Monster-In-Law (2005)

Sarah L. recommended this to me, and so I finally watched it, although I was quite hesitant. It wasn't nearly as atrocious as I thought it was going to be, but nor would I ever call it a good movie. Jennifer Lopez still lacks charisma, Martan Vartan (yes, I know his name is Michael, but I call him Martin and spell it Martan so his name rhymes) was the most oblivious, loopy guy in the world, and the whole thing was just SLIGHTLY too over-the-top for it to feel like any kind of real story, which is what most romantic comedies are going for. No, I will never watch this movie again. 2.5 stars.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)

I really had very low expectations for this. It sounded like a very straightforward action flick (which I don't like). As I watched it, though, I found myself getting caught up in the story and the witty dialogue. It really wasn't an action flick primarily, really more of a comedy/romance, although not a romantic comedy. I wouldn't watch it again, but for one viewing, it was quite a bit of fun. 3 stars.

Flightplan (2005)

This, of course, came out only a few weeks after Red Eye, but it reminded me much more of Julianna Moore's The Forgotten. Lost child, no one remembers them, everyone thinks Mom is crazy. Yup, same plot. It was like someone said, "Hey, let's take that movie and set it on a plane and let's not make it aliens this time." So they did, and they didn't, and it was surprisingly entertaining. But I'd also take Jodie Foster over Julianne Moore any day of the week. 3.5 stars.

The Great Race (1965)

Teehee. Goofified! Nobody makes movies like this anymore (that are GOOD). So over-the-top and yet so funny. All of the key actors did a superb job in their roles. Jack Lemmon, especially, was a hilarious villain, not to mention his second role as the perpetually drunk crown prinec. My family and I didn't laugh out loud throughout the movie, but it did manage to keep us smiling. Quite fun. 4 stars.

Dead Man Walking (1995)

I really wasn't sure what to expect from this movie. I was worried it would mostly spend all its time making its case against the death penalty, but it didn't. It felt very real and very fairly balanced. The side plot with the parents was fascinating. Its take on Christianity was also very refreshing - very friendly, even if it was slightly mixed up in some areas. Overall, it was a really fascinating and very well-done film. VERY well-done. 4 stars.

Cold Mountain (2003)

Anna has recommended this movie to me about five times and I figured I'd actually watch it. And, honestly . . . I'm still not entirely sure what all the fuss was about. It was critically acclaimed, and Anna loved it, but I never got into the feel of the whole thing. I like Nicole Kidman and I love Jude Law, but I never figured out their characters enough to care about what happened to them. The ending felt random and anticlimactic to me (I think primarily because I didn't care about the characters enough to want anything for them) and . . . I don't know. It also was really long. Maybe some day I'll figure this movie out, but today is obviously not that day. 1.5 stars.

Yours, Mine, and Ours (2005)

I didn't like the original version, so was incredibly NOT looking forward to watching this. It was just as annoying as the first, just in different ways. While the original had a mother of ten panicking because one of her children sneezed (yeah, right!) this new one relied on "messy" jokes for its humor. Is there ANY way to mak ea large-family movie without vomit or paint jokes? Meh! Not to mention the complete lack of knowledge of human nature in general. No, 16-year-old girls do NOT say things like, "Let's never let a boy come between us again." Overall, it mostly just bugged me. 1 star.

The Way We Were (1973)

Ooer. Now this was sappy. But fairly decently done sap. I'm always a sucker for love stories where they DON'T end up together. Not to mention that the music is still absolutely gorgeous. I'm pretty sure I'd never actually watch it again, but it was okay for this one viewing. 2.5 stars.