Last night – or was it only this morning – I was at the Paramount waiting in line with my 14-year-old for our turn to see the last Harry Potter movie.

We thought we smartly arrived at 10:30 to get in line and into the theater.

I have a rueful “ha” for that one.

The end of the line snaked towards the back of the building and ended somewhere on the north end of the block near Chestnut. The line to go in did not start moving until after 11 pm. We would not get a chance to get concessions before the movie.

Luckily, we were around people willing to talk to us. One woman talked about how she listened to the audio books and how great the voice actor was at creating the different voices. Her husband cautioned me not to reveal any spoilers as she had not finished the 7th book yet.

So we talked about all of the costumes we saw – Hagrid, Bellatrix, Mad-eye and, of course, Harry. Girls wore costumes with touched of the Gryffindor colors, wizarding robes were all over the place. Mr. Mad-Eye had a flask on him.

I should have asked to see his sneak-a-scope. Opportunity lost.

A couple who had been behind us came back down the line and I motioned them over so they could be in their rightful space. They had been smart and went off for concession snacks. (BTW Dennis,  thanks for the Lemonade. I owe you one.)

Once we got in and found our seats – at the very front – we waited about 20 minutes before the movie started. That was enough time for me to get in the line for the ladies’ room.

The crowd cheered when the trailers started. We roared when the movie started with little pre-amble. As the movie rolled along and hi-lights from the book were hit, we cheered or were silent as need be.

What I can say about the movie is that the Hogwarts we knew will be destroyed. It will be fantastical and heartbreaking. Professors will do spells they have always wanted to do and your heart will break as the dead bodies pile up as if this was a Shakespearean tragedy.

If that was true, the ending would be bleaker than it is. But this movie – and the book – wants us to know there is light at the end of the tunnel. Despite all that is terrible right now, it will get better.

As we waited outdside, I noticed 8-, 9- and 10-year-old children in line to see the movie. Let me be blunt and state I am not sure this movie is for them. The theme is about the horrors of war, about good struggling against an all-encompsing evil. The worst of the death scenes take place with a divider between us and the victim. But the sounds, the thumps, the attacks are unmistakable.

Let this movie wait for them to grow up a little bit. In case you think I am being cruel to your kids and not my own, let me disclose that my 10-year-old daughter is desperate to see this movie. She is on the seventh book as we speak. But so far my opinion is that I want her to wait a year or two before she sees it and several years before my 6-year-old can get a look.

Was the movie worth all of the tears I cried, the late hour in which I came home with my son and the inability to sleep until 5 am?

There is no other answer than “Yes.” I would do it again. In fact, I want to see this movie again. There is so much that I have missed. And, perhaps, I am not ready to let go of Harry just yet. If I see the movie one more time, he will not be out of my life completely.

Then again, I still have all seven books.

Karyn Bowman is also known as Mom Goes to the Movies. She lives in Kankakee County with her outdoor writer husband and four children. Become friends with Karyn on Facebook or send an e-mail to momgoestothemovies@sbcglobal.net.

With the Easter holiday just around the corner it is time to pull out all of those classic light and fluffy Easter  movies.

I bet you are thinking “what classic light and fluffy Easter movies?”

Exactly.

The only one that comes to mind immediately is Easter Parade starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire. Perhaps there are some TV animated movies but none come to mind as a “must-watch.”

This year that has all changed.

This year we have Russell Brand starring as E.B. in Hop which opens on Friday, April 1st. As it turns out, the live action/animation mix is a family pleaser.

E.B. is the son of The Easter Bunny. He is afraid of never being good enough for his perfectionist but loving father (Hugh Laurie). Plus, E.B. has a dream to be a drummer in a band. So the night before he is to be crowned as the new Easter bunny, E.B. runs away from home.

Meanwhile, Fred O’Hare (James Marsden) has been given an ‘intervention’ by his family who are tired of his slacker ways. He has been out of work for a year and cannot find a new job because nothing is ever quite right for him.

It is during this period of change that the two young seekers find each other. And freak out. Somehow these two work out a compromise and begin to really like each other.

