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The Perfect Movie for Valentine’s Day

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  • Title: Love Actually
  • IMDB: link

love-actually-dvdWritten and directed by Richard Curtis, Love Actually is a celebration of love. More than that, however, it’s a celebration of movie love. The film is jam-packed with characters, stories, situations, sampling the best romantic comedies have to offer. It’s not a spoof of romcoms, but a celebration of the best movie romances have to offer.

The film focuses on eight couples, each in a different part of their relationship as well as two additional stories which help tie them together: an aging rock star (Bill Nighy) and his manager (Gregor Fisher) attempting to win a holiday contest and jewelry store attendent (Rowan Atkinson) who shows up only when needed.

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The Whole Nine Yards

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  • Title: The Whole Nine Yards
  • IMDb: link

whole-nine-yards-poster

His role of Friends aside, I’ve been largely unimpressed with Matthew Perry (Serving Sara and Three to Tango come to mind). It’s really a shame he’s made such bad choices on scripts because when you watch this flick you realize how good he could actually be in motion pictures. 

The idea of a comedy starring Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry might not inspire much confidence, but what we get turns out to be pretty darn good. The Whole Nine Yards is a quirky, fun, occasionally dark, entertaining little movie. Full of odd characters and terrific comic sequences, most notably from Perry. And it provides not one but two love stories.

Nicholas ‘Oz’ Oseransky (Matthew Perry) is trapped. He’s living in Montreal with a horrible wife (Rosanna Arquette) who has made his life miserable for years. He continues to work at the dental practice he started with his father-in-law whose debt from an embezzlement scheme he is forced to pay off. 

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She Gave Me a Pen

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  • Title: Say Anything…
  • IMDB: link

“Get ready for greatness.”

say-anything-posterThe quote is stolen from the film as Llyod shares his love for Diane with his two best friends but I also think it’s appropriate for those who are getting ready to watch the film for the first time.  Cameron Crowe’s love story between the likeable slacker and the class brain “trapped in the body of a game show hostess” is pure movie magic and is indeed the stuff of greatness.

Llyod Dobler (John Cusack) is a friendly underachiever who everyone knows and likes.  The film begins with graduation and we learn that Llyod has no idea what to do with his future except maybe become a professional kickboxer and take Diane Court (Ione Skye) to the end of the year party.  Llyod has carried a torch for the beautiful but aloof valedictorian for years and the scene where he invites her to the party should bring smiles to every guy who has ever shot for the moon and asked out his dream girl.

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Between Sunrise and Sunset

/ / Home Video, Theme Week

Let me tell you a strange but wonderful story.  Once upon a time there was a filmmaker who made a small independent art house movie that was moderately successful.  No big stars, no special effects, no plot twists here kids.  It was just a two character piece about a man and woman finding each other in Vienna and spending one day and one night together sight seeing, discussing their lives, loves, beliefs, desires, both large and small, and falling in love. 

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Win a Date with Tad Hamilton

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  • Title: Win a Date with Tad Hamilton
  • IMDB: link

“Sometimes Goliath kicks the shit out of David.  It’s just nobody bothers to tell that story.”

win-a-date-with-tad-hamilton-posterYeah, it’s a simple love story.  Boy loves girl.  Girl falls for more accomplished boy.  A more modern take on the Bye, Bye Birdie story is so delightful that I actually prefer it to the original play and its other film versions.  In the hands of director Robert Luketic and screenwriter Victor Levin such a predictable story is given class and charm up the whazoo.  And so what we get is a well told and engaging story about great love that changes your life.

Sweet down home Rosalee Futch (Kate Bosworth) works at the Piggy Wiggly with her “Pete friend” (Topher Grace) and her “Cathy friend” (Ginnifer Goodwin).  The three musketeers work together and hang out at the local pub where the bartender (Kathryn Hahn) has made her feelings about Pete a little too clear.  Pete however has been harboring feelings for Rosalee for years and thinks he is finally ready to admit his love.  In a comedy this is where something usually goes amiss.

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