Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
Movie Review – Law Abiding Citizen
WOW – what an intense experience this movie was! I actually wasn’t looking for this particular movie when I decided to go to a matinee yesterday. I haven’t seen any trailers on it and wasn’t aware of any details. I logged onto Yahoo Movies to see what was playing in the area yesterday to see if there was anything that caught my eye. I noticed this title, but the poster didn’t do anything for me. So, I opened it up to see what the write-up was about – and I was instantly intrigued!!! Then, I saw the cast list – Jamie Fox, Gerard Butler (that one, alone, was enough to convince me), and Colm Meaney. OK, sounded like it would definitely be worth the price of a matinee ticket, so I decided to give it a try!
The story opens with Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) enjoying an evening with his family – wife and young daughter. While the wife is fixing dinner and the daughter is washing up, he goes to answer the door. The minute he opens the door, two thugs push their way in and bash him in the head with a baseball bat. They proceed to beat him, tie him up, and duct tape his mouth. Then, his wife comes out of the kitchen and starts to scream, so one of the thugs goes after her. While he is beating and raping her with Shelton and the other thug looking on, the little girl appears in the doorway. To Shelton’s horror, the thug grabs the girl and disappears into another room saying, “don’t worry, children love me”! Shelton survives the invasion/attack, but his wife and daughter don’t! His nightmare doesn’t end there, though! Jamie Fox plays the prosecutor on the case. He ends up making a deal with the one who did the actual violent parts of the crime – he would plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for his testimony against the other guy! So – he only served about 5 years and the one who was only there to rob the place ended up charged directly with the murders and was sentenced to death! How’s that for justice???? Shelton was, of course, in shock and appalled at how the system failed him and his slain family!
Fast forward 10 years……beginning with a horrifying mix up at the execution of the one who got the death sentence that resulted in an agonizing death and then the ingenious, yet sickening, brutal slaughter of the one that got away with murder, the story starts to blossom! I won’t go into any more detail — all this happens very quickly in the beginning! But, suffice it to say that it is an intense psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and made me jump and gasp more than once!!! Shelton spends the rest of the movie cunningly and brilliantly getting his revenge and staying one step ahead of Fox and Meaney as they try to figure out what he’ll do next and how in the world he is doing it!!!!
On the down side – it was way too gory for me! I don’t particularly care for that much graphic violence and blood!!! But, there were only a couple really bad scenes and I was able to turn away and not watch the sickening parts without spoiling any of the story and intensity! And the ending actually surprised me!!! That rarely EVER happens!!!
Even with what I would define as unnecessarily extreme graphic violence, I still rate this one an A+ — very intense, very good story, exceptional acting (particularly by Gerard Butler), and not even the slightest second of slow or boring moments! I highly recommend it for anyone really into psychological thrillers — I seriously doubt anyone will be disappointed! If you are, I’d love to hear why!!! CAUTION: Definitely NOT for kids — if you usually allow your kids to see movies like this, you may want to see it first OR wait until it comes out on DVD so you can skip the really graphic scenes!
Movie Review – Amelia
I know…I’m behind on my reviews! But, not too far behind – I just saw Amelia last Sunday, so I’m only a week late! Last weekend was my birthday and my dear friends, Ron and Lisa, took me out for a great day to commemorate it! We went to Cary and did some shopping at BJ’s, went to see the movie Amelia, and had dinner at Olive Garden! It was a great day!
So – on with the review! Amelia is, of course, the story of Amelia Earhart. Hilary Swank stars as Amelia and Richard Gere portrays her husband, publishing mogul George Putnam. Ewan McGregor also stars in the movie as Gene Vidal, father of Gore Vital and long time friend and lover of Amelia’s.
The acting is top notch! I usually don’t care a lot for Hilary Swank, but she is perfect as Amelia Earhart – she even looks like her!
The story chronicles Amelia’s love of flying and her inherent knowledge of aircraft and what can make a flight efficient and successful against the odds. The story admits she may not have been the best pilot, but she was smart and had great instincts, as well as an intense passion. It also focuses on her personal life and her relationships. The world fell in love with her and so did everyone she came into personal contact with. She was a charismatic woman who was able to use her celebrity to raise the funds she needed to finance her flying desires.
