All the President's Men - 4 stars

All the President's Men is the story of the Washington Post reporters, Woodward & Bernstein, who uncover the Watergate scandal. I have the hardest time understanding history. It's taught to us in school as names, places, and dates, which I can't memorize to save my life. Ask my friend Sharee and she will tell you that she aced history by studying with me because he had to drill repeatedly and I still barely passed. Movies about history, on the other hand, are something that I can understand. Put it into a story, with characters that relate to each other in a context, and I can get that.

This is a very well told story. Starring Dustin Hoffman, who can do no wrong, and Robert Redford, who is so likable that you will watch him play himself in any film, the two leads have wonderful chemistry together. It's also fun to see a vibrant Jason Robards, who started his acting career in 1946 and died in 2000.

As an aside, Robards was wonderful in his second to last film, Magnolia. Magnolia is 3 hours long, but worth every minute. And, you get to see Tom Cruise ACT in a supporting role. Shocking.

Anyway, All the President's Men does a great job of showing what it was like for the reporters to follow their instincts while under tremendous pressure to back down. It's life affirming and wonderfully nuanced. I especially enjoyed Robards yelling "Woodstein!" when he was angry at Woodward and Bernstein. Another likable moment that repeats throughout the film is watching the 2 actors stand next to each other and play off each other. Redford looks 7 feet tall next to Hoffman.

Babetteflix

My friend Babette has a much better movie review blog than I do, so I better throw her some props. Babette used to work in the film industry and is also a writer, so she is thoughtful, knowledgeable, and articulate in her reviews. The best part about her blog is the frequency of her entries. Babette faithfully goes to the theater every week and has seen more movies than anyone else I know.

Here's something you won't hear me say often: listen to her, not me!

Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil - 3 stars

When I lived in Santa Barbara I got to see author John Berendt speak and he was intriguing. He has a very unassuming way about him that makes you very comfortable. I understand how he could go to a city, hang out for a little while, and then end up in the middle of a murder trial.

Berendt went to Savannah, GA, to cover a society party. If I recall correctly, he described the folks in Savannah as something like crazy, drunk, and all fully armed.

The movie starts off slow, but picks up speed about 20 minutes into it. John Cusack plays Berendt, a different character than his usual down on his luck good guy. Kevin Spacey is the other lead. The real treat is when Lady Chablis is on the screen. She's a transsexual show girl. I was amazed by how well the actor embodied this character. Then I watched the credits and saw that Lady Chablis was played by herself.

Definitely worth the watch, especially if you are a film buff.

Jerry Maguire - 3.5 stars

I've always had lukewarm feelings about Jerry Maguire. Jim got in on our Netflix queue and I kind of smirked when he told me what he got. He asked why I was rolling my eyes (which I wasn't, I was smirking). I told him that I think it's cute how he really likes chick flicks. He responded with "Jerry Maguire isn't a chick flick. Oh, wait. Yeah, I guess it is."

This is probably the 3rd or 4th time that I've seen this movie. It's certainly getting better with age. My age, that is. There is wisdom in how they portray the single mom, his work relationships when he bares his soul (I love how is his co-workers applaud and whisper that hes' going to get fired because he was so honest), and the shared look between his wife and friend when watching the wedding video.

The reason this movie doesn't hold together is Tom Cruise. He has no chemistry with Renee Zellweger because he's all persona. It's the rare film where he comes down to earth to be a human being instead of a leading man/superstar. He's not believable as someone who would marry Dorothy. Sure, he's desperate not to be alone, but this actor playing this character is much more likely going to hit the bars or find a hooker before hitting it with his idealistic assistant.

It's directed by Cameron Crowe, so I'm tempted to go back and watch Almost Famous again. I might just like it more than I did the first time around.

Sunshine Cleaning - 3 stars

I watched Sunshine Cleaning last week. Now I can't remember it. My parents and my husband will tell you that this never happens. I remember movie details and actors better than I remember just about anything else.

Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration - forgetting the movie, not the other part.

