72. The Ride of our Lives

By Mike Leonard
4 stars

Copied from Review:

"Today" correspondent Mike Leonard decided to take a month off to accompany his aging parents on a journey to the places of their youth, along with a number of American landmarks. He tells the story of their RV trek with good humor, recalling their fascination with the roadside landscape, as he reveals how his parents, always blunt and unique, deal with the indignities of age and memories of the past. Although there are tense moments as the family awaits news of a new addition to the family, his tone is usually comic. Leonard's ride won't necessarily teach you anything about family relationships, but it's an entertaining yarn you'll enjoy on your own road trips.

My Comments: I personally thought the DVD was much more intresting than the book. But then filming stories is what Mike Leonard DOES so it is no wonder that it's better. But I am glad I really enjoyed going along on their trip with them.

71. Touching Stars

By Emile Richards
Rated ★★★★½

From Publishers Weekly:

The setup of Richards's 50-somethingth book is wince-inducing: Gayle Fortman's ex-husband, hot-shot TV journalist Eric, has had a nasty run-in with the Taliban; at Gayle's invitation, he returns to the Shenandoah Valley, Va., B&B they bought together to convalesce. Eric, who is in a relationship with L.A.-based fellow journo Ariel Kensington, knows little about the three sons he left behind 12 years ago: 13-year-old Dillon, 16-year-old Noah and 18-year-old Jared. Over 500-plus pages, each boy confronts his father in his own way, while Gayle harbors hopes that Eric will stay. Sidelines include Jared's relationship with hot-to-trot Brandy Wilburn (which may jeopardize his chances at an MIT scholarship), and a neighbor, Travis Allen, waiting in the wings for Gayle. Romance Writers of America award–winner Richards gets the emotions right and writes credible dialogue when the adults speak to children. The result is a fine, light family melodrama. (July)

Don Juan DeMarco - Movie

Rated: ★★★★★+

Shaun who is a major Johnny Depp Fan ordered this movie from amazon. I had never seen it before. It's soo cute.

It's a quirky romantic comedy about a mental patient played by Johnny Depp who claims to be Don Juan, the world's greatest lover, and he gets quite a few women to believe it's true. Marlon Brando plays the psychiatrist who tries to analyze his patient's apparent delusion, and Faye Dunaway plays Brando's wife, who wants to inject some Don Juan-ish romance into their marital routine. Walking a fine line between precious comedy, wistful drama, and delicate fantasy, the movie gets a big dose of charm from its esteemed cast, with Depp delivering dialogue that would have sounded ludicrous from a lesser actor.

If you haven't seen this movie and you need a periodic Johnny Depp fix then you certainly need to see this movie.