"The Proposal"

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds star in this upbeat comedy.  Sandra is about to be deported.  Ryan, who works for her, is manipulated into marrying Sandra.  Problem:  Their business deal turns into love!

 

Great storyline for a comedy.  Throw in a great supporting cast with Betty White, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, and others, and you will be entertained.

 

A definite first-date movie.  PS: Stick around for the funny scenes at the movie's end. Also, "Ramone" may be the hidden star in this movie. 

"Gran Torino"

Clint Eastwood movie about Walter, an old Korean War Veteran and recent widower,  having to deal with change.  After his wife's death, Walter unwillingly becomes involved in a "good versus evil" relationship with his Laotian neighbors and a local gang. Defending his neighbor and befriending the family, help is on its way.

 

Not the normal "Dirty Harry" style movie but a good one.  Hated the ending but understood why it was so.  Check it out some time, should be safe for a first-date movie but would pick one that was more lighthearted than this one for that first-date.

"Land of the Lost"

Will Ferrel plays Dr. Rick Marshall in the movie version of Sid and Marty Krofft's TV series "Land of the Lost".

Good movie with a lot laughs. Safe for a first-date. Check it out when you get a chance.-JM

"Terminator - Salvation"

Another movie in the Terminator franchise.  This one has Christian Bale as John Connor fighting it out with the "Machines".  In this case, a new kind of cyborg that is both man and machine. A lot of action and shoot'em up scenes. A sequel that ends with the likelihood of another episode in the franchise. Enjoyed the action but could have waited for the DVD to rent. Given the choice between "Night at the Museum - Battle of the Smithsonian" and "Terminator - Salvation", would choose Ben Stiller over Christian Bale this round.

"Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian"

Sequel to the "Night at the Museum" movie with Ben Stiller. Entertaining movie that does a great job at bringing the original cast and the new characters together. A definite first date movie. Just be careful as the red-headed Amelia Earhart is a hottie!

"Benjamin Button"

Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett play lovers in this sad tale. Brad is Benjamin Button. Cate is his one true love Daisy. The two were meant to be save for one problem - Brad grows younger with age and Cate is like us who get older as we grow.

Long movie that some may find too slow. Safe first date movie but be prepared for almost 3 hours for the story to be told.

"Star Trek"

Prequel to the Star Trek franchise that is a "must see" for movie goers. Lots of action. Does a great job at introducing the main characters into the story. A first date movie that non-Trekkies will enjoy.

"Bedtime Stories"

Disney movie that adults will enjoy. Easily rated a first-date movie. Checkout Adam Sandler as a hotel maintenance man named Skeeter.

When he agrees to watch his sister's kids for a week, Skeeter relives his childhood memories of telling bedtime stories like his father did when he was a child.

Except there is a twist. When Skeeter tells a story, it is just a story. When his nephew and niece make changes to them, the stories become real!

Nice work Disney and Happy Madison Productions.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Prequel to the X-Men franchise that brings viewers up to speed on Logan's beginnings. Lots of action with a little love mixed in. Not a bad first date movie for the action-fan. Check it out when you get a chance!

"Rescue Dawn"

Christian Bale plays Dieter Dengler, a pilot shot down in Laos and taken prisoner in Vietnam. He fights to stay alive and evetually escapes. A "B" grade movie that manages to keep you watching to see its ending. Why? It is based on a true story that really happened. Not a first date movie but one to rent on a rainy day. -JM

"Twilight"

Vampire movie with Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. Based on the Stephenie Meyer's novel of the same name, it is a romance with a twist.

Okay first date movie. Definitely geared to be a franchise linked closely to the series of novels already written. Not a big fan but was entertained.-JM

"The Jane Austen Book Club"

Five women and a man form a book club to discuss Jane Austen's novels. Unwittingly their lives seem to parallel the characters in the novels. A definite "chick-flick" movie, so it goes without mention that it is a safe first-date movie. Check it out some time. Used a free rental coupon and was pleasantly surprised.-JM

"Slumdog Millionaire"

Poor kid from India's slums gets a chance to make it big on the game show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire". He answers questions, gets them right, and is on the verge of winning a million dollars! But, before he can get his chance, he is accused of cheating and an intense interrogation session with police begins.

