Some interesting movies

My wife and I have been enjoying our Netflix membership. It means we get to actually watch some of those movies that get on your "watch them someday" list. And it also means that when I see a preview or read an article about a movie, I can go and drop it in my cue, instead of writing it on a scrap of paper I'll soon loose. So anyway, over the course of the last week we watched three great movies I highly recommend, and none of them are quite what you expect.

The first was "Juno." This movie has gotten a lot of press, and not just because it takes place in Minnesota. It is a great little movie: great characters, interesting plot, sublime humor. I loved it. It turned out to be a great character study about life, both life in high school and new life. As someone who is pro-life, I love seeing a movie where a high schooler makes a brave decision to keep her baby. But politics aside, it is still a spectacular movie about love and its loss, and hope for the future in the face of it. Watch this one.

The second movie was "Supersize Me." Everyone in America should have to watch this one. We are becoming an obese people, and fast food is a big culprit. Though I think the biggest revelation for me was what the filmmaker found when he investigated some school lunch programs: kids brought up on McDonalds expect that kind of food at school, and when given the choice, will eat fries for lunch every day. Ouch! And the movie is really well made.

The third is "Lars and the Real Girl" (HT to Nick Norelli; I never would have watched this one if he hadn't mentioned it). And yes, it's about a man who has a relationship with a sex doll. But if you get past that extremely strange premise, it's a really great movie. It's not an American Pie type of humor, and it's really not crude at all. Instead it turns out to be a great study in relationships and caring. Don't miss this one either.