500 Days of Summer

We saw this movie on its opening day, what, three weeks ago now. And we simply loved it. Just utterly fantastic. Couldn't say enough about this film, so here's a top five list of the 500s of things we loved.

1) Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Where have you been hiding? You stole our hearts and breath in "Angels in the Outfield" with your angelic call in the big game. You simply shine in this film. Your portrayal of Tom in the film makes us love you and hate you at times, just like the real guys in our lives.

2) The soundtrack: I mean, in this day and age, no one can walk down the block without being plugged in. So when a movie delivers a great mixtape/playlist for our lives, we love it. There's some oldies thrown in there along with some newer, lesser-known acts. Regina Spektor's "Us" has won a spot on my coveted "Walking to the El" playlist.

3) Truth: How many rom-coms show life exactly how it is? Umm not many. In fact, as I sit here staring at the embarrassing amount of DVDs I own, the only realistic movies I find are Rudy (based on true story, so it has truth to it), Monsters Inc (your friends will always love you) and Saving Private Ryan (nobody lives forever). So imagine my excitement when I find a rom-com I not only relate to, but feel like I've lived in, and am doomed to live in for awhile. Honesty, it's brutal, but it's needed.

4) Don't date your co-workers: No matter what people say, it will end badly. And you will inevitably quit your job, or hate being there more than you already do. This only works on the Mad Men set and that's because they regularly drank throughout the day and women bit their tongues instead of speaking up (cough, Joan, cough).

5) Youth: Tom seeks relationship guidance from his much younger sister. As someone who has a sister 14 years younger, I pray I never have to call her when I'm 30 and she's 16 telling me that so and so was a total tool and she knew it all along. But there's something to say the youngsters. They sure bring a new view to situations and I'm glad Tom's sister got to share her candid views.

So go see it already.

And if you're a guy, and an artist, and need a canvas to draw the Chicago skyline on, my arm's ready. Although I'm not sure if I have the patience for you to color in the windows, but we'll see.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blooded Prince

After six movies and seven books, we still get excited for this wizarding lot. We attended the Midnight Premiere and off the bat, befriended a group of gals who came prepared with lawn chairs. We played rounds of Crazy 8's, laughed way too much and headed into the theatre.

The special effects in this movie were outstanding. Gliding and whipping through the streets of London made you feel like you were flying. This opening scene set the tone for the rest of the film: unbelievable.

In their sixth year at Hogarts; Harry, Hermonine and Ron finally give into their teenage hormones. The direction of this sexual tension was spot on. I remembered all the awkwardness of young love and the confusion that came with it.

For myself personally, I loved seeing the transition from child to adulthood. We see Draco Malfoy struggling with the pressure of trying to please the family as he wears suits in every scene. My favorite cast character from here on out will be Ron Weasley (sorry Oliver Wood). Seeing Ron on screen with his ripped arms reminded me of the scene in "Goblet of Fire" when Harry slips into the bathroom and the whole movie audience erupted into shrieks.

Be prepared to laugh in this film. Laugh at the awkwardness of teenage love and the sarcastic comments out of Ron's mouth. I was completely shocked and loved every minute of it.

Also to note, the ending is a shade different from the book. I won't give it away (unlike that horrible, soulless person did in the RedEye), but I felt it was a pivotal scene in the book and it needed its place in the movie. The ending does point nicely to the two-part finale of this magical tale. We simply cannot wait for the next installations to this fantastic series.

Public Enemies

The hype leading up to this movie made me so ecstatic to see this film. Johnny Depp...Christian Bale...bank robbers...1920s...Chicago. All the elements were there, except for a script and character development.

I must say, thoroughly enjoyed seeing Johnny Depp in a movie where he looks like a normal human being (have you seen the image of him as Mad Hatter?? Terrifying). And Depp's portrayal of John Dillinger was okay, nothing fantastic. Really would have enjoyed this film if they created more of a character build-up. I found it hard to sit there and really feel a connection with any of the actors.

Two strapping young men accompanied me on this outing and loved the movie. So if you liked the Dick Tracy movie with Warren Beatty, you'll like the gun shooting scenes in this film. But sometimes, you need a little more than some pretty faces and tommy guns.

My Sister's Keeper

Rule #1 about this movie: don’t forget your Kleenex. Crying from the beginning to the end I had to put my hood up to hide my wet cheeks.

Based on Jodi Picoult’s bestselling novel, this story takes you through the lives of the Fitzgerald family. First up is Kate, who is played by Sofia Vassilieva. Kate is the oldest of the Fitzgerald children and at a young age was diagnosed with leukemia. After going through trials and tribulations, her parents decide to go through with vitro fertilization to have a third child who will be genetically made to serve has a donor for Kate. Enter Abby, played by Abigail Breslin. Abby is an adorable, loving sister who has been poked and prodded throughout her life to help save her sister. When she is asked to donate her kidney, Abby decides that enough is enough and attempts to be emancipated medically from her parents.

From the very start of this movie I was enwrapped in the story of the Fitzgerald family. I really loved the way that the director and screen writer took the audience through each character, showing the past obstacles they’ve all taken in order to reach the point that the movie takes place.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good tear jerker. Also, I haven’t had the chance to read the book yet, but I’ve heard that it is a bit different. So if you are looking for the exact storyline of the novel, please don’t be disappointed.

Seriously, don’t forget the Kleenex.