Sway's Weekend Music Pick: "Hideaway" by Karen O and the Kids

Featured in the film "Where the Wild Things Are" (— which I really, really wanted to like but just couldn't. Sorry. I love this song, though.)

The SATC Curse

This is the story of how I came to be "convinced of the hex" when it came to my attempts to see advanced screenings of a certain HBO-show-turned-feature-film.

Before the first Sex and the City movie came out, which was in the summer of 2008, a few of my friends decided we would prepare ourselves by crash-coursing on the entire series. Our most Carrie-crazy girlfriend actually had all the seasons on DVD, so once a week or so, we would settle in at her house for a marathon evening of episodes.

I don't think we made it through every single episode, but we did make it pretty dang far. And then, as its summer release date approached, I heard about an upcoming SATC event that would be taking place at Biltmore Fashion Park. As a matter of fact, I learned of the festivities via my then brand-new job working for the magazine here Phoenix. A press release had been sent to us outlining all the fun and asking whether or not we wanted to cover the event.

Well, whether the magazine was going to cover the event or not, I wanted to go! There was going to be passed appetizers, cocktails, gift bags, a fashion show, and more, as well as a ticket for an advanced showing of the movie. I had to go. And I had to tell my girls. So I forwarded them the information, and they were all in. We each bought our tickets and then anxiously awaited for the Thursday of the event to arrive.

I had begun my job at the magazine in March, however, and this event was only a few months later -- May, I think. So I should point out that at that time, I had no idea the time commitment nightmares that were in store for me ...

The day of the event, I was working. It was print week, and the rest of the staff and I were up to our ears in proofs to be sent to press. But, I just thought that that's how that week worked. NEVER did I imagine happening what really went down, which was that 6:00 came and went and I was made to stay at the office. In fact, I was there long, long, long after I had to call my friends and tell them I wouldn't be able to join them ... I was asked to work until something like 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning. Same situation the day after.

And so I missed the SATC event and my girls went without me and had a blast. My ticket was given to one of the girl's mothers so that she could go in my place and live it up. "Next time," we all said, and I looked forward to the rumored SATC sequel ...

This year, after much speculation, confirmation and anticipation, the release date for SATC 2 was announced. And this time, several dozen venues around town clued in to the mass market appeal the movie had for women and decided to capitalize on this (so smart!) by organizing silly, frilly events for lady folk. I narrowed them down to the one that I thought sounded like the most fun for the best price, with advanced screening included, on the evening that most of us would be able to attend. And when tickets went on sale, we all started logging onto the site to buy ours so that we could try this all over again the proper way.

E-mails started coming to me from each of them as they confirmed they had been able to purchase their tickets. And now I'll spare you the long and boring technology-related details, but suffice to say my purchasing process suffered from some kind of website glitch. And when I called the organizers to inquire/gently complain, nothing could make them budge and give me a ticket. Not even the fact that I made up some story about how I was the heiress to the throne of an obscure Mediterranean country. (OK, I didn't really go that far. But if I said I hadn't considered it at the time, I would be lying.)

And so there it was, for the second time a SATC movie had been released, an event was held, it was my idea to go, I talked everyone into it, and then the universe conspired against me. How. Rude.

The day before the event I had to inform one of my friend's that I wasn't going to be able to go along (again). She was dumbfounded by my bad luck. (Which, after these 26 years, is not nearly as shocking to me as it is to others I guess.) I laughed about it, because what else could I do, and after all, it is just a silly, frilly movie and a silly, frilly little event for it ...

And then the next morning, early, the day of the event and screening, my friend called me. Her mother, whom had been given my ticket two years ago when I missed the first movie due to being held hostage having to remain at work, had purchased a ticket and then heard of my serious misfortune and wanted to give it to me instead. "To break her curse," she had said.

And so I got to go after all! And, what's more is that another of our friends ended up having a work disaster that day and had to forfeit her own ticket to our friend's mom!

