Leap Year, 2010

Director: Anand Tucker

Stars: Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, John Lithgow, Adam Scott

Anna (Adams) decides to follow her boyfriend Jeremy (Scott) to Dublin, after her father tells her of an old Irish tradition: on February 29 women are allowed to propose to their boyfriends. (I would just like to say: I think it's a cute concept, except I would never do it, and a woman is allowed to propose any da*n day of the year, so it's all kind of stupid!)

So, of course, this is an Irish road trip movie, because every bad thing you can imagine happening happens. Her plane hits turbulent weather and is rerouted to Wales, where Anna is forced to take a boat over to Ireland, and because of the bad weather, she lands on the far side, a long way from Dublin. And so she has no choice but to hire ruggedly handsome, American-hating innkeeper Declan (Goode) to drive her to Dublin.

Yes, this is the part where it gets really interesting....

Okay, two things I hate, and otherwise, I love this movie.

1. I hate how it's always the rich, city girl who goes places and everybody laughs at her because she knows nothing and she's a fish out of water and she's wearing high heels, and of course, we all know that no one in Ireland wears high heels. So, I hate that movies are always like this----BUT I thought about it, and it makes sense, because rich girls who wear impractical shoes are the only ones who can afford to go to Ireland and other exotic places to make fools of themselves. We practical girls with our practical flats are busy working normal jobs and just can't afford it.

2. I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE the wedding reception scene. Why did THAT have to happen??? I hate it when people in movies embarrass themselves, and I don't think other people feel this way, so you probably won't mind.

It's good, I just had to get those two things taken care of. Thanks for reading my rant. Now go watch the movie!

Eureka (tv series), 2006-

Creators: Andrew Cosby, Jaime Paglia

Stars: Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston, Joe Morton, Jordan Hinson

In the pilot episode, U.S. Marshal Jack Carter (Ferguson) and his daughter Zoey (Hinson) crash their car in the woods near the town of Eureka. Stuck in town for a few days while their car is being repaired, they start to notice very strange things happening. Freak-tornadoes are ripping small sections of the town apart, little by little, for one thing. All this is happening because the town is the home of scientists. Yes, everyone is a genius in Eureka; even the kids.

They all work at Global Dynamics, which tests and develops all kinds of sci-fi things. Carter is in over his head, but he helps the town through this tornado destruction time, and then gets transferred to Eureka, to become the new Sheriff in town.

So, I'm only on the 2nd season, but so far it's great! The sci-fi stuff is a bit ridiculous, of course, but I like the story and people. And it had a cross-over episode with Warehouse 13, where Fargo (Grayston) came to visit the Warehouse. I love crossover episodes! :)

Warehouse 13 (tv series), 2009-

Creators: Jane Espenson, D. Brent Mote

Stars: Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek

When Netflix suggested this one to me, I started it, wondering what I was getting into. Well, after 2 seasons, I was very eager for the next one, which isn't out on DVD yet!!!

Pete (McClintock) and Myka (Kelly), secret service agents in D.C., get caught up in a strange case, and suddenly get transferred to South Dakota, where their job will be protecting a warehouse called "Warehouse 13", which is filled with "artifacts", objects that super-natural powers (make you forget things, make you grow an extra head, make you time-travel sub-consciously, make everyone forget you, make you all-powerful, etc.- in short, these things should be locked up), which must remain guarded from the people who want to take over the world and such.

So far, I love it. :)

Real Steel, 2011

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!

Hugh Jackman--Kevin Durand

Director: Shawn Levy

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo, Kevin Durand

Charlie (Jackman) controls boxing robots in the ring, travelling around the country, boxing them in illegal fights, racking up the debts, and destroying his robots left and right.

When he hears that his son Max (Goyo) lost his mother, who was Charlie's girlfriend 10 years ago, he must attend a custody hearing for his son, and he goes, ready to sign away all his rights to Max. But when he sees that his old girlfriend's sister wants Max, and that her husband has money- lots of money- he decides not to appear too eager to sign away his son, in order to get some much-needed funds from the rich couple.

In order to make everything work out, Charlie needs to take Max for the summer, and then, for an agreed upon $100,000, his aunt and uncle will take him from there. Max is a chip off the old block, and takes to this life on the go, robot-boxing like a fish.

When Max finds an old robot, Charlie helps him fix it up and they soon prove that it can fight- really well!

