Secretariat

This is a great, wholesome movie.  I am so glad we own it.  We have had this movie for a while but I had not been in the mood to watch it.  Tonight, when Tim suggested it, it just sounded perfect.  My dad came in town today too so he watched it with us (he has already seen it twice).  This movie is about the best racing horse that ever lived.  Secretariat, also named Big Red, won the triple crown in 1973.  The triple crown is a combination of three races: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes.  A horse gets one shot at winning the triple crown and can only race as a three year old.  The Kentucky Derby is the longest race that the horse has run up to that point.  The Preakness is the shortest race of the three and the Belmont Stakes is the longest race, totaling a mile and a half.  At the Belmont Stakes, Secretariat won by 31 lengths.  If you are wondering how I know so much about horse racing, it is because horse racing is something my family has followed since I was little.  Some of my best memories are going to the Kentucky Derby with my parents.  My dad has always loved the races.  Actually, my dad, mom and papaw were all at the Kentucky Derby when Secretariat won.  My dad was also at the Belmont Stakes when Secretariat won the triple crown.  According to my dad, when Secretariat pulled ahead everyone stood and cheered.  He said that everyone was looking for a hero in those days and that Secretariat became that hero.  I really enjoyed this movie and I feel like I was there after listening to the stories from my dad.  

Water for Elephants

Amazing!  I loved this movie and now I am definitely going to read the book.  This movie is about a young man who joins the circus.  He works as the circus veterinarian and discovers himself among the greatest circus disaster in 1931.  I really knew nothing about this movie, except that it was based off a book.  After seeing the movie, I can't wait to read the book.  The story was put together so nicely and the actors (Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon) did a wonderful job.  This movie is worth seeing in the theater.  It also makes me want to go to the circus really badly since I never got to go as a kid.  I will definitely be buying this movie when it comes out.  I already want to go see it again!    

The Conspirator

Great movie!  This movie was directed by Robert Redford and I was very impressed with the quality of the film.  The movie is about the killing of Abraham Lincoln and follows John Wilkes Booth and his conspirators.  The main focus is on the trial of Mary Surratt.  This movie is all about history but I think even people who aren't really interested in history will still enjoy it.  I was actually kind of disappointed in my lack of knowledge about Abraham Lincoln and his death.  I kept thinking that I should know how the story ended but I didn't.  Tim thought it was very accurate as well.  I would definitely recommend this movie to friends and I think it is worth the money to see it in the theater.

T.V. Show Special

I have been wanting to blog about my favorite TV shows for a while and since Tim is enthralled in the masters and I am doing nothing, I figured this would be a great time.  Here are some of the TV shows that I love:

SONS OF ANARCHY-  By far, my favorite show on TV.  This show comes on FX on Tuesday night at 10:00 p.m.  Sons of Anarchy is about a biker gang that deals guns in the small town of Charming, California.  The writers of this show are amazing.  Every time I watch it I want to watch more.  The story line is great! I absolutely love it.  Season 4 will start in the fall, so I suggest everyone start watching this show and get caught up.

THE WALKING DEAD- Let me go ahead and say that if you don't like zombies, you won't like this show.  It reminds me of the movies I Am Legend and Zombieland.  This show comes on AMC but I have no idea what day or what time.  Basically, a cop wakes up from a coma and finds that a strange disease has taken over the world and turned humans into zombies.  There is only one season out and it is fairly short.  I thought the show was entertaining and I am excited to see what season 2 has to offer.

BOARDWALK EMPIRE-  This show comes on HBO and is awesome.  I loved season 1.  It is about corruption and politics in Atlantic City during prohibition.  Steve Buscemi is the main actor and he does a phenomenal job.  I haven't heard anything about when season 2 will start but I will be watching it when it does.  The show will definitely keep viewers interested.  It is a mobster type show but has the storyline that anyone would enjoy.

THE GOOD WIFE- I think this is the best legal drama on TV.  I have watched it from the beginning and I love this show.  It comes on CBS on Tuesday night at 10:00 p.m.  The show is about the wife of the former state's attorney for Chicago who lost his position due to multiple affairs and corruption.  He gets put in jail and she has to get a job and support her family while trying to learn to forgive her cheating husband.  Alicia Florrick (the good wife) gets a job at the law firm Lockhart/Gardner and the show goes from there.  Viewers see the types of cases the law firm represents, Alicia's husband's past life, and his campaign as he runs again for his former position.  The show is currently in season 2.  If you are looking for a legal drama, I would definitely watch this one.

THE CHICAGO CODE- This is probably my favorite cop show that is on TV.  Originally, it was Blue Bloods but this show has taken its place.  This is a new show that just premiered on Fox this past January.  It is about the police superintendent of Chicago and her goal to weed out the corruption that exists in her city.  It is a really good show and I hope it makes it for a second season.  You can watch it on Monday night at 10:00 p.m.

