Consider This A Public Service Announcement.

I rarely get to go to movies, but this month I've been blessed to have seen not one, but TWO movies at the local theater! Both of these films were so good that I felt the need to let all of you, my dear readers, know of their worth so that you may also bask in the warm glow of $8.00 well-spent.

Consider this my service to you.

NUMERO UNO:

Tonight Mrs. G. and I went to go see "Dreamgirls." We both knew that we wouldn't be able to talk both of our husbands into seeing the movie, but we WERE able to talk Mr. G. into watching all 8 children for us while we were gone.

Yes, you read correctly. 8 children. In the care of Mr. G. But you know, they were all alive at the end of the night, and their house was still standing and in good order. I was impressed!

Anyway, back to the movie. I am not articulate enough to do this movie justice. This was, by far, one of the best movies I've seen in a long time.




About 8 years ago I saw Jennifer Holliday perform the song "And I'm Tellin' You" on the Rosie O'Donnell Show. (I know. I know! Hush.) I didn't like the song, then, and every time I've heard it sung since then I've disliked it. Hearing that song again was the only thing about the movie I wasn't looking forward to.

But Jennifer Hudson's performance in the movie was exquisite. Hearing her perform that song, in the context of the show and its plot, well, it brought tears to my eyes. I was overwhelmed.

Go. Go see this movie. See it on the big screen. Your tv at home will not do it justice. And Jennifer Hudson deserves whatever awards are out there for her performance.


NUMERO DOS:

For the past two weekends, the boys and I have been abandoned by M..... sort of. He pays lots of attention to us on the weekends, until kickoff time. This season M. has not watched as much football as he would like to, but now that it's time for the playoffs he's resolved not to miss a play.

The kids and I are on our own during those games, and when they schedule two playoff games a day, well, that's a lot of time with the boys! Two weeks ago, I decided to take them to see "Night At The Museum." It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and I made the boys eat dinner very quickly so that we could get there before the previews started.



I'm not a Ben Stiller fan. I'm not a fan of the current genre of movies that feature males old enough to be men, but who still act like adolescents. Ben Stiller seems to feature in many of those movies, so I haven't got a great liking for him. But so many people have had positive things to say about the movie that I decided to take a chance.

Well. Braden loved the movie. I loved the movie. Colson really liked the movie. It was so much funnier than we'd expected. It was exciting, and kind of smart, and somewhat unpredictable.

Brogan, however.....

Brogan was terrifed. The minute things in the museum started coming to life, he came to sit on my lap, already occupied by Colson. Once on my lap he began to moan, "Nooooooo! This is too scary! I want to gooooo hoooooome!" This is okay in our tv room at home, but people in a crowded movie theatre generally frown on loud moaning and crying children during the movie.

I could feel Brogie quivering and his heart racing, but I couldn't get up to leave at that point without disturbing everyone around us. Instead, I covered his mouth with my hand, and whispered calming things into his ear: "It's okay. It'll be okay. No one gets eaten. Look! Braden's laughing. It's supposed to be funny!" (This probably takes me out of the running for the Mother Of The Year award.)

After a few minutes of this, Colson notices Brogan and starts to wonder whether or not he should be scared too. So now I'm hugging them closely so I can whisper to both at the same time. "It''ll be okay. There's a happy ending. No one gets eaten."

The moment I'm able (after about 10 minutes of terror for Brogan), I take the littles out to the hallway and try to talk Brogan down. At first he was unwilling to go back to see then end of the movie, but after a few minutes he decided that he can be brave if he has some popcorn to eat. Colson quickly agreed, and I figured that popcorn might be a good diversion, so off we went to the counter to get popcorn and soda.

As we settle back into our seats, I realize the popcorn does help. But once it's gone Brogie's back in my lap. He spent most of the rest of the movie in my lap with my hand over his mouth, but the minute the credits began to roll he jumped up and said, "That movie was great!"



Excuse me?

Back at home, Brogan insists that he wasn't scared, and asks when we can see the movie again.

Anyway. Two good movies. Two movies that you will not regret spending your hard-earned moola on. Enjoy!