gabi-12 Reviews

Imagine Me & You (2005)

What would happen if the girl from "Coyote Ugly" moved to London and got married?

[8/10 · 15 December 2007]

... she would become a lesbian. All bad movie comparisons aside, "Imagine Me & You" has become one of my favorite romantic comedies, ever since I "forgot" to return the DVD to Blockbuster.

It starts out a little rocky - Rachel is about to get married, and locks eyes across the room with her florist, as she's walking down the aisle. An opening scene like that has you thinking, "Oh no. This entire movie is based on a love at first sight connection that happened... on this girl's wedding day?!" Usually, those sorts of things bother me in movies - cheating spouses, lying to your spouse, a whole love story that happens while one of the parties is supposedly married to someone else. But the chemistry between Piper Perabo and Lena Headey is so charming, and the rest of the characters are so affable that it's easy to forget about the slightly illogical premise.

My favorite thing about this move is that it easily becomes a lesbian movie without an agenda. Rachel and Luce fall in love just as easily and charmingly as any straight couple in a Sandra Bullock movie, which is refreshing and delightful to watch. By mid-film, you're wondering whether "Dance Dance Revolution" might be a good idea for your next date. By the end, you're practicing shouting soccer profanity from your diaphragm.

No idea what I'm talking about? You'll just have to watch the movie to find out.

Gray Matters (I) (2006)

When all is said and done, it's nothing but a cute romantic comedy

[5/10 · 15 December 2007]

Sure, there are a lot of things in "Gray Matters" that don't make sense. Some of the casting is slightly off, sometimes the characters slip into dialogue that seems to be cribbed from an after school special, sometimes the characters conveniently forget things just for the sake of moving the plot along. However, despite the obvious missteps, "Gray Matters", in the end, remains watchable and entertaining.

The film begins the way a lot of romantic comedies begin - with dancing. Sam and Gray waltz around a New York City loft, easily imitating scenes from their shared love of 1940's musicals. They seem the perfect couple - if only they weren't related... and therein lies the, yes, I'll admit - thin and silly premise upon which the film is based. You see, Sam and Gray are best friends and siblings. They grew up together, they live together, they speak in dialogue reminiscent of screwball comedies (or Lorelai and Rory from "Gilmore Girls", if that's the reference you prefer). Enter Bridget Moynahan as Charlie, the love interest they are about to share, to shake up their entire relationship and Gray's entire world. A wacky love triangle ensues, as do many, many romantic comedy clichés, made all the more clear by Molly Shannon as Gray's kooky best friend.

Misunderstandings and secrets abound as Gray starts to figure out who she really is, Charlie doesn't have a clue about anything, and Sam grows increasingly nervous. Despite all the silliness and illogical plot transitions, though, "Gray Matters" is, at its heart, a sweet, positive coming out movie. If you can suspend disbelief long enough to believe Heather Graham as a woman questioning her sexuality, it's easy to relate to her realization and subsequent meltdown, and the film takes just the right tone. The film has just enough exuberance to help you get over the illogical ending, too.

Granted, "Kissing Jessica Stein" does what this film attempts to do so much better, but nonetheless, "Gray Matters" is entertaining and fun.

Rent (2005)

"How do you connect in an age where strangers, landlords, lovers, your own blood cells betray..."

[5/10 · 27 November 2005]

I kind of loved this movie, but I also kinda hated it. For all the reasons that Chris Columbus should be shot, if he was, then this movie wouldn't exist in the first place, and that's probably a bad thing, if only because now us Rent-heads can buy the undoubtedly overpriced DVD and see it come to life anytime we want instead of just listening to it. The fact that the voices on it are almost exactly the same as the ones on our soundtracks just makes it all the better to watch on repeat.

The casting of the original Broadway cast was brilliant, even if they showed signs of age. These are the people who made Rent happen in the first place, the first actors to lend voice to Larson's songs, and the only cast who got to work with Larson himself. Even if Columbus didn't himself understand what point he was trying to make, these actors sure did, and if it weren't for them, the film would have made even less sense.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what the message of Rent is, especially in 2005. That's part of the problem with the film - it's set in 1989 (which we only learn through a voice over), but it looks very much like 2005. No one bothered to date it beyond the one line telling us what year it is.