It's a little ridiculous, but all in all, heart-warming sports-type story.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets, 2007

Director: Jon Turtletaub

Stars: Nicholas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren, Ed Harris, Harvey Keitel

When evidence has shown up that ties the Gates family to the Lincoln assassination, Ben gates (Cage) and his father Patrick (Voight), will cross oceans and do whatever it takes to clear their family name. But they're up against the worst kind of villain: Mitch Wilkinson (Harris), who discovered the Gates-Lincoln connection, is bent on finding this second treasure that is said to be hidden under a great National landmark. He kidnaps Ben's mother (Mirren) in order to use Ben to search for the treasure.

This one is really great as well. I love how these movies are fast-paced, action- packed, and very clever, weaving fiction into history. Love it!

National Treasure, 2004

Director: Jon Turtletaub

Stars: Nicholas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Sean Bean, Jon Voight,

The Gates family has handed down the tradition of the great treasure collected over thousands of years and hid somewhere by our founding fathers, with the last clue left to a Gates long ago. Now Ben Gates (Cage) has spent all his life and every penny he has on treasure hunting, and finally he has another clue, leading to the next step.

The problem is: the next step is to look on the back of the Declaration of Independence for an invisible message from the founders. And Ian (Bean) the man who funded Ben's exploits, is after the treasure too, and he has no problem being on the wrong side of the law. After his warning to the FBI goes unheeded, Ben decides that the only way to stop Ian from stealing the Declaration is to steal it first. So that's what he and his computer genius friend Riley (Bartha) set out to do. But Dr Abigail Chase (Kruger) catches them, and they decide they have to take her along with them, to keep her safe from Ian. But soon she stays out of curiosity, as they get closer and closer to finding the greatest treasure of all time.

I LOVE this movie! It's ridiculous, of course, but so much fun!

Flushed Away, 2006

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!

Kate Winslet--Hugh Jackman

Directors: David Bowers, Sam Fell

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno

Roddy (Jackman) is a rat living in High Society London, where he has everything he could ever want in the home of his owners. One day when his owners are on vacation, and he is on a pleasant stay-cation, settling in for a movie on the big screen, when a dirty sewer rat shows up and throws a wrench into Roddy's plans for relaxing. The rat eventually tricks Roddy, and flushes him down the toilet, sending this townie rat into a very unfamiliar world beneath his feet.

There, Roddy meets Rita (Winslet), captain of the Jammy Dodger, and convinces her to take him home, in exchange for helping her on the boat. Soon they are on the run from some French toads (who are hilarious!) because Rita stole something from them.

It's brilliant! Very, very funny!

The Postman, 1997

Director: Kevin Costner

Stars: Kevin Costner, Will Patton, Larenz Tate, Olivia Williams, Scott Bairstow

It's 2013. Wars and diseases have killed off most of the people on the planet, and in the US, small groups of people band together in their towns, and fear the outsiders. The Postman (Costner) wanders around performing Shakespeare for the townspeople, trying to brighten their lives a little.

This movie seems to have two parts (it's based on a book): in the first part, Costner's character is shanghaied by a group of soldiers ruled by a man who wants to take over the world, basically. He runs an army of slaves and kills anyone who can't keep up.

Eventually, Costner escapes and wandering through the woods, comes upon an old, wrecked Postal Service jeep, filled with letters and packages. He decides to take them to the nearest town, and deliver them to the people there. He impersonates a Postman and tells the people that the United States is a nation again, with a new government and everything. He is only doing this to be fed.

So, eventually there's a showdown between The Postman, who has united the people again, and the psycho who wants to rule the world.

There's a LOT of violence, so don't watch this if you can't take violence. And there is one sex scene, through which I fast-forwarded, but it seemed to go on for a while anyway, and you basically see her naked.

So, yeah, not for kids, but in the end, it's ok. I thought I would hate it, but I ended up kind of liking it.

The Last of the Mohicans, 1992

Director: Michael Mann

Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell Means

Nathaniel (Day-Lewis) is a white man who was raised by a Mohican family, of whom only his father and brother are left. They live and trap in the mountains, and happen upon an ambush one day. Two sisters and their military escort are being attacked by a group of Indians. The trappers save their lives, and escort them the rest of the way to the fort where their father, a colonel, is under attack, and the situation looks hopeless. The men continue to protect the women as the story goes on.

For a war-time story, I thought it was pretty good. And the music is lovely, of course. The story is very emotional and dramatic. And it's not a completely happy ending. It was hard to get past the fact that he had long hair. Sorry! I like short hair!

Also, would the two leads really have slept together after 2 days of knowing each other, and in the 1700's, when this was really considered quite sinful? I doubt it. But at least they don't show much.