So that is the story of the making and the breaking of my SATC curse. Things to consider:

1. Sometimes a girl has to work. And sometimes she misses out on fun things because of it. Next time, break a window and get the heck out of there.

2. Any time it would seem a hex has been placed on you, always try to pass it off to a friend.

3. Moms are usually awesome. Even ones that aren't yours.

4. Remember: When in doubt, Carrie on.

The Most Overused Romantic Comedy Cliches of the Decade

It's Valentine's Day weekend, and you know what that means. The rom-coms will be rolling. For some extra fun, check out this post by Irin Carmon for Jezebel.com so that you can start calling out the cliches yourself. Maybe you can even make a game out of it. Something like Valentine's Day rom-com bingo.

Personally, the category that makes me roll my eyes the most is a tough call between "Time Travel" and "Falling in Love with the Help," but "My Best Friend's Wedding" will somehow get me every single time. Sneaky writers!

"Irritatingly Perfect" -- Yeah, I Said It

Did you know that The Notebook was the first novel Nicholas Sparks ever sent off to be published? Boy did he luck out, right?

And then somewhere after that there was A Walk to Remember, which wasn't nearly as good as the novel The Notebook, but which was also, regretfully, made into a movie, starring Shane West and Mandy Moore.

And then there was Nights in Rodanthe, etc., etc., etc., and I completely lost a little more interest with each subsequent book Sparks published because, well, they all came across as formulaic and, frankly, completely sappy.

Until now.

Yeah, I can admit it -- I do want to see Dear John. One, I am already pre-dispositioned to like Amanda Seyfried, since I loved her in Mamma Mia and Mean Girls. And two, even though Channing Tatum is admittedly easy on the eyes in an irritatingly perfect way, he's still, well, easy on the eyes. And more importantly ... Three, I feel like the subject matter is timely, because of the war, so I know that there are a lot of men and women my age who will be able to relate to the film, including myself.

Could this be the film to fill the gap The Notebook left in the hearts of desperate housewives and single women everywhere?



Pass the Kleenex.

I Had No Idea He Could Do Flips Like That

I would highly recommend the film 500 Days of Summer. Not only was it creative and an interesting expression of storytelling, but it was also an honest movie about love and loss and growing up. I think its one of my new indie faves.

And, just for fun, here is a short song and dance video that Zoey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the film's stars, made to accompany the She & Him song "Why Don't You Let Me Stay Here?"

(I should mention that the music video's bank robbery theme really doesn't have anything to do with the movie; however, She & Him is comprised of Miss Zooey Deschanel herself and the very talented M. Ward. Also, Marc Webb directed both the film and the music video. Still, I wouldn't want you going into 500 Days of Summer expecting a high-stakes heist...)

Live Long and Prosper

My top-three list of the geekiest things ever:

1. Star Trek
2. Clay Aiken
3. World of Warcraft

And yet... I saw the new Star Trek movie this weekend and immediately loved it.

No, you do not have to know anything about the series to enjoy the film. No, you don't have to be a science nerd, either. And no, you don't have to have a complete understanding of how time travel "works," although it may be somewhat helpful.

But yeah, you will fall in love with Zachary Quinto's Spock. Yes, Spock. There, I said it, all right?

The movie has a great balance of action, plot, humor and character-to-character relationships. My only criticism is that the villain was not very well fleshed-out, but then again, I hear it's not really characteristic of the series to provide the bad guys with fully developed motives and backstory, etc...

Anyway, my point is that you should give this one a try, even if your usual response to sci-fi flicks is "not so much." I think it will surprise you. And hey, this film even got rave reviews from The New York Times, which is saying something, since their film reviewers seem to never really like anything.

[Speaking of geeks... Take the test to find out just where you rank on a scale of 1 to Geek.]

Happy Earth Day 2009!

