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Here are my Top 10 Movies to watch on Dish Network’s America’s Everything Package from now until Sunday night!

#1 Lady in the Water at 9 pm on 5StarMax 11-12

Directed by M. Night Shayamalan and starring Paul Giamatti, this film is a sure win and it is rated PG-13. This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Don’t expect horror or sci-fi as it is meant to be a drama/fantasy. Watch it with a friend or loved and look at the deeper meaning of the film because you’ll want to discuss it later.

2. Nights in Rodanthe at 9 pm on HBO Signature 11-13

If you like Richard Gere and/or Diane Lane, then you will absolutely fall in love again for the first time when you watch this dramatic hit. These two make the most believable film couple that I have probably ever seen and the acting is phenomenal. George C. Wolfe who also filmed The Devil Wears Prada directed this movie.

3. Slumdog Millionaire at 9 pm on HBO2 11-12

I know many of you have heard how great this movie is and about the awards it has received. This film received Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing- that was just at the Oscar’s. Those of you who have seen this film can watch it a second time. Those of you who haven’t seen this drama, here is your chance! See what all of the buzz is about and you will be pleasantly surprised when you find out just how unique this film really is!

4. This Boy’s Life at 8 pm on Encore Drama 11-12

Robert De Niro fans, this movie is a must to add to your collection. If you haven’t seen it yet, you don’t know what you’re missing. This drama also stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Barkin. De Niro is so aggravating in this film that you will want to jump at him through the TV screen! He plays an abusive stepfather to DiCaprio so if you have children be sure that they are tucked soundly to sleep before show time then enjoy the ride.

5. Cop Land at 4:20 pm on Encore Mystery 11-15

Though this film is not the most action-packed it is a great drama with an awesome cast. The actors include Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel and Ray Liotta. I will say no more.

6. The Kite Runner at 7:30 pm on The Movie Channel Extra 11-13

This movie is adapted from the book of the same title written by Khaled Hosseini. It centers around a boy in Afghanistan who is living in troubled times and witnesses the rape of his friend but does nothing to stop it. He lives with the regret throughout his life. The movie depicts Afghanistan as citizens are beginning to seek refuge in Pakistan and the U.S. to avoid terror as the Taliban begins to grow.

7. The Bucket List at 9 pm on 5StarMax 11-15

Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman make a very entertaining pair in this Rob Reiner film. The story focuses on two friends with very different perspectives in life that are faced with their own mortality and, in their own bizarre way, help each other discover the things in life that truly matter.

8. The Way of the Gun at 5:45 pm on Showtime Extreme 11-12

This blast of a movie will have you entertained from opening to closing credits. It stars Ryan Phillipe, Benicio Del Toro, Juliette Lewis and Taye Diggs. This is a non-stop dark comedy/drama/action flick that takes place mostly in Mexico and it’s a non-stop thrill ride. If you want one-of-a-kind entertainment like no other then you will love this flick!

9. Burn After Reading at 9:30 am on Cinemax 11-15

The Coen Brothers are so reliable when it comes to making movies that are off the beaten cuff. You will crack up when you see Brad Pitt as a gum-chewing gym worker with tight pants who acts like a little boy paired up with his coworker Frances McDormand. They come across a very valuable memoir that was left behind by a gym member and they hold it for ransom. Will the writer of the memoir pay the ransom or will these two have to go through heck first? Find out Sunday!

10. The Neverending Story at 8:20 am on Starz Kids & Family 11-14

This movie is great for children and adults who are kids at heart. It’s an old time favorite of mine since it was one of the first movies I saw in the theater. This fantasy movie will make your children excited to read and embark on new adventures as it makes a story come to life! It includes a beautiful white flying dragon, a rock biter, a troll, a snail that travels as fast as lightening and more!

Who is your favorite actress? I know it is very difficult to choose who you like the best since there are so many variations of talented women to choose from. I know that I cannot decide on just one but can certainly state that Kathy Bates would be in the top five. She is probably one of the most versatile and consistent actresses around and has proven her talent with her many characters in movies of every genre.

Bates has starred in over 60 movies since she made her big-screen acting debut in the film Taking Off released in 1971. Her stage performance in the play ‘night Mother earned her a Tony award nomination in 1983 and she was just getting warmed up. She also starred in the Off-Broadway hit Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. The play lasted through 533 performances. The reason why this may sound familiar is because it was adapted into the movie Frankie & Johnny starring Michelle Pfeifer and Al Pacino. Bates was a huge hit on stage and her career in film was about to explode when she starred in the classic horror smash Misery (1990) as the psycho Annie Wilkes! This performance landed her the Academy Award for Best Actress that year.

