Temple Grandin (2010)

I finally got around to watching "Temple Grandin" last night, and it was a terrific movie.  The movie definitely earned all the Emmys it won.  Claire Danes starred in this biopic about a bright autistic woman, Temple Grandin.  Temple's mother (played by Julia Ormond) pushed for her to have a normal life and refused to have her institutionalized as a child.  This movie focused on Temple's life from high school through her early success in her chosen career as a researcher in animal husbandry.  The movie was very well done, the story is inspirational, and the acting was terrific.  This made-for-television movie gets 4 ½ out of 5 stars.  You should definitely make time to watch this film.

Brothers & Sisters Season 5 Premiere

"Brothers & Sisters" has definitely taken a turn for the worse.  I'm not going to sugar coat this one.  I really despised the first episode of the new season.  Instead of killing Robert off quickly (which everyone knew about since Rob Lowe not so quietly left the show), they had him lingering in a coma in the first episode.  To top that off, Rebecca left her marriage to Justin and the show just as quickly.  In addition to the departure of Tommy (due to his drug addiction off the set), that leaves three major characters that are missing.  There's no way this show will return for another season.  It's one thing to watch a show about a family wealthy from their business with their petty quabbling, and it's another to watch them magically find land worth millions and live with all their failed marriages.  This season premiere was the most disappointing of all the shows on television (including pilots that will probably not make it).  Sally Field is too good for the crap they are now penning for this show.  Hopefully, the show will be good enough so I can stick with it through the end.

Desperate Housewives Season 7 Premiere

"Desperate Housewives" was one of my favorite shows on television for a while, but the season premiere really made me dread the upcoming season.  Paul Young returned to the neighborhood after being released from prison, and that should provide some interesting drama.  Vanessa Williams also might be moving into the neighborhood, which should bring more cattiness to the block.  Other than that, the premise of the show fell flat.  Susan was looking into doing soft porn for money (no surprise to me), and Gabby and Carlos were keeping secrets from eachother (no surprise again).  The breakup of Bree and Orson just left me feeling depressed.  I'm guessing that this could be the last season for this show.

Wall Street (1987)

In light of the sequel appearing in theatres this weekend, I decided to finally sit down and watch the original "Wall Street."  Michael Douglas earned an Oscar for his role while Charlie Sheen had a serious performance with real-life father Martin Sheen playing his dad in the film.  It followed the rush of the greed and stock market envy of the 1980s.  The film did a great job of investigating insider trading and the effect of money and greed on the human soul.  I thought the movie was well-done, very insightful for its time, and had a great ending.  I'd give this modern classic 4 out of 5 stars.

Grey's Anatomy Season 7 Premiere

"Grey's Anatomy" returned after the shooting spree at Seattle Grace in the season finale.  No surprise deaths occurred between seasons.  In the premiere, the surgeons were seeing a therapist to determine whether or not they could be cleared for operations again.  It was obvious that the physicians were dealing with the PTSD in different ways, some much more destructive than others.  Meredith was still hiding her miscarriage while her twisted sister was delving into something much more serious.  Lots of relationships were strengthened or broken by the traumatic event.  I won't reveal which ones in case you didn't see the episode yet.

Community Season 2 Premiere

Betty White guest starred as a crazy anthropology professor on the season premiere of "Community."  This sitcom is about a bunch of misfits from different walks of life who got together in a study group at a local community college.  In the premiere, Troy set up a Twitter account to track all the crazy things Pierce (Chevy Chase) said.  There were also shenanigans involving Brita, Annie, and Jeff, but you should watch the episode to see how that panned out.  It was great to see this show back for a second season.  The potential for Senor Chang to join the study group could provide for some great laughs later on this season. 

Modern Family Season 2 Premiere

After "Modern Family" took home many Emmys after its first season, everyone was looking forward to its second season premiere.  The episode played up the idiosyncrasies of its varied characters and had a great story.  Phil and his family had a story that revolved around a station wagon reminiscent of the one from National Lampoon's "Vacation."  Jay tried to save son-in-law Cameron from another home project disaster caused by the clumsiness of Mitchell.  Gloria struggled with Manny choosing potential girlfriends over his own mom.  The show continues to create great laughs, and the opening episode proved why Eric Stonestreet deserved the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy.  ABC's Wednesday night shows knock the competition right out of the park.  I'm glad these series are all back for a second season.

