L.A. Confidential, 1997

Director: Curtis Hanson



Stars: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito









AWFUL!  I couldn't finish it.  I hated everything I saw.  It's a film noir, so obviously it's all depressing and everyone swears and dies and is naked and corrupt.  I just forgot what "film noir" meant, I guess.

Hud, 1963

Director: Martin Ritt

Stars: Paul Newman, Melvyn Douglas, Patricia Neal

Hud (Newman) can't get along with his father, or anyone else, and when he's drunk, he acts like a complete moron.  Very slow-moving, and depressing, really.  Not worth watching.  Sorry, Paul.

A Good Year, 2006

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION
Albert Finney-- Russell Crowe






Director: Ridley Scott



Stars: Russell Crowe, Albert Finney, Freddie Highmore, Abbie Cornish







Max  (Crowe) is a workaholic in London who hasn't seen his uncle Henry is years.  When he hears of his death, he heads to France to his uncle's vineyard, and the memories of his childhood come flooding back.  Life gets a little interesting when a young woman shows up claiming to be his uncle's daughter.

This one is also one of those slow movies, with lots of beautiful scenery.  Definitely a summer movie.  I love those kinds of movies.

An Unfinished Life, 2005

Director: Lasse Hallstrom



Stars: Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Morgan Freeman, Josh Lucas, Becca Gardner








When her current boyfriend beats her again, Jean (Lopez) takes her daughter Griff (Gardner) and heads for the only family she has left-- her late husband's father Einar (Redford).  Einar lives on a ranch and cares for his friend Mitch (Freeman), who was mauled by a bear and can't care for himself.  Einar never truly recovered from his son Griff's death, but as he gets to know his granddaughter, he finds the healing he needs.

This is one of those slow-moving movies.  And except for a tiny scene that could have just been left out and implied (yeah, it's about sex), I really liked this movie.

The Wedding Planner, 2001

Director: Adam Shankman


Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, Justin Chambers, Judy Greer





Mary (Lopez) is a wedding planner who is about to become a partner in the company- all she has to do is successfully plan the Donolly wedding.  This becomes tricky when the man she recently met and has fallen for actually ends up being the groom of the wedding she is supposed to plan!

Very cute and sweet!  I have always liked this movie, as cheesy as it might be.  Romantic comedies too often go the dirty route, and I'm glad this one didn't.

Erin Brockovich, 2000

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!!!
Julia Roberts-- Albert Finney






Director: Steven Soderbergh (Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve, Ocean's Thirteen, The Informant!)


Stars: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, David Brisbin









Erin Brockovich (Roberts), a legal assistant, discovers that a power company is polluting the area's water supply, and hundreds are getting sick and even dying because of it.  She investigates the situation and tries to take down the guilty company.

All in all, I enjoyed this movie.  I both loved and hated Erin and her harsh and sweet personality.  This is definitely a drama, but the ending is very satisfying.  She does wear very revealing, trashy clothing, and everybody's language is pretty awful, but besides that, good movie!  :)

NOTE: The real Erin Brockovich actually has a cameo- she plays the waitress in the restaurant in the beginning!

Mirror Mirror, 2012

Director: Tarsem Singh

Stars: Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer, Nathan Lane





A Snow White story, made into a comedy.  Sometimes this was funny, but honestly, the best part about seeing this in the theater was that it was free because it was a gift, and there was a guy in front of me and ,my friends who fell asleep and started snoring.  The choking silent laughter with friends was worth sitting through the whole silly movie.