Today Disney premieres its documentary film Earth, narrated by James Earl Jones, and I expect it to be at a fairly high level of awesome. Here's the trailer:

(Click the "play" icon, and then click the little "HD" in the bottom right corner to watch it in high-definition. If you don't have a super-fast internet connection, I would suggest pausing the video for a few seconds to let the high-quality video load before you continue watching it. I know, I know, I'm annoyingly methodical... Copy editor, remember?)



If that short video doesn't make you fall in love with our planet, I don't know what would. To learn more ways you can show Mother Earth how much you appreciate her, visit these sites:

Earth Day Network
Earth 911
Treehugger
Ecologue
EarthDay.gov
TerraPass

May we celebrate our beloved Earth, today and every day!

*Woops! Somewhere back there, did I mention falling in love with our planet and then right after that compare it to a mother-figure? I did, didn't I. Well that's not right. Sorry. You know what I mean.

Where The Wild Things Are Movie Trailer

I will admit that I was never really into this book when I was younger; however, the movie trailer looks flippin' excellent. Really, really odd, but excellent.

Flaming Lips, Bruno Torfs, a Box of Beauty Supplies and Selling Out

Oh geez. There's so much to post about today that I don't even know where to begin. Let me try to be organized about it.

1. OK, so first of all, I have to mention that ye good citizens of my former state of Oklahoma have declared "Do You Realize??" by The Flaming Lips to be the state's official rock song.

[I could go off on a tangent here about my confusion as to why state officials feel it's important that a state has an official folk song, an official country song and an official rock song, and why they aren't busy cutting budgets and generating more state revenue, buuuuuut... I'm not in the mood to dive into politics tonight.]

I felt like this tidbit of news was something important to point out, seeing as most of my friends here in Arizona fully believe that Oklahoma is filled only with conservative, country music-loving types who would never ever -- ever -- find any good or worthwhile material in the lyrics of a psychedelic alternative rock band. But see now? There are people in Oklahoma who like trippy music, too. And this should not come as a shock, considering backwoods Oklahoma is one of the meth capitals of the world. I think you see where I could go with this.

2. I had never heard of Bruno Torfs until today, but I wish that I had known of his artwork long ago, because it's incredible. He's a painter and sculptor who created hundreds of these gorgeous, fascinating wooden sculptures in a rain forest in Australia, an area which he called his art and sculpture garden. Check out the site for photos of the fantastic forest people he brought to life.
Unfortunately, last month, on February 7, fires overtook the area, claiming lives and destroying all of Torfs' creations. Please take a moment to think of the families whose loved ones were lost, and I encourage you to view the images of Torfs' sculptures, as they are truly wondrous and exist now only in photographs.

3. Remember the beauty products article I was assigned? Well, our LA office sent me a box of goodies, some of which are to be included in the article, but most of which are just mine to keep.

















I'm currently trying to refine concepts for a site on which I will post reviews of all these products, plus others I acquire. So stay tuned for further word on these fun items. Um, did I mention that the total value of the box's contents is about $1,400? (My head nearly exploded when I added that up.)

4. I am a sellout. (...who finds it amusing that Wikipedia has defined the term...) Today I got a freelance assignment that will pay $250, plus reimbursement for gas and tickets. It involves following someone famous around like a bloodhound next week -- which, under normal circumstances, would not appeal to me at all, but it only took me about three seconds today to determine that $250 is $250, and I need CASH. I'll let you in on more details after the event. Wink.

5. Random quote of the day: "You know, I once read an interesting book which said that, uh, most people lost in the wilds, they -- they die of shame. Yeah, see, they die of shame. 'What did I do wrong? How could I have gotten myself into this?' And so they sit there and they... die. Because they didn't do the one thing that would save their lives. Thinking." -- From the movie The Edge, written by David Mamet

And finally, I present to you: "Do You Realize??" set to animated children's movie clips. Why? Why not.


Photo by Sway Sovay

Last Thing I'll Say About It (Until November, Of Course, When the Next One is Released)

So remember my long spiel about how I had to read the Twilight books before I saw the movie?