One thing I really liked was that it stuck to the facts about her last flight. It used written journal entries that were among the things she sent to her husband on one of her stops to lighten the weight in the plane, as well as radio logs, phone conversations, and other records. It didn’t take liberties to assume things that must have happened or romanticize an alleged ending.
All in all, it was a good movie — very interesting and endearing. I would have liked for it to go into more about her life by focusing more heavily on specific parts, rather than just touching on so many aspects of it. But, that probably would have made for a very lengthy film – this is a difficult balance for most movies to make. I think they did a nice job of giving just enough to keep the audience interested and perhaps wanting to go research the more in depth details.
I rate this movie a solid B+ and recommend it for anyone who likes historic stories, aviation themes, and real life romance.
Review – Stones In His Pockets
Last Friday evening, I went to see the latest production at the Temple Theatre – Stones in His Pockets, starring Michael Brocki and Derrick Ivey. It is the story of the extras, crew, and main star in a movie being shot in Ireland. The primary story is of the relationships of the extras and a young man who has fallen on hard times, was rejected in his attempt to obtain a job as an extra on the movie, and subsequently kills himself by putting stones in his pockets and walking into the lake. But, it isn’t all that gloomy – although the suicide is an important aspect, it doesn’t put a damper on the feel of the story. It is funny, touching, and emotional.
The hook and amazing part of this production is that there are over a dozen characters who are both male and female, but only TWO actors who are both men! And the real kicker? They never leave the stage or change costumes (except for a few minor accessories or props) at any time during the production!!! Sound confusing? Well, you’d think so, but it really wasn’t!!! I admit, it took me about 5 minutes or so to “get it”. At first, I thought it was hard to follow and I was working way too hard to figure out what in the world was going on. But, once they made it through the characters and started to go back and forth between them, it all came together and was so obvious!
Brocki and Ivey did an amazing job of making sure we knew exactly which character they were portraying at any given time. They would be one character and then spin around or change positions and suddenly they were another character! The expressions, mannerisms, voices, and even dialects of each character were so distinctive, you knew the second they “transformed” who they were! It takes a special talent to be able to pull this off and make it totally believable and Brocki and Ivey both have that talent – BIG TIME!!! They were absolutely successful in making me “see” each distinct character and visualize exactly what they look like! I was mesmerized!
I always enjoy being at the Temple Theatre and am rarely disappointed. Granted, some shows are better than others, but that’s natural. This was definitely among the better shows I’ve seen. I really enjoyed it. Today is the last show of this run. If you haven’t already seen it and are looking for something to do this afternoon, I recommend you give this a try!
Good Choice
I heard a crunching, tearing sound coming from the living room, so I went to investigate – it couldn’t be good! When I got in there, Amy very guiltily (is that a word) jumped off the love seat and sneaked behind the chair with her head down…..funny how they know when they are about to get scolded! There on the love seat were two pictures – one with a couple bite marks and one torn in several pieces! BOTH were of Megan as a puppy the day we found them!
I said “Amy, those are pictures of Megan when she was a baby — you’ve ruined them!” (no huge loss, I have them on the computer and other hard copies) Then I went to find out where she got them from. In the bedroom, I found several pictures spread out on the bed. Three were of Amy as a puppy on that same day – none were damaged at all – not a single bite mark on them – just spread out neatly! And one more of Megan taken that day – that one had a couple bite marks on it! I also found the album that she got them from — it was pulled off a stack by my Grandfather’s old trunk — it was opened and none of the other loose photos that were inside the cover were disturbed!!!
So — she opened this particular photo album, pulled out JUST the 6 loose photos that were taken of them three years ago out at Ronald’s on the day we found them, arranged her own pictures neatly on the bed, and proceeded to tear up and eat the ones of Megan!!!
How’s that for a smart cookie????
Here are the photos she was reminiscing with and taking out her revenge on! The first 3 are Megan – the first one is the one she tore into pieces! The last 3 are Amy – the ones she laid out on the bed for perfect viewing! At the time these were taken, they were just known as “Brindle Puppy” and “Tan Puppy”!
That’s OK – no thanks required…
I was sitting at the computer, relaxing, sipping a cup of Blueberry Tea, thinking about what I want to wear today, when I started hearing some strange noises coming from the bedroom across the hall……snorting, grunting, muffled whining, scratching……(get your minds out of the gutter, now)! So, I got up and went in to see what was going on!
