Moonstruck

Starring Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Danny Aiello, and John Mahoney

Directed by Norman Jewison

Release Date: December 17th, 1987

Loretta (Cher) just wants to get rid of her bad luck from her previous marriage to her new fiance, Johnny (Aiello). She will go to any lengths, uphold every tradition just to have a happy life. While Johnny is in Siciliy to attend to his ailing mother, he asks Loretta to patch things up with his younger brother Sonny (Cage). What could happen on a full moon night?

Based on the traditions and karma that many people balance their actions with, Moonstruck takes these decisions into a broad, comedic set that also delves into the Italian-American community, such as in the locations of the movie, the use of Italian phrases, and customs. Though much of the plot is focused on Loretta, there are two amusing subplots with Loretta's parents, as played by Gardenia and Olympia Dukakis. Gardenia, for example, is seeing another woman while claiming how strong his marriage is. Finally, there's an especially fascinating performance by Nicolas Cage as Sonny, the one-handed baker with a heart for opera.

If you're a fan of romantic comedies like When Harry Met Sally, you'll certainly enjoy Moonstruck.

Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5 

(500) Days of Summer

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Clark Gregg, and Chloe Moretz

Directed by Mark Webb

Release Date: July 17th, 2009


A quirky look into a relationship between Tom (Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (Deschanel). I like how the film jumps back and forth during their time together, giving the audience a look at happy times and sad ones. Sure, the film does hit heavy with the struggle and heart-break, but I feel that works better than a formulaic rom-com.

The performances are wonderful from the cast, from the main leads to the supporting cast. Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt have wonderful chemistry together and have great presence on screen. Then, there's the scene stealing moments of Chloe Moretz as Tom's sister, who may be wise beyond her years.

Rating: * * * * of 5

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Midnight in Paris

Starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Corey Stoll, Adrien Brody, Marion Cotillard, and Michael Sheen

Directed by Woody Allen

Release Dates:

May 11, 2011 (Cannes) 
May 20, 2011 (US limited) 
June 10, 2011



A quirky and giddy romp through the streets of Paris on the longings for the past and the dangers of nostalgia. 


Gil (Wilson) is a screenwriter lost in the beauty of the streets of Paris, wishing he was living in the 1920s rather than in the 21st century. His fiance Inez (McAdams) cannot understand his longing and would rather listen to the misinformation from a pseduo-intellectual and shop for expensive furniture with her mother. Soon, Gil has found himself sharing a bottle of wine with Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald in 1920s Paris, with no explanation how or why he got there. However, Gil has decided to make the most out of his new adventure and discover more about his life, his career as a writer, and his relationships with Inez and a stunning French woman named Adrianne (Cotillard). 


Midnight in Paris is a delightfully whimsical tale of beauty, love, and the true meaning of how to appreciate the present rather than dwell on the past. Director Woody Allen does a commendable job making the tone of the film into a breezy character study, making the exploration of Gil's adventures into a light and humorous farce on time travel without dwelling on explaining how Gil traveled 90 years into the past. Speaking of, Owen Wilson displays a lot of grace and charm as Allen's latest surrogate protagonist, rattling off Allen's usual grasp of quick-witted neuroses and literary references that are both funny and thoughtful. 


Rating: * * * * * of 5

The Adjustment Bureau

Starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, John Slattery, and Terrence Stamp

Directed by George Nolfi

Release Date: March 4th, 2011

David Norris (Damon) is a New York Congressman who is about to lose the bid for US Senate. However, his whole night changes the night he met Elise, a free spirited ballerina whose involvement in his life changes his political future. The only problem is, they were never expected to see each other ever again, thanks to the care of THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU. Soon, David is being followed by shadowy men in fedoras who slip in and out of nowhere...


Adapted from a short story by Phillip K. Dick, The Adjustment Bureau brings up the dilemma of free will versus fate, the illusion of chioce that so many people fear in today's climate. The film does a great job of making the Bureau into an ambiguous, nearly omnipotent organization that is merely doing their job, not a villanous cabal out of a comic book. One Bureau member freely admits that they are less angels and more an organziation of case workers. In addition, I enjoyed how this was more light-hearted science-fiction thriller than any other of Dick's movies, such as Total Recall or Paycheck. The Adjustment Bureau is a Sci-fi movie with a great romantic development that will be a good date movie for people that are squemish around seeing a "science-fiction" film. Finally, the film's cast is stupendous, from Damon and Blunt's striking chemistry to the smarmy charm of John Slattery as Richardson.

