Lovefilm

About a month ago a friend and dear colleague from the office I used to work at mentioned an online dvd rental service. It was called Lovefilm. I had seen the name before but obviously with my mind living in the gutter I thought it was something naughty. She told me that she'd be able to get me a 1 month free trial (and she'd get a gift) if I wanted it.

At first I wasn't sure because you never know with these services and well I like to own movies. Still it was free the first month so what was the harm in that? I signed up, and got 2 dvds really quickly and it turns out the service is really really good. One thing it's done is helped me buy less movies and watch more. Expand my horizon as I have rented some movies I would have never picked out if I were to buy them. All for the bargain price of £15 per month. My free trial just ended Friday. I think it's a bargain. Day 1 they send you two dvds. Day 2 you watch them and return them in a prepaid envelope. Day 3 you get an email confirming that they received them. Day 4 they send you the next batch. It's brilliant. You don't have to go to Blockbuster to return them before 5pm. Keep them as long as you want, you just won't get the next 2 before the first two have been returned.

So I've had the pleasure of watching 8 movies so far plus I got 2 new ones yesterday in the mail. Since this is an ongoing thing I thought I'd make this a new feature. A weekly update of the movies I've watched. What I thought of them and all that. It'll pop up when you least expect it. Still here is the first edition of Lovefilm.


The first movie I watched was Keeping Mum. I'd seen a preview for this on TV back when it was ready for the cinema but since it never really did anything at the box office here I couldn't find anyone to go watch it with me. So it wasn't until I was searching the Lovefilm database I found it.

The movie is about a priest/vicar who is very into his work. His family is falling apart. Wife having an affair, daughter shagging about with the likes of which you wouldn't want your daughter shagging around with, and the son is getting bullied because his dad is a priest/vicar.

Truth be told I am not a big fan of Rowan Atkinson and Patrick Swayze has gotten really old. The main reason I picked it out was because of the plot and Maggie Smith. I just adore Maggie Smith.
The movie is engaging, funny, sweet and I really liked it. Even if Rowan Atkinson does strike me as a bit annoying.


The next movie Infamous was something completely different. It's based on a true story. Another movie I couldn't find anyone to go watch it with. It stars my all time favorite actress Sandra Bullock. Not because she's so amazingly talented. She is very talented but because she's got something that so many other actresses don't have. She's likable, she's nice and down to earth. She doesn't take herself too serious.

Well the movie is about Truman Capote who takes his dear friend Harper Lee with him to a small town so he can write a story about a horrible murder that took place. On his journey he meets Daniel Craig (James Bond has nothing on him here) and other.

This is not usually my kind of movie. Mostly because it's based on a true story. Movies like that give me the creeps. Also the way Toby Jones (Truman Capote) speaks and the fact that the first thing you see when the credits come up is Gwyneth Paltrow doesn't make me jump with glee. Still I ended up really liking this movie. A must see. The fact that Sandra Bullock was not nominated for this movie, and that the movie was generally overlooked at the Academy Awards is a crime.

The Producers is again something else entirely. The musical has been running on Broadway and in the London west end for years so we know the story. Producers want to make a really poor play so the play will tank and they can run away with a lot of cash. It just happens that the play is a huge success.

It has song, it has dancing, it has comedy, Uma Thurman and Nathan Lane. What's not to like? Well, apart from Matthew Broderick ? I don't know, I just didn't like it. In fact I fell asleep watching. A good 30 minutes and I didn't bother going back and watching what I had missed.

Truely a disappointment because I thought I would love this movie. It was funny in places though and the music was good. I usually like musicals.



Staying in the comedy aisle but taking it a bit further I went with Epic Movie next. You know, I love a good spoof. Scary Movie was wonderfully hilarious and I thought this would be too. I was right.

It mixed movies like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (don't really want to see that), Snakes on a Plane (another one I don't want to see), Nacho Libre (never seen that either), Narnia (the first one), Pirates of the Caribbean and many more. Even though I had only watched a few of the movies referenced (or butchered, your choice) I still got it. I laughed like I hadn't done in a long time. It was just so really funny.

Jayma Mays is hilarious in it, and she is now completely forgiven for getting between Betty and Henry on Ugly Betty.

If you like spoofs, then you'll love this one.


This movie Because I Said So is a total chick flick. It just happens that I like chick flicks. I read about this on the Lovefilm website and noticed that Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls was in it. So naturally I had to watch it. Even if she's not in it a lot.

The story is all about Mandy Moore and her mother (in the movie) Diane Keaton. Mandy Moore is single, and working hard on their catering company. Diane Keaton had raised 3 daughters on her own. Can't remember what happend to the father. The girls agreed that she'd not done a fantastic job and she was way too involved in their lives. Still Diane Keaton then goes on a mission to fix up Mandy Moore with a guy. Then of course there is another guy and you know where this is heading.

I absolutely loved this movie. Mandy Moore is very likable in this, and Diane Keaton isn't wearing gloves. Lauren Graham is wonderful in the movie. Story is nice and the acting good. Definately worth a watch. Ask your girlfriends over and watch this movie with bottles of wine.


The next movie is a remake. I haven't watched the old Hairspray but I though it was essential to watch the new one. Hairspray is set in Baltimore in 1962 and Tracy Turnblad wants to be on the Corny Collins show dancing. It has a huge line of A-list Hollywood actors including but not limited to Michelle Pfeiffer and John Travolta.

I mention Michelle Pfeiffer because I absolutely adore her. She can be the biggest bitch (or witch) and I still love her. The reason why I mention John Travolta is because he makes one ugly woman. Yikes! But he matches his husband Christopher Walken in looks. They are the ugliest onscreen couple of the decade.

It has Michelle Pfeiffer, dancing, music, Queen Latifah and James Marsden. What's not to love. "BALTIMORE, BALTIMORE....."



It's pretty lucky that I've liked all the movies (except The Producers). It's a pretty good statistic. Ladies in Lavender is no exception. I'd never heard of this and only came across it because I did a search for Maggie Smith. Her and Dame Judi Dench are great together. So I thought I'd give it a shot.

You'd think it was boring as it's about two old sisters living alone in a house in the outskirts of Cornwall with a housekeeper that comes by every day to clean and fix dinner. Had it just been that, it may have become dull but then a young handsome polish boy washes up on the beach after a storm and their world is never the same again.

Maggie Smith on her own is fantastic but paired with Judy Dench it's magic. The young polish boy is devastatingly handsome and the story is very engaging. Even if it's not a movie with a lot of action and furious arguements. A quiet movie. A delightful movie.


From quiet to insane, here comes Lucky Number Slevin. An old colleague of mine had mentioned it being weird, odd but not entirely unpleasant. That was curious so I had to give it a go.

It stars Josh Hartnett (HOT!), Lucy Liu, Bruce Willis and a whole parade of other very famous actors. I don't want to tell you about the plot because I will ruin it for you.

All I will say is to each their own and this was not for me. I just didn't get what was so good about it. If anyone thought it was good, but I now know what my colleague meant. Hmmm. I didn't like it. Still that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch it because it is very weird.