There was Megan, on her belly, trying her darndest to stretch as far as she could to reach something under the bed (the frame is too low for her to get under it). Her little arm and head were as far in as they would go and her back feet were digging in to gain traction and leverage! She was working so hard to get “something”!
When she heard me in the doorway, she slipped out and ran to me, whining, to plead for help! So, I got down on the floor to see what she was after……there it was……about half way to the other side……..her favorite ball!!!! But, alas, I couldn’t reach it, either! So, I got up, got the dust mop, got back down on the floor, and used it to pull the ball close enough so I could get it!! Success!! I saved the day!!
Megan grabbed the ball from my hand and ran excitedly out of the room, squeaking the ball all the way down the hallway!!!! I got up off the floor and called after her……”that’s OK, no thanks required, but a kiss might have been nice, since I saved the day for you…..but, that’s OK!” ha-ha-ha
By the way, she did come back after I got comfortable back in the den with my cup of tea…..she was all wiggles with her ball in her mouth to show me how happy and proud she was……so, I got a big “thank you”, afterall!
Footprints in the shower
Every time I get in the shower, Katie and Amy lay patiently on the bed – taking the opportunity for a little relaxation! But, Megan stands just outside the shower door – standing vigil – waiting anxiously for me to get done and step out! Not because she misses me or doesn’t like to have me out of her sight! No – she stands there waiting for her turn to get IN the shower!
As soon as I am done and out, she gets in and starts licking up the water off the floor of the shower, off the seat that usually catches a puddle, and the walls! She works diligently until all the water that she can reach is gone! (good thing I make sure all the soap is rinsed down before I get out!)
It would be really cool to have the shower cleaned by such a dedicated worker — if only it ended up clean when she was done! The problem is, she has usually already been outside and has dirty little feet…….so, this usually results in muddy footprints in the shower AND on the tile floor heading out of the bathroom when she’s done!
Here is the result of Megan’s shower cleaning efforts this morning — I affectionately call it “footprints in the shower”:
And it isn’t just my shower, either — when Mom was here and using the tub/shower combo in the guest bathroom, Megan hopped into the tub to clean up after her, too!
The Girls
I haven’t devoted a post to the girls in a while. Not because they stopped giving me cool things to write about, but more because they stopped doing those “I can laugh now, but man, it wasn’t funny at the time” type of things! But they are still amazing and a joy to have in my life!
So – what have they been up to now that they no longer eat furniture and destroy everything they come into contact with?
Katie turned 5 years old in April. Megan and Amy both turned 3 in August. They still go berserk when company comes over – it is like they never saw another human being before and they have to get all the attention they can get just in case they never see another one again! But other than that, they are settled and moving nicely into adulthood! Wow – that is a strange word to use when talking about them – they will always be babies!
It is so cool to see Megan start to enjoy plush toys – the right way! She always did enjoy them, but they rarely lasted more than a few minutes before all the stuffing and the squeaker was removed! Now, she totes them around and throws them in the air and falls asleep with her arm around them — so cute!!!! If she is anywhere near a toy when I say “whatch got there, Megan?”, she proudly picks it up and comes over to wiggle around and show it off! Then she plays the fade out game — she acts like she wants me to take it to play with her, but then she suddenly turns her head so I can’t reach it! That can go on for what seems like hours! ha-ha
Katie and Amy are the sweethearts — they just want to be sweet and lovable!
The big thing right now is all three are constantly digging their way to China to find the moles that are tunneling under my back yard eating grubs! Every year at this time, I end up with a grub problem, which brings moles to my yard, which results in the dogs going nuts trying to dig them up!!! The recent rain really made the problem worse! So — the elves came last week and spread out grub control! Once that works, the moles should go away to look for food somewhere else – at least I hope they will – they usually do – and the digging will stop – again, I hope it will – it usually does! The girls don’t typically dig – unless they hear/smell moles invading their territory – then they go on the hunt! It is so funny to see the perfect trenches they dig and how deep they go to find the mole tunnels! But, the worst part is that when they find one, they try to bring it in the house!!! I have to check to see if they have any gifts before I let them in — uugghh!
