Last Weekend (at the Movies)

I saw two cute movies this past weekend, one at the theater and one on DVD. Somehow, because of the time we finished eating our dinner out (fajitas at La Parrilla), we ended up slipping into the theater to see "Gulliver's Travels." I didn't know what to expect with this one, but I admit, I am a big Jack Black fan. There's something admirable about a person who can put it all out there and laugh at himself.

Taking the lead from Jonathan Swift's novel, GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, Lemuel Gulliver (Jack Black) finds himself in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle after lying about his writing skills to get a job. He's on a freelance travel assignment, but things don't turn out quite as easy as he'd hoped when a mysterious water funnel crash lands him onto the beach of the Liliput kingdom. Needless to say, they're tiny, and he's a giant. After convincing the people he's no threat and going overboard on his life's resume, including relationships with Darth Vader and Jack Bauer, all the adulation of Liliput's new hero is put to the test when their hero fails to save them from their enemies. It takes the kingdom being destroyed and his girlfriend being threatened for him to get serious about taking himself seriously. It's pretty silly, reminiscent of "Shrek," but Black's antics and the sweet storyline made the film enjoyable. It's nice to know there are still clean family films being made. Lots of chuckles and a happy ending. You can't ask for much more than that.

As far as my DVD experience, I sat down with my kids Saturday night and watch "Despicable Me." I'd almost gone to the theater to see this, but I'm not one for cartoons much anymore. This villain-turned-hero adventure is hilarious. Three little orphan girls woo our antagonistic hero from his quest to steal the moon, and his little yellow minions who squeak and squawk their way along his side make for great comedic moments. They grew on me. I'm glad I watched it. The kids laughed with me, and we all had a great time. Either of these two films would make for some great family time if you're looking for something to share together.

The best moment of the weekend, however, was a yard sale being thrown at one of the local high schools. I found some great deals, including a small black Prada handbag (Probably a fake, but who cares?) and a couple like-new tennis rackets. I haven't yard-saled in years, because frankly, I like to sleep too much, but it was a great reminder that there's no reason to pay full price for anything these days.