The Descendants

• Rated: R
• Release Date: 2011
• Directed by: Alexander Payne
• Starring: Beau Bridges, George Clooney, Judy Greer, Shailene Woodley

Much better than I expected it to be, The Descendants reminds me that George Clooney can act besides just being “George Clooney.” (Though I love him in Ocean’s Eleven and movies like that, too.) As a wealthy dad who wasn’t around much for his kids, he finds himself unsure of what to do when his wife has an accident and goes into a coma.

As the movie progresses, it turns from the “bad” dad and “good” mom to the polar opposites. Unfortunately, it turns out sainted mom was having an affair. So, Clooney and his teenage daughter must process that while they …

Amelia

• Adventure, Biography
• Release Date: 2009
• Directed by: Mira Nair
• Starring: Hilary Swank, Richard Gere

Even if you’re not a big fan of Hilary Swank, this is a great movie. It shows the life of a woman who was both famous and unconventional in an era when that was hard to do. Nicknamed Lady Lindy, Earhart is still known today for being one of the early women pilots. What started out as a lot of publicity for her basically just being a passenger eventually turned into her actually learning to be a pilot.

While Earhart is flying, she’s also enjoying her life on her own terms. Though she agrees to marry Gere, she insists that the ceremony …

Hereafter

• Rated: PG-13
• Drama
• Release Date: 2010
• Directed by: Clint Eastwood
• Starring: Cecile De France, Matt Damon

Last Chance Harvey

• Rated: PG-13
• Romantic Comedy
• Release Date: 2008
• Directed by: Joel Hopkins
• Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson

This is a very You’ve Got Mail kind of movie. You’ll either hate that, or love it. So, either keep reading or go finish your orange juice. Your choice.

Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson barely know each other, but through random moments keep being tossed into each other’s lives. Hoffman has wrecked his marriage and his relationship with his grown daughter. He only begins to realize that when she chooses her stepfather to give her away at the wedding.

Along comes Thompson who’s good at not listening to his b.s. and quick to put him in his place. In a bizarre moment, …

Lars And The Real Girl

• Rated: PG-13
• Romantic Comedy
• Release Date: 2007
• Directed by: Craig Gillespie
• Starring: Emily Mortimer, Kelli Garner, Patricia Clarkson, Paul Schneider

I’m a little scared to say that one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time is about a man who falls in love with a sex doll. But, it’s true. What could have been played for really tacky laughs (and occasionally is) turns out to be a genuinely sweet love story.

In order to help him to heal his delusion that the “love” doll as it’s called is real, his family and even his town accept “her” as his fiance. The relationship is so chaste, despite what you might otherwise think, that they even have separate rooms. She …

Nine

• Rated: PG-13
• Musical
• Release Date: 2009
• Directed by: Rob Marshall
• Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Fergie, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Sophia Loren

WOW. I haven’t seen a musical this great since Chicago. Funny, sexy and over the top.

It’s a movie within a  movie (I seem to be watching a lot of those lately!) The director is far behind on his obligations and keeps putting his actors and producers off. Um, the script’s in the mail, etc. They finally chase him down to where he’s run away, in essence bringing the film to him if he won’t come to the film.

The only problem is, he can’t stop his womanizing and dreaming long enough to actually make the film. His costumer, for instance, begins …