While there was a lot of hype about this film when it was first in theaters, now that The Avengers is breaking all the box office records many seem to have forgotten all about this little horror film. The Cabin in the Woods was one of those movies that marketed itself as a typical gory horror film “with a twist you could never imagine (!!)”. Immediately, critics raved about the film – “breaking expectations”, “taking chances”, “making a statement”. Though its clever marketing strategy made many people think that the film was the perfect end of semester movie for college students and hopeful high schoolers everywhere, it truly does have a lot to offer most any movie goer.

The film’s creators, Whedon and Goddard, are not new to the genre of horror really. Whedon created everyone’s favorite vampire slayer Buffy and Goddard wrote the 2008 action/horror hit Cloverfield. Not huge resumes, but fitting once you’ve seen the film. For the sake of leaving the mystery as mystery, I’m going to do my best to not spoil the film for all of you (because I know you’ll run out and watch it right when you finish reading, right?). Created as a film commentary in and of itself, Whedon and Goddard take a stab at what the “horror” genre seems to have become in recent years. With serious money-earning movies like the Saw franchise, Hostel, and so many more taking shock horror and “torture porn” to a whole new level, the filmmakers of Cabin were obviously fed up some.

Starting like any other film of its kind, Cabin introduces five clueless college students hoping into a beat up RV heading for Spring Break in a secluded cabin. Typical. This is exactly what the film is going for—it wants you to think it’s just like all other college horror films. There are hot girls, jock boys, the nerdy guy, and a creepy house. What could possibly go wrong? The film doesn’t exactly attempt to take your expectations of the genre and flip them on their head. It’s not that the film goes in a completely different direction as far as the horror genre goes. Whedon and Goddard are playing with your expectations. The film asks you why you expect what you do. It’s introspective and very self-aware.

If you’re looking for classic horror, Cabin will likely meet those wishes. But it is also a comedy and a commentary and so much more. Seemingly seeking to redefine the horror genre, Cabin points its finger at itself and says “what’s up with these monsters and blood and sex and everything else that goes with the traditional horror picture”. As a movie-goer, I found the film’s horror aspects somewhat dull (which I was absolutely intentional), but its thought-provoking commentary on film, genre, and criticism as a whole was intriguing and unique. Check out the film. I know this review was vague, but you’ll thank me after you see it. See it!

About the Author:

This guest contribution was submitted by Samantha Gray, who specializes in writing about online bachelors degree. Questions and comments can be sent to: samanthagray024@gmail.com.

If there is one thing I love, it’s Anime. That kitschy form of animation that comes to us from the land of the rising sun, Japan; the weirder, the better. I also love shows that are self-aware and don’t mind tearing down that 4^th wall like Rocky and Bullwinkle did back in the day, that is still one of my favorite cartoons of all time. When shows acknowledge that they stink or know that what they’re doing shouldn’t in any way be considered the best this media has to offer is a nice bit of honesty, which is hard to come by these days. What makes anime so unique is the absurdity and love for play on words which most of the time gets lost in translation, but if you get a good fan-sub they’ll do a good job explaining the jokes to you. They also seem to enjoy irony, underdogs and the supernatural.

Kenichi: History’s Strongest Disciple (Original Run 2006-2007, 50 episodes, 4:3 Aspect Ratio)

In this anime, a young 16 year-old high-school boy named Kenichi dreams of becoming a great karate master, but is admittedly rather week. Sick and tired of being bullied and watching others get bullied, he thinks that if he masters Karate he can help defend the weak. The first day of the new High School year, he is introduced to a new transfer student named Miu Fūrinji. After getting in a fight on the way home from school and being beaten up, Miu steps in and single handedly makes quick work of the group of delinquents. He then confesses his dream of becoming the greatest Karate master in the world. Coincidentally, Miu tells him that she lives at a dojo that is home to the greatest fighters in the world and invites him to become an apprentice. What lays ahead of him are many fights and the hardest training on Earth.

Why I Like It:

The characters are among the most colorful and varied of any anime I’ve come across. Each resident at the Ryōzanpaku is a master of one form of martial arts, and each has a very unique character to match it. There is the wise and powerful leader and head of the dojo, Hayato Fūrinji – he’s your typical anime grandfather figure in the sense that he sees all and knows all. There is your typical pervert character, Kensei Ma, he knows all forms of Chinese martial arts and is an expert at acupuncture. Kensei is constantly trying to snap pictures of Miu and Shigure (weapons expert) in the nude or in provocative poses, but fails time and time again. Apachai Hopachai (Apa for short) is a simple man that can only say “Apa” and is known as the world’s greatest Muay Thai fighter, in flash backs we learn that he has a rather dark past and was used as a human weapon in underground tournaments. Then you have your tough guy (Shio Sakaki, Karate master), and your philosophical Renaissance man and Jujitsu master (Akisame Kōetsuji) to round out the pack of main characters. Outside of my Number 1 pick this has the best set of characters I’ve come across in anything. I also love the perfect blend of absurdity and action that it has to offer, this isn’t in any way the deepest anime, but in the same sense it’s got enough going on to make it interesting and wanting to watch past a couple of episodes.

Rating: 3.5/5

Trigun (Original Run April-September 1998, 26 episodes, 4:3 Aspect Ratio)

Trigun is about two insurance agents that are sent to investigate multiple claims that they think are caused by the one they call the “Humanoid Typhoon”. During one of their investigations they come across a very strange man with a red trench coat and blond hair who calls himself Vash (a.k.a. the Humanoid Typhoon or the 60,000,000,000 double dollar man). Given his immature and perverted demeanor, they have trouble believing him at first but still allow him to travel the world with them and help them with their claims. Within the first few episodes they find out that he really is who he claims to be. They also find out that he isn’t a ruthless murder but a warm hearted person, and has been blamed for the crimes his evil twin brother committed.

What I Like About It

The fact that the show’s vehicle for most episodes revolve around investigating insurance claims is rather unusual. There is also the fact that the major protagonist Vash and its major antagonist his brother Knives are weird plant/human hybrids. Everything about this anime is just absurd, even their villains are just as insane; usually grotesque hulking creatures that bend genders. Vash’s partner in the later episode is a priest that carries a giant cross that doubles as a Gatling gun and houses a handful of automatic pistols to boot. Mind you the story is passible at best, but the writing episode to episode is rather decent and funny. This has some of the best, if not the best action in any anime to boot. If you like spaghetti westerns and absurdity then there isn’t a better option out there.

Rating: 4/5

Baka & Test- Summon the Beast ( Original Run January-March 2010, 13 episodes, 720p)

At Fumizuki Academy scores are everything and how you place on the entrance exam at the beginning of the year determines not only what class ranking you get (A-F), but the quality of your education and time at the Academy (A’s are pampered and F’s are treated like idiots. The story focuses on the dumbest person at the school, Akihisa Yoshii. Throughout the school year the lower classes can challenge the higher classes with their Demons (or Avatars as the US version calls them). Each Avatar’s strength is proportional to a person’s test scores and you can increase it by taking more tests and scoring well on them. If the challenging team loses the battle then they get one learning item replaced with a lesser item, and if they win they get to exchange an item with the losing team and give them one of their lesser items.

