The Contract

Mom and I didn't get out to the movies this weekend because I was busy hosting a Halloween party. However, the day after the party - when all the hubby and I were doing absolutely nothing except sitting around and relaxing - we watched The Contract with John Cusack and Morgan Freeman. With such big actors I would have though this movie would be good; in fact, I bought this movie because it had both of them in it and I was surprised that I had never heard of it. However, after after watching it, I now know why I had never heard of it. The script was horrible and the plot had way too many holes.

High school gym teacher Ray Keene (Cusack) goes on a bonding excursion with his teenage son, who got in trouble with the local law for smoking pot, and comes back with a new girl friend and a new pal in the underworld. With these two amazing actors, this movie has all the ingredients for a speedy action thriller, and just how it fails to raise even the tiniest bit of suspense is beyond me.

This one was a disappointment.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Cate Blanchette and Clive Owen bring magic to the screen in this beautifully filmed and costumed tale of ELIZABETH THE GOLDEN AGE.

In this movie, Queen Elizabeth I (Cate Blanchette) prepares for war against Spain and King Philip II (Jordi Mollà). But as she readies for a major fight to save her crown, she also finds herself falling in love with the adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen). While an official relationship is strictly forbidden for the Queen, she comes up with a devious plan to keep Raleigh by her side that may actually end up breaking her heart.

There were a few scenes that were gory but all in all this was a good movie. Mom and I both enjoyed it.

Michael Clayton

The movie of choice this weekend was Michael Clayton. In this Legal-Eagle thriller, Clooney’s Clayton is trained as a high-class lawyer but works the lower end of the judicial spectrum. So low, in fact, he has not set foot inside a courtroom for over a decade. Michael is the firm’s “fixer” - a guy who knows the right people for the right circumstance, a somewhat shady character and hard to define- until you need him.

After spending 6 years defending a phosphate conglomerate in a multi-billion dollar toxic poisoning case, veteran lawyer Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) has lost his mind and is threatening to change sides. On the orders of his boss (Sydney Pollack), Clayton is told to bring his powers of persuasion to bear on his friend. However, Clayton’s instincts tell him there could be some truth to Arthur’s insane ramblings.

This movie reminded me of a combination of The Firm and Erin Brockovich. If you liked those movies, your sure to love this one - Not to mention, George Clooney is always nice to watch...ha!

The Jane Austen Book Club

I've not read any of the Jane Austen books but I've seen a few of the movies based on her books and I've enjoyed them all. Recently, I watched a movie - Becoming Jane - that was loosely based on her life; I enjoyed this one much better.

The Jane Austen Book Club is about Six people who start a club to discuss the works of Jane Austen, only to find that their relationships begin to resemble 21st century versions of her novels. The members of the club are hopeful about love, but helpless when it comes to relationships. The characters in this movie are interesting and likable, the acting is good, and it isn't filled with violence and vulgarity - something that's increasingly hard to find these days.

Mom and I both very much enjoyed this movie.