Most fairy tails start with a girl and a dream
mine started with a scandal and a family curse
a curse that gave me the face of a pig
then he showed up

A few days ago I rented the movie ‘Penelope’ not really sure what to think of this strange looking movie. As soon as the DVD started playing I knew that I was going to love this movie. Penelope is a 25 year old girl who has never been allowed to leave her house because she was born with the nose of a pig. Penelope’s mother lovingly hid her away from the world to protect her but now she must find love to break the curse that fell on her family many years before she was born.

Penelope has a series of horrible run-ins with would be suitors and finally decides to take her life in her own hands. She runs away from home (she is 25 and has never been in the world) and experiences life for all it is worth. She meets up with a vespa riding/ wing wearing chick (Reese Witherspoon) named Annie who helps Penelope become who she really is.

Penelope is a smart and sassy movie. The cinematography was sweeping and magical. Reese Witherspoon magic and Christina Ricci perfectly delightful and inspiring. This is a must see for any girl/woman who wants to be inspired or any man who loves a woman.

Trailer:

Tonight I watched ‘The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’. I had heard very mixed reviews about this movie, but my fascination with the Old West won out and I rented it.

The first obvious thing about the movie is the fact that it is almost three hours long, but honestly I thought the time flew by.

I loved the portrayal of Jesse James by Brad Pitt. A man who had a conscience, knew how to read people, knew how to survive, knew what it took to take care of himself.

Casey Affleck did an amazing job. He truly is a great actor. He pulled off creepy and insecure just a little too well. The casting of him was perfect.

Supporting cast members added to this moving film. Mary-Louise Parker was fantastic. I never really knew someone could play such an important and moving role in a movie and not have more than 20 words. I always love Zooey Deschanel, even though her role was very small in this movie. Zooey’s co-star, in ‘Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy’, Sam Rockwell was also in this movie. Sam play Robert Fords brother – a slow, nervous man who accompanied Jesse on many of his last rides.

One of the most moving this about this movie is the wonderful and dramatic cinematography. Sweeping and grand are the words that come to mind. The way that the narrator swept his voice around the scenery and made points come to life.

This is a wonderful movie and a break from traditional shoot-em-up westerns. It brings out that part of me that spent hours studying the Old West and makes me want to get back into that. There are some historical places that I would love to visit and some I would like to revisit. I would love to go back to Tombstone and walk those streets again or spend some more time on the trails where Billy The Kid rode. I would love to go to Dodge City, more old ghost towns and a few other various places to live the history of the stories I grew up loving.

If you have an interest in the Old West or a love of great cinematography then this is a great movie to watch.

Technorati Tags: Assassination of Jesse James, Robert Ford, Wild West, Old West, Tombstone, Wyatt Earp

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull trailer has arrived! I am very excited to see this one in May. I have always been a big Indy fan.

Now I just need to re-watch all three to get ready!

Technorati Tags: Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford, Crystal Skull