What I Like About It

The premise of the anime is borderline offensive, a school that punishes the weak and puts them at a great disadvantage for learning. Then there are the characters of Class F, even though they fail time and time again, they never quit or turn down a challenge. They also have two aces up their sleeve, one being the protagonist and the other Mizuki Himeji. Mizuki is easily one of the smartest people in the school, but since she was sick on the day of the entrance exam she was given a score of 0 placing her in class F, it’s not until she takes the make-up test that she proves her intelligence. This gives class F an advantage since she has one of the strongest avatars in school. Then there is Akihisa, his low score gives his avatar a unique ability that allows his to interact with the physical world, because of this, teachers constantly use him and his avatar to do chores around the school. All these add up to being rather funny and light hearted. There is a season 2 but it hasn’t been localized and isn’t available on Netflix.

Rating: 3.5/5

Gurren Lagann (Original Run April-September 2007, 27 episodes, 4:3 Aspect Ratio)

Simon (pronounced See-moan, Japanese pronunciation) and Kamina live underground, and are forced to dig tunnels with other orphans. The more they dig, the more likely they will get treated to some mole steak (a delicacy). Kamina dreams of one day breaching the ceiling and busting through to the surface he saw when he was a kid with his father. One day a beast from the surface comes crashing into their village and brings with it a girl who’s fighting the beast. Using what Simon discovered one day they fight the beast and win (not without a lot of difficulty). Later on in the series (the next few episodes) they discover a headless mech and pair Simon’s weird giant head dwarf mech with it and create Gurren Lagann. That day they promise to drill a hole through the heavens, and overcome any challenges that may come their way.

What I Like About It

This anime has the best character growth of any series I’ve ever seen. Simon starts out as a boy with great ambitions but without any drive to go after what he wants and relies on Kamina to support and motivate him. Though early on in the series tragedy befalls Team Gurren and forces Simon to mature rather quickly. That early development is rather shocking and since it happens about a quarter of the way in the series it leaves you wondering how the rest will play out. The characters aren’t the strongest, but the story is quite great and the characters that do matter are very well fleshed out. In a genre that I normally couldn’t care (Giant Mech Anime), this one does something that this series normally fails to do and that is, have a great and interesting story.

Rating: 4.5/5

Oh! Edo Rocket

Seikichi Tamaya is a simple man with a simple dream and that is to bring joy to the people with his fireworks. During this period though anything that can be deemed as “fun” has been outlawed and anyone who breaks that rule is thrown into jail. One day a mysterious visitor comes to the Row house and claims to be from the Moon and asks Seikichi to build her a rocket to take her back to her base on the moon.

What I Like About It

This has easily become my favorite anime of all time. It’s rare to get an anime that is so extremely quirky and yet has so much heart. Every character in this anime is funny and thoroughly entertaining. This is an anime that never really takes a break from being absurd; every minute there is something weird and crazy going on. This anime is the only one on the list that I know of that is constantly breaking down the 4^th wall; in one episode Commissioner Torii Yozo (in charge of monitoring the South District which the Row House resides) accuses one of the characters of being a “liberal” and is then corrected by another character that he knows very well that term was never used in the 1840s and should refrain from making references outside the time period. This is rather confusing since throughout the series various characters mostly Toyama Kinshiro (a bodyguard who is secretly the Commissioner of the North district) can be seen constantly referencing the show’s blog page to get clues as what the characters are supposed to do next or how to get out of a predicament. Even though this is the most light-hearted and weirdly drawn anime I’ve seen, it is also the most moving. You feel for the citizens and their simple wish to one day have fun once again.

Rating: 5/5

Sarah Rexman is working toward her degree in psychology with a focus on marriage.Her most recent accomplishment includes graduating from Florida State, with a degree in environmental science. Her current focus involves the elimination of pests and rodents including the process of preventing bed bugs by using a specific brand of bed bug mattress.

My personal life has most definitely been lacking in the romance department. So when I decided to go see the gorgeous Zac Efron in his latest flick The Lucky One, I just knew I’d leave the theaters in tears and possibly longing for the “love” the two main characters Logan and Beth shared. After all, the movie is based on the Nicholas Sparks book under the same name—the very same Nicholas Sparks who wrote the epic love novel/ movie The Notebook. While Sparks’ more recent romance movie adaptation Dear John really didn’t move me at all, I had high hopes for The Lucky One. I read the book. It wasn’t the absolute best. It was predictable but had enough substance and character development that made me interested enough to flip the next page and wonder what would happen next. It even had a highly suspenseful ending. The movie, on the other hand, did not.

In a nutshell, The Lucky One is about a 25-year-old U.S. marine named Logan (Efron) who finds a photo of a woman in the midst of war. After finding the photo, he starts to realize that it’s sort of a lucky charm: he escapes the grasps of death on more than one occasion. After his last tour of duty is finished, without any clues except a lighthouse in the background of the photo, he sets on a journey to find the woman to simply give her “thanks.” Of course, things don’t go as according to plan and the romance story takes off. But it takes off a little too fast in my opinion. There’s no real explanation of what great lengths he had to go through to find her or why he was so gung-ho about tracking her down in the first place, which is done successfully in the book. Thus, the movie just seems really unrealistic and unbelievable. It makes Efron’s character look really flat and the entire movie lacks depth.

Let me say that I understand that movies are shorter and thus directors and screenplay writers are forced to cut out certain parts of the books to help with flow and story line—but everything that made the book “decent” was taken out of the movie. At first, Beth (Taylor Schilling) is supposed to be reluctant about Logan. She’s standoffish, doesn’t trust him, and questions his every intention in a very attitude-type way. In the movie she mutters a few lines about how she can’t stand him but seems to gawk at his sculpted body from a far every chance she can get. Thus Logan doesn’t have to really work hard to earn Beth’s love and trust, which was a driving factor in the book.

Logan’s highly trained German Shepard Zeus is supposed to have a much greater story line, even rescue someone. But he was only seen in a few clips. I’m not certain if they just thought the dog would complicate things, or producers were too lazy and cheap to find a dog that could do great tricks.

Not to mention the villain, Beth’s ex-husband Keith, isn’t scary enough in the movie. In the book version, he’s loathed so much that even his own 8-year-old-son can’t stand to be around him, something that would later make a tragic incident seen more justifiable. His devious ways also create more tension, which if kept in the movie would have greatly added more depth.

In sum, The Lucky One fell flat. Instead of focusing on character development, producers decided to try to romanticize the audience with beautiful images of sunsets and boat rides. It didn’t work. In fact, producers should be lucky they earned any money off this flick at all. As far as Sparks is concerned, he should really try to stop pumping out so many books. There will never be another Note Book.

Byline:

Jane Smith is a freelance writer and blogger. She writes about criminal background check for Backgroundcheck.org. Questions and comments can be sent to: janesmth161 @ gmail.com.