So — there are parts of my back yard that are a mess right now and one of the new trees that were planted this spring is uprooted and on its side (a perfect tunnel was dug under and all around it) — but, once we know the moles are gone and the digging stops, the elves will bring a load of dirt and fill in all the lovely trenches that the girls have created! I know the grub control is working – there are dead grubs all over the edge of my patio, sidewalk, and driveway! Eeewww!
October
I LOVE OCTOBER! It is no secret that I grew up in Western New York, so I have experienced all the wonderful things that October has to offer. Nowhere else can compare to October in NY – it is amazing! I miss home for a lot of reasons — but October ALWAYS makes me homesick!!
Here are some of the reasons:
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October is the defining month for the Autumn season – it is the start of the 4th quarter of the year – it is just an amazing month, filled with fun and joy!
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Autumn lasts much longer in NY than it does in NC. The height of the season is October, but it truly lasts the entire time the calendar gives it! September begins the cooler days and the start of the beauty and it continues straight through November and the Thanksgiving holiday!
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The beauty of the colors changing to signify the transition from summer to winter is a joy to behold! You don’t have to drive to the mountains to enjoy the changing of the leaves – it is everywhere AND it is so much more breathtaking there! I took a day drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway in mid-October a few years back to get a taste of what I have missed over the years in NC. While it was beautiful — it just didn’t compare to the beauty in NY!
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The smells of October are amazing — burning leaves, the cool air — it alerts your sense of smell and screams out the wonderfulness of the season!
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The sounds of leaves rustling and crackling under your feet as you walk through the yard! I used to love playing in the piles of leaves – kicking and throwing them around, laying and rolling around in them! Just walking through ankle deep (or deeper) leaves can put a smile on my face!
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APPLES — apple orchards are EVERYWHERE! We lived out in the country and there were several apple orchards within walking distance and we’d go for a walk to town or to a friend’s house and pick a couple apples fresh off the trees to eat on the way and again on the way back! Not to mention the homemade apple pies that were so plentiful due to the abundance of fresh apples!!!
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Butternut Squash — I love having fresh butternut squash on the table! Whether it is whipped with lots of butter and a touch of cinnamon or baked and eaten right out of the shell, the taste is rich and defines the Autumn season!
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Pumpkin pie…..enough said!!!
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Barn parties — hay rides — pumpkin fests — Indian Corn — etc….
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Oktoberfests…….
Those are just a few of the reasons October is so wonderful and makes me miss my home and my family! There are other more personal reasons, too – it is a month of family days and holidays:
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My Grandparents had three grandchildren and we were ALL born in October: My cousin’s birthday is Oct 2nd, my brother’s birthday is Oct 7th, and mine is Oct 24th! I even had a sister-in-law who’s birthday was in Oct – the 17th!
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My Grandparent’s wedding anniversary was Oct 14th
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And then there is Halloween – the second best holiday of the year (of course, Christmas is the very best!)
Join me in celebrating October — what a great month!
Baby Therapy!
There is nothing like a baby or a puppy to put a smile on people’s faces and bring tears of joy to the eyes of even the least sentimental among us! Gazing into the eyes of something so innocent, so new, so curious is so incredibly amazing! Holding a baby or playing with a puppy is the best way to totally forget all about whatever is eating away at you – it is the best therapy in the world!
An old saying goes something like “where there’s one, there’s three” or “they come in threes”! I am fascinated by the # 3 (check out a previous post devoted to the # 3), so I always watch for ways to prove this old wives’ tale! But, this year has blown it totally out of the water when it comes to people I know who are having babies! Four of my friends are pregnant – all due within a month or so of each other! There are others I know in town who are also pregnant. There are at least 3 women at work who are pregnant – one on my staff! And my nephew’s wife is about 24 weeks pregnant for my very first great-nephew!! WOW!!
I have been overwhelmed with emotion over the past week or so! And babies and puppies have been the reason! It wasn’t in the cards for me to have a baby of my own — the son I raised came to me the easy way — when he was 6 years old! Although I love him and he is my son in every way that counts, I still feel that I missed out on an important experience! So, I think that makes me adore being around babies and love watching friends and family enjoy the experience even more!
