Sherlock Holmes, 2009

Director: Guy Ritchie

Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong

I love pretty much everything in this movie. Okay, so maybe not the gross stuff and the appearance of Satanic practices..... but I do love the music! You can't not love this music. Hans Zimmer is brilliant!

So Holmes (Robert Downey Jr) and Watson (Law), bring down Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), who is behind a string of murders and apparent sacrifices of young women. Blackwood is hanged, but before that, his last request is to see Holmes, when he warns him that more will die and Holmes won't be able to stop them. He seems to have a much bigger plan in mind, which is odd, since he'll be dead in an hour....

Then Blackwood has been seen "risen from the dead", apparently, and as Holmes investigates the bodies begin to pile up. And don't worry, though it is quite dark, Holmes proves that none of the events are supernatural- all have a sensible explanation.

It is a very funny movie! Jude Law as Watson is absolutely brilliant, and he and Holmes are hilarious together.

Just watch it. You'll love it. Perfect Halloween movie. (Well, not really, but whatever!)

I especially love the credits at the end. Don't just turn it off- you have to watch them until The Rocky Road to Dublin starts. :)

Castle, tv series, 2009-

Creator: Andrew W. Marlowe

Stars: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic

Famous mystery writer Richard Castle (Fillion) uses his friendship with the Mayor of New York to tag along with Detective Kate Beckett (Katic), investigating murders and catching killers. In his time with Kate, he observes her ways in order to create his next character, Nikki Heat.

That's how it began, anyway. Three seasons and many dead bodies later, the two are still solving crimes together, and I love watching them do so!

Chuck, tv series, 2007-

Creator: Josh Schwartz, Chris Fedak

Stars: Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Adam Baldwin, Joshua Gomez

Chuck (Levi) is a "nerd-herder" at the Buy More, a very green-and-khaki electronics store in Burbank, California. One day, Chuck opens up an email, and suddenly all kinds of government information in downloaded into his brain! Now when he hears a name or sees a picture or person, the subconscious information suddenly "flashes" upon him.

Because of this unique ability, he becomes a government asset, and the CIA and NSA each send an agent to protect him and also use his abilities on "missions". The NSA agent, John Casey (Baldwin), works alongside Chuck at the Buy More, which is always entertaining, since Casey isn't the best with customer service, and would rather be shooting something.

Sarah Walker (Strahovski) is Chuck's CIA handler, and her cover is as his girlfriend, which makes Chuck's life even more interesting.

I am not crazy about television comedies, but with Chuck I make an exception! It is now on season 5, and I'm only disappointed that I am all caught up and can't watch them all in one go, like I could with the first 4 seasons. Chuck is a fun show, and I highly recommend it.

Murdoch Mysteries, 2008-

Creator: Maureen Jennings

Stars: Yannick Bisson, Helene Joy, Thomas Craig, Jonny Harris

I found this lovely Canadian gem on Netflix! Detective William Murdoch (Bisson) investigates murders in 1890's Toronto, with the help of his medical examiner Dr. Julia Ogden (Joy), Inspector Brackenreid (Craig), and Constable Crabtree (Harris).

It has a Sherlock Holmes-style of solving crimes, using new forensic evidence to catch the killers. The introduction of modern items also comes into play, such as periscopes, motorcycles, lie-detectors, wireless communication, finger-printing, and other things in forensic police shows that you wouldn't expect to see in this era.

It's too bad only one season is on Netflix. But I'm really enjoying this season 1. I wonder when Murdoch and Julia are going to get together?!

I Was a Male War Bride, 1949

Director: Howard Hawks

Stars: Cary Grant, Ann Sheridan

French Captain Henri Rochard (Grant) and American Lieutenant Catherine Gates (Sheridan) go on military missions together in Germany, and eventually fall in love. But they soon find out that getting married and travelling together as a married couple is rather difficult. Captain Rochard has retired so Gates is the military member. And usually only "brides" travel with the army.

It's like a cute romantic comedy til they get married and then it's just silly because when they are travelling (not together) Rochard can't find anywhere to sleep. He isn't a woman so he can't sleep in the spouse's quarters and he can't sleep with the officers because he isn't one anymore. It's a little ridiculous. But it was definitely ok, and Cary Grant was very entertaining, as always!

In a Day, 2006

Director: Evan Richards

Stars: Lorraine Pilkington, Finlay Robertson

I don't know how I found this. Netflix is so great! This is one of those indie-dramas, and usually I am not into those, but anything that takes place in the UK I have a bit of interest in, and then as it went on, I found I really liked it!

