A Cute, Funny Flick With Tons of Charisma
594673
This movie is defeniatley one of my favorites. I'm usually not one for subtitles, but it was worth it. Reading the subtitles was almost unnoiticible, and didn't distract from the movie's charm. Amelie is a hilarious movie about a 20-something girl who decides one day to become a regular good-doer, to help mankind. The film then takes you on an adventure through Amelie's puzzling love life, friendships, and her random acts of kindness. The message of the movie: Don't take life's simple pleasures for granted.
The DVD included great, helpful extras as well as the disc. The best part of the movie was by far how beautiful it was to watch. The cinematography was excellet, every take could have been a bright, beautiful picture. The shots are so creative and cool, it ads so much to the already wonderful film! This movie is funny, cute, charming and I would reccomend it!
160959
A movie of this title starring Ben Stiller is bound to be hit, or at least worth its weight in laughs.  So when I saw this film, I was not disappointed, yet I found the visual aspects of a few over-the-top sex scenes rather raunchy and certainly not necessary for the humor this crazed plot and Stiller's comic appeal readily provided.

Tired of getting teased for his bachelorhood, Eddie Cantrow was quick to fall for the first pretty damsel in distress he befriended on a city street.  With the urging of Stiller's real-life and on-screen dad, this leading character marries who he believes to be the girl of his dreams. Two minutes into his honeymoon, he begins to have second thoughts that keep escalating until he realizes he's in his worst nightmare and not about to wake up anytime soon.

The only comforting part of this bad dream is the presence of Miranda, another woman on vacation with her family at the same resort where Eddie is honeymooning.  Afraid of losing Miranda and equally fearful of hurting his wife, it is easy for the viewer to sympathize with Stiller's character.  But Miranda's family is a frying pan waiting for Eddie to leap into after the fire.  Miranda herself proves to be not too stable, and Eddie has enough character flaws to deserve both women and plenty more.

While this movie was definitely funny, what I liked best was its unpredictable and open ending.  It was not the quick fix, or rescue scene, or typical ending I had in mind when I saw the previews.  For a few laughs, I would recommend this video - but put kids to bed first.
2880021
John Candy made a lot of movies, some good and a lot of them mediocre. This whimsical 1989 romantic comedy, filmed in Chicago rather than some stand-in city, has a lot of panache and flavor in addition to a great cast. Candy is a Chicago cop who still lives with his overbearing Irish Catholic mother. For anyone who has mother issues, it's a hilarious comedic romp as Candy tries to break away and date a Sicilian mortician played by Ally Sheedy. What makes this material stand out from the usual formula comedy is the brilliant presence of frequent John Wayne collaborator Maureen O'Hara, who came out of retirement for this role as the mother. Her interactions with Candy are hysterical. Good supporting work comes from Jim Belushi as Candy's police wagon partner, Kevin Pollack as his brother, Macauley Culkin in a blink-and-you-miss-it early role as his nephew, and Anthony Quinn as a Greek widower with designs on O'Hara. Add a first-rate director (Chris Columbus of "Harry Potter") and you've got a sentimental and sweet film that may well be the best overall film in Candy's brief career.
2037849
I love this movie!  First of all, it's laugh-out-loud funny.  The language is fast and off-the-wall and you'll wish you had a kid with you to translate, but then you'll find yourself using (or at least thinking) some of these expressions.  (If you are way over the hill like me, it's fun to at least sound cool again! LOL)

Juno is your typical "misfit" kid, albeit with a very quick wit and her very own take on the world.  She's crushing on Paulie, who is not your typical teen-movie  hottie; so, she seduces him, resulting in yep, another teen pregnancy. This movie puts a bit of a new spin on it, and also gently reminds us that the grim statistics have real people with real stories behind them.  Even if these people are (as teenagers all too often seem to grown-ups) a bit foreign and alien and impossible to comprehend.

Juno's dad and stepmom handle the pregnancy well, with humor and grit and a "we'll get through this" attitude that is admirable and hey, what else can you do that makes sense?

I think this movie is a *must* for parents of teens or pre-teens.  Even if you need a translator.  Watch it with your kids and talk about it.  Even if it scares the crap out of you.

