Currently Watching From Here to Eternity see related

From Here to Eternity... Robert E. Lee Prewitt is a private assigned to the naval base in Hawaii just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Little did he know that his captian, Dana Holmes, had him transferred to Hawaii so that he could box for the captain's team. However, Prewitt refuses to box and in turn recieves the "treatment" from his unit. Prewitt be friends Privatte Angelo Maggio in the process, and the two become fast friends. Prewitt becomes involved with Alma Burke, a girl he meets in town, and thus ensues a struggle between being a soldier and being there for the one he loves. At the same time, 1st Sergent Milton Warden falls in love with Captain Holmes's wife, Karen, and they begin an affair which leads them to a place where they have to decide for themselves which path they want to travel.

I picked up this movie not thinking much of any of the actors other than Frank Sinatra, who is one of my all-time favorite singers. However, to neglect the other actors was a huge mistake of mine because I was stunned by the outstanding performances of Burt Lancaster (Warden) and Montgomery Clift (Prewitt). The movie, though set just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor in the barracks and military towns in Hawaii, deals much more with the issues of being an "outsider" and standing up for what you believe in rather than being in the army. The movie does deal with the corruption of the army and within the ranks, but it also shows that there are good soldiers as well. It is also a story of love and the struggles of being in love and being in the army at the same time. This movie definitely deserved all the Oscars that it won back in '53, and it's a classic that everyone should watch.

Overall rating: B

Currently Watching Me and You and Everyone We Know see related

Me and You and Everyone We Know...Christine Jeperson is a struggling artist who drives around the elderly for her day job and is a hopeless romantic. Richard Swersey is a shoe salesman at a department store who has recently separated from his wife and is now sharing custody of his two boys. Christine and Richard meet one day when Christine drives a client to the department store to buy shoes. The movie delves into the lives of the neighborhood children and Richard's sons and all the random people that Christine and Richard are somehow connected to and it all ends up in one big circle of connected-ness.

This film, though it won however many independent film awards, is one of the most random and plotless films I have ever seen. In no ways is it "bad", per se, however there's nothing extraordinary about this film either. It's weird, twisted and ... random and all synonyms for random included in that description too. This movie was beyond weird, but shows the randomness, banality and connections of daily life. There's definitely symbolism in this movie (which I failed to catch) but it's worth a watch if you like independent films. Other than that, you will be bored brainless for the most part and be sorely disappointed when you find out that there isn't much to the plot at the end.

Overall rating: C-

Currently Watching Something New see related

Something New...Kenya McQueen is a successful black woman living in L.A. The only thing she is missing is a man. She knows what her IBM (Ideal Black Man) is, but she cannot seem to find him. When she is set up on a blind date with Brian Kelly, a landscaper, she rejects him at first, but then hires him to landscape her backyard. Spending more and more time together, the chemistry builds. However, Kenya's job and possible promotion and the issue of race begin to affect their relationship. Kenya then meets Mark, her IBM, and things begin to go haywire as Kenya tries to juggle her emotions and must decide for herself what she wants.

When I first saw the trailer, I knew I wanted to see this movie, but I also knew that it was not going to be...well, great. I'm a huge fan of Simon Baker (Brian) and have been for a number of years now. He kind of disappeared off the screen (both TV and movie), but I'm glad that Aussie has resurfaced here. Back to the movie...I knew it wasn't going to be all that great, but I'll tell you, I was not disappointed much at all. Yes, there are the sappy parts of the movie (the "I love yous" were awkward, but I guess that's true in real life too), but it was the romantic comedy that I had gone in wanting to watch. I'm defintely buying this when it comes out on DVD. Hehe. It's a great feel-good movie.

Overall rating: B

Currently Watching Brokeback Mountain see related

Brokeback Mountain... A touching love story of two people who fall in love while herding sheep through the mountains of Wyoming, Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger both make brilliant performances as Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar. These two cowboys meet ranching together, fall in love in the months that they spend in the mountains, and afterward, struggle against society with their emotions while trying to maintain a secret relationship as well as their normal lives. This movie magnificently portrays the intense internal struggle that all people face when pitted against societal norms.

One word: Wow. There's no exaggeration when people say that this is one of the best movies ever made. The one thing I didn't like about the movie was that it was a little slow at times, but the overall acting and plot was excellent. Everyone in the audience, who isn't shallow or disgusted by homosexuals, can relate to the internal struggles portrayed by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal on screen. Both actors displayed their emotions so vividly that it was easy for the audience to fall into and get lost in the plot. Everyone hypes this movie up to be the "gay cowboy movie" but I think a fairer description of it would be the "sad love story" movie, because that is essentially what it is. There's attraction and most of all, restraint, which are things everyone can relate to. This movie blew me out of the water. I almost cried, and I never cry in movies. This is a must see for every person, especially those who are insanely homophobic because it'll change the way you see homosexuals for sure.

Overall rating: A

Currently Watching March of the Penguins (Widescreen Edition) see related

March of the Penguins...This movie is a documentary about the lives of those strange, well-dressed bird creatures that live in Antarctica. Although slow at times, the overall movie was fun and cute to watch. Definitely one more for the girls than the boys. Morgan Freeman narrates.

Overall rating: B