Ashley (Pilkington) is having a very bad day (I almost turned it off when a guy started using the most awful language toward her, and then threw his hot coffee on her! Actually, I did turn off at the language part, and then just as it turned off he threw his coffee, and I was curious as to how she was going to react so I turned it back on, and after that I watched the whole thing.). Then a stranger, Michael (Robertson), offers to buy her a drink, then they go shopping, then lunch, then she gets her hair done. Michael tells her that someone wants her to have a great day, and that is why he's doing all this.

Besides the language- which for England is normal, I suppose- I loved it. So I don't want to say anything else about it. I will say, though, that I liked how they weren't super famous people, and they were very normal-looking. I mostly watched it because Michael was so sweet and real. I could imagine him as my own friend.

Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School, 2005

Director: Randall Miller

Stars: Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, John Goodman, Mary Steenburgen, Sean Astin

This is one of those slow-moving stories; the kind that makes you feel like you are with them.

Frank (Carlyle) is driving home when he comes across a car accident. He calls the police and stays with the driver (Goodman) who begins to talk about where he was headed- to Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School to meet Lisa, his childhood sweetheart. They had agreed to meet there 40 years ago. Now, as he's bleeding and dying, he urges Frank to go in his place.

Frank, still suffering from his wife's suicide, goes to the school, and doesn't find Lisa, but ends up finding his own life again.

The story bounces around from Frank's time at the school, and back to the accident, then to the 60's as the dying man tells Frank about the Charm school and Lisa.

I liked it!

The Italian Job, 2003

Director: F. Gary Gray

Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Donald Sutherland, Edward Norton, Jason Statham, Seth Green, Mos Def

Charlie (Wahlberg) brings master-thief safe-cracker John (Sutherland) out of retirement for one last job- to steal over $30 million in gold bricks. It all goes off without a hitch, until afterwards when Steve (Norton) turns on his friends and kills John. The others fake their own deaths, and Steve changes his name and starts to spend his money.

A year later, Charlie and the gang find Steve in Los Angeles, and after recruiting John's daughter Stella (Theron), who has inherited her father's ability to crack safes, they set out to get back their money. For John's sake; it's not about the money, of course!

I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's crazy how Hollywood can get you to cheer for the thieves! We're not supposed to be on their side! But we totally are.

This one is pure fun! Mini Cooper car chases, lots of explosives, Jason Statham being all charming, what more could you want?

Midsomer Murders, tv series, 1997-

3. Midsomer Murders

I love this show. It has run since 1997, with Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles, right) as its main character. His Detective Sergeant has changed a few times, but the one in the picture is Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey), my favorite, and he stayed on til series 8. (Just so you know: the British call seasons "series".)

My dear friend Holly introduced me to Midsomer and all its murders years ago! And now Netflix has them all as "watch instantly", which perfectly suits me when I'm in the mood for a quiet, English countryside murder.

Holly and I usually have the worst luck when we pick one of these to watch together though. We usually pick ones where the kids are the killers, or there is a seriously messed up, dirty relationship, or something like that. A lot of the episodes involve sexual relationships and scandals though. This is not a kid's show! But I do like how it isn't too gruesome. When the bodies are too gross, they don't show it. Unlike in Bones, which I love but can't watch while I eat.

But otherwise, I like this show. Barnaby is a totally lovable Inspector, and the episodes are long enough (100 minutes) so that you are very confused and it keeps you guessing til the very end. Actually, the other day I watched one and was proud of myself that I knew who the killer was right off the bat! But I just didn't like the way she looked. I didn't really solve anything.

Hawaii Five-0, tv series, 2010-

my new favorite show!

2. Hawaii Five-0

Hawaii Five-O ran from 1968-1980, and was a police action drama starring Jack Lord and James MacArthur (yes, that would be Fritz from Disney's Swiss Family Robinson, folks!). I'm sure it was great- it did run for 12 seasons after all. But now, 30 years later, it's back!

Now starring Alex O'Loughlin, Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim, and Grace Park. It reminds me of NCIS: Los Angeles, except the guys are better looking (HAVE YOU SEEN THAT PICTURE? <<<<<<<<------), and of course, it takes place in Hawaii. I would probably never want to visit Hawaii, but it sure is pretty on tv!

I've started season 2 because that's where the show is now and I can watch full episodes on CBS.com. But I'm excited to watch season 1 through Netflix. I really love Netflix, and right now especially. I can even watch all 12 seasons of the old version of Five-O on Netflix- instantly! I might give it a go.

