and the Academy Award goes to...

Jennifer Garner for Best Oscars Dress ever.

Other nominees include:

Halle Berry

Kate Winslet

Cate Blanchett, and

Cate Blanchett again!

I'm a huge fan of watching the Oscars, and I love the dresses, especially when they're elegant, memorable, or both. I'm not a fan of Halle Berry but I will always remember how perfect she looked when she scooped up her Academy Award a few years ago. Kate Winslet (one of my favorite actresses!) always looks regal, and she embraces color (in addition to this red one, she's also been stunning in periwinkle and mint green). She's gorgeous. And Cate Blanchett is a classic red carpet star. She looked so statuesque in her yellow gown when she won the Academy Award a couple of years ago (for The Aviator), and I will never forget this beautiful purple dress with the pretty back of stitched flowers & a hummingbird.

What dresses stand out in your memory?

Year-End List: Movies I Saw in the Theater in '07

• Reign Over Me


• Spider-Man 3 (what a waste, in every sense of the word)


• Ocean's 13


• The Bourne Ultimatum


• Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix


• The Gameplan (on a middle school youth outing, in case you were wondering)


• Enchanted


• August Rush


• Dan in Real Life

My 3 faves?

The Bourne Ultimatum was incredible fun. It was a totally sensory experience, and we embraced it 100%. It was the first trip back to the movies for us after Eli was born, after our move, after everything began to settle down. The popcorn was the best I'd ever tasted. Even the previews seemed so much better than I'd ever seen before.

August Rush completely moved me. It was dramatic, heartbreaking, and beautiful. It left me gasping for air, I'm serious. I wasn't "planning on" crying, and there I was mid-way through (and at the end), struggling to keep my crying silent. If you haven't seen it, be sure to. And check whatever cynicism you have at the door. You'll enjoy it a whole lot more.

Harry Potter 5 was excellent! We went in with low expectations, and we enjoyed every minute. The kids are turning into very compelling actors. Unlike HP4, Harry's hair actually looked really good (his "shaggy" 'do in the fourth film was a real distraction for me). I felt the scenes with Luna Lovegood were handled with a sweet gentleness; it made me see her in a different light, as I wasn't much a fan of her arc in the book. And the climactic battle in the Ministry of Magic completely blew me away. It was the first time that I felt the scariness of the book matched up with what we saw on screen. One more thing: I had just finished the 7th book, so when I saw Neville onscreen, I was about to stand up and cheer for him. The boy is my new favorite character.

Of all these films, the only one I would want to own is Dan in Real Life, which is a laid-back story I could watch again and again just for its genial family characters. Plus, I heart Steve Carell (it is well-documented).

What were your favorite moviegoing experiences of 2007? And what do you think about any of these flicks?

i'm published!

well, virtually. i wrote a guest blogger post over at The Mom Crowd. check it out!

movies... popcorn... fun times!

last weekend, i got to go see

it was an animated fairy tale brought to life, just as the preview indicated. there were no surprising twists, you knew all along who was going to fall in love with whom - the fun was in watching that happen (and let's face it, watching Patrick Dempsey). amy adams, the lead, was adorable. the musical numbers were appropriately sweet and cheesy. the villain was annoying (just like all animated villains are)... and it ended happily ever after. i saw it with a middle schooler that i hang out with from my church. i knew i had to see it with her because when i first heard of this movie, i immediately thought, "this is one i'd be dying to see if i was a sixth grader".

and this weekend, i get to see

yay for going to the movies! and yay for a husband who watches the kids and gives me the chance to have a treat like this!

(p.s. thank goodness nablopomo is just about done. i have blogging fatigue, in case you couldn't tell.)

Can't choose just one? How about 100?

It's no secret that I love movies. I'm a huge movie fan. About five years ago, someone I know who likes movies a lot challenged me to make a top 100 list of movie favorites, and he showed me his own. It was fascinating. Chuck had the lot of us working up our own Top 100 lists, namely Melissa & me. Recently I decided to update my list. It occurred to me that I don't use my blog to discuss completely unnecessary things often enough, so here you go!

Below is my Top 100. It's organized alphabetically, save for the top 10, which are ranked in favorite order. Disclaimer: I do not profess that these are the best 100 films of all time. These are simply ones I like have have enjoyed many times.

1. A River Runs Through It - a beautiful exploration of faith and family, with gorgeous photography and a score that completely moves me. There is so much one can take from this film.

2. The Shawshank Redemption - I love the theme of redemption, and this one is quintessentially sweet! The end, when Morgan Freeman's character says, "I hope...", is one of the happiest movie endings I've ever seen. His redemption is more poignant to me than that of Tim Robbins' character.

