I laughed, I cried...I saw a lot of movies

As I shared yesterday, I saw quite a few movies in 2009. Some of them were unexpectedly good while others we unexpectedly bad, and yet others delivered exactly what I was expecting. Here is my look back at the best - and worst - of 2009 cinema (based, of course, only on the movies I managed to see.)

**Beware some items contain spoilers

Best 3-D movie of the year
Now last year, I wouldn't have dreamed of adding this category to the list because the 3-D movies I'd seen were so gimmicky and not all that fun to watch. But of the half-dozen three-dimensional films I saw in 2009, one was clearly the winner.

"Avatar" takes the prize for its awesome HD-quality scenery, lightweight 3-D glasses and for making me forget I was actually watching a 3-D film. Director James Cameron reportedly worked on the film for 10-15 years, waiting for the perfect technology in which to build the world of Pandora. The animated parts of the film and the live-action parts are almost seamlessly entwined with a new motion-capture technology that Cameron dubbed "performance-capture" for its ability to get the real emotion from the actors who play the animated characters. As a side effect, the animated characters bear a striking resemblance to the actors playing the parts. The storyline was a little light, but if "Avatar" is the vehicle in which the new era of film making is ushered in, then bring it on.

Biggest tearjerker of the year
Now there are two movies that could take the prize for this one - "Marley and Me" and "Up." I'll admit that both these movies had me crying in the theater. Disney Pixar's "Up" condenses a lifetime into just a few minutes to let viewers see the heartbreak that left an old man a grumpy curmudgeon. But the man's whimsical journey to South America in his house (with balloons tied all around it to make it float) and the discovery of a Boy Scout stowaway is lighthearted and funny for most of the movie. But "Marley and Me" draws out the aches and pains of a lifetime over two hours. The movie is about a couple who adopts a bad dog, has kids, give up or change their careers and never seem to be all that happy.

But the thing that clinched it for me was the scene in which Owen Wilson takes old Marley into the vet to be put to sleep. Perhaps it was because my own aging cat had started to lose some weight in recent months (we actually had to put Bailey, who lived 12 good years, to sleep in September,) but even thinking about this movie makes me tear up a bit.

Best comedy of the year
At least half of the movies I saw in 2009 can be categorized as comedies, but it's really easy to pick out the front runner. So many of the movies, especially the romantic comedies I saw, just weren't all that funny.

But I did go see "The Hangover" after it had been out for a few weeks because I kept hearing people say how funny it was. Plus Bradley Cooper is super cute. The movie follows three groomsmen as they try to find the groom they lost in Vegas the day of his late afternoon wedding. The thing I liked about the movie is that it wasn't really predictable and it had that same crazy, zany, "let's backtrack and see how we got here" as "Dude, Where's My Car?" Ed Helms was the star in the movie for me as an engaged guy whose uptight fiancee keeps him on a short leash - until he let's loose in Vegas. He even pulled off the missing tooth, which made him look a little bit hillbilly-ish.

Best romantic comedy
There weren't a whole lot of good offerings in this category in 2009, though I saw quite a few romantic comedies. The one that made me laugh the most was "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Bullock plays a high-powered publisher who finds her control snatched away when her green card expires (she is Canadian.) To keep her job, she promises her assistant, played by Reynolds, a promotion if he will marry her long enough so she can stay in the country.

Of course, nothing is that simple, and the couple ends up in Alaska to visit the groom-to-be's parents when a suspicious ICE officer believes they are faking the marriage. Betty White plays Reynolds grandmother and she is a hoot, though a cameo by actor Oscar Nunez (who plays Oscar on "The Office") could have been skipped. The chemistry between Reynolds and Bullock just works well and the movie is genuinely funny, and a little moving.

Worst trend of the season
I'm not the first one to say this as I've read other critics who feel the same way, but one of the worst thing about the movies this year is that so many of the female characters were portrayed as sappy, dippy useless creatures. It started with Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway in "Bride Wars" in January and continue all the way to last week's "It's Complicated."