Kathy Bates went from one hit film to the next when she took the role of Evelyn Couch, an unhappy housewife, in Fried Green Tomatoes. She was able to make audiences everywhere put aside their fear and, alongside Jessica Tandy, melted the hearts of all her fans. She went from a horror film to a drama and came back to Stephen King once again for Dolores Claiborne. This film was very slow moving and certainly did not have as many followers as Misery, but as far as character studies are concerned, they couldn’t have picked a better actress for the role because without Bates, the film would not be half as good.

Bates stole our hearts again as “Molly” Brown in Titanic (1997). I’ve talked to plenty people about this film because it was such a huge success. Everyone I’ve spoken with seems to have similar opinions of the movie in that the topic was suspenseful and breathtaking but that DiCaprio’s and Winslet’s performances were completely overacted and almost laughable at times, but we like their characters so it was enough to make it work. Bates, on the other hand, played her part to the tee. You would swear she wasn’t acting since she was so comfortable and her lines just rolled off her tongue as if she was completely improvising. She made us laugh and cheer with her astounding performance. I am shocked that Winslet was nominated and Bates was not. Winslet is now a decent actress (most notably in the film Little Children) but she was simply getting her feet wet when she made her mediocre debut in Titanic.

Kathy Bates displayed her confidence and agreed to appear naked in the film About Schmidt (2002), also starring Jack Nicholson. The scene consisted of Bates undressing and entering the bathtub. I’m not quite sure why everyone claims how disgusting this part was. Perhaps it’s because many young people may see her as a mother figure. As a grown woman all I could think was, Go, girl! Bates’ body was obviously not stick thin, but if my skin looks like that with no spider veins or cellulite when I am 55 years old, I certainly will not be wearing a moo-moo at the beach!

Kathy Bates has earned every award that has come her way and deserved so much more. She is one of the most accomplished actresses of our time. Not only has she proven her perseverance in the world of film she has also made a huge personal achievement. Bates was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 2003 but has since beaten the disease. She kept her disease a secret from the press and went to chemotherapy appointments on her own. She said that she needed to deal with the disease without any distractions. Bates is grateful that she was diagnosed right at the beginning stages and wants others to know that early detection is the best step toward fighting cancer. Bates has now joined the Ovarian Cancer Foundation to speak out for early detection and cancer treatment.

Have you ever been such a fan of one particular TV actor that you wish you could see more of that star in the movies? I was watching House as I do every Monday night and I was trying to figure out why Omar Epps is not in more movies. He is very good-looking, talented, and his fame seems to be on the rise at least on TV. He plays a major role on the hit television show House as Doctor Eric Foreman. He starred in the other hit hospital TV show ER as Dr. Dennis Gant from 1996-1997. We’ve seen a great deal of Omar Epps throughout the years on television and many of us feel like we know him and are waiting to see him on the big screen again!

Epps has been in many movies, the most notable ones being The Program and Higher Learning when he played the role of Malik Williams. He was a track star at Colombia University having a difficult time with his studies. He befriended the beautiful Tyra Banks who became his tutor and his girlfriend. This movie was a shocking look at racism, sexism and more. It was surprising because it takes place at a University where most people would assume these issues would not be common. The movie reminded us that acts of hatred like these are still happening whether they are on the streets or in an educational setting.

Omar also starred in Alfie and Against the Ropes both of which were released back in 2004. I didn’t find either of these two movies interesting but it had nothing to do with Epps’ performance- the films just weren’t that great. His most recent work on the big screen is A Day in the Life released this past summer. This film focuses on a typical day for rapper Sticky Fingaz and the actors rap their dialogue throughout the rap-musical. What is going on with Omar’s choices in movies? I’d like to see him take on another impressive role in a blockbuster hit and I guarantee he will be one of the most talked about actors out there. Omar Epps is more than capable of delivering an award-winning performance. He gained the interest of the NAACP when he won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, an Image Award for his effective performance on House. He received this award both in 2007 and 2008.

