In her latest movie, The Blind Side, Sandra Bullock plays Leigh Ann Touhy, a wealthy interior decorator from Memphis who, along with her Taco Bell franchise-owning husband Sean (Tim McGraw), brings a homeless teenager into their home and hearts.  They love him, guide him, and nurture in him the family’s passion for football.    This true story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aron), right tackle for the Baltimore Ravens, is a bit sappy but the acting is strong and the story line interesting.

I like Sandra Bullock – she’s cute, a bit quirky, and I usually feel really good after watching one of her performances.  Her films aren’t high brow, but hey – sometimes I just want to relax and enjoy.  I will also admit that I love sports movies (Hoosiers, Field of Dreams, Rudy, etc).  Since I live in the South where sports for some is almost a religion, that type of story line would have made this a pleasant enough experience.

Even if you aren’t a sports person I think many of you will still appreciate Bullock’s character.  So few movies feature a woman who is unabashedly strong and assertive without being bitchy.  Leigh Ann Touhy is fierce when it comes to her family and she does things in that sweet, almost always smiling sort of way that’s woven into the fabric of so many strong Southern women’s personalities.  At one point she tells a drug dealer,  “If you so much as set foot downtown you will be sorry. I’m in a prayer group with the D.A., I’m a member of the NRA and I’m always packing.”   She knows what she considers to be the right way of doing things – her way – and she isn’t shy about sharing that point of view with others.

If you’re a fan of strong, bossy, southern women, The Blind Side is a must see movie.

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Movie Review: The Blind Side is a post from: Lady Julia's Entranced Realm (c) 2010 Lady Julia. If you enjoyed this post or have something to add, please leave a comment. Remember, feedback typically encourages writers to write more ;)

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Via my “Ask Lady Julia” Survey link available in the column to the right, a reader asked me to complete the following “four things” meme.  Thanks to the questioner.

Four favorite foods

• Chocolate (yes, everyone’s surprised I know)
• Strawberries
• Cheesecake
• Cashew Shrimp

Four movies I can watch over and over (well, not over and over, but once every six months or so)

• Steel Magnolias
• Casablanca
• O Brother Where Art Thou
• A Knight’s Tale

Four places I would rather be right now when it isn’t swelteringly hot

• London
• Scotland
• Florida (yes, I’ve never been)
• The Grand Canyon

Four things I would like to do before I die

• See the Phantom of the Opera
• Take a horse-drawn carriage ride
• Dance on the beach (have only been to the beach twice, once when it was below freezing)
• Play and make love in a five star hotel suite

Four qualities I think are attractive

• A good sense of humor
• A kind heart
• A quick mind
• A vivid imagination

Four toys I like

• Silk scarves
• Blindfold
• Small suede flogger for teasing
• Cock collar and leash

Four places I’ve done something kinky or edgey

• In the airport terminal in Louisville
• The roof of the Sears Tower in Chicago
• A Civil War park in Indiana
• The Parthenon in Nashville

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I finally saw “Angels and Demons“.  I’m not sure what anyone else thought, but as usual, I was disappointed with the movie adaptation of a book I enjoyed.  Perhaps if I hadn’t read the book, the movie would have been ok.  It was a little frustrating to see how Vittoria Vetra  was portrayed.  In the book she was smart, strong, and an integral character, while in the movie she pretty much followed Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) around and looked pretty.

“The Duchess“, starring Kiera Knightley as the very charasmatic Georgiana,  Duchess of Devonshire, is another movie I’ve seen recently.  If you like strong women and you don’t mind period pieces, this is a movie you’ll probably enjoy.  (When I say she was strong, you have to keep in mind that women of her day were so insignificant that they were valued for little more than breeding – chattel who could be beaten with a stick by their husbands as long as said stick was not bigger than the size of his thumb.)    This lady was so charming it was said that “the Duke of Devonshire must be the only man in England not in love with his wife.”   In the movie as well as in real life, the Duchess was intelligent, politically minded, and bold – qualities I find admirable of women today, let alone in a time when women were considered property.

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A couple of weeks ago I published two guest blogger posts, one written by FTW and the other a series penned by Arafin.  I’m interested in hosting the writings of others on a weekly basis, so if you would like to contribute, please let me know.

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That’s about it for tonight.  I’ve been sitting curled up on my chair for quite some time, watching TV and writing this entry.  It’s time to shower and slip between soft, sweet smelling sheets.