Back home, trouble is brewing. E.B.’s disapperance has been noted. The chick who is second in command, Carlos (Hank Azaria) has decided it is time for a regime change. Will E.B. get his chance to shine? Will he save the island? Will Fred figure out what he wants in his life?

While there are times I wished this movie could move just a little faster, there were other times I was totally and completely won over by E.B. He is not a bad bunny, just a little self-absorbed and needing to learn a few lessons the hard way. Fred, on the other hand, got on my nerves. Can James Marsden play anything besides goof (Enchanted) or super serious (X-Men)?

I have to admit I was taken aback when I saw that Brand was going to be in this family movie. With Brand, I think of a comic who is willing to take things as far as they will go in an adult sort of way.

He was Aldous Snow, the ‘hip’ rock star in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. He returned as the same rocker in need of career rehab in Get Him to the Greek. Why in the world would I think that this man is capable of the restraint needed for a family movie about the Easter Bunny?

The answer is that I have also seen Brand in Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler and as the voice of Dr. Nefario in Despicable Me. Brand uses restraint in regards to language but his characters are funny and relatable, especially with kids.

The adults can relate to E.B. who is terrified to work under his father’s shadow. Kids will laugh at the jelly bean joke and the chase scenes and the pink berets. All will be taken in by the sweetness of the story and the feel-good moments. It may not be a classic but Hop is certainly a movie you can watch again and again.

Which isn’t to say there aren’t some forced moments here. Or that there were times characters needed to say things that were not said, that some of these characters needed to act in a way most of us would. 

If your goal is to find light-hearted, feel-good fare for the Easter season that the whole family can watch, Hop is the movie for you.

(Two and a half-stars)

Karyn Bowman is also known as Mom Goes to the Movies. She lives in Kankakee County with her outdoor writer husband and four children. Become friends with Karyn on Facebook or send an e-mail to momgoestothemovies@sbcglobal.net.

One of my favorite genres of movies is the romantic movie, specifically romantic comedies.

 I love movies that make me laugh and cry. If I have not been reduced to a bucket of tears or laughing until my sides hurt or both, it has been a wasted viewing.

 As Valentine’s Day moves rapidly closer, I humbly put out my list of perfect romantic movies. Just rent them or order the movies from your favorite outlet because catching these movies on TV might mean dealing with some nasty editing jobs so stations can get all of their commercials in.

 My list is more than ten movies. I wrote out a list of ten before looking at the AFI list of top 100. After that is when I realized I forgot a few deserving entries. Once you read this list, please comment below to add other great romantic movies that need to be mentioned.  

 1. Casablanca (1942) is iconic in style and glorious in its storytelling. We, as a society, know so many lines from this movie. “This is the start of a beautiful friendship.” We say them without thinking. We know the heartache of finding true love and giving it from Humphrey Bogart. We know the desperation of a woman caught between two good men with Ingrid Bergman.  Also stars Paul Henried, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, S.Z. Sakall and  Dooley Wilson.

 2. Scarlet O’Hara may be the best known and best loved heroine who is perhaps the most selfish and self-serving character I have ever come across. But Gone With the Wind (1939) is beautiful in depicting the world of the south, before and after the Civil War.  We are swept away with Scarlet’s love for Ashley Wilkes and her marriages to three different men for survival.

 3. New York is the truly the third co-star of When Harry Met Sally…(1989). Here we meet thirty-something singles who have known each other for years, starting with a drive from Chicago to New York City. They debate whether men and women can be friends and try to prove it over the years. New York becomes the backdrop for their friendship and romance, making one want to visit the city. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan have great chemistry and comic timing which makes the movie great.

 4. An Affair to Remember (1959) find us on a cruise with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. They fall in love despite having others in New York waiting for them. So they make a plan to clean up their lives, to make things right so that they can be together in three months time when they will meet at the top of the Empire State building. Before you even start the movie, make sure to have a box of Kleenex around.