The problem with a 2005 movie version of this story is that it was written during a very specific time, about a very specific time in the composer's life. Much of it is based on him and his friends hanging out in NY while he was trying to write musicals. Somehow, all of that comes through in the play, even recently, but not so much in the film. So a musical set during the height of the AIDS crisis works brilliantly when you know that it was written against a backdrop of grunge rock and Gen X slackerdom. But give it a glossy Hollywood make over, and suddenly it feels a little lost. I feel like if you didn't know all that about the original material, and have never seen this story before, you might wonder why you're supposed to care about these self righteous artist-types who happen to have AIDS.

There was a lot about this movie that didn't make sense, but I blame that on Columbus's lack of directing skills and tendency to make things more simplistic than they should be. Why take out the line informing us that Roger's ex girlfriend killed herself? Perhaps Roger's constant moping would have made a teeny bit more sense of they had included that in the "One Song Glory" flashback. Why reduce Mimi's relationship with Benny to one line towards the end, so that when it does surface, it seems as if it came from nowhere? Nevermind Columbus's obvious lack of competence and reverence for musicals. It felt as if right before pre production started, he said to himself, "ok, gotta do some research." So he watched "West Side Story" and "Moulin Rouge." Which is why I hated "The Tango Maureen." Because it looked exactly like the Tango scene in "Moulin Rouge." And why I hated "Rent," because it looked like the opening scene in "West Side Story," as did pretty much any scene in this movie which had the characters walking/dancing down the street. You could tell Columbus had trouble committing to the fact that Rent is, in fact, a musical, and because of this, the random breaking into song looked a little jarring at times. Especially since the lines that are usually sung were changed to dialogue, making it look even weirder when all of a sudden it turns into a song. Also, the dialogue rhymed. That was weird.

After all that, it probably looks like I REALLY hated this movie. Except here's the part where I loved it: It was Rent. On the big screen. With the original cast. Singing. Just like they do on the soundtrack. Fortunately, even though he missed the point in some respects, Columbus didn't mess with it enough to ruin its original images and message. I loved seeing "La Vie Boheme," the same way it looks on stage, on screen. I loved seeing Angel in her Santa suit. I loved seeing that reconnection between Mark and Roger during "What You Own," my very favorite song in the whole musical. I loved seeing Idina Menzel belt out "Over the Moon" as if she actually believes it. I was moved by seeing the members of the Life Support meeting disappear (in fact, this was the only part of the film that I found especially moving). I was emotional during Angel's funeral, and Jesse L. Martin kicked ass on his version of "I'll Cover You." The performances really saved this movie, I think, and for me, Anthony Rapp kind of stole the show.

As for the cheesy ending where Mimi comes back to life, Jonathan Larson was quoted once as saying this: "It's not how many years you live, but how you fulfill the time you spend here...that's sort of the point of the show." For all of its misgivings, I think that point does manage to come across relatively well in the film. Whether or not we've remembered the point by the time we get to the end is a whole other story.

The Company (2003)

Finally... a ballet movie about ballet

[12 January 2004]

"The Company" is everything movies like "Center Stage" try to be: it's a ballet movie that's actually, seriously, about ballet. It's not about anything else, and besides dancing, not much else happens. But honestly, in a movie that is strictly about ballet, dancing is about all I want to happen.

Unlike other soap opera like films that are merely set in the world of ballet, "The Company"'s plot actually revolves around the day to day life of The Joffrey Ballet. The action in the film is continuous, with no definite beginning or end, and no stopping point, because that's what life is like for these dancers - they just go about their business, doing their job every day. When watching it, once you settle in to the fluidity of the story, you're just amazed and intrigued at how these people spend their time. Although some viewers have complained that the movie has no plot, and therefore no conflict, I saw it as completely the opposite.

There were definitely relationships with the dancers' parents, money issues, injuries, romance, all of those things - but you have to really pay attention to notice some of them. I liked the subtlety of Neve Campbell's relationship with her mother, as if it's just something she deals with every day. I liked the ho-hum quality of the dancer who rents out her living room for $8.50 a night to other dancers, as if she's just doing what she needs to make ends meet, nothing more or less. Unlike films like "Center Stage" or "Fame," there was no melodrama, no climactic scene where people yell at each other, and no hostile takeovers of the ballet company. Instead, we were able to see the dancers' emotions and heartaches through their dancing, with minimal dialogue and schmaltz.

