Movies

National Treasure: Book of Secrets
G's opinion: 3 of 5 stars. It was entertaining but not really much substance to it.
B's opinion: 1 of 5 stars. A dumb American's Da Vinci Code. I felt the first one was pretty lame and can't believe I wasted time on the second. And who out there will watch the third? Granted, I'm not fully qualified to give it a rating because I couldn't bring myself to finish it. After recognizing no fewer than four rip-offs from better movies and acknowledging that there was no real motivation for many of the characters' actions, I couldn't bear it. Of course, the next morning, I asked Garrett how it ended and was unimpressed to learn it was just as I expected, so I might as well claim I've seen the whole thing.

Miss Potter
G's opinion:4 of 5 stars. A very interesting representation of an author I knew little about. From everything I read online, it was factually done.
B's opinion: 5 of 5 stars. I loved it. Renee Zellweger was a convincing and quirky Beatrix Potter. I don't remember the stories much from childhood, but I love the art. And they cleverly animate it at times so that the audience sees the characters as Miss Potter does--adorable and full of life.

W.
G's opinion: 4 of 5 stars. I learned an interesting perspective on the president's life. It wasn't a negative portrayal, as I expected, but it seemed to be more of an accurate one. They tried to show the good and the bad. At times you'd think he wasn't a bad guy and other times you'd think, what an idiot.
B's opinion: 4 of 5 stars. It wasn't another Saturday Night Live skit. For the most part, it wasn't a skit with outlandish caricatures...except maybe one. The person who should really be upset about character assassination is Condoleezza Rice. They made her seem no more than a female, bobble-headed, Rain Man. Colin Powell was steady and level-headed, a man of conviction. Dick Cheney came across as the real "brain" behind all the mistakes as well as being a major jerk. For the most part, everyone was played as the media always depicts them. However, George W. is shown as a man living in the shadow of his father, never feeling that he can live up to his expectations. The movie parallels the biblical Father and Son with those two, at least that's how W. sees it. My favorite line from the movie: I'll never be out-Texanned or out-Christianned again.