January and a Movie

Yes, it has been awhile since I've updated the old boop bloggy blog...sorry. I told you guys that January was my crazy month. But since it's January 31st, here I am, writing to serve your entertainment needs.

What has been cool about this month is the fact that I've viewed a plethora of movies. Here is the Ashley grading scale of recently viewed movies:

My favorite of all of the movies I saw this month was Brokeback Mountain. Good lord. I mean, yea, it's shocking to see two guys do it in a tent, but once you get past the fact that our society tells us that's wrong and when you begin see the feelings that Jack "Nasty" Twist and Ennis Del Mar have for each other, then you become emotionally attached to the characters. At least I did. And I got teary-eyed. It's always a good movie when it makes hardass Ashley Sailer tears up. A+

• Elizabethtown--I'm pretty sure this movie got bad reviews, but I LOVED it. There's something about Kirsten Dunst that I can't stand but there's something about her in this movie I really like. It's probably the southern accent. I guess this movie would qualify as a "chick flick" but if you're a guy, I think you would be entertained. Check it outttttttt. A-

Pride and Prejudice--Ok, I'll admit it; I didn't finish the book before I saw this movie but it was so good, I'll still go back and finish up the book even though I know what happens. Let me just say that if I were a lesbian, I would totally do Kiera Knightly. So hot. But the movie was well made and absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend it. A!

Shopgirl--I was nervous about seeing a serious Steve Martin because who is he if he's not freaking out (i.e. Father of the Bride, Parenthood). I mean, there were actually SEX scenes with Steve Martin and Claire Danes. Uhh...gag me. But it actually turned out quite nicely. Steve Martin was believeable as an old playboy looking for short term love and Claire Danes is perfect for playing the role of the naive girl who falls for the older dude and his old balls. It was really a cute movie, and if you can believe it, somewhat deep and thought provoking. A-

The Family Stone--A total ensemble cast, I was excited to see this movie because if it has Sarah Jessica Parker AND Luke Wilson in it, it HAS to be awesome. Well, it wasn't awesome but it wasn't shitty either. I laughed a lot at a couple parts and for the most part, I was entertained. There were some scenes that I thought were a tad unbelieveable but like any holiday movie, it ended predictably which I thought was weak. I might wait until video for this one. B

Proof--I've always been a fan of movies about smart people. I can't tell you how much I liked Gweneth Paltrow in this role. She's so unlikeable and frusterating but at the same time, you're constantly rooting for her. It's an amazingly well directed movie and the characters are protrayed perfectly. I think this is definitely one of Anthony Hopkins best roles. If you liked "A Beautiful Mind", you'll LOVE this movie. A+!

The Ringer--What can I say about Johnny Knoxville's feeble attempt to act? I really have no words. I got through about 1/4 of this movie and the plot and acting was so shitty, I just stopped watching it. OHMIGOD, whatever you do, do NOT waste your life watching this movie. F!

Broken Flowers--Here's a serious Bill Murray movie. I like him best in Groundhog Day and Ghostbuster...the sarcastic but loveable asshole. Honestly, I always had sort of an old man crush on Bill Murray. I don't know why...don't judge me ok? Geez. In Broken Flowers, he's an unloveable asshole. Even my crush couldn't allow me to overlook the shittiness of this movie. It basically revolves around him trying to find his son. Turns out in the end, he might not even have a son. It's really strange and boring and I think it the moral of the story wasn't quite as strong as they wanted. I give this movie a big fat D. Sorry Bill.

Asylum--Wow, I LOVED it. This is a movie about a psychiatrist's wife who falls in love with one of his patients. It's soo fucked up and sooooooo powerful. I mean, it's not a movie you sit around and watch to feel good about life. It's moving and strange and sad and the acting is superb. B+

I told you I had seen a lot of movies this month. I think I'm going to switch over from movies to books this month though...get my vocabulary up a tad. Any good book recommendations?