Water for Elephants

Ok - I will admit that I was dying to see Robert Pattinson in a role other than Edward Cullen, so I was really excited to see this movie.  Other reasons include the fact that I love Reese Witherspoon (who doesn't?) and Christoph Waltz is a new actor to watch (he was absolutely brilliant in Inglorious Basterds.)  So - how was it?  It's another tough one to call because there are lots of positives and lots of negatives.  Positives:  really good story and beautiful scenery; Negatives:  animal abuse and no chemistry between Robert and Reese.  I understand that the animal abuse was a big part of the story, and I will say that they don't actually show it (they just imply it) but it was still hard to watch.  The chemistry between Robert and Reese was practically non-existent, which I had heard from movie critics before I saw it, but it was worse than I expected.  It's one of those things that you can't really explain, you'd just have to see it to understand it.  Don't get me wrong, Robert was oh so dreamy, and Reese was beautiful (although sometimes a little stiff.)  They just didn't work so well together.  Now despite those (fairly major) negatives, the story and scenery are really good, and it will make you wish you had a pet elephant.  So, overall, it's BEARABLE (unfortunetely.)  I wish I could give it a "check it out", but it just doesn't quite get there.

Madea's Big Happy Family

This was my first Madea movie, so I was a little overwhelmed!  Overall, it was pretty funny, but also pretty sad.  And it bounces back and forth between funny and sad ALOT!  The funny parts are pretty ridiculous, some of the comedic scenes drag on a little too long and are a little far fetched.  But that said, it's still gonna make you laugh!  The sad parts are very realistic - it's all stuff that families go through in real life, which I found overly depressing.  To me, a big reason for watching a movie is to be immersed in a different world so you don't have to think about your real life, and this one reminds you all too much of the family dramas that pretty much everyone has going on all the time.  Overall, I'd say it was BEARABLE... you will laugh, but you will also cry so it's a tough call!

Jane Eyre

Loved it!  I started reading the novel a few years ago but stopped early on so I knew very little about the story, except for the fact that it was dark and a little spooky at times.  While watching this interpretation, I was totally mesmerized by the whole film... the 2 girls who played young and adult Jane were both stunning, Mr. Rochester was charmingly arrogant, and the cinematography and setting were absolutely gorgeous.  As with other films based on novels that I loved (like Never Let Me Go) - it was like watching poetry on film.  I know that is a weird analogy but it's the only thing I can think of to describe the way I see it.  Overall, it was beautiful.  So - CHECK IT OUT!

Secretariat

L O V E D it!  Made me wish I had my own horse... seriously.  It's a great family movie that is exciting, suspenseful, and for the most part PG rated (I don't remember anything questionable, but I was so wrapped up in the story I might not remember it either way.)  I just can't say enough good things about it - so CHECK IT OUT!  The general consensus from everyone else I know that has seen it has all been highly favorable as well!

Source Code

Love me some Jake!!  And he's really quite good in this movie.  The story was interesting enough to keep me curious, but I will say that there was ALOT of scientific talk that left me a little confused.  I think I'd say that I understood the ending about half way - part of me was like "I think I get it" and the other part of me was like "Wait, what?"  However, because science fiction is not really my favorite kind of movie, I'm sure I totally ignored some important sci-fi talk while I was swooning over Jake.  Overall, if you like science fiction, or if you like Jake, CHECK IT OUT!

Never Let Me Go

I totally bawled my eyes out at the end!  I'm not talking the one tear down your cheek crying, I'm talking tears flowing, face all scrunched up, heart breaking kinda cry!  This movie is soooo beautiful and the story is very powerful.  Basically, in an alternate version of scientific history, children are "designed" to be clones of average human beings, and must begin donating vital organs around the age of 20.  The story revolves around 3 of these children all grown up and facing the reality of living for only a few more years at the most, all while forming relationships that create quite a love triangle.  My heart just broke at the end because of the love between 2 of them!  (I am a romantic at heart...)  I was so intrigued about what was going to happen, I actually watched the whole movie in one sitting, which doesn't happen often with DVD's.  So overall, it was a gorgeous movie, although maybe not for everyone.  It's very powerful yet understated, much like The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Road, and Cold Mountain - 3 of my all time favorites.  CHECK IT OUT if you think it sounds like something you might like!

Jackie's Top 5 - Romance

The Notebook

No question this is #1 on the list.  I dare to say that it's the most romantic movie ever.  I mean, come on:  guy and girl fall in love and then are seperated by circumstance, and years later he painstakingly builds a humongous house for her like he originally said he would without her even knowing about it?!  We all hope to find a love like that some day.

 Shakespeare In Love

It's been several years since this one came out, but even Jackie at 17 totally loved this movie!  It's quite comedic at times, but at its heart it is all about love.  It's a fictional tale about Shakespeare while writing Romeo and Juliet, probably the most famous love story of all time, where he meets and falls madly in love with a woman betrothed to someone else.  As you can imagine, it's ending isn't exactly a happy one, but I will say that neither of them die.  GREAT MOVIE!

Romeo + Juliet

How could Romeo and Juliet be left off this list?  I saw this movie like 5 times in the theater when I was about 15, and then had it on VHS and watched it ALL the time.  And yes, I was totally in love with Leonardo and wanted to be Claire.  But besides all that, it's really a good movie.  Baz Luhrman did a solid job transforming it to modern day, but kept random things original - like the language.  It's literally Shakespeare word-for-word.  And besides being a solid movie, it's really romantic and heart-breakingly sad at the end (we all know what happens, right?!)  Leo and Claire were perfectly cast, and they all did a good job transforming this classic tale to a 1990's film.  If you haven't seen it - you should!  Consider it educational - it's Shakespeare!  And it's entertaining!!

 

Notting Hill

Oh my goodness, I love this movie.  Everyone has at least considered what it would be like if their celebrity crush actually knew they existed, and this brings that fantasy to life so perfectly.  It's not always easy, and it's not always perfect, but they fall in love despite the crazy circumstances of a famous face dating a totally unknown man.  And how perfect that the famous face is Julia Roberts?  Hugh Grant is totally adorable as the unknown man, trying to impress this movie star, despite his cooky roommate, crazy family, and simple living as a book store owner.  Bonus points for being funny, too!!

500 Days of Summer

This is a totally fresh take on relationships, that was released quite recently.  See my original review:  here.  I loved loved loved the way this movie portrayed a realistic relationship - the excitement at the beginning, followed by fights and annoyances, and maybe even a little dancing in your head after a momentous occasion.  I also liked how it didn't hide the fact that often in relationships, one person is more in like/love than the other.  During the movie, you almost feel like you're in the relationship as well, because you begin to remember instances in your own relationships similar to theirs.  I just loved how it took me back that way - I would say that's not easy to accomplish without being ridiculous!