MOVIES I CAN LOVE

I saw "Stardust" yesterday and it was all I hoped it would be. I give it 4 stars out of 4. I consider it the best fairy tale ever. By the way, it is a fairy tale for grownups. Some scenes would be very scary for smaller children, but older children would enjoy it. Now I must put the illustrated book on my Amazon.com wish list, as even the used books are still very spendy for now.

I am heartened to see a film like this appearing in the theatre, as well as a couple of others I saw this summer and some upcoming films I've read about or seen the trailers for. I have hope for the film industry after all, when it comes to producing films for people - especially women - of a certain age.

There are so few movies I have wanted to see in the past few years. I don't like cartoons, so that leaves out a whopping number of new releases. I don't like horror films, most action flicks, comedies with high-school-boy mentalities, sequel upon stupid sequel, remakes of old TV shows that I grew up with, for heaven's sake.

I want good, meaty dramas and comedies with heart. I saw one of the latter this summer: Kerri Russell, whom I really like, appeared as the pregnant title character with a brutish husband in "Waitress", who dreams up scrumptious pies for the pie diner in which she works. (I have never heard of a pie diner. Is that a regional thing?)

I also saw "Evening" with a stellar cast that included Claire Danes, Meryl Streep and her daughter Mamie Gummer, Vanessa Redgrave and her daughter Natasha Richardson, Glenn Close and Toni Collette. Although I should not have, I read the reviews before I went to the movie, and they were not flattering. However, I thought, "How can you go wrong with a group of actresses like that?" I was right. I was totally engrossed by the film, which I liked far better than the book it was based upon, by Susan Minot. That will teach me to pay attention to movie critics.

When I went to the theatre yesterday I was surprised that one of the "Showing Now" posters was for "Becoming Jane" about literary lioness Jane Austin. I didn't know it had opened already. I plan on seeing it, even though American Anne Hathaway may not be perfect for the part. It will still be fun to see a lush period drama.

There's also, in my opinion, a great lineup of films opening from now through Christmas. I had better be saving my pennies because I think I will be going to Saturday matinees way more often than I have in the past few years. Here are some that caught my eye:

"Elizabeth: The Golden Age". I have been waiting for this film since I saw Cate Blanchett play Queen Elizabeth I as a young woman. Now she's back for Elizabeth's golden age, and is joined this time around by Clive Owen, one of my favorite actors.

Based on their book counterparts, these should be great: "Kite Runner," "Love in the Time of the Cholera", The Jane Austen Book Club", "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" and "Atonement."

"Introducing the Dwights" with Brenda Blethyn. I saw the trailer for this so I think it will be very enjoyable.

"The Other Boleyn Girl." As you may know, one of my secret pleasures is English historical fiction. I have the book, by Phillippa Gregory, queen of historical novelists, now I must read it before the movie comes out. The film stars Scarlett Johansson as Lady Mary Boleyn, Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn and Eric Bana as King Henry VIII. Once again, it will remain to be seen if American actors can fill these historical shoes, but I'll give it a whirl!