 5. I admit the storyline is a bit preposterous. A woman who has had a heart transplant meets and fall in love with a handsome widower. Then it turns out, the new heart came from his wife. However, the performances in Return to Me(2000) work above that premise to make you laugh, cry, fall in love and want to dance. Minnie Driver and David Duchovny play their parts in an understated manner that makes the emotional scenes stand out. The cast is rounded off by Carroll O’Conner, Robert Loggia, Jim Belushi, Bonnie Hunt and David Alan Grier.

 6. Moonstruck (1987) is a masterpiece. Each scene whether it features Cher or doesn’t is simply magnificent. The story is about a 30ish widow who finds true love with the brother of her fiancé. She also finds out her father is having an affair while her mother deals with the truth and must decide what to do. Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia star as Cher’s parents. Nicholas Cage and Danny Aiello play her suitors.

 7. Forget Paris(1995) was written and directed by Billy Crystal. Most romantic comedies deal with the start of love but this one deals with keeping love going once the initial flames have died off. Debra Winger may not seem like a natural comedian but here she bounces off of Crystal perfectly. Cynthia Stevenson along with Julie Kavner, Richard Masur, Joe Mantegna and William Hickey Jr. shine as the supporting players.

 8. Ever since I saw The Princess Bride(1987), I knew it was one of the most perfect movies in the world. Robin Wright stars as Princess Buttercup who is being forced to marry the evil prince. What she doesn’t know is that her true love, Wesley as played by Cary Elwes, is still alive or that she is a part of a larger plan to start a war. Directed by Rob Reiner, this movie also stars Many Patinkin, Andre the Giant, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, Carol Kane, Chris Sarandon, Fred Savage and Peter Falk.

 9. One of those movies that has never seemed to get the credit it deserves is Roxanne (1987) starring Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah. Playing on the Cyrano story, this time it is set in a mountain resort town with Martin as the large nosed fire chief. Hannah stars as an astronomoner  staying in town for the summer. However, she falls for the new firefighter who is not so smart and needs the chief’s help to woo Hannah. Watch the scene in which Martin must come up with 20 insults. It is a classic.

 10. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) is one of those love stories that is crazy and impossible. A young widow in the form of Gene Tierney rents a house that is haunted by the ghost of a Captain, played by Rex Harrison. She and her young daughter love the house and defy the Captain by staying there. As time goes on, the widow and the captain grow close until a living suitor comes along.  It is a movie that is sweet and loving, featuring Natalie Wood and George Sanders.

 11. Being a big Jane Austen fan, I have to include the latest adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (2005) starring Kiera Knightly as Elizabeth. I find myself being drawn to the characters as we see a different side of Matthew MacFayden’s Darcy. The scene I may love the best is the proposal scene that takes place in the rain. She is turning him down and, yet, they want to kiss each other.

 So now it is your turn. Add to the list.

Karyn Bowman lives in Kankakee County with her outdoor writer husband and four children. Become friends with Karyn on Facebook or send an e-mail to momgoestothemovies@sbcglobal.net.

When I was a child – back in the days before cable – every Sunday featured “Family Classics” on WGN.

 We loved these movies. It might be a Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland musical, Errol Flynn saving England from Prince John or a pirate movie. Lassie would try to get home or we would journey to the center of the earth.

 No one TV station does that these days. The Family Channel might show some Disney movie on a Sunday afternoon or Nick or TBS. None of them do it consistently. That means taking the situation in your own hands.

 If I was to have a “Family Classics”  movie time, I thought about what movies would I show. My list ends somewhere around 12 movies but I bet there are more that I have forgotten about. After you read this list, tell me what else should be on here, tell me what is missing.

1. Ramona and Beezus is a great film about a little girl with a lot of energy. Sadly, this energy and fun attitude tends to get her into trouble. And yet we laugh and understand her emotions. Joey King is perfect as Ramona while Selena Gomez, John Corbett and Bridget Moynahan round out the family who are sometimes irratated, sometimes astounded by Ramona’s antics.

