I watched a pre-screening of the movie Inception and I'm still replaying some of the spectacular scenes in my mind, like a recurring dream, with better protagonists. (Having Leo smacking people around in my dream isn't a bad way to spend the night, now is it? But. I digress.)

This thought-provoking Sci-Fi, action thriller will make you think more than twice if you should try following the plot on your own or just let the film take over your subconscious and allow yourself to get lost in the intricacies of the story.

If you don't want to feel stupid asking the guy next to you what's going on every two minutes, I suggest you surrender to the latter.

Just sit back and enjoy what will undoubtedly be an adult version of the summer blockbuster -- yes, it's that good!

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Dom Cobb, a love-tortured agent hired by big corporations to invade people's dreams and re-direct a competitor's success to their ultimate demise. Working with sidekicks Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Paige, Cobb is a mastermind at extracting information buried deep within the brain, but can also plant an idea to change the outcome.

Adding a human touch to the all-business action shots is the haunting romance between his late wife Mal (Cotillard) -- the character's name said it all! -- and DiCaprio skillfully written into the plot without the usual sap of a love story.

Did I already lose some of you skeptics of the Sci-Fi genre?

I was with you all the way to my seat on this one, but I assure you, this isn't a cheesy summer film. 

You may have a tough time keeping up with the plot as Cobb tries to plant a new idea in a man’s brain; stealing thoughts is simple, but adding a life-altering one is a risky operation involving a dream within a dream within a dream. Even as you check off the film’s overload of references, though—a Matrix here, a James Bond there with Edith Piaf's music playing in the background—the amazing effects and Cobb’s quest carry you along.

Keeping your attention span from drifting during the movie is beautiful cinematography of incredible depth; Paris folds over on itself; weightless altercations and floating bodies puncture impeccable water-filled scenes; a pristine, snow-covered mountain encounter is reminiscent of a Star Wars battle. Though unbelievable, the architecture and perfectly synchronized action sequences engage your brain challenging you to keep up with the plot every step of the way -- was he dreaming that?

The film is also unique; it's not in 3D, a sequel, prequel or the next number in a book-based series of movies. It is practically a fresh genre. For brief moments it seems this picture is a mix of other films, but you won't be able to simply pigeon hole it like many movies have been lately.

Christopher Nolan makes you work while watching this film (you may even have to see it twice!), but the payoff will be the lingering conversations you'll have after you've left the theater.

Stunning effects coupled with an unpredictable plot made the two-hour and 27 minute motion picture fly by... similar to being in a deep, sleep-induced unconscious state: a dream.

I give it  out of 5 for superb action sequences, visual effects, no language, and an unpredictable plot.

One hour and fifty minutes go by as quickly as the adrenaline-charged, computer-generated action sequences in the film "Knight and Day" which opens tomorrow. This light, romantic, action comedy relies heavily on the million dollar grins of the movie's main actors,Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz starring as Roy Miller and June Havens, to get you to invest in them, and you probably will. This film is a summer pleaser which will likely make you smile in the end as well.

Roy (Cruise) is a spy gone rogue who gets trapped in a Bonny and Clyde type duo with June (Diaz), an unsuspecting gal who boards a fateful flight and who manages to make all the wrong decisions to not extricate herself from the inevitable spy tangle. The film is a thriller and romantic comedy rolled into one with plenty of bullets sprayed everywhere in relentless shoot em up sequences, stunt laden scenes with Cruise's ubiquitous sunglasses (I'm certain I caught that same look he won us over with behind those Ray Bans in "Risky Business"!) never out of reach no matter how farfetched or violent the situation he finds himself in is.

There are moments in this film when the action sequences stumble and the viewer catches the unlikeliness of it all; bulls running on the narrow streets of Seville, Spain in a car vs. motorcycle chase; villains crash trough the windows of a moving train in the Swiss Alps; there's a plane crash in a corn field no one seems to really understand or care about, and countless automobiles collide leaving heaps of nameless corpses as collateral damage.

While Diaz and Cruise carry the film nicely and their on-screen chemistry is endearing, absurdly, we actually don't mind that innocent by standards are run over, shot and killed without regard because we're busy laughing at the airhead moves Diaz is putting on while Cruise shows off he's still in top "Mission Impossible" form constantly trying to save this damsel from herself.

