Last Night

On a night when