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Okay - yesterday I saw "The Departed" and promised myself that I would not see another toxic film for at least a week - today I kept that promise by seeing "The Holiday" Iris (Kate Winslet) lives in England and discovers that she needs to get away on a Holiday when she FINALLY discovers via her office Christmas party that Jasper is a figment of her imagination and not her tangible boyfriend. Amanda (Cameron Diaz) plays the L.A. wealthy who loses her live-in boyfriend...(sounds like Amanda playing Cameron..) and trades houses with Iris for two weeks.

The two women don't meet and greet one another for the Holiday, but they do meet two men that stick rather than stink.

Graham (Jude Law) is Iris's brother, comes nicely wrapped in blue eyes, woolen and two adorable secrets to warm the heart of Amanda, while Miles (Jack Black) makes the season bright with his musical talents, & festive funny ways - The characters move through the house swap with believable ease that makes everyone feel welcomed for the Holidays. I celebrate this movie.

I snagged this movie but couldn't release it back into the murky waters from whence it came. To my great dismay this was not a vacation of my expectations...must fire my ticket agent.

WHO are these characters? Why would Boulder allow for a movie about a dead man that didn't want to marry a control freak who loves it when people die in natural disasters let me keep my fishbowl with fishes in it woman? Was it really Grady/Grey? Could the fat man quoting tea boxes possibly put any more food in his mouth really want to commit suicide over his loosing his, or someone's best friend?

Did his best friend really miss him? How many secrets can you keep in 8 years or one long hour on film? The scene at the river is only redeemable should you toss everyone that stupidly and selfishly released their yuppie meets mud wrestler slurrrrr into the ocean of awful.

Hollywood was so adrift with this one it should be fined for fishing without a license...hopefully Boulder has made a full recovery. Oh and by the way Grey wasn't really her color as she totally lives in the dark.

Cast, dialogue and relational theme peppered with good humor make this movie a must see. Fonda, Kristofferson, Mazzello, Carradine stand out as friends who love and work for a lifetime not just for a movie time. North Dakota boy is where I want to be...its where country stays cool, computers are a fitting bit of the action and family & friends bond for life.

Kate and Martinez bring a feisty female touch to the film that does not go overboard but compliments the boys nicely.

Some of the lines have stayed in our house bringing up a laugh and a desire to watch the show again...like "that's none-ya" and "no cussing inside" And though the main characters name is Stoneman there is nothing cold about this movie. We have viewed it often enough to have caught most of the bloopers...like "Skeeleton trees" rather than Skeleton trees as written on FBI Collins pager...but the birth of a lamb and a Wooly Boy makes up for the faux pas.

Want to feel better after a flick? Watch Wooly Boys and plan on it. Enjoy