Neve Campbell, who was once a professional dancer in real life, plays Ry, an up and coming ballerina who gets her big break when she gets to take over for an injured dancer. Throughout the film, she breaks up with one boyfriend and gets another, deals with her mother, and tries to move up in the ranks of the ballet company. Although I've always been a fan of hers, in this film I was most impressed with her dancing. I found that you could see the character development through her dancing, and that she effectively expressed herself through the movement. And for those of you who were skeptical about her part time job as a waitress - I'm not entirely convinced that apprentices at ballet companies get paid all that much, and actually found myself wondering how she affords that gorgeous apartment with the bathtub.

James Franco plays Ry's boyfriend, and Malcolm McDowell, in one of the most interesting parts of the movie, plays the company's artistic director, Mr. A. Mr. A was an intriguing character - he's one of those people who is constantly spewing stuff that doesn't make any sense, even though he thinks he's the most important person in the world. Watching him spew stuff, and then seeing how the rest of the company reacts, along with how much of what he wants actually gets done, was one of the enlightening parts of the movie - it really showed how a ballet company might be run.

Aside from the subtleties of the script and the acting, there was, of course, the dancing. The last time I saw the Joffrey Ballet perform was when they were still based in New York, so watching all those ballets was a treat for me. My one complaint is that although I admired Altman's direction of the film as a whole, I wished he would leave the camera in one place. I feel as though ballet is something that needs to be viewed as if it were on stage and we're in the audience, so that we can see the whole ballet - the corps as well as the principles, and the sets along with the dancers all at the same time. What ends up happening with all the weird camera angles is that I found myself looking at the dancer's feet when I want to be seeing the choreography, or staring at their butt when I want to see the intricate footwork. In this way, the camera work took away from the dancing. Since the movie is intrinsically about dancing, it was disappointing to take anything away from it.

All in all, "The Company" was an excellent film, a long awaited vignette into the world of ballet.

Kissing Jessica Stein (2001)

A must see!

[6 April 2002]

For the first time in a really long time, I saw a romantic comedy in which I could not predict the ending until, well, the very end. Even at one point when I thought it was going to end, there were still more plot twists. As a big fan of the romantic comedy genre, this concept thrills me to no end.

In the film, Jessica Stein, a neurotic Jewish New Yorker is sick of dating loser men, and come to think of it, lacks true female friends as well. So one day, her interest is piqued by a quote included in a "women seeking women" personal ad. She then meets Helen Cooper, and embarks on a journey she's not entirely sure she wants to take. Her mother, played by Tovah Feldshuh (who else could portray the sympathetic Jewish mother), though, knows all along that it's a necessary journey for her daughter to figure out how to include love in her life.

Also joining her are Josh, her boss and ex boyfriend (played Gilmore Girls' Scott Cohen) who still has a crush on her, her younger brother Danny, whose impending marriage does nothing to help Jessica's view on her failed love life, and her very pregnant friend whose lifestyle serves as the complete opposite of Jessica's newfound freedom.

The ending is the best part - it allows us to understand what Jessica's relationships, not only with other people, but with herself, are all about. It allows us to see in Jessica what her mother has known all along. By the end of the film, we realize what Jessica has finally realized - she was so busy trying to find the perfect guy, she forgot to include much needed friends and family into the mix.

Rather than preaching to the choir about the advantages of lesbianism or trying too hard to be politically correct or religiously correct or any kind of correct, "Stein" really gets to the heart of human relationships. The film examines that line between friendship and romantic love, and the importance of friendship. Plus, its hilarious, packed with one liners like "sexy-ugly" and "marinate," (trust me - just see the movie) and little tributes to its predecessors, like "When Harry Met Sally" and "Annie Hall."

By the end of the film, you realize that in fact, the film is not about sexual identity or preference at all. It's about being true to yourself, and learning to have faith in love and friendship.

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

"My gift is my song..."

[20 December 2001]

I just watched the DVD of Moulin Rouge, for the second time after seeing it months ago in the theater, and absolutely fell in love with it. It's a visually complicated film that definitely takes more than one viewing to completely process, but that's the joy of it - each viewing brings more and more movie joy. The extra commentaries, dance sequences, interviews with the choreographer and behind the scenes footage definitely help in understanding and enjoying this wonderful, colorful and just plain fun movie.