Unforgettable, tv series, 2011-

I am currently out of commission with back trouble. I literally can't walk or stand for more than a few minutes at a time without lots of pain and discomfort. So, movies and television (and knitting!) are my friends right now.

1. Unforgettable

I just discovered this fantastic police drama Unforgettable! (Of course, it is brand new anyway, so there weren't a whole lot to discover.) The main character is a detective (played by Poppy Montgomery) who remembers absolutely everything. You can pick any day of her life and she can tell you what happened, where she was, who she was with, what was said, what people were wearing, etc. It's kind of cool! It's like a cross between Castle and Monk.

To make things interesting, she works with another detective, Al Burns (played by Dylan Walsh), with whom she had a past relationship. But now he's in a relationship, so there's a bit of drama, and of course, viewers are wondering how he's going to break up with his current girlfriend and get back with Carrie Wells (that's the main character). Well, I'm wondering.

I'm slightly annoyed with Poppy Montgomery's slightly Australian accent. I mean, I love accents, and it's not exactly annoying! I just mean, it is SOOOOOO obvious she is Australian so I think the writers should write something in, like that her father was from Australia, or that she spent a lot of time there when she was younger. Otherwise, she needs to try a lot harder on her American accent! Sorry.

It's Tuesday nights at 10pm on CBS. And you can full episodes on CBS.com!

Bird on a Wire, 1990

Director: John Badham (also directed Saturday Night Fever)

Stars: Mel Gibson, Goldie Hawn

Rick has spent 15 years in Witness Protection after helping put murderous drug dealers Diggs and Sorenson behind bars. When his former fiancee Marianne (Hawn) thinks she recognizes him at a gas station in Detroit, he knows it's time to move on, before Diggs and Sorenson find him too. Unbeknownst to him, however, his new contact in the FBI is working with the drug dealers, and gives them his location. When they come to Detroit to kill him, Marianne unwittingly saves his life. Now they are both on the run!

I love this movie! I also feel a special attachment to it, since it takes place in the Midwest. (It was filmed in British Columbia, Canada, though, sadly.) But it's supposed to be Michigan, Wisconsin, and Missouri, so that should count for something!

Just a little warning: this isn't the cleanest movie. You see Mel's butt (he was shot in the butt), and there's a sex scene, though you don't see too much.

NOTE: Okay, one thing I always notice and I've never noticed on any other movie before (not that no one else has done this, I've just never noticed before): the credits at the end come from the top and go to the bottom! It's a little weird!

The Thin Man, 1934

Director: W.S. Van Dyke

Stars: William Powell, Myrna Loy

Oops, I lied before! It was an accident. I thought Nick and Nora Charles were a creation of Agatha Christie's, but actually they are characters Dashiell Hammett created! And The Thin Man is based on the novel by Hammett.

When a young girl tells Nick Charles her father, Nick's old friend, is missing, Nick and his wife Nora take the case. Well, they eventually find out the guy was murdered, and then Nick solves the mystery. I guess the summary sounds a bit weird, but it was very enjoyable! Nick and Nora have lots of great lines and witty dialogue! They are hilarious!

NOTE: Wow! According to Wikipedia, The Thin Man was shot in 12 days! I doubt that would even be possible in this century!!

Clue, 1985

Director: Jonathan Lynn

Stars: Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Leslie Ann Warren, Eileen Brennan

I swear, 1985 was the best year for movies!

This delightful whodunit was based on the board game, so Miss Scarlet (Warren), Professor Plum (Lloyd), and the rest of the colorful cast join Mr Boddy (Lee Ving) and the butler Wadsworth (Curry) on a crazy, murderous adventure inside a creepy old mansion.

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE.

I really enjoy this one.

NOTE: This movie is unique in that it has 3 separate endings! I love watching it with all 3 endings right in a row. But apparently when it played in theaters, it showed the different endings at each theater. I mean, if I went to one theater and my friend went to another, we would have seen two different endings! How cool is that? I wish they'd do that again!

Rich and Strange, 1932

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Stars: Joan Barry, Henry Kendall

Fred (Kendall) is living a regular life in London with his wife Emily (Barry), but longs for something more, some kind of adventure. But he doesn't have any money to take any vacations. Suddenly, a telegram comes from a rich uncle who thinks they should be able to enjoy the money he was going to leave them when he died.

