Dan in Real Life (R)

Michael Scott, er, sorry, Steve Carell, steps out of The Office and into a simple little rom-com about a widowed single dad's re-entry into love while dealing with daughters and family and life. It was simple and easy and had some sweet moments. Simplistic, yes, but not a bad way to pass two hours on the plane.

3.5 peanut butter and smiling honey sandwiches out of 5 (no crusts, of course). It would have received another half-star if only he'd said, "That's what she said" just one time.

The Jane Austin Book Club (R)

I watched TJABC on a small screen while flying home from NYC Saturday it was so sweet! There was a little will-they-or-won't-they crush between Maria Bello and her fellow that had my heart beating. The connections between the lives of the present-day characters and the Jane Austin books they were discussing were sweet without becoming saccharine.

Maybe I'm easy and sappy but I give it 5 "What Would Jane Do" signs out of 5 -- especially as a way to pass a coupla hours on a flight home that's already been 24 hours delayed.

Gone Baby Gone (R)

I just watched this last night and I'm still disturbed in a want-to-hold-Soren-until-he's-21 kind of way. Haunting subject, yes; but a great film from co-writer-director Ben Affleck and an unexpectedly great cast.

Entirely unsympathetic but somehow moving heroin-snorting mom's little girl disappears and Casey Affleck and his girlfriend join in to help the Boston PD track her down. It turns into a tale where the line between good and bad are razor-thin and the decisions we think are the right ones sometimes tear people apart and leave everyone wondering what "right" really is.

Great directing by Affleck. Great performances by Casey Affleck and Amy Ryan. 5 St. Christopher medallions out of 5.

P.S. I hated Waitress. I'm officially in the minority here. :)

Spiderman 3 --A

I will pay them to NOT make another one of these films. Kirsten Dunst as MJ is annoying to the Nth degree, Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker is so wimpy, and James Franco as his best friend is eye candy..YUM. Do not waste your time. Not even worth the effects. 1 cheer for the bad guy to actual kill Spidey out of 5.

The Dead Girl --A

Name them and they were in this movie. Britney Murphy, Toni Collette, James Franco (kinda really diggin on him right now), Giovanni Ribisi, and others. So a girl ends up dead, no big surprise. The tales of all these different people all end up tying together, love those kind of movies. They include the I-5 killer so I am guessing the screenwriter used him for inspiration. 3 uncomfortable to watch sex in the car scenes 5.

HP - Order of the Phoenix --A

Another tale of Harry Potter and the gang. To me it is just amazing to see the characters as young adults. I was not super excited to see, not like the hubby. I enjoyed it. I had stopped reading the books the one previous so it was all new to me. Very well done and enjoyed! 4 pissed off centaurs out of 5.

Eastern Promises --A

Naomi Watts and Viggo Mortenson. Russian mafia tale. I really liked it. Kinda slow paced for a mafia film but it all explains itself. I didn't see it coming. Viggo was nominated for his role...really? I mean he was good, and you get to see him in a fight scene TOTALLY naked, but a nomination? 4 drunken Russians out of 5.

Sicko --A

Michale Moore...so take it with a grain of salt. His take on health care. He looks at the US, Canada, France, UK, Cuba. They all have National Health Care, we do not. Thought provoking, only tells one side of the story. Wished Monica and Gary were in the room when we watched. 4 biased documentary producers out of 5, only because it makes you think.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Two words: WATCH IT!

We laughed our assess off throughout the entire movie/documentary and then proceeded to laugh through the DVD extras, too. You, too, will be sucked into the world of competitive classic arcade game record setting.

Did you know Jesus both holds the world record for a perfect Pac-Man game *and* sells hot sauce, too?

I give it 5 old-school hickeys out of 5.
WATCH IT!