2013 Movie Marathon - Week 9

We begin week 9 with Greg Kinnear, the artist from “As Good as It Gets,” only this time as an artist of a different kind - a pianist - in an adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel, “The Last Song.” No matter how many times I watch this movie, it makes me cry. And aren't those baby turtles adorable?

Monday, we hang out briefly with Kelly Preston (the mom in “The Last Song”) as a mom again, but this time in “Old Dogs.” Now this is a funny movie. Robin Williams is cast as an unsuspecting father (gotta watch those wild drunken nights!) who is called upon to keep the kids he didn't know he had for a couple of weeks while mom is serving time. John Travolta is Williams’ business partner, and they embark together on an adventure being first-time dads—of 8-year-old twins! I think my favorite scenes involve a gorilla cradling a red-headed man … watch and see what I’m talking about!  "I'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you...."

Tuesday, Rita Wilson (a hand model from Monday night's movie) takes us out to Seattle where we meet up with her brother (but real-life husband) Sam (Tom Hanks), who is a widower whose son wants him to find a wife (preferably "Annie" (Meg Ryan)) in “Sleepless in Seattle.” Valentine’s Day on the roof of the Empire State Building!  Gotta love the romance!!! "That's your problem. You don't want to be in love. You want to be in love in a movie!"

Wednesday, we visit with Meg Ryan again, only this time she’s a woman whose fiancé has abandoned her for a hot French babe in “French Kiss.” (Seriously, how can ANYONE compete with an 18-year-old in a tiny skirt with legs up to her ears? Seriously?) Kevin Kline puts in a convincing effort as a nasty Frenchman.  Amazing how the love of a good woman can turn a snake around.

Thursday, Kevin Kline takes a bath and gets a hair cut and a shave and becomes President!! Okay, not really THE President, just “Dave,” the stand-in, so the real guy can go sneaking off with one of his office assistants (remind you of any of our formers?)  But what happens when the real President is suddenly incapacitated? Dare I say “balanced budget?” Just shows what could happen if you got a real average Joe in the White House. (just don’t let the First Lady sing!!)

We bring Eddie Marsan from Washington to hang with Tom Cruise on Friday in “Mission Impossible: III.” This one was pretty cool because they used real and current technology as props in the movie, and not super far-fetched stuff! Of course there's the typical Tom Cruise sprint!

Saturday, we end the week backing up a bit, by bringing Tom Cruise back for yet another sprint and to take us to Mission Impossible (the first one). There’s a method to our madness, folks. Just remember Dougray Scott (the evil guy). You’ll be seeing him again next week!!

And that wraps up Week 9 ... and now we're all caught up until next week!! 

2013 Movie Marathon - Week 8

We begin Week 8 with Steve Carrell again; this time as husband to Tina Fey, in “Date Night.” How can a simple fancy dinner in town with the wife end up with the two of them doing a disturbing pole dance? Well, that’s what happens when you try to steal someone’s dinner reservation!

Monday, we bring Leighton Meester (Katy from “Date Night”) over with us as a country star wannabe in “Country Strong.” This one has taken a little getting into for me ... a little sadder than my normal romantic comedy ... but it's a good movie. Gwyneth Paltrow is convincing as a depressed country star trying to pull herself together, and Tim McGraw does a nice job as a not-quite-so-nice guy! 

Tuesday, we leave the stage and head back in time to 19th Century England with Gwyneth Paltrow as a proper, reserved, matchmaker wannabe in “Emma.” The girl-child and I really enjoy those period movies. Invariably, we end up talking with a British accent when it’s all said and done!

Wednesday, we take Jeremy Northam (who was oh-so-dreamy as Mr. Knightley in “Emma”) and hang out with him (as the bad guy this time) and Sandra Bullock in a movie about identity theft in the early computer days in “The Net.” (Talk about a culture shock – floppy disks, dial-up internet, pay phones – just wow at how far we’ve come!)