Well, my sister and I -- by now we have both read at least the first book in the saga -- finally carved out time to go see the movie yesterday, before it completely disappeared from theaters. And...

It was so disappointing.

The screenplay wasn't tight at all; it gave me a feeling similar to one I might have while riding around in stop-and-go traffic -- completely jerky and awkward.

And the acting? I think that Kristen Stewart totally "brought it." She looked the part, she acted the part, and was so comfortable in her role that it was a joy to watch her character on screen. Robert Pattinson, on the other hand, was simply awful. Like, bizarrely awful. Out of the 5,000 guys who auditioned for the lead male role, this is who they chose? Really?

Not to anger tween goth girls everywhere, I will certainly agree that he looks perfect for the role, but that's pretty much where his credentials end, because after he opens his mouth the spell is broken. He just seemed kind of... befuddled... in each scene, almost as if he were really confused as to what the scene's objective was. And to tell you the truth, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't even actually read the books, because his interpretation of the character was not at all in tune with the character from the book. Was it the bad screenplay that he couldn't work with? Was it bad directing? Did he fall and hit his head during a stunt sequence? Was he too preoccupied with trying to cover up his British accent? Come on, Rob, we want to like you, just help us out a little.

I understand that sometimes seeing a movie after reading the book is likely to be disappointing, as the characters and plot and background story rarely live up to what has been built up in the novel.

However, having said that, I don't think that's the case here. I'm pretty sure that if I had just gone in and watched the movie cold (Ha! -- cold -- like a vampire -- get it? -- OK, sorry, that was stupid) I would have still been disappointed at a vampire who was less charming and mysterious and more like stoned or something and creepy. And wearing a TON of makeup. All the makeup I wear in a year was still less than the amount of face powder, red lipstick and eyeliner that they had applied to Pattinson's face for this film.

The experience made me desperately wish that I were a 16-year-old girl again, because surely then I could have been able to forget about the poorly constructed plot and ill-developed characters and just swoon at the image of the messy-haired heartthrob, right?

Despite all my whining and complaining, I am still glad I got to see the film, as it did have some entertainment value (even if that translates to making me burst into a fit of giggles during scenes which were clearly written to be absolutely serious). And also, I always (always, always) find book-to-movie adaptations interesting.

Which is why I'll most likely see the movies that follow, as well as continue to read the book series. Just please, someone get Mr. R-Pattz some acting lessons, stat.

The best thing about the movie? For me, it was the discovery of Iron and Wine's song "Flightless Bird American Mouth," which is featured near the end of the film. You can listen to it on Iron and Wine's MySpace page here, or head over to YouTube and subject yourself to any number of angsty Edward and Bella true-love tribute videos that are sure to induce gagging. The choice is yours.

The Twilight Vortex Has a Strong Pull

Damn. I told myself I wasn't going to let this happen, and yet here I sit -- one more individual who has been sucked into the "Twilight Zone." (And even though I have just now typed that cheesy, cliched and overused phrase in order to reference my situation, so help me God, I will never utter it again, nor write it here, nor anywhere. I promise.)

Oh, Stephenie Meyer and Stephenie Meyer's agent and the publishing company and all the marketing departments and all the book stores across the nation... Oh how they have woven a tangled web, and so many of us are falling right into it. Oh, they have been so sneaky.

When I started seeing Meyers' books showing up in every bookstore I visited, it was impossible not to notice. After all, they look so chic, with their glossy black jackets and single-image covers. So sleek, so seductive. Eventually I had to pick one up, read the back, then go "hm" and set it down again. "Sooo..." I thought. "Vampires? Really? Wonder how that's gonna work out for them."

And then, there were even more books -- three more, in fact, and people started calling Meyers the next J.K. Rowling and the Twilight series the next Harry Potter craze.

Despite my admiration for Rowling and my enthusiasm for all things Harry Potter-related, I doubted (and still do) that this vampire series could ever reach the same level of success. However, as time goes by, I have slowly been able to admit that this whole Twilight mania is at least a thing.

