My brother has requested movie reviews. He's not normally the demanding type, but he does have his opinions, and that's why I always like to know what books he's read and what movies he's seen. Apparently, he feels the same.

A little background here... follow me now as we return to my childhood (We'll skip all that puberty stuff, my crush on Jim Sawica-the James Dean of my neighborhood-and the fact that my first car was a Duster-blue.)

Let's go further back. School's out, there's a few hours till dinner and homework. Generally, it's a coin flip between climbing a tree, good book in tow, or watching the afternoon movie on WGN. It's Chicago-or thereabouts, so you figure half the year I'm NOT in the tree, right? Okay, so I also spent a lot of time fording the mighty DuPage river (don't tell my mom), exploring the underground drainage tunnels that led to the river (slugs! Ewwww...also, don't tell Mom), and counting the stars in the summer night sky or the fireflies I'd caught in a jar. Yep, I am the product of what, these days, would be considered a highly dysfunctional childhood--it was totally normal and I guess I'd have to confess to being a "Tom Boy". My autobiography wouldn't even get Oprah's passing glance.

I haven't climbed a tree in years, but I have seen lots of movies. All those years with WGN prepped me well. I love the black and white classics, from The Quiet Man to Bringing Up Baby, Suspicion to Adam's Rib. I have a soft spot for the wacky and tender side of the 60's (think Barefoot in the Park and Breakfast at Tiffanys), and, believe it or not even the silents. (Anybody else watch TCM's Sunday night silent features? How can you look away from Norma Shearer?) I can tell you who founded United Artists and why, discuss the history of censorship in the movies and explain why Jane Austin would have loved Bridgett Jone's Diary.

From the first flickering images to the latest chick flick, I've found many to love, a few to hate (Clockwork Orange) and gathered way too much movie trivia that is, frankly, utterly useless unless you pick that category in Trivial Pursuit.

I do have preferences and my own strong opinions. I won't watch horror. Not my cup of tea. I tend to avoid what I call the Reservoir Dogs genre...because I don't like to spend a pleasant evening at the movies being told to F-off, and being shot at. Still...I've seen my share over the years. The Departed was a good example. Despite a proliferation of "head shots" (and I don't mean the Glamour Shots sort) I gave it my own thumbs up for great performances from an incredibly loaded cast, along with a storyline I didn't always see coming.

Don't you hate it when you figure out the story in the first half and, really, all you're doing is sitting around waiting for it to happen so you can go out for a drink afterward and discuss how obvious the plotline was? Okay, so maybe that's my own personal quirk; but I LOVE originality. As a result, I've dragged my poor husband to several Indies he wouldn't have seen otherwise. Sometimes it pays off; sometimes...it's all about that drink!

Who do I turn to for a good review? Denerstein is a little too snooty for me; I think Bob's forgotten that most folks like to be entertained when the lights go down. If he gives a movie an "A" rating, it's usually got subtitles. Sadly, the thumbs up rating isn't what it used to be when Gene Siskel was around, but if I really want to know, I'll check out Roger Ebert; he "get's it" about entertainment.

Locally, it's always a good time when Mike Rosen and Reggie McDaniel compare notes. Mike doesn't like schtick, but he appreciates a good story, and if it comes with a pretty face, pretty legs, pretty a--well, so much the better. Reggie, of course, likes everything, God bless him. He must have been born with extra butter topping in his veins!

So, clearly, I'm a fan. In deference to my brother, I'll give some thought to that age old question, "Seen anything good lately?" Meanwhile, have you?