"Knight and Day" is rated PG-13 and will likely not be up for any awards, but it is the perfect summer movie to see with your teens when you show up to the theater not knowing what you want to watch. Surprisingly, you'll probably enjoy it as much as we did!

I give it  out of 5.

Grab your kids and your kids' friends and head to the movies this weekend to watch Shrek Forever After - you'll be glad you did.

I'm showing off my "Who The Shrek Are You" OPI Manicure. Look for the special Shrek colors now available.

The fourth and finall installment in the Shrek franchise is a delightfully scripted comedy for the whole family. While it's quick double entendre wit might be lost on the little tikes, it tickles the mature viewer's fancy with many references to contemporary family situations (kids' excessive birthday party, demanding spoiled child, etc.) much to our delight.

The endearing characters are all back with an even edgier personality and pick up where they left off; the now-married Shrek and Fiona are enjoying home life on the swamp tending to their three little ogres. However, Fiona (Cameron Diaz) and Shrek (Mike Meyers) are stuck in a married-with-kids couple's subdued routine which sends Shrek in search of the old days when he was the scariest lad in the land. He makes a deal with the devil, Rumpelstiltskin, to get his old life back for one day, but instead signs away his cozy world to find himself lossing everything and having to overcome many obstacles to get it back.

The message is easy and clear for kids to understand: You don't know what you've got until it's gone, and it's delivered with irreverent jokes for all ages. I especially enjoyed the fast-paced dialog and had to pay attention so I wouldn't miss the rapid-fire exchanges between Donkey (Eddie Murphy), Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) and Shreck!

We were treated to the 3D version of this film and I loved how the use of this innovative cinema effect enveloped my senses without over doing it.

"Do the roar!" and don't miss Shrek Forever After. It would be a cat-as-trophe if you did because this movie is sure to set the bar for the rest of the family summer blockbuster season!

I give it   out of 5!!

Iron man costumes on display at Comic Con 2009, San Diego, CA. Photo by S. Valle

If you expect to be blown away by "Iron Man 2" as you most likely were when you watched "Iron Man", you won't be disappointed! There's enough explosions, electrical charges, and protons and neutrons being displaced per minute of celluloid in this film to create another element for the periodic table.

"Iron Man 2" is sure to be a blockbuster, but what I'm not too sure about is if it's due to Robert Downey Jr. 's lasting impression as the smart, smooth-operating and witty Tony Stark, or if it's the staying power of the Marvel franchise -- we'll have to wait after this weekend to find out.

But. If the applause at the end of last night's screening of "Iron man 2" (IM2) at the Gaslamp Theaters in San Diego, CA is an indicator of how much audiences are in love with the super hero himself or Downey, then hold on to your ticket because IM2 might set a record.

Let me tell you right off the bat that "Iron Man" is by far my favorite contemporary action movie (after classics like "Indiana Jones" and "Star Wars"), so the sequel had a lot to live up to; sharp, unrelenting dialog; an unpredictable course of events based on current events, sustained sexual tension between the main characters, and an action-packed build up to a gratifying ending.

Did it fulfill my expectations?

I'll tell you in a minute.

First, I have to make a disclaimer. Robert Downey Jr. 's  performance in the first IM is tattooed in my brain as an unmatched, unequaled and (insert your favorite adjective for great here) successful comeback for an actor. Having said this, every movie he's been in since then ("Sherlock Holmes, "Tropic Thunder" and "The Soloist") has captivated my full and undivided attention regardless of its quality -- though his acting has been superb as well.

With this is out of the way, let's break down IM2.

Without squelching your obvious excitement (like mine) to be thoroughly entertained by this follow-up film, I'll keep my opinions short and to the point. After all, movies are a matter of personal taste.

The beginning gets off to a slow gritty start with Mickey Rourke playing a Russian physicist who barely utters a few heavily-accented lines throughout the film.

Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, the much anticipated hero of the previous installment, delivers the same physical substance to the film, BUT, I'm sorry to say, not during the first 15 minutes of his self indulgent, high-kicking, over produced grand entrance. The self-centered arrogance of the movie's central character almost put me over the edge --fortunately Scarlett Johansen appears just in time to keep the focus on the plot.

