Colin Firth

Hope Springs
$14.99
At first I was sure Mary Steenburgen had designs on Colin Firth since she was married to Frank Collison whom she said had a face that looked like road kill and why would you want to paint his portrait. Then Heather Graham comes on the seen and gets drunk and naked. I wasn't sure if she was a lesbian (Gray Matters, etc) or just a damn good thespian that could go either way. But, since she's prancing around naked and ostensibly seduces Colin and he dumps the intriguingly sexy Minnie Driver to stay with her I'm convinced she is indeed a lesbian because she never once lays lips on Colin. Yet, she can suck the tongue out of a girl. I think a better plot would've been if Heather and Minnie hit it off and Colin ended up with Mary. Enjoy!

The Importance of Being Earnest
$14.99
I love the movie. However I was very disappointed that I bought a brand new copy that just stopped working close to the end of the movie. I found I had a few hiccups trying to find out how to exchange it instead of a return since I really wanted the movie. When email for assistance I found it not be be clear and to the point but really only referred me to the same stuff I had found. It wasn't until after I was past the timeframe that I found the exchange option. My second email with questions wasn't even answered. No response at all. I'm disappointed in the product quality and Amazon's response

When Did You Last See Your Father?
$19.94
Having recently lost my father, I hoped that this film would help me to look into our relationship, to grieve, to let my feelings come to the fore in private, for myself beyond the (very helpful) rituals we have of letting go. Although the film relationship was of course very different from the one I had with my father, it brilliantly addresses the universal issues between fathers and sons: there are so many memories - of fun, perceived slights, love, and anger - that swirl in the mind for the rest of the son's life. The son, Blake, has questions he wants to resolve, yet they can't really talk about them, even as his father lies on his deathbed. Blake struggles with disappointment in his charming and manipulative father, whose flaws and strengths, whose caring and occasional carelessness, remain present in his imagination every single day, with the specificity of recall you would expect of a poet. It is so primal in love, so raw in striving and competition, as the son takes his own path and the father is left behind yet still living within him.

The father's last days are also portrayed with painful intimacy. Unless one has experienced it, it is hard to comprehend what it is like to watch a parent slip away as the body fails, yet this film portrays it with realism and empathy, with fabulously nuanced acting.

You see the father as a great spirit, as a selfish jerk, as a charmer of "other" women, as a joker indulgent of his son's desires, as the only person who can give certain things, as full of his own needs yet caring. It is funny, sad, enraging, and loving all at the same time. These emotions washed over me as I watched this film, truly a cathartic experience that reduced me at times to tears.

This is a mature film, a masterpiece that approaches the complexity of life. Blake too is a flawed character, though his life is more or less on track. THe film ends with a wonderfully ambiguous optimism, summing up the exasperation and love all at the same moment. The mother is also subtly present, though not at the center of the story. In my view, the balance was right.

Warmly recommended. But do not expect a comedy - it is painful and uplifting realism at its best.

Colin Firth 2010 Wall Calendar #RS4600
$16.99
This is the second year I have ordered the Colin Firth Calendar. The 2010 Calendar arrived in perfect condition and for a Firth fan it is practically perfect! Large color photos with a small calendar at the bottom of each page make each month a graphic delight. My favorite month photo is May 2010, so it will probably be May 2010 for quite a while at my place!