Thursday, we hang out with Sandra Bullock again (one of my favorite actresses), and return to the FBI where Bullock is again Gracie Hart, the “face of the FBI,” out in Las Vegas, trying to help solve a kidnapping. Favorite scene: Bullock dressed up as “big bird” (Coco to Regina King’s Tina Turner) and singing "Rollin' on the River" ... TOO funny!!

We bring Regina King with us on Friday to hang out with Tom Cruise as a sports agent who gets it in “Jerry MacGuire.”  (Is there a Tom Cruise movie in existence that doesn’t have him running a full sprint at some point??) Cuba Gooding, Jr. plays a very egocentric football player, with Renee Zellweger as Cruise's wife. Favorite line in this one: “You had me at hello.” 

Saturday, we finish up the week with Cuba Gooding, Jr. again, this time as an art dealer/ manager for artist Greg Kinnear’s in “As Good as It Gets.” Jack Nicholson is perfectly neurotic in this one … “Sell your crazy someplace else … we’re all stocked up here.” "You make me want to be a better man!"

And that winds up Week 8. We’ll start off next week with Greg Kinnear…

2013 Movie Marathon - Week 7

Once again, I’ve gotten behind on blogging about the movies we’re watching, but not behind in the watching … so let’s get caught up!!

We ended week 6 watching “Sabrina,” and brought Julia Ormond with us to begin Week 7, as Lady Guinevere in one of my all-time favorite love stories, "First Knight" (complete with it’s own pair of distinguished gents in Richard Gere and (heartthrob) Sean Connery). Who could blame Guinevere for being torn between King Arthur (Connery) and Lancelot (Gere)? The music in this movie is awesome too!

We decided to spend a little more time with Richard Gere on Monday, this time in his role as USA Today reporter Ike Graham. Ike made the mistake of publishing a not-so-flattering story about Maggie Carpenter, a/k/a “The Runaway Bride,” (played by another Julia, this time Julia Roberts) that cost him his job. The search for the facts to prove his story and redeem himself takes him to Hale, Maryland, and yields a little more than he bargained for. Blue hair? A luau? Love? Maggie's all ready for another trip down the aisle. Will she run yet again?

Maggie must have run, because Tuesday, we followed the Runaway Bride to Hollywood, where she’s now going by the name “Vivian.’ It’s a good thing she knows her way around, because here comes wheeling and dealing bozillionaire Edward Lewis (Richard Gere again) driving a Lotus and asking for directions to Beverly Hills. “This baby corners like it’s on rails” … you guessed it, “Pretty Woman.” 

Wednesday, we finally leave Richard Gere behind as we take Julia Roberts with us and join Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Cuzak and Billy Crystal in “America’s Sweethearts.” I had several people tell me they've never even heard of this one -- it's a cute little movie with a nice twist at the end! Watch it!

Thursday, we hang out with John Cuzak again, along with Diane Lane, as two divorced adults in a too-close-to-home little flick about internet dating called “Must Love Dogs.” It’s always a gamble to see who’s waiting on perfectmatch.com!

Friday, we go old-school, and spend a little time in song … “How do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?" We take Christopher Plummer (Diane Lane's dad from "Must Love Dogs") with us to the hills of Austria in “The Sound of Music.”  The costumes are pretty horrific, but the music is wonderful, and Julie Andrews is, of course, fabulous! “She’s a darling, she’s a demon, she’s a lamb …” Everybody sing along!

We keep Julie Andrews with us to finish out our week; this time in a movie that’s a little more animated (*snicker*). Andrews does a complete transformation from a Novice/newlywed in “The Sound of Music” to the voice of the mother of evil villain Gru (voiced by Steve Carrell) in “Despicable Me.” “It’s so fluffy!!” “Curse you, tiny toilet!” L-O-V-E this movie, and can’t wait for the sequel!!

And that wraps up week 7! A hint going into week 8: Steve Carrell ...