P.S., I love the music, too.
1025501
If you are looking for a cute, funny, enjoyable "feel good" movie, I don't think this one would disappoint you.
514814
This is one of those comedies that you're either gonna' love it, or hate it. I thought it was totally funny. It's one of the lesser known 80's comedies, but like another poster said along with "Valley Girl" I think "Modern Girls" fits quite nicely as a companion piece.  On one hand you've got a the "bad date from hell" combined with a story that all takes place in one night, and of course by morning all the right people are together and everyone has revealed and worked out their inner demons.  Sure it's cheesy, but it's all light-hearted and fun.  The other thing is you've got some great 80's music in here.  This was the movie that introduced me to the band Depeche Mode, and I've loved their music ever since.  It's also got a great Jesse Johnson song in it, and the rip on MTV videos and 80's pop stars are spot on.

It would be great if they could release this on DVD.  I guess they will one day, with hopefully some good extras. Many of the actors and actresses in this went on to do some really noteworthy work.  It's kinda' fun to go back and look how they got their start.
226226
If you like movies that make you want to stab its actors in the eardrums so they'll be forced to communicate solely through Facebook chat, because it's all they're fit to do, you might enjoy this movie like I did.

Marnie's an interesting character. Her ubernerd friend Mitchell says "she's an amazing person," and it's true. She's nice, funny, unassuming, and fun. So why does she have trouble finding a guy? I've narrowed it down to two reasons: 1. Every guy in her social circle is either a fooshbag or a social fooshtard, and most are both. 2. She is a social fooshtard. When she talks to crush Alex about their relationship, she closes off like a scared valve, and is unable to emit a single mote of feeling.

Speaking of - Alex is an interesting character. He's also a fooshbag. Marnie likes Alex because he's one of the few humans she knows who can hold up his end of a conversation. Despite this, Alex can be dismissive, marginally mean, and generally handles his relationship with Marnie like a poophead.

This movie is about really awkward people who suck at getting what they want and expressing themselves. I don't buy the idea that these people are everymen; though we've all had awkward moments, I couldn't relate to the level of awkwardness here at all. In fact, if I had to live through the level of awkwardness and anxiety present in this movie, I would definitely shoot myself in the eardrum. But here's a whole community of these people. How do they do it??

This could have easily been too grating to watch, but Bujalewski did a really good job of 'making it real', and communicating the desperate importance of its unfolding events for its characters. As Marnie found out about her crush's breakup, got a new job, drank at parties and interacted with people, I was completely absorbed in all of it.

I think I rate movies by their power of engagement. As I get old I find it harder to be engaged in movies. This movie was very engaging.
1387776
I didn't have much interest in this when it first arrived in theaters.  Back then Heath Ledger was, to my mind, just another young handsome face and this seemed like a sappy star vehicle designed to further his career.  Of course, he turned out to be much more than a handsome face and if I'd bothered to see this film I would have known it then.  Not only does he give a charismatic and compelling early performance, the film itself is a lot of fun: a very clever and entertaining update of the old knight in shining armor swashbuckling saga, that turns it into a comical version of the classic sports success story, such as&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Rocky/dp/B0006GAO5Y/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Rocky</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Karate-Kid/dp/B0008JIJ2E/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Karate Kid</a>.