BLUE BLOODS- Another cop show that is really good but I don't see it lasting long.  The actors in it are great (Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, and Bridget Moyanhan).  This show takes place in New York and follows a family of cops.  It has really good stories every week but they haven't done much to develop the characters.  Plus, it comes on CBS on Friday night at 10:00 p.m., and we all know that shows on Friday nights don't last.  I really like this show but I would recommend Chicago Code over Blue Bloods if you are wanting a cop show to watch.

THE AMAZING RACE- This is my favorite reality TV show.  I swear that before I die, Tim and I will go on this show.  I love it.  I love watching everyone race around the world and do all these crazy challenges and tasks.  This show comes on CBS on Sunday night at 8:00 p.m.  If you can give it a chance, I think you would enjoy it.  I wouldn't go as far as to say that Tim likes it but he tolerates it.

GREY'S ANATOMY- Yes, I still watch this show but if they do another singing episode I WILL stop watching it.  What can I say, I love this medical drama and I have been watching it since day one so I can't really stop now.  I will admit that the show has had its ups and downs but the past few seasons have been great.  I actually don't even know what season the show is in but it has to be at least season 6 or 7.   I own the first 5 seasons, so if you think you need a medical drama in your life let me know and I will let you borrow it.  Otherwise, you can watch it on ABC on Thursday night at 9:00 p.m.

THE OFFICE- Definitely my favorite comedy on TV since Friends.  I love this show and laugh out loud almost every time I watch.  I own all the seasons and we watch the reruns a lot.  I am sad that Michael Scott is leaving the show because without him I am worried that the show won't last long.  My favorite characters on this show are Creed, Kevin, and Dwight.  This is a hilarious show and I hope it last a long, long time.  You can watch it on NCB on Thursday night at 9:00 p.m.

MODERN FAMILY- This comedy is a close second to The Office.  I really love following the three different families.  Tim and I always watch this show together and we always enjoy it.  Our favorite character is the younger dad with three kids.  He is so funny.  He thinks he is so cool when really he is such a dork.  We also like Gloria and her husband Jay.  If you need a good, wholesome show to add to your list, definitely add this one.  It comes on ABC on Wednesday night at 9:00 p.m.

THE VISITORS- Aliens anybody?  This show has got plenty of them.  It is a sci-fi thriller.  I typically don't like that kind of stuff but I like this show.  I have heard that this show might not last.  It is disappointing, because I think this show is really good and very entertaining.  The show is about aliens that are disguised in human skin and come to earth for a purpose but we don't know what that purpose is.  It comes on ABC on Tuesday night at 9:00.  Season 2 just ended and hopefully the show will continue for a 3rd season.                

Fair Game

This is a very political movie.  I love movies about the government so I really enjoyed it.  Tim was hoping for more action.  This movie is about an undercover CIA agent that gets exposed during the Bush Administration.  I had no idea that this was a even a true story but it is.  It actually made me wonder how I didn't hear about this when it happened.  I guess it is because back then I didn't really listen to the news or care about what was happening in Washington.  If you can handle the politics you will enjoy this movie.  Sean Penn and Naomi Watts do a great job.    

The Fighter

I really enjoyed this movie.  Tim and I had heard such great things about it that we just went ahead and bought it.  The story was very entertaining and the actors did a great job.  I will say, I was disappointed with the ending.  I have said this before, but I hate when you are in the middle of a good movie and it just ends with writing on the screen.  That is how this movie ends.  I was hoping for more but I was just left with some writing about where the people are now.  Overall, it is a good movie and worth watching but definitely not as good as some of the other movies this movie was nominated with (like King's Speech and Black Swan).  

Just Go With It

Hilarious!! I was literally laughing out loud in the theater.  I loved this movie.  It is a great comedy and probable one of the funnest movies Adam Sandler has done since Big Daddy.  The movie is about a guy that pretends to be married to get women.  I honestly haven't laughed so hard in a movie in a while.  I don't want to give too much away about this movie so I am just going to say that if you are looking for a laugh definitely go see this movie.  It is well worth the money and I will definitely be buying it.

Due Date

One word comes to mind-- STUPID!! I absolutely hated this movie.  It is awful and was a huge disappointment for Tim because he thought it was going to be great.  I on the other hand was never excited about watching it.  This movie is a product of good advertising because I don't know how it did so good in the theater.  Don't waste your time or your money because this movie sucks!  I am so grateful we didn't buy this.

The Switch

This movie has Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman in it.  Because of the actors, I thought it was going to be awesome but it was rather dull.  It is about a girl (Jennifer Aniston) who wants to have a baby but is single and getting older everyday.  So, she decides to find a sperm donor.  Her best friend (Jason Bateman) does not think having a baby is the best idea.  One drunken night at her "sperm" party he switches the specimen with his.  She moves away, he has no memory of that night because he was too drunk, and then magically 7 years later she moves back.  He puts two and two together and you can probably guess how the story ends.