Yes, I’m still working my way through Entertainment Weekly’s “25 movies to see before the Oscars.” This week’s selection: A Single Man.

Let’s take a look!

Movie: A Single Man

Rating: R

Release date: December 17, 2009

Everyday Adventures’ grade: B+

Summary: George (Colin Firth) has lost his long-time partner Jim (Matthew Goode) in a terrible accident and finds himself struggling with life after Jim’s death with the help of his boozy best friend (Julianne Moore).

My thoughts: First, I am a huge Mad Men fan, so seeing a movie set in the 60s when clothes were sexy, women weren’t so liberated and style was at the pinnacle of dapper and put together. Colin Firth is amazing in this movie. While I’ll always call him Mr. Darcy and love him most from Bridget Jones’ Diary, he was captivating to watch. Even with the salt and pepper hair, he was still attractive (even if he doesn’t play for my team). This is also former fashion designer Tom Ford’s directorial debut and I’m a little mixed on it. Visually, this movie is amazing, heightened use of color, letting sound play over over dialogue or scenes instead of natural noise and playing with different filters as metaphors for George’s change in personality from the present to flashbacks with his former partner.

I did have a few moments thinking I was watching American Beauty or a David Lynch movie, but Ford definitely has a good eye and way to convey emotion without words.

Julianne Moore wasn’t a huge part of this film but was effective, channeling part of Sharon Stones Casino character (minus the bat sh*t crazy side) and makes her British accent seem pretty believable.

But this movie is definitely intense so don’t expect a feel-good attitude when you leave. It is still worth seeing.

What about you? Do you always view Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy? Most women I know do :)

Love Actually is one of my favorite movies. I love the web of separate yet interlaced stories of people on Christmas, sharing joys, heartache and laughs with them. I still love that movie and watch it every holiday season.

But it’s not Christmas, it’s Valentine’s Day, and the movie with the same title is tempting me to be my Love Actually post-Christmas season movie so I sucked it up and went to see it (along with every other couple in Chicago) and here’s my review.

Movie: Valentine’s Day

Rating: PG-13

Release date: February 12, 2010

Everyday Adventures’ grade: B+

Summary: It’s Valentine’s Day in Los Angeles and we’re following around a group of separate yet intertwined people celebrating the day of candy, depression and flowers. I won’t even bother naming the cast because pretty much everyone famous is in it. Seriously, throw a name out and I’m sure he/she is in it. Try me.

My thoughts: I didn’t love it as much as Love Actually, but this wasn’t awful. The stories are funny and run the gamete of people “happily” in love, people getting engaged, people tested by long-term love and people just entering into a relationship and wondering how to celebrate Valentine’s Day when they aren’t even sure if they’re in a relationship. I loved Topher Grace in “That 70s Show” and it was great seeing him in a non-Stephen Soderbergh or Oceans movie, but he continues to play the same neurotic, jabbery guy he has in just about every movie or show I’ve seen him in.

Even Ashton Kutcher, who I find interesting yet annoying, wasn’t awful. Sure, he grates on you after awhile and the hammiest lines appear in his scenes, but he was fun to watch. I actually like all of the characters in the movie, with minor exception to Taylor Swift (don’t quit your day job), Queen Latifah (wasn’t on screen enough for me to connect with her) and Eric Dane (hot but again, not a necessary character). I will say, there were a few big twists in the movie that surprised me, but I’m glad they were there because it kept the movie from being 100 percent predictable.

And there was a great scene with Taylor Swift that wistfully reminded me of young love and that silly, giggly, OMG-I-love-him emotion.

My only other complaint, Taylor Lautner was almost fully shirtless that entire movie. And he didn’t take his shirt off when asked to do so. WTF? I’m paying $11 to see this movie. TAKE THAT SHIRT OFF!

Did you go see Valentine’s Day this weekend? Did you like it or are you a Love Actually loyalist?

I love movies. So much so that lately I’ve been able to pick (just by a trailer) if a movie will make me actually laugh, cry or roll my eyes. Most of the time, I can even tell you how the movie will end. And I am rarely wrong.