My favorite part is near the end, when Nathaniel's brother goes after the younger sister to save her, pretty much knowing he is facing his death. It's kind of beautiful.

Titanic, 1997

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!!!

Bill Paxton-- Kate Winslet

Director: James Cameron

Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Bill Paxton

Searching for a blue diamond they tracked to the wreck of the Titanic, a team of explorers finds only a drawing of the diamond. When she sees the drawing on the news 100-year-old Rose recognizes the diamond and the woman wearing it: it's her, at age 17.

In 1912 on the Titanic, Rose (Winslet) is moving to America with her fiance Cal (Zane) and her mother. But she feels trapped in her life, promised to a man she doesn't love, being forced to live a life she doesn't want because she and her mother need to survive somehow. When she decides to take her own life, a third class passenger- Jack Dawson (DiCaprio)- talks her out of it, and the two become friends. Over the next few days, they fall in love, and have to hide it from everybody, of course.

It really sucks when the ship hits the ice berg, and begins to sink. It's very emotional, dramatic, and quite sad, of course, as many people die. You seen Rose naked, and there's a sex scene too, but all in all, I like the movie. It's excitement and action, but in an old-world setting. It is quite cheesy, but you can't have everything.

Patriot Games, 1992

Director: Philip Noyce

Stars: Harrison Ford, Sean Bean, Anne Archer, Patrick Bergin

Jack Ryan (Ford), an analyst for the CIA, is visiting Ireland with his wife (Archer) and daughter, when he happens upon an assassination attempt, and saves the life of the intended target. In so doing, he kills one of the radicals, a young kid who was dragged along by his older brother (Bean). Now the brother wants Ryan dead, and will stop at nothing to harm him and his family.

Very suspenseful!

Iron Man 2, 2010

Director: Jon Favreau

Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell

Iron Man continues to protect the innocent and annoy everyone in authority. The government wants him to hand over his technology that is the Iron Man suit, but he refuses to do so. But it's a problem when this crazy Ukrainian guy (Rourke) makes his own Iron Man-type suit in order to defeat Iron Man! Oh, dear! Honestly, it's good- very funny! But I just don't want to dwell on the plot. In the end Tony saves the day and gets the girl - what more do you need to know, really? And don't take that as "Oh, it's stupid". I actually really like this movie! But I don't want to say anything more.

Oh wait-- Bill O'Reilly has a cameo! SWEET! That made me like it even more.

Iron Man, 2008

Director: Jon Favreau (Elf, Iron Man 2, Cowboys and Aliens)

Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard

Playboy bachelor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr), has taken over his father's weapons manufacturing company, and lives like a crazy genius king in his gorgeous Malibu mansion. So his life is a little upset when on a trip to the Middle East for a weapon demonstration for the military, Tony is kidnapped by terrorists in a violent encounter. When he wakes up as their prisoner, he finds some kind of weird circle thing in his chest, visible to the outside, which is keeping him alive (keeps the shrapnel away from his organs). So, that's disturbing. And then the terrorists want him to build them one of his famous weapons, but instead, he builds himself a suit that will protect him on the way out of the cave.

Obviously, he gets free, and now his whole outlook on life has changed. He sees what his weapons really do to people and what happens when they get into the wrong hands. And soon he finds out that there may have been more to his captivity then he originally thought.

Okay, so I wrote a lengthy paragraph that covers the beginning, and then just kind of leave it. If you like action movies, you'll love it. Tony is very funny. His assistant, Pepper Pots (Paltrow), is a very cute character, and I love how they interact together.

True Lies, 1994

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!!!

Arnold Schwarzenegger-- Bill Paxton

Director: James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar, The Terminator)

Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton

Harry Tasker (Schwarzenegger) is a secret agent, whose cover as a salesman has his wife Helen (Curtis) bored with her life, and when someone contacts her pretending to be an agent, she goes along with him, wanting some excitement in her life. Harry uses his government surveillance abilities to spy on his wife and find out if she's cheating on him. He begins to take this a little too far, eventually interrogating her and then pretending to turn her into an agent. (She doesn't know who she's dealing with.)

In one part, Jamie Lee Curtis strips and dances for her husband, though she doesn't know it's her husband at the time because he's sitting in shadow and disguising his voice. I think he just does it for fun, so it's kind of amusing, but also awful! And awkward. I always fast forward.

And the other part of the story is some terrorists who are trying to kill everyone, of course, kidnap him, his wife, his daughter, and he has save everybody. It's funny, and action-packed (hello, it's Arnold!), but with too much sex and language for my taste.