I've never thought Nicole Kidman was anything special, but she is surprisingly AMAZING in this film. Although the rest of the cast sparkles, Kidman immediately stands out as the true star of this film. She sings and dances as if she's been doing musicals her whole life, and brings life, charm and wit to a character that could easily become boring and cliched. She plays Satine, a courtesan in 19th century Paris whose one rule is to never fall in love. Enter Ewan McGregor, who plays a bohemian writer, and all the rules are broken.

This storyline has been done a thousand times (everywhere from Pretty Woman to Dangerous Liaisons), but add Kidman's sparkling performance, McGregor's earnesty, and the brilliant medley of pop songs that fuel the film, and you have a hit.

Although many reviewers have called the film's use of pre-existing pop songs unoriginal, I think the music is one of its strongest points... what's the point of watching a musical if you can't sing along to it, anyway? Besides, watch any Rodgers and Hammerstein era musical, and you wonder, "why are they all of a sudden singing?" In Moulin Rouge, the characters use existing lyrics and musical notes to convey in song feelings and stories that words alone just could not describe.

My only grievance is that due to the MTV/ADD addled style of editing, many of the brilliant dance sequences are hard to get a grasp of, and the camera often bounces to something else when all you want to see is the sprawling choreography. However, thats what DVD's that include video footage of the dance rehearsals are for, after all...

Pearl Harbor (2001)

Shallow summer blockbuster

[7 June 2001]

With all of the money spent on "Pearl Harbor," it leaves the audience wondering why the filmmakers couldn't have spent a few extra dollars to hire a decent screenwriter. The dialogue was sappy, full of clichés, and worst of all, boring. This being said, its not surprising that the most magical, touching, and exciting parts of the movie came when the thinly drawn characters said nothing at all.

As for all of those people so concerned with the film's historical accuracy - forget about it. This movie doesn't come anywhere near realistic. From the first glitzy shot of a wheat field in Tennessee a la the English Patient; to the triumphant pilots marching into their planes a la Armageddon (not coincidentally, also produced by Bay and Bruckheimer); to Ben Affleck waving an American flag and emerging as the hero, this film was clearly made to look and feel like a summer blockbuster rather than a war biopic.

Forgetting about plot or characters for a minute, Bay and Bruckheimer did what they do best - shot an exciting, expensive action movie (starring an exciting, expensive Hollywood star). The special effects and action scenes served their purpose, with the audience on the edge of their seats while planes flew overhead and battleships blew up for a good forty minutes. Other than the ineffective, nauseating, shaky camera shots, and blurred shots of the victims in the aftermath, the direction was decent. However, "all that" (as described by Beckinsale in the film) was over after an hour and a half of the over three-hour movie, leaving us wondering what could possibly be left of this story.

This is where the film takes its most downward turn, as we discover that there truly is nothing else to be said (especially with that mundane dialogue). The second half of the movie could've been a whole other movie, while screenwriter Randall Wallace tried to cram in all that he could into the already too long three-hour film. Affleck, Beckinsale and Hartnett were all fine choices for their characters (even though Beckinsale looked a little too similar to Liv Tyler in Armageddon), but were not given much to work with. I was more convinced of their love by Affleck gazing into Beckinsale's eyes than I was when they actually spoke. Furthermore, their romance is turned into even bigger schmaltz when it becomes an ill-fated (and ill-scripted) triangle between Rafe (Affleck), Evelyn (Beckinsale), and Rafe's best friend, Danny (Hartnett).

One more thing: if you're going to make a self-aware summer blockbuster, please don't base it on an important historical event. You might even try writing an original screenplay next time.

Magnolia (1999)

Amazing, original film

[11 February 2001]

I've been meaning to see Magnolia for the longest time, and I just rented it tonight. It was the weirdest, most random, most amazing and simply the coolest film I have ever seen. I was so amazed at the intricate plots and characters.

It makes me wonder how directors and writers like P.T. Anderson come up with stuff like that... that takes an amazing amount of talent and a really passionate and interesting way of looking at the world. I thought it was fascinating how he dissected the characters' relationships with each other, their relationships with themselves, and the commentary it made on society as a whole.

Towards the beginning of the movie, a friend who was watching it with me commented (during one of Tom Cruise's speeches), "That's like everything that's wrong with our society." As the film wore on, that became more and more pervasive as we watched these characters' downward spiral, with only some to be lifted back up again.

