March 26, '10� Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day:� Delightful dialog and action deliciously performed.� The intimacy of a stage play on the big screen.� What a gem!

Wetherby:� Dark psychological thriller, but softly delivered in a way.� Doesn't give you a heart attack!� Complex characters and ambiguous relationships.� Quite good.

March 27, '10� I Hate Valentine's Day:� I'm confused.� I thought�a movie with that title came out this year.� This one is from last year.� There was some very clever�dialog interspersed with some very lame stuff.� I think I caught a yawn - or worse, a diseazzzzzzz....� The hero doesn't seem to have his heart in the role, and what is a Valentine without a heart?

March 28,'10� Kiss Kiss�Bang�Bang:� We absolutely loved it.� Comedy noir par excellence not for the faint of foul-mouth.� I lost count of the dead.

March 29, '10� Russia House:� Two years after the Berlin Wall fell, a wonderful view of the Russian landscape.� Intrigue and romance - who could ask for more?� And what is that strange water vehicle?� Haven't seen anything like it in the states!

March 30, '10� Destry Rides Again:� A Jimmy Stewart film older than I am.� I have been wanting to see it ever since I read Conrad Hilton's autobiography, which tells a tale of his father that resonated with a scene in this movie (as I remembered it.)� Well, I can see why I associated them.� This is a good old Western, though, about a town given over to corrupt power.� It was very good noisy entertainment.� Shocking lyrics in a song sung by kids at the end.� Language common in the old days, but not acceptable now.

March 31, '10� The Name of the Rose:� Set in a 14th century monastery, the atmosphere is thick with superstition and Inquisition.� Scary!� But the hero solves the mystery.� For what that is worth - I stopped counting bodies in this film, too.

April 1, '10� Man From Colorado:� Cover-up with, as usual, disastrous consequences.� A good old Western with some stunning horseback riding - not trick riding, just speed and slope.� Sometimes I wonder about the revival of these old�movies.� They might give separatists and rebels hope and inspiration.� Oh, that's right - it's only a movie.

April 2, '10� Hot Fuzz:� First mildly then very funny spoof mocking an array of British sacred cows.� Unfortunately the creators are carried away by their own comic genius and spend way too much time in the supermarket.� Still, loads of laughs and surprises, and some awesome foot chase scenes.� Having worked in garden centers, I really enjoyed the bench maneuvers!

April 3, '10� 3:10 to Yuma:� Wow.� That Elmore Leonard is such a softy!

The Brothers Bloom:� I liked it, then I didn't, then I liked it, then I didn't.� Well, I might have ended up liking it, but why do so many movies these days have to go over the top?� Oh, hell, they go over the tops of a whole mountain range!� I'm tired.

April 4, '10� Eastern Promises:� A powerful tale that includes some of the most graphic hand-to-hand violence I remember seeing in a film.� Ow - but the film has its tender moments.

April 8, '10� Little Big Man:� The weird half-comic half-tragic story of a survivor.� Very entertaining, but reminds me of that song about the Vicar of Bray (sir).

April 9, '10� Volver:� Comedy noir with heart.� But, be ye warned, not for the men.� (The heart, I mean.)

April 10, '10� Vantage Point:� We loved this in spite of the fact that the condition of the DVD turned it into complete hash very near the end.� Would love to see it again - I'm sure there is always more to perceive in a movie all about visual clues.

April 11, '10� Moulin Rouge:�Anachronistically jarring musically, but visually stimulating.� Really needs the big screen.� I was not at all convinced by the lovers.� Spectacular dud which blossomed into something at least a little better.

April 12, '10� Bullitt:� Very slow-paced by today's standards, but we enjoyed it.� Kind of nice to dawdle during a police movie.� There were some good chases which upped the pace occasionally.

April 13, '10� Hud:� This black and white film gives its story to you straight and unvarnished and excellently.� Tough.

April 14, '10� Analyze This:� Very funny, but when it comes to the conflicted psychological�binds people get into, all too true.� Don't get me wrong, I think this one is all for laughs.

April 15, '10� The Magdalene Sisters:� If you are still innocent about the ways of the Church or the hidden horrors of the Western world, see this movie.� It is based on real life and a fascinating film.� Consider�this an assignment!

