Okay I am neither a fan of Ferrell or Heder, but my husband almost is. So I know that if we go and watch a movie with one of these guys in it, I am giving him two hours of joy and relaxation. Bonus- this movie had the two guys in it.
The story is a bit like the good cop- bad cop association. You put two guys who don’t have much in common and reunite them for better and for worse. Then it is up to the writer of the script to make it work. In this version, Ferrell & Heder are two world famous ice skaters who get into trouble because of the difference between their respective value. This brings shame and pain onto them until they obtain redemption through their – reluctant at first- union. Here you go, you know it all. I believe I already blamed Ferrell for playing in movies that always remind me of Adam Sandler. This film is in no way different. Now it had funny momens and if you just want to spend some good time in a black room – and have no girlfriend- then go on, you will probably enjoy it. I did – but have already forgotten why.

I love Diane Keaton. I love her even more since she has decided to get old naturally. Now, the older she gets, the worst her choice of scenariis is. Why is that? In ” As good as it gets” she was basically saved by the unusual view of two middle aged people in love- something that we don’t see every day on the big screen. I applauded to that- hooray, getting older doesn’t mean that love and sex are lost forever. Now of course, if you look like Ms Keaton, you definitely have more chances than the average woman to find a man ( although I am not sure that Jack Nicholson would be a great find). I did see the movie twice actually – but I have to confess that it was because I absolutely fell in love with the house you could see on screen and the furniture, goodness, still makes me dream today. i may watch it again as I want to decorate my new home.
But the more movies I’ve seen with her ( like the Stone family), the more I wonder what the … I am doing there. This time we were swimming in the cliches of a mother who has 3 daughters ( one of them is just purely decorative, she has no character at all) and who worries that one of them, the youngest, will remain a spinster and end up just like herself did/ does. Now, surprise, she meets love and so does her daughter. All ‘s well that ends well. Except that I have lost a few quids to watch this- that and to see Ms Keaton hald naked ( again). What is it with the woman? When she was young, she was constantly covered up to her neck and wearing gloves. Now that she has stopped blushing when her elbow is showing, let’s go, she drops it all off and makes YOU blush. Okay she looks really really good. Let’s be bitchy, no woman who ever gave birth to a baby can look like this. But I still believe that she has more talent than that.
Ms Keaton, wake up. You used to have a brain. Use it. Forget your bum, it is great, now we can confirm. And yes you’ve lost a good occasion to show it before. I guess than now is better than later and also that the publicity is much more rewarding at this stage of your life, but you know, well…come back. Please?

Another movie about Jane Austen. Why can’t movies be more realistic? Jane is played by Anne Hataway ( ” The devil wears Prada”) who’s far too cute to be Jane Austen. Anyone who has a doubt go and check what Austen looked like – and you will have a clue why she remained a spinster. Now if the actress had been closer to reality and as spirited as Jane was, you would have had a very interesting movie. But sadly, the director stuck to the cliches. As he couldn’t possibly give a happy ending that never took place, he gave Jane the illusion that she ended up saving her family from poverty and misfortune through the talent of her pen. As far as I know, her survival and her family’s were due to her brother Henry.
So what? The movie shouldn’t have been called Jane…? I don’t know. One good nice point was that the complexity of the matter of the the heart and the rigidity of the morals of the time were well exposed, but there again, it is only worth it if you have absolutely no clue what those days were like.
I read somewhere ( Wikipedia I believe) that when reading her biography you might be shocked by the fact that marriages were usually arranged, mostly according to the finances of the parties involved. Ha, somebody could please tell me what is so different today?. if you marry someone richer, you are classified by many as a gold digger. Someone from another ethnicity…don’t get me started. I trust that all these facts are unconscious but still the customs are ingrained in our minds and most of the time we marry accordingly.
So the movie was worth being seen. Sure. Anne Hathaway is real cute and McAvoy too. I prefer him in “Shameless” though. But I am looking forward to see him more on the big screen.

