Readers' Choice: What are you watching & reading?

C'mon...I know you're out there and I'd love to hear from you!

Let us know what books or tomes you're reading, especially if they are page-turners!!

As for what you're watching - have you seen any movies lately, at the theatre or on DVD? What about on TV - any new favorites now that the fall season is under way?

Drop a quick note in the comments section so we know what's on your radar right now. Thanks!!

"The Answer Man" doesn't have all the answers. Nor does the movie.

I'm an unabashed rom-com fan. There - it's out there :)

For me, it's not that I think life is perfect or that I have unrealistic romantic expectations - it's simply that I like the stories in all their cheesy glory. It's a foregone conclusion that you will almost always have a happy ending...and that this 'sail into the sunset' usually can be called only a few minutes into the movie...sometimes even just from watching the trailer! They are known for being predictable, sometimes to a fault. People generally don't watch these for a sense of mystery or to determine 'whodunnit' (there are plenty of movies for that and I'll be sure to recommend any good ones since I love a good thriller or an involved and intricate mystery) - women tune in to romantic comedies because it's like comfort food on film--you can be reasonably assured you'll like it and it's an escape from the demands of real life, even if only for ninety minutes.

"The Answer Man", however, falls short....particularly in the first half-hour (which is where you want to hook your viewer not have their hand hovering above the 'Eject' button!): the tone is choppy and uneven and the movie struggles to find its groove. For those that hang in there - as I did - there are some sweet moments (one that comes to mind is between supporting actor Lou Taylor Pucci , a young man just out of rehab, and his on-screen alcoholic father) as well as some genuinely funny ones. Just not enough for me to strongly recommend this movie. As I've noted in an earlier post, Jeff Daniels is a fine actor and his talents aren't truly showcased in this vehicle. Lauren Graham's character - a single mom who has recently embarked upon a new career as a chiropractor - is a bit too saccharine and the chemistry between her & Daniels seems a stretch.

For those of you who enjoy knowing where the movie was shot, this was filmed in Philadelphia and the city itself makes for a great character in this otherwise mostly forgettable film.

On The Tube: "Modern Family" and "The Good Wife"

Do you need a good laugh? Add "Modern Family" to your lineup and you'll laugh throughout the show!

I think its one that fans of the late, great "Arrested Development" will like. Sean, after he watched, noted a similar style to "The Office", a show which we both love.

And, don't worry if you're behind - just jump in, I promise you won't be disappointed! (Generally you can do this with comedies whereas a show like "Flashforward" or "Lost" you do need to start from the beginning...that is, if the beginning is even the beginning - they like to keep you guessing!)

Meanwhile ABC has a new hit with "The Good Wife" starring Julianna Marguiles, Josh Charles, Chris Noth, Christine Baranski, etc. I mentioned this show earlier in the blog and have been faithfully tuning in each week. Good legal show with a nice amount of characters' backstories mixed in. Here's hoping that we will see more of Chris Noth's character, Peter Florrick (the fictional Eliot Spitzer) as well as Christine Baranski's character - she's one of the senior partners at the firm where Marguiles' character, Alicia Florrick, now works following her husband's meteoric fall from grace. Archie Panjabi was an actress I was not familiar with until this show and she is terrific as the law firm's investigator...a recent storyline hinted that she may have a backstory with Peter...juicy!

If you ever liked "The Practice", this should be one you add to your viewing!

Quick book review: "Best Friends Forever"

I finished Jennifer Weiner's "Best Friends Forever" and, while it wasn't her strongest title, it was definitely enjoyable...a good one to read before bed as you're winding down for the night.

Clean Sweep

Now and again, I'll have movies out from Netflix that I've/we've wanted to see but they sit...and sit, collecting dust atop their little red envelopes. For whatever reason, nothing motivates either me or Sean to remove them from their sleeve to actually make it to the DVD player.

And so - clean sweep. All three were sent back yesterday, two never watched - "The Brothers Bloom" and "Away We Go" - and one, "The Shipping News", was half-watched--I got about forty-five minutes in one night a few weeks ago. I will say - it was shaping up to be an excellent movie between the caliber of acting talent - Judi Dench, Gordon Pinsent, Pete Posthelwaite, Kevin Spacey - however I succumbed to tiredness that one evening and...haven't returned to it since. I'll probably wind up watching it again from the beginning sometime soon, it really was a beautiful movie...just will need to wait for the mood to strike me. Same goes for "The Brothers Bloom" (starring Mark Ruffalo, who I adore, and Rachel Weisz) and "Away We Go".

On to the new: slated to arrive tomorrow are "Prison Break: The Final Break" (faithful readers will remember that Sean & I were diehard fans of this Fox show...well, until the last season which was just comical) and "The Answer Man" with Lauren Graham (of the wonderful "Gilmore Girls") and Jeff Daniels, a great actor who is not the typical Hollywood actor--he continues to live in his home state of Michigan and does a lot for the state to promote their business & economy. Daniels also gave back to his community by founding a theatre there in 1991; the Purple Rose Theatre Company named for the Woody Allen vehicle in which he starred in back in 1985, "The Purple Rose of Cairo".

While "The Answer Man" didn't fare well at theatres, it was well received at Sundance and is one I've wanted to see for a while.

So stay tuned, reviews for both of these flicks should follow shortly as they're both ones I'm excited to see at the moment.