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Randomness for June 1st is a post from: Lady Julia's Entranced Realm (c) 2010 Lady Julia. If you enjoyed this post or have something to add, please leave a comment. Remember, feedback typically encourages writers to write more ;)

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“With great people there’s no difference between principle and the person.” – Alan Burnside (Alan Alda), Attorney for Rachel Armstrong

I often hesitate to recommend movies, because my taste is often quite different than those of my friends.  Sometimes, though, I will enjoy a film so much that I just have to share :)  Such is the case with Nothing But the Truth.

Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale), a reporter for a major DC newspaper, gets the scoop of a lifetime.   The President of the United States has ordered military action against Venezuela in retaliation for an assassination attempt on his life.  The strike is carried out in spite of reports from undercover CIA operative Erica Van Doren (Vera Farmigna) that indicate the Venezuelan government was not involved.  Armstrong’s story omits none of the details, including Van Doren’s identity.

Sound familiar?

The pressure on Armstrong is immediate and hard-hitting.  She is swiftly forced to make the decision – stand firm on her journalistic principles or face jail time for contempt of court for refusing to reveal her source.   At the same time, the consequences of her outing massively upend Van Doren’s life.

I like political dramas, I admit.  I also have enjoyed writer and direct Rod Lurie’s work in the past.  He deals with some meaty, controversial topics and for the most part avoids pontification.   I could have enjoyed the this well-written, well-acted flick simply based on those things.  However I found myself really intrigued by the strength Lurie demonstrated in the two female lead characters.   Armstrong and Van Doren fight their own battles, they stand for what they believe in when most people would crumble, and they don’t need men (even strong men) to accomplish either.

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Monday Movie Review: Nothing But the Truth is a post from: Lady Julia's Entranced Realm (c) 2010 Lady Julia. If you enjoyed this post or have something to add, please leave a comment. Remember, feedback typically encourages writers to write more ;)

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I know the majority of my readers are men.  Shocking, I know, but still ;)   At any rate, I am going to occasionally share some things I enjoy that I think will appeal more to my female readers.  Fellas, just sit back and wait your turn – it’ll come ;)  Hmm, well maybe you might find something here you enjoy as well…

Last night since I was still feeling quite poorly, I did something I almost never do.  I left Bill and Graham to fend for themselves and I spent a couple of hours lying on the sofa watching Australia.  (Yes of course, the above photo very accurately depicts how I look and dress when lying back to watch a movie ;)

I’d heard a lot of things about this movie, mostly from men (yawn, boring, oh my gosh it’s a chick flick) so I wasn’t sure I wanted to watch it.  Surprisingly, other than the annoying accent of the little boy narrator, I found myself interested and enjoying it right away.

Of course, how could I help but appreciate a movie featuring Hugh Jackman?  It’s not just the rugged good  looks or the gorgeous accent.  Well, maybe it’s a bit the accent – I do have a weakness for them..  But it’s more the presence he has.  He doesn’t seem at all arrogant when interviewed – in fact, he seems quite charming.  I can think of one or two things I’d like to do to him… ;)

Ok, I’ll stop daydreaming and get back to the actual movie.

Set in the 1930s, Australia is epic romantic melodrama featuring the Maureen O’Hara-esque, Lady Sara Ashley (Nicole Kidman).  After the death of her husband, Lady Ashley finds herself completely in charge and doing what she has to do to take care of her land and the people living on it.   When she finds herself without a team to do it, she enlists the aid of Drover (Hugh Jackman) to drive her cattle to market.  Instead of standing back like a helpless and dainty noble lady, she refuses to falter and instead joins the drive to make certain the cattle reach their final destination.

Predictably, a romance develops between Drover and Lady Sarah.  For some reason I liked the idea of an outwardly iron Lady falling in love with a powerful man who appreciates that she isn’t a wilting little flower.   She can’t push him around but he is compelled to admit she is a force to be reckoned with.

As the movie unfolded, I was reminded more and more of a western Gone With the Wind.   Strong characters, heartbreak, sacrifice, and triumph through impossible circumstances.  The horrendous war scenes, the bombing of Darwin Island that was reminiscent of the destruction of Atlanta at Sherman’s hands.  (Even the photo above reminds me of a Scarlett and Rhett moment.)

One of my favorite moments of the movie must be this scene in which we see Hugh Jackman shirtless wearing what looks very much like a collar.

Sigh..  gotta love the movies.

I’d give this one 4.75 of 5 stars.