The characters in "Bride Wars" drove me absolutely bonkers as two best friends who are driven apart when they both select the same date at their dream venue for their weddings. One, I'd like to believe that most women don't plan out their weddings starting at age 6 (or at least I never did,) and two, I really hope the brides who have invited me to be in their weddings don't turn into whack jobs like that. The main fault in the movie is that it wasn't very funny.

Though I enjoyed "It's Complicated," mostly, the one thing that drove me crazy was that Meryl Streep's Jane is a strong, independent woman who gives in to ex-husband Jake's advances knowing full well he has no intentions of leaving his current wife for her. Jane settles for way less than she deserves just to keep from being alone.

Other annoying female characters include the ensemble cast from "He's Just Not That Into You," Isla Fischer's character in "Confessions of a Shopaholic," Katherine Heigl's character in "The Ugly Truth," Julie Powell in "Julie and Julia," and Sandra Bullock in "All About Steve." I'd like to think women don't have to play dumb or sacrifice their careers just to be in a relationship...but perhaps that is why I'm single.

Worst romantic comedy of the year
There are a few movies in the running in this category including a few mentioned in the category above. I really disliked "The Ugly Truth," "He's Just Not That Into You," and a few others. But the winner has to be "All About Steve" since there wasn't a whole lot of romance or comedy in the movie. In it, Sandra Bullock plays a nerdy cruceverbalist (which means someone who likes crossword puzzles) who is introduced by her parents to the son of friends. Bradley Cooper plays the dreamy cable news cameraman Steve. After one date (that lasts about 30 seconds), Mary decides to follow Steve around the country after he makes some flip remark about how he wishes she could come along with him (when what he really means is "boy I am sure glad I have to go to work to escape your craziness.") Mary can't take a hint when she first finds him and he brushes her off, but hopefully viewers who haven't seen it will take a hint and skip it.

Strongest female performance
Given how weak so many of the female characters were this season, the creators of "Blind Side" deserve some kudos for bringing Leigh Anne Tuohy to life on the big screen. Bullock played Leigh Anne as a strong Southern woman who controls her husband, stands up to her hoity-toity friends and isn't afraid to put a few gangbangers in their place. The movie is about a homeless teen who is taken in by a well-off rich family, with Leigh Anne as its matriach, who eventually help him finish high school, go to college and become the No. 1 draft pick for the NFL this year. The movie is based on a true story so it's hopeful that women aren't as crazy as filmmakers often want to portray them.


Biggest surprise movie of the year
Sometimes the best movies are ones I don't know much about, and of which I have little expectations. That was the case with "Bandslam," a little movie geared at the Disney and Nick teen set. I didn't know anything about it expect that Lisa Kudrow is in it and it was about a band competition. Will (Gaelan Connell) is a nerdy kid who doesn't fit in at school. When he and his mother move to a new town, he expects more of the same. But somehow he catches the eye of pretty, popular girl Charlotte Banks (Alyson Michalka,) who is enlists Will to be the manager of her band. She just wants to win the Bandslam competition for the year, and Will just wants friends. The movie has more depth than an average teen movie and has way cool music. I even downloaded the soundtrack to my iPod.

Worst movie of the year
There were quite a few movies I saw this year that I didn't like, but the honors of worst movie has to go to something that didn't just fall a little short of the mark. It goes to a movie that had bad acting, horrible dialogue, little plot and decapitations in the first three minutes of the movie.

The honor goes to "Ninja Assassins," a movie I only saw at the suggestion of my sister who wanted to see it. The movie was gory and just plain bad. I recommend everyone but teenage boys skip the bloodfest and see a real ninja movie instead.

Best movie of the year
There are a few contenders for the honor of best movie (which went to "The House Bunny" last year). But it really must go to a movie that put it all together - meaning a good story, humor, good dialogue, well-developed characters. It needs to be something I would see again and something I would add to my home movie collection.

My favorite movie of the year was a sweet, but heartbreaking movie that came out under the radar. It stars Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin as a broken family that keeps trying to hold itself together. Adams plays a single mom who is having an affair with a married detective who sees how shabby her life is when she is cleaning the house of a rich client who turns out to be a former classmate. Rose decides to take some initiative and start her own cleaning business - cleaning up homes after people have died or committed suicide. It sounds morbid - and it is - but it gives Rose a sense of control that has been lacking in her life.