Cougar Town Season 2 Premiere

"Cougar Town" is another underrated show that made its second season premiere last night.  Courtney Cox plays Jules, a 40-something wine-loving divorcee who is overly attached to her son who is about to go off to college.  Her best friend Ellie (Christa Miller) is bitterly sarcastic and a great character.  Her other younger friend (Busy Phillips) is a ditzy blonde who is always getting picked on by Ellie.  Add a lurking ex-husband to the mix along with new boyfriend Grayson, and you have a whole lot of funny drama.  In the season primere, Jennifer Aniston (Cox's costar from "Friends") made a guest appearance as Jules's new age therapist.  True to fashion, Jules smothered her therapist the way she smothered her son.  Hopefully, the second season will not disappoint even though son Travis may not be a series regular once he goes away to college.

The Middle Season 2 Premiere

The season priemere of "The Middle" was by far the funniest show I have seen in a long time.  I'm not sure why this show is so underrated.  In case you don't follow this show, it tells the story of a family with three children living in the middle of nowhere in Indiana.  The oldest child (Axel) is a typical lazy teenage boy, the middle child is a girl (Sue) who tries desperately to be popular, and the youngest child (Brick) is very unique.  This first episode featured the rush that happens on the first day of school.  Frankie (Patricia Heaton) tried to get her family more organized and "normal" in this episode.  As a great surprise, Heaton's costar from "Everybody Loves Raymond" (Doris Roberts) made a cameo as Brick's new teacher, and she was disapproving of Heaton's mothering style.  This is a great show to start watching each week.

Cop Out (2010)

I'm wondering how a Kevin Smith and Cullen Brothers film starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan could turn out to be such a dud.  Bruce Willis was not the only top actor who got sucked into "Cop Out".  This was supposed to be a funny cop flick, but it fell flat, especially in comparison to "The Other Guys."  To sum it up, two cops got suspended, while suspended one gets robbed, and then they end up dealing with a major Mexican drug ring.  While there were a few funny jokes, there were not enough to redeem this film.  I would recommend watching either one of Bruce Willis's real cop movies or one of Kevin Smith's earlier creations.  This film gets 2 ½ out of 5 stars. 

Glee Season 2 Premiere

I'll proudly admit that I am a Gleek!  I've been awaiting the return of this show all summer.  "Glee" is back with its second season, and the only thing disappointing about the premiere was the music selection.  Maybe my age is showing, but I loved all the Journey medleys last season.  They were obviously trying to attract a younger audience with all the popular music in the first episode (most of which I had never heard).  A couple new characters were introduced in the episode as well, which should cause a lot more drama.  Sue Sylvester and Mr. Shue also teamed up briefly to get back at Mrs. Bieste, the new female football coach.  Emma didn't make an appearance in the episode, but hopefully she'll be back soon.  Two thumbs up to one of the best shows on television!

Parenthood Season 2 Premiere

"Parenthood" started midway through last season, and it is loosely based on the movie by the same name.  There are several familiar faces on this show including Lauren Graham, Monica Potter, and Craig T. Nelson.  This series follows one big family with four adult kids.  One daughter is recently divorced and living at home with the grandparents along with her two teenagers.  One son is happily married but found out that his youngest son is autistic.  Another daughter is a successful lawyer with a stay-at-home husband.  The other son is struggling to grow up, living like a bachelor, but recently found out he has a son from a previous relationship.  It's a very interesting family drama with several humorous moments throughout.  I'm glad the series is back this fall, and I'm looking forward to many more episodes to come.

Two and a Half Men Season 8 Premiere

I was delighted that "Two and a Half Men" returned this season with Charlie Sheen.  In spite of his many antics off the set, I find this show to be one of the funniest on television.  In a clever jab to his personal life, Charlie quit drinking in the season premiere (but continued to imbibe beer and wine).  In the episode, Jon Cryer continued his relationship with Jake's friend's mom (and Herb had a few funny things to say about that).  Berta the housekeeper continues to be one of the funniest sidekicks on television.  I am very much looking forward to the rest of this season.

The Scarlet Letter (1995)

In light of my recent review of "Easy A," I figured I should also review "The Scarlet Letter" which I watched several years ago.  The Demi Moore version of the film could easily be characterized as soft porn.  What the Hawthorne novel left to the imagination, the film covered in much detail.  The film did a great job of making you feel sympathy for Hester Prynne, the adulturer.  The movie version spent much less time dealing with the Puritan moral standards and societal impact of Hester's actions than it did on the forbidden love between Hester and the Reverend.  While the movie adaptation strayed from the novel, it was a compelling love story.  It gets 3 out of 5 stars.

Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (2005)

Especially in today's economy, it's hard to avoid hearing about Wal-Mart, the superstore.  The fact that I watched "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" probably alludes to some of my persuasions, but it is a film worth mentioning.  Naturally, the documentary discussed the negative impact of Wal-Mart on small-town America as well as the conditions of the workers making the products in Asia.  The more interesting parts of the documentary focused on aspects that I hadn't really thought much about including government tax breaks for the stores, the percentage of Wal-Mart workers on Medicaid or Welfare, and the appalling corporate policies regarding unions.  The most disturbing aspect to me is that the CEO and board members make millions each year and give little to charity, but the average Wal-Mart worker lives below the federal poverty level and has to rely on government support due to the lacking benefits at Wal-Mart.

While I found the "Frontline" version to be much better and more research-based, this was still worth watching if you are clueless about the situation.  It gets 3 out of 5 stars.

Easy A (2010)

It had been a long time since my husband and I saw a movie in the theatre, so we ventured out yesterday and saw "Easy A."  This is the high school comedy update of "The Scarlet Letter," and as Emma Stone mentioned several times throughout the movie, the original, not the Demi Moore version.  I enjoyed the movie and the moral of the story, particularly the references to John Hughes and the insane adults in the movie.  However, the strong start of the movie dwindled as the movie came to a close.  I would probably watch this film again, just not in the theatre.  It gets 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

Ghost Hunters Season

This is a show that I must admit that I never would have started watching except that my husband is always watching it.  Now I'm proud to say that I'm excited that "Ghost Hunters" is back with its delightful crew let by Jason and Grant.  The other team members including Steve, Tango, Britt, Kris, and Amy always provide for some entertaining moments.  I'm always particularly amused by Steve's paralyzing fear of spiders, especially since he is a professional ghost hunter.

This show is for skeptics and believers alike.  I must admit that I am a huge skeptic, so I appreciate that the crew always goes into the "haunted" sites attempting to debunk the reports of paranormal activity.  However, there have been a handful of episodes that have shown me evidence that make it hard to dismiss that something strange is going on at some of these places.  The team is thorough and takes multiple forms of audio, video, and thermal recorders to the sites.  Give this show a try on the SyFy network if you haven't yet.

Notes on a Scandal (2006)

I had heard so much about "Notes on a Scandal," but I didn't know what it was about until I started watching it.  This dark psychological thriller is narrated as though being read from the diary kept by an old school teacher.  Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett delivered outstanding performances in this film.  The subject matter is very adult, and at times, uncomfortable.  However, this movie was terrifically put together and moving.  The film is about an old school teacher in England who befriends a much younger new teacher.  Both women have incredible secrets they are withholding, including an inappropriate affair with an underage male student.  Like I said, the tale could be disturbing, but it was a great movie overall.  It gets 4 out of 5 stars.

Only You (1994)

"Only You" is a movie that I remembered seeing bits and pieces of throughout my childhood, but I finally sat down and watched it from start to finish the other night.  I was not disappointed.  While the plot is a little loopy even for a romantic comedy, Robert Downey Jr., Marissa Tomei, and Bonnie Hunt really made a great production.  If you can get past all the talk about desinty and fate, the movie is a touching story that follows Tomei as she looks for true love and Hunt as she debates the fate of her marriage.  Most of the movie is set in Italy, which results in beautiful landscapes, funny Italian gigalo portrayals, and so much more.  This was a very heart-warming romantic comedy that I could watch again.  It gets 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

Covert Affairs Season 1 Finale

"Covert Affairs" was one of my favorite new shows this summer.  In this USA series, Piper Perabo plays a new CIA operative (Annie) who makes some rookie mistakes.  Matters are complicated because it turns out that her exboyfriend (Ben) was a CIA operative who went rogue.  Other notable characters include a blind CIA techie, a quarreling husband and wife duo in leadership positions at the CIA, and the son of the former head of the CIA.

The double episode season finale did not disappoint.  There were lots of action sequences, a reunion between Annie and Ben, and the CIA leak was finally revealed at the end of the finale.  We'll have to wait until next season to learn the fate of the head of the DPD (Peter Gallagher), Ben, and Annie.  I can't wait!  

Outsourced (2006)

I watched "Outsourced" the other night, and it was such a gem!  This is a romantic comedy about a guy who loses his job due to outsourcing, and he is forced to go to India to train his replacement.  While there, the cultural differences between Americans and Indians results in a lot of funny jokes.  Don't worry...this movie was not about the political aspects of outsourcing.  It took a refreshingly comedic approach and looked at the effects of its impact on the lives of people from both sides.  I very much enjoyed the movie, and I thought it was hillarious when the American guy commited a faux pas every few minutes because he was oblivious about Indian culture.  I highly recommend this movie.  It gets 4 out of 5 stars. 

