying! * I already posted this info but it’s worth posting twice!  It is going to be a favorite of 2011 I think!

“The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake” by Aimee Bender (audiobook) – My Goodreads review: I tried to read this once and it didn’t grab me. It remained on my TBR list so I got it on audio from the library, and I’m sorry to say it didn’t grab me again! It got better as it went on, but I wouldn’t have finished listening to it if I hadn’t had some miles to put on the car this week. The author read the book and it sounded like it would sound if I read the book – nothing special. Just being read to.   That said, there were a few moments I will remember for a while – the story (parable) that Rose tells about her classmate that couldn’t read and then found out that he couldn’t see was quite powerful.

Sorry for being unoriginal and simply posting my Goodreads reviews about these books.  Don’t have many more thoughts than I’ve already written!  🙂

I’m currently reading (and loving!) “Lunch in Paris – a Love Story with Recipes” by Elizabeth Bard.  How fun!  I think it’s going to have to go on my wishlist to own and go on my cookbook shelf right next to “A Homemade Life”!  They are similar in that there are recipes relating to each chapter but Bard’s book is filled with yummy sounding French recipes.  Ooh la la!

And on the books into movies front, I purchased the new “Jane Eyre”  movie and I am patiently waiting for friend Cindy to find time to watch it with me!  In the meantime I found a 1983 British miniseries of Jane Eyre on instant Netflix so I’m refreshing my memory on the story – in 11 episodes it is probably not too abridged!

A few Italian movies I reserved during Ferragosto have come to me from the library so I have another to watch tonight.  There are a few in the theatres I’d like to go see but we’ll see how it goes!

Off to read!

Related articles

Movies: Catching Up

Reel mosaic
Movies Movies Movies Image by Carbon Arc via Flickr

I’ve seen a few good movies lately, so thought I’d share!

I’ve had a movie-ful summer so far, that’s for sure.  I’ve received a few gifts of gift cards and am thankful for their assistance in my habit!

Netflix: “Downton Abbey” is not a movie, but rather a PBS Masterpiece Theatre series – 7 episodes – and such a delight!  I just found out today that season 2 starts in January!  Something to look forward to…

Netflix: “HappyThankYouMorePlease” was even better than I was thinking it would be!  Good stories about good people.  I love Josh Radnor from HIMYM and he directed and starred in this film.  Great music, too.

Theatre: “Crazy, stupid love.” was also much better than I thought it would be!  The plot was unpredictable (which I find that I appreciate more and more … so many movies and books are simple and dead in their plots) and the characters were sweet. I was moved to tears a few times (could be simply feeling emotional) and laughed a lot.

“Horrible Bosses” was also a great time in the theatre!  Many, many laughs!

I’m currently half-watching “The Band’s Visit” – a movie from the library – about an Egyptian police band who goes to Israel to play for the opening of an Arab Cultural Center but find themselves in the wrong town. It’s in Hebrew and English, so I don’t have to watch it as closely as a fully foreign film.  And since it has a lot of music in it, too, it’s even easier to half-watch. It’s due tomorrow, so I have to get it watched!  It’s enjoyable so far…

I’m going to start a new book tonight and that’s always exciting.  Dang that library that entices me to get such fun books!  But I actually reserved books off my TBR list on goodreads so have some books that I’ll be able to check off.  Yay!

What are you watching or reading?

Off to read!

Related articles

More movie talk…

In 1998 Reed Hastings founded Netflix, the lar...
Image via Wikipedia

Last night I watched “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” on Netflix.  I am disappointed that it didn’t come to the theatre in Rochester, making it the only one I didn’t get to see on the big screen.  I went to Dana’s house to watch it on his big screen, since I usually watch instantly viewed netflix on my computer – a small screen.  The movie was 2.5 hours, but it really flew by.  Of course, it was the same general story as the book, with the omission of TONS, but I think it did a good job of telling the complicated story that the books are made of.  It is still baffling to me how much I liked these books and movies, as violence and intrigue aren’t my usual fare, either in books or movies.  The books made my list of “important things in my life in 2010,” so that’s saying something.

Today I watched “The Wrestler,” or maybe I should say I finished watching it.  I had it on Netflix a while ago and the DVD was scratched or something and I couldn’t finish watching it, so I recorded it and watched the second hour.  Now I can say that’s done.  🙂

My current Netflix DVD is “I Am Love,” which I know very little about.  It might be foreign and it might not be.  It isn’t up for any Oscars but it was up for some Golden Globes, I believe.  I’ll let you know what I think!

What about you? Have you seen anything good lately?