They hop a ship to Paris, and the Mediterranean, and the Far East, and all those fun stops. Fred and Emily each meet someone new. Emily meets a normal, kind guy who makes her feel like she matters again; Fred meets a "Princess". Both plan to run away with their lovers, but Emily backs out, and goes back to Fred, after finding out that he is being deceived by his "Princess", who is just after him for his money. After Fred realizes Emily is right about his lover, they leave on a ship, which gets ship-wrecked, drawing them closer together, of course.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect when getting into this movie! I expected suspense, naturally, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it to be a romantic comedy. But also a drama, since Fred really is a jerk til the very end. But you still applaud Emily for sticking with him. And they do end happily.

Oops, sorry- spoiler!

Transformers: Dark of the Moon, 2011

Director: Michael Bay

Stars: Shia LeBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Josh Duhamel, Patrick Dempsey

So, maybe in the future, I should put trilogies into one review. I'm not sure about this, since there really are great trilogies out there. But all I remember about this one is the moon, at one point they are all sliding down the side of a tipped building, and the rest is just a rather boring blur of action and metal crushing metal. I like action movies, but this one was all action. For a good kind of action movie, I recommend Indiana Jones, or something like that.

I still don't get the title: "Dark of the Moon". It sounds like a mistake. Or is it like the "light of the moon" except it's the "dark" of the moon? That must be it, but it sounds stupid.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, 2009

Director: Michael Bay

Stars: Shia LeBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel

The saga continues. This one is about "the fallen", a bunch of bad machines, who come to earth to destroy the humans, and it's up to Optimus Prime and the other auto-bots to save the day.

Honestly, I was on some heavy medication while watching it, so I remember something about pyramids and the rest is just a bunch of action sequences. I'm not kidding: LOTS of action sequences, lots of metal and steel things transforming into trucks and other things.

Transformers, 2007

Director: Michael Bay

Stars: Shia LeBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel

Sam Witwicky (LeBeouf) buys his first car, but doesn't realize it's actually a robot, til it drives away by itself.

And that's all you need to know, really. This one has lots of funny moments, especially with the actors' way of rambling on and on when something serious is going on, and the audience can barely hear it, or it's hard to hear, or something. But I imagine there is a lot that you could miss the first few times you watch it.

It's ridiculous. But this one was definitely my favorite of the trilogy.

Jane Eyre, 2011

Director: Cary Fukunaga

Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender

We all know the story. (And if you don't, here's the story:) SPOILER: Jane Eyre was seriously mistreated as a young girl by family as well as school teachers (it's very much like Dickens), but overcame it enough to become a teacher. Finally, a chance comes to escape as a governess for a rich family. She begins working for Mr Rochester, as a governess for his ward Adele. She falls for Mr. Rochester, and he falls for her, and on their wedding day, she finds out he actually has a wife already! She's mentally ill and lives in the attic of the house she has been living in for months. So that sucks. She leaves, heartbroken, and finds anew teaching job under another name. Only when a friend tells her someone has been looking for her does she return to Mr. Rochester, who isn't in the best situation. His house has burned down, his crazy wife is dead, and his sight is gone. But at least they live happily ever after.

I thought it probably should have been scarier, since his wife is sort of trying to kill her, after all. But this one was definitely the best Jane Eyre I've ever seen.

Life As We Know It, 2010

Director: Greg Berlanti

Stars: Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel, Josh Lucas

Holly (Heigl) and Messer (Duhamel) hate each other but love their best friends, a married couple with a beautiful daughter named Sophie. When Sophie's parents die in a car accident, Holly and Messer are further horrified to find that they have both been named as legal guardians for Sophie. So they move into their friends' home and start to raise Sophie together.

Not the best, but not the worst. A little too trashy for my taste. But it wasn't crazy-trashy. I would watch it again.

She Done Him Wrong, 1933

Director: Lowell Sherman

Stars: Mae West, Cary Grant

Unfortunately, I started this one, and since it is only an hour long, I feel like I really should finish it. I wish I hadn't started it. It was Cary Grant's first major role, and I adore Grant. So that is kind of why I am watching it. I am also going insane, because it is the dumbest movie I have ever seen.

Actually, I think I would like it, or at least not hate every second, if the star wasn't Mae West. For me, movies that could otherwise be wonderful become completely awful and painful to watch when a star annoys me. And Mae West is one of those people. Or, at the very least, her character is. This character she plays is a very manly woman, and everybody loves her. And I don't get it. Her voice, the way she walks, her accent, her clothes. She's a total whore, too, but I wouldn't mind that if she was actually beautiful and didn't act so manly. I really can't stand her.