1. How To Train Your Dragon shows how scared a young boy can be by his prey and how that prey can turn into a friend. The animation is wonderful in this movie as a young Viking boy learns what makes a dragon tick and uses that to save his village. Extra benefits? Gerard Butler gives voice to the dad and Craig Fergusson plays his teacher.
2. One of the best series of movies ever made is Toy Story. All three are great and speak to children and adults. The story hinges on the realtionship between cowboy, Woody and spaceman, Buzz. These buddy films always go into an action-adventure resue that makes the last final moments thrilling.
3. National Treasure stars Nicholas Cage as a history geek who decides to steal the Constitution of the United States in order to save it from another thief. It is believed to contain a map to the greatest treasure of the world that has been collected. Justin Bartha and Diane Kruger team up with Cage while Sean Bean is hot on their trail and Harvey Keitel is the cop determined to land someone in jail.
4. Aaron Eckhart won my heart in The Core, a movie that dares to travel to the center of the earth in one of the scariest and silliest set-ups ever seen. Because various experiments have slowed down the Earth, Eckhart and some scientific friends must figure out how to get the Earth rotating properly once more. Also stars Hilary Swank, Delroy Lindo and Stanley Tucci.
5. Kung-Fu Panda is a heap of fun I never expected. Jack Black gives voice to a panda who wishes to be a kung-fu master. Instead, he is slinging soup at his father’s restaurant. When he is chosen to be the Dragon Warrior, it will take a lot of work to make this roly-poly panda into a warrior or will it? Also starts the voices of Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan.
6. Another Nicholas Cage movie, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice surprised me at it being watchable and entertaining. Cage is a master sorcerer searching for the heir to Merlin’s power. He finds it in Jay Baruchel, a science student who does not realize his power. Set in New York, which allowed some great shots of the city. Also stars Alfred Molina.
7. Treasure Planet might be simply another version of Treasure Island but this fun little gem allows us to explore space while dressed as they did in colonial days. Joseph Gorden-Levitt gives voice to our Jim Hawkins who idolizes then distrusts John Silver, voiced by Brian Murray. Also stars Emma Thompson, David Hyde Pierce and Laurie Metcalf.
8. Lassie gets a new treatment every few years and I like the latest one that stars Peter O’Toole as the Duke who must own the beautiful collie. When tough times force her family to sell Lassie to him, it is her determination to get home to be with the boy she loves. Jonathon Mason stars as Joe and is joined by Samantha Morton, Peter Dinklage and John Lynch.
9. Those stange sounds you hear in the attic might actually be a monster. Aliens in the Attic never stops being fun as the younger members of the family discover aliens who are trying to take over our world. Maybe it is when Grandma (Doris Roberts) is turned into a ninja or Ashley Tinsdale stops being a pill or Dad is trying to make things right with his son. The movie will win you over even when things seem ridiculous.
10. Tarzan never stops being good. This animated clasic by Disney tells a story about an orphaned human baby adopted by gorillas. When he is discovered by a human exploration party, the boy suddenly realizes why he is different. As in all Tarzan movies, there is treachery to be found. But the ape man has more wits about him than most realize. Great score by Phil Collins and voice work by Tony Goldwyn, Glenn Close, Minnie Driver and Rosie O’Donnell.
11. There always needs to be a great cowboy and horse story and Hildalgo fits the bill. Purported to be based on a true story (debunked like crazy), Viggo Mortenson stars as a cowboy with the Buffolo Bill Wild West Show who is offered a chance to run an endurance race. He must go to Saudi Arabia where he is seen as an infidel and his mustang, Hildalgo, is considered inferior to the Arabian Stallions. It plays like a serial and is great fun, even in the serious bits.

 Karyn Bowman lives in Kankakee County with her outdoor writer husband and four children. Become friends with Karyn on Facebook or send an e-mail to momgoestothemovies@sbcglobal.net.

With the kids out of school, finding something to do becomes very important. Our family is filled with movie fans so at least one day will be spent at the move theater.

This week we went to see Yogi Bear in 3D at The Paramount.

I am not a big fan of 3D. However, it really worked well. At times I took off the glasses to find that the background was 3D instead of the whole picture. There is one scene in which Yogi is flying around with chips that really stand out. The images were crisp and fairly clear. I wish Alice in Wonderland 3D’s effects had been this good.

