Fun Monday at the Movies

Our host for this week's Fun Monday is Gattina and her assignment is to share our favorite Christmas ornament. I fear I must bend the rules this week Gattina, because the only sign of Christmas in my home is a lovely stack of Christmas cards and greetings from friends near and far. I did, however, receive an unexpected gift that is timely and most appreciated. That's this gift card from my friend S's mother--and my new BFF--to our local cinemas. Timely because many of the 2010 Oscar contenders are just now being released and most appreciated because:

I LOVE MOVIES!

As you can see from this 2009 ticket stub collage, I get excited about going to the movies. I want to see all the films that have been nominated for Golden Globe, Film Critics, and Academy Awards. There's Milk , The Reader, Frost/Nixon, Australia, Doubt, and Rachel Getting Married which earned Academy Awards in March 2009.

After the March Academy Awards this year, I started seeing the contenders for Oscars in March 2010. There's my favorite so far, An Education which is the 1960s tale of an Oxford-bound young girl who get entangled with an older man. Then there's the comedy Julie and Julia about a young blogger's mission to cook herself through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. And let's not forget director Jane Campion's artful English drama, Bright Star, which was a fascinating love story of the frail, penniless poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, his 1800s Project Runway wanna-be.

So, some time before the March Academy Awards show I'll take this gift card and my retired self to several matinees to see these films, either because of the actors or the subject matter:

Up in the Air -- George Clooney in a "serious" comedy, 'nuf said

Inglorious Basterds -- just to hear Brad Pitt say "Yes, Yes, Yes" to Hitler's "Nein, Nein, Nein"

A Single Man --Colin Firth as a serious, conflicted college professor with Elvis Costello glasses

The Young Victoria --love, love, love British romantic dramas

The Last Station -- Helen Mirren as Leo Tolstoy's unbalanced wife--fabulous!

The Hurt Locker, The Messenger, and Brothers -- we must not forget about the human costs of war

Invictus -- the great Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela

It's Complicated --Meryl Streep as middle-aged comedian caught in a love triangle with Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin. I hope I can get the image of a naked Alec Baldwin hiding behind a Mac laptop out of my head. . .

Crazy Heart -- it's been too long since Robert Duvall's role of a down and out country singer in Tender Mercies

Throughout the year I'll be on the look out for other films that are just plain enjoyable or challenging, even though they didn't create that much awards' buzz. In 2009 I'd put the following films in this category: Amelia, Angels and Demons, Wendy and Lucy, Soloist, Easy Virtue.
And, I've decided I need this handy Ticket Stub Diary to hold all my 2010 movie stubs and a one sentence review of the film. Unfortunately it's on back order until Valentine's Day. Hint, hint. . .
Now before all the holiday decorations get packed away, head over to Gattina's place to check out the favorites of Fun Monday players.

Happy New Year and I'll see you at the movies!