So much a thing, that they made the story into a full-blown feature film. (Boy, can I call 'em or what? My bad.)

Let me tell you something about myself. Somewhere, someone decides to take a book and turn it into a movie, so they make the call to the production company, and simultaneously, at that very moment, a little bell goes off in my head, meaning that 1.) I have to see the film. And 2.) I have to read the book before I can allow myself to see said film.

Which brings me to my point.

Yes, I now have the compulsion to see the Twilight movie. And yes, I have to read the damn books first. (Or maybe at least just the first one.)

And yes, I ordered all four of them from Amazon.com a few weeks ago. And yes, they have arrived -- just in time for Christmas break, during which I will be knitting various odds and ends for family and friends, as well as reading like a fiend.

Sigh. I have a problem.

But at least I can admit it, right?

Four Christmases

I saw this one with the fam on Thanksgiving Day. My verdict? Eh. If you are the type who goes to the movie theater often, then go, see this one and laugh and be entertained.

However, if you are more like me -- someone who doesn't often spend money on movie tickets unless it's for a film that I've been really, really dying to see, hang on to that cash, because this one is probably more of "a renter."

There are funny moments, but they're too far and few between, and honestly, there's not really much of a plot. But let's face it, we all saw that coming.

From the trailer, viewers can easily understand that the two main characters end up having to go to their four parents' homes for Christmas ... and anyone expecting the storyline to be any more complicated than that should let that hope die now.

Fortunately for the producers, the film's vapor of a plot is supported as much as possible by a very talented cast: Vince Vaughn keeps things interesting because no one ever knows what he'll say or do next; Reese Witherspoon is pretty darn likeable no matter what; Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek are stellar as the parents of Vaughn's character; and Jon Voigt and Mary Steenburgen also deliver as the parents of Witherspoon's character.

The problem is, however, that none of these actors were given much to work with, which is a real shame.

Not exactly a Christmas classic, but an entertaining couple of hours.

Beginning the Clapotis, Etc.

I've been underground for the past week for good reasons.

1. I've been writing an article on this film, which has turned out to be a very fascinating subject matter. I wrapped up the article yesterday, though, so that is finally done and done.

And...

2. I'm a bridesmaid in a wedding that will be taking place in Oklahoma City on December 20, so I had to fly back to Oklahoma last weekend for bridal shower and bachelorette party activities. Amazingly enough, although the bride lives in OKC, none of the bridesmaids live in Oklahoma, so pulling off the parties required major coordination on our parts, but it was absolutely worth the work.

In other news, I've been working on a knitting project for myself. I know every online knitter and her sister has already knit a Clapotis by now, but I can't help it, I want one, too, and so I'm going to follow the crowd.


This is the current state of mine -- after several dozen attempts that had to be destroyed and reworked. (I thought I understood what an SSK was, but I didn't. I also thought I understood what a KFB and a PFB was, but I didn't. Fortunately, now I finally do.)

I haven't gotten to the unraveling stages yet, but I think the colorway and dropped ladders of stitches will complement each other well.

The yarn is Patons' SWS (Soy Wool Stripes) (70% Wool, 30% Soy) in the "Geranium" color, and the pattern is very fun. (Once a person knows what she's doing, obviously...) It's repetitive enough that I can zone out for a while, but also just tricky enough that I don't get completely bored. If this one turns out well, I may consider making more Clapotises (Clapoti?) as gifts in the future.

I'll post updated photos as my work progresses.

Photo: Sway Sovay

Smart People

I recently rented Smart People, starring Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church and Ellen Page. I thought it was absolutely great, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who also enjoyed movies like Juno and Sideways and Little Miss Sunshine. Totally the same vein of humor.

