March 8th, 2009
Canadian director Anne Wheeler’s “Better than Chocolate” is a wonderful movie about gay women, but it is also moderately about larger issues, such as liberation and acceptance.
Maggie, a sweetly innocent clerk at a lesbian bookstore appropriately called 10% Books, meets intimidating butch Kim one afternoon. After Kim’s van is towed away, they move in together faster than you can say “What the hell are you thinking?” Unfortunately, Maggie’s mother Lila and her teenage brother move in that same night, thanks to Lila’s nasty divorce. What really complicates matters is that Maggie hasn’t come out to her mother yet, and even when she tries, Lila tries to avoid the subject, like she knows what’s coming and doesn’t want to hear it. (Haven’t we all been there?)
Interwoven with this is a dramatic subplot about Judy, a male to female transsexual who’s in love with the bookstore’s owner Frances, who is always freaking out because custom’s officers are holding a list of books she has ordered, claiming the books are obscene and cannot be sold.
The end result is a sweet romantic comedy with a hint of drama, which realistically portraits the problems faced by the lesbian community and how not everyone is willing to accept them. A powerful scene has Judy harassed by another woman for using the ladies room, because she is a man. The woman attacks Judy and begins beating her with a purse, splashing her drink in Judy’s face. This was a tragic and powerful moment that really affected me, making me realize how unaccepting people can be of anything that is slightly different. It is moments like this that really make the movie so much better than other lesbian films.
The title “Better than Chocolate” does not refer to sex, but to love, which Lila is convinced she will never find again now that her husband has admitted he’s been screwing his partner’s wife for more than a year. Since love is doubtful and sex seems out of the question, Lila has turned to chocolate instead.
This is a great movie that really makes you think. It’s wonderfully witty, surprisingly charming, and incredibly funny. It’s the feel-good-movie of 03 that just so happens to be about lesbians. This is highly recommended…is it better than chocolate? Who knows. But it’s one heck of a great movie!!!
Tags: 1990s Date Movies, Better Than Chocolate
Posted in 1990s Date Movies | No Comments »
March 8th, 2009
You’ve seen, I’m sure, numerous movies about teen angst. Every other movie from Hollywood seems to be about it. But they are full of cliches, bagging chicks, and bad humor. They have about as much intelligence as a fart joke.
Pump Up the Volume is different, practically transcendent for the genre. Christian Slater gives his best performance as a teenage shock-jock on a pirate radio station who exposes the seedy, corrupt underbelly of life in banal, hypocritical middle America.
Slater’s character, “Hard Harry,” mixes juvenile jokes with political and social satire, proving mesmerizing to suburban kids in cardboard cutout communities. Of course, the injection of truth into a land ruled by lies leads to a massive reaction from parents, the school principal and even the feds.
The movie also touches on the issues of teen suicide, school testing and the freedoms that our society is supposed to represent but rarely does. What is the ideal of free speech if the minute you exercise it, the government comes down on you like a giant hammer?….
Cast
- Christian Slater as Mark Hunter
- Samantha Mathis as Nora Diniro
- Mimi Kennedy as Marla Hunter
- Scott Paulin as Brian Hunter
- Cheryl Pollak as Paige Woodward
- Annie Ross as Loretta Creswood
- Ahmet Zappa as Jaime
- Billy Morrissette as Mazz Mazzilli
- Seth Green as Joey
- Robert Schenkkan as David Deaver
- Ellen Greene as Jan Emerson
- Andy Romano as Mr. Murdock
- Anthony Lucero as Malcolm Kaiser
- Lala Sloatman as Janie
- James Hampton as Arthur Watts
Tags: 1990s Date Movies, Pump Up The Volume
Posted in 1990s Date Movies | No Comments »
March 8th, 2009
All is well in 007 land, long live Daniel Craig as Bond, James Bond. This was the only Bond I can remember without a super car and laser watch and it was great. The level of energy, the brutal efficiency of the fights, and having Dame Judy Dench reprise her role as “M” all contributed to a fine new start to the series. I hope that they keep the energy up and the number of gadgets down.
