Drama/Romantic Drama: The Other Sister- 1999

Carla Tate (Juliette Lewis) has an independent streak a mile wide. Trouble is, she's mentally handicapped, and her overprotective parents (Diane Keaton and Tom Skerritt) have misgivings about her getting her own apartment and pursuing a relationship with another mentally challenged person (Giovanni Ribisi). An emotional tour de force for Lewis, The Other Sister is ultimately a triumphant story of perseverance in the face of long odds. (Netflix.com)

Grade: A

Ok, so I've seen this movie before, but, that was a WHILE ago, so I thought I'd give it another watch. MAN, for me, this was totally tear-jerktastic! I mean, it so sweet, and cute, and innocent. It's a movie about two mentally challenged people discovering love for the first time. This is just a really cute movie, and REALLY tugs at the heartstrings, that's for sure. And the parts are played wonderfully. If you're interested in watching a tear-jerker, this is definitely one to check out!

Drama: Hounddog- 2007

LouEllen's love for Elvis Presley, and his music has always been an escape from her poor, and seemingly tragic, southern small town life, until it is tainted by an assault, and becomes the trigger for remembering that awful event, and instead becomes something she hates. In this story, 12 year old LouEllen is faced with coming to terms with what has happened to her, and her life, and learning, with the help of a trusted family friend, that you have the choice to suffer for life from it, or make something better of yourself because of it.

Grade: B-

This movie was pretty slow moving, and the title definitely holds strong, as that song was sung, or played, about every five minutes during this movie. Dakota Fanning plays this part beautifully, and it was heartbreaking to watch this little girl go through, and survive so many hardships in her life, only to culminate with her own personal loss of innocence. Yet, she still was able to land on her feet, and make such an awful event less horrific through her love of music. This is a good watch, definitely not a family movie.

Dark Comedy/Drama/Horror: Barton Fink- 1991

Idealistic playwright Barton Fink (John Turturro) believes writing should reveal the hopes, dreams and tragedies of the common man. When Hollywood taps him to write a movie, Fink develops severe writer's block and soon falls victim to a strange sequence of events. Unable to combine his deep-seated ethics with Tinseltown's frivolity, the disillusioned and desperate Fink winds up involved in a murder investigation in this Oscar-nominated dramedy.

Grade: B+

This was a really funny, and really easy to get in to. The characters were VERY quirky, yet somehow believable. It was just a really funny look into Barton's life, as he changes from a mediocre playwright, to a Hollywood script writer, and boy does craziness ensue, that's for sure! The acting in this was great, and John Goodman's part was just the right combination of crazy and annoying, yet seemingly innocent and lovable. This really is one that is worth the watch, and I fully suggest it!

Drama: What's Eating Gilbert Grape- 1993

In a backwater Iowa town, Gilbert (Johnny Depp) struggles to take care of his mentally disabled brother, Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio), and provide for the rest of his family. But after falling for the stranded Becky (Juliette Lewis), Gilbert discovers exciting new possibilities for his life. Co-starring Mary Steenburgen, John C. Reilly and Crispin Glover, this tender drama earned DiCaprio an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Grade: B+

Well, it doesn't hurt that Johnny Depp is a total hottie, but more than that, he is an awesome actor. This movie is all about his journey trying to keep his family afloat, and taking care of everything that needs to be done. The entire story is somewhat sad, but completely believable, and the entire time you're just HOPING that good things are going to come to this guy who puts out SO much effort. It really is a good one, and well worth the watch.

Drama/Romance: 28 Days- 2000

Newspaper columnist Gwen Cummings (Sandra Bullock) never met a drink she couldn't quaff. But when her drunken buffoonery ruins her sister's wedding -- and does some major property damage -- a judge orders her to choose between rehab and jail. Gwen won't come clean about being an alcoholic, but a few days into her month-long dry-out, she meets a fellow resident (Viggo Mortensen) who'll change her outlook on life and love. Dominic West co-stars. (Netflix.com)

Grade: B+

First I must preface my review by saying that I LOVE Sandra Bullock and think she's awesome. That being said, this movie was great. The acting was awesome, and it really delved in to why she drinks in the first place. She's somewhat haunted by memories of her mother's drinking, and a not so happy childhood. yet, through it all, she is able to realize that there is more to life than alcohol, and that she should be able to have a real chance at happiness. This was a great watch, that wasn't just a non-stop drama fest, there were lots of funny parts, and it was just a good movie. Check it out!

Gay/Lesbian Drama: What Makes a Family- 2001

Brooke Shields stars in this wrenching drama as Janine Nielssen, a nurse who faces the death of her partner, Sandy (Cherry Jones), and separation from their daughter when the child's biological grandparents wage a battle for custody. State law is stacked against Janine, but attorney Terry Harrison (Whoopi Goldberg) sets out to prove that family is not defined by blood alone in this GLAAD Media Award-winning biopic directed by Maggie Greenwald. (Netflix.com)

Grade: B-

This was a very touching and thought provoking drama about the struggles a non-traditional family has when some type of tragedy takes place. The acting in this was really good, and Cherry Jones' decline as she got more and more sick was very believable. This was a sad story that you are just hoping for a happy ending for the entire time. This was a good watch for a few different reasons. It was definitely a good tear jerker, so if you want to get out some of that "inner sadness" this is good. It was a good look into the lives of a lesbian family, and the struggles that take place, and it was also a good love story. This movie really showed the meaning behind the vows "through sickness and health" that you take when getting married, and how a relationship can still stay loving and strong, and how difficult loss can be. Check it out, it was worth the watch!