I also really loved the idea that everything happens for a reason, and by the end of the film we have thoroughly explored each character's psyche and we realize why they act the way they do. I especially loved Tom Cruise's character's breakdown at the end of the film.

The few things I'm still not clear on... Why the title, "Magnolia?" I didn't pick up on any references to it during the movie. I'm also not sure if the frogs were supposed to be a plague like the obvious reference to the bible, or cathartic like some reviewers have suggested.

This movie was nothing I have ever seen before, which makes it a great work of art.

The Ice Storm (1997)

Brilliant Movie

[6 August 2000]

The Ice Storm is aan amazing character study and period piece. Compared to "American Beauty" (which it frequently is) this movie is ten times better. Unlike the larger than life characters of American Beauty, whom are hard to believe are real people, the characers of The Ice Storm are very real. The symbolism, imagery and themes are much more subtle than Beauty and therefore make a much bigger impact. That said, it is just and amazing movie that must be seen!

Center Stage (2000)

Choreography stands out in ‘Center Stage'

[21 May 2000]

Imagine "Fame." Then add the choreography of "The Turning Point," and replace Baryshnikov with American Ballet Theater (ABT) principal Ethan Stiefel. Now add a dash of "A Chorus Line," and just a pinch of originality. Cook it for about two hours and then you'll have "Center Stage."

This new addition to the dance movie franchise has everything you could want in a dance movie - amazing choreography, grueling footage of bleeding feet, tough teachers, bad actors, and most importantly, it actually does make you want to dance. Writer Carol Heikkinen even adds some eating disorders, sexual escapades, typical teenage problems, and of course, the obligatory pushy stage mother.

At the center of all this is Jody Sawyer, a cute Jennie Garth look alike (actually played by the San Francisco Ballet's Amanda Schull) who wants nothing else but to be a principal dancer in the fictional American Ballet Company (which seems to be based loosely on the New York City Ballet). As she unloads her luggage, Cooper Nielsen (Stiefel) rides up in his oh so cool motorcycle, immediately setting up the love triangle which dominates most of the plot. Jody is immediately infatuated with Cooper, who is a dead ringer for Baryshnikov, not only in his dancing style, but in his reputation with women. Unfortunately, Cooper has better things to worry about, like Kathleen (ABT's Julie Kent). Also competing for Jody's affection is Charlie, who genuinely cares for her, but can't compete with Cooper's bad boy image.

The rest of the film chronicles Jody and her new friends as they each compete for one of the three spots offered within the company. Among her diverse gang are: Eva (Zoe Saldana), an amazing dancer with a bad attitude; Maureen ("10 Things I Hate About You"'s Susan May Pratt) whose pushy stage mother a la Mama Rose doesn't realize that her heart is just not in it; and Sergei, (figure skater Ilia Kulik) the token Russian. However, the plot seemed secondary in this movie, being overshadowed by the inspiring choreography. Director Nicholas Hytner ("The Object of my Affection") intersperses the weak dialogue with fresh dance sequences, making the movie that much more exciting for dance fans.

The movie opens with the chaotic audition into ABA, where the audience is introduced to the characters, not by their personalities but through their dancing. Jody has bad turnout, Eva has a bad attitude, and Maureen is a snob. The initial dance sequence illustrates these qualities, mostly through movement, which is the goal of a good choreographer. Ironically, the best dance scenes in the movie were those in which the students were not performing, but rather auditioning, taking class or rehearsing. These sequences featured not only interesting choreography, but because these actors can dance better than they can act, the audience gets to know the characters better than through the unconvincing dialogue.

The opening sequence also introduces the audience to Juliette (Donna Murphy), the retired ballerina who is now a teacher, and Jonathan (Peter Gallagher) the Balanchine-like head of the company and choreographer. These two eventually become the most interesting characters in the movie, providing the audience with another perspective and the characters with advice, whether its what they want to hear or not.

At one point, Jody gets sick of the strict world of ballet, and opts for an up tempo jazz class at a popular studio on Broadway. Representing the complete opposite of the stifled feeling she gets from ballet, the class features an enthusiastic teacher, colorful clothing, and choreography by Broadway veteran Susan Stroman. Although it was hard to believe that these students would be able to perform the choreography perfectly after only one class, the audience was willing to suspend disbelief in order to revel in the excitement of Jody's liberation from ballet, and harbor their own dreams of becoming dancers.