The reason I refrain from giving 5 stars is that it simply does not rise to that level. Nothing specific, it just did not inspire me the way a 5 does, nor will it be part of my watch it every year collection. It was greatly entertaining but that is all. The only thing that I can point to is the ending. The ending is a little rushed or unnecessarily complicated; I am not sure which or maybe both.
In the final evaluation I highly recommend this film.
Cast
- Daniel Craig as James Bond: A British agent who, after being assigned 00-status, is sent on a mission to arrest a bomb maker in Madagascar, where he stumbles upon Le Chiffre’s terrorist cell and is then sent to defeat him in a high-stakes poker game at Casino Royale.
- Eva Green as Vesper Lynd: An agent for HM Treasury assigned to supervise Bond and finance his poker table exploits.
- Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre: A banker who services many of the world’s terrorists. He is a mathematical genius and chess expert, and uses these skills when playing poker.
- Judi Dench as M: The strict head of MI6. Though she feels she has promoted Bond too soon and expresses abhorrence of his rash actions, she acts as an important maternal figure in his life. Dench was the only castmember carried through from the Brosnan films.
- Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter: A quiet CIA operative participating in the poker tournament while assisting Bond. This is the first official Bond film in which Leiter is played by a black actor. (The only other black actor to portray Felix Leiter was Bernie Casey in Never Say Never Again, which was not produced by EON.)
- Giancarlo Giannini as René Mathis: Bond’s contact in Montenegro.
- Simon Abkarian as Alex Dimitrios: Another contractor in the international terrorist underworld and associate of Le Chiffre, based in the Bahamas.
- Ivana Mili?evi? as Valenka: Le Chiffre’s girlfriend and henchwoman.
- Caterina Murino as Solange Dimitrios: Dimitrios’s wife, whom Bond seduces. She is killed by Le Chiffre for unintentionally revealing one of his plans to Bond.
- Isaach De Bankolé as Steven Obanno: A feared leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, introduced to Le Chiffre by Mr. White to account his finances.
- Jesper Christensen as Mr. White: A mysterious liaison for an unnamed terrorist organisation.
- Sébastien Foucan as Mollaka: A bombmaker pursued by Bond through a construction site in Madagascar.
- Ludger Pistor as Mendel: A Swiss banker responsible for all monetary transactions during and after the poker tournament.
- Claudio Santamaria as Carlos: A terrorist employed by Le Chiffre to blow up an aircraft.
- Joseph Millson as Carter: An MI6 agent who accompanies Bond in Madagascar.
Tags: 2000s Date Movies, Casino Royale
Posted in 2000s Date Movies | No Comments »
March 8th, 2009
Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald) is having the worst day of her life. Her entire family, including heartless parents, have forgotten her sixteenth birthday. Her stuck-up sister is getting married tomorrow. The hunk of her dreams, Jake Ryan (Michael Shoeffling) doesn’t even know she’s alive – or so she thinks – because he’s going with Caroline Mulford, the shallow, beautiful Big Blond On Campus (Haviland Morris). On top of all that, a sawed-off geek with delusions of coolness (Anthony Michael Hall) has the hots for her.
In a typical movie, the hunk would be totally unable to appreciate Sam, and, after breaking her own heart, she’d realize the cute and lovable geek was really the guy for her. John Hughes, writer and first-time director, plays against expectation by making Jake sensitive, decent, looking for a stable relationship, and quite capable of recognizing in Sam good material for same. Problem: Sam is so shy she flees every time he looks at her, and her reaction makes Jake think she hates his guts. The geek, after drooling over Sam to start, finds surprising reserves of wisdom, persuasiveness, and real coolness in spite of himself, and dedicates his efforts to getting these two together. Sam’s parents turn out to be loving and caring, simply overwhelmed by the insanity of the upcoming wedding. In the end, even Caroline, the shallow, beautiful girlfriend turns out to be not so shallow, after all.
Molly Ringwald is sweetly charming as Sam. Michael Schoeffling and Haviland Morris are beautiful people with real acting ability, both deserving of more successful careers after this movie than they had. John and Joan Cusack have small parts, and it’s interesting to see what they looked like as babies. But it’s Anthony Michael Hall’s portrayal of a pubescent wannabe hustler that makes the movie.
