Add This to Your Queue

I realize it's Spring and time to come out of hibernation and do outdoorsy stuff. However, if, like me, you prefer your big lovely couch to hiking up mountains, here are 4 movies worth your rental dollars:


Enchanted - Sure it's a Disney movie with singing and talking chipmunks, but it's really wonderful. It's the cleverest twist on the classic fairy tale, well, ever. Amy Adams is fantastic as Giselle, a cartoon maiden sent to NYC by a wicked witch hellbent on stopping her marriage to the prince. James "why isn't he a bigger star" Marsden, Patrick "I refuse to call him McDreamy" Dempsey, Susan "walking advertisement for looking phenomenal at 61!" Sarandon and Idina "Mrs. Taye Diggs" Menzel round out the terrific cast. If I ever have a little girl (you know, when someone finally gives in and marries me), this is the Disney princess movie she watching.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters - Who knew competitive video gaming was so interesting? This documentary follows Steve Weibe, an out of work engineer who decides to set the high score at Donkey Kong and obtain the world record. To do so, he has to take down Billy Mitchell, who set the high score in 1982 and has become a god in the classic video game community. It's a truly fascinating look at this crazy world. Read another (better) review here.

Sunshine - From the team that brought you 28 Days Later, Sunshine is a futuristic tale about a team of scientists who journey to the Sun. 50 years in the future, the Sun is dying and if the Sun dies, so goes the human race. The plan is to get to the Sun and set off a nuclear bomb to keep the Sun alive. Of course, things go very bad, as things tend to do, and the crew encounters a creepy journey to save the universe. Sunshine is a bit flawed, but it creeped me out for sure.


Dan in Real Life - I'm not really sure who this movie was made for...it falls into that "male romantic comedy" genre, which is really oxymoronic when you think about it. Nevertheless, it's funny and sweet and anyone with a soul will love it. Dan (Steve Carrell) is a widower who falls for Marie (Juliette Binoche because, c'mon. Who wouldn't?), but it turns out Marie already has a man...Dan's brother (Dane Cook, who, much to my shock and horror, I didn't hate). They, along with the rest of Dan's crazy family, spend the weekend together at their parent's home in Rhode Island and wackiness ensues. It's great. Check it out.

Because, when it comes down to it, who needs sunshine? (well, other than the movie Sunshine. Oh, nevermind...)

Why Isn't James Marsden a Bigger Star?

This weekend I saw 27 Dresses (don't ask. It was free and I didn't pick it). It was actually better than expected (though still, completely predictable and generic), but the thing that struck me most was how charming James Marsden is in it. He's adorable and funny and has great chemistry with Katherine Heigl (who, I must admit, I like in these Rom-Coms. Am I just getting old and soft?). He was also one of my favorite things about the new version of Hairspray, and I got to wondering, why has he become the next Bill Pullman rather than a genuine, Hugh Grant type romantic leading man? Can anyone explain this to me? Please?