Greenfingers - Clive Owen, Helen Mirren (2005)

Heart Rate: YYYYClive Owen stars in this charming story about British prisoners who landscape their way to redemption.Incarcerated in a high-security prison, after 15 years, Colin Briggs, played by Owen, is transferred to a low-security prison to learn a trade. Hardened by guilt, he refuses to participate until his elderly roommate gives him a packet of violets as a Christmas present.Colin carelessly plants this seeds in the middle of winter and...

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Never Talk to Strangers - Rebecca De Mornay, Antonio Banderas (1995)

Heart Rate: YYYYRebecca De Mornay stars as psychologist Sarah Taylor interviewing a serial killer who takes up wtih a passionate and mysterious lover, played by Antonio Banderas.Her father, obviously unwelcome, begins to visit her after being absent from her life for some time. And her creepy neighbor Cliff, played by Dennis Miller, keeps sniffing around, as well.Soon Dr. Taylor begins to be stalked, receiving mysterious packages with horrible messages.The...

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Widow's Peak - Natasha Richardson, Mia Farrow (1994)

Heart Rate: YYYYA quirky little film starring Mia Farrow, Joan Plowright and Natasha Richardson, the plot centers around a 1930s Irish town called "Widow's Peak".So named for its predominantly widowed population, Mrs. Doyle-Counihan, played by Joan Plowright, governs the town with an iron fist.With hilarious character actors Jim Broadbent as a smitten dentist and Anne Kent as Mrs. Doyle-Counihan's agressive female driver, there are plenty of laughs.The...

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The Dragon Bowl Asian Bistro--Where Have You Been All My Life?

Heart Rate: YYYYYCategory: RestaurantsCuisine: AsianLocation: 1221 W 11th St, Houston, TX‎ - (713) 426-2750This is a great concept--Asian Fusion, fast and furious. In my mind, they have two great things going for it: the BYOB--"build your own bowl"--and their newest addition, the sushi bar. The BYOB is such a simple concept that I wonder why it hasn't been copied. You can select your choice of:Pastas: white rice, brown rice, Singapore noodles, Thai...

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The Namesake - an Eastern Indian Movie with Kal Penn (2006)

Heart Rate: YYYKal Penn, of Harold & Kumar fame, stars in The Namesake, a movie about a young man's struggle to live with his Eastern Indian heritage in an American world.Named after his father's favorite author, Gogol, he is taunted for his odd name. Gogol is never understands why his Indian parents named him for a Russian author until it is almost too late.The film relies heavily on Nickolai Gogol's short story, "The Over Coat;" in fact, Gogol's...

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The Cinderella Story - Hilary Duff (2004)

Heart Rate: YYYAfter watching Hilary Duff in War, Inc. (reviewed earlier) and her next big gig as Bonnie Parker in The Story of Bonnie and Clyde, I was curious about her previous acting career . So I watched The Cinderella Story.Light fare with a "GrlPower" message, the script is riddled with lines like "We have faith in you. You gotta have faith in yourself."Definitely movie with Duff's target audience in mind, it follows the Cinderella Story but...

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The Orphanage / El Orfanato (2007) - Spanish

Heart Rate: YYYYWith 31 wins and 30 nominations, this Spanish gothic thriller is excellent.A woman returns with her husband and her adopted, ailing son, Simón, to her childhood orphanage. Odd sounds begin to emanate from the house and the little boy, Simón, has two imaginary friends.You guessed it--he sees dead people.But his parents just think he is playing. So they ignore Simón and continue with their plans to open up a home for children with special...

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Somersault - starring Abbie Cornish, written, directed by Cate Shortland (2004)

Heart Rate: YYYYAn emerging young actor, Abbie Cornish, stars in the small Australian film, Somersault. It is about a young girl who runs away from home after her mother catches her kissing her mother's boyfriend.No more than 16 or 17, Heidi (Abbie) makes her way to an Australian ski town where she finds herself work and a place to live.This is the story about a girl trapped in the land between childhood and adulthood. She is an interloper in a tourist...

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Entourage - Season 1

Heart Rate: YYYThe HBO series, Entourage, is like a dream come true for high school kids that don't want to grow up.Three kids from Queens make to LA on one of their buddy's back. Blessed with "face, talent, and a big head", Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier) is one of the new stars on the Hollywood scene.The series opens as Vince previews his third movie. His buddies, Eric Murphy (Kevin Connolly), Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) and his brother Johnnie Drama...

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War, Inc.

Heart Rate: YYYYWell, you all know that I love John Cusack.So I had to see this, seeing as he starred in it, co-wrote it and produced it.He's just so damned cute. and it was pretty funny, too.War, Inc. is a political satire, Brand Hauser (Cusack)--don't you love his name?--walks onto the scene to the tune of a whistlin' Western song, strolls through town and makes his way to the local Greenland saloon.He sits at the bar, orders a shot glass, fills...

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Feast - Traditional English Cuisine in Houston, Texas

Heart Rate: YYYYYUPDATE: Took my mother to FEAST after Good Friday Mass. Learned that FEAST is a 2009 semi-finalist for James Beard's Best New Restaurants. They were also covered by the NY Times.My friend and co-worker had a traditional work anniversary lunch at Feast.Self-described as "Rustic European Fare", I think most would us would recognize it as British food.Now, I know most of you have heard that British food is sub-standard. To this I say,...

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Milk - Sean Penn (2008)

RATING: YYYI think Mickey Rourke should have won Best Actor.There. I said it.I just got back from seeing Milk and I have to say that Sean Penn is a great actor but I didn't think that this character was one of his best performances.And Mickey Rourke was incredible in The Wrestler.Yes, Milk is an important film about a pivotal time in our country's history. Yes, I am glad that I saw it. Yes, I am glad that it was made. And, yes, Harvey Milk was a...

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City Hall - Al Pacino, John Cusack (1996)

HEART RATE: YYYYPerusing the list of John Cusack's films today, I spotted one that I had not seen: City Hall. Made 12 years ago, Cusack looks so young. But, hey, didn't we all?He plays a deputy mayor to Mayor of New York, played with resounding aplomb by none other than Al Pacino.Geemenee Christmas, that Al Pacino can ACT! But I'll get to that in a minute . . . A man walks his 6-year old son to school. As they cross the street a snitch hooks up a...

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