Gwyneth Paltrow, I thought, was less spicy as Pepper Potts this time around, and the sexual tension between she and her boss wasn't as flagrant.

Samuel L. Jackson's short performance was confusing, and his repetitive references to the "Iron Man" suit had me recalling his voice in "The Incredibles" every time he said the word suit: "Where's my suppa suit?!"

Don Cheadle recaptures his previous character as Stark's best friend and protector, however, at one point between blasts and suit changes, I was confused about whose side he was on! 

Oh, and was that DJ AM as himself? Yes it was. His part was filmed before he died.

Overall, I found there were too many good guys after a few bad guys who were all in collusion to destroy Stark.

The finale left me with an uneasy feeling which I can't quite place my finger on; the battle scenes were prolonged; the gadgets and effects practically the same as the first installment, and as for Potts and Stark... they didn't do it for me this time.

I know there's going to be an "Iron Man 3," but the ending to this sequel didn't quite leave me wanting more... and I was bummed about that.

"Don't Think. Drink," is a line delivered by Stark. 

If you make sure this is your mindset when you go watch "Iron Man 2", then you'll probably love it!

The movie is rated PG-13 for strong and violent action sequences and some language.

I give "Iron Man 2"  (3 1/2) out of 5 smiles. (And Downey gets the rest !)

My new post at TheWrap.com.

Theaters are raising their ticket prices! IMAX and 3D movies will see the real hike, of up to $3, increasing the per ticket cost to $15!

I say this is like date-rape.

What do you think?

I saw the movie first, and then had to read the book. The movie Julie and Julia tells the true story of a temp-turned-blogger-turned-best-seller-writer, and was just too good to end with the credits. So, for my birthday my hubs gave me the book and Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" (MTAOFC), quite an imposing tome, too. (I have yet to try cooking with this food bible, but maybe I'll try making something fancy for our anniversary)

Julie Powell seems like the ordinary girl stuck in a rut working as a temp secretary for an agency in charge of selecting the design for the memorial after the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. She longs to have a passion for something, a clear direction for her life since she married and moved to a small, cramped apartment in Long Island with her devoted - and very patient - husband Eric. Julie's friends have power jobs, and her mother is on her case about never finishing anything when she picks up her mom's MTAOFC during a visit to her hometown in Texas. She 'borrows' the book, takes it back to her oppressive apartment and peruses the pages one fateful evening as she's having another existential meltdown with her husband. Eric suggests she start a blog where she can put her talents as a writer to work. But, what to write about? The brainstorming gives way to The Project: Cooking 524 recipes in 365 days from Julia Child's epic cooking guide. (Click link for the actual blog).

And so it begins. The blog starts off slowly, but then garners enough readers that Julie feels indebted to them and has to finish this project no matter what. This is where the meat of the book is; she encounters unexpected obstacles, frustrations, cooking disasters and challenges that she wants to give up on the project which was taking over her life.

Have you de-boned a duck before? How about boiled live Lobster after working eight hours? Neither have I, and I have no intentions of doing any of this. Why, for heavens sake, when I can buy these animals cooked and seasoned?

Page after page of her trails and tribulations with cooking and her personal life, start to get attention from 'foodies'  and the 'bleeders' as she calls them. Soon, Julie gets noticed for being very open and explicitly descriptive about her encounters with uncoagulated aspic and her marital problems as she tries to stick to her goal of cooking while keeping her marriage together.

The book and the movie are also a delicious tribute to the one and only Julia Child who, in real life, was not amused by Julie's 'Project' or her writing (a few too many expletives, perhaps?), as much as Julia wanted Madam Child's approval. Never the less, Julie gets recognition for own merits, and her story is now out for all of us to enjoy.

I highly recommend both the movie and the book to anyone who is looking for direction, inspiration or confirmation to keep at this thing called a purposeful life. You never know what you'll learn in the process like Julie did; she discovered she had the internal fortitude to grab a knife, stab an innocent animal, dismember it, gut it, cook it and eat it. Then, write about it while having dessert...

Hooray for Hollywood! The score for three movies I watched with my family over the Holidays is a 10!!

Having the opportunity to catch up on a lot of movie going experiences was pure joy, especially when the offerings are of the quality I witnessed in The Blind Side, Invictus and Sherlock Holmes. Though we usually flock to the Cineplex for mindless paid entertainment, these three movies gave us more bang for our typically squandered-on-crap-movie buck.

