Currently browsing the "Romance" tag.

New Year’s Eve

I just re-read my review of Garry Marshall’s easy breezy chick flick of last year, Valentine’s Day, and guess what? I could easily just change out the holiday – and some of the names from the lengthy A-list cast – and present the exact same review. In fact, just for fun, that’s what I’m gonna do! So here goes, with only slight [modifications]:

Garry Marshall is brilliant. He made a mildly entertaining movie with an A-List cast and a name that virtually guarantees it a place in holiday rerun history. [New Year’s Eve] is like Crash-light. Really, really, really light. It follows a bunch of folks whose lives intersect in various ways as they [embrace, reject, and reflect on all that is New Year’s Eve as the ball is about to drop in New York City].

Like Crazy

I wasn’t crazy for Like Crazy like a lot of people seem to be. Don’t get me wrong. I liked it. I just didn’t love it. Maybe it’s because I’m old(ish) and jaded and have always been more of a realist than a romantic, but this movie just didn’t resonate with me. Yes, the performances are excellent from both Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones, who won a best actress award at Sundance for her role. And the director, Drake Doremus, does a good job of conveying how all consuming first love can be with a lot of tight close-ups of the young couple’s adoring, besotted glances, and then of letting the relationship unfold at a languid pace as they try to figure out how to and whether they should stay together. Too bad I didn’t really care if they did or not.

Restless

I got restless watching Restless. In other words, I was bored.

Midnight in Paris

I’m not (book) smart enough to fully appreciate Midnight in Paris, but I would certainly encourage fans of the literary and art world of the 1920s to check it out. The movie presents an interesting, somewhat whimsical Woody Allen-ified twist on the time travel genre.

Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids really is like The Hangover with chicks. And like The Hangover, this smart adult comedy should appeal to both sexes because, well, it’s pretty darn funny – even when it’s gross.

Blue Valentine

Blue Valentine is hard to watch and riveting all at once. It’s real, it’s raw and it’s probably way more relatable to the masses than the equally hard to watch and riveting all at once Black Swan. That’s not to say that I personally loved the movie. It’s not exactly what you’d call entertaining. But it is a strong, honest and moving (albeit arty) flick.

Country Strong

Country Strong is at its best when the music is playin’. Unfortunately, the stuff that happens between the songs is Country Weak. So – if you don’t like country music to begin with – this movie’s not for you.

The Fighter

Every once in a while a movie comes along that has a little something for everyone. I think The Fighter is one of those movies. In fact, I think it may be my favorite movie of the year. It’s the total package: A really good story (based on a true one), a powerful mix of drama, romance, humor and heart, and stellar performances across the board. You don’t have to be a boxing fan to step into the ring for this one. It’s a chick flick wrapped in a sports drama.

I Love You Phillip Morris

Offbeat is the best word I can think of to describe I Love You Phillip Morris.  Essentially it’s a gay prison love story based on the true life tale of a Texas con man named Steven Russell.  Jim Carrey plays Russell, and it’s hard to tell if we’re supposed to be taking him seriously or not. He can be a really good dramatic actor but his performance here is at times over the top – good for the screwball comedies he’s in, not necessarily good in this movie.

Burlesque

It’s no Chicago or Dreamgirls, but if you like musicals (as I do), then you’ll like Burlesque well enough because the singing and the dancing are superb. The storyline, the acting and the dialogue are all… well… let’s just say the singing and the dancing are superb! The rest – is pretty darn cheesy, with a capital “C”.