I found that Yogi Bear was a lot of fun. Dan Akroyd gives voice to the pic-a-nic basket stealing bear, capturing the mannerisms that many of us will remember from hours and hours of watching this show in our youth. Justin Timberlake does justice to Boo-Boo. Tom Cavanagh is simply, effortlessly good in his role as the straight man to a bear wearing a hat and tie. I loved him in Ed when it was on NBC and hope to see him in better comedies soon.

The story line has Ranger Smith (Tom Cavanagh) holding on to the park as he is a second-generation park ranger. But the evil Mayor Brown (Andrew Daly) wants to find a new money source to pay off the debt of the city and give every citizen a $1000 check so that he can successfully run for governor.

Another complication is Rachel, the Documentary Lady (Anna Faris) who wants to film Yogi in his natural habitat. Once she and Ranger Smith lock eyes and talk nature, they hit it off. Together, they try to re-build interest in the park as it celebrates a century of preservation.

What makes this movie work are the bits, such as Yogi water skiing and getting caught in one of his own traps. If you are looking for a meaningful story, go looking elsewhere. Any attempts are quickly over as the next bit comes together.  Looking for a bad politician to be caught before he gets to the governor’s office, this is the place to come.

In the end, my kids thought the movie was awesome. It can be seen by all family members as the romantic scenes are g-rated. The chase scenes are fun although you can tell when the live action included guys dressed in bear costumes without the CGI to make faces move appropriately. It is a movie that will re-kindle the love we had for Yogi as kids.

What movies are you seeing as a family this holiday season?

Karyn Bowman lives in Kankakee County with her outdoor writer husband and four children. Become friends with Karyn on Facebook or send an e-mail to momgoestothemovies@sbcglobal.net.

In case you have not been pay attention, this week is the opening of the latest Harry Potter movie as we move towards the end of the saga.

 On Friday, or late Thursday night, people who have followed this series will be standing in line waiting for the second to last movie. Finally we will be able to watch on the screen what we have tried to imagine in our feeble minds.

 So the only thing left to do to get ready for the massive amounts of references from the last six books is to have a Harry Potter Marathon!!!!!!

 But wait — what about appropriate viewing ages? Good point because not all Harry Potter movies are for all ages of the family members.  So let’s explore each movie for best viewing ages.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

In this movie we meet Harry and his friends, Hermione and Ron. We also see the beginnings of a great rivalry. And then there is Professor Snape whose dislike of Harry has everything to do with his father.

 This introduction into the series is good for all members of the family. There are scary moments and scary creatures but those scenes are handled in a friendly manner to make them less scary.

 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Here Harry will learn one of his talents is not popular with his school fellows. With the Chamber of Secrets opened, it is a race to save Hogwarts from a threat that could destroy the student population.

 What is scary is a series of events leading to discover who opened the door to the chamber. This movie is still appropriate for early grade school students with some fun scenes dealing with magical creatures.

 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

A highly dangerous prisoner from the wizard’s prison has escaped and he may be coming for Harry. Plus the latest Defense Against the Darks Arts teacher has a major secret besides being a friend of Harry’s late parents. 

This movie shows the series starting on a path of darkness, with fear becoming a part of the norm. It is a film that is best suited for pre-teen kids and up as there are themes that need greater maturity to understand, such as long held hatred and a need for revenge.

 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I believe this chapter of the story is the last one that is suitable for anyone under the age of 13. There is a constant mood of fear as Harry competes in a contest to find the ultimate magical champion. We meet students from other schools as well as some very scary creatures. What Harry and Cedric faces at the end of the movie can be terrifying to younger viewers.

 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

These last two movies are best for the teens, especially those who have been reading the series all along. The fear level is intense in both movies as Lord Voldomort is back and ready to rule the world. The action scenes are potent and lives will be lost, people we have grown very attached. I do not recommend these two movies or the one coming out to younger viewers because I do not believe their maturity level can handle the fear, the sadness, the manic need to do something.