Rizzoli & Isles Season 1 Finale

The first season finale of "Rizzoli & Isles" did not disappoint.  I've been following this show since it premiered earlier this summer.  In the season finale, we find out that Detective Rizzoli and her cop brother have a third brother who is getting released from prison.  Earlier in the season, we learned about the not-so-law-abiding family of Dr. Isles.  I am continually impressed with the character development on this show, but the characters are based on novels, so I shouldn't be too surprised.  I'll have to pick up Tess Gerritsen's novels to get my fix until next summer.

This episode centered around the homicide of a Boston cop who was working undercover on a drug case.  The plot thickened when the murderers took over the police station with Rizzoli and Isles trapped inside.  I don't want to ruin the episode, but a lot of cops got shot in the police station, and it wasn't clear who would survive when the credits started rolling.  I'm looking forward to next season!

My Boys Season 4 Finale

"My Boys" is one of my favorite summer series, as I mentioned previously.  A lot of shows are doing the double episode season finale, and "My Boys" was not exempt.  I very much enjoyed the season finale, but I'm hoping that it's not the series finale.  The writers did wrap up the package very neatly at the end of the season, and TBS has yet to renew the series, but it would be a real shame if they ended it now.

In case you don't know, "My Boys" follows female Chicago sportswriter PJ (played by Jordana Spiro) and her group of male buddies.  To counteract the bunch, she has a super girlie best friend Steph.  With the absecnce of Jim Gaffigan this season, the humor shifted, but the show was still very funny.  The season finale did not disappoint, and (SPOILER ALERT), the episode did end with a wedding.  I will not say who got married at the end of the show.

I hope that "My Boys" returns for a fifth season.  The characters have all matured and are very well-developed at this point, but there are still many places they could each go.  Let's hope that TBS decides to renew this gem of a sitcom rather than moving to more reality television.

Run Fatboy Run (2007)

Leave it to a little British humor to brighten my day.  I wasn't expecting much from "Run Fatboy Run" based on the title, but I was very pleasantly surprised.  I found the movie to be funny and it made me root for the underdog.  Simon Pegg stars as a "loser" left his pregnant bride-to-be at the altar (Thandie Newton) and tries to get her back.  He's terrific with his son, but then a new boyfriend appears in the mom's life.  This encourages Pegg (a couch potato and smoker) to run a marathon to try to win back the affection of Newton.  My husband and I both enjoyed the film and found it to be a refreshing comedy.  It gets 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Let me just preface this review by saying that "Sherlock Holmes" was a delightful surprise.  I remember when I saw the previews I had no desire to see this movie at all.  However, this was a fun adventure with great characters portrayed by Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law, and Rachel McAdams.  Just as a side note, I am loving Robert Downey Jr.'s recent films.  Guy Ritchie did a tremedous job keeping this film moving at a quick pace.  There was also a bit of humor thrown in throughout the story.  I don't want to spoil the plot for those who have not seen it, so I'll just say that there are lots of twists and turns and explanations for everything in the end.  I am going to give this film 4 out of 5 stars because it was fun, fast-paced, and kept me interested the whole time.

AVP: Alien Vs. Predator (2004)

My recent viewing of "Predator" reminded me of my viewing of "AVP: Alien Vs. Predator" years ago.  Again, it was chosen by the group of guys I was hanging out with that night.  The film was so bad that I honestly can't even remember who won in the end: alien, predator, or human.  Anyways, this film pit alien and predator again a bunch of unsuspecting humans in Antarctica.  This film had much more gore than the original, and Arnold did not make an appearance.  For that, this film gets 2 stars.

Predator (1987)

If you've been reading my blog, you're probably wondering why I watched "Predator."  Well, my husband and my father were watching it on television, and I was bored, so I sat down to watch this Arnold "classic."  This movie was one of Schwarzeneggar's typical action films from the 1980s where lots of people die and Arnold kicks some ass.  In this particularly well-developed plot, a group of commandos are trapped in a jungle and are being hunted by some alien warrior with advanced technology.  The acting was terrible and the plot was weak, but there were a few interesting action sequences.  Overall, this gets 2 ½  out of 5 stars.  Watch this for the nostalgia if it's on television and you're really bored.