TV and cinema have both attempted to portray the upstairs-downstairs view of an English country seat: upstairs are the lords and ladies, oblivious to the world’s hardships; downstairs are the maids and footmen, alienated from their work and living from day to day. From North and South to Cranford, from Victorian writers to historical fiction novelists, the contrast of lives is an irresistible source of conflict, love, and the challenges posed to the human spirit.

Downton Abbey is a new, though not so fresh, but nevertheless beautiful take on the upstairs-downstairs, pre-World War II Britain genre.

Britain is already changing slowly, and one day, the great divide between master and servant will be no more. In its first season, this 7-episode, 7-hour British series takes on the issues of women’s rights, the class divide, and marriage, among many others.

At the center of the story is Downton Abbey, a vast estate out in the country, where Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) holds his seat. His wife, the Lady Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern) and he are parents to three daughters, Mary (played by an almost ethereal Michelle Dockery), Edith (portrayed to irritating, but pitiful accuracy by Laura Carmichael), and Sybil (whose impetuous shoes are filled by the gentle Jessica Brown Findlay). Rounding out the upstairs cast is Maggie Smith, who plays the feisty Dowager Countess, Lord Grantham’s mother.

Downstairs, the servants are led by the noble, exacting butler Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) and the head of household Mrs. Hughs (Phyllis Logan). There is a large cast of maids, footmen, and a crippled valet, Mr. Bates (played charmingly and wonderfully by a subtle Brendan Coyle). The conflict is complicated, not to mention intriguing, as a footman tries to impress a scullery maid, another footman is too ambitious for his own good, and the gentle valet falls in love with the head housemaid, Anna (Joanne Froggatt).

Downton Abbey opens with the sinking of the Titanic, carrying with it the last known heirs of Downton Abbey. Because Lord Grantham has no sons, he is at a loss as to what he must do to keep the estate within the family. He finds a distant relative, Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), a solicitor in Manchester. Matthew brings with him ideas from the city and a rapidly changing world, which leads to changes in Downton Abbey – some of them good, others filled with conflict that make Downton Abbey a delicious series to follow.

The costumes and sets are beautiful to behold, although the downstairs setting might require a bit more muddying up, as it seems a very sanitized version of what research says is dirty and unsanitary. The cinematography does justice to the vastness of the estate, for the greater part, but the editing does feel a bit abrupt and out of place in some scenes. For instance, some dialogue sciences feature two characters at close range; but after a cut, the camera is high above them; only to descend back to close range after yet another cut.

The writing is crisp as well, with the wit favoring Maggie Smith, the stern lady’s maid O’brien (Siobhan Finneran), and even Matthew’s mother (Penelope Wilton). That being said, the character build-up is gradual, well-paced, and consistent all throughout. From beginning to end, we witness the growth of a grieving, secret-ridden Lady Mary; a gentle, but uneasy Anna; a Dowager Countess fighting to hold on to everything she knows to be true and right in the world; even a Matthew who is doing his best to stay grounded without losing himself in the airs of nobility.

The season finale is jaw-dropping, as the country pushes closer to war, and as everything changes slowly in the midst of a disappearing class divide.

Although the series isn’t completely different from other upstairs-downstairs series in Britain, it still offers a new and lovingly-shot take on the conflicts and stories that abound. Watch Downton Abbey for its beautiful sets and its writing, for its consistent acting that is spellbinding and heart-wrenching. If you’re a fan of British series and history, this one’s for you.

Inez Ponce de Leon is a writer, belly dancer, and researcher – and lots more in between. She loves to write on a wide variety of topics, including watching movies, writing novels, reading Procera AVH reviews, belly dancing, appreciating culture, and understanding science.

There are tons of books that are turned into full length features for the silver screen. But what about books adapted for the small screen, aka TV? While far and in between, there is one that has definitely caught our attention.

Earlier this month ABC finally premiered the pilot episode of GCB, the first real stab at Christian satire since the 2004 movie Saved. Based off the book Good Christian Bitches, the show focuses on a group of stiletto-wearing stereotypical southern women who aside from their love for money, gossip, revenge, Botox, and Texas-sized hair, share one more thing: the Christian faith.

While it received 7.6 million viewers, it riled up quite a bit of feathers. But the people who seem to be offended are the same people the show aims to poke fun of – much older, conservative, and most importantly “hypocritical” Christians. But it didn’t help that blasphemy! It premiered on Sunday, the Lord’s Day.

So what’s the real plot? Ex- mean girl Amanda Vaughn (Leslie Bib) is forced to leave California and return to Dallas to live with her mother after her embezzling, cheating husband is killed in a fatal car accident – an accident that occurs after receiving mid-oral from his mistress no less. Talk about really spooking adulterers to change their sinful ways.

She returns to her childhood church where she is finally “greeted” by her former high school classmates; individuals that she incidentally tortured in her teens. But she’s a changed woman, a mother of two. She’s past of all that. Unfortunately the ladies of Hillside Presbyterian can’t really seem to “forgive” like the Bible tells us to do and for a lack of better words, vow to make her life a living hell. In fact, they even reference bible verses to validate their schemes. In the first few scenes, Pslam 18:39 is recited in order to motivate the girls to “gear up for battle.” While it’s pretty certain God didn’t intend for it to be used to destroy the girl who teased you in high school, it stirs up some giggles.

The show is the perfect blend of Desperate Housewives, Mean Girls, and King of the Hill all wrapped up in one. It’s so outrageous that you can’t help but laugh. At least I think so. After all, if you can’t laugh at extreme clichés then what fun are you?

Besides, it’s not like the show is casted with a bunch of heathens. Tony-winning actress and the show’s lead Queen Biotch Kristin Chenoweth is a self-proclaimed Christian and personally doesn’t find the show offensive. “The Bible tells us that we’re not supposed to judge, and people shouldn’t judge before seeing the show,” Chenoweth told ABCNews.com. “I’m a Christian, I think that’s pretty well known, and I would never do anything that I think crossed the line.”

GCB at the very least challenges all Christians (including myself) to “practice what you preach.” Do you fall victim to gossip, superficiality, greed, and vindictive attitudes and behaviors? This show can make you laugh as well as bring light to some issues you may need to work on in order to continue on the Lord’s righteous path.

Author Bio:

Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online colleges, online degrees etc. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

With a world where the most expensive, biggest explosions, largest Hollywood names are an important factor for a film to get recognized, it’s easy to look over the classics that didn’t require all those things. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) is a classic that any girl can fall in love with. Don’t let the title fool you into thinking that this is a chick flick from the 60’s. This is a lovely film based off the book by the clever author Truman Capote. It is a story about a young New York City girl slowly moving her way up through the New York City socialite scene by courting men. However, everything changes when she meets a struggling writer that becomes her neighbor. Fresh face Audrey Hepburn plays the stylish Holly Golightly and a handsome George Peppard plays writer neighbor Paul ‘Fred’ Varjack. The on screen chemistry between the two is hard to ignore. Holly is charmingly savvy and stubborn in ways and finds herself having fun with Fred. Their long bumpy road to falling in love leaves the viewer with one of the most memorable love scenes of its time. Not only is the plot enjoyable but here are three reasons you should rent it now:

Audrey Hepburn and Styling: The most iconic piece of clothing in all of history is to be said that ‘little black dress’ worn by Audrey Hepburn’s character Holly. After this film aired Hepburn became known for her stylish ways and unique beauty. The color, furniture, wardrobe in Breakfast at Tiffany’s is absolutely visually stunning. This filmy is great eye candy for those who enjoy good taste.