If you have a different opinion, please leave a note below. I know my husband and I will be having the discussion as our 9-year-old daughter has just told us she wants to go to the newest movie.

Will we let her go? I am just not sure yet.

Halloween weekend this year is an extended event. One thing I feel certain about is that there will be plenty of kid and adult parties.

 The other thing I am certain of is that some people will be hosting a huge horror film fest.

 Let me be honest – this is my least favorite genre. I get nightmares easily and these scary movies do me in every time. When 28 Days Later came out, I had to do some intense romantic comedy movie watching to get the images out of my head before bedtime.

 But that doesn’t mean I have thrown out the whole genre with the bath water. There are some excellent movies that have a horror/psychological thrill to them. What I am going to do is make ten (10) suggestions that range the ages for those people who want to watch scary – although not necessarily gory – movies.

 Let’s start for little, little kids. I am talking pre-school through third grade. These kids want to be like their older siblings but they cannot handle the more extreme scary movies. To allow a small child to watch the intense PG-13 or R rated horror/scary movies is child abuse in my book and it means a little work on the parent’s part to find the right type of scare for the various age groups.

 My fallback plan for pre-school to third grade ages is always anything (1) Scooby Doo. The stories focus on a monster, there are a couple of scary chase scenes and the capture of the villain. The newer animated movies and series have a ‘real’ spirit at times but it is never more than kids in this age group can handle.

 Another cute movie for this age group is (2) The Little Vampire starring Jonathon Lipnicki, that cute little boy from Jerry McGuire. The story is about a lonely little boy who discovers a vampire family has moved into his neighborhood. Soon, he is helping them find a way to end the curse that made them vampires. It is scary at bits but appropriate for the younger kids.

 When it comes to the pre-teens, they are thinking scary on the level of what you see on the Disney Channel. The scares here are a little more intense and in settings that are more likely to happen. This age group might like (3) Monster House which stars a young Mitchel Musso as the best friend to our protagonist. In this beautifully animated movie, a tweener boy realizes that the spooky house across the street might be something more. There are some great scary scenes, especially when the house ‘eats’ the rotten boyfriend.

 Another series I like is the (4) Goosebumps movies. I find they always focus on something that is very close to real life but the resolution comes quickly as well. Gotcha moments galore happen here but our lead characters tend to be relatable and likable.

 If you want to edge a tweener child into horror films start with the classics of (5) Count Dracula, 1931; Frankenstein, 1931; and The Wolf Man, 1941. These movies have some scary imagery without the big scares or the gore factor. They are fun and campy with a slight edge.

Now once kids get to those teenage years, you can take off the gloves. They know what they can and cannot watch if they do not want nightmares. Parents who came up during the 70s and 80s may want to share their love of the ’slasher’ movies with their kids. (6) Halloween, Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street are good, solid movies at their core. They have interesting premises with plenty of gotcha moments and interesting death scenes.

 A sub section of the horror genre that has become quite popular in recent years is the zombie movie. The classic series is (7) the Living Dead movies directed by George Romero. The dead have risen and are looking for something to eat – preferably your brains.

 But these are not the ones I love the best. Recent zombie movies have been fabulous for either being completely action packed or a humorous take on the genre or BOTH. I love 28 Days Later is one of the best zombie movies for the action and the reasoning for the virus in the first place. Shaun of the Dead has Simon Pegg trying to lead his friends to safety during a zombie invasion. It takes some well deserved jabs at the genre while still packing a few good scares.

 My latest favorite is Zombieland starring Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson as they travel across the country looking for other survivors and killing zombies. There are funny bits and serious bits mixed together with moments that are just wonderful. Maybe not as action packed as Resident Evil but what a movie.

 It is the monster that matters in some movies and one of the best is (8) Alien. Who can forget that big John Hurt’s moment or how Sigourney Weaver battles this thing? Sure, the movie has been made fun of over the years. But watch it again and let the terror wash over you.

 Another very satisfying monster is (9) Hannibal Lector. Anthony Hopkins made this cannibal appealing so that the audience actually likes him but he is a devastating killer. Smart, crafty with a polished air, Lector can fool you into a sense of well being. But every moment when you are not the hunter, you are the prey.  

