About A Boy

Will, played by Hugh Grant, is a self-centered, immature man in his 30's who lives off money his dad made for writing a famous song. He is a bachelor with no intention of getting married, yet his sole goal in life is to meet single women. During one of these quests, he meets an eccentric, lonely 12 year old boy named Marcus, played by Nicholas Hoult.

Beautifully acted with a great soundtrack, this film explores the relationship between Will, who wants relationships without strings attached, and Marcus, who just wants a friend. The relationships are all believably handled and the movie manages to be touching without being cloying. It is also very, very funny.

As you might expect, Will is very reluctant to get involved with Marcus, but slowly warms up. It is the way the film gradually unfolds this relationship, with its comic, sometimes cringe inducing turns that makes it so enjoyable. It's a story about how inspiration takes many forms and how a young person can make an older person take a long, hard look at himself.

Two thumbs up

note: This film is rated PG-13 for language and adult situations

Miss Potter

I recently learned that two of Park School's students are a distant relatives of Beatrix Potter, the author "The Tale of Peter Rabbit".

Reminded me of a very good movie I saw a couple of years ago called "Miss Potter" which is based on the author's life.

Potter was a headstrong independent woman who grew up in a time when such women were not looked upon very favorably. In fact, when an uncle tried to enroll her as a student in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, she was rejected simply because she was female. Not dissuaded, Potter became an amateur mycologist (the study of fungi and lichens) and was soon regarded as an expert in the field. She was rarely able to present her work, however, because she was a woman.

In her spare time, Potter wrote "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" for the son of her governess. She was encouraged to publish it, but had difficulty finding someone willing to do so. Finally, a small publishing company decided to publish 8000 copies of the book. That was in 1902. By year's end the book sold 28,000 copies, and was the company's best seller. It has sold millions and millions of copies since.

This is a good film about a person following her heart's desire despite many many obstacles, including her own mother, in her path.

The film is well acted, with Rene Zellwegger as Potter and Ewan MacGregor (young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the second Star Wars trilogy) as her publisher. The film does a nice job of showing the creative process, too.

The dvd version includes a biography of Potter that covers her life after the events in the movie, her legacy in today's world and photos of her and the people in her life.

Two thumbs up.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Beverly Hills Chihuahua is a great, but sad, movie.  It's about a white chihuahua, Chloe, that is pampered by her famous owner, Aunt Viv. But then Chloe's Aunt Viv, has to leave. She put her friend in charge.  Chloe's "substitute" owner decides to go on a trip to Mexico with her friends.  During the trip Chloe doesn't get treated very well and while she is tyring to find her watcher she gets taken to a "dog fighting" place.  A "dog fighting" place is were these mean men collect stray dogs and take them to fight other dogs.  But then she gets saved by a police dog that got stolen.  Chloe goes on a lot of adventures with her used-to-be police dog partner.  You see, Chloe's partner, the police dog, USED to be a police dog but there's a miserable story behind it of how he lost his police (human) partner and, sadly, his sense of smell.  And while this is happening, Chloe's watcher is looking for her miserably with Aunt Viv's gardener and his dog, Pappi.  In the end of this movie Chloe [ending deleted by administrator]. 

We -- Audrey and Kate -- think this movie is a "two thumbs up" type of movie because it has really cool adventures and it has a lot of humor.  If you're not afraid of dogs, then we highly recommend this movie to you.

p.s. this post was posted by Audrey and Kate Wagner      

City of Ember

Now, I haven't read the book but, after seeing this movie, I really want to read it.  I love movies where a whole new world and way of thinking and living are created, and the City of Ember fills the bill.  While there are some very talented, famous actors in this film (Bill Murray, Tim Robbins), it is the two child actors, Saoirse Ronan and Harry Treadaway that make this film. This movie offers mystery, action, hope, fear, and complicated relationships all wrapped up in an underground world. 

Two thumbs way up for the City of Ember!

My Hunt for the Perfect Chicken Taco

Okay, this isn't really a restaurant review, but I need your help locating the perfect chicken taco.  I've had them at Joe's Taco Lounge, Grilly's, High Tech Burrito, and Sonoma Taco.  Theirs were all pretty good, but I'm looking for the most fantastic chicken taco on the planet.  Now, I'm not talking about one of those Americanized crispy chicken tacos; I'm looking for the real deal: soft corn tortillas, scrumptious chicken, pico de gallo, cilantro...

So, give me some extra homework: recommendations for the best chicken tacos.  I'll give them a try.  [Okay, I have to be able to get them here in the Bay Area.  Going to Mexico isn't in my plans, at the moment.]

Vascos

This restaurant has lots of Italian food and yummy deserts I go there a lot and its a really nice place to just have some food it has a bar- which of course i don't go to, lots of tables, two kitchens one where the main meals are made and one up front opposite of the bar where you can see the pizzas being made. My family goes to Vascos a lot and we enjoy it every time! What is my rating do you ask?  I would probably give it 2 and a half forks, so go to Vascos!

The Devil Wears Prada

This is advertised a a fish out of water comedy in which an innocent young woman with no fashion sense gets a job at the most famous fashion magazine in the country.

I am in no way a fashionista, but I liked this movie because it is more than a comedy. It is a good movie about how the woman, Andi, played by Anne Hathaway, is able to overcome disrespectful and snobby treatment to develop meaningful relationships with the very people who mistreat her.

In the movie, Andi applies for a job at a magazine run by a ruthless, insensitive and very powerful woman named Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep.

The first time Miranda meets Andi, at Andi's job interview, Miranda immediately decides that Andi isn't right for the job simply because of the way Andi is dressed. Most job applicants, after being dismissed in this offhanded, arbitrary way, would have been embarrassed or angry, but Andi isn't. Instead, she insistently but respectfully details to Miranda why she would be a good person for the job.

Miranda hires her.

Once on the job, Andi runs into resistance from many of her co-workers, who don't believe she deserves the position she got. The core of the movie is about how Andi slowly, tactfully, and respectfully breaks down all of these barriers and wins her co-workers over. At one point, Andi gets to see another side of Miranda, and understands why she is so mean. Instead of hating her for it, she begins to feel compassion for Miranda.

All in all, this movie shows how treating others with respect, while treating yourself with respect, along with strong doses of honestly and compassion, can break down the most difficult interpersonal barriers and result in meaningful relationships.

Two thumbs up.

Remember the Titans

As mentioned in PE, this is a great movie about how putting aside personal differences can result in a group which achieves great things. It is about respect, responsibility, friendship and loyalty. It is also a whale of a true story.

In this movie, two Virginia high schools combine into one, after one school, whose students are all African-American, closes. These displaced students move to another school where every student is Caucasian-American. Before this merger, each school had its own football team with its own popular and famous coach. After the merger, there would be only one team. In a surprise decision, the school board announces that the African-American coach, played by Denzel Washington, would be the head coach instead of the more experienced and successful white coach, played by Will Patton.

This, of course, creates an immediate conflict between the two coaches. One of the subplots in the movie is how these two men go from being rivals to friends. It isn't an easy transition, and is handled in a realistic way.

There are also many conflicts between the players; about who should start, music, girls and of course, race. And, just as the players start to get along, the get a new player; a long-haired "surfer" from California.

The variety of reasons over which these boys clash and the way they resolve them through their common desire to become a good football team makes this a must see film.

Two big thumbs up.