The Blind Side
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Lily Collins, Quinton Aaron
Based on the true story of Michael Oher, a large teenage boy who grew up without a proper education, a drug addict mother, and an absentee father. He has been passed from grade to grade his entire school career because his teachers had no idea what to do with him. Sean Tuohy, the husband of Leigh Anne Tuohy who is an interior designer, notices him picking up leftover trash in the bleachers.
Later they see him walking the streets alone in the rain, take him into their car, and bring him home. After taking him in, he becomes part of the Tuohy family and finally has poeple looking out for him. Leigh Anne Tuohy treats Oher as her son and does not let any obstacle get in their way. If you are a football fan this one is certainly for you, considering Oher becomes the star football player at his high school after being given a chance. If you want a movie about someone’s life being changed for the better— a massive tear jerker— you can bet this one will keep you satisfied.
Coraline
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher
Coraline is a stop motion/fantasy film adapted from the Neil Gaiman book of the same name. Young Coraline Jones and her parents move to a new neighborhood, where she meets her neighbors Mr. Bobinsky, Miss Forcible and Miss Spink, two retired burlesque dancers, and Wyborne “Wybie” Lovat, the grandson of the landowner whose sister disappeared mysteriously years before. Coraline receives a doll from Wybie that oddly resembles her. It leads her to a patched up secret door in her living room. After discovering the key, she crawls through this secret door and enters the “Other World,” where she discovers the same people in her own universe, except they all have buttons for eyes. She meets the “Other Mother,” who is significantly nicer than her real mother.
The “Other Mother” showers Coraline with gifts and more love than her actual mother had given her in order to trap her and make her stay in her world. After Coraline refuses to sew buttons into her eyes, the “Other Mother” turns into a spider like creature and attempts to trap Coraline in the “Other World” forever. This fall film really brings out the spirit of Halloween and is a great combination of family friendly horror which is sure to keep everyone at the edge of their seat.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman
Sweeney Todd is a slasher film adapted from Stephen Sondheim’s critically acclaimed musical. The story focuses on the handsome Benjamin Barker, a man with a beautiful wife and daughter. They are both lusted after by the corrupt Judge Turpin, a man who falsely accuses Barker of a crime he did not commit, throwing him in prison. Fifteen years later he arrives back in London with Anthony Hope, a hopeful and cheerful fellow who later falls in love with Joanna, Sweeney’s daughter.
He meets Mrs. Lovett, an energetic middle aged woman in her run down and unsuccessful meat pie shop. After she has him eat one of her disastrous pies, she brings him upstairs to show her she kept his trusty razor blades for the entire time he was in prison. Mrs. Lovett and Todd enter a shaving competition against Adolfo Pirelli, a boisterous stuck up man. After Todd’s win Pirelli threatens to reveal to the judge who he really is. He hit Todd Pirelli over the head with a kettle, killing him. After his death, Mrs Lovett proposes the idea that they use human meat for her pies, giving Todd a chance to murder more victims until he can get to Judge Turpin. If you’re into slasher, horror or musical films, this one is certainly for you.