 There is only one movie I consider the best of all scary movies and that is (10) Psycho from 1960, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The blood is chocolate syrup and the villain is who we least suspect. It is filled with drama, tense moments and a shuddering death. The music of that scene will forever remain as one of sharp, piecing noise.

 The best way to watch this movie is completely in the dark on the biggest TV screen you or a friend owns, and no one in the room is making a sound. The scariest part of this movie? Hearing the knife rip into flesh through the shower curtain.

 What are some of your favorite scary movies?

By Karyn Bowman

Last week we finally got the time to see Julie and Julia starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams.

The husband and I loved the movie and found we were charmed by it more than expected.

Meryl Streep always impresses me on how she is still able to lose herself when playing some of these roles. I forgot who she was, forgot that Meryl is five-foot-six and played the six-foot tall Child. She had a presence of a larger woman.

The other amazing factor of this movie was the food. While there were not too many great presentations, there was the discussion and talk of preparation of those great recipes.

Yet there are other movies out there that go for the great presentation.  Have you ever seen Big Night with Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub as Italian immigrants who open a restaurant. The cooking is divine but customers are in low supply. That is when Tucci decides to make a grand gesture for one night using the last of their money to get the word out about their restaurant.

There are many wonderful small performances by Marc Anthony, Minnie Driver and Isabella Rossellini, who adds grace just by showing up. She must be one of the most beautiful women in the world. It makes me want to get Arborio rice and heat chicken broth to make a killer Risotto. Tucci and Shalhoub are fantastic – as always – as two brothers who love each other and have totally different temperaments.

Another movie that features food that is a good movie is Soul Food starring Vanessa Williams, Nia Long and Vivica A. Fox. The movie is about three sisters and their relationships with each other and the men in their life. Everything is thrown into turmoil when the matriarch of the family dies and no one knows where the mysterious stash of cash is held.

For the foodies in the audience, there are displays of soul food that makes one drool a bit. Corn bread made in a cast iron skillet, Mac and cheese from scratch. Yes.

But there are two movies out there that show food like no one else. The first is Eat, Drink, Man, Woman. Set in Hong Kong, it is the story of a chef and his three daughters as they navigate life. Every Sunday he makes a feast and the daughters eat. Sometimes there are announcements and surprises as each daughter slowly works her way into the independence of adulthood. Directed by Ang Lee, this is perhaps one of the few perfect movies in the world.

The last is the American version of this movie called Tortilla Soup starring Hector Elizondo. With his deep gravelly voice, Elizondo has managed to be sexy and reassuring no matter how old he is – which is now 73. In this movie we see him carving a pumpkin that is later used as a soup tureen.  He is also romanced by Raquel Welch and later announces a surprising romance of his own.

What all of these movies do is to inspire my cooking to be kicked up a notch. Sunday supper is a time in which we try new recipes and new techniques. Each child gets their turn to choose the menu and it has lead to some surprising successes. We have taken recipes from the internet (molten lava cake) and a Rachel Ray’s cookbook (grilled pork chops with a cherry sauce).

What’s next on the menu?  I am not sure but I know my husband has requested a repeat of Chicken Imperial, braised chicken in a mushroom, wine and cream sauce. Very French, very Julia Child.

Karyn Bowman is also known as Mom Goes to the Movies and wrote for The Daily Journal as their movie reviewer for over seven years. She lives in Kankakee County with her outdoor writer husband and four children. Become friends with Karyn on Facebook.

By Karyn Bowman

Every year someone writes the Top Ten Christmas movie list. And other people then comment on what treasured movie or another was left out. Holiday movies are a very personal issue.

I haven’t done one for a long while for that reason. Plus, I am always forgeting something that should have been there. However, this year I am giving it a go and then all of the readers can debate where I was wrong, where I was right and what should have been there instead. You could even leave a comment here or stop me in the grocery store the next time you see me.