3. Moulin Rouge! - crazy-fun and gorgeous colors; a feast for the eyes and a classic love story, not to mention a phenomenal soundtrack. Dave and I danced to "Your Song" at our wedding and our recessional was "Come What May" (I will love you until our dying day...)

4. Walk the Line - Joaquin Phoenix will probably end up in a different blog, since I think he's the best thing since bean & cheese tacos, but he MAKES this movie what it is. I first saw this not really interested in the life of Johnny Cash, and both times Dave & I went, I was fascinated by the life he led, the music he created, and the portrayal Joaquin gives him. There's hope for redemption in the father-son relationship that anchors the film, too.

5. The Village - Phenomenal movie. I like all of Shymalan's films and think he is a great storyteller. (Marketing or mismarketing a movie is a different issue altogether). This is my favorite one. Again, it's got my boy Joaquin in it. The central love story is simple and beautiful, and the acting by Bryce Dallas Howard & Adrien Brody impressed me to no end. Favorite scenes: when Ivy Walker is waiting at the doorway for Lucius to come "save" her, and he comes out of the darkness to grab her hand and move her to the cellar (beautiful slow-motion there); when Ivy & Lucius discuss their future wedding and their relationship on the porch.

6. The Other Side of the Mountain Part 2 - it's hokey and unintentionally funny at times, but the love story is really sweet. I think only Annawhiner & my family have ever seen this one.

7. Before Sunset - this movie wouldn't be what it is without Before Sunrise, but it's better. It's completely heartbreaking and it ends too soon and it left me with a melancholy feeling for days afterward. Best left for a rainy day.

8. Empire Records - gets better with repeated viewings, and has some of the best quotable lines ever. A pre-famous Renee Zellweger & Liv Tyler. Funniest character is Lucas, played by Rory Cochrane, who is freaking hilarious.

9. Evolution - supremely silly and vastly funny ensemble comedy. I love that David Duchovny and Julianne Moore, two "serious" actors, crack joke after joke in this one. She plays a great klutz. This one made me get a crush on Orlando Jones.

10. Groundhog Day - funny, quotable, and literally timeless. I can watch it over & over again, which is subtly ironic.

11. 13 Going on 30

12. Amelie of Montmarte

13. American Graffiti

14. As Good As It Gets

15. Back to the Future

16. Bird on a Wire

17. The Breakfast Club

18. Bridget Jones' Diary

19. Caddyshack

20. Can't Buy Me Love

21. Cast Away

22. A Christmas Story

23. The Chronicles of Narnia - Lion, Witch, & Wardrobe

24. City Slickers

25. Crossing Delancey

26. Dead Poets' Society

27. Deep Impact

28. Emma

29. Father of the Bride

30. A Few Good Men

31. Field of Dreams

32. The Firm

33. Fletch

34. Forrest Gump

35. French Kiss

36. Fried Green Tomatoes

37. Garden State

38. Good Will Hunting

39. The Goonies

40. Gosford Park

41. Happy Gilmore

42. Innerspace

43. It's a Wonderful Life

44. The Italian Job (2003)

45. A League of Their Own

46. Life is Beautiful

47. Little Women

48. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

49. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

50. Love Actually

51. Love Story

52. Memphis Belle

53. Mr. Holland's Opus

54. Much Ado About Nothing

55. My Cousin Vinny

56. My Dog Skip

57. The Natural

58. North By Northwest

59. The Notebook

60. Notting Hill

61. Ocean's Eleven

62. An Officer and a Gentleman

63. Oklahoma!

64. On Golden Pond

65. The Parent Trap (1998)

66. The Pelican Brief

67. The Princess Bride

68. Quiz Show

69. Rain Man

70. The Rainmaker

71. Reality Bites

72. Remember the Titans

73. Romancing the Stone

74. Romy & Michele's High School Reunion

75. Rudy

76. Runaway Bride

77. Say Anything...

78. Scent of a Woman

79. School of Rock

80. Sense & Sensibility

81. Shadowlands

82. Singles

83. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

84. The Sixth Sense

85. Something's Gotta Give

86. Spider-Man

87. Steel Magnolias

88. Ten Things I Hate About You

89. That Thing You Do!

90. Titanic

91. Tommy Boy

92. True Lies

93. Under the Tuscan Sun

94. Untamed Heart

95. Wayne's World

96. When Harry Met Sally...

97. While You Were Sleeping

98. With Honors

99. X2: X-Men United

100. You've Got Mail

Do you see any on here that you like? What are YOUR favorites? Leave comments and tell me what you think!