Romantic Drama: The Time Traveler's Wife- 2009

How can a couple's relationship possibly survive if one of them happens to uncontrollably vanish into another time and place at any given moment? In this original version of a love story Henry and Clare make it happen, despite the odds stacked against them.

Grade: B+

This was a very touching story about a love that won't quit, no matter what, and a man that lives his life the best way he can, without always living it in chronological order. This story was totally original, and the acting was awesome. This is one of those stories that really makes you feel what the characters are feeling, like you are right there with them. It conveyed the emotions very well, and, although at times felt a bit tear-jerky, was a great watch!

Suspense/Drama: The Hurt Locker- 2008

Fallow the journey, and conflicts that take place during war in Iraq, for a team of IED dismantlers in this edge of your seat thrill ride.

Grade: A+

Well, it's no question why this movie won best picture of the year, and was so wildly popular, it was amazing! I don't think I've watched a movie that LITERALLY kept me on the edge of my seat, with my stomach in my throat for so much of the movie. This movie was really able to convey the emotions of the army squad, and allows the viewer to place themselves in their shoes. This was a total roller coaster of emotions; fear, anxiety, anticipation, relief, humor, and back again. This was a great movie, on so many levels.

Drama: There will be blood- 2007

Ambitious prospector Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis, in an Oscar-winning role) strikes it rich when he buys the oil rights to a California family's ranch, turns a simple village into a boomtown and stokes the ire of a charismatic young preacher (Paul Dano). Kevin J. O'Connor, Ciarán Hinds and Russell Harvard co-star in writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson's Oscar-nominated adaptation of Upton Sinclair's novel Oil! (per netflix.com)

Grade: D+

ugggg,..... Ok,... Here we go,.... The hype on this movie was HUGE, so my expectations of it were just as much so, and unfortunately I was let down. In a way, I wish I hadn't heard all of the hype, and I would have gone into this movie not expecting anything at all, and probably would have had a better response,.... maybe,.... It was just VERY slow moving, a WHOLE lot of time, for not a lot of story. Sure, the acting was all just fine, but there wasn't really anything that drew me in, or a character that I liked and cared about what happened to them. It just wasn't that spectacular in my opinion.

Drama: Winter Passing- 2006

Upon learning that a New York City publishing agent (Amy Madigan) will pay dearly for the love letters her novelist father (Ed Harris) wrote to her late mother, a desperate Reese Holden (Zooey Deschanel) returns to Michigan after seven years away from home. But instead of the reclusive man she expected to find, she discovers her dad has formed a deep connection with a struggling musician (Will Ferrell) and an ex-grad student (Amelia Warner). (Per Netflix.com)

Grade: C+

This movie was an engaging, and thought provoking look into the seemingly lonely and somewhat troubled life of a young girl, and a point in her life where she is learning more about her family than she ever thought possible. The acting in this movie was great, and very believable. This is certainly a movie to watch if you are in the mood to "feel" things.

Drama/Tear Jerker: My sister's keeper- 2009

A former defense attorney (Cameron Diaz) finds herself back in the courtroom when she and her husband (Jason Patric) are sued for medical emancipation by their 11-year-old daughter, Anna (Abigail Breslin), who is expected to donate a kidney to her dying older sister. The subsequent trial tests ethical boundaries and the limits of parental love. Joan Cusack and Alec Baldwin round out the cast in this powerful drama based on Jodi Picoult's novel. (per netflix.com)

Grade: A+

This movie is a non-stop tear fest, with so many moments that will bring you to tears you may actually go through a box of tissues. The story is wonderful, the message is powerful, and the acting was amazing. This is one of those stories where you'd better be prepared to cry, and have a strong emotional response.

Crime Drama: Eastern Promises- 2007

In an Oscar-nominated role that requires him to bare all, Viggo Mortensen reteams with director David Cronenberg for this intense thriller set in London's seedy underworld, starring as notorious Russian gangster Nikolai Luzhin. Luzhin finds his normally steely resolve compromised when he learns that a midwife named Anna (Naomi Watts) has discovered incriminating evidence against his "family" in the pages of a dead woman's diary. (per Netflix.com)

Grade: C+

This movie started out very slow to me, and was almost hard for me to get into. It wasn't until about 30 minutes or so into it that I began to enjoy it. This movie was VERY character driven, and was mostly dialogue, although it was interesting, and the few very short "action" scenes were good, especially the roughly 5-10 minute sequence of Viggo Mortensen fighting for his life nude in a steam room. The story was a good one, it just seemed that they took a story that could have been 20 minutes and made it into a movie. I can say that, for the most part, the acting was very believable.