I do have a few honorable mentions that are more in the romatic comedy genre with a holiday theme. Those are: Christmas in Conneticut (1947), Love Actually (2005) and While You Were Sleeping (1995). I also think Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town TV specials belong in honrable mentions as well. If my husband had his way, the segment of Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing The Little Drummer Boy would end up there, too.

Just so there is no mistake, this is in numerical order. Perhaps your order is different.

10. Polar Express (2004) has a beautiful soundtrack along with great voice work and tremendous cgi animation that is almost as beautiful as the book. Tom Hanks plays a variety of roles and makes it work.

9. Prancer (1989) tells the story of a young motherless girl who believes she is healing the leg of Prancer, who has gotten lost from the rest of the Santa’s helpers. It makes you want to believe.

8. White Christmas (1954) stars Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye as a song-and-dance team who help out their former commanding officer save his Vermont inn with a classic “Lets Put on a Show” routine with Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.

7. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) is one of those Christmas specials that stick out because it reminds us about the true meaning of Christmas without getting preachy. It tells the story and does it well. Plus, that scraggily Christmas tree has become an icon.

6. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) allows us to spend time with Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo and the whole gang one more time for Christmas misadventures. You will laugh so hard you will have tears forming as your guts is spasming in pain. And you won’t care that you are laughing that hard.

5. The Nativity Story (2006) directed by Catherine Hardwicke took me by surprise on the beauty of the cinematography and quality of acting. This re-telling of the Christmas Story will make you cry and realize how much this young couple had to overcome in order to bring God’s son into the world.

4. A Christmas Story (1987) Ralphie wants a very special Christmas gift but everyone around him tells him that he will shoot his eye out. That doesn’t stop Ralphie and nor should it you from enjoying this great slice of life movie about Christmas in the 40’s with an irascible dad and a long-suffering mother. The ‘tongue on the pole’ scene alone is worth the rental fee.

3. A Christmas Carol (1951) with Alastair Sim is the definitive version of this movie. He makes Dickens’ story of the miser who learns the true meaning of Christmas full of spirit and joy.

2. Miracle On 34^th Street (1947). So, you have an old guy state his name is Kris Kringle and he is the best store Santa, ever. Do you believe because of his unfailing kindness and ability to make you smile no matter what or do you doubt because of an unfeeling, cynical jerk tells you to.

1. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946). Let Jimmy Stewart charm you as the guy who wanted to get away from his small home town but instead builds it up throughout the years. When doubts get the better of him on Christmas Eve, Clarence the Angel helps him find his way back home with a little trip to what might have been. Bring the tissues along.

Karyn Bowman is also known as Mom Goes to the Movies and wrote for the Daily Journal as their movie reviewer for over seven years. She lives in Kankakee County with her outdoor writer husband and four children.

When it comes to romatic movies, there really needs to be two different classifications.

Those you watch with your male spouse and those you watch with your girlfriends. The truth that no one likes to admit is that some movies are just beter to watch with your girlfriends.

Is your guy going to sit with you for a Gone With The Wind viewing – more than three hours of Viven Leigh being vivacious, vicious and strong during the cival war and reconstruction era? Can you say that about a Bette Davis or Meg Ryan film fest?

And can’t we women say the same about the Predator series or a collection of Mel Gibson’s work that features his bloddiest and most violent work? Explosions and car chases all night is not that exciting unless it is Thelma and Louise getting back at the system.

While what follows is a list of movies that I think are good for couples to watch together on Valentine’s Weekend, it is certainly not written in stone.

10. Bringing Up Baby (1938)

9. Why Did I Get Married (2007)

8. Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

7. Return to Me (2000)

6. Brown Sugar (2002)

5. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)

4. Tin Cup (1996)

3. Forget Paris (1995)

2. Bull Durham (1998)

1. Casablanca (1942)

What films would be on your top ten list of romantic movies for couples to watch together? Please leave a comment below.

~ By Karyn Bowman

Bowman is also known as Mom Goes to the Movies and wrote for the Daily Journal as their movie reviewer for nearly eight years. She lives in Kankakee County with her husband and four children. Her favorite genre is romantic comedy.

If you would like to submit a move, music or TV review for this blog, please email it to Denise Renckens.