Late September and the month of October is rough time for movies. The rise of the "torture porn" genre and of course the usual generous heaping of "slasher" films that come out for Halloween means there's a whole lot of pain and suffering on the big screen. Add in films that are genuinely frightening, like this year's Paranormal Activity, and there's also a lot of tension and stress during that season. That's why I always find it such a relief when the holiday season rolls around and the "feel good" movies are released. It's a nice change of pace from the previous six weeks of blood and terror.

Perhaps it's that sense of relief that caused me to enjoy The Blind Side so much. Perhaps I was so happy just to see some hope, some goodness and kindness for a change that I found this movie more endearing than it actually is. Perhaps... but then again, perhaps The Blind Side is quite simply just a warm-hearted, genuine, feel-good movie. I'm more inclined to believe the latter, but I'm sure the dark Halloween season we just endured had an influence on my feelings for it.

Now before you assume (as I did) that you already know how this film is going to go, since it is after all a "sports movie," let me just warn you that this really isn't a "sports movie." In fact that's one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. It wasn't nearly as formulaic or cliched as I feared it might be. In fact, there's hardly any sports in it at all, aside from the fact that football happens to be the sport Michael Oher ends up playing and the family that takes him in happens to be Ole' Miss fans. The Blind Side is more about the people. It's about a child who had seen the worst life has to offer and yet remained unaffected by it. It's about a family who finds it in its heart to accept and help one who is not their own, but by the end becomes very much one of their own. It's a story about good people doing good things because it's simply the right thing to do. It's a story that will inspire and, perhaps most importantly during the holiday season, make you feel good.

One of the biggest surprises for me in this movie was Sandra Bullock. When I first saw the trailer, I said to myself, "That actress looks a lot like Sandra Bullock." Of course then I realized that it actually was her, and my curiosity was piqued. I haven't seen her in a role like this. Instead of the sweet, slightly clutzy "girl next door," she plays a character who's a mature, confident woman who's used to getting her way but has her life interrupted when she can't help but notice someone else in dire need. Bullock is still funny and charming in this movie, but in this role she plays a character that feels more "real," more genuine than usual.

Granted, this is all based on a true story, but even in movies such as these it's hard to see the person that the actor is portarying, but the reverse is true here as I forgot I was watching Sandra Bullock and was fascinated with the story of the regular person on screen. In fact, that genuineness, that sense being "real" is true of the entire cast. From Tim McGraw (who by the way looks quite different from the actual person, but that's the way I'd want to be portrayed in a movie) to Quinton Aaron who gives a wonderful, understated performance as Michael Oher—it's easy to believe that all of these people are real people, which only makes sense as this is based on actual events.

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