Category Archives: Romance

Rumor Has It (2005)

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Rumor Has It

Rumor Has It

Sarah Huttington, recently engaged, goes home to Pasadena with fiance Jeff for a family wedding. She hears a rumor that “The Graduate” (book and movie) are based on her family. Did her grandmother and her mom have flings with the same man just before her parents married?

Silly little chick flick. Well cast, from Shirley MacLaine as the battle-axe grandmother to Mena Suvari as the simpering, spoiled sister. Kevin Costner, one of my least favorite actors is fine here. Since his character is required to be basically flat and without emotion, he is an ideal choice. Mark Ruffalo as the sweet, slubby fiance, Jennifer Aniston as the neurotic mess of a heroine….

I found it hard to get past the idea of a mother & daughter sleeping with the same man, and harder still when the granddaughter joins the line. Eww, just ewwwww! The general message of the movie, though, is sweet. Love isn’t like the movies, love is like life. Much as Henry Fonda said in this quote.

Tepid comedy [that] almost screams ‘just wait for video.’ ~ Full Review


Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 20%; Audience 51%

Last Holiday (2006)

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Last Holiday

Last Holiday

“…when she learns she only has a few weeks left to live, Georgia gathers her money, quits her job, and flies to a swank European resort she’s always dreamed of visiting. Naturally, her new carelessness with money and fearless candor lead everyone around her–including her senator (Giancarlo Esposito, Do The Right Thing) and her former boss (Timothy Hutton, Ordinary People)–to think she’s a mover and shaker. Last Holiday unfolds the way you expect it to (dozens of movies and TV shows have similar plots), but Latifah and the capable cast keep it alive.” –Bret Fetzer

I wasn’t expecting much from this movie, though I had heard it was funny. I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining it was – though I would hesitate to call it a “good movie”. I would say it is what it claims to be, a fun little romp. It is also quite palatable for the whole family – not so chick-flicky that it would be hard for guys to sit through, not full of bad language or scenarios that would make it uncomfortable in mixed company.

Based on Word of Mouth Scale, I would recommend it to just about everyone in my circle.

A couple of silly complaints:

  • I think Queen Latifah has shown she has acting chops and she is well cast here, but if you are going to have her in your movie, find a way to get her to sing.
  • I don’t know how they would have gotten it into the script, but why have LL Cool J in your movie and not have him shirtless at least once?

Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 55%; Audience 70%

Bewitched (2005)

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Bewitched

Thinking he can overshadow an unknown actress in the part, an egocentric actor unknowingly gets a witch cast in an upcoming television remake of the classic show “Bewitched”.

I just got done watching this crap, which I wanted to see since my friend worked on it and Lori & I visited the set.

Man did it suck!

I don’t think the casting was bad, though Steve Carrell was quite disappointing as Uncle Arthur (and I like Steve Carrell). Nicole Kidman is physically a great choice to play Samantha, Will Ferrell was fine, Michael Caine was charming – even Shirley MacClaine was tolerable.

Unfortunately the script was pathetic. Soooo, so bad. I had a feeling it might stink when I heard it was a Nora Ephron endeavor (in fact, I heard that when we were on set and let out an audible “Ech!” – oops) I figured she didn’t have the chops to pull it off and I was right. It was such a great show, with so many fun episodes to choose from – why they decided to try this tactic is beyond me. Movie in a movie is very tricky and rarely successful.

And the soundtrack – who picked these tunes? I mean, they were fine tunes and the CD may be great, but most were completely out of place and distracting in this movie.

UPDATE: Ouch
Production budget – $80,000,000
Total US Gross – $62,252,415

 

UPDATE: Seems that Reilly agrees, though she is perhaps not quite as vehement as I was.


Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 25%; Audience 34%

The Wedding Date (2005)

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The Wedding Date

The Wedding Date

Single-girl anxiety causes Kat Ellis (Messing) to hire a male escort (Mulroney) to pose as her boyfriend at her sister’s wedding. Her plan, an attempt to dupe her ex-fiancé, who dumped her a couple years prior, proves to be her undoing.

I am having a hermit sort of a weekend, which means chick flicks. On the suggestion of the clerks at Blockbuster, I picked up The Wedding Date.

Not bad, definitely good cinematherapy, I think my girlfriends would like it so it is higher on the Word of Mouth scale.

Some truly great lines from Dermot Mulroney’s character:

  • “The hardest thing is loving someone and then having the courage to let them love you back.”
  • “I think I’d miss you even if we’d never met”
  • “Here’s to the husbands who’ve won you, the losers who’ve lost you, and the lucky bastards who’ve yet to meet you”

Yeah, the flick was definitely written by a woman.

To be fair: Rotten Tomatoes liked this one even less than Bewitched, though there were some (slightly) positive reviews


Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 10%; Audience 68%

“A bit like cheap champagne: It’s better if you revel in its bubbly fizz and don’t think about the finish.”

~ Sue Pierman

 

Shrek 2 (2004)

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Shrek 2

Shrek 2

Princess Fiona’s parents invite her and Shrek to dinner to celebrate her marriage. If only they knew the newlyweds were both ogres.

A movie that survives as a sequel. Loved all the references to other films, love Mike Meyers and Eddie Murphy, love John Cleese and Julie Andrews. Don’t get why they needed Cameron Diaz in the part, let alone paying her $20 million to do it – she doesn’t bring anything extra to the role. We laughed straight through, I would definitely watch this one again. And again.


Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 89%; Audience 69%

About A Boy (2002)

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About a Boy

About a Boy

So, last night S.O. Man suggests we “do something together”

Great. Sounds good to me.

“Hey, let’s rent a movie. We’ll get something you want to see, a chick flick – how about Basic?”

That’s what he considers a chick flick? Well, there is a chick in it ~ I think. I heard it was incredibly bad and I am not in the mood for a bad John Travolta movie (of which there are many)

Fortunately, I managed to get “About a Boy” instead. I had heard it was quite good, and I really enjoy Toni Collette’s work. Happy to report it was a nice movie. A middle-aged man coming of age story. Heartwarming, moving, funny and all that.

I enjoyed it and it got S.O Man laughing. A smashing success.


Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 93%; Audience 51%

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