Rating: * * * * of 5

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The Love Letter

Starring Kate Capshaw, Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Everett Scott, Tom Selleck, Julianne Nicholson, and Blythe Danner

Directed by Peter Ho-Sun Chan

Release Date: May 21st, 1999

A very charming romantic comedy. However, the trailer makes it look as if the letter would be spread through more hands than just helen (Capshaw) and Janet (DeGeneres). It's a very charming tale, about a mysterious letter that changes the lives of people in the small town of Loblolly by the sea, including a college student, a fireman, and a librarian. Plus, I love the soft, enchanting musical score for the movie, setting the tone perfectly.

Rating: * * * * of 5

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Summer Wars

Summer Wars


Original title: Samā Wōzu

Directed by Mamoru Hosoda

Release Dates:

August 1st, 2009 Japan

December 3rd, 2010 U.S.

What do you get when you mix Facebook, Tron, and familiar elements of a rom-com? You get Summer Wars, the award winning anime from Madhouse Animation and the director of The Girl who Leapt through time.

In the near future, social networks have evolved into a system known as “OZ”, where everyone is online and everything is done through “OZ”; the system is so popular that users are known through their cartoonish avatars rather than by name. An “OZ” systems operator, Kenji Kioso, is a brilliant mathematician but would rather spent all his time through his online avatar. Kenji’s plans soon change as Natsuki Shinohara makes him a proposal to come with him to her great-grandmother’s 90th birthday in Nagano, Japan. What turns out to be a simple request spirals into a mess as it turns out Natsuki has claimed Kenji as her fiancé. At the same time, a mysterious AI program known as Love Machine is wreaking havoc on OZ and it may be up to Kenji and Natsuki’s eccentric family to save the online world!

Summer Wars is a fun, engaging comedy with some great moments peppered through that speak about the importance of family and finding one’s inner strength. I have to applaud the animation team for making each Jinnouchi clan member visually different from one another and to make all the aunts, uncles, and cousins vibrant and unique characters that the audience can fully enjoy. On to the story: it’s not for everyone, but it definitely applies to the current popular culture devoted to how much convenience and ease technology has on our lives. For example, the film cuts between moments in the real world and OZ with relative ease, as if both worlds coexist without much deliberation. Some may find the film’s frantic pace between a comedy of misunderstandings and a technological adventure strange, but I found the story to be very rewarding and that the balance between OZ and the real world adventures to be entertaining and rewarding to anime fans. Speaking of Oz, I genuinely must commend the animation staff for their innovative, mystifying design of the computer world. The cartoonish, exaggerated world of OZ is so beautiful to look at, it’s no wonder the whole world loves to log on.

Rating: * * * * ½ of 5

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She's out of my league

Starring Jay Baruchel and Alice Eve

Directed by Jim Field Smith

Release Date: March 10th, 2010

This is another one of those films where the trailers make the tone more crass, less true to what the filmmakers were going for. When I saw the trailer to this film, it definitely didn't interest me.


Kirk (Baruchel) is lonely: he's still missing his ex-girlfriend who's not only moved on, but is living with his family. At his job, he's an airport screener who's only help are his life-long friends who want him to date again, but constantly remind him he's only a "5". Then he meets Molly (Eve), a beautiful "10" who's interested in Kirk...

We've all had that fear of "I'm not good enough" when in a relationship; that our self-doubts keep us from being happy. Therefore, some people may find Jay Baruchel's stammering and nervous behavior irriating; personally, I found his performance as Kirk to be charming and funny. The film is definitely enjoyable, striking a good balance of realtionship humor and more crass comedy, such as how to prepare for a date or Kirk and his friends getting into an fight at a bowling alley. I also enjoyed the awkardness of Kirk having to deal with his ex-girlfriend living with his parents; you'd hear about the ex hanging around, but this girl takes it to the next level!

She's out of my league is a good comedy; perfect for a first date movie.