Other movies worth seeing:
Gran Torino
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Coraline
Disney's Earth
The Soloist
Julie and Julia
Ponyo
9
Zombieland
The Men Who Stare at Goats

A few dozen trips to the movies

Last January, I wrote a movie year in review for the Weekend Pinnacle. I was kind of shocked that I had seen 30 movies in the theater, and more on DVD, cable and Netflix instant play. Last year some of the movies that earned a mention included "The House Bunny," "Juno" and

I am a big movie fan, but the sheer volume of films I see is simply research for the weekly movie column I write. Before I took on the column a few years ago I probably went to the movies a maybe five times a year.

I looked back at the columns for 2009 and discovered that this year I saw 35 movies in the theater - which a friend pointed out is time-consuming and expensive - and even more if you count the stuff I watched at home. Some of the movies were good, some were really bad, and some were bad but still enjoyable.

Here is the list of what I watched in 2009. Tune in tomorrow for a break down of the best, the worst and my all-time favorite movie of the year (based, of course, only on the movies I've seen.)

Marley and Me
Bride Wars
Gran Torino
Hotel for Dogs
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
He’s Just Not That Into You
Coraline
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Slumdog Millionaire
*Smart People
*Twilight
*Away from Her
*Breaking and Entering
*Milk
*Persepolis
Sunshine Cleaning
Disney’s Earth
The Soloist
X-Men Origins Wolverine
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
*My Sassy Girl
Disney Pixar’s Up
My Life in Ruins
The Brothers Bloom
The Proposal
The Hangover
Public Enemies
*The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Ugly Truth
*Taken
Funny People
Julie and Julia
Ponyo
The Time Traveler’s Wife
All About Steve
9
Bandslam
Fame
Zombieland
The Invention of Lying
Where the Wild Things Are
*Spring Breakdown
*The Maiden Heist
The Men Who Stare at Goats
Disney’s A Christmas Carol
The Blind Side
Ninja Assassin
*The Accidental Husband
Brothers
Avatar
It’s Complicated

* Movies watched on cable/DVD/etc.

An actress remembered at her best

When I saw that Brittany Murphy had died of a heart attack at age 32, I was surprised in the same way I was when I heard that Heath Ledger and Michael Jackson had died. Murphy never achieved the same level of celebrity as some others, but her sudden death has lead to speculation about the cause.

Though Murphy's star may have been fading in recent years, she had some good turns earlier in her career, including in one of my favorite movies.

She starred as Tai in "Clueless," which has remained one of my favorite movies ever since I saw it when I was a teenager. My mom rented it for me and my friends for a New Year's Eve party when I was 14. We tried to get it from the newly-opened Blockbuster in Morgan Hill, but it wasn't in. We ended up reserving it at National Video in Gilroy, and we got it just in time for the sleepover.

Murphy's turn as Tai is still endearing to me, with her curly red hair and Valley girl accent. Though she is not really the main character in the movie, she helps Cher (Alicia Silverstone) and her friend Dion (Stacey Dash) find a greater purpose in life - even if it is just making over the new kid. Tai is from the poor part of Los Angeles (which is most of it) when she transfer to a high school in the rich part of the city. Cher and Dion take Tai on as a project. They make her over and invite her to the cool parts, and even play matchmaker for her. Murphy is transformed from a clueless kid to a girl who becomes a little too full of herself, but it all works out in this funny movie. This is one of those movies that I can watch from any point because I pretty much have the dialogue memorized.

Murphy was at her best playing offbeat characters who seemed a little bit lost in their lives. When she played Molly Gunn in "Uptown Girls" she had a great chemistry with her young costar Dakota Fanning. Murphy's character is the daughter of a rock star who finds herself without many friends when her father dies and leaves her penniless. She takes a job working as a nanny for Ray (Fanning), who is a neglected kid whose rich mother ignores her. The two hate each other at the beginning, but eventually grow on each other.