Really the only major negative in this film, that cost it a fifth star with me, is the character of Long Duk Dong, the Chinese exchange student. Why Long Dong (get it?) is even in this movie is beyond me. He’s totally superfluous to the plot, and his characterization is more than a little racist. The fact Sixteen Candles can survive his useless, offensive scenes is a testament to just how strong is the rest of the movie.
Cast
- Molly Ringwald as Samantha Baker
- Justin Henry as Mike Baker
- Michael Schoeffling as Jake Ryan
- Anthony Michael Hall as Farmer Ted, aka “The Geek”
- Gedde Watanabe as Long Duk Dong
- Haviland Morris as Caroline Mulford
- Paul Dooley as Jim Baker
- Carlin Glynn as Brenda Baker
- Blanche Baker as Ginny Baker
- Edward Andrews as Grandpa Howard Baker
- Billie Bird as Grandma Dorothy Baker
Tags: 16 Candles, 1980s Date Movies
Posted in 1980s Date Movies | No Comments »
March 8th, 2009
Set in the early seventies and the time of endlessly touring British and American concept rock bands and told through the eyes of high school kid and wannabe rock journalist William Miller, the movie follows the lives of the up-and-coming fictionalised rock band Stillwater and one of their most special fans, Miss Penny Lane (the excellent Kate Hudson). Whether you were around in the seventies and remember this era (I wasn’t and I don’t) it is hard not to be moved be this rock odyssey as the band move from town to town, squabble to squabble and we watch William grow.
This has everything you’d expect from a movie about a rock band, girls, drink, drugs, fighting and general excessive bad behaviour but it skilfully avoids ever falling into cliché because the characters here are not just rock stars or groupies, they are real people, with human weaknesses and human strengths. Crowe’s writing and direction are both subtle and beguiling and he draws extraordinary performances out of all the main leads including Billy Crudup (as lead guitarist and charismatic star of Stillwater), Kate Hudson (as Penny Lane), young Patrick Fugit (as William) and great supporting turns from the finest young character alive at this moment, Philip Seymour Hoffman (as legendary rock journo. Lester Bangs) and Frances McDormand, as William’s overprotective mother.
I must admit to being a big fan of Cameron Crowe’s work ever since seeing Say Anything and Jerry Maguire and unlike the, by all accounts, very disappointing Vanilla Sky, Almost Famous is up there with Crowe’s finest work. Great romance, great humour and great warmth, this semi-autobiographical movie has it all in bucket loads and if this doesn’t warm the cockles of your heart their aint much hope left for you I’m afraid.
Cast
- Patrick Fugit as William Miller
- Billy Crudup as Russell Hammond
- Frances McDormand as Elaine Miller
- Kate Hudson as Penny Lane
- Jason Lee as Jeff Bebe
- Zooey Deschanel as Anita Miller
- Anna Paquin as Polexia Aphrodisia
- Philip Seymour Hoffman as Journalist Lester Bangs
- Fairuza Balk as Sapphire
- Noah Taylor as Dick Roswell
- Mark Kozelek as Larry Fellows
- John Fedevich as Ed Vallencourt
- Jimmy Fallon as Dennis Hope
- Bijou Phillips as Estrella Starr
- Terry Chen as Ben Fong-Torres
Tags: Almost Famous
Posted in 2000s Date Movies | No Comments »
March 8th, 2009
In a world where characters seem to cautiously approach a tentative friendship before diving into an impulsive romantic relationship, it is almost refreshing to see both happening at once. From the moment American Jesse meets the luminous French Celine there is a soul connection that defies definition.
At first, Celine seems to overwhelm Jesse with her intellectual wanderings and yet she playfully allows him to tease her. The chemistry is phenomenal and the sheer beauty of various scenes made me realize how the simplicity of the settings actually enhanced the emotional aspects.
Throughout the entire movie you never feel that you are on the outside looking in, although I think that is the underlying attraction. I was so mesmerized by the script I felt I became each character as they were speaking. This is bliss for anyone who loves the sheer honesty of life itself. Jesse and Celine delve into philosophy, creatively describe their first romantic feelings and enjoy a spontaneous merging of the minds.