Mature Theme: Today’s movies are filled with rich themes of sexual escapades and happenings. But the beauty of this film is that the mature theme is done so subtly you can watch with your grandmother and not feel embarrassed. The main character, Holly Golightly is in fact a promiscuous call girl but because of the restrained character lines , you get the point without having to rate the movie an R. A brilliant and hidden seductive theme is finally a breath of fresh air against today’s over raunchy and trashy sex scenes.

Moon River: The song ‘Moon River’ is one of the most recognizable tunes in the music industry. The writers of the song wrote the song specifically for Audrey Hepburn to sing. Rumor has it that when movie producers wanted do take it out, Hepburn busted out with saying ‘over my dead body.’ The song went on to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s is definitely a must see, the acting is old school with carefully over dramatic line deliveries but the styling, theme and acting give it a poise that stands above other films during their time. Audrey Hepburn portray is iconic and timeless. Go rent this one today!

Author Bio:

Kate Croston is a freelance writer, holds a bachelors degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. She writes guest posts for different sites and loves contributing home internet service related topics. Questions or comments can be sent to:  katecroston.croston09 @ gmail.com.

If you’re tired of watching the same high-budget Hollywood-produced motion picture, whether it’s the newest action movie or comedy, I have a recommendation for you. Why not venture to the documentary section of your Netflix and investigate the true and compelling stories of real people? There are dozens and dozens of documentaries to choose from, and all of them offer rewarding content. You just have to figure out which documentary would interest you the most. Here are just three absorbing documentaries you could (and should) watch instantly from the comfort of your home.

The Kings of Pastry

This documentary focuses on contestants of an unimaginably trying and thorough culinary exam held once every four years in France. Those who pass the exam are known as the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (or MOFs). The Kings of Pastry is about chefs who participate in the pastry area of the exam, a three day long slog that requires years and years of preparation and training. The few people who become MOFs are recognized as some of the most skilled chefs in the world in their discipline.

The main chef targeted in the documentary is Jacquy Pffeifer, a French pastry chef working in Chicago who we see train extensively before he tries his hand at the exam. The documentary combines all the drama and suspense of any high-stakes American competition show with the grace and class shown by French chefs. The movie is a must-see for anyone interested in culinary affairs.

Bill Cunningham New York

You’ve got to watch this documentary if you have even a passing interest in fashion. Heck, even if you don’t care about fashion, there’s no way you could resist the allure in this fascinating character study. Bill Cunningham New York follows the eighty-plus year old fashion photographer around as he does what he has been doing since the fifties: taking pictures of people’s clothes on the streets of New York City.

Bill Cunningham is something of an enigmatic figure in the fashion world. Though he’s contributed countless images to the fashion world, having a very clear impact on trends and future fashion themes, no one interviewed during the documentary can say much about him as a person. This might be because (as the documentary reveals) Cunning devotes the entirety of his life to fashion, no exceptions. The movie is nothing short of moving and definitely a great choice if you’re looking for something new to watch.

Darkon

If you want to get in touch with your more nerdy side, look no further than this surprisingly compelling documentary that addresses the subject of live action role-playing (or LARPing). Darkon is about a large group of people in Baltimore, Maryland who adopt alternate fantasy personas as they collaboratively participate in fabricated adventures. You’ll meet people who work normal family men and women who at first glance seem like any other American. They have jobs to maintain and bills to pay, and their houses look like anyone else’s. But when they enter Darkon, their fantasy LARPing realm, they become generals, kings, and warriors. Those who are timid in real life are eloquent speakers in Darkon; it’s a space where anyone can be anyone.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topics of online courses.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: angelita.williams7 @gmail.com.

What is Netflix?

Netflix is a subscription service for watching movies and TV series. It has two parts: the DVD mail service (where you pick DVDs you would like to watch and Netflix mails them to you) and the instant streaming service (where you use your high speed internet connection to stream movies instantly to your TV, computer or Netflix enabled device.)

Netflix used to be available only in the United States, but they have recently expanded to include some other countries in Europe and the Americas as well.

Netflix is also on track to begin creating their own shows, which will then only be available to watch on Netflix, of course.

How does Netflix work?

DVD service:

The DVD rental service was the original business model for Netflix, and although they are really pushing the instant streaming service now the DVD service is still a viable option.

Here’s how it works: after becoming a member you browse through or search Netflix’s web site for DVDs you want to watch. In my experience they have pretty much any DVD you want, although once in a long while something I want to see is not available for some reason. Anyway, once you find a DVD you want you click to “add it to your queue” – which means you put it on your DVD list. Then Netflix mails a DVD to you, starting with the one at the top of your list, you watch it and then return it in the pre-paid envelope and then they send you the next DVD on your list. Easy huh?

They have different plans, which cost different amounts and which will let you have 1, 2, 3 or more DVDs out (i.e. at your home) at one time. I use the 2-at-a-time plan and have had good luck with their turn-around time. Usually I get a new DVD 2 days after mailing back the previous one.

There are a few things about Netflix’s DVD service that I really like. First, they have a huge selection of shows to watch – I have found about 98% of everything I have ever looked for! Second, for one flat monthly price I can rent as many movies as I can watch. Third, I don’t have to go anywhere to get the movies – they come right to my home in the mail. And finally, I have saved boat loads of money by NOT buying DVDs (especially TV series) but renting them through Netflix instead.

Instant streaming service:

Ok, so this is Netflix’s other service and the one that they are pushing really hard. This is separate from the DVD service, and has an additional cost if you use it – right now that is an extra $8 a month. With this service you find a movie you want to watch and click to watch it instantly. The movie begins to stream to your device and you can watch it right away.

This is a very convenient feature to have, and overall I enjoy it and use it immensely. There are a few things to note about the instant streaming service however. First, the selection of shows which can be watched via instant streaming is much smaller than the selection of shows available on DVD. There are still plenty of movies and TV series to watch, and the list is getting bigger all the time, but just be aware that the list doesn’t include everything.

Second, the quality of this service depends heavily on your high-speed internet connection. The better and faster your connection the better quality your streaming movie will be. Don’t even try watching a movie if you have a slow or choppy connection – you will die of frustration! I currently have a 1.5 Mbps connection and it streams movies pretty well. Sometimes I see pixilation, but it’s not too bad.

Third, the list of available shows to watch via instant streaming changes often. I guess it has to do with contracts with the movie and TV studios, but often a show will only be available until the end of the month. It then goes away, and may or may not be available again in the future. That is annoying, but still livable given how convenient the service is.

