Nights in Rodanthe

Don't watch this movie alone. That would be a waste of the effort made by writer, director, cast, and crew. This movie is about coping with loss, grief, and second chances. If you watch it alone you may get the message but miss out on the benefit of sharing the emotion.

This is a classic tear-jerker movie. But, the quality of the cast makes it far more interesting and fun to watch. It's not all tear and drama. There are plenty of smiles and laughter too. And the music. The soundtrack for this movie is worth downloading and adding to your collection.

Diane Lane is great in her role here dealing with too many changes in her life at the same time. Richard Gere plays the equally troubled doctor dealing with losses of his own. Their paths cross and mingle as a symbolic storm passes over them.

There is plenty of kissing for this movie to qualify as a romance, and plenty of drama to fit that category as well. The scenery is classic Outer Banks and it is well photographed. The supporting cast is perfect with Scott Glen, Viola Davis, Christopher Meloni, and James Franco floating in and out of the story.

Watch this with someone who will not tease you about letting a tear or two fall.

The Hunting Party

Only the most ridiculous parts of this story are true. What a great way to start telling a story. It's almost as if Sam Clemens had returned to write a screenplay. Hey, let a guy dream.

Richard Gere (An Officer and a Gentleman, Pretty Woman, and Shall We Dance) picks up a fairly preachy script and, by not taking it too seriously, pulls off a very entertaining movie. This tongue-in-cheek story is well done. Even the sound track will surprise you. Ugly things happen in beautiful places.

Terrance Howard (Ray, Crash, and Four Brothers) has a knack for picking good projects. This one must have been fun for him. As both narrator and strong supporting role, he is not only the only sane character in the story, but a solid common thread.

The question is, can a small group of under-funded, badly prepared journalists, acting on bad information, find one of the world's most wanted war criminals while a host of international military organizations cannot? Remember, only the most ridiculous parts are true. The donuts are fictional.

Let's just say that this story is a conspiracy theorists flight of fancy.

Watch it with someone who "gets" international irony.