All of a sudden, it seems like the mini baby boom I mentioned here is bubbling with events and activities:
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This past week, I received an email with the 22 week ultrasound photo of my great-nephew! It wasn’t the first photo I have received, but it came at a time when I am a buzz with other local baby events. I hate that they live so far away and I can’t watch Bryan and Brianne enjoy this wonderous time in their lives. We were all so happy about the Thanksgiving/Christmas time last year because Brianne was pregnant, but that one wasn’t meant to be. Now, she is more than 1/2 way into her pregnancy and we all can’t wait to meet the little guy!!!
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I’ve been having so much fun shopping for baby gifts! Looking for those perfect gift items for showers and just to celebrate the joy of pregnancy and birth has been such a rush! Especially for the two I know who are having little girls — not to down play the wonder of little boys, but I do get an extra special enjoyment out of buying baby girl gifts!
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On Saturday, I attended a baby shower – for one of the two baby girls I know – and had a great time ooo-ing and aaa-ing over the little booties, outfits, hats, and other assorted gifts that were opened – mostly pink and all adorable!
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At about 12:30 am on Saturday morning, Hayley Alexandra Liggett was born! Click here to read her proud Dad’s blog post and editorial column. Due to the miracle of modern technology, her Mom and Dad were able to let all their Facebook friends know within minutes after her arrival that she was here and posted photos to show us how absolutely beautiful she was. I, along with other Facebook friends, waited up in anxious anticipation for the news and shed tears of joy at being able to share in their magical event!
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This evening, I was able to meet Hayley in person and she is incredible! The entire time I visited with her parents and grandparents, I was able to hold that precious angel! What a wonderful feeling! There is something about having a baby cradled in your arms and the way a baby smells — so soothing — the perfect therapy for a long hard day! I had a great time and could have sat there for hours on end!
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On Sunday, I volunteered with CARA for a puppy adopt-a-thon and I got to play with and cuddle puppies for a couple hours! What a joy that was! The puppy I took care of was named Maestro and he was adorable and playful and loveable – I hope someone gives him a forever home soon – he will make a wonderful addition to anyone’s family! I went home all covered with puppy slobber and hair — the girls gave me the sniffing third degree to figure out where I had been and why I smelled like strange dogs, but it was so worth it!
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This Saturday I plan to attend a baby shower for another friend and can’t wait to see all the adorable baby things she gets! What fun!
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I am starting to shop and gather a variety of cute little things for the upcoming arrival of my great-nephew! His Dad, my nephew, is a huge UNC fan, so I’ve been picking up UNC themed baby items, as well as other stuff! I am planning a trip up home in the next couple of months and will likely take what I have so far with me! I am looking forward to seeing Brianne pregnant and checking out what preparations they have made for the baby — if I know Bryan, they already have the room ready and waiting! I have a lot of catching up to do with them while I’m there!
So — babies galore!! How wonderful it is to watch a new generation develop before my eyes! And to be able to share in the joy of all the new parents is a pleasure, indeed! I can’t wait to be a great aunt! He will be the first of that generation in our family and I just know we’re all going to spoil him rotten!!!
Congratulations to all the new and soon to be new parents – my friends and family!
Catching Up – Reviews, recipes, and more…
I had family visiting the last two weeks, so I didn’t take time to blog! So – this post will catch up on movie and theater reviews, a made up recipe, and more thoughts worth jotting down! We crammed a lot into two weeks and it ended way too soon! But, it was a great two weeks!
Family
I love having my Mom here — I really wish I could talk her into coming for more extended visits or to go ahead and move down here! But, I’ll take whatever time I can get. She was here two weeks this time and it was great! The extra thrill this time was that my brother and his wife came for a long weekend while Mom was here. It is the first time they have been to my current home. The whole two week period was one treat after another!
The girls LOVED having company, too — they had non-stop attention and someone here just about all the time! They love it when Mom comes, anyway — but when Kevin and Ace were here, too, they really ate that up!