When they meet on a train heading to Vienna, neither imagine they will encounter a reality that is better than any fantasy. There is a sweet innocence pervading this entire movie with an underlying erotic tension that never seems to find complete fulfillment on screen. While the ending of this movie is more melancholy, the ending of Before Sunset is more than delicious.
Cast
- Ethan Hawke – Jesse
- Julie Delpy – Céline
- Andrea Eckert – Wife on train
- Hanno Pöschl – Husband on train
- Erni Mangold – Palm reader
- Dominic Castell – Street poet
- Adam Goldberg – Man sleeping on train (uncredited)
Tags: 1990s Date Movies, Before Sunrise
Posted in 1990s Date Movies, Best Date Movies | No Comments »
March 8th, 2009
Ted (Ben Stiller) plays a nerdy guy, with terrible luck, who has spent the last 13 years obsessing over Mary (Cameron Diaz), the high school dream girl who got away. Ted hears she is living in Miami and hires a scumbag detective (Matt Dillion) to track her down. From there all sorts of wacky hijinks ensue- involving Puffy the dog on speed, a psychopathic murderer and Mary trying on Ted’s organic “hair gel”.
Slapstick comedy has long been a part of Hollywood cinema. But this film takes it to a new level with its hilariously disgusting gags and over the top silliness. It’s a sort of “stupid” movie for smart people. The plot is outrageous and all the characters, besides Ted and Mary, are idiots. This is, of course, very much intentional on the part of the Farrelly brothers. I suppose the point might be that these two good hearted souls still manage to find each other despite all the liars, phonies and bad fortune. But the social satire still takes a back seat to the comedy as this movie ranks very high on the “laughs per minute” meter. An extremely funny film that is among the best of it’s type.
Cast
- Cameron Diaz as Mary Jensen/Matthews, an orthopedic surgeon whom Ted has been in love with since high school.
- Ben Stiller as Ted Stroehmann, an awkward and shy young man who loves – and possibly is obsessed with Mary.
- Matt Dillon as Pat Healy, a sleazy private detective whom Ted hires to track Mary down, only to fall in love with her himself.
- Chris Elliott as Dom “Woogie” Woganowski, Ted’s best friend and has a fetish for Mary’s shoes.
- Lee Evans as Tucker / Norman Phipps, a Pompano teen who falls in love with Mary after delivering a pizza and pretends to be a British architect in order to woo her.
- Lin Shaye as Magda
- Jeffrey Tambor as Sully
- Markie Post as Sheila Jensen, Mary’s mother.
- Keith David as Charlie Jensen, Mary’s step-father.
- W. Earl Brown as Warren Jensen, Mary’s mentally disabled brother.
- Sarah Silverman as Brenda, Mary’s crude best friend.
- Khandi Alexander as Joanie
- Willie Garson as Dr. Zit Face / High School Pal Bob
- Harland Williams (uncredited) as Hitchhiker
- Brett Favre as Himself, Mary’s former love interest.
Tags: 1990s Date Movies, There's Something About Mary
Posted in 1990s Date Movies, Best Date Movies | No Comments »
March 8th, 2009
This is one of my favorite romantic comedies. I think what it gets right is something others don’t focus on. It is not enough to just have a great couple, but you have to create a world for them as well. The supportive roles are just as important as the leads.
I think most women like Sandra Bullock, because she beautiful, but not so beautiful that we cannot relate to her. She is smart and very funny. She is a good person who deserves love. I think it’s great that there is this guy she idealizes and projects all of her romantic fantasies on to. Of course, if she ever talked to him that would end quickly.
She ends up being drawn into this kooky family, which is what she is really looking for…not just love, but a home. Bill Pullman is very attractive as a good down to earth guy who sees how wonderful she is. There are so many warm and wonderful moments in this movie.
I think the humor is the other thing it has going for it. Michael Rispoli is hilarious, as is Sandra. I think guys who are not that into romantic comedies may be able to deal with this one because of the humor.