THE BLIND SIDE

Audience: Middle School

MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual refrences.

Based on sport novelist Michel Lewis' book "The Blind Side", the true story about how the Baltimore Raven's offensive lineman Michael Oher made it through the apparently insurmountable obstacles stacked against him,  the movie is a gem of a life changing story and an example of compassionate-person-turned-hero story. The film doesn't rely on sap to pull at our heart strings either. 

A homeless black kid is taken in and later adopted by the very wealthy and very white Touhy family, and the parents do this  in spite of having two children of their own, a pre-teen son and a teenage daughter about the same age as "Big Mike",  without giving it a second thought or charity-work feel to their benevolent actions. I'm not going to retell the details of the movie, but Oher's tale of rags to athletic fame is a great film kids should watch with their parents because I think there are a few valuable lessons to discuss afterward.

First, compassion and grounding.  Our kids today enjoy so many spoils it's ridiculous. We parents self-indulge them for the smallest reasons, and then are disappointed when our offspring don't seem to grasp the impact becoming productive, compassionate members of society can have on others. This movie, if watched together and later discussed, can be an eye opener for those who have a life of privilege and lack the connection with the unequal reality others live.

The other reason to watch this film is to see a depiction of how hard work in school and athletics might affect your future college athlete. Not every kid is born with 'Big Mike's' attributes, but a few get to be in his same position should a college athletic scholarship be the goal. The real-life-to-movie depiction of what high school athletes go through is a good lesson about how much talent vs. drive is needed to make it in the big leagues - in this case the Big Ten. (Before watching this movie, I registered my aspiring golfer with the N.C.A.A., but had no idea how grueling and competitive this side of youth sports can be!)

The Blind Side is a splendid feel-good movie for  the Holidays!

INVICTUS

Audience: Middle School

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for strong language

Invictus is the title of a Victorian poem by William Ernest Henley which Mandala would find refuge in while in jail, and serves as the title for this great movie. The film not only offers a very brief history lesson about apartheid and Nelson Mandala's (played by Morgan Freeman) journey to become President of his country after 27 seven years of incarceration, it also gives us a glimpse into the character of a leader  and the Rugby teams' captain (Matt Damon), a leader in the making. 

Leaving the movie's political view aside, the sports theme could be reduced to a micro situation where inspiration for young leaders can be found. There are good lessons in this story about how a national sport, the 1995 Rugby World Cup, united a country in the process of eliminating the barriers years of segregation had divided. But, more importantly the lessons about the charisma, responsibility and nerve it takes to be a leader can be applied to many situations including teens at the high school level who sometimes need inspiration or affirmation about why  there's a need for leaders - even at their age.  

Parents, though the movie does a good enough job of showing Mandala's situation before he became President,  you might have to explain the pre-existing situation of apartheid in South Africa so the kids can understand the hate that was behind the importance of the Springbok's win.

SHERLOCK HOLMES

Audience:	Middle School
MPAA Rating:	Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material

Sherlock Holmes was pure delight for the senses. Action, scenery, costumes, adventure, and wit all in one extra-long movie left us wanting more - and the ending indicates there will be a sequel in the future.  This movie might be too violent for the little ones, but teens will enjoy the action sequences, London's gray and 'Goth' like sets, and the humorous exchanges between Watson (Jude Law) and Holmes (Robert Downy Jr.), although adapting the ear to both actors' heavy British accents may take a few minutes.

I hope 2010 will bring us more quality films for families who are always looking for activities to do with their older teens, and can enjoy together.

Every parent knows that when kids reach the teen years, time with them becomes more valuable and so do the lessons we can impart. Hopefully, we take full advantage of these precious moments to do this any way we can. Last week-end was no exception for me. Before I was finished slurping the foam off my Eggnog Latte, my scheming teen had already perused the newspaper and found a movie and a piece of interesting 'fashion' information she immediately shared with me.

"Mom, it's going to be Mother-Daughter day today, OK?" announced my 14 year-old securing our 'date' so I wouldn't come up with an excuse to take off with my husband or a girlfriend--though it's usually the other way around. I really enjoy our days together because my 'fashionista' manages to teach ME something new at every outing. From the 'cool' movies to fashion trends, she's on top of it and, though I hate to admit this, has saved me from myself and my choice of apparel purchases more than a couple of times (What do you mean I can't wear shorts and Uggs? It's practically our beach town's uniform!).