Though Murphy mostly had roles in comedies and low-budget horror films (at the end of her career,) one of her best turns was in the drama "Girl, Interrupted." The movie is based on the experiences of writer Susanna Kaysen's recollection of spending a year and a half in a mental hospital in the '60s. Murphy plays a fellow patient, Daisy Randone. Daisy is a fragile girl with an eating disorder and Murphy embodied her struggle well. Though Angelina Jolie nabbed a supporting actress Oscar for her turn in the movie, Murphy perhaps would have been nominated if her role had had a bit more screen time.

According to Internet Movie Database, Murphy had roles in more than 64 movies, television shows or as a voice on animated series. She was well-known as the voice of Luanne on "King of the Hill" and she is in three movies that are in post-production, though it is unclear if or when they will be released. I may not see the new movies, but I am likely to watch her again in "Clueless," in the first role in which I saw her.

Amazon, how could you get it so wrong?

I've been a fan of Amazon.com since its early days and I've watched it evolve. I was there when they started adding more than just books, movies and CDs to the offerings. I've had a wishlist online - and its been recently updated with some holiday gifts I'd like - for ages. I love that I can now add things from other sites with the universal wishlist button. I'm a member of prime (thanks to my mom) so I get free two-day shipping on almost anything I order. That means if my shopping trip this weekend is a bust, I could technically still order some gifts and they will arrive in time for Christmas. I like having that safety net.

But the other day when I logged on to search a few wishlists and look for some gifts, I was offended by what I saw. Amazon.com had actually recommended to me the "Twilight" movie. Amazon.com, how could you know me so little, after all these years?

I know the recommendations are manufactured automatically by some sort of system I will never understand that takes into account all the things I've purchased through the years, the items I've clicked on and the ones I've added to my wishlist. Sometimes the recommendations are spot on, like when I get notices about a new U2 CD coming out or books by Nick Hornby or cookbooks for things like Old-Fashioned homemade Ice-Cream.

But sometimes Amazon is just way off the mark. Some of that is because most of what I purchase through Amazon.com are gifts for other people. I get recommendations for romance novels (which I've never read in my life), thanks to my mom's reading habits. And Japanese anime, thanks to my sister's viewing habits. And there are a few other random things in the mix, for which I can forgive Amazon.

But "Twilight?" Really?

I have to confess, though, that I know exactly why the movie made its way onto my recommendation list. Before the movie even came out in theaters, I thought I ought to see what all the fuss was about. I read tons of vampire books when I was a kid - everything from "The Vampire Diaries" to "Bunicula," a book about a vampire bunny. I figured how bad could the Twilight books be, and someone my sister knew just happened to have a copy of the first book.

I read it - it was bad - but since I waded through the bazillion pages of book one, I thought I should finish the rest of the series. But alas, no one, had copies of the other three books so I order them all from Amazon. I read them all and each one got progressively worse, though I'll save my rant about what a bad message the books are for teen girls for another time. I have all the books piled up on my computer desk to donate to the library, but I haven't yet decided if I should allow the books any more circulation in the world.

So that's how Amazon.com pegged me for a Twilight fan. Perhaps if I had left scathing reviews of the books, the movie wouldn't have made it onto the list of recommendations.

But today, Amazon has come back to its senses and there is no "Twilight" to be seen. Now if only they would stop advertise the Kindle to me.

Bah humbug to Christmas shopping

My favorite part of Christmas shopping is usually finding the one perfect gift for someone and waiting for them to open it up on Christmas morning. One year it was a digital camera for my mom, back when 2.5 megapixels was cutting edge. My sister, dad and I split the cost three ways. Last year it was accessories for walking the dog (yes, I know it doesn't get THAT cold in California, but it's cold enough to us lifelong residents), including Ugg boots and a cashmere scarf.

I usually get more excited about seeing other people open their gifts than anticipating what I am getting. But something was off this year. Maybe it's that several friends and family members asked not to exchange gifts because money is tight. And perhaps that's the other thing, money is a little more tight for me this year (guess I shouldn't have bought tickets to two U2 concerts in one year).

Mostly I think its that I wasn't very inspired so far this year. I really haven't felt like going to any stores to shop, and online shopping is much better if you know what you want already. I tried Amazon.com, where my mom and sister both have wish lists, but I feel a little bit like its cheating if I just put something in the online shopping cart. And most of the stuff on my mom's wishlist was kitchen-related and I feel bad buying a Christmas gift that I am as likely to use as she is.

