Reviews of the Last Five Movies that I've Seen, in No Particular Order
- O Brother, Where Art Thou?: I didn't expect to like this one as much as I did. The first half is very slow, but trust me, it does get better as you go along. Even if you're not into Greek mythology, you'll still be able to find something you'd enjoy about the movie, and you'll be surprised by the message of redemption. (Note: I watched this before Hurricane Katrina, so the subplot about the flooding of the Mississippi may actually break your heart. Give what you can.)
- Love Actually: I really wanted to love this film; it's sweet, though it has its own raw moments. It's just that I felt like the plot lines that didn't work really stuck out and basically interfered with the overall tone and flow. The Alan Rickman/Emma Thompson plot, for starters, was a waste of both actors, and the story could've used more heart - either that, or a better resolution. And the whole thing with Laura Linney was an exercise in pointlessness: I've been in a similar situation that her character was in, and even I felt like the writers should never have ended her arc that way - plus, hello, Rodrigo Santoro, who also happens to remind me of a guy that I'm crushing on in real life. Could you blame me for wanting to yell at my TV when it was all over? Also: naked Martin Freeman, which only made me more excited for a special-edition disc of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. (Not like I'm expecting any nudity in that one. Really.)
- Intolerable Cruelty: Again, a movie that had all the right elements but still didn't work out as beautifully as it should. I could see that the Coens were trying for a combination of '50s-style screwball comedy and contemporary satire, but I just felt that all of the characters were totally undercooked. I'm not asking them to be sympathetic, really, but it all came out very cartoonish to me, and I would've liked to see those relationships developed even further. Also, not enough Cedric the Entertainer. Catherine Zeta-Jones is lovely, though, and George Clooney held the leading-man part down nicely. The cinematography is breathtaking, too.
- The Tuxedo: Yes, I saw it on TV. Yes, Jackie Chan has made better movies. And because it can't be said enough: Shut up, Jennifer Love Half-wit. (Least convincing bureaucratic nerd ever - next to Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist and Penelope Cruz as a UNESCO doctor.) Part of me believes this movie would've been so much funnier, even in a craptastic way, if the leads had been played by Will Ferrell and Jennifer Aniston, with either Jackie or Ken Watanabe playing the superspy who ends up in a coma for the rest of the movie.
- Bride and Prejudice: Well, I rented this not too long ago, but I'm glad that I did. Did I already mention that Aishwarya Rai is lovely and Naveen Andrews should ask the producers of Lost for a dance number? I have to warn you, though: This isn't the movie that you want to watch for Oscar-caliber acting, because you'll definitely want to smack around the Caucasian characters in this movie. (And Martin Henderson, too, but I had less of an urge to slap him once his character started to warm up - he is Darcy, after all.) Take it for the great fun movie that it is and let yourself be charmed. Now, if only somebody would make a Bollywood version of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason...
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