My month in movies

First of all, I am blatantly stealing this idea from Alea at Pop Culture Junkie, and I didn't ask if it was okay. Alea - if you want me to stop, let me know! I just think it's brilliant, and that's why I'm copying you. =)

Since I love opening my mailbox to see a Netflix envelope ALMOST as much as I like seeing a new book, I thought I'd talk a little about the movies I've watched this month.

The Women - 2008 version

It's so nice to see that Meg Ryan and Annette Benning haven't fallen off the earth! Although, I worry about Meg's face - ladies, don't get lip injections. They never work. As for the movie, it was alright, although not as good as the original (more on that later.) It was an interesting look at the relationships women form with each other - I watched it while my husband napped on the couch, and when it was over he said, "I can't believe you made it through that whole movie. It put me back to sleep three times!" I'm guessing this means he won't be recommending it to his friends. Which brings me to...

The Women - 1939 version

Which is a completely different movie, ultimately. The 2008 version used the idea, and much of the dialogue, but the tone is completely different. In many ways, the 1939 version is more empowering, with Mary's speech about not having to accept a marriage in which her husband has a different standard than she does. It was very over-the-top, and the women were deliciously catty, but I think I liked the original better.

Towelhead (Nothing is Private) - 2007

Powerful, uncomfortable, disturbing, ultimately hopeful movie about a young girl struggling with her identity, torn between two pretty awful parents, dealing with racism and abuse. This movie has garnered a lot of criticism because of it's use of a racial slur for a title - almost more interesting than the movie is the discussion included at the end of the disc between the director, stars, and members of the Arab-American community about the racial issues dealt with in the movie.

Beyond the Gates (Shooting Dogs) - 2005

Heartbreaking story about two British men - a teacher and a priest - who, during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, have to choose between staying with the Tutsi people they have come to love, or saving their own lives. It portrays the UN in a pretty negative light, and asks some hard questions about whether or not people have a moral obligation to go against their "orders" to save people's lives. Definitely worth watching.

The Duchess - 2008

Really, this just made me happy I didn't live in the 18th century - very glamorous, but kinda bad for the women. Also, you notice a lot more with a Blu-Ray DVD player (thanks mom!), like Keira Knightly has a very strong underbite.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - 2008

I know they were not 100% true to the book, and making Caspian look about 18 years old was a little annoying, but I still really enjoyed this movie. I'm just a sucker for this type of epic fantasy, and because I already know and love the stories, they are very comforting for some reason. And Reepicheep is one of my favorite literary characters, so that didn't hurt. =)