Alan Arkin, Emily Blunt, and Amy Adams star in this family drama/comedyish film about 2 down-on-their-luck sisters who start a company to clean up after bloody crime scenes. It's a slice of life picture that doesn't tie up in a little bow at the end.

I remember liking it, but I can't really articulate why. The acting was good. I think the story was pretty good, just not all that memorable.

Seredipity - 2.5 stars

What happens when John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, Jeremy Piven, and Eugene Levy act in a movie with a bad script? Serendipity. That is "Serendipity," not serendipity. You learn at the beginning of the movie that serendipity means a happy accident, a pleasant coincidence. Jonathan and Sara meet and leave it to chance to see if they will ever find each other again. However, watching Serendipity is an accident of another kind. The script is trite. Nothing new or original happens in this movie. It's predictable and kind of boring.

There is one really good line in it, of course delivered by Jeremy Piven: "You're such an a$$hole. You're my hero!"

I should also add that Jim noticed that John Cusack performed his trademark move - the crouched on the ground pose that he tends to do in every movie. The defeated, yet about to be victorious, good guy pose.

Take a pass on this one or watch it when you're down with the flu.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (TV) - 3 stars

I can't decide if this show gets funnier or worse the more that I watch it. I think the answer is that it's funny if you watch it about once a month. It's abrasive and the characters dumb and narcissistic. However, there is something to be said for over-the-top brash comedy.

Danny DiVito plays a familiar character - over-confident weirdo/loser. He co-owns a bar with 2 of his kids and their friend. Part of the joke is that nobody is ever in the bar. They are all just drinking their inventory and coming up with get rich schemes or revenge schemes, or get the girl in bed schemes.

Modern Family (TV) - 3 stars

Modern Family is a new spin on the family sitcom. Ed O'Neill, the father from Married with Children, has a hot young wife and young son, his adult son is gay with an adopted baby, and his daughter has a nuclear family.

The gay couple is delightful. I'd like to see either of them in a straight role, since they are so convincing as a gay couple.

O'Neil is wealthy and smart enough to land a foxy young Columbian. She plays the role to a T while avoiding stereo-types of a foreign trophy wife. Her 10 year old son, Manny, is a riot. He's a miniature adult - overly articulate and thoughtful with a crush on his cute older step-cousin.

Catch episodes on Hulu.

Glee! (TV) - 4 stars

I love Glee! It's a musical Brady Bunch; a multi-cultural high school Cosby Show; a family-friendly Election. Set in Lima, Ohio, this show tackles real issues that adults and students have to face, has a tremendously talented cast, and actually has a plot line.

Not only am I sucked into the story, but also some (not all) of the actors look like real people and they actually integrate human characteristics into the plot. For example, there's a kid in a wheelchair (played by an able-bodied teen in a real life boy band) and they had an episode where the other kids were forced to sit in a chair for a week. It's an old scenario, but they do it really well, without feeling forced. Jane Lynch (pictured) adds an element of mean-spirited friction, which gives the show an extra dimension.

The thing that makes the show lasting, instead of more of a one-hit-wonder is that it doesn't take the predictable easy way out. Lies are exposed, tyrants are toppled, underdogs get to shine, and the plot continues to develop.

Jim says he doesn't like it, but he's watched every single episode with me. I think he's lying since actions speak louder than words. However, he does admit to liking "chick flicks," so I guess I'll have to ferret out the truth a little later.

The last 5 episodes are available on Hulu.

Julie and Julia - 4 stars

Julie & Julie is what chick flicks ought to be. The true story of a wanna be writer working her way through the entire Julia Child cookbook in 1 year in order to prove to herself that she can finish what she starts.

At the same time, Julia Child is rising from a bored ambassador's wife, to a cooking phenom. Meryl Streep plays her to perfection, in a way that only She can. Is there nothing that this woman can not do? It looks like she packed on a few pounds and grew a few inches to play Child. How is that possible?

Amy Adams is cute as a button. Make-up makes her appear as a plain Jane, although she still is dazzling.

The writing is delicious, constantly laugh-out-loud funny, with barely a dull moment. This is the kind of movie that you will want to re-watch on rainy Sundays.