Shelby's Life and Whatnot

Movies

On the way back from Iowa (Chicago to San Jose) we got a movie: Charlie's Angels Full Throttle. It was so hokey and dumb, I loved it. The three things I liked best about it were the go go Girl Power theme, the fact that the Angels don't use guns, and the way it didn't take itself too seriously. I was a major Charlie's Angels fan in the 70's and often imagined myself growing up to become an Angel :). There was a great scene in Full Throttle where Drew Barrymore's character is down and out, and Jaclyn Smith (one of the original Charlie's Angels from the tv show) made a guest appearance. They also used the same voice of Charlie as the tv show did. Anyway, the movie is nothing to run out and see but it was perfect for a plane ride or an evening where you're willing to suspend disbelief and see an entertaining movie.

We also saw Shattered Glass, a movie about journalist Stephen Glass who wrote for the New Republic and totally fabricated over half of his stories. We saw this one at the theater, not on the plane. Shattered Glass was really good. It showed how Glass pulled the wool over everyone's eyes at some of the most respected publications in the US, and his eventual undoing. If it's still playing near you, be sure to catch it. You won't be sorry.

And finally, we saw Bend it like Beckham. That was a great movie. It had another Girl Power theme and was really funny and touching. The movie showed the difficulty of trying to merge two cultures into one, and the struggle of second generation immigrants to try and keep their culture in a dominant alternate culture. And it had girls playing soccer. I definitely recommend this one.