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Monday Movie Review: Australia is a post from: Lady Julia's Entranced Realm (c) 2010 Lady Julia. If you enjoyed this post or have something to add, please leave a comment. Remember, feedback typically encourages writers to write more ;)

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Recently a friend and I watched “Sherlock Holmes and the Woman in Green“.  It’s available online to view for free if you’ve never seen it or would like to enjoy it again.  If you’re a hypnosis or mind control fan, you won’t want to miss this gem.  The entire movie isn’t particularly spectacular, but the dynamic between Holmes and the Woman in Green is quite intriguing.  In spite of his very arrogant self, Holmes is drawn to this strong, beautiful woman whose silken voice weaves the most mesmerizing spell.  This little treat is not without it’s lighter side thanks to a scene in which Watson provides comic relief while being hypnotized at the Mesmer Club.  The two hypnosis scenes alone make the movie worth watching.

Once a week or so I’d like to begin watching a movie that features a strong woman.  It doesn’t have to relate to hypnosis nor does it have to be kinky (although either or both would be a plus).  I’d simply like to watch something featuring a lead female character who can and does take charge at least from time to time.  Since I rent movies from an online service, I can request both old and new titles.  I wondered – do you have suggestions for my rental queue?

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Strong Women in the Movies is a post from: Lady Julia's Entranced Realm (c) 2010 Lady Julia. If you enjoyed this post or have something to add, please leave a comment. Remember, feedback typically encourages writers to write more ;)

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Since it’s been a long, stressful week, I decided to try to relax as much as possible today.  I’ve been listening to my favorite internet radio station ( Martini in the Morning ), reading, and having the occasional cup of hot tea.  Usually this works for me, but today not so much.  So… I thought I’d write.  As usual when I’m stressed I have no coherent ideas for posts and must thus ramble.  You’ve been warned :)

Last weekend  I finished reading Twilight, a fairly entertaining story even if young adults are the intended audience.  Stephenie Meyer seems to have a style that pulls the reader in.  Or… maybe it was more that the story was about vampires.  Since I haven’t read anything vampire-ish since high school, I’m not sure if her slant – vampires with a conscience who feed on animals instead of people – was novel or not, but it was interesting to contemplate.

The movie was, as expected, no comparison to the book.  In spite of several cast members who simply couldn’t act and a very slow beginning, it was able to redeem itself a little the last hour or so.  Even my 13 year old niece felt the acting wasn’t the best, but she was so appreciative of the “hot” male lead that she deemed the poor acting irrelevant.  Ahh… I remember those days.  Every time I see a clip of something featuring either a young Shaun Cassidy or Vincent Van Patten, I ask myself where my 13 year old brain could have been while I was watching those programs.  Overwhelmed with hormones, I’m sure.  It’s the only explanation for such a fascination with some badly written and badly acted shows.

The rest of the week was spent entertaining my niece and two nephews.  It’s fun playing Auntie, but I have to admit that I can see the reason why it isn’t the norm for 46 year olds to be first time parents to young children :)  What is it with this obligatory “I must touch every single thing that I pass in the store” thing that kids have?  I thought for certain I’d end up testing some store’s “you buy it you break it” policy, but I squeaked by without that happening.

I did spend some time at the gym today.  While it may not seem to be, working out is relaxing for some reason.  Perhaps it’s the repetitiveness.  Maybe it’s the long, hot shower afterwards followed by massaging lotion into my muscles.  It could be the distraction of people watching.  Or… it could be a combination of all those things.

People watching there is always amusing.  Most people seem to be simply concentrating on what they are doing, but there’s always a few.  You’ve seen them.  God’s gifts.  They posture.  They flex.  They preen.  They hang out in pairs so they can tell each other how perfect they are. They crack me up ;)  I was more relaxed that hour and a half today than at any other time.

There are several nice people at my gym.  One in particular has been my “gym friend” for quite awhile.  We have a rule – nothing negative, sad, or distressing can come into our conversation.  It’s great as we talk only about silly or creative things.  He’s begun writing a new novel and we’ve been discussing character development.  He has one character in particular that reminds me so much of an “online personality” I’ve run across that it almost makes me wonder if he has stumbled across the same individual.   Steve (my gym friend) isn’t kinky as far as I know, so it’s doubtful.  However, his parody of Supercilious, the King of all the Arrogant is uncannily similar to this online character and so funny that tears ran down my cheeks from laughing so hard while listening.  Perhaps we’ve all know a King Supercilious type, God’s gift to women everywhere, women who are never quite good enough for him – at least not after they reject him.  Til then they are perfection (Goddesses, you might say).

Speaking of friends, since I was at my mom’s most of the week, I did see David a couple of times in passing.  He’s been perusing my website and confessed he has several questions.  We didn’t have time to talk then, but it will be interesting to hear his thoughts.

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Saturday Ramblings is a post from: Lady Julia's Entranced Realm (c) 2010 Lady Julia. If you enjoyed this post or have something to add, please leave a comment. Remember, feedback typically encourages writers to write more ;)

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