Sometimes, it’s good to know how you’ll react to a movie because then you’re prepared. Unlike I was for Up, where even with warning, I sobbed like a baby. Seriously, that movie broke me.

Anyhow, TC and I hit the movies again and this time it was my pick :) Let’s get to the review.

Movie: Dear John

Rating: PG-13

Release date: February 5, 2010

Everyday Adventures’ grade: B+

Summary: Nicholas Sparks is tries again to make you cry until you can’t breathe or your tear ducts beg for mercy. But this time, instead of “The Notebook,” it’s “Dear John,” a love story about John (Channing Tatum) and Savannah (Amanda Seyfried). John and Savannah meet and fall in love one summer, only to be torn apart by John’s Army deployment. To stay connected, they write letters to each other and over the years find that things don’t always stay the same.

My thoughts: I’ll just say it, yes, you will cry. And yes, there are several scenes of Channing Tatum shirtless and they are G-L-O-R-I-O-U-S. It’s the only time I’ve been in a movie where people are choking back tears and fawning over a bare chest at the same time.

In comparison to “The Notebook,” I liked “Dear John” a lot more. The timeliness of the story, a couple torn apart by one being in the military, really connects and the frustration and devotion between John and Savannah is very realistic. Sure, there are some hammy lines and lingering moments with unfinished sentences (like a bad Party of Five rerun) but the emotion in the letters between the main characters really makes you yearn for that connection we often lose by email.

Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried are great and the chemistry between them feels very real. And of course, he is VERY NICE to look at. Richard Jenkins (The Visitor/Stepbrothers) is also really effective as John’s dad. He is a great actor and the father/son dynamic made me cry at parts (even more than the main story) because it was so real. Even little Elliott from E.T. (Henry Thomas) has a small role and provides a rather surprising plot twist. There is a subplot about autism that never fully plays out and throws you off but it’s not a big distraction from the main story.

Here’s what I liked about the movie: the way it shows love growing and changing as time passes but distance remains. The ending was not what I expected but yet, it after some thought, I felt okay about it. It tackles the idea that a true love and connection never dies even as lives and relationships evolve, but doesn’t wrap everything up in a bow like, “oh my gosh we went through so much and still are the same people we were before.” That’s not real.

I wasn’t a huge fan of 500 Days of Summer’s realistic view on love but this is a good balance of reality and idealism and that I can live with.

On a tissue scale, this was a 2-3 tissue movie.

Did anyone else go see it this weekend? Or do you plan to see it?

I’ve had this review in my arsenal for a while but was tardy in posting. But now that the movie received a Best Picture nomination and Carey Mulligan received one for Best Actress, I thought it was time to post it.

YAY it’s almost Oscar time!

Movie: An Education

Rating: PG-13

Release date: October 8, 2009 (On DVD March 2010)

Everyday Adventures’ grade: A-

Summary: Jenny (Carey Milligen) is a London teen living a school-focused live in the 60s. She’s bored with her life and longs of a bohemian life in France, but her strict parents (Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour) keep her focused on school alone with the dream of attending Oxford. Then comes David (Peter Sarsgaard), a twice-her-age knight with good looks, charm and money. David gives Jenny an escape from her current life and  taste of a different one, with consequences.

My thoughts: Carey Milligen has been getting major buzz about her role as Jenny and I can see why. She’s cute, innocent and has an “aw shucks” persona. She is perfect for this role. And watching her with David, it made me remember being a teen in love for the first time. The shoulder shrugging, giggling and general “oh-my-god-this-guy-actually-likes-me” look was like looking at myself at 18, before I realized most guys I was dating were d*cks. And some still are.

Peter Sarsgaard needs to work on his British accent more (it was fading in and out) but he was definitely charming and I found myself being a little seduced by him. Rawr. And he would make an awesome sugar daddy, for real. Alfred Molina (aka Doc Ock) was annoying as the penny pinching, crazy enforcer dad but while he was driving me to drink, I did think he was really effective.

And because it’s the 60s, there’s lots of hand mixers, gorgeous dresses and smoking. That two of which I wanted to do when we left.

Go see it!