I have a Christmas gift for my sister. But I still need to get something for my dad and mom. With my dad I can always go with the old standby of cologne, which he loves to use WAY too much so he's always in need of more. I'm still stuck for my mom, though.

I went out tonight to a few places, but the slow service and long lines on a work night left me with little patience. So though it might be even worse, I guess I am going to head to the mall first thing Saturday morning, do some power shopping and hopefully get home by noon. Maybe inspiration will hit somewhere between Macy's or Nordstrom's.

Award season starts

The Golden Globe nominations came out this week and as always, some of the nominations were predictable and others were a little bit of a shock.

Some of the movies nominated haven't been out more than a week - and at least one hasn't even opened to the public yet. "Avatar," which opens this Friday, is nominated for multiple categories including best motion picture - drama.

I've seen some of the movies or TV shows that garnered nominations and here are a few thoughts on them.

Best motion picture - drama
I haven't seen any of these movies, though I plan to see "Avatar" this weekend. I have contemplated seeing "Up In the Air," but I'll wait for the DVD for "Precious," "The Hurt Locker" and "Inglorious Basterds."

Best performance by an actress in a motion picture - drama
The only nominee I saw was Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side." It's the only Sandra Bullock movie I've ever seen where I forgot I was watching Sandra Bullock so she deserves a nod.

Best performance by an actor in a motion picture - drama
A few of the movies in this category are on my list to see, especially "A Single Man" with Colin Firth and "Invictus" with Morgan Freeman. The only movie I've seen yet was "Brothers" and Tobey Maguire does a bang up job as a soldier who returns home to his family broken.

Best motion picture - musical or comedy
It's a pet peeve of mine that the Globes group musical and comedy together since they aren't really the same thing. But of the movies nominated that I've seen, which include "The Hangover" and "Julie and Julia," I have to give the edge to "The Hangover, which made me laugh my ass off. It will never win, though, and "Nine," the musical, is my prediction to take it.

Best performance by an actress in a motion picture - musical or comedy
I've only seen "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock, and while I enjoyed the movie I don't think it was Bullock's best work. Marion Cotillard, in "Nine" and Meryl Streep in "Julie and Julia" are my picks to win (though I haven't seen "Nine," given it hasn't actually been released yet.)

Best performance by an actor in a motion picture -musical or comedy
I haven't seen any of the movies nominated in this category so my vote goes for Daniel Day-Lewis since he is amazing in most everything he's done.

Best animated feature film
I've only seen two of the five movies nominated so far and of "Coraline" or "Up", "Up" gets my vote. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me want to fall in love and spend my life with someone even if it means losing them and starting over all alone.

Best original song
Do I even need to say that U2 should win for best original song for "Winter" from the movie "Brothers?" No, I haven't heard any of the other songs, but what could be better than U2?

Best television series - drama
I watch four of the five series nominated, and after watching the season finale last week, "Dexter" gets my vote. The writers threw me for a loop all season, and somehow managed to make my entire family root for a serial killer. I can't count how many times we said we wished Rita would just give Dexter a break (so he could go out and kill someone) - if only we'd known where the season finale would land us, we may have been nicer about Rita. Michael C. Hall also gets my nod for best performance by an actor in a television series for taking Dexter out of his comfort zone this year. John Lithgow also deserves his nomination for guest star on "Dexter," though he was really more of a regular this season as the Trinity killer.

Best television series - musical or comedy
I watch four of the five series nominated, and I have to admit I am a little bit torn about which I would want to win. I guess I would go with "Modern Family" because it is a new series which makes me laugh like crazy and a win could cement it for another year.

Best performance by an actress in a television series - musical or comedy
I do love Liz Lemon on "30 Rock" and Rachel on "Glee." I guess I have a thing for the dorky over-achiever girls - they remind me of me. I'm still waiting for my book deal and for a football player to fall in love with me, though.

Best performance by an actor in a television series - musical or comedy
Alec Baldwin takes the cake for his performance as Jack on "30 Rock." He gets better every season.

There are other categories and all the nominees can be seen online here. The awards will be televised Jan. 17, so I'll have my take on the actual winners then.

