<p>I loved Little Miss Sunshine – several of the characters reminded me of people I know/used to know. Had a professor like the one in the movie who committed suicide a few years after I graduated. We have a van with a door that used to fall off. While my teenage sons were not exactly like the one in the movie, they shared some of the same <em>attitude</em> – but I didn’t like the way the movie ended – turned into a cliche at the end.</p>
<p>The Departed, I thought was excellent, though I didn’t <em>enjoy</em> it --way too intense – I went because my hubby wanted to see it. – Kept me on edge the whole time.</p>
<p>I liked Night at the Museum. Not a great movie, but pretty good for a kid flick – better than I expected.</p>
<p>Loved Meryl Streep in the Devil Wears Prada.</p>
<p>Was it just my imigination or did Meryl get her wrinkles pulled back just for that film? I have this memory of a glass faced woman in ‘Prada’ but when Meryl collected her GG, she was as wrinkly as they come.</p>
<p>My H and I really liked The Good Shepherd, in spite of it receiving mixed reviews. We also saw Borat which had its funny moments as well as some seriously disturbing ones(I had to look away during that wrestling scene! Ugh! And I won’t even get started on “…the running of the Jews…” much less the fact that people in the theater audience were laughing at that). Little Miss Sunshine was pretty good, but I also thought that it was very predictable. I saw The Devil Wears Prada, as well as reading the book, and this IMO was definitely one of those rare instances of the movie being quite a bit better than the book. My D and I are planning to see Letters from Iwo Jima. And I would really like to see The Queen, and also Little Children (I’m a Kate Winslet fan.)</p>
<p>My friends pressured me to watch Notes on a Scandal with them (it seemed like a quality film… I just didn’t want to spend any money), but I ended up going and now, I highly recommend it. The acting was great, the script was great, and the story is profoundly sad.</p>
<p>I thought The Good Sheperd was great. It was long and convoluted and depressing like a John le Carre novel. More than a little scary if its basis in reality is more real than fictional. Certainly an anti-ad for joining the CIA! My only quibble was that Angelina Jolie was completely unconvincing as a preppy WASP.</p>
<p>I just saw Children of Men- very thought provoking and even had humourous bits which I was grateful for - Loved Michael Caine as John Lennon/political writer</p>
<p>Just saw The Departed last night - fascinating, disturbing, with marvelous performances from the entire cast. Matt Damon didn’t put a foot wrong in a difficult role, and I think Leonardo diCaprio simply gets better in everything he does. Mark Wahlberg stole every scene he was in and certainly deserves his supporting actor nomination, but one of these days Alec Baldwin will win in that category - what an outstanding character actor he’s become!</p>
<p>Best Director? I would love to see Martin Scorcese win, but the Academy goofed by not giving it to him 25 years ago for Raging Bull or 15 years ago for Goodfellas. I loved The Departed, but don’t know if it’s in the same category of films. Still, it would be ridiculous for such a genius never to receive an Oscar (though Hitchcock never did, either).</p>
<p>As soon as I see Baldwin on screen and hear that voice–I break into a smile. Like Nicholson, he puts it his middle aged foibles on public display–and it’s great entertainment.</p>
<p>I saw ‘History Boys’ this weekend and was horribly disappointed. The sound track was KILLING me.</p>
<p>We too saw The Departed last night( thanks to the re-release before Academy Awards) . Great film, every performance-spot on, I was very impressed. My favorite Best Picture nominee( out of 3 I’ve seen, we missed Babel and will try to see Letters from Iwo Jima sometime soon) .</p>
<p>Saw Notes on a Scandal on Friday afternoon. I thought the acting by Cate B. and Judi Dench was fabulous. Judi should get the Best Actress Oscar, not Helen Mirren, IMHO, even though Ms. Mirren was also wonderful.</p>
<p>Then, in the evening, I saw The Last King of Scotland again (because my husband hadn’t seen it). It was even better the second time around, a classic “naive expatriate” story as well as a good history lesson, and great acting. </p>
<p>The only big nominee I have yet to see (I know, movies are WAY too big in my life, but I’m a new empty nester just trying to cope!) is Venus. Anyone seen it?</p>
<p>I saw The Queen with my spouse and then again last night with my daughter. I remember the night of Diana’s death and followed the news reports and the leadup to the very emotional and moving funeral. Hats off to the director of the film and double hats off to Helen Mirren. It will be a MAJOR surprise if she does not win the Oscar for Best Actress. If you haven’t seen the movie, go. You will not be disappointed.</p>
<p>My husband is so clueless. When we got to the scene where there are kajillions of flowers in front of Buckingham Palace. He asked me, “Did that really happen?”</p>
<p>Son is the movie buff at our house–
He saw Children of Men (twice), The Departed, and Letters From Iwo Jima. Thought all three were excellent, esp. the third.</p>
<p>Did anyone see see 49 Up?? I didn’t catch it before it left the local arty cinema. I received the “Up series” on DVD for Christmas this year. I didn’t like how Michael Apted sometimes seemed to steer the interviews-- looking too hard for resentment from some of the more working class ‘kids,’ but am enjoying catching up where I left off years ago. Once I’ve lent them out to friends, will probably donate the set to the local library. It does takes a pretty big time committment to watch them all, though.</p>