DOUBLE FEATURE

Today I did something I haven't done since movies were twenty-five cents and, with that, you got free popcorn.......I saw two movies in the same day. Since today was "movie day" with my friends, we decided to throw caution to the wind and make it a "Double Header."

We started out with 27 Dresses this morning. Let me preface this by saying that I really am not a Katherine Heigl fan yet, everyone I know, who has seen this film, has insisted I see it. Having seen her on Grey's Anatomy, I just didn't get all the fuss being made over her. After seeing this movie.....I get it. She's terrific. Her range of emotions run the gamut as she portrays what every young women never wants to hear -- "Always the bridesmaid, never the bride." In this case, "27" times until she finally becomes the bride. I laughed, I cried and I highly recommend this one for a purely enjoyable movie going experience.

We then headed over to the Olive Garden to have a relaxing lunch since we had over two hours to kill before our next movie was to begin. At almost 2PM, it wasn't that crowded since the lunch crowd was gone and the dinner crowd wasn't near to arriving. We asked for a table for three as this week it was Pat, Linda and myself . We followed the hostess to our table and she brings us to a booth right outside the kitchen. I looked at her and said, "This won't work. Could you possibly give us a worse table?" Is it just me or does this happen to everyone? Do I look like someone who wants to sit at the worst table in the restaurant? Needless to say, she then escorted us to a more desirable spot but I still don't understand why I always have to go through this. Do I look so nice that people think I'm not going to complain? Little do they know.

I know, as soon as my daughter reads this post, she's going to be rolling on the floor laughing and pitying the hostess that dared offer up the dregs of the establishment to me. I have to say, however, that after we were seated, it was a most pleasurable experience as the salad and lunch were great as was the service.

We then made our way over to our next movie, Juno. I had heard so much about this one and was actually looking forward to it much more than 27 Dresses. As it turned out, 27 Dresses was a much better movie and much more enjoyable. I feel like Juno was like an "after school special." While it was well acted, I just felt there wasn't enough meat there to make it a full blown movie. I'm shocked that it's been nominated in the Best Picture category for the Academy Awards although I'm not surprised that Ellen Page was nominated in the Best Actress category. Was it such an off year for movies that this is considered one of the top five? I think I could say the same for Michael Clayton which was good but certainly isn't Oscar material.

So we still have to see two more of the nominated movies before the Oscar telecast on February 24th......Atonement and There Will Be Blood. I look forward to posting all of my Oscar picks here as we get closer to the event. We all loved our "Double Header" today and look forward to a possible "Triple Play" in the future.

2008 AWARDS WON BY JUNO

Best Original Screenplay (Oscars), Diablo Cody
Best Original Screenplay (BAFTA Awards), Diablo Cody
Best Writer (Critics' Choice Awards), Diablo Cody
Best Comedy Movie (Critics' Choice Awards), Juno
Best Feature (Independent Spirit Awards), Juno
Best Female Lead (Independent Spirit Awards), Ellen Page
Best First Screenplay (Independent Spirit Awards), Diablo Cody