That's the way the cookie crumbles

When it comes to baking, I often have more failures than successes. It's probably the reason I am more likely to pick up sweet treats at Elegant Touch in Hollister or Gayle's Bakery in Capitola than make them at home.

But this holiday season it seemed like a good idea to bake some breads, cookies and other treats to share with family and friends. This last weekend we tackled four cookie recipes. Now making one batch of cookies from scratch isn't too much trouble, but making four, or five, or six is a lot more trouble. In the oven in my house, only one sheet of cookies can go in at a time, which means even for a small bath it takes quite awhile to bake them.

We decided to take a shortcut with a semi-homemade recipe from Sandra Lee that used store-bought sugar cookie dough. I had made candy cane shaped cookies from scratch once before a few years ago, not very successfully, and this seemed like it would be easy. The only problem was the sugar cookie dough didn't really seem to want to roll out into the white and red ropes needed to make the candy cane shape. The dough kept falling apart, and I got only half the cookies I was supposed to get out of it. As I was twisting them into candy cane shapes, the dough kept cracking. And then when they came out of the oven, the cookies kept falling apart.

Then we made what were supposed to be white peppermint snow ball cookies - snow ball as in round. But the cookies we made turned out flatter than pancakes. But the cookies still taste alright, and the other varieties I made turned out just fine. Next weekend I will take on crinkle cookies and plain old chocolate chip. For recipes of the cookies pictured below, visit the Weekend Pinnacle on Friday.

Mexican mocha cookies with Kahlua frosting

White peppermint snow ball cookies

Cranberry white chocolate chip cookies

Candy cane cookies

Director Sheridan delivers another movie about love and war

Most of the time I don't think much about who directs a film before I go to see it. But once in a while I know what to expect from a movie based on who is at the helm. That was the case with "Brothers," the latest film from Jim Sheridan. Sheridan is an Irish filmmaker and two of his previous films have dealt with the conflict in Ireland. "In the Name of the Father," and "The Boxer" both starred Daniel Day Lewis, and in addition to a nation's troubles also touched on how individuals were affected. Sheridan also directed "In America" about an Irish-immigrant family. All these movies are dramatic and some of them are heart-wrenching.

While "Brothers" is not set in Ireland or about Irish immigrants, it touches on a war and a family in turmoil, as well as love and loss. I wanted to see the movie long before I knew who directed it because it starred Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman, two of my favorite actors. But when I knew Sheridan was directing it, I knew it would be good.

The thing I love most about Sheridan is that he allows quiet moments to embody his movies, and he allows the kids in the movie to have full roles. Bailee Madison and Taylor Geare are allowed to say things the adults in the film hold in. Madison especially does a good job as Isabelle.

While some might think the movie is slow-moving or a little mundane, I think that is exactly the point. Sheridan creates a world were life slows down after a tragedy, and the family struggles to do all the little things together, like making breakfast or fixing up the kitchen and then that slowly transforms into celebrating birthdays or ice skating until life is almost normal again.

Gyllenhaal and Portman work well together, and the only character that seemed a little underdeveloped is Tobey Maguire's Sam Cahill. He is in the film with his family so little it is hard to believe the bond he has with them. But Maguire makes up for it in the scenes after he returns from Afghanistan.

It's worth a watch, but be prepared for a serious film. Plus the movie has a song from my favorite U2 album, as well as a U2 song written just for the movie, which made it even better.

Feast or famine

The feast of independent and dramatic films is under way as studios make a play for next year's Oscar nods. It's a welcome change from the famine that started right around Halloween when for about six years there was really nothing playing in the theaters that I wanted to see.

That would be fine for anyone else, but as a movie columnist, I had to come up with something each week. It led to reviews of two movies I really didn't want to see, "A Christmas Carol" and "Ninja Assassin." At least Disney's 3-D version of "A Christmas Carol" looked cool. I can't say the same for "Ninja Assassin," what with the multiple beheadings in the first 5 minutes of the movie. The one surprise in this dryspell of movies was "The Men Who Stare At Goats," with Ewan McGregor and George Clooney. I probably wouldn't have seen it had anything else been out - since it wasn't really hyped much and I didn't even know what it was about before I looked up a synopsis online - but it turned out to be quite a funny tale of the U.S. military's attempts to use psyhic abilities at war (which may or may not be true as its based on an allegedly true story.)