My favorite scene is when she is pouring her heart out to the Peter Gallagher character in the hospital. The loneliness and sadness is something we have all felt at some point.
A wonderful movie all around.
Tags: 1990s Date Movies, While You Were Sleeping
Posted in 1990s Date Movies, Best Date Movies, Featured Articles | No Comments »
March 8th, 2009
Cher is fabulous and infectious.Danny Aileo, and the rest of Cher’s warm-hearted Italian family are perfect.And Nicholas Cage, whom everyone complained about for being “too dry” actually works within the context of this film(and I’m not a fan).This film is just about as enjoyable and warm-hearted as they get.It’s the perfect movie for those lazy,rainy days, or just anytime when you’re in for some light-hearted entertainment
Cher plays a woman about to get married to Danny Aielo.But things change when she meets Aielo’s sullen, younger brother, played by Cage.This film is warm without being too corny or trite.The acting (particularly from Cher) is pretty great, and the whole thing just comes together to make an effortlessly engaging and enjoyable romantic comedy.It’s no masterpiece, but its a wonderfully warm-hearted film that even those who hate romantic comedies will enjoy.
Cast
- Cher as Loretta Castorini
- Nicolas Cage as Ronny Cammareri
- Olympia Dukakis as Rose Castorini
- Vincent Gardenia as Cosmo Castorini
- Danny Aiello as Mr. Johnny Cammareri
- Julie Bovasso as Rita Cappomaggi
- John Mahoney as Perry
Tags: 1980s Date Movies, Moonstruck
Posted in 1980s Date Movies | No Comments »
March 8th, 2009
If this incredible films winning of eleven Academy awards including Best Picture and Best director and being the highest grossing film of all time doesn’t speak for itself I don’t know what else would. “Titanic” is quite simply one of the best tales of a true life tragedy interspersed with a fictional love story ever made, all of which combines to make director James Cameron appear a true genius which in terms of being a film director he is.
I will freely admit that I’m not a big Leonardo DiCaprio fan but when it comes to this film he did an exceptional job in the role of Jack. Instrumental in the success of this film, beyond the exceptional script, is the performance given by the ever beautiful Kate Winslet in the role of Rose. Noteworthy are the performances given by the supporting cast to include the likes of David Warner, Kathy Bates and Billy Zane and of course a couple of James Cameron’s staple actors who crop up in almost all of his films in Bill Paxton and Jenette Goldstein.
As testimony to the brilliance of director James Cameron one only needs to take a look at his list of directorial and script credits which includes; “The Terminator,” “Aliens,” “The Abyss,” “T2: Judgment Day,” “True Lies” and “Titanic.” With a list such as this one James Cameron has most certainly gone down in history as one of the most successful directors/screen writers in history and deservedly so. It would be nice to see him take a break from television and take up the film directing mantle once again as one can almost call it a sure bet film when he’s in the director’s chair.
The Premise:
On April 14th, 1912 one of western civilization’s most tragic events occurred when a ship thought to be unsinkable did exactly that, struck an iceberg and sank killing hundreds of passengers in the process as the ships builders seemed to have made one mistake after another in the construction of this “magnificent” vessel.
Director/screen writer James Cameron concocts a glorious love story around this true life tragedy and quite poignantly portrays the disparity of classes aboard the vessel as the first class passengers live in the lap of luxury even during the “abandonment” of the vessel while the poor are treated with palpable disdain to include being locked below decks after the ship begins to sink.
While the true story of this movie is the sinking of the ship told through Cameron’s brilliant writing and direction there is whole myriad of other things going on that are not noticeable but would’ve been had they been done incorrectly, chief among these are the costumes and the sets of the Titanic.
The truly fictitious portion of this tragedy is told through Rose Dawson Calvert (Gloria Stuart) as she regales present day treasure hunters of her time on the Titanic and the gloriously passionate but brief love affair between her and Jack Dawson who was a free spirited artist who taught her how to live despite his destiny…
I highly recommend this film to any and all who are fans of what movie making is all about!
Tags: 1990s Date Movies, Titanic
Posted in 1990s Date Movies, Best Date Movies, Featured Articles | No Comments »