The film culminates in a recital reminiscent of "Fame," where each student gets to show off his or her talent to scouts from ballet companies. The highlight of the show is Cooper's ballet, starring Jody, also choreographed by Stroman. Cooper reaffirms his bad boy image by choreographing a rock ballet which inevitably reflects the events of the film. Alternating between a Broadway dance number and an MTV video, the dancers change costumes every thirty seconds, which is also about every time the music changes. However, the powerful choreography made this one of the best moments in the film, allowing the dancers to really shine. The dancing is so believable that for a moment you forget you're watching a movie and want to applaud for these talented dancers. Returning to ballet pays off for Jody, as she enjoys her standing ovation and puts her faith back into the dream of becoming a ballerina.

Here on Earth (2000)

Contrived, silly movie

[25 March 2000]

After seeing `Here on Earth,' it is strikingly obvious that Leelee Sobieski would make a perfect model - she is great at standing around and looking pretty for the camera, and never once did we see her in an unflattering outfit, pose, or even with messy hair. However, it seems that is all she is good at. Her acting skills do not go beyond her aesthetic qualities, making for an extremely dull character. Additionally, it didn't help that she was given lines that sounded more like cliches than actual sentences, or that her character was written as completely wishy-washy. All of that said, add in two good looking guys who had even less personality, a small town in Western Massachusetts (which was actually filmed in Minnesota) and an obligatory kissing-in-the-rain scene, and you have the disaster that is `Here on Earth.'

Perhaps the underlying problem of the movie is that the plot was not only one big cliche,but a cliche stolen from countless other movies. Sobieski plays Samantha, a recent high school graduate with no money who dreams of attending medical school. For most of high school, she has been dating her lifelong best friend, Jasper (Josh Hartnett). Just as they are about to carve their names into the `lover's wall' in her family's restaurant, rich kid Kelley (Chris Klein) swoops into town and steals Sam's heart. Obviously, Jasper and Kelley don't get along well, which is very unfortunate considering that they are forced to live together after they burn down Sam's restaurant during a drag race. Unfortunately, the audience is then forced to sit through about an hour of Sam's developing relationship with Kelley, while she strings Jasper along because she doesn't have the guts to tell him she's moved on.

Although this has the potential to be a heartwarming love story, it is ruined by the sappy and contrived dialogue. It felt as though writer Michael Seitzman just jotted down every single pick up line he had ever tried and failed at, and then decided that even though they failed in real life, they might work in the movies. As a result, the audience was forced to sit through such conversations as Kelly asking Sam (referring to her father), `Do you always bring the sheriff on dates?' to which she replies (with about as much enthusiasm as a rock), `Not if I'm the one breaking the law.' Yawn. A particularly excruciating moment was when the couple, after running through a sprawling meadow, shares an intimate moment reminiscent of Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler in Armageddon. After Kelley names all of Sam's body parts after states, he finally calls her lips Massachusetts, to which she replies, `Massachusetts welcomes you.'

Amused yet? That's not all. In an effort to either move the audience, or make us laugh even harder (it was hard to tell by this point), Sam discovers she has terminal illness à la Love Story. Note to director Mark Piznarski: Although this simple plot device worked for Love Story thirty years ago, that kind of sappiness just doesn't cut it when your cast can barely muster up any kind of emotion.

Needless to say, the audience was in hysterics (with laughter) by the end. Because of this instinct to just laugh at it, the movie was enjoyable in that guilty pleasure, Lifetime movie kind of way. Plus, it had that pretty song with that guy from 98 Degrees...

Cruel Intentions (1999)

Deliciously trashy!

[12 March 2000]

Unlike many other teen movies that have recently come onto the scene, this one is unique and unpredictable. Although you can't take it too seriously (nor does it expect you to), "Cruel Intentions" is way more entertaining and interesting than anything I have seen in a long time, especially anything with those WB kids.

Taking the story of "Dangerous Liaisons" and translating it to rich teenagers, this film is filled with interesting little intricacies. Although it's true that in the tradition of "Dawson's Creek," these kids speak as though their lives were scripted by a soap opera writer, that's because they are! Suspending disbelief and living in the fantasy world of these rich kids is one of the true joys of the movie, along with some deliciously hot sex scenes and Sarah Michelle Gellar spewing foul language.