Recipe
One night last week, Mom and I started thinking about what we wanted to do for dinner. Mom said that she knew what she’d like to have, but didn’t know what to call it or even if it was something we could find somewhere! She said the only name she could think of was “Hamburger Pie” — I asked if she meant something like a “Shepherd’s Pie” and she said no — more like the Calzones we had at Elizabeth’s, but with hamburger! She asked if I thought we could special order one with hamburger! I said I didn’t think so, but we can make it ourselves easy!!! So, we made a list of what we thought should go in it and I ran to Food Lion to buy the ingredients! Here is what we came up with:
Hamburger
Bertolli Olive Oil and Garlic Tomato Sauce
Italian Seasonings
Onions
Peppers
Mushrooms
Mozzerella Cheese
Pillsbury Pizza Dough
Parmesean Cheese
We scrambled the hamburger, chopped onions and peppers with Italian Seasonings in a saute pan. Then we mixed in enough tomato sauce to thoroughly coat the meat mixture. We scooped the mixture onto the pizza dough. For mine, I just rolled it up like a Calzone and put it in the oven. For Mom’s, she added mushrooms and mozzarella cheese before she rolled it up and then she topped it with parmesan cheese. We baked them per the instructions on the dough until it was nicely browned on the outside.
It was actually pretty good!!!! If we had more time, we probably would have made our own dough, but it was supper time and we were hungry, so we opted for the canned dough – which was just fine! We didn’t come up with a good name for it, but I would definitely make it again!
Reviews
Over the past two weeks, we saw several movies – some at the theater and some from NetFlix – and a performance at the Temple Theatre! I won’t go into a lot of detail, but here are some brief summaries of our opinions:
BINGO, The Musical – I got tickets to see the first show of the Temple Theatre season on the Friday night after my brother and his wife arrived. Mom, Kevin, Ace, and I had dinner at Elizabeth’s and then went to see the show at the theatre. It was a delightfully entertaining show. The best part? Peggy Taphorn as Vern! Peggy has great comic timing and it is a joy to experience her song and dance routines! But, in this show, she did a totally enjoyable Clint Eastwood impersonation! It was a fun start to the Temple season. I look forward to the rest of the schedule.
Love Happens – Mom and I saw this at Spring Lane Cinemas. Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart starred in this dramatic romantic comedy. We really enjoyed this movie! But, I wasn’t prepared for it to be as sad as it was at times. It is a really good story – very well done and exceptionally acted! But — a lot of it was pretty intense! The basic story, in a nut shell (without spoiling anything), is about a guy (Aaron Eckhart) who is a motivational speaker who helps people through their grief over the loss of a loved one, but never really worked through his own! But, it is not all gloomy — it is also heart warming, touching, and funny at times. Jennifer Aniston’s character comes along to bring a breath of fresh air into his life. The characters are very real and believable. I would recommend it — but, yeah — be prepared for some intense scenes — take some Kleenex or napkins in with you!!!!
Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself– Mom and I also saw this one at Spring Lane Cinemas. As with most Tyler Perry stories, there was some Madea being her usual outrageous self and a strong moral message. Hope Olaide Wilson was wonderful as sixteen year old Jennifer. Her Aunt April was portrayed by Taraji P. Henson. Jennifer and her brothers were living with their Grandmother after their mother died of drug abuse. When Grandma doesn’t come home from work for several days, Jennifer takes matters into her own hands to take care of her brothers – including stealing to get them money for food and the medicines one of her brothers needs. They are dumped on their Aunt April, who doesn’t welcome the inconvenience! Circumstances and emotions tear at them and bring them together. Highlights in the movie include several songs at a local night club and church by Taraji P. Henson, Gladys Knight, Mary J. Blige, and Marvin Winans. Definitely a good one to go see!
NetFlix– We saw several movies from NetFlix over the two weeks — some when Kevin and Ace were there and some just Mom and me! The movies we saw included: Gran Torino, We Own The Night, The Sentinel, Domestic Disturbance, Ghost Town, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Last Chance Harvey, and New In Town. We liked all but one on some level – some more than others! I think the best one was Domestic Disturbance. The one we were most disappointed in was Ghost Town. I didn’t think I saw this one before, but about 1/2 way through it, I realized I had seen it. But, I was surprised when I went back to read my review from when I saw it at the theater — I actually liked it then!!! This time it was only mildly funny and actually pretty lame! I previously saw all of them and wrote reviews on all but two of them – click on the titles to go see my original reviews – I still pretty much agree with my thoughts at the time (except for Ghost Town).
That’s it……
Kim's Thoughts 
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