For what? for what? I gotta have something to wear besides this...

I spent my holiday vacation in bed either sleeping or watching movies. Basically I was in heaven. The best day of my vacation was after my family opened their Christmas presents, I snuggled up with my stuffed animals, and a bowl of hot porridge, and watched two of my favorite Dustin Hoffman movies: Kramer vs Kramer and Tootsie. Sometimes I think my taste in leading men are unusual. I'll take a Gene Hackman, Geoffrey Rush, and Kevin Spacey over a Robert Pattinson, Zac Efron, and Taylor Lautner any day (Now if I can have all six, I would be the happiest camper in the world). I like the unconventional leading man because he brings something different to the table and Dustin Hoffman might be the dreamiest of them all (definitely with the best head of hair).
     In Kramer vs. Kramer, he plays a dad in the midst of a divorce, who's ex-wife (played by the drop dead gorgeous Meryl Streep) has deserted him and their young son. After being a office work-horse at the advertising company he works for, Hoffman's character, Ted, has to learn to be both mom and dad, while still maintaining his position at work. It's not always easy and sometimes he sucks at it, but he never stops trying and never stops loving his son. Unfortunately, once Hoffman and his son have hit their stride, his ex-wife reenters the picture wanting custody of their son, after sixteen months of abandonment. Now Ted must fight with a justice system that believes a child should always be with their mother and claim his right as a parent. It's a heart-wrenching film that doesn't pick sides but just shows the different models of family that were sprouting in the 1970s. Hoffman's performance is stunning and when Streep enters the courtroom and is cross-examined, her portrayal is breathtaking. Both actors truly deserve the Academy Award wins they received.
        Hoffman is also a very versatile actor and his comedic work is something to watch, and I'm not just talking about Meet the Fockers. In the 1982 film Tootise, Hoffman plays Michael Dorsey, an out of work actor who makes ends meet by waiting table at a local restaurant in New York. When his agent tells him no one in the industry wants to work with him because of his harsh attitude and unwillingness to compromise, Michael auditions for the role of hospital activist on a local soap by pretending to be a woman, and not a very attractive one at that. He lands the role and becomes a sensation. He also shakes things up and stands up women's rights on set. Of course things get complicated as Michael falls in love with his costar and he starts receiving male advances from unexpected male companions. It's a hilarious tale and the last fifteen minutes of the film always has me in stitches, the kind where you're suffering from panic attacks because of the embarrassment these characters have to endure. If you've never fallen in love with Dustin Hoffman before, you certainly will after these films.



Dustin Hoffman is still sexy as a female. Love Him!!!

This is true love - you think this happens every day?

        One of my favorite movies that takes me back to my childhood is The Princess Bride. It's has the same level of nostalgia that The Neverending Story possesses, but it stands up to the test of time so much better. I can watch that movie today and I'm pretty sure I could watch it twenty years from now and it would still be as funny as charming. It's the tale of a farmhand, Westley, who is in love with the maiden, Buttercup, that lives on the farm. In order for them to be married, Westley sets off to make his riches. However he is captured by the Dread Pirate Roberts on his journey and is believed to be dead. After five years of mourning Westley, Buttercup begrudgingly decides to marry Prince Humperdink, who is not even remotely charming. Somehow Buttercup is captured by three bumbling but endearing idiots and hilarity ensures. Especially since her lover has returned from the sea and is carrying a grudge. I'm making it sound more ominous then it really is. It's actually a lighthearted story about bravery, courage and the power of love.
         The story is narrated by Peter Falk, who plays a grandfather reading the story aloud to his grandson, Fred Savage. Cary Elwes portrays Westley with charm but also a sense of mischeviousness that I adore. My favorite characters are Fezzick, the bumbling giant with a heart of gold, and Inigo Montoya, who is searching for his father's murderer. Both characters have these moments where your heart turns to putty. So cute!
   It's such an original and innovative movie because it turns the fantastical fairy tale genre on its head and introduces comedy where it never existed before. It's enjoyable for both children and adults and drunken college students.



Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.