Unlike many recent teen movies, such as "American Pie," underneath the foul language and graphic sex scenes, there is still an interesting and intricate plot, which leaves viewers shocked and baffled, not to mention entertained. Gellar is amazing as the supreme bitch of the bunch, spewing lines like, "I'm the Marcia f--ing Brady of the Upper East Side..."

However, if you try to take it too seriously, the plot becomes ridiculous, inane and unbelievable. So sit back, make some popcorn, and laugh along with this highly entertaining movie!

The Next Best Thing (2000)

Lukewarm comedy/drama

[11 March 2000]

For those of you who were wondering whatever possessed Madonna to remake Don McLean's classic song, `American Pie,' see `The Next Best Thing.' If nothing else, the film certainly provided a newfound appreciation for Madonna's updated version of the song, which appears several times in the film. The single and the film share the same tone - modern and almost ominous at times.

`The Next Best Thing' stars Madonna (sporting that annoying British accent) as Abbie, a Yoga instructor who longs for a family, but feels she is way past her prime. Rupert Everett, in a role similar to his character in `My Best Friend's Wedding' co-stars as her gay best friend, Robert. After about twenty minutes of friendly banter reminiscent of `The Object of My Affection,' the film takes some unexpected twists and turns, leaving the audience exhausted by the end.

When one of Abbie and Robert's friends passes away, they spend the night drinking and trashing the house where Robert works as a gardener. After ending up in bed together, Robert learns that he has fathered a child whom Abbie is now pregnant with. Flash forward six years, and the three are a happy, picturesque American family. However, what lies underneath this seemingly happy family is a bubble waiting to burst, as Abbie and Robert never explain to their son, Sam, why they never sleep in the same room, or why is Robert is called a `faggot' by Sam's friends. Cue good looking investment banker, Ben, (played by Benjamin Bratt) who falls in love with Abbie, and the family is torn apart.

The film turns from witty family comedy to weighty drama when Abbie considers following Ben to New York and taking Sam with her. What ensues is a nasty court battle that while providing some moving moments, didn't seem to make sense. The entire storyline seemed as if transplanted from another movie. The characters departed so far from their personalities that it made the entire idea seem removed from the rest of the movie. Abbie and Robert, who once were each other's best friends, seem to care more about winning than saving their friendship. Although she raised Sam with him for six years, moving to New York and ditching Robert doesn't seem to be a problem for Abbie. Never mind the kid, the idea that their friendship has been destroyed was the most heart wrenching part of the film.

In `The Next Best Thing,' Madonna plays the character she does best - herself, and she does do it well. Her newfound confidence and image as loving mother translated well to screen, providing for some of the film's most moving moments. Everett and Madonna play off each other well, making their friendship believable. Everett was his usual charming self, adding a sarcastic comment whenever possible and providing all of the funny lines. Although this typecasting made the movie seem dull at times, the actors did what they do best. However, the most interesting characters were the supporting roles that left the audience wanting to know more about them at the end. Neil Patrick Harris was intriguing as Abbie and Robert's friend David who just lost his lover to AIDS; Malcolm Stumpf was equally charming as their son Sam, displaying much potential as an actor.

The film provided some very funny as well as moving moments, all the while posing some interesting questions about the meaning of family and friendship. That Abbie and Robert's friendship could take such a quick downward turn from the introduction of just one extra person made the audience wonder how easily a friendship can be destroyed, and how much it takes to keep it going. Although the film provoked many emotions, much of the plot seemed unnecessary or so out of character that it was unbelievable.

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Great Movie!

[25 January 2000]

The most striking and yet most frustrating part of `Girl, Interrupted' is that everybody that's been 19 years old can relate to Susanna, the main character. Based on her memoir, the film portrays Susanna Kaysen's short stay in a famous mental hospital, supposedly to cure her `borderline personality disorder.' Set in the late 1960's, Winona Ryder effectively portrays Kaysen.

In a tradition reminiscent of Holden Caulfield, the audience knows there is nothing actually wrong with Kaysen, except that she is a typical teenager, and refuses to conform to the life her parents want for her. However, after spending some time with her ward mates and numerous doctors, she starts to believe that she is insane, but can't understand why or what exactly is wrong with her. At one point, she asks a sympathetic nurse (played by Whoopi Goldberg) how she is expected to be cured if she doesn't even understand her illness. Throughout the film, writer James Mangold's exploration of Kaysen's changing emotions and attempts to understand her `illness' is captivating.