The main character is a widowed college professor (Quaid) who teaches at Carnegie Mellon University, and who has his driver's license suspended for six months after he's hospitalized for an injury sustained during a somewhat humorous incident. Because he can't drive, he relies on his temporary homeless and mainly unemployed screw-up of an adopted brother (Church) to step in and act as a (ultimately completely irresponsible) cheuffeur.

The professor has a son, who is in college and keeps to himself, and a daughter (Page), who is a rather snarky senior in high school and preparing to go to Stanford next fall. It's clear the daughter has also taken on the role of Woman of the House in order to fill her deceased mother's shoes and so she acts like she's 17 going on 47, making for some great one-liners.

As if this dysfunctional family doesn't have enough to grapple with, the professor finds himself romantically involved with his doctor (Parker) who turns out to be a former student with a once-upon-a-time crush on him.

The main theme of this film -- and the one which gives it its title and many of its most humorous points -- is the fact that all of the characters are so intelligent that it makes it somewhat difficult for them to connect to one another, as well as the world around them.

Anyway, go rent it and let me know what you think.

Cash Cows of the Silver Screen

Drumroll, please.

The world's No. 1 highest-grossing film of all time is Gone With the Wind, according to Boxofficemojo.com's top 100 list. The movie has raked in a gross profit of $1,430,476,000 (adjusted to reflect inflation) since its debut on the silver screen in 1939.

No. 2 is the sci-fi favorite Star Wars (1977) with $1,261,086,700 in gross profit, and the No. 3 position goes to The Sound of Music (1965) with $1,008,300,900 in gross profit.

Aside from all of today's usual suspects, which include almost all the films from the Pirates of the Caribbean, Batman, Spiderman, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Indiana Jones franchises, the list also names a few blasts from the past that probably haven't crossed your mind in a while: Mrs. Doubtfire, Ghost, Men in Black, The Sixth Sense, Twister, Forrest Gump and -- but of course -- Titanic.

Classics loved by my generation's parents and grandparents appear frequently on the list, notably The Exorcist, The Sting, Ben-Hur, The Ten Commandments, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, M.A.S.H., Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Lawrence of Arabia.

Would you be able to guess the highest-grossing animated Disney film of all time? I am willing to bet not, but visit The List and see if you're right.

It's Not Over 'Til the Fat Lady Gay Cowboys Sing (?)

I'm still not really sure why, but the New York City Opera has decided to develop Annie Proulx's short story Brokeback Mountain (which was made into the film version, starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal) into an opera. Yes, an opera.

I imagine it will probably change the face of opera forever and end up looking something like this:

All You Really Need to Know

Movies in five seconds. Brilliant.

My favorite:



My second favorite:

Movies I Didn't Sleep Through

Thanks to Blockbuster's rewards program, as well as my own amazing ability to sidestep household chores, I've come across a handful of good movies recently. May I recommend ...

1. Fracture (with Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling)

Synopsis: Ted Crawford (Hopkins) murders his adulterating wife, then hands over the murder weapon and confesses to the whole thing. Willy Beachum (Gosling) is the Deputy District Attorney who believes putting the guy behind bars is going to be a cakewalk -- that is, until the entire case begins to fall apart, piece by piece.

My Two Cents: I thought this was a phenomenal movie. What I call "A Thinker." Something great about this movie was that it was skillfully subtle with its plot twists, rather than overtly dramatic. It was such a well written script: the viewer watches Crawford commit the crime and admit to it, and then the fun part is watching him masterfully wiggle out of the whole thing. But besides all that, isn't it just so much fun to see Anthony Hopkins play yet another deliciously creepy character?

2. Gone Baby Gone (with Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Freeman)

Synopsis: Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane. Little girl goes missing in Boston. Patrick Kenzie (Affleck) is a private investigator hired by a member of the family to help the police find her. Extremely unexpected complications ensue.

My Two Cents: I took away a few things from watching this film. #1) Ben versus Casey in front of the camera = Casey victorious any day. It's clear now which brother is the better actor. #2) Having said that, Ben Affleck did a great job directing this one. Let's hope it was a career epiphany for him that sticks. #3) Human character really sucks sometimes.