Which Devices Work with Netflix?

Well, if you are using the DVD service you obviously need a DVD player and TV or computer to watch them. As for the instant streaming service there are many devices which will work. For example, you can watch instant Netflix shows on your computer, as long as you have Windows or Mac OS.

There are also apps for Apple mobile devices and Android devices. You can use your game console to stream movies to your TV – this includes Xbox, PlayStation and Wii.

There are several brands of newer TVs that have Netflix streaming built right in – we just got an LG TV and love it! Anyway, there are other devices which will work too, if you are wondering about yours you can consult Netflix’s web site or do an internet search for it.

How Much does Netflix Cost?

This has changed a little bit over the years, but here are the current prices (as of March 8, 2012) for the USA:

• Unlimited Streaming (no DVDs) = $7.99 a month
• 1 DVD out at-a-time (no streaming) = $7.99 a month
• 2 DVDs out at-a-time (no streaming) = $11.99 a month
• 3 DVDs out at-a-time (no streaming) = $15.99 a month
• 4 DVDs out at-a-time (no streaming) = $21.99 a month
• 5 DVDs out at-a-time (no streaming) = $27.99 a month
• 6 DVDs out at-a-time (no streaming) = $32.99 a month
• 7 DVDs out at-a-time (no streaming) = $37.99 a month
• 8 DVDs out at-a-time (no streaming) = $43.99 a month
• Unlimited Streaming + 1 DVD out at-a-time = $15.98 a month
• Unlimited Streaming + 2 DVDs out at-a-time = $19.98 a month
• Unlimited Streaming + 3 DVDs out at-a-time = $23.98 a month
• Unlimited Streaming + 4 DVDs out at-a-time = $29.98 a month
• Unlimited Streaming + 5 DVDs out at-a-time = $35.98 a month
• Unlimited Streaming + 6 DVDs out at-a-time = $40.98 a month
• Unlimited Streaming + 7 DVDs out at-a-time = $45.98 a month
• Unlimited Streaming + 8 DVDs out at-a-time = $51.98 a month
• Limited Plan: 1 DVD out at-a-time (limit 2 rentals a month) = $4.99 a month

Try Netflix Free for 1 Month!

So, if this sounds like something you might be interested in you can try Netflix free for a month. You’ll need to create an account and provide a credit card (which won’t be charged for your first month) – but you’ll have to remember to cancel your membership if you don’t want to be charged in the future.

Looking for some Good Movies to Watch on Netflix?

Netflix makes it pretty easy to find good movies to watch – either by searching for them or through the themed browsing pages. But don’t forget that CinsMovieReviews.com also provides lists and reviews of movies available on Netflix!

Okay, so good luck. Enjoy your Netflix watching!

If you are logged into your Netflix account you can click the links below to be taken right to that movie’s page. Just remember: all of these films were available in March 2012, but that could change.

• The Exorcist (1973) Rated R. Netflix summary: “When movie actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) begins to suspect that an evil spirit is possessing her young daughter, Regan (Linda Blair), she calls in two priests (Max von Sydow and Jason Miller) to try and exorcise the demon against frightening and formidable odds. Writer William Peter Blatty scored an Academy Award for his big-screen adaptation of his own novel; the film also won an Oscar for Best Sound.”

• An American Werewolf in London (1981) Rated R. Netflix summary: “After surviving a vicious werewolf attack that left his friend dead, an American backpacker in London becomes a murderous werewolf himself. Prowling the streets of London, he learns that his living-dead victims will wander in limbo until he’s dead.”

• The Fly (1986) Rated R. Netflix summary: “While testing his teleportation device, scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) accidentally merges his cells with those of a housefly. As his reporter girlfriend (Geena Davis) bears witness, Seth slowly — and quite disgustingly — morphs into an insect. David Cronenberg’s 1986 remake of the Vincent Price original achieves an unlikely concoction of horror, romance and pathos, thanks largely to Goldblum’s strangely touching performance.”

• Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) Not rated. Netflix summary: “A legend in the history of B-movie fare. How many female scientists travel the Amazon bedecked in bikini-wear calculated to charm an anaconda off a branch? That’s what happens when Julie Adams and fellow scientist Richard Carlson happen upon the black lagoon and the amphibious creature inhabiting it. Casting a gimlet eye on Adams in backstroke, it’s love at first sight for the scaly beast.”

• Gothika (2003) Rated R. Netflix summary: “After a car crash, a criminal psychologist (Halle Berry) comes to, only to find that she’s a patient in the same mental institution that currently employs her. It seems she’s been accused of murdering her husband — but she has no memory of committing the crime. As she tries to regain her memory and convince her co-workers of her innocence, a vengeful spirit uses her as an earthly pawn, which further convinces everyone of her guilt.”

• Stephen King’s Children of the Corn (1984) Rated R. Netflix summary: “A young couple stranded in a rural town falls into the sinister hands of a mysterious group of children who murder all of the town’s adults at the command of their leader, known only as ‘He Who Walks Behind the Rows.’”

• The Fog (1980) Rated R. Netflix summary: “While an old, weather-beaten fisherman tells a ghost story to fascinated children huddled by a campfire, a piece of driftwood in a child’s hands begins to glow, and an eerie fog envelops the seaside community of Antonio Bay. From its midst emerges demonic victims of a century-old shipwreck seeking revenge on the small town. Director John Carpenter’s follow-up to his breakout film, Halloween, stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Janet Leigh.”

• Psycho (1998) Rated R. Netflix summary: “Filmed in bloodcurdling color, this remake of the 1960 shocker stars Anne Heche as Marion Crane, who makes a fateful stop at the Bates Motel — run by mama’s boy Norman Bates (Vince Vaughn) — after embezzling $400,000. When Marion fails to show up for work, her disappearance triggers an investigation by her lover (Viggo Mortensen), her sister (Julianne Moore) and a private eye (William H. Macy) … who discover that Norman has a morbid secret.”

• Interview with the Vampire (1994) Rated R. Netflix summary: “Director Neil Jordan’s Oscar-nominated tale of bloodsucking immortals moves from 18th century New Orleans to a Grand Guignol theater in Paris to present-day San Francisco as it explores betrayal, love, loneliness and hunger. The lives of a trio of vampires — cavalier Lestat (Tom Cruise), tormented Louis (Brad Pitt) and childlike Claudia (Kirsten Dunst) — are interconnected for centuries in this adaptation of Anne Rice’s romantic horror tale.”

• The Girl Next Door (2007) Rated R. Netflix summary: “Inspired by true events, this thriller set in 1958 follows the harrowing story of two adolescent girls (Blythe Auffarth and Madeline Taylor) who, upon losing their parents in an accident, are sent to live with their Aunt Ruth (Blanche Baker), a sadistic psychopath. Unbeknownst to the residents of the small New Jersey suburb, the girls endure unthinkable punishment at the hands of their aunt and three cousins.”

