In “Two Weeks Notice,” Sandra Bullock stars as Lucy Kelson, an idealistic young lawyer who wants to make the world a better place. Her chief area of concern is the environment, and when she learns that a big developer plans to rip down her favorite spot on Coney Island and put up buildings, she’s furious. She marches down to give him a piece of her mind, only to discover that he’s not listening to anything she says. His name is George Wade (Hugh Grant) and he’s a little flaky. He needs people to do things for him, and he keeps … Continue reading →

I’m so confused. I thought I was confused after the first Pirates when we thought Bootstrap Bill was dead, but he couldn’t be dead, because he would have to be undead, right? But then in “Dead Man’s Chest” we learn that he’s slowly turning into a barnacle on the Flying Dutchman. Whatever. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the Pirates series, it’s to enjoy the films for what they are and to try not to analyze them too much, because they really don’t make a whole lot of sense. At the end of “Dead Man’s Chest,” we saw Elizabeth … Continue reading →

As I mentioned when I reviewed the Yul Brynner version of “The King and I,” much of the story of Anna Leonowens and her relationship with the King of Siam was embellished. However, that doesn’t keep this movie from being stunning. Anna (Jodie Foster) was hired to teach the Crown Prince of Siam about the ways of the English, including the language. Part of the agreement was that she would have a house of her own off the palace grounds where she could raise her son, Louie, anyway she liked. After a long journey, Anna and Louie arrive in Siam, … Continue reading →

As is frequently the case, the first movie is the best. “Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl” is the movie that started a whole pirate craze, and for good reason – this movie is funny, romantic, adventurous, and just a little scary. When Elizabeth Swann was just a young girl, she and her father were out on a ship and came upon another vessel that had been destroyed by pirates. They rescued a young boy named Will from that wreck and helped him apprentice with a blacksmith in town. Years have gone by, and Elizabeth (Keira … Continue reading →

This quirky movie was by far my favorite out of all the films produced in the year 2006. Perhaps it’s because I’m an author, but I completely related to the story. Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) works for the IRS, doing audits. He has a bit of an OCD about his routines, from getting ready in the morning to keeping the exact time on his watch. He’s single and has no one to distract him from his patterns. Until one morning, that is, when he starts to hear a woman’s voice narrating everything he does. At first, the voice just says … Continue reading →

Sarah (Diane Lane) is recently divorced. Her husband stopped loving her, found another woman, and started a family, which is something he wouldn’t do with Sarah. She’s feeling hurt and disillusioned, and her entire family has decided to do something about it. They start bringing her pictures of single men complete with phone numbers, but she’s just not ready to take the plunge. Finally her sister Carol (Elizabeth Perkins) goes behind her back and sets up a page on a dating site. Jake (John Cusack) is also recently divorced. He doesn’t want to go through that kind of pain again, … Continue reading →

“She’s the Man” is a loose adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play, “Twelfth Night.” Amanda Bynes plays Viola, a high school student at Cornwall who loves playing soccer, and she’s pretty good at it. Her boyfriend Justin is on the boy’s team at school and tells her she’s just as good as anyone on his team, but the school budget doesn’t extend far enough and the girls’ team is cut. She thinks the girls are just as good as the boys and wants to prove it, but the coach doesn’t even want to let them try out and create a co-ed … Continue reading →

I watched “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” the other night, and I haven’t laughed so hard during a movie in a long time. I really enjoyed this film. Andy Anderson (Kate Hudson) works for a fashion magazine writing how-to articles, but what she really wants is to be a serious reporter. She’s interested in politics, religion, foreign affairs—but all her editor wants are stories on clothing, furniture, and fingernail polish. Hoping to prove herself someday, she keeps writing the fluff stuff, just biding her time until her big break arrives. When her editor (Bebe Neuwirth) sniffs out … Continue reading →