A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004)

Netflix Synopsis: After her mother’s death, moody teenage lone wolf Purslane Will (Scarlett Johansson) returns to New Orleans to reclaim her childhood home. She’s shocked to discover that two of her mother’s friends — Bobby Long (John Travolta), an ex-literature professor, and his protégé, Lawson Pines (Gabriel Macht) — have been squatting there for years. In an effort to coexist, this unlikely trio learns how intertwined they really are. Shainee Gabel directs.

Review: This movie stars John Travolta and Scarlett Johansson. Scarlett’s character moves back into her mother’s home after she learns her mother has passed away. There she finds that two men have been staying in her mother’s home. They must learn to live together and what they really have in common. I absolutely loved it. Definite must see.

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Submitted by: Heather 7/4/05

White Noise (2005)

Netflix Synopsis: Michael Keaton stars as architect John Rivers, whose life is shattered by the death of his wife, Anna (Chandra West). Contacted by a man (Ian McNeice) who professes to be getting messages from Anna through Electronic Voice Phenomena, the dubious John ultimately becomes convinced of the communication’s validity and is soon fixated on trying to contact her himself. But his investigation into EVP inadvertently unlocks a door to another world. …

Review: This was a hokey horror film that could have been so much better. Michael Keaton plays a man who is devastated by his wife’s death. He is contacted by a man who claims his wife is trying to contact him (no, it is nothing like Ghost). They could have taken the whole idea of EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) and done something much more intriguing, but instead they made it a typical Hollywood scary movie. I was very disappointed.

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Submitted by: Heather 7/4/05

Hotel Rwanda (2005)

Netflix Synopsis: Amid the holocaust of internecine tribal fighting in Rwanda that sees the savage butchering of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children, one ordinary man (Oscar nominee Don Cheadle) musters the courage to save more than 1,000 helpless refugees by sheltering them in the hotel he manages. Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte and Joaquin Phoenix co-star in this powerful film (sort of an African version of Schindler’s List) directed by Terry George.

Review: This movie stars Don Cheadle, who was also fantastic playing a completely different character in Ocean’s Eleven and Ocean’s Twelve. Here he plays a hotel manager during tribal fighting in Rwanda. His hotel becomes shelter for over 1,000 refugees. Each day he faces, he realizes that he cannot hold out much longer before they destroy his hotel and his family. It was a very strong and powerful movie, based on true events. Definitely recommend seeing.

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Submitted by: Heather 7/4/05

Finding Neverland (2004)

Netflix Synopsis: Peter Pan and the denizens of Neverland have captured the hearts and minds of J.M. Barrie’s readers. But how did the imaginative author ever envision a world so wondrous yet perilous? Johnny Depp plays Barrie, a writer inspired by genius and dedicated to seeing his vision come to life onstage at the Duke of York’s Theatre in 1904 London. Kate Winslet co-stars in this magical film that nabbed seven Oscar nominations and won Best Original Score.

Review: This was another great movie. It stars Johnny Depp playing J.M. Barrie, the writer of Peter Pan. It shows his inspirations for creating the story and while it is very enlightening, it is also very sad. I recommend this one as well.

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Submitted by: Heather 7/4/05

Coach Carter (2005)

Netflix Synopsis: Samuel L. Jackson plays the titular, controversial coach, a hardliner who firmly believes that scholarship and a sense of ethics go hand in hand with excellence on the basketball court. A man of his convictions, Coach Carter benches his undefeated team of high schoolers when they turn in poor academic grades (much to the chagrin of the players’ parents and many of his fellow teachers). Co-stars Ashanti. Thomas Carter directs.

Review: This was a great story based on true events. I liked the movie because it was not your typical underdog sports team coming back to be the top guys. Instead there was a whole other story running parallel to it, which seemed to be more important to the overall film. Samuel L. Jackson plays a coach who does things differently, he requires more out of his team academically than the school expects of them. It shows the breakdown in the way that schools set much lower goals and expectations than should be set. It was a fantastic story that I enjoyed a great deal. We watched the special features on the disc and it turns out that the story was not changed, the events in the movie are actually what went on.

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Submitted by: Heather 7/4/05