Mark's must see Movies - Love Actually

Love Actually is the 2003 holiday romantic comedy that was met with much admiration and praise by many critics and viewers at it's release and the film has only garnered more of the same as it's aged. An all star cast consisting of Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, Collin Firth, Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman, and Kierra Knightly combined with a charming plot are what makes this movie the special film it is.

The film takes place in London and follows the lives of the multiple and very different characters in the film and their journeys in and out of love. Among the central characters in the film is the newly elected Prime Minister of England David (Hugh Grant) whose career in politics has left him a bachelor for far too long. Though he seems to grow and instant connection with one of his new assistants. Karen (Emma Thompson) plays the devoted wife and mother who grows increasingly concerned with her husbands flirtatious antics with his secretary. Liam Neeson is the recently widowed Daniel who is caught between his period of mourning and having to deal with his 10 year old step son dealing with his own love crisis. And the last major character is Collin Firth who plays a young writer named Jamie who flees to a isolated house in France after catching his wife cheating on him. During his stay, he meets a woman who doesn't speak English but may be the true love he's been searching for. No matter what kind of plot line you enjoy in a movie, you'll find interests and relate with at least a few of these well written and portrayed characters.

My only real complaint for the film is that at times there is quite a bit going. For the most part the film is made very well but naturally when you follow eight different stories at a time some are well explored and others only have time to be loosely touched on. Bill Nighy for example brings the most comedic value to this movie as the aged pop star Billy Mack and I could have watched his character on screen far longer than he actually is. Just about every time this seasoned actor takes the screen he drew a laugh from me and his performance was vastly underrated. Andrew Lincoln who plays Mark, a young photographer who secretly loves his best friends wife acts out one of the most romantic scenes in recent film memory and one that helped propel the movie into fame.

Love Actually is a holiday movie that won't leave you wanting to sing a bunch of Christmas carols but it will remind you of one of the most important things to remember this holiday season. Love is te most important thing in the wold, without it where would we be? Though we need to be aware of it throughout the entire year, the Christmas season is no better time to truly show someone just how much they mean to you. Love is abundant in the world. As it's said in the opening monologue, Love Actually will show you that love actually is all around.

Haven't done this in a while --- Click here for the trailer to Love Actually 

Movie Review - The Great Gatsby

I have to say the 2013 movie The Great Gatsby was one that I eagerly awaited to hit theaters. It's my all time favorite book and I was very excited to see another cinematic version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's extraordinary book. With high expectations, a film I so desperately wanted to love fell far from those expectations and currently stands as the most disappointing movie of 2013.

The timeless tale of Jay Gatsby wasn't done justice in this film adaptation. I found it hard to believe that they used one of the greatest stories ever told to basically be used as a way to show off some flashy special effects. There are many scenes in this movie that stand no purpose other than to be used for 3D technology. I also found it difficult to imagine myself at one of Gatsby's larger than life parties which take place in the 1920's yet somehow they're playing horrible rap music by Jay-Z and other modern music artists.

Despite all the huge failings that this movie had for me, I was very impressed with Leonardo DiCaprio's portrayal of Jay Gatsby. I feel he really understood the character and portrayed him in a way that any fan of the book would be able to to respect. My one gripe may be that they use Gatsby's nickname for Nick, "Old Sport" far too much and it becomes quite annoying after hearing it a few times. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Tobey Maguire was miss cast here. I also hated that they turned Nick's narration of the story as if he was writing the novel, The Great Gatsby, himself.

The film may follow the novel closely at times but overall it was a miss for me. It was like going out to dinner and ordering fillet of beef. The waiter brings it to the table and at first it looks delicious but the minute you cut into it you see it's over done and rather bland.

Tomato Basil Panini with the film The Giant Mechanical Man

I've been making panini sandwiches for years now and they're by far one of my favorite things to make and eat. If you don't know, a panini is a sandwich that has been pressed and toasted. While there are many variations to a panini sandwich, my favorite remains the capresse style panini filled with fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella. Now is the best time of year to take advantage of fresh garden tomatoes and the basil is aromatic and plentiful as well. It's the perfect combination of flavors for the end of summer and nothing beats the "crisp" of a perfectly grilled panini. Quick, easy, delicious, and the perfect snack for any movie night! A feel good food requires a feel good movie and I've got just the right flick to go with our sandwiches.

Yields 6-8 panini sandwiches 

16 ounces of Fresh Mozzarella
20 fresh basil leaves
2 fresh Roma tomatoes sliced thinly
1 loaf of crispy Italian bread cut into medium sized slices
salt and pepper
Olive oil

Using fresh ingredients here is the key to getting that perfect flavor we are going for. You'll want to spend the time to find a ball of fresh mozzarella, which you can find in just abut any grocery store these days. The flavor really doesn't compare to the low moisture mozzarella that I always thought sort of tasted like rubber. Fresh basil as well is so important, don't even think about just sprinkling some dried on your sandwich and expecting it to taste the same. First part in assembling the paninis is of course our mise en place. Wash and slice your tomatoes, get your basil leaves, slice the mozzarella (relatively thin so that it melts quickly), and slice your bread. Once you've sliced your tomatoes, I like to season them with a little salt and pepper to bring out their flavor.

Preheat your panini press to about medium to medium high heat. If you don't have a panini press, heat a non stick pan on your stove over the same heat. To press your panini down as it grills, just find a plate that will fit into the pan you're using. Once you place your paninis in the pan, place the plate on top of the sandwich with a can or something to add weight to help press the panini down. Essentially, all a panini press is is an electric grill pan with a top and a bottom element that allows your to grill the sandwiches on both sides at the same time while also applying the pressure to flatten the sandwich.

