MOVIE TIME!

Their coming: "THE GOLDEN GLOBES", "THE OSCARS", "SAG AWARDS" ETC ETC ETC. So its time to hit your favorite movie houses around town and get it on! The Bear is on his usual January kick, at least one and probably two movies a week plus Blockbuster activity! I made a special novena this morning that the writers will go back to work soon, very soon!

Just yesterday viewed one of my favorite movies of 2007 and a popular flick of many of the people who are making their picks for this year's awards: 3:10 TO YUMA. This is one of the better westerns in recent years feturing Russell Crowe and Christian Bale and about Bale, he is coming on strong as one of the top actors in Hollywood today! He does not disappoint in 3:10! Action is plentiful and a guy by the name of Steve Foster does a great job as the bad guy! Russell Crowe is Russell Crowe, always semi smiling, and at the same time staring you down ominously. Head for your local DVD outlet and get this film now! The ending is one of my all time favorites!

Yes, I'm a Phil Seymour Hoffman fan! (I get away calling him Phil
because I'm such a fan of his). The most recent adventure links him with one of my favorite actresses, Laura Linney in a somewhat glum, but entertaining and even funny in spots, film about well, "Nursing Homes, THE SAVAGES. Then there is the really enterprising movie directed by Sydney Lumet, BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOUR DEAD. I love pictures with themes which are a bit off the wall and this one has it all. I also like Marisa Tomei, who is just a neat actress. I'm not going t review all the happenings, but trust me you won't want to miss this one! A robbery gone wrong! And then there is my favorite of all: CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR. Hoffman, as a disgruntled CIA agent, working with Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson, US Representative, is light hearted, a true story, and a great venue for the talent of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks, who by the way is a well proportioned gas in this one.

I do not subscribe to the casual comments made by many of my male counerparts, who label movies: "chick flicks." ATONEMENT will probably cop most of the awards this year. Set in the late thirties, pre WWII, and with one of the greatest scenes in movie history, the evacuation of Dunkirk, there is no doubt this is a "love story!" But what acting by James McAvoy and Keira Knightley! They are awsome but K needs to put on some weight. What a beauty she is! This chickie is a hot cookie! Scenery: Wow!
Great direction by Joe Wright and I'm going out and pick up: PRIDE AND PREDJUDICE, which I haven't seen but know must be good if this guy directed it! A good friend of mine from San Francisco, where they eat kisch at football games, told me: "Aw this is a chick flick!
I'm going to see this again! (Like seeing moview once, twice, three times and in the case of the great ones, fifty times, e.g. LAWRENCE, WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION, SCHINDLER'S LIST, SHARON IN BASIC INSTICT (Oh baby!), CARY AND EVA MARIE SAINT IN NORTH BY NORTHWEST!

Finally, for a fun night or day, day or night, go see Nick Cage in installment two of the National Treasure movies and a fun and neat story: NATIONAL TREASURE BOOK OF SECRETS. This guy Cage is one of the most entertaining stars today and is so versatile.

So head for your favorite theater and don't forget NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN when you do! THE BEAR HAS NO COUNTRY??????