Snowed in

I've been holed up for at least some of this holiday season, catching up on movie-watching and book-reading.

Last week, I got the chance to see Hitch, starring Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James, and Amber Valetta. In this movie, Alex Hitchens (Smith) serves as a "date doctor" for men looking to impress the women they love. Alex helps men show themselves off to their best advantage during their first three dates. "Hitch," as he is called, believes that the first three dates, and particularly the first kiss, become a yardstick by which women measure where a relationship is going. Hitch primarily tries to help (mostly bumbling) men put their best foot forward with his advice, although his specialty seems to be getting women to notice their admirers for the first time. He even helps shy accountant Albert Brennaman (James) catch the attention of famous actress Allegra Cole (Valetta).

All of Hitch's advice seems to fall flat when he meets Sara Melas (Mendes), a gossip columnist for a local newspaper. After two disastrously bad dates, however, the two seem to have developed a mutual liking for one another. Once Sara begins to suspect Hitch's profession, though, the relationship goes steeply downhill. It will take all of Hitch's charms, as well as a (literal) leap of faith, to find out what love really is all about.

I thought this was a light, fun, predictable movie. All of the characters are likable and entertaining, particularly Kevin James as Albert Brennaman. (James does alot of cute physical comedy, and besides, I just like the guy.) It would be a great date flick, and there are happy endings all around. Not much harsh language, and no sex scenes to speak of. (The movie lives up to its PG13 rating.)

I also FINALLY saw Maria Full of Grace. Wow. While a bit of a downer at times, I found this movie fascinating and, ultimately, hopeful. Maria lives in Columbia, and she works long, humiliating hours at a flower plantation. She chafes under the supervision of her pompous supervisor, but her family needs her checks to pay for necessities such as medicine. After a particularly difficult day, Maria finally quits her job. Her sister (who, incidentally, doesn't even have a job) is thrown into an uproar. Shortly thereafter, Maria meets Franklin, a silver-tongued young man who is involved in the country's illicit drug trade, at a party. Franklin promises Maria big bucks and the chance to travel if she will serve as a drug mule, smuggling cocaine into America. Maria, who has recently discovered that she is pregnant, makes a desperate grab at the opportunity.

This was a very powerful film. Catalina Sandino Moreno, who plays Maria, turns in a truly star performance. Although the situations Maria is faced with are definitely high-stakes, Moreno never overacts or emotes. Maria is a thinker. She considers her decisions; even though most of her options are unpleasant, she weighs them carefully. Moreno portrays this measured quality wonderfully. I highly recommend this film. It's filmed in Spanish, with subtitles, but the performances are so good that you'll hardly notice. No nudity, some language, and very gritty material in some scenes.

Lastly, I just finished reading The Bad Girl's Guide to the Open Road, by Cameron Tuttle. A friend lent me this small, pink book because she thought I might enjoy reading it over the holiday. It's a fun, comedic chick book. The book encourages girls to get out of the ruts in their lives and hit the road. Packing light, eating junk, picking up cute hitchikers, and taking wild friends are must-dos, according to Tuttle. While most of the book's suggestions (such as using marshmallows to plug a muffler hole or jam a parking meter) are totally implausible, they do provide a few laughs. Not on my must-read list, but a nice, quick little book if you need a light pick-me-up.