My favorite season

No, not winter. Not even spring. Although, I do love spring.

I'm talking Oscar season. As in the Academy Awards. For me, Oscar season officially begins with the Golden Globes, which are on tomorrow night. I think this gives us all a good idea of what movies will be big on Oscar night. The season gets even more exciting on January 31st, when the nominees are announced. And the big night itself is March 5th.

If you know me well, you know that I love the Oscars enough to throw a gigantic party. There is always lots of food, open ridicule at the appalling dresses, and prizes for those who guess the most correct winners.

If you know me really well, you also know that I am pregnant and my due date is March 15th. Yeah, that's 10 days after the Oscars. Now, you're probably thinking, "Oh, poor Erin. She's going to have to cancel her favorite party of the year because she'll be huge with child." Are you kidding me? I'm not cancelling anything. Bring it on!

Now, this is the beginning of my Oscar movie recommendations. I see more movies in the two months leading up to the Oscars than I do the entire rest of the year. That's no exaggeration. When I see a good movie, I will pass the recommendation on to you. Even though the nominations aren't officially out, I do have a few movies that I have enjoyed in the last couple weeks.

1) March of the Penguins. There is no doubt in my mind that this movie will win an Oscar for best documentary. I'm not big on documentaries, but this movie is absolutely fabulous. Family-friendly, narrated by Morgan Freeman, and only 80 minutes long. What more could you want? And it's already out on DVD!

2) Pride and Prejudice. Such a delightful film! Keira Knightly is a beautiful and charming Elizabeth Bennett, and Donald Sutherland is witty and darling as her father. It's just a feel-good movie. Unfortunately, it is not out on DVD until February 28th. But it is playing at the Maple Grove Mann, which has recently become a "cheap" theater!

2) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I have to admit, Johnny Depp looked kind of creepy to me in the previews. But if it was good enough for Ashley to see twice in the theater, it was worth the rental fee. And I was pleasantly surprised by a lovely movie. The kids are great. And the actor who plays Charlie is the adorable boy who played Peter opposite Johnny Depp in Finding Neverland just last year.

More recommendations coming soon! Dan and I are seeing Narnia tomorrow since I don't have to work. Happy Birthday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. :)