Going to the Movies

It's been great being back at home, because I've been able to go to the movies again. When my mom and I were on the road, we didn't really have the chance. We were either sight-seeing, or we were visiting people. And since we didn't hook up to TV very often, we didn't even know what movies were showing.

Now that I'm back, I've been hanging out more with my movie buddies--my daughter and a friend. It helped that the last few weeks had some good movies showing. Here's what we saw:

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

If you liked the first National Treasure movie, you'll probably like this one too. When a friend questioned my taste in liking this movie, though, I had no real defense. The movie is completely unbelievable, but I don't care. It's the kind of action adventure where the action doesn't quit and you just sit back and watch it happen. It's a fun ride.

Enchanted

Michael Medved called this movie, "Delightful." He was absolutely right. I saw it twice, with diferent friends. Amy Adams was perfect as the naive fairy-princess-turned-human, and Patrick Dempsey was great as the jaded New Yorker who tries to help her. What was hard for me to believe was that the fairy-prince-turned-human was played by James Marsden, the same actor who played the wealthy fiance in The Notebook. From rich charmer to clueless prince, he has quite a range.

The animation was classic Disney, the evil queen was... well... evil. And when Giselle called for her New York animal friends to help her, oh my gosh, what disgusting fun! It was an enchanting, delightful movie.

The Great Debaters

What a powerful film! A true story, it takes us into 1935 Texas, to Wiley College, a Negro school. There Professor Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington) forms a debate team, but the movie isn't about the debating as much as it's about life. All the members have to face and overcome obstacles both in the world and within themselves. It's a must-see movie, brilliantly directed (Denzel Washington), an exploration of a difficult time in our country's history but without the self-conscious preaching that Hollywood usually shoves into its "Important" films.

As an aside, Denzel Washington spoke recently to beliefnet about the way he sees his movies as his ministry. It's good reading.

The Kite Runner

Another must-see. When my friend and I first saw the trailers for this several months ago, she said she had to see it. She read the book, after one of her co-workers insisted multiple times, and loved it. It keeps saying, "Coming Soon," at our favorite movie theater, but my friend saw that it was already showing at the theater a couple towns over, so that's where we went yesterday.

The Kite Runner is the story of two boys, best friends, growing up in Afghanistan and the difficulties they experience that test their character. Then they're separated, and when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, that separation is cemented. Years later, one of the boys is grown and living in America, and he gets news about his boyhood friend that requires his return to the Taliban-controlled Afganistan.

The film gives a glimpse into another world, as well as a look at the worst and best of human nature. Don't miss it.