However, even more fascinating than Kaysen herself were the supporting characters. Perhaps the most striking of these characters though, is Lisa, played by Angelina Jolie. Jolie completely immerses herself in the role, and gives a moving, intriguing and haunting performance as Susanna's best friend at the hospital. Although Ryder does an excellent job portraying the earnestness and confusion of her character, Jolie is the true star of this movie.

Adapted from Kaysen's memoir, the film works well to bring Kaysen's' words to life. The parts that were altered for the screenplay made sense, allowing the story to translate well to the screen. Additionally, the length of the film allowed for more depth and details to be explored, which sometimes left out of Kaysen's short novel. Thus, the film helped add onto and bring more understanding to characters which were introduced in the novel.

The Object of My Affection (1998)

I love this movie!

[25 January 2000]

I don't know exactly what it is about this movie, but I love it, and am absolutely addicted to it. Although I have never had a relationship like that of Nina (Jennifer Aniston) and George (Paul Rudd), I find myself relating completely to the characters, and am moved by the wedding scene every time.

Jennifer Aniston is one of my favorite actresses, and does an excellent job in this movie. She has an amazing amount of poise and confidence on screen, and is able to portray so many emotions with just her eyes. Paul Rudd is equally genuine, making them a perfect match. What results is a moving account of the relationship between a gay man and a straight woman, who just happens to be in love with him.

As a romantic comedy, it does better than most, forcing the viewer to think about different kinds of relationships, as well as breaking the played out formula of every other romantic comedy. Aside from a few cheesy, unoriginal lines ("I never want to lay eyes on you again!" and "I'll talk to you about poetry") Wendy Wasserstein's script is both moving and funny, and really hits the spot.

My one issue with the movie, even after seeing it over and over again is the casting of John Pankow (TV's "Mad About You") as Vince, Nina's boyfriend and father of her child. He is so annoying and unappealing, it makes you wonder why she was ever with him or attracted to him in the first place.

Despite its few (very few) faults, "The Object of my Affection" remains one of my favorite movies. Jennifer Aniston captivates me on the screen, and I just cannot stop watching this movie.

Down to You (2000)

Could've been great, but suffered from a bad script

[1/10 · 23 January 2000]

After seeing `Down To You,' you might wonder whether Freddie Prinze, Jr. even has more than one facial expression. His one puppy-dog like expression seemed endearing in the first fifteen minutes of the movie, but later translated to simply bad acting. In his new movie, Prinze plays Al Connelly, a college student searching for love, among other things.

When he meets freshman Imogen, played by the lovely Julia Stiles, he is immediately fascinated by her. Unfortunately, the audience doesn't get to revel in this too long, because ten minutes later they were sleeping together, and soon after that, acting like an old married couple. The movie chronicles their tale of first love, along with every obstacle in between, such as Al's friend who directs porn movies, and his father, who wants to start with a Cops -like cooking show with his son.

At the beginning, this seemed like a wonderful idea for a movie. The first fifteen minutes were a sweet, almost realistic account of first love, which many people could relate to. A particularly endearing moment was when Al tells the camera, `I thought this would last forever,' after describing a romantic moment shared by the couple. However, all of the potential of this movie was shattered when all of a sudden, in a moment of 90210 like melodrama, Imogen thinks she's pregnant. Of course, this event is the beginning of their problems for the rest of the movie.

The film continues its downward spiral, culminating an unrealistic and contrived ending. Prinze and Stiles simply had no chemistry on screen, and by the end, the audience was simply not interested in whether they got together or not. Prinze seemed incapable of showing any emotion, making his character extremely boring and just annoying. On the other hand, Stiles (of 10 Things I Hate About You) was charming as usual, but unfortunately stuck in a bad movie, with no place to show off her talent. Additionally, the supporting cast was no help, awkwardly put in scenes to make badly acted sex jokes, and having no relevant or even interesting purpose.

Written and directed by Kris Isacsson, the movie had some good ideas, but those were quickly overshadowed by too much melodrama and contrived storylines. What could've been an earnest and sweet romance, turned into a boring story with annoying characters.