Shall We Dance

We watched "Shall We Dance."

Synopsis

John Clark (Richard Clark) is a man with a wonderful job, a charming wife and a loving family, who nevertheless feels that something is missing as he makes his way every day through the city. Each evening on his commute home, John sees a beautiful woman, staring with a lost expression through the window of a dance studio. Haunted by her gaze, John impulsively jumps off the train one night, and signs up for dance lessons, hoping to meet her. At first, it seems like a mistake. His teacher turns out to be not Paulina (Jennifer Lopez) but the older Miss Mitzi (Anita Gillette) and John proves just as clumsy as his equally clueless classmates on the dance-floor. Even worse, when he does meet Paulina, she icily tells John she hopes he has come to the studio to seriously study dance and not to look for a date. But, as his lessons continue, John falls in love with dancing. Keeping his new obsession from his family and co-workers, John feverishly trains for Chicago's biggest dance competition. His friendship with Paulina blossoms, as his enthusiasm rekindles her own lost passion for dance. But the more time John spends away from home, the more his wife becomes suspicious. With his secret about to be revealed, John will have to do some fancy footwork to keep his dream going and realize what it is he really yearns for.

Henry Poole Is Here

We watched the DVD "Henry Poole Is Here."

Synopsis

In a working class neighborhood in Los Angeles, a world weary Henry Poole (Luke Wilson) buys a house caring little about its lack of amenities. He drinks and eats pizza. Recent stucco work has left a brown stain on a patio wall and to Henry's irritation Esperanza (Adriana Barraza) a neighbor, is certain she can see the face of Jesus in the stain. She brings her priest (George Lopez) then others. Meanwhile, Henry hears his conversations replayed over the fence in another neighbor's yard. It's Millie (Morgan Lilly) who is about 7 and mute, clutching a tape recorder. Over time he tells Millie's mom why he's sad and angry and the face on the wall seems to shed a tear of blood. Real life, however, refuses to cooperate with Henry's plans. Nosy neighbors interrupt him with curious visits and prying questions. Then the situation escalates as a stain on Henry's stucco wall is seen to have miraculous powers. His last-ditch hideout becomes a shrine; his backyard turns into an arena for passionate debate about faith and destiny. Seeking anonymous oblivion, cynical Henry Poole instead finds himself right at the center of the human comedy. Whether backyard miracles are real or triggered by hope and belief, their personal effects are permanent.

Noodles & Company

I won a free tasting at Noodles & Company for 5 of my work associates an me. We had a wonderful lunch and got to try a loy of different dishes we probably never would have tasted if they weren't free. It was from a business card drawing.

First Family

I finished reading "First Family" by David Baldacci.

ABOUT THE BOOK

It began with what seemed like an ordinary children’s birthday party. Friends and family gathered to celebrate. There were balloons and cake, games and gifts. This party, however, was far from ordinary. It was held at Camp David, the presidential retreat. And it ended with a daring kidnapping... which immediately turned into a national security nightmare.Sean King and Michelle Maxwell were not looking to become involved. As former Secret Service agents turned private investigators, they had no reason to be. The FBI doesn’t want them interfering. But years ago, Sean King saved the First Lady’s husband, then a senator, from political disaster. Now, Sean is the one person the First Lady trusts, and she presses Sean and Michelle into the desperate search to rescue the kidnapped child. With Michelle still battling her own demons, and forces aligned on all sides against them, the two are pushed to the absolute limit. In the race to save an innocent victim, the line between friend and foe will become impossible to define... or defend.

Modern Romance

We watched the DVD "Modern Romance."

Synopsis

Robert Cole (Albert Brooks), a film editor, is constantly breaking up with and reconciling with long-suffering girl friend Mary Harvard (Kathryn Harrold), who works at a bank. He is irrationally jealous and self-centered, while Mary has been too willing to let him get away with his disruptive antics. Can they learn to live with each other? Can they learn to live without each other? The movie also provides insight into film editing as Robert and co-worker Jay work on their current project, a cheesy sci-fi movie