April 16, '10� Boy A:� I got tired of the dread.� The consequences of lack of fathering.

April 17, '10� Mystery, Alaska:� No mystery in Mystery, Alaska just like there is no mysticism in Mystic Pizza.� Hockey, though, and home-town loyalty.

April 18, '10� Midnight Clear:� A film not about war which is not so dim we stopped watching it entirely.� Not exactly riveting, either.� Dismal but that's kind of the point.� In a way refreshing, but I don't want to tell you how.� That would ruin it for you, not that there is all that much to ruin.

April 19,'10� Sea Change:� Another Jesse Stone gem, if you can call a story about a hard-boiled cop transplanted into a small town a gem.� Maybe the gem-stone allusion is called up by the jewel tones of the films�evening and sunset�shots.

April 20, '10� Valkyrie:� Took a long time to grab us, but did.� Very upsetting.

April 21, '10� The Andromeda Strain:� Good lord, the lab tours took forever.� Old clunky technology by today's standards.� I wish I'd seen it then.

April 22, '10� Night Moves:� Whiny, meandering, sex-obsessed,but fun to see the stars in their youth.� My partner says it is so seventies, and instead of hard-boiled, it's soft-boiled.� Ha, ha!

April 23, '10� Mrs. Henderson Presents:� Very nice.� Grabs your attention from start to finish.� Reminds me about my friend who told me rich people don't respect you if you are nice to them.

Horsemen:� Don't bother.

April 24, '10� Iris:� Devastating.� Scary.� Brought me to tears.� That is to say, wonderful.� But I've never read any Iris Murdoch.

April 25, '10� Hackers:� Strange brew of technological superiority and immaturity.� Not unusual these days, I guess.� Makes me feel like an old fogey, but I still dare to say it is mediocre.

April 26, '10� Tsotsi:� Somehow I just couldn't work up sympathy for this character.� Understanding isn't always enough, not even in the movies.

April 28, '10� Fracture:� I saw this in the theatre when it came out and never forgot the night scene.� A villain you adore hating, and a powerful movie for its genre in spite of feeling certain stuff should have been figured out sooner.� All about people's weak points, and everybody has them, even the smart guys in this film.

April 29, '10� Author!�Author!: A fun comedy, but pretty seriously insane.

April 30, '10� Dang!� Don't remember the name, but it was a video about anger, its sources, and ways of dealing with it.� Put out by an organization called the Haven, in British Columbia.� It had some good new ideas.

April 30, '10� Reality Bites:� If it had been a book we might have put it down.� How can anyone relate to such spoiled brats?� But we didn't turn it off and somewhere along the way it grabbed us.� Not, of course, in such a way that we cared about the main characters at all.

May 1, '10� Analyze That:� This time the shrink almost has a nervous breakdown.� Still funny.

May 2, '10� The Nanny Diaries:� The only thing I don't understand is, why did she think a twenty-four hour day would be better than a sixteen hour one?� Well, anyway, of course I loved it, as would any ordinary mother who never even considered moving to Manhattan to get her kid into the only preschool that could possible mean success for her child.� Oh, and I forgot to say it maintains interest throughout and delivered laughs as well.

May 3, '10� Finding Forrester:� This movie is simply sheerly wonderful.��That could be because it is about writing, but also�because it is about heart.

May 4, '10� Manhattan Murder Mystery:� Saw this before on the big screen, but forgot.� How could I forget?� Performances so relaxed yet angst-ridden and frenetic!� Such wonderful freaky effects!� Must have really been a bad time in my life to have forgotten seeing this one!

May 5,'10� The Other Side of Sunday:� Ah, the tortured existence of the deeply religious!� About someone who is breaking loose.� We liked it very much.

May 6, '10� Vicki Christina Barcelona:� Sensual, colorful, comic, complications unending.� So much fun seeing other people confusedly not know themselves.� Odd, the one seemingly most willing to suffer�for love ...� Hmm.� Nope, I don't want to ruin it for you!

May 7, '10� Death Trap:� Begins and ends as a stage play, but even the movie-part is like a stage play.� Deliciously wicked.