When will it end???

This is one of those times where I'm hoping the two leads do NOT end up together in the end!!

Broadcast News, 1987

Director: James L. Brooks

Stars: Holly Hunter, William Hurt, Albert Brooks, Joan Cusack

How do I say this? This was the dumbest movie ever!!! What was Netflix thinking, recommending this one to me?????????????????????

Jane (Hunter) is an obsessive news producer, whose best friend Aaron (Brooks), a reporter, is in love with her. And then new anchorman Tom (Hurt) shows up on the scene, and Jane finds that she likes him a lot, though she has no respect for him as an anchorman, since by his own admission, he knows nothing about the news he's talking about. He's just the attractive face of the news, and knows it.

It's advertised as a love triangle; Aaron likes Jane, who likes Tom. Well, whatever, I just found it to be stupid, and I don't mind telling you, she ends up single in the end!! Both guys go and find other women, and honestly, they're better off, because I ended up hating her, she was such an idiot. I would have married Aaron in a moment. He's such a great guy!

So, yeah, DO NOT WATCH!!!!!!

Thor, 2011

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman

I am not into comic books, and really never have been. But after Iron Man, I've watched these movies about super heroes and have really enjoyed them. I didn't like Spiderman, though, because his life is just plain sad. And the only Superman I will ever love is Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, the show from the early 90's starring Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher. I own all 4 seasons and absolutely love it. I know some of the episodes by heart. But the Superman movies (from any decade) are completely lame and depressing. And don't even get me started on Smallville.

Thor (Hemsworth) is the arrogant prince of Asgard (another planet and another realm). His father Odin (Hopkins), tries to teach him to be a good leader and have wisdom, but Thor picks a fight with their sworn enemies (FREAKY ice creatures), and starts an actual war. Odin banishes him to Earth, along with his powerful, magical hammer, which made its appearance at the end of Iron Man 2. (I love how Hollywood is bringing together at least 3 different stories of superheroes -Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor- to be The Avengers together! How cool is that! I'm pretty excited for that movie.)

So Thor starts hanging out with some physicists who saw him fall to earth (Natalie Portman among them), and eventually, by all the things that happen, they're convinced he really is from another planet. A weird creature shows up, sent by Thor's crazy younger brother, to kill Thor. And Thor has to defeat him with his magic hammer.

It's silly like a superhero movie, but also cute, and though there isn't mush to the romance, it's still there. I definitely recommend it!

Abduction, 2011

Director: John Shingleton

Stars: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Sigourney Weaver

I know what you're thinking, and it wasn't that bad! Taylor Lautner, of Twilight fame, in a thriller, about being abducted. It felt like part thriller, part teen movie. And to be honest, that's what it was.

Nathan (Lautner) is assigned a project with a girl in school, Karen (Collins)- who also happens to live across the street and apparently they have a history, but I'm not 100% sure what it was. They need to do a research paper about missing persons. On the internet they find a website dedicated to missing children, and one of the photos grabs Nathan's attention--- because it's HIM!!!

They contact the website, but decide not to give the website their address (good idea, kids! Except they tracked you anyway!), and then just as Nathan confronts his mom ("No, I'm not really your mom, Nathan") and is about to get some truth out of her, 2 guys come in and kill his "parents" and blow up his house. Suddenly he and Karen are on the run.

I really like thrillers. Why is that? I like it when thrillers have a romantic edge to them, like the guy is protecting the girl and all that. It makes thrillers softer and sweet. Not that this was an amazing movie; it was silly. If the kids had been out of high school, I would have liked it more, I think. But they were kids!! He was just a kid, and he killed a guy! (It was totally self-defense, and I would have been trying to kill the guy too, but still! He was a kid!)

NOTE:In my opinion, the very BEST part of the entire film was in the beginning. Nathan goes to a wild high school party and gets completely hammered. His dad (Jason Isaacs- very handsome!) picks him up and the next thing they show is he and his dad fighting in the backyard. Nathan is whining about having to fight while he's hungover and his dad is telling him that's life, and you can't ever get so drunk that you can't defend himself. Obviously, they do this fighting, or training a lot, because they have gloves and everything, and they're good at it. Eventually, Nathan really hits him hard, and his dad gets up and then grins and says, "That was great- now we're getting somewhere." And they continue to fight. I thought it was a nice picture of a dad training his son.

I'm sure I'd feel differently if I were his mom. She eventually puts a stop to the fighting/training.