By the time I made it to the theater to see Juno with my family on Christmas, I was already a little tired of hearing about it. The outpouring of critical praise began after initial screenings at festivals and exploded after the movie was released. In these kinds of situations, it’s hard to not see the response as a whole lot of Hollywood hype, and I walked into the theater ready to be let down.
By now you are probably feeling the effects of the TV writers’ strike - the collaborative decision of television writers to cease working until better contracts are secured - since pretty much all shows are airing repeats. I feel your pain. There are only so many times one can watch A Charlie Brown Christmas without getting the urge to toss something large at the TV. Therefore, I present to you a list of shows available on DVD worth your viewing time to keep you going during this painful stretch of hiatus hell. Read more…
All around, Waitress is a smart comedy that proves you don’t need big explosions or expensive special effects to be entertained by a movie, just a good story to tell. Keri Russell makes Jenna, the title character, believable and easy to relate to, even if you’re not a knocked up twenty-something year old woman. In fact, Russell portrays Jenna as a talented and intelligent individual who struggles to believe in herself, and really, who can’t relate to that.
Just from the trailers alone, you know that the producers of The Golden Compass are hoping to cash in on the fantasy trend and strike gold with a new movie series that would match the success of The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and The Chronicles of Narnia. However, bad buzz from critics and attacks from religious groups seems to have shattered that possibility – so is the movie still worth seeing?
Now that the wintry weather has finally snapped into place—am I the only person who couldn’t enjoy all the newly hung holiday decorations in sixty-degree temperatures?—it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And that means—regardless of whatever winter gift-giving holiday you celebrate—the holiday shopping countdown is on. There are just a few short weeks left to get all your gifts. Sure, you could run around the malls, pick out the perfect tie for dad (which he’ll never wear), spend too much on cashmere for mom, give up and get your brother a lame gift certificate that he’ll likely forget to spend. Or you could take care of the whole family (and all your friends too) from the comfort of your couch in a couple of short minutes. From box sets to best-ofs, there’s something for everyone on iTunes. You can use the following suggestions to make one eclectic mix for everyone or use it as a gift guide for individual presents. So put on your slippers—what’s better than getting to shop in pajamas?—and pull out your Christmas list: it’s time to go shopping. Read more…
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