Heath's not the only one that makes this worth seeing; Rufus Sewell is the villian you love to hate, and Paul Bettany (as Chaucer, whose story of the same name in&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Canterbury-Tales/dp/0199535620/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Canterbury Tales</a>&nbsp;this is loosely based on) and Alan Tudyk as a comic and loyal sidekick, are fun to watch and give engaging performances. Very entertaining and well worth watching.  The musical score, drawing on classic rock icons like David Bowie and Quiet Riot, somehow works, making it all feel less like a period piece and more like an entertaining adventure.  Lots of fun.  I like.
1399174
Whenever I buy gay-themed DVDs of the romantic comedy genre, I always tell myself that I'm watching the film to be entertained and not get stressed by the topic.  This is exactly my feeling for "All Over The Guy".
I must admit that Dan Bucatinsky (Eli) is not my idea of a perfect lead, but hey, he's a perfect foil for the oh-so abrasive character of Richard Ruccolo (Tom).  The chemistry was off-center at the start of the film, but they eventually worked their way towards becoming a delightful pair of on-and-off lovers who just couldn't get their relationship off the ground.
Richard Ruccolo is a revelation in this movie.  He is so natural as a straight-acting gay man without giving any hints that he is uncomfortable performing the rudiments of the role, such as a few kissing scenes with Dan Bucatinsky.
The script (written as well by Bucatinsky) is so witty and gay without resorting to excessive melodramatics.  The icings on the cake are the cameos of Lisa Kudrow and Christina Ricci who add some glitz to an otherwise "relatively less popular" cast.  Kudos to Doris Roberts who account for wonderful scenes as an AIDS-clinic receptionist.
1840417
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a huge Adam Sandler fan.  I find most of his movies crude, juvenile, and needlessly mean-spirited, and I'm not a fan of his style of humor.  I did, however, enjoy "The Wedding Singer," which was actually a very sweet movie thanks to both Drew Barrymore's presence and Sandler toning down his act somewhat.  I wasn't sure what to expect of "50 First Dates," but seeing as it featured another team-up between these two actors, I was willing to give it a shot.  If nothing else, Sandler and Barrymore had a sweet sort of chemistry, which could hopefully counter some of Sandler's grosser antics.

While there are still a few gross-out gags and plenty of physical humor, "50 First Dates" isn't a typical Sandler film.  It's unexpectedly sweet, and actually quite emotional at times.

Sandler plays Henry, a veterinarian working at a marine park in Hawaii, who is notorious for his one-night stands and multiple flings with women he will never see again.  When he spies Barrymore's character -- Lucy, a goofy but sweet art teacher -- in a restaurant, he approaches her and the two hit it off unexpectedly well... but he's baffled when she doesn't seem to remember him at all the next day.  Turns out that a year before their meeting, a car accident left Lucy without the ability to create new memories, and she's perpetually stuck in the past.  Lucy's friends and family ensure that everything stays exactly the same as the day of her accident in the hopes of not traumatizing her, and Henry is encouraged to avoid growing attached to her.  But Henry isn't about to give up, and he'll go to great lengths to make Lucy fall for him... even if it means winning her heart over and over and over again.

The premise of the film could have been played entirely for comedy, and it does have plenty of funny moments -- mostly physical gags, such as Lucy chasing down Henry's friend (played by a nearly-unrecognizable Rob Schneider) with a  baseball bat.  But the gross-out gags are kept few and far between, with more focus being given to the burgeoning relationship between the two leads and Lucy's struggle with her condition.  It's also rather sweet and touching, and even has some genuinely emotional moments, especially in the latter half of the film.  Adam Sandler can actually be a decent actor without relying on his usual idiotic schtick and body-function humor, and it would be nice to see him do more films of this nature.  Barrymore is both awkward and adorable, and generates some genuine pathos for her character's plight.  Most of the other actors play their roles well but aren't particularly memorable, though Rob Schneider is hilarious as Henry's friend (though why they have a white actor playing a Hawaiian native I can only speculate) and Dan Aykroyd makes an enjoyable cameo as a neuro-physician.

There's also quite a bit of gorgeous scenery in this film, given that it's set in Hawaii.  Funny enough, the film's setting actually does seem to benefit the plot -- it would be a lot harder for Lucy's family to maintain the charade of every day being the same if the film took place in a temperate climate where the seasons actually visibly change.  The location wasn't just chosen for eye candy, evidently.

An enjoyable and unexpected Sandler film, this is probably my favorite of Sandler's movies, next to "The Wedding Singer."  He really should ease up on the "disgusting man-child" act and make more films like this, as he's shown he's capable of being a decent actor when he tries.
750754
Cute and kind of funny movie with a bad girl edge, but a lot of heart, especially by the end. Liked it a lot, would see it again.
245798
Like his role models Yasujiro Ozu and Robert Bresson, accomplished indie filmmaker Jim Jarmusch provides his typically slow-moving, elliptical ride of a movie by placing Bill Murray squarely in the driver's seat of this sometimes hilarious, more often bittersweet road film. The episodic structure and constant sense of dislocation draw the viewer into an idiosyncratic world filled with knowing glances and almost subliminal comments. Your enjoyment of the film will depend on how much things need to be spelled out for you, as Jarmusch the screenwriter prefers to drive a story by insinuation.