"What a relief!" she confidently muttered to herself as she read about a French member of Parliament wanting to put warning labels on retouched fashion magazine photos. Valerie Boyer is a mother of two teenage daughters and is aware of the body image problems our 'normal-looking' girls face in today's body-conscious society. Apparently, she wants magazines to let readers to know, especially young teenage girls, that the images on the photo spreads they see are not 'true' to life. Needless to say, the relief was actually mine. For a change, someone other than myself was telling my daughter she is not fat and that magazine photos are not reality.

After talking this over for a bit, she told me the title of the movie we were going to go watch, An Education. I asked if she new what this film was about and she simply answered, "It's filmed in London and Paris, and the outfits look beautiful".

OK, sounds good. I can sit through that.

An hour and forty five minutes later, we very contentedly walked out of the cinema and I congratulated her on an excellent film choice. I also told her I really appreciated the movie's message and how tastefully and realistically it was delivered. In fact, I thought this movie should be required viewing for teen girls. Period.

A small-town teenage girl with hopes of making it to Oxford University is suddenly swept off her feet by an older dotting man who takes her on lavish trips, expensive dinners and clubs. She drops out of school when the man gives her an engagement ring, and her goals of an education are suddenly replaced by dreams of a home, family and a lifestyle she'd never thought she could have--only to find out the man in question is married. In one fell swoop, her fantasy life vanishes and she's left with nothing. In typical teen-rebel behavior, she had gone against the advise of the adults around her, and found herself looking to get back on track encountering closed doors at every step, except for one teacher who helped her regain control of her studies. She finishes school and gets accepted to Oxford. Happy ending.

So, "What did you like best about the movie", I curiously asked my observant teen expecting her to tell me about the point of the film and maybe reminisce a little about having visited all the cities the movie was filmed in this past summer.

"Oh, everything! The clothes, the furniture, the time period. Everything except the message."

"Why?" I asked a bit surprised. 

"I wasn't paying that much attention to it. I was too distracted by the whole 'feeling' of the movie. I wonder if that was how they behaved back in the old days."

I went over the mess the protagonist had gotten herself into, explained it to her, and then got confirming feedback from my attentive young listener.

"Oh, yeah. She was stupid for doing that. I'll never do that."

I hope so, I thought.

We walked into the coffee shop at the corner, bought some hot chocolate, and quite out of the blue she then asked, "Were you alive in the movie's time period?"

After taking a quick mental survey of the movie's era, I realized the 'old days' now included me. In spite of this, I proudly replied, "Of course I was. This movie was set in the 60's. It's not THAT long ago."

I watched "Julie and Julia" with my daughter on Sunday (the boys were next door at "Bastards" which my 17 year-old was watching for the third time), and it was pure delight for the senses! The movie presents the true parallel stories of Julia Child and Julie Powell, the latter a blogger in real life who GETS a life, literally, from challenging herself to cook the entire Julia Child "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" recipe book, 521 recipes in 365 days, and keeps a blog about her trials and tribulations while completing her project. This film is nothing short of delicious!

Since we just got back from Europe (I'll post about this soon!), watching a movie filmed in Paris was exactly what we were after to continue savoring our overseas experiences. Meryl Streep never disappoints, and delivers a memorable performance including the distinct voice of the iconic cook, the low pitched tone I remember hearing coming from the only TV set in my childhood home.

Amy Adams plays the up-to-now little-known Powell, who captivated her blog readers, back in 2005 when blogs were taking off as virtual diaries, with posts peppered with her life and cooking toils. Her blog followers grew by leaps and bounds, and caught the attention of the right reporter who did a feature on her for the New York Times. Julie Powell's blog was turned into a book, and now a movie.

A blogger's dream!

You can read about the Julie/Julia Project at Julie Powell's blog. She has a new blog now which is still active, and you can read her entries which are exactly like the ones portrayed in the movie: simple, real, daily and witty.

I give it        out of 5!

Go see the movie. And let me know if you come back home and cook Bruschetta ... I did!