Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

A HIDDEN GEM

True friendship among women have always been unique. If you have a true girlfriend in your life you know that she will go to the ends of the earth to be there for you.  I have a group of women who I are my true friends. We have learned to love each other unconditionally. We get to get a couple of times a year to have a "Chick Weekend".  Our time together is spent sorting out our problems, praying for each other and eating really good food. It has become a safe haven for all of us. And outsiders may look at our group and think how did that group ever form and I always say God brought us together.

I guess that is why I connected to the characters so quickly in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I understood how a friend becomes your protector and wants to make sure you are okay. As the movie guide for our chick weekends I definitely plan to bring this hidden gem along. So call your best friend and make a date to see Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I am positive you will enjoy this movie. You can find it on either Netflix or pick it up from Redbox.

WARNING -  I don't think your husband or stud muffin would like this movie. It really is a chick flick so don't torture him - he will thank you in the end :)

This Means War

A TRUE ROMANTIC COMEDY - GO SEE IT

Chris Pine and Tom Hardy - let me just say HUBBA HUBBA :) Looking at them definitely added to the pleasure of the movie.  Of course the movie had a lot of unrealistic CIA scenes in it but what girl doesn't want some knight in shining arm to fight for her. I found myself laughing and really falling for both guys. You are bound to cheer secretly for one guy or the other. My crush was on Tuck (Tom Hardy). There is was scene in the movie where he was soaked in water and his muscles are looking scrumptious. I am also a sucker for a devoted father and tattoos. So I'm on Team Tuck if you haven't guessed by now. Which team will you be on?

Anyway if you are lucky to still have the movie in your area - call your girlfriends and go catch a matinee. Or definitely rent it this summer when it comes out on DVD.

Water for Elephant

MUST SEE Chick Flick

Okay so when Water for Elephants first came out I wasn't to interested in the story because of the circus theme. Boy was that a mistake. Had I not given the this movie a second thought I might have missed out on a beautiful love story. I do believe in our fast paced generation that we lost the art of romance. Not to mention the art of courtship. Say what you want but the previous generations learned the art of marrying your best friend and celebrating 50 years together.

Normally I don't like to tell to much about a movie but I feel it is important to warn you that there is some images of animal cruelty. Now I'm no PETA member but even I wanted to jump through the screen and stop the man who hurts Rosie the elephant.

Anyway go rent it or put it in your Netflix queue. You will enjoy it.

Young Adult

THUMBS DOWN

Blame it on the trailer or the misleading description of this movie but I was extremely disappointed. Not mention that I thought it was a comedy but it turns out that is more like a dark drama. In looking at the cover one might think "Juno and Up In The Air" were both great movies so this should be a good movie. WRONG ANSWER - I have not a clue why the writer and director thought this was a good story to share. Unless you like to watching a drunk spinning out of control then this could be the perfect movie for you.  I was half tempted to push stop on my DVD player and not finish the movie but I told myself to stick it out. And in the end I realize I made the wrong choice. This movie was not worth the rental. AVOID THIS MOVIE!

The Tillman Story

I actually had the Netflix movie sitting on my coffee table for over a week before I decided to watch it. I was hesitant to watch the movie because I have mixed personal views about war so I knew this movie could push a button or two to say the least. As the story begun to unfold I became frustrated for the Tillman family and annoyed with our government. I became haunted by the fact that Pat Tillman was most likely killed by someone from our military rather than enemy fire. He sacrificed his life to be shot by one of us. I was also upset by the way our government responded to the incident.

Rather than tell you all the details of the movie, I would encourage you to rent the movie and discuss your thoughts with your friends or your hubby. Have a girls night in or date night on the couch. You may want to make sure you have the pot of decaf coffee and dessert ready for the after movie discussion. This movie warrants a discussion for sure. 

Fireflies in the Garden

This movie is an intense drama. At times I wanted to jump into the screen and save Michael (Ryan Reynolds) from his father.  I wanted to scream at his mom (Julia Roberts) for not saving her child when the father puts him out of the car in the rain. I couldn't understand why a mother would allow her husband to treat their child like that. And all of this happened in the first 5 minutes. Needless to say this was an intense movie for me. The family dynamics are so interesting that you feel like the nosey neighborhood who finds herself looking out the window trying to figure out what is going on in that house.  This is an interesting story about learning how to heal from scars from your childhood.

I would recommend you watch this with your girls or with your hubby cause you are going to want to discuss this film in the end. It is a thinker a movie or at least it was for me. Go to Redbox to rent it or put it in your Netflix queue. I promise you will enjoy the movie.