May 8, '10� On a Clear Day:� A man finds a way to deal with his lay-off from the shipyards in Glascow and changes other people's lives at the same time.� I loved it.

May 9, '10� Married Life:� Brr...I've got a chill.� I think it's an allergy to marriage!

May 9, '10� Street Thief:� A documentary that delivers more than you had bargained for.� What's your theory about what happened?� That is what you will be left with.� Fascinating.� P.S. Oops. I just learned something I didn't know before.� Tell you?� No way!� Why should I deprive you of my wonderful experience?

May 10, '10� Call Northside 777:� Based on a true story, this drama brings home the arbitrariness of "justice" and the media may have found a new role as discoverers of justice with this case.� Just wondering and speculating.� I dunno. And what happened to the poor ... well, never mind.� Don't want to ruin it for you!

May 11, '10� African Queen:� Haved heard of this for years, and finally got to see it.� What a trip!

May 12, '10� Double Indemnity:� Noir as can be, with lots of interesting stage flourishes and psychological touches.� Compelling in spite of long interruptions on the home communications front!

May 13, '10� Moon:� Like nothing I have ever seen.� Talk about messing with someone's reality!� Grim but novel with a dim glimmering highlight�of hope.

May 14, '10� Tell No One:� A great thriller.� We loved it.� I can tell no more - wouldn't want to ruin it for you!� There is something about French films that is so real and down home compared to the slickness of Hollywood productions.

May 15, '10� Heavenly Creatures:� Inexplicable still.� This is an outstanding movie, but I still don't think the makers got to the bottom of these far from heavenly angry critters.� There are hints, but nothing to be sure of.� Perhaps they are constrained by the fact that this is a true story.� Is what the girls experienced what psychologists call a folie a deux?

May 16, '10� Run, Lola, Run!:� Some dumb, some fun.

May 17, '10� The Bank Job:� Aargh!� The one that inspired my Rumillumination for today.� And it's based on a true story!

May 18, '10� Iron Man:� So cool on the big screen.� I wrote about it after seeing it in the theatre.� Still engrossing, but....

May 19, '10� Picnic:� So dramatic!� So out-of-control emotional!� William Holden is so unbelievably old to be Alan's contemporary!� And yet, I remember swallowing it all whole fifty-odd years ago.� And memorable enough to remember a scene or two fifty years later.

May 20, '10� Double Dare:� A look at two real stunt women, and a really entertaining look behind the scenes of movie and TV productions.

May 21, '10� Born Rich:� Seen by us for the second time with my daughters and mom this time 'round.� A wide variety of characters in this sampler of interviews with rich young adults.

May 22, '10� Valley Girls:� Very noisy but fun.

May 23, '10� Two Lovers:� Very intriguing.� I couldn't stop thinking about it for a long while.� Hard to see and hard to hear at home on the small screen, but still I couldn't give up trying.� A classic dilemma, magnified perhaps in this tale.� Crystallized.

May 24, '10� State of Play:� Enjoyed it again on the small screen.� Forgot the details from a year ago.� A little harder to see and hear this time around.

May 25, '10� The Sea Inside:� Basically a true story, it is impossible to imagine what the lead character went through.� Very poignant.

May 26, '10� Mrs. Miniver:� The name of this film resonated with me from way back, so I grabbed it.� The fact that is swept the�Academy�Awards�didn't hurt either.� An impressive and endearing drama.

May 27, '10� Julie & Julia:� Just goes to show you that true unrequited platonic love can have its rewards.� Or�desserts, or stuffed lucky duck.� Much fun.

May 28, '10� Madame Curie:� Wow!� I had no idea what the Curies went through.� We spoiled Americans have better labs for our high school students than they did - well, it is all high drama.� Definitely worth seeing.

May 29, '10� Stalag 17:� If you judge by this movie, a POW camp in Germany during the Second World War was more laughs than the household I live in now.

May 30, '10� Lustron:� The sad story of a wonderful invention sidetracked through government corruption and yes, stupidity.� After seeing this documentary we walked by a yellow Lustron home in my community and it looks damn good for 60 years old.

May 31, '10� Hanover Street:� Lame dialogue, improbable timing, but some great action scenes.� Music maudlin.

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