Rating: * * * * of 5

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Breakfast af Tiffany's

Starring Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Buddy Ebsen, and Mickey Rooney

Directed by Blake Edwards

Release Date: October 5th, 1961

In New York, a budding writer (Peppard) has met a most interesting person: wild and free socialite Holly Golightly (Hepburn). Dubbing him Fred, Miss Golightly soon becomes an integral part of the young man's life, falling in love with her while trying to understand the mystery of Holly Golightly. As Paul a.k.a Fred tries to melt the heart of Holly, she is attempting to woo the richest men in the country for her own reasons.

Audrey Hepburn was a marvelous actress, a beauty that few have surpassed and Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of her crowing achievements among her marvelous career. The film has a few problems, but the biggest is Mickey Rooney's racist depiction of an asian man; suffice it to say, the screenwriter should have been embarrassed to create such a caricature, even in 1961.Also, despite how amazing Hepburn is, Pepard is merely playing the reliable boy-friend role in the film. I liked Peppard in the film, but it clear to see that Hepburn is truly the more energetic/memorable of the two; Peppard is just good. Still, Breakfast at Tiffany's is a wonderful romantic comedy that made Hepburn an icon.

Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5

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 Breakfast at Tiffany's

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Leap Year

Starring Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, Adam Scott, and John Lithgow

Directed by Anand Tucker

Release Date: January 8th, 2010

Anna (Adams) has her whole life figured out: perfect job, perfect boyfriend, perfect apartment, and soon she figures he'll give her the perfect proposal. Only to her surprise, Jeremy (Scott) gives her earrings instead of an engagement ring. Soon, Anna is off to Ireland to meet Jeremy so that she can propose to him on Leap Day, according to an Irish tradition mentioned in passing by her father (Lithgow). Once her plane is delayed and only two days to get to Dublin, Anna must rely on Declan (Goode), a cynical taxi driver who may change her life's perspective in the process.
Sure, you know how the movie's gonna end up, but that's not why I enjoyed the movie so much. Honestly, I enjoyed the chemistry between Adams and Goode, and the level of comedy on camera between the two. Adams is most certainly showing her natural talent as a comedianne, and Goode displays his rogueish charm and brings a smarmy attitude toward Anna (Adams)'s penchant toward romanticizing Leap Day and all other Irish traditions.
 
Rating: * * * * of 5

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Leap Year

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When in Rome (2010)

Starring Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Will Arnett,Jon Heder, and Danny Devito

Directed by Mark Steven Johnson

Release Date January 29, 2010
After being humilated by her ex-boyfriend, Beth (Kristen Bell) is a skeptic when it comes to love. So when her younger sister enters into a whirlwind marriage in Rome, Beth joins into the wedding party and meets Nick, a charming sports reporter. But, after spying Nick and another woman outside the famous Fountain of Love, Beth foolishly plucks five coins out of the fountain where five men are struck with a curse that puts them head over heel in love with Beth. Will Beth find the way to break the curse to get rid of such crazy suitors as a street magician (Heder) or an egomaniac model (Shepard), or at long last find true love?

I will admit, the trailers for this movie were atrocious: they made Bell look annoying, and the tone set in 2 minutes' time didn't make me feel like giving this rom-com a chance. However, to my surprise, When in Rome has a lot going for it with good chemistry with the romantic leads, and some good comedy from the suitors. Is there a weakpoint? One of Nick's buddies is horribly written and the actor's portrayal of this character feels like he was channeling Jonah Hill in a C- performance. Other than that misstep in static characterization, When in Rome is a goofy, lighthearted comedy with a great leading lady and a charming love interest in Duhamel.

Rating: * * * * of 5

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Vicky Christina Barcelona

Starring Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem

Directed by Woody Allen

Release Date: May 17, 2008

For a movie that's been touted as a funny and seductive romantic, I found it boring and stupid. Call me a skeptic or a cynic, but I just couldn't belive any of the characters romantic motivations or decisions made, also I didn't find Penelope Cruz's character to be alluring or interesting; I found her to be annoying with bipolar emotions and major jealousy issues for anyone who shares a bed with her ex-husband. Maybe it's because I haven't had a fling with a mysterious european, but I just found Javier Bardem's character to be more promiscuous than romantic, and his unwilling desire to leave his feelings for Maria Elena in the past to be dumb, just dumb. The only thing the movie does well is film the country of Spain; the cinematography is stunning. Other than that, it's an unfunny, ludicrious "romance" with an ending that feels lazy.

Rating: * * of 5

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