Next step is to build the sandwiches themselves. Drizzle some olive oil on one side of each slice of bread. On the side of the bread that doesn't have the oil, place two slices of mozzarella on the bread followed by 3 slices of tomato and 4 basil leaves. Add two more slices of mozzarella and place one more slice of bread on top, the side with the olive oil on top.

Grill the paninis for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until the bread has turned golden brown. If you're using a panini press there is no need to flip but still check to make sure you're also getting the golden brown color we're looking for. All in all the sandwiches will take about 8 to 10 minutes. Once the paninis are cooked, cut in half and serve hot.

Writer and directer Lee Kirk reminds us why independent and low budget films are so enjoyable. Jenna Fischer plays Janice, a young woman struggling to find consistent work and is having trouble making ends meet. When she's forced to move in with her sister and brother-in-law, Janice is subjected to their harsh criticism and their relentless efforts to set Janice up with their friend Doug, self-help book author. When Janice finds work at a zoo, she meets the handsome and charming Tim (Chris Messina) who finds himself in very similar circumstances as Janice. Tim however leads somewhat of a double as he's a street performer who takes on the persona of a silver painted robotic man.

Janice and Tim can't help but fall for each other but Janice's overbearing sister and her antics may keep the two apart. This offbeat romantic comedy is one of the hidden gems of 2012 and one I really think could have been a hit if more people knew about it.

Jenna Fischer and Tim Messina both give strong performances and they make their characters stand out on screen and you can't help but love both Tim and Janice. The Giant Mechanical Man isn't exactly a ground breaking film so to speak, but writer/director Lee Kirk has written a strong script that avoids many of the cliche romantic comedy elements. The cast of actors here is very well rounded and Topher Grace in particular does a great job playing the annoying self help guy who you just keep wishing would disappear and leave our Janice alone.  Fischer and Messina really deliver the goods in The Giant Mechanical Man and it's because they make their characters so likeable this really film stood out to me. This movie is on instant stream for Netflix subscribers so make your sandwiches and log on and watch this film tonight!! Here is the trailer for a sneak peak.

Movie Review - The Big Wedding

Wedding bells are ringing in the Griffin family. Ellie Girffin (Diane Keaton) returns back to the home where she and her no ex-husband Don (Robert De Niro) raised their family. Ellie and Don were married for 20 years and have three children, a son Jared (Topher Grace), their daughter Lyla (Katherine Heigl), and their adopted son Alejandro (Ben Barnes). Now separated for 10 years, Don is in a long term relationship with Ellie's former best friend Bebe (Sarandon).

It's the first time the three have seen each other since the split but Alejandro's weeding has brought them back under one roof. Though there are clear differences and family tension between the gang, they all prepare for a relaxing and romantic weekend. That is until Alejandro realizes that his biological mother from Columbia will be attending the wedding and due to he strict Catholic upbringing sees divorce as a horrible sin. Ellie and Don are asked by their song to pretend for the weekend that they are still married so that his mother doesn't discover that he's been lying to her for years. Robin Williams and Amanda Seyfried round out the all star cast.

The Big Wedding is made up of a lot of different components - some working better than others. The films strength is obviously in it's star filled cast. Diane Keaton especially gives a strong performance and I found her scenes offering the most laughs. Her on screen chemistry with Susan Saradon is great in this movie as they play estranged best friends.There are also a few great father and daughter moments between Robert De Niro and Katherine Heigl that I found to be one of the strengths of the movie.

All in all I can't credit The Big Wedding with being a bad movie. It's a lighthearted comedy, with a couple heart to heart moments, that delivers a few laughs along the way. There is an old saying in Hollywood that goes, you can't make a great movie out of a bad script but you can make a bad movie out of a great script. The expression holds true when it comes to The Big Wedding. The script is often predictable and there are a few too many story lines that don't really need to be told. I couldn't help but feel like this movie should have been so much more given the marquee names in the credits. The Big Wedding isn't quite a home run, but it's star filled cast and their great performances helped keep this film enjoyable for me and give it my recommendation. The Big Wedding is no available on DVD and Bluray. Click here to watch the trailer for the film.

Movie Review - Casablanca

Until a few days ago, I've never seen the 1942 classic film Casablanca. Seventy-one years after it's creation, Casablanca is still widely considered the greatest Hollywood film of all time. The movie has an unexplained aura about it that captivates you right from the start. I couldn't help but picture what it was like to be on set of this film back in the heyday of Hollywood. Whether or not they knew it at the time, Casablanca became an instant hit winning the Oscar for best picture, director, and screenplay that year and still garnering the respect and admiration it deserves.

Set in the early days of World War II in the Moroccan city of Casablanca, many have escaped the path of Hitler and the Nazis and found refuge in Africa. There we find American Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), exiled from his home country he know runs the most popular night spot in the city. All is business as usual until Rick is informed that Victor Laszlo , an underground leader of Czechoslovakia, has arrived in Casablanca with his wife. The captain of police will do anything to please the Nazis - including handing Laszlo over to them. When Laszlo and his wife enter Rick's night club, Rick is surprised that laszlo's wife is his one time lover Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman).

So begins the epic and dramatic love triangle between them as Rick still loves Ilsa but can't forgive the fact that she left him without any notice. Rick soon finds out the true reason why she left and the two plan to run away together. Circumstances arise and the story for Rick and Ilsa becomes far more complex than they imagined. If you've never seen the classic film Casablanca, it's a must see for any fan of great film making.