The Wrestler

If you're looking for an absorbing date night-in movie that both you and your husband will enjoy, The Wrestler is a wonderful choice.

Bringing Mickey Rourke back into the limelight, The Wrestler tells the tale of an aging pro wrestler (Randy "The Ram" Robinson) who can't let his past go. Starring Marisa Tomei as Robinson's stripper love interest and Evan Rachel Wood as his daughter, The Wrestler is filled with superb performances and an engaging storyline that will keep you watching.

The Wrestler won Golden Globe awards for Best Actor and Best Original Song. I highly recommend this film if you haven't seen it already. It's definitely one of the best movies of 2008.

The Wrestler is available now on DVD. The DVD edition contains both a behind the scenes featurette and the music video of Bruce Springsteen's Golden Globe winning song.

77 Kids

A while back, MomCentral sent me a gift card for American Eagle Outfitters' new kids line, 77 Kids. A few weeks ago, I finally got around to ordering a few things from the site. They arrived a week later and what can I say? I love what I got for Punky.

Specifically, I LOVE this skirt. I love it with all my heart. It consists of a lot of crinoline and a cotton lining inside. It swirls and it twirls and while it is on the expensive side for my taste, at $34.50, it honestly looks like it costs a whole lot more when Punky wears it. Right now, I'm buying the bulk of the kids' clothing at consignment sales so that I can "splurge" on one or two really cute, higher-priced items. This skirt would definitely have fit the bill.

I also got Punky these shorts, which are awesome and go with everything. I absolutely love them too, and she gets comments on them every time she wears them. They are $29.50, which is also high in my opinion. And to be honest, The Children's Place has very similar shorts for much less.

But if you have a gift card for 77 Kids? I highly recommend these shorts!

I will be checking out 77 Kids again, particularly the sale pages. The clothes we ordered are well made and super duper cute.

The Tale of Desperaux

Celebrity-packed feature film (including Matthew Broderick, Emma Watson, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Kline, and Tracey Ullman, to name a few) "The Tale of Desperaux" is finally out on DVD and I was so excited to get my hands on a review copy. I was really disappointed to have missed this one in the theaters.

In The Tale of Despereaux, the world’s bravest mouse embarks on a noble quest that leads to discovery, courage, honor and ultimately redemption. Despereaux encounters a group of colorful characters and learns about life’s important messages in this charming and fun-filled story.

What I loved about this movie was its superb animation, the wonderful acting skills of its star-studded cast, and the storyline, which showcases forgiveness, redemption, and making the best of a bad situation.

Something to consider before showing it to the kids- It's a little scary, particularly for the preschool-first grade set. If your child frightens easily, you may want to wait until he or she is a little older.

All in all, this is a great family night film-something both children and adults can enjoy together.

The Tale of Desperaux is out now on DVD- You can order your own copy at Amazon.

Marley & Me Out Now on DVD

Out now on DVD, one of the most heartwarming films to come out in ages.

Everyone I know went to see Marley and Me at the theaters, so I was totally excited to review a DVD copy. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are terrific together in this adaptation of the novel by the same name. It's a great film for older children who are contemplating owning their own dog, showing the good, the bad, and the tear jerking parts of owning a dog, from start to finish.

Here's a synopsis:

Marley and Me is a hilarious tail about a family who learns important life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog. When newlyweds John and Jenny Grogan (Wilson and Aniston) leave the snow of Michigan for the beaches of Miami, they decide to adopt a yellow Labrador retriever named Marley, in order to give them a taste of parenthood. However, things get ruff when the adorable 12-pound puppy transforms into a highly-strung, boisterous and uncontrollable 100-pound steamroller of unbridled energy that always finds trouble. From flunking obedience school, chewing off dry wall, taking a bite out of the sofa, stealing a Thanksgiving turkey and chasing the UPS guy, Marley causes absolute chaos. Despite the mayhem he generates over the years, Marley sees the Grogans through the ups and downs of life and the countless challenges that come with it. The family soon discovers that Marley, “the world’s worst dog,” somehow brings out the best in them.

This special 2-disc edition has lots of extras that you and your family can enjoy together, including 19 deleted scenes, several featurettes, and a gag reel.

Marley & Me 2-Disc Bad Dog Edition is out now on DVD. Order your copy today!

Slumdog Millionaire- My Favorite Movie of 2008

What's new on DVD right now? Only one of the best feel-good movies EVER.

Slumdog Millionaire is an excellent combination of suspense, romance and even some comedy. I really have to say it was my favorite movie of 2008, and I would recommend it to anyone. But you don't even need to hear me extol the virtues of the film- It won the Best Picture Oscar, for heaven's sake!

Here's a synopsis, in case you're wondering what this film is all about:

Slumdog Millionaire is loosely based on the fictional novel “Q and A” by Indian writer Vikas Swarup, which tracks the life of Jamal Malik, an impoverished child living in Mumbai’s sprawling slums. After losing his mother, Jamal (played as a teen by Dev Patel) and his brother Salim (played as a teen by Madhur Mittal) must do whatever necessary to survive. Jamal’s travels are filled with memorable encounters, good and bad, but along the way he meets another orphan child, Latika (played as a teen by Freida Pinto). When Jamal and Latika become separated, he becomes romantically determined to reunite with Latika… even if it means appearing on the Indian version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” Jamal begins drawing on his past experiences to answer the questions that will inevitably lead him to vast wealth and lost love. But after lasting longer than anyone ever expected, Jamal is accused of cheating and must prove to the police and the show’s producers how he knows the answers by retelling his arduous childhood in a series of flashbacks.

This is one you will definitely want to own... Slumdog Millionaire is out now on DVD. Order your copy today!

Quantum of Solace

Bond is back in Quantum of Solace, out now on DVD.

Daniel Craig, who is my favorite James Bond since Sean Connery, doesn't disappoint in his second Bond picture. In the end, he's what elevates this film, with his interpretation of Bond as a gritty, take no prisoners type who does what he needs to do to get the job done. Love. It.

Here's a brief synopsis of the film:

Starting shortly after Casino Royale ends, Daniel Craig returns as James Bond, betrayed by the woman he loved and determined to find those responsible for her death. His pursuit and determination lead him deeper into the criminal organization known as “Quantum” and into the company of Dominic Greene, an environmentalist using his wealth and power to help overthrow a government in exchange for a barren piece of desert land that will allow him to control the country’s water supply. Forced to work without the help of MI6, Bond partners with Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a young woman on her own quest for justice, and together they travel across the globe in order to stop Greene and seek retribution.

While this latest Bond installment does not quite live up to Casino Royale in my opinion, Casino Royale was amazing and it would be hard for any Bond film to come close. This one actually does. I totally recommend Quantum of Solace for Bond buffs and anyone who enjoys great, stylish action films anchored by a wonderful actor. In addition, if you're a fan of cinematography, this is one of the most well shot films I've seen in as long as I can remember. That made me like the movie as much as anything.

Quantum of Solace is out now on DVD in a special 2-disc edition. You can also enjoy more Bond fun by visiting the official 007 website.