I should be relaxing...

Well, since I've been sick for the past couple days, I have not made it to the gym. I know...I know. And what's weird, is that I can tell a difference in my eating habits on these days that I haven't gone. So, yeah, once my energy level is back up, I will totally be hitting the gym. But until then, I will be at home and watching movies.

Which brings me to this month's post about movies I've seen recently:

AUSTRALIA
Well, I had actually wanted to see this purely for the fact that Hugh Jackman is in it. But when I heard it was 3 hours, I was like, "Umm...I'll wait." This past weekend I was visiting my g'ma in East TN, and she said, "Do you want to go see 'Australia'? So, of course I said yes b/c that meant I didn't have to pay for it. :)
Overall, it was a good movie. There were times however when I felt that I was watching the same movie directed by 2 different directors. And the scene where Hugh Jackman dumps a bucket of water on himself should've been sexy, but it came across as cheesy. But maybe that was just me. :)
So, my opinion? Wait for the DVD release.

MAMA MIA!
Okay, so when I saw this in the theater, this mom and her mom(in-law) brought the grandkids all under the age of 6. These kids don't need to be at a PG-13 movie. Common sense people!! Anyway...I had never seen the musical, so I really didn't know what to expect. But I really did like the movie! However, I did rent it last night, and liked it a LOT better the 2nd time around. Probably b/c I was more familiar with the plot line at this point, so I wasn't like, "What in the world?" Definitely one to see. And the folks in the UK LOVE this film.

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM
Jet-Li & Jackie Chan. Cute, funny, campy...twist at end. Worth the rent if you just want mindless entertainment one evening.

WALL STREET
I was definitely curious about this film b/c of all the "Gordon Gecko" references that were being made with the econonmy. Quite frankly, it was hard to follow. I had to keep asking Kyle what was going on. So...eh...once was enough.

THE GOOD SHEPHEARD
Heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking. Matt Damon gives an incredible performance of a very tortured soul...a man who never made his own decisions in life. The film was a bit long, but probably worth seeing at least once.

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
I had high hopes for this one since I knew Sarah Jessica Parker had been in the Broadway production. This time, her character was played by Tracey Ullman, the Queen by Carol Burnett, and Lady Larkin by Zooey Deschanel. I was very disappointed. I fast forwarded through most of it just to get to the ending. So, for me, it's a definite pass.

KUNG FU PANDA
Jack Black voices the lead, "Po", a panda whose "father" is a goose/duck that owns a noodle restaurant. There were some funny parts, but it just didn't hold my interest all that well. Definitely good for kids b/c of the animation and jokes. Just not my cup of tea. But it is worth seeing at least once.

NORTHANGER ABBY
I had heard about this adaptation of one of the lesser known Jane Austen novels, so I thought I'd check it out. The story of a young girl who is given the opportunity to be a part of a society she would've never dreamed of lets her imagination get the best of her. It is a good story, but I definitely like how Mirimax/Focus Pictures has been adapting the Jane Austen books. But this Masterpiecet Theater adaptation works well....though somewhat cheesy at times. Very BBCish. But if you are a die hard Jane Austen fan, it is totally worth seeeing.

LEATHERHEADS
George Clooney (le sigh), Renee Zellwegger, & John Krasinski (The Office) were incredible. This movie is TOTALLY worth checking out. It's very funny, and very much in the style of "A League of Their Own". The physical comedy, the one-liners, and more are just delivered awesome. I hate that this movie didn't do better at the box office, but it is really really good. It had me and Kyle laughing a LOT. George Clooney is very much his trademark swave self in this film, but with a quirky charm that adds a lot. GO RENT THIS!!

We honestly haven't watched/rented as many films recently b/c we finally gave in and got DVR. We spend most of our TV time watching programs that we recorded. OH, and if you missed it, totally keep your eyes peeled for the PBS documentary about the Royal Family & Buckingham Palace. I think it's a 5 or 6 part series, and it is totally worth watching. Absolutely fascinating!

So that's it for now! Happy watching!