Epps’ became interested in acting at a very young age and actually began writing screenplays at the young age of ten! He attended Fiorello H. La Guardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan, the school that is famous for helping to shape the talents of Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and many actors, artists, musicians, writers and much more. Epps has an ear for music as well. He and his brother started the rap group Wolfpak in 1991, before the launch of Epps’ acting career. Epps has been keeping up with his music and his CD titled The Get Back was released in 2004.

I would like to see Omar Epps in a positive leading role. He has taken on many characters that find themselves on the wrong side of the law. It is unlike me to crave a good romantic comedy since I’m much more horror oriented but I would pay to see one with Omar Epps. I think he would do wonderfully in a heart-warming film similar to One Fine Day or one of the great Tyler Perry films. America will fall in love with him all over again and Epps career in film many take off to new levels!

For blockbuster hits including your favorite actors in award-winning performances, check out Starz InBlack and 5StarMax for built-in entertainment!

Can You Guess This Movie?

For more great movies like this, check out Dish Network's premium movie channels!

The cast includes the leading actress in When a Man Loves a Woman and the leading actor in In and Out.  The woman is planning on getting married but finds out that her husband is cheating on her.  The woman flies to Paris to where her husband is on a "business trip" in an attempt to get him back.  A con artist she met on the plane offers to help but during her stay in one of the most romantic places in the world, they begin to develop feelings for each other.

It is described as a romantic comedy.  It was directed by Lawrence Kasdan who brings us through many beautiful landmarks in France including vinyards of the south central area.  The film was produced by Charles Okun and released in 1995.  Can you guess the movie?

The answer to my last blog titled: Guess the movie is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

If you're looking for a cute romantic comedy to watch with your significant other this weekend, I definitely recommend He's Just Not That Into You.

Now to start off, I am definitely not a fan of this genre. I feel like most of them refer to the same handbook and use every tired "chick flick" cliche in the book. And there are definitely an abundance of these movies out there (every movie Kate Hudson or Matthew McConaughey has ever done, for example). However, this one, based on the popular book by the same name and stocked with an all-star cast, made me sit up and take notice.

The story starts off in Baltimore, where innocent, bubbly Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) goes out on a date with Conor (Kevin Connolly). She thinks the date went well; his lack of communication afterwards suggest otherwise. Even still, she pines after Conor and enlists the help of his friend Alex (Justin Long) too win Conor over. Alex gives her a few harsh reality checks and along the way he and Gigi grow to learn they have more in common then they thought. Meanwhile, Conor has his sights set on Anna (Scarlett Johanssen), an aspiring singer who has started up an affair with the married Ben (Bradley Cooper). Ben is married to Janine (Jennifer Connelly), who is desperately trying to save their marriage. Meanwhile, Janine's friend Beth (Jennifer Aniston) has to accept the fact that her boyfriend of seven years Neil (Ben Affleck) is not going to propose to her. All of this is mingled with a small subplot about Mary (Drew Barrymore).  Sound confusing? It's really not, and all the plots seem to gel together fluidly. Each story is interesting in their own way, and each plot gets just enough time to fully develop and make you invested in the characters involved.

My favorite plot was probably the Ben/Janine/Anna triangle, mostly because I am a fan of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Connelly. Both were excellent in their respective roles. I also enjoyed the "main" plot with Gigi because Ginnifer Goodwin was just so darn cute and likeable. I was surprised Drew Barrymore had such a small role in this (she has three scenes - four tops), but her little subplot was still a nice bookend to the whole ordeal.

I think most people will write this off as just another "chick flick", but it was definitely above that categorization. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a nice fluffy movie with a happy ending.

Check it out on Satellite TV Cinema! Just use your remote to order.

On the heels of its stellar ratings and Emmy success, USA is bringing back the hit miniseries THE STARTER WIFE as a 10-episode series, with Emmy Award-winner Debra Messing returning to star and now serving as executive producer. The series will focus on the post-divorce adventures of the lead character, Molly Kagan (Messing), as she begins a new chapter in her life. Returning to the cast are the Emmy-winning Judy Davis as Joan and Chris Diamantopoulos as Rodney - Molly's two best friends. The Emmy nominated writing team of Josann McGibbon & Sara Parriott ("Runaway Bride") return as executive producers and Gigi Levangie Grazer, who penned the NY Times bestselling novel on which the miniseries was based, also returns as executive producer.

THE STARTER WIFE Premieres October 2008 on USA Network.