Recent Movies

This week, I've watched several movies. Our cable company recently let us have like 20 channels of Starz! for three months free, and then $5.95/month thereafter. So we've been gorging on movies. DH has watched "Friday After Next" and "Hulk." I watched "Welcome to the Dollhouse," "Mona Lisa Smile," and "How to Deal."

"Dollhouse" was sad, heartfelt, and entertaining. It ended depressingly, though. I could easily identify with the main character, a middle child who was going through the growing pains of adolescence. Her name escapes me, but she was portrayed by Heather Matarrazzo. I recommend it as an arty kind of film--one that makes you think.

"MLS" starred Julia Roberts as Katherine Watson, an art professor at Wellesley College in the 1950s. As always, Kirsten Dunst shone as Betty, a hoity-toity miss who thought that marriage was her heart's desire. Julia Stiles was wasted as Joan, a girl who gets into Yale Law School, only to decide that she would prefer a family to a career. I say wasted because she had little screen time. Maggie Gyllenhaal (I think) was Gisele, the slut of the group, who was actually the most grounded of all the women. All I have to say is that if that was really how female colleges were run in the 1950s, then I'm glad to be a modern woman of the 80s-90s-00s. You can have marriage and career, and you do have to make some sacrifices. Just don't do one or the other or both because society tells you to.

Mandy Moore portrayed Hallie, the main character in "HtD." It was a typical teen film, very predictable, and Moore was almost too sweet as a girl who doesn't want to fall in love because love hurts. Yes, it can hurt, but the hurt is so worth it. 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. I didn't care for this film, but someone out there might like it.

Last weekend, DH & I watched "Hidalgo." Awesome scenery. Slow story. Handsome Viggo Mortensen. Handsome horse. Worth watching for the scenery alone.

Have a great weekend!