The plot, such as it is, revolves around lifelong bachelor Don Johnston, the subject of too many "Miami Vice" jokes, who opens a letter, typewritten on pink stationery, informing him that he has a 19-year-old son who may soon show up on his doorstep. The letter is unsigned, which tweaks the interest of Don's best friend and next-door neighbor Winston, an enthusiastic and persistent amateur sleuth. It is Winston who tracks down Don's ex-girlfriends across the country and organizes a trip for Don to meet and subtly ask each one a series of questions that may lead him to conclude who is the mother who penned the letter.

The subsequent film really provides mini-showcases for four fine veteran actresses (Sharon Stone, Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, Tilda Swinton), who pierce through the hearts of their characters with minimum fuss. Don pretty much remains a cipher throughout these encounters, as he gleans just enough information to tell him what he needs to know. He first meets up with Laura, a recent widow with an exhibitionist adolescent daughter named appropriately Lolita. Looking as beautiful as ever, Stone underplays her white trash role with surprising subtlety, even as she vividly describes her race car husband's fiery death and chats about her calling as a closet organizer.

Next on Don's list is Dora, an uptight real estate agent married to a fellow glad-hand agent, who seems to be bubbling just below the surface about Don's sudden appearance. Conroy, ideally cast in a controlling variation of her Ruth Fisher character on "Six Feet Under", gives a nuanced performance of a woman cracking slowly within the walls of a perfect, pre-fab home. The next stop is at the office of renowned "animal communicator" Carmen, an edgy professional who has apparently abandoned men for animals and a misogynistic receptionist (played with an ideal sense of passive malice by Chlo Sevigny). Lange plays Carmen in sharp, unapologetic detail, conveying the bitterness she holds toward the type of man Don represents to her.

The last encounter is with an even more embittered biker chick named Penny, played with seething force by an almost completely unrecognizable Swinton, who is in turn, defended by a couple of hyper-sensitive, mullet-head bikers. What happens from all these episodes toward its intriguing conclusion will not satisfy those looking for closure, but Jarmusch provides enough emotional baggage for Don to recognize what his journey means to him and to us.

Murray is his typical deadpan self here, but he still maintains that peculiar sense of goodwill he has without which the character would have been simply insufferable. With a Jamaican accent, Jeffrey Wright is wryly comical as Winston even as his curiosity gets the best of him. Also worth mentioning are Pell James' sweet turn as a sympathetic flower shop clerk and Mulatu Astatke's jazzy musical score. Well worth watching for those who like to come to their own interpretations when observing the lives presented by Jarmusch and their personal histories of which we can only speculate.
387919
Disregard the previous arrogant and huffy review and take this movie for what it is - a sweet, silly romp meant to entertain, not probe the inner brain or elevate one to some erudite state of false wisdom.  In fact, the movie itself pokes fun at that very type of pomposity in the art world.  As romantic comedies go, it is refreshing and not so saccharine sweet as some.  It is quirky and cool, in part because none of the actors are well known to this date except for Mark Ruffalo, who manages perfection in every cinematic genre he works with.  Beth Ulrich was sexy in a so not cliche way, and the rest of the supporting cast are just plain fun, and very, very good.  No, you may not come away feeling intellectually enlightened, but you probably will have a smile on your face, and that's probably the point.  The DVD has extra scenes interspersed throughout the closing credits, so don't stop watching.  Also, there's a great interview with Mark Ruffalo who, again, is always fascinating to watch and listen to.
2325014
This movie is a guilty pleasure for me; I really love it, and watch it every St. Patrick's Day, which seems the perfect time to "visit" Ireland via a movie. Janeane Garafaolo is adorable and smart and funny; there's a handsome Irishman, a pub, lots of countryside, and an adorable old matchmaker, with a conniving dishonest politician (a little over the top there by Denis Leary) and lots of green hills and Irish village scenery. This is one of my favorite cheer-myself-up movies.
3961962
I would hardly classify myself as a hopeless romantic, but I nevertheless really enjoyed this movie.  This is the type of movie I wish "Guess Who" had been when it came out a few years ago.  While "Guess Who" played the race card strictly for (forced) laughs, "Something New" delivers a message that touches upon, but ultimately goes beyond, race.  Interestingly, some of the personal attacks that appear in a few negative comments on Amazon, demonstrate why Something New's message of openness, living and loving "outside of the box," is still so current and very much needed in our society.  Generalized (and inaccurate) statements regarding white men's supposed lack-of-interest in black women, and classifying Tony Award-nominated thespian Sanaa Lathan as a "B-movie" actress, demonstrate that, unfortunately, the pre-conceived notions and stereotypes that Something new addresses are still very much alive and well.  As a white woman, I am sure that I am not alone when I say that Hollywood is in desperate need of more movies like Something New.

