Movie Reviews

My Week With Marilyn is an adaptation of Colin Clark's memoir The Prince, the Showgirl and Me. Clark was a production assistant working for Laurence Olivier's production company on the set of the 1957 film, The Prince and the Showgirl.

For movie lovers, Martin Scorsese's Hugo is a goldmine of glories from films past. Some of Hugo's best moments are those that aren't actually Hugo. The film is full of clips from old silent movies, by Méliès and others, and it's a pleasure to see them lovingly restored and projected on to a cinema screen. The enduring weirdness of Méliès's A Trip to the Moon still provokes chills.

We're in Dallas, and it's been hot.  Still is.  We're working on breaking the record for the longest stretch of days over 100 degrees.  It may be the only time Tamara can actually golf the temperature, except that it's been too hot to even play.  Other cities are suffering as well.

The film Black Swan confronts most of the significant issues facing girls and women today in a way that few have ever dared. At first glance, its screenplay reads like a simple horror flick swirling around Swan Lake, the ballet based on Russian folk tales and made famous by the composer Tchaikovsky.

We recently went to see the Chris Rock re-make of Death at a Funeral. The humor was broad and the antics got a bit out of hand, but it's a great premise and a fun way to spend a rainy Saturday morning, which is what we did.  Judy enjoyed it. Penni wasn't that crazy about it. The difference -- Penni saw the original Death at a Funeral when it came out in 2007.

Summer is generally a time when many movies are released. This year, I’ve put together a short list of movies that sound intriguing from what I’ve seen in the previews.

Tamara: Les Liaisons dangereuses, a French epistolary novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, was published in 1782. The storyline has been used many times since.  As a play, it has received rave reviews. As a movie, It's been made several times in keeping with the 18th century period,

We're looking for those movies you love that haven't been seen by most people you know. This week two GNG members write about their chices for great, but little known movies. Share your favorite, underappreciated films with us.

You'd have to go really far into the backwoods to find anyone who's never heard of Titanic or Gone with the Wind, but there are lots of great movies not so well known. We have a few favorites to share, and we hope that you'll contribute to this discussion as well.

New to DVD is Adam, the story of a young man living with Asperger's Syndrome, which is basically a high functioning form of autism. After his father dies, Adam, played by the very handsome Hugh Dancy, must learn to make new relationships in order to function in the world.

Meryl Streep seems to be having fun these days. And, you'll have fun taking an afternoon or evening to go see It's Complicated. Streep as Jane, pairs up with Adam, played by Steve Martin, and Jake played by Alec Baldwin in this light hearted, endearing romantic comedy.

This selection, which is not exhaustive by any means, is designed to instill in you a distinct form of nostalgia: when you were reading stories and watching movies, staying up late with the feeling of anticipation and sheer joy that the holidays were near. Some of these movies can indeed be considered children’s films. I just see them as being for everyone, regardless of age. Most I’ve watched since I was a little girl, and I find that they bring me delight every time I watch them. Some are new, others are classics. All of them have to do with the infectious spirit of the holidays and the happiness it brings us. Please enjoy!

The second installment of the Twilight Saga: New Moon premieres tomorrow. Accordingly, young girls everywhere are in hysteria as they eagerly await their entrance into the theater, bemused at the story of vampires, love, lust, and violence that they have read about in the book series by Stephanie Meyer. Personally, I'm a bit over vampires.