Brothers

Drama

Starring Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal

Some say I get too involved in the films I see. Most of the time, that is true. With this movie, I can't see how anyone wouldn't get consumed by the emotion busting at the scenes. The acting in this movie was some of the best I've seen from Tobey and Natalie. Each character had a large back story and the cast did a great job portraying that depth. 

If you watch this movie, I hope you like riding on emotional roller coasters. If you are anything like me, you need a tear jerker once in a while. It reminds us just how lucky we are to be living the lives we are. 

Reel Recommendation: Put this on your Netflix queue to watch on a gloomy weekend - and go shopping for a new box of Kleenex.

Vacancy

Horror/Thriller
Starring Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson

My interest was kept by this 2007 horror movie. The cast caught me a little off guard, but once I started watching, the two mainstream actors made the scenes believable and thrilling. In most horror movies, the killers confidently walk while the victims run screaming, then trip, then slowly get up, then run again. In this instance, the victims were smart, and did everything from army crawling through a tunnel of rats, to breaking a mirror for a piece of something sharp to use in self defense.

Be prepared to jump out of your seat, and if you're like me, you'll be happy to know the scenes aren't too bloody and gory.

The unpredictability mixed with the good choice of cast has me giving this film two bloody thumbs up.

Reel Recommendation: Rent it, but have a chick flick on deck for afterwards.