Fortunately, like myself, the majority of professional and audience critics recognized this movie for the gem that it is.  Sanaa Lathan has such magnetism that you can't take your eyes off her on screen.  Not only is she obviously beautiful to look at, but she has an inherent screen presence rarely seen in actresses nowadays, of any race.  Simon Baker is ridiculously handsome in grungy jeans and tee-shirts, and, instead of playing Brian purely as eye-candy, turns the leading man into a multi-dimensional character with flaws just like the rest of us (check out the break-up scene in the grocery store).  And, as usual, Alfre Woodard effortlessly nails the role of Kenya's insufferable mother.  The rest of the cast is a hoot, especially Kenya's brother Nelson, and her girlfriends.

If you are the type of person who was shocked by the original "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" or "Jungle Fever," then you might find Something New uncomfortable to watch, but that's all the more reason why you should.  For the rest of us (hopefully, the majority) who can appreciate a solid movie with quality acting, and beauty/talent in all colors, shapes, and sizes, Something New will definitely not disappoint.  Add this movie to your DVD collection.
2016345
I generally find kid/animal films, especially the early Disney ones, to be a bit too slick, self-consciously attempting to elict planned responses from the viewers.

But not this one.  The delightful girls are allowed to act quite naturally, without trying to be "cute" and hamming it up.  If anything, they underact, which is refreshing.  They don't mind in the least being upstaged by a great dane (one a puppy, one halfway grown, and the third, fully grown and powerful). In fact, they obviously have a lot of fun with this charmer (all three sizes).

Much of the credit goes to the director of the film, Robert Vince, who seems to hava an instinctive knack of working with children and animals together.  He has quite a background as a film producer, i.e., Space Buddies, Snow Buddies, etc., which has stood him well in this very successfu directorial effort.

There are lots of ingredients in this film:  a rural Catholic girls' orphanage, an urbane Central Park East setting, we even get to take a trip to the top of the Statue of Liberty, and many beautiful walks through Central Park.  The cinematography by Arthur E. Cooper is admirable, he is really a master at capturing the vividness of color.  New York City never looked so beautiful.

The Problem:  the girls find and love a puppy, get adopted by a New York couple and sneak the puppy into their private quarters on Central Park East.  But puppy doesn't stay a puppy.  Also, we've got a couple of bad guys running around the neighborhood--cat burglers, at that--and without giving too much away, all works out as it should, and even the Scrooge-like owner of swanky NYC apartment buildings (Barry Bostwick at his very best) finds out he's got a heart, as well as a cash register, in his nature.

One watches a completely innovative creative idea come to life in, of all things, the closing credits of the film.  This is usually a time for the viewer to start doing other things or begin to leave the theater.  But not so here, because on the upper quarter of the screen, both visual and audio footage is shown of the rehearsals for the film.  Some of it is just as hilarious as the comedy in the movie itself.

Get ready to laugh a lot, but keep your hanky nearby.  This film offers a real good time.  They are so rare nowadays.
3725611
Much like a magic trick, this movie is very flashy, flamboyant and confident about itself. The cat-and-mouse game that happens between the different groups of characters was entertaining and the elaborate set pieces were impressive and flashy. The only thing that broke the suspension of disbelief are modern movie conventions: hip young kids are geniuses and adults are dumb, all of the handsome and beautiful actors and actresses are witty at just the right time, improbable "Hollywood hacking," etc. It felt like I was watching the execution of a math equation written by movie execs called "Clean, summer heist movie featuring stage magic." It is predictably sleek and clever, but I guess that's what one should expect from this kind of a movie. I plan on watching this with my teenage nephew in the hospital, and I KNOW he will have a blast. For what it's worth, I'm glad this exists.