I have to stressed that I am not a groupie of Mr Grant despite having probably seen more than half of all the movies he has played in for the last 15 years. Like many people I enjoyed ” 4 weddings and a funeral” and I thought that ” About a boy” was very decent indeed. ” American Dreamz” gave me some hope about his future in his chosen career. But plots like ” Notting Hill” and ” 15 days notice” have virtually been erased from my mind.
Now I had to see ” Music & lyrics”. Watching Grant cast as an 80’s pop star has-been was an irrestible idea. So I went and dragged there my poor mother-in-law who must love me very much and whom despite appearances I love very much too. I also promised her we would go and see the next Jane Austen movie together.
So, yes, here you go. Grant is very convincing in his new role, especially so as he looks much older now that he really is. Drew Barrymore is as delicious to the eye as usual – great body for the guys, very interesting combination of clothes and make up for the girls. The plot is very cliche- you have a ex-pop idol who is looking for a come back, money and true love and manages to strike all three before the end of the movie. So far you can yawn. But it turned out that the lines were quick and witty, there was very little self pity from Mr Grant part ( something that can’t be said about Drew Barrymore’s character) and you end up with a nice forgivable ( and probably forgettable) chick flick. I laughed a bit and didn’t see the time pass, so I’d give that an average mark.
Now I am curious to see what kind of role can be devoted to Grant. You need imagination on this one, although I trust he has what he takes to pull it off if given half the chance.

I had seen ” Shaun of the dead” by Simon Pegg and Edgard Wright a few years ago. Although I am no huge fan of gory movies I had to reckon that this one was worth seeing. That why when I heard that ” Hot Fuzz” was coming out, I was definitely committed to watch it as soon as it was out.
Now Simon Pegg has some similiraties with Adam Sandler. His movies includes his pals ( Nick Frost) who play…his pals and there is an undertone of kindness throughout the whole story that shows the intimacy of the protagonists. But unlike Sandler, Pegg is funny.
This new movie is about a supercop who makes all his colleagues look bad as he’s so efficcient. So his superiors decide to send him in the quietest town of England where things turn out to be quite different from his expectations. May I say more? The intelligence of Pegg and Wright is such that you have plenty of little twists in the story – including the end- that makes it all worthwhile – even though some of them are truly expected. But the lines are quick and funny, the story is very English and it is an enjoyable experience.
Now there is obviously someone in this team who displays some interest in gory, bloody movies. If you have a teenager or two in the house, they will enjoy it as much as you do. But if you have a sissy in the house, beware. Some scene may haunt them back at night.
I have high hopes for the next movie that Pegg & Wright will commit. I’d be curious to see what is the next genre they will explore; action? More or less done. Romantic comedy? How are the gory bits going to be included?

This is a story about a divorce. The interest lies in the fact that you get, for once, the point of view of the children. It is suttle, loveable and very clever. A good lesson to be learned- and a warning for all future separated parents: whatever your lies, you will not get away with it.
The kids play beautifully. The parents are just right: you like them and you love them. At the end of the day, you realize that a divorce fucks up everybody. Is it comforting? I am not sure. But it is an interesting story that leaves you wondering what happens next. If there is a part 2, I’d watch it.

If you want to see a great cynical movie, get this one. It is the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time. The bottom of the story is about the way that the public & governement & leagues get manipulated by Tobacco companies and other villains. The hero of the story is a man who knows the difference between right and wrong but can’t resist his ability to use rethoric. He’s so good at it that you can’t help liking him. The strength of the scenario is that it includes the personal life and fights of the main protagonist that renders the picture realistic – although still funny. I don’t want to spoil the discovery but this is in my top list of the year.
Watch it. You will stop smoking…

Now …Jodie Foster has a new speciality – playing in movies that could have been good action movies but fail to do so. Too bad. I suspect that the Hannibal series have more or less killed her career- although ” The silence of the lamb” is a really good classic.
Luckily for her, she just has a small second role in it. The main characters – played by Denzel Washington and Clive Owen – are more interesting, but there is a “but”. Although Washington has the best role- with a few twists that make his performance all the more enjoyable-, Owen remains obscure as we don’t understand where he comes from and where is going . The fact we know all through the movie where he is now doesn’t make it any better.
The plot is more idealistic than I am, which tells you all you should know. It is about a robbery, but not a common one. It has a nice ending, where people turn out to be simply human. I won’t watch it twice but it is not too bad.

This is a Kiwi movie that I received for Christmas from a very dear friend. He’s Kiwi too so that might explain his choice…I received a few dvds from him, all of them with the word “warrior”in the main title. He is also a trader- and my mentor- and the other dvds were about trading. I suspect that he’s trying to tell me something…
Anyway, “Once were warriors” is an 18 rated movie. It depicts the life of a family that suffers from internal violence and what the English people like to call abuse. It is not a funny movie in any way but it is definitely worth seeing. What I found most interesting is the selfishness of parents who put their children in a world of violence and refuse to take any responsability for it, even when they are the abusers. I know, it is a common pattern, and if it were any different, then …you wouldn’t have a story. But at the end of the day, isn’t it the parents responsability to give their children the best possible world?. Oups, sorry, I’m becoming idealistic.
I’ve heard that there is a part 2. I expect my friend to give it to me for my birthday although I believe there is no ” warrior” in the main title.