Good movie, a first date choice as long as your partner appreciate foreign films with the IFC-flair. Enjoyed its storytelling; reminds viewers to keep the faith in life, love and success.-JM

"Adventureland"

Coming of age movie about a recent college graduate's summer job at an amusement park.

Not a bad movie but can wait till it comes out on DVD.-JM

"Australia"

Movie with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Nicole comes to Australia to meet with her husband Lord Ashley to sell their cattle station. Hugh Jackman is a cattle drover hired on by Lord Ashley. Set at the onset of World War II, the movie quickly sets the storyline in the first half-hour.

That is, Nicole's husband is murdered, Nicole inherits the cattle station and decides not to sell it, and then Nicole working with Hugh and others make an effort to turn the business around. Also, viewers quickly learn that assimilation of aborigines is not condoned by Australian law.

Safe first date movie. Not a block-buster movie but not a bad one either. Save it for a cold and rainy day when everything is already checked out.-JM

"Vicki Christina Barcelona"

Movie about two American women on vacation in Barcelona. They meet a Spanish artist who pulls them into his carefree lifestyle. One things leads to another, and "yada, yada, yada", each has sex with him, one french kisses his ex-wife, and the other gets married to someone else.

Not a big hit at the box office. Mainly rented it to confirm that Scarlett Johannsen and Penelope Cruz share a "tender kiss". Not a first date movie because it tended to drag along despite being only 96 minutes long. Choose another rental over this one.-JM

"Knowing"

Nicholas Cage plays an MIT professor struggling with life as a widower and a single parent. Questioning his purpose in life, he has a tendency to lose focus. In one case, he nearly misses his son singing at an elementary school activity.

The school is celebrating the opening of a time capsule sealed 50 years ago and contains letters from students about the future. One letter appears written without rhyme nor reason; it has numbers scrawled across the page.

Somehow Nicholas comes across the letter and accidentally stumbles across its meaning. The numbers represent dates of disasters that have occured over the past 50 years with the exception of three dates. Dates that have not occured but are fast approaching.

Safe first date movie. Good storyline with some corniness at the end. Not sure why it beat out "I Love You Man" this past weekend. Given a choice, would go to "I Love You Man" over "Knowing".-JM

"Electric Mist"

Mystery with Tommy Lee Jones as a Louisiana Detective investigating a series of murders in the bayou. John Goodman plays mobster "Baby Feet" Balboni, a crime boss that rubs Tommy Lee the wrong way.

Decent storyline, just the movie action seems slow and drags along at times. Stayed till the end to see how the mystery unfolds, else could have "changed channels" if it were TV.

Skip this one as a first date movie. Murder, corruption, and slow action do not make a good impression for a relationship that has yet to begin.-JM

"Cadillac Records"

Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, and Beyonce Knowles come together in a movie based on true events. Adrien plays Leonard Chess of Chess Records in Chicago. Jeffrey Wright is famed blues musician Muddy Waters. Beyonce Knowles is the great Etta James.

The storyline starts with Leonard Chess' decision to open a blues club and Muddy Waters leaving sharecropping in Mississippi to become a musician in Chicago. While in Chicago, Muddy hears Little Walter wailing on his harmonica and persuades Walker to form a band with him. Their band makes a lasting impression on Leonard that he decides to market Muddy's music.

Good rental and a safe first date movie. Enjoyed how the movie pulled in the recording artists into the story. Was not expecting much but was pleasantly surprised, even more since the movie was based on true events!-JM

"Goal II"

Santiago Munez continues living his dream of playing professional soccer. Fame and fortune shine down on Santiago but the road to success is not that easy. Personal and professional challenges threaten his new life. If he continues on the wrong path, all will be lost.

Good movie that picks up the story where "Goal" left off. Some corny moments but overall an entertaining movie. Cameos from real soccer players like David Beckham make for some realism. Safe first date movie. Check it out some time.-JM