3. No Country For Old Men (with Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin)

Synopsis: Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. In Texas, Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) happens across a drug dealers' exchange that left no survivors. But, there is a big box of cash lying around at the scene, so he takes it. Anton Chigurh (Bardem) is a homicidal maniac who is after the money and will try to kill anyone and everyone standing in his way.

My Two Cents: This movie won four Academy Awards, including "Best Picture," and told an interesting story in an interesting way. But man, Javier Bardem's character freaked me the hell out.

4. Iron Man (with Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow)

Synopsis: Based on the Marvel Comics. Tony Stark (Downey) is a wealthy businessman who also happens to be a mathematical, engineering genius. His company primarily designs, builds and sells weaponry. After a near-death experience, Stark has a change of heart (literally ... just see the movie) and decides to build the greatest weapon of all -- this time, to be used for good, not evil. Of course.

My Two Cents: I was skeptical that this movie was going to be anything beyond amusing, but in actuality, it wasn't so bad. Not the best Marvel Comics adaptation, by any means (because those would be the Batman movies), but still, the screenplay was nowhere near as bad as I expected. Honestly, I believed this was going to be like Transformers, part two. Just one major concern, however ... Does it worry anyone that this film makes Middle Easterners The Bad Guys? Is that politically correct in this day and age? It's reminiscent of the Cold War, when Russians were suddenly The Bad Guys in every other film. Are the children of this generation going to grow up automatically prejudiced against persons of Middle Eastern descent if filmmakers keep casting shadows over them? I see a danger here.

5. Michael Clayton (with George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Sydney Pollack and Tilda Swinton)

Synopsis: I don't think it's possible to sum up this movie in only a few sentences, but let me try. Suffice it to say that Karen Crowder's (Swinton) employer is doing something illegal. Michael Clayton's (Clooney) employer is the law firm that represents that company. When the law firm's top litigator suffers a sort of mental breakdown and runs away, Clayton is responsible for bringing him back. But it's just never that simple, is it? Once Clayton learns the company's terrible secret, a hit is put out on his life, and he has to find a way to expose them.

6. Atonement (with Keira Knightley and James McAvoy)

Synopsis: Based on the novel by Ian McEwan. Briony Tallis, younger sister of Cecilia Tallis (Knightley), accuses her older sister's lover, Robbie (McAvoy), of raping a guest in their home. Even though he's innocent, the court finds him guilty according to Briony's false account, and he is sent to jail, and then to the battlefields of World War II. The rest of the film revolves around Cecilia and Robbie's attempts to clear Robbie's name and reunite.

My Two Cents: If you hear that this movie was "visually stunning and extraordinarily powerful," it's not just a cliched review, this film was truly something special. The storyline really stayed with me, long after I left the theater. In fact, the plot was so engaging, that I had to buy the book. I'm a huge fan of reading books that were adapted into movies, and I can't wait to see what this story looks like on paper. It's next on my reading list.

7. Leatherheads (with George Clooney, Renee Zellweger and John Krasinski)

Synopsis: Somewhere in the 1920s, Dodge Connolly (Clooney) recruits a star college football player and war hero, Carter Rutherford (Krasinski), to save his rapidly deteriorating team. Lexie Littleton (Zellweger) is a newspaper reporter out digging around for a story that will prove Rutherford isn't as polished as he looks. The two men vie for her affections while changing the face of football, all while Littleton gets closer and closer to finding what she's looking for.

My Two Cents: This movie could be described as charming. While it didn't make me feel as though I'd just had a raucous good time, it was cute in its own right. It kind of reminded me of Some Like It Hot, and I think that's what the director (Clooney) was going for -- something of an old (old, old) school romantic comedy. Let's put it this way: I wouldn't run out to rent it tomorrow, but if it happens to come on HBO the next time you're flipping through the channels, it would be worth watching.