The Time Traveler's Wife

Starring:  Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana
Romance/Drama, 2009 (Rated PG 13)

Henry (Bana) is a Chicago librarian who is afflicted with a rare genetic disorder that causes him to time travel inexplicably and beyond his control.  He meets Clare (McAdams) in a meadow while she is still a little girl and periodically meets her over the years so that they form a bond and eventually fall in love and get married.  Being married to a time traveler is no bed of roses and while she is willing to accept it to be with the man she loves Clare struggles with the unpredictablility of a husband who regularly disappears without notice. 

• I naturally like to figure things out and this time travel business seemed to have no rhyme or reason that I could unravel.  He could go backwards and forwards and even be himself from two different time frames at the same time.  I could never figure out where he was in relation to her or anyone else and after awhile I gave up trying to figure it out and just enjoyed the story.
• The chemistry between Bana and McAdams was tangible.  I felt the love between them and it made me believe in their totally unebelievable situation.
• My eyes were welling up with tears as the credits rolled.

5 Stars

Sherlock Holmes

Starring: Morton Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams
Mystery, Action, Adventure

Downey Jr stars as Sherlock Holmes the super sleuthing loose cannon from the much loved novels and his side kick Watson (Holmes). After a black magic wielding killer is brought to justice by hanging and comes back to life Holmes is back on the case at the request of the local police in order to help solve the mystery. Meanwhile, Watson is quite ready to get married and move on from the adventures of sleuthing but every time he tries the tug of Holmes keeps bringing him back. Can they solve this one last mystery together before this sinister man takes over the world?

• I started out watching without subtitles but when I could barely understand the first word that came out of Downey's heavily English accented mouth I immediately put them on. I should've known better.
• The movie had great action and a great flow. It was 128 minutes but didn't feel too long at all.
• I enjoyed watching the little tug of war between Holmes and Watson (Law). Best buddies 'til the end but now that Watson is trying to settle down and move on you could tell that Holmes was very resistant and more then a little jealous of his new lady and his impending new life.
• The love interest role of Irene was played by the lovely Rachel McAdams. She did a great job as usual playing the tough girl.

5 Stars

State Of Play

Starring: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn, Helen Mirren
Drama, 2009

The apparent murder of a politician's research assistant sets off a string of events and other deaths that reveal a plot my a private military company to take control of government based intelligence operations. In a newspaper reporter's search to find the truth he discovers things he didn't know about his good friend and politician Stephen Collins (Affleck).

• This movie really held my attention with a good story line, good acting, and a little bit of action thrown in.
• I have a hard time keeping up with overly intricate plots and characters but I did OK with this one.

4 Stars