I even had to resort to writing about a couple of movies that were out on DVD, such as "Spring Breakdown," which I found to be absolutely, laugh-out-loud funny. And last week I reviewed "The Accidental Husband," which got yanked from its theaterical release for a DVD release more than a year later, since I spent so much time making tamales.


But now that I am ready to head back to the theaters, it's going to be a tough call this weekend. I can count at least four movies I want to see this weekend and two more that are opening up next weekend. I would just camp out at the theater for a while, but with the holidays coming quickly I have plenty of other stuff to do, too.

So I am not sure which movie I will choose, but suggestions are invited. Here are the options.


"Invictus," which stars Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as a South African rugby player right around when apartheid first ended. The movie appeals to me because I've been to South Africa and I like to watch movies where I can say, "I've been there" to my fellow movie watchers. I also know a lot about South African history from studying it so I can seem smart by explaining things to people after the movie. The downsides are possible long scenes of rugby games (which I understand even less than football) and really bad South African accents.


"Brothers," which stars Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire is about two brothers, one who is a well-respected army man and the other who is an ex-con. The pluses are Natalie Portman, who've I've loved watching since I saw her in "The Professional" as a kid and Jake Gyllenhaal who've I've loved watching since I saw him in "Donnie Darko." Plus Jake is dreamy. Also, the film is directed by Jim Sheridan who made "In America" and "In the Name of the Father," which I really enjoyed. Also, U2 wrote a song for the soundtrack. The downsides are that the movie will probably make me cry (based on the previews) and Tobey Maguire gets on my nerves. I didn't recognize him in the trailer though, so maybe he will be less annoying.


"Up in the air," which stars George Clooney as an executive who spends most of his time flying around the country firing people. I don't really know much about the movie, but it is directed by Jason Reitman, who also directed "Juno" and "Thank You For Smoking," both movies I enjoyed.


"The Princess and the Frog," which is the latest animated film from Disney, puts a New Orleans spin on the classic tale. It is likely to have the humor, music and happy ending of all Disney movies.


Of course, the decision about what to see will be based on family input, schedules and where movies are playing so who knows which movie I will end up seeing this weekend. And then there are even more movies opening up before the end of the month - "Avatar," "The Lovely Bones," "It's Complicated," "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" "Nine," and "The Single Man." That's an awful lot of movies for one month...

The tamale family tradition

The smell of Christmas morning at my grandmother's house when I was growing up was a mix of scents that until a few years ago I had never really identified. But it's a smell I learned to recreate the first time I made tamales with my father's side of the family a few years ago.

My aunts and older cousins worked with my grandmother every year to make tamales. I don't know why, but my sister and I were never involved in the tradition. It wasn't until I was in graduate school and working on a class writing assignment that I got my first invitation to make tamales. I asked my aunts for a recipe, and instead they told me to come along to help the weekend before Christmas.

I soon realized why. As with many family recipes, or meals that are handed down year after year, there isn't really an actual recipe. My aunts know the basic flavor profile, but other than that making tamales is sort of a matter of throwing in the right spices until the sauce, masa dough and meat start to taste right.

Since I've made tamales with my aunts, I've attempted to make them on my own twice, the most recent time being last weekend. I invited over a few friends and purchased all the ingredients - the corn flour, shortening, spices, rump roasts and more - but unfortunately only one of my friends could make it over.

It made for a long day, but it was worthwhile when the house started to smell just like my grandmother's house used to smell when I was a kid. We ate our share of tamales out of the first batch and stored away the rest for a few lucky friends and family. It wouldn't be the holidays without it.

The filling for the beef tamales is made by cooking rump roast with beef broth and spices in a crock pot all day, then shredded the meat and adding more spices. The sauce is a tomato-based sauce with the same spices as the beef.

The masa dough for a Monterey jack and green chili tamale is seasoned with the same spices as well as the liquid from the green chilies.

A pile of tamales wait in a pan to be steamed.