an education

the quality of this movie may have been exaggerated in my movie-theatre deprived state, but I thoroughly enjoyed this Nick Hornby-written period piece essentially about the futility of educating women with very limited options, education for education's sake, and thrilling affairs with older men.

the #1 ladies' detective agency

the screen brings these small but charming stories to life, and there are only a few overlaps between the books and the episodes, so you can enjoy both. I would have liked to see more African actors, but the beautiful music and scenery goes a long way to making you feel good, despite the somewhat tragic nature of the heroine's past. I look forward to season 2.

american violet

a legal tale about an ACLU class action hoping to discourage the forcing of pleas on innocent people captured in drug raids for the purpose of increasing federal cash which is doled out to counties based on number of convictions. in spite of my doubts that regular folk will find long deposition scenes compelling, I recommend this one.

food, inc.

if you're already a fan of Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan, there isn't much new here, but there are both pretty and revolting pictures to go along with their insights. either way, it's a worthwhile watch.

nothing like the holidays

a Puerto Rican family celebrates Christmas and the homecoming of their son from Iraq. Luis Guzman provides some comic relief but for the most part the movie is fairly bleak, realistic, and well-acted.

whatever works

a sad, lame, pathetic Woody Allen movie about a crotchety old Jewish man who inexplicably has a dumb Southern homeless ex-beauty queen teenager fall in love with him. the movie is offensive and tedious, but Patricia Clarkson is good in it.

the proposal

I was expecting a little more trashiness and cuteness from this one - instead I got really stupid subplots and a completely inexplicable romance. at least I am irrationally overfond of Ryan Reynolds.