Drama based on real life: American Gangster-2007

This movie fallows the life of Frank Lucas, played by Denzel Washington, during his rise to, and ultimate fall from, control of one of New York's most powerful African American gangs of the 60's.

Grade: B+

Denzel Washington played this role wonderfully of course, as well as the entire cast. The organization of the movie, and sequence of events definitely keeps you on your toes, and the intertwined story lines of both the "good guys" and "bad guys" makes it all the more interesting. This is definitely not a movie to watch with the kids!

Drama/Based on a True Story: Mockingbird Don't Sing- 2001

Based on the events of Katie Steele's life, a 14 year old girl who had been locked away and completely isolated her entire life. This is the story of the the time and effort put in by a specialized team, in the attempt too teach her not only language, but how to live life.

Grade: B

This really was an interesting story, and an incredibly sad look into the life of someone who was totally neglected, and kept in the worst circumstances imaginable, to the point of not even being able to talk. The fact that this was based on a true story is horrifying, and incredibly sad. The acting was great, and for being filmed in 2001, it genuinely looked and felt like it was from the 70's/80's. If your interested in seeing one of the many atrocities that take place against children, this is worth watching, although sometimes shocking, this was a good movie.

Drama/Tearjerker: Awakenings- 1990

Based on a true story, this movie is full of emotion. In it, Dr.Sayer, played by Robin Williams, uses a newly discovered Parkinson's drug to bring back 15 patients in his chronic neurology ward from vegetative states, most of whom had been in them for more than 25 years.

Grade: B+

This was SUCH a tearjerker!! Can you imagine? Being gone for more than 25 years, from age 11, only to wake up as an adult? The idea of it seems horrible, but at the same time, absolutely amazing that one person did not want to take that as a final answer, and wanted to try to do something to better these people's lives. The acting in it was amazing, Robin Williams did a wonderful job, as usual (I'm a huge fan) and Robert De Niro was AWESOME, I mean, he plays this part brilliantly, and REALLY gets you into the story. He had me crying off and on the entire movie. Wonderful!

Drama/tear jerker: Kramer vs. Kramer-1979

Workaholic, fast-paced Ted is totally caught off guard when his wife, unhappy and dissatisfied with her life, leaves him and their 6 year old son, only to return a year and a half later to claim him, and petition the courts for full custody.

Grade: B+

Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep give powerful performances, both tear-jerkingly good. The story is good, and one that really makes you think. The little boy is SO believable, and did a wonderful job drawing me into the story. If your in the mood for a good tear-jerker, this might just be a good choice for you!

Drama: Autumn Hearts: A New Begining-2007

This is a moving story of three former internment camp prisoners reuniting more than 30 years after being let go.

Grade: B+

This story is not only touching, and emotional, it is also well written, and heart warming. The acting was wonderful, and the story line was thought provoking. Susan Sarandon, as well as the rest of the cast's, performances were great. The ending left something to be desired, but not enough to detract from the movie. This was a very attentive look into the effects that this horrific time had on these people. If your looking for a movie that will make you think, this is the one for you.

Drama/Romance: Then She Found Me-2007

This story fallows April, played by Helen Hunt, through one of the most turbulent times of her life. At 39, she is desperate to have a child, when her husband decides he wants a divorce. In the same week her adopted mother dies, and her birth mother contacts her. As if that wasn't enough, she meets and begins a romantic relationship with, one of her student's father.

Grade: A-

Helen Hunt gives a magnificent performance in this touching story about a middle aged woman in crisis. She is truly heartfelt in this role and makes it incredibly easy to not only get into the story, but empathize completely with her. Bette Midler gives a fantastic performance as usual. This is definitely worth watching. If you want to see a movie that pulls at your heart strings, and is a bit of a tearjerker, this is the one for you.

Romantic Comedy/Drama: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 2004

This is a story about a man who learns that his girlfriend, after a fight with him, undergoes a procedure to erase his memory. After a failed attempt at an apology, and learning that she is dating another guy, because she doesn't remember him, he decides to undergo the procedure as well, only after it has already begun he decides that he no longer want to go through with it.

Grade: B+

This is an awesome movie, that takes you on a strange adventure through Joel's (Jim Carey) mind. Both parts are played incredibly well, and the ending is definitely one you look forward to. This is a hard one to describe, but it's a really great movie. If you are interested in stepping out of the box, and watching a movie that doesn't necessarily fallow the typical structure, this is the one for you!

Horror/Drama: Interview with the Vampire 1994

This is an AWESOME movie that chronicles the life of Louis, his creator Lestat, and their "adopted" daughter Claudia through the 18th century to the present day.

Grade: A+

This up close and personal look into the lives of these three characters throughout history is both intriguing and mesmerising. The acting is phenomenal, and the writing equally fantastic. Not to mention that it is cast with three of the most gorgeous men of the time. If you like vampires, and want to see what life is like from their prospective this is the movie for you! The DEFINITELY made being a vampire incredibly sexy!