gasawaye Reviews

Love Happens (2009)

Not quite what I was expecting

[7/10 · 16 September 2009]

I went to a preview of this movie last night with my husband. I was expecting the standard romantic comedy chick flick. Although there are plenty of funny moments in this movie, it has an emotional depth that is very appealing. It also has another really great performance by Aaron Eckhart, who must be one of the most unappreciated actors in the business. I'm no Jennifer Aniston fan, but I have to admit she's a talented actress and not just a celebrity when I see her in a role like this. Judy Greer and Dan Fogler are great in supporting roles.

It's difficult to say much about the plot without giving most of it away. The script is full of the physco-babble you would expect in a movie about a self help guru; sometimes it comes across as intentionally silly, and sometimes it seems to have real meaning. There are small revelations made all the way through the movie that lead up to the final conclusion.

There is also unexpected eye candy in the form of beautiful floral arrangements that contrast well with the gloomy Seattle weather.

I was afraid my 56-year-old husband would complain about driving 45 minutes to see a movie like this on a week night. But he also enjoyed it, and there were no complaints. Most of the people in the theater also seemed to enjoy it, although I have to admit that they didn't laugh as much as we did. Not a "must see", but if you're looking for some good entertainment, you could do far worse.

New in Town (2009)

Finally, a movie where The North Face can have product placements!

[7/10 · 10 February 2009]

First I have to say that I enjoyed this movie far more than it deserved. Those of us in the frozen north can always enjoy a movie about someone from the south trying to live through our winters. Although it wasn't as funny as it could have been, Renee and Harry had very good on screen chemistry, and the story is unexpectedly sweet in the end.

I agree with the comments that say filming this particular movie in Canada was hypocritical, but then with global warming they might have had a hard time finding the frozen north to be consistent during the winters we've been having lately. Still, you would think that every lake is frozen solid for 6 full months given the references in the script!

Prime (2005)

Much better than my low expectations

[7/10 · 14 November 2005]

My husband and I went to see this when we couldn't get in to see Pride & Prejudice this weekend. I was simply looking for a movie we might both enjoy a little that started after 7:30 PM. My expectations weren't very high.

As the 46-year-old mother of a 16-year-old son, I found a lot to relate to and like in this movie. Meryl Streep was just terrific, and Uma Thurman (who's far from my favorite actress) was very good also. I'd never seen Bryan Greenberg in anything before, and I have to say that he was wonderful. OK, I'm old enough to be his mother, but I just have to say "What a hunk!" Now that I've got that off my chest let me say that he's not just a hunk. He can really act! I thought his portrayal of this boy/man character was right on the money. I can see my own son growing into someone like this in a few years. His performance really rang true.

I suspect that a good part of the reality feel of this film also comes from a very well written script. From other comments I have seen, lots of people have trouble with the ending. It isn't what they wanted. But like a lot of other things in this film, it also rings true.

Just one more comment. This film is laugh out loud funny in lots of places. Even though my 52-year-old husband laughed a lot, he still said it was only OK. Maybe it's a guy thing; I had a great time.

Mean Girls (2004)

My 15-year-old son loved it

[19 April 2004]

When I received free tickets to a preview of this film, it took me some time to decide which family member should come with me. In the end I took my 15-year-old son. He loved it, and couldn't wait for spring break to be over so he could tell all his friends to go and see it. To him, this very funny look at the social life of high school girls seemed exaggerated, but it also rang true. I also recognized pieces of my long ago high school years, and appreciated most of the humor. But I was very glad that I hadn't selected my 13-year-old daughter to accompany me, as the sexual nature of some of the humor wouldn't have been appropriate for her. From a film buff's point of view, the writing is far wittier than you'd expect from a comedy aimed at teens, and Lindsey Lohan and Tina Fey give very good performances. All in all, a much better than expected teen comedy.