• Monkey Shines (1988) Rated R. Netflix summary: “Quadriplegic law student Allan Mann (Jason Beghe) gets in-home care from Ella, a supersmart monkey injected with human brain tissue. Initially, it’s a dynamite relationship — until she starts anticipating Allan’s thoughts and acting out his subconscious desires. Horror veteran George Romero wrote and directed this 1988 chiller, which co-stars Joyce Van Patten, Stanley Tucci and Janine Turner.”

• The Shrine (2010) Not rated. Netflix summary: “When a group of American journalists (Aaron Ashmore, Cindy Sampson, Meghan Heffern and Trevor Matthews) heads to Poland to investigate the death of a Yankee backpacker who disappeared without a trace, they find a creepy village — and a mysterious shrine that suggests strange activities have taken place there. Director Jon Knautz also penned the story to this psychological thriller that throws the travelers into hellishly inhospitable conditions.”

• The Amityville Haunting (2011) Not rated. Netflix summary: “Thirty years after the brutal slayings in Amityville, a new troubled family moves into the home. One month later, police uncover recordings made by the young son, which document the supernatural terror they faced before their gruesome deaths.”

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In 1902, well over half a century would pass before man took its first steps on the moon. Watching early film innovator George Melies’ stunning silent film, A Voyage to the Moon, fifty years after science fiction turned into science fact is an emphatically eerie experience. Although the film has been a mainstay of movie trivia for decades, its rerelease in 2011, accompanied by a new soundtrack from the band Air, is nothing short of cinematic history. In addition to the new soundtrack, the movie has been restored to its original full-color state. Melies had reportedly hand-painted each frame of the 15 minute movie, but this version was thought lost or destroyed. In 1993, a badly damaged color copy was found in a film archive in Spain. After over ten years of painstaking restoration, we now have the opportunity to see the movie as Melies intended.

Enjoying A Voyage to the Moon necessitates a fondness for quirky details, which is why repeat viewings of this short film are a must. The plot itself is simple—a group of turn-of-the-century men plan and successfully execute a trip to the moon and back. Their mode of transportation, a cannon-propelled, airship, carries the men to the lunar surface safely and effortlessly. The cabal of moon explorers takes a perfunctory nap, traipses through fantastical moon caverns, and eventually encounters hostile aliens. Panicked, the explorers attack, and find that the threatening moon beings can be exploded into non-existence with the mere swing of an umbrella. A short arrest brings our explorers to the moon alien king, who is summarily exploded by an explorer. The explorers escape, jump back into their airship, and return to a welcoming heroes’ parade. At less than a quarter of an hour long, the movie’s narrative arc is almost laughingly rudimentary. Soon, however, one realizes that the full weight of this film lies beyond its plot.

No discussion of the film would be complete without an exploration of the added soundtrack courtesy of French electronic band Air. While Air fans may have mixed feelings about the soundtrack as a standalone album, the music as it accompanies the film successfully teases out what for me is a central conceit of the movie—that atmosphere, at least in this sci-fi film, will trump narrative.  It’s particularly interesting to watch an earlier version of the film on YouTube, one which featured a different soundtrack, and then compare it to Air’s projections. Two songs played during two particular scenes were especially adept at capturing Voyage’s whimsical, gossamer essence—when the ship first departs and lands on the moon, and when the voyagers sleep and dream of comets and distant planets.

Still, there are moments during which Air’s musical interpretations seem off-the-mark. One aspect of the film largely removed by Air’s atmospherics is the film’s carnivalesque depiction of science. While it may seem an interpretive stretch to argue that Melies seeks to parody the inflated, self-important presumptions of scientific advancement, Melies himself stated as such during the movie’s making. The opening scene in particular, during which wizard-capped scientist caricatures argue the best way to reach the moon, is a shade heavy-handed when accompanied by Air’s melodramatic song “Astronomic Club.”

Despite this one shortcoming, the new version of Voyage to the Moon is sure to be a pleasurable, fifteen minute romp back in time. You’ll come away stunned by the film’s surprisingly advanced special effects and its delightful portrayal of the ultimate scientific feat—landing on the moon.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99 @gmail.com.

 [Editor's Note] 

• You can watch the original black and white film for free at YouTube.
• You can purchase the new music CD by Air from Amazon.com.

Netflix has been pushing gritty reality shows lately, most of them from the Discovery Channel. Shows like Coal, Deadliest Catch, and Swamp Loggers showcase American manual workers doing some of the most dangerous jobs in the country.

For even more thrills, you can watch one-man survivor reality shows like Survivorman or Man vs. Wild that chronicles the adventures of professional survival experts as they brave various harsh landscapes around the world. The shows offer entertainment like on no other show; where else can you watch a man wrestle a deadly snake while telling you how to purify river water? But out of all the gritty survival shows you can watch on Netflix, there is one that stands head and shoulders above the rest. I’m talking about Dual Survival.

The premise

Dual Survival takes the basic premise of a reality survival show and expands on it by featuring the efforts of two survival experts as they work together to make it through the wilderness. The two survival experts featured in every episode are Cody Lundin and Dave Canterbury. Cody is a seasoned survival expert who offers his skills to people in the deserts of Arizona where he lives of the fat of the land. Cody is typecast as a sort of hippy-naturalist character, who has a more mellow and methodical style to survival tactics. To give you an idea of Cody’s devotion to the natural lifestyle, the man hasn’t worn a pair of shoes in over twenty years. He also tends to hunt for small foods like berries, nuts, and bugs when surviving in the wild.

Dave is on the other side of the spectrum of survivalists. Train in the U.S. army as a sniper and well versed in surviving across a multitude of landscapes, Dave is the veritable “tough guy” of the group. His survival techniques are grounded in principles he learned while in the service, and he has strong opinions about how a person can best survive in the wild. In stark contrast to Cody, Dave tends to hunt for big game when searching for food, and he relies heavily on man-made gear and items for his methods.

Why it’s better than the others

The dynamic between Cody and Dave make the entire show. They’re complete opposites in many ways: Dave is the no nonsense straight shooter who always thinks he’s right, while Cody likes to take things slow and think them out before acting. Watching Dual Survival is almost like watching a sitcom between a bickering married couple, except that the couple is trying to survive for their lives on an icy plain or a scorching desert. Though Cody and Dave don’t always see eye to eye on survival tactics, they ultimately understand the need for fundamental cooperation in order to persevere. What they can accomplish together makes for some of the best TV I’ve ever seen. The duo can start a fire from virtually nothing, traverse swamps with only the clothes on their back, hunt for fish with merely a stick, and so much more. If you want to chill out in front of the TV, I can think of few better reality TV experiences than Dual Survival.

Standout episodes

“Shipwrecked” – The first episode in the series marks the highest tensions between Cody and Dave as they try to weather the harsh freezing climate of Nova Scotia. Definitely worth watching for how both characters prove themselves to the other with crazy displays of survival know-how.

“Bogged down” – This episode features the duo traveling through the jungles of Brazil. They encounter piranha and try to make a river worthy canoe from an entire tree. It’s survival TV at its finest.

By-line:

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

Here are some stats about Morning Glory: (from Netflix and IMDB)

• Released: 2010
• Rated: PG-13 for some sexual content including dialogue, language and brief drug references.
• Length: 107 minutes
• Starring: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Jeff Goldblum, Patrick Wilson
• Netflix Synopsis: “Whiz-kid producer Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) finds her abilities put to the test when she’s charged with bringing a network morning show back from ratings purgatory. Her first job: getting the show’s feuding, acid-tongued co-hosts (Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton) under control. Jeff Goldblum co-stars as Fuller’s network-exec boss and Patrick Wilson is Becky’s put-upon boyfriend in this comedy from the writer of The Devil Wears Prada.”

You can find more stats about Morning Glory at IMDb.com, or go right to its Netflix Instant Streaming page.

Synopsis:

Meredith Morton, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, is an uptight professional who accompanies her boyfriend, conservative senator-to-be, Everett, played by Dermot Mulroney, to join in on his family’s Christmas celebration. Meredith finds herself completely out of place within his liberal, free-spirited family, and tensions rise between Meredith and Everett, who begin to realize their difference, and between Meredith and Everett’s family, who just don’t understand what he sees in her. Everett, though, determined to follow his picture perfect future plans, tells his mom, Sybil, played by Diane Keaton, that he wants to propose to Meredith and give her his grandmother’s ring for their engagement. Hilarity ensues as Sybil tries to convince her son that Meredith is not the right woman for him, cultures collide, and the dynamics among family members, couples, lovers and friends are turned upside down.

Why It’s Worth Watching:

Writer-director Thomas Bezucha did an excellent job of bringing these characters to life, and the action flows effortlessly from scene to scene. Interactions feel genuine, and there is a general sense of the routine disorder characteristic of a family gathering. To top it off, Bezucha cast veteran actors and talented newcomers to play this clashing crew and hit some sweet notes. Diane Keaton and Craig T. Nelson are the glue of the film. Their love for each other and their children is palpable, although they are just as thrown off by the craziness that occurs during the holiday. Sarah Jessica Parker plays an adorable stick in the mud who begins to loosen up as the plot unfolds, and Dermott Mulroney is the perfect counterpart. Rachel McAdams sort of smolders as Everett’s smart-mouthed younger sister, and Luke Wilson plays the perfect calm in the center of the storm as Everett’s academic and laid-back younger brother.

The Family Stone is the type of movie that anyone who likes a story with interesting and inspirational character journeys would love. It’s funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking, all in one. At the end of the day, it’s a hilarious and endearing reminder that turmoil and sudden change can be a blessing.

Character Breakdown:

• Sybil Stone – Diane Keaton
• Kelly Stone – Craig T. Nelson
• Meredith Morton – Sarah Jessica Parker
• Everett Stone – Dermott Mulroney
• Ben Stone – Luke Wilson
• Julie Morton – Claire Danes
• Amy Stone – Rachel McAdams

By-line:

Alvina Lopez is a freelance writer and blog junkie, who blogs about accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id:alvina.lopez @gmail.com.

For the same reason that there are thousands of murder mystery novels sitting on the bestseller shelves of every book store, there are dozens of crime shows airing on prime time television each night. Stories about crime, mystery, and everyday heroes are sensational. By exploring crime in a purely fictional context, we allow ourselves to take on a completely alternate mindset from our own. Most fictional crime stories are designed like puzzles, pulling the onlooker in different directions, encouraging you to fit pieces in places you wouldn’t think they would go, only to throw the puzzle to the ground in the end. In this way, crime stories are a constant ride for the watcher. Relying less on an underlying plot and more on each individual episode, crime shows speak to our desire for instant gratification. These five crime TV shows deliver all of the best thrills, shocks, twisted villains, and courageous heroes any crime TV buff could ask for. Take a break from your regular movie watching regimen and indulge in thirty minutes of instant action and enjoyment.

Dexter: Based on the premise that the main character is a serial killer who only kills horrible murderers, Dexter puts the audience in the uncomfortable and intriguing position of rooting for a “bad guy”. Dexter is charismatic, interesting, and attractive—everything a watcher could ask for in a hero. Throughout the series, we watch Dexter go to extreme lengths to find undeniable proof that his victims are guilty while feigning real human emotion throughout his everyday life. In many ways, Dexter becomes our strange serial killer hero.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Becoming an enterprise of its own, CSI is the original of the Crime Scene Investigation franchise. First airing in 2000, CSI: Las VegaCSI: Miami and CSI: NY. Set in the “City of Sin,” CSI follows a crew full strangely good looking crime scene investigators as they work to solve cases throughout Las Vegas. With sensational plot lines, entertaining dialogue, and an uber hip soundtrack, CSI is one of the most entertaining crime shows on television today and for the past eleven years.

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit: No list about the best crime dramas on television can go without mentioning the Law and Order franchise. Law and Order the original first aired in 1990, making it one of the first of its kind. Ending just recently in 2010, Law and Order held the title as the longest running crime drama on American primetime television. In 1999, the spinoff series Special Victims Unit aired. With controversial and sometimes sickening subjects at hand, SVU received widespread support and widespread criticism. Tackling sexually based offenses, the SVU formula has the undeniable potential to conjure very strong fictional heroes for anyone watching. Even more so, with a “ripped from the headlines” approach, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit ignites the interest of most anyone who watches it.

The Mentalist: Following the unorthodox procedures of Patrick Jane as seeks to help the California Bureau of Homicide Investigation, The Mentalist works its main character’s charm and quirks to secure its audience. Main man Jane is capable of noticing seemingly insignificant details during his investigations that always lead to the solution to the case. Obviously rooted in the classic tradition of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, The Mentalist hooks its watchers by placing an intricate puzzle in front of them and slowly making them feel as though they are solving it in an interesting and unique way. Winning various awards throughout its first three seasons and recently renewed for a fourth season, The Mentalist is sure to stick around for quite some time.

Criminal Minds: Premiering in 2005, Criminal Minds follows a team of profilers from the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit in Virginia. Demonstrating further our obsession with the criminal mind, this series focuses on the criminal rather than the crime. In this way, the watcher is compelled to understand the person who commits various crimes. While many crime shows on television center around evidence and the crime itself, this show is focused completely on the thinking and intentions of the bad guys. Again, posing intricate puzzles and sensational stories, Criminal Minds locks in its audience for a thrilling ride.

Byline:

This is a guest post from Jacelyn Thomas. Jacelyn writes about identity theft protection for IdentityTheft.net. She can be reached at: jacelyn.thomas @ gmail.com.

If you are logged into your Netflix account you can click the links below to be taken right to that movie’s page. But remember: all of these shows were available in January 2012, yet that could change.

Toy Story 3 (2010) Rated G : The third installment of the Pixar franchise – in which the famous toys take on a bear at a day care center!

Alpha and Omega (2010) Rated PG : Two wolf cubs with very different personalities must battle their way back to the pack.

Titan A.E. (2000) Rated PG : After Earth is destroyed a young adventurer uses the map on his hand to search for a lost space station.

The Iron Giant (1999) Rated PG : A 9 year old boy finds a metal giant in this hilarious but thoughtful movie.

The Secret of NIMH (1982) Rated G : A widowed mouse must move her house with the aid of rats and a crow.

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) Rated PG : A young girl is turned into an old woman and seeks the help of a wizard and his walking castle.

The Secret of Kells (2009) Not Rated : Monks work to protect their homes and a sacred book when their abbey is attacked by vikings.

Dragon Hunters (2008) Rated PG : Two con artists try to earn a huge reward by pretending to be dragon hunters.

All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989) Rated G : A dog is given a chance to leave heaven and return to Earth to protect a young orphan girl.

If you liked this article then you may be interested in these posts as well:

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If you are logged into your Netflix account you can click the links below to be taken right to that movie’s page. Just remember: all of these films were available in January 2012, but that could change.

Gnomeo and Juliet (2011) Rated G : Garden gnomes from two different families re-enact Shakespeare’s classic tale.

Mars Needs Moms! (2011) Rated PG : A boy must save his mother after she is abducted by Martians.

Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension (2011) Rated G : The characters from Disney’s popular TV show discover a secret about their pet platypus.

The Voyages of Young Doctor Dolittle (2011) Rated G : The nephew of Dr. Dolittle tries to save the animals on Dolittle island.

Jr. Detective Agency (2009) Rated G : A 13 year old sleuth tries to catch a criminal in Iowa.

If you liked this article then you may be interested in these posts as well:

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If you are logged into your Netflix account you can click the links below to be taken right to that movie’s page. Just remember: all of these films were available in January 2012, but that could change.

Office Space (1999) Rated R : An office worker and his colleagues conspire to steal money from their company – a little bit at a time.

Airplane! (1980) Rated PG : A traumatized, former combat pilot is forced to land a passenger plane when food poisoning strikes the crew and there’s no one else on board who can do the job.

Big (1988) Rated PG : When a 12 year old boy wishes to be grown up he is transformed into a 30 year old man.

The Naked Gun (1988) Rated PG-13 : When a dense cop tries to find his partner’s killer, he discovers a plot to kill Queen Elizabeth.

Mr. Baseball (1992) Rated PG-13 : When an aging professional baseball player is traded to a team in Japan his ignorance infuriates everyone around him.

Clerks (1994) Rated R : The award winning indie hit about a couple of bored video store clerks.

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SWEET, SWEET NOVEMBER

I love November. I love autumn. November in Utah is kind of like March in Utah. March has the whole lion/lamb identity… days that are perfect hints of beautiful summer days to come, followed by days of the roaring wind and reminders of the harsh winter soon to be left behind. Whereas November… Sweet November… is filled with the last lingering days of crisp blinding sunshine alternating with days of freezing temperatures and pelting snowflakes to remind us that the warmth will not last. And every November, I also think of this movie, bittersweet like the weather.

MOVIE INFO

• Starring: Charlize Theron, Keanu Reeves
• Rated: PG-13 for sexual content and language.
• Released: 2001
• Genre: Romance, Drama, Tear-Jerker
• My Opinion: A tragic and beautiful love story.

NON SPOILER SUMMARY

Nelson has it all. The rich and famous job, the professionally decorated penthouse, the beautiful (yet very neglected girlfriend), and the lifestyle that everyone else envies. So when he meets a bizarre and uncollected woman that offers to help him improve his life, he scoffs! But as things fall apart in his world, he takes comfort in hers, and eventually becomes her “November”. Nelson agrees to spend the month with her to see what else life could possibly have to offer.

CIN’S REVIEW

No. My infatuation with Keanu Reeves does not bias my opinion of this movie! If you like a good romance, Sweet November fits the bill. This is one I don’t ever get tired of watching. It has a bit of everything: laughter, tears, eccentric characters, ponderous moments… you can’t go wrong. We could all learn a lesson from this movie… slow down, enjoy the little things, and take time for love.

WHERE TO FIND SWEET NOVEMBER

• Sweet November is currently available on Netflix Instant Streaming.
• You can purchase this movie at Amazon.com.
• There are also plenty of good used copies at eBay.

CRAVING MORE MOVIES?

If you liked Sweet November you might also like Autumn In New York, starring Richard Gere and Winona Ryder, about a playboy who falls for a terminally ill young woman. Autumn In New York is also currently available on Netflix Instant Streaming.

Kristen Stewart (Twilight), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), and Charlize Theron (c’mon, you know her) head up a beautiful and talented cast.  I can’t wait to see the finished product!

Snow White and the Huntsman is scheduled to release in theaters June 1, 2012.  Be sure to check out the official movie site.

If you are logged into your Netflix account you can click the links below to be taken directly to that movies page. And remember, all of these films were available in October 2011, but that may change.

An American Werewolf in London: A backpacker is attacked and then changes into a werewolf himself.

The Awakening: A group of friends get lured into the wilderness and die one by one.

Child’s Play: Yep, this movie is one of the big reasons my kids don’t have sleepovers!  I still haven’t recovered from watching that murderous doll slash his victims at a sleepover when I was a kid.

The Craft: Teen witches use their powers against all who cross them.

The Exorcist: A priest tries to exorcise an evil spirit dwelling in a young girl.

The Exorcist 2: The Heretic:  Father Lamont travels to Africa to learn more about the demon from the first movie.

Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes: Supposed real footage is shown in this movie, footage that inspired the original movie The Exorcist.

The Fly: A scientist accidentally turns himself into a house fly in this classic horror film.

Gothika:A criminal psychologist becomes a patient in her own institution after a disturbing vision.

Halloween: H20: Think 20 years is long enough to forgive your brother for trying to kill you?  Probably not.

Halloween: Resurrection: Michael Myers pops in for some fun with the reality show taking place in his childhood home.

Interview With The Vampire: A tale of vampires from novelist Anne Rice.

Ju-On 2: Creepy crawly children and other strange beings you’ll lose sleep over in this Japanese horror film.

Night of the Living Dead: A low budget horror classic!

The Others: About a mother living in a mansion with her two children, who are allergic to sunlight.  (Read my full review here.)

Paranormal Activity: A couple set up a video camera to document the strange happenings in their home.

Poltergeist II: Carol Anne and her family realize they are AGAIN living on unholy ground.

Poltergeist III: Carol Anne moves to Chicago, but can’t get away from the spirits that haunt her.

Saw VI and Saw The Final Chapter: The Jigsaw Killer strikes again!  And again!

Scream: Teens getting slashed left and right in this first installment that spawned an entire industry.

Scream 3: Third time around of the killer slashing everyone Sidney knows…

The Skeleton Key: A caregiver works at a creepy old plantation in the swamps outside of New Orleans.

South Park Spook-Tacular!: Ghostly buccaneers, a killer goldfish and Satan’s Halloween party.

Trick R Treat: Can everyone in this small town survive the night?  I doubt it…

 Oh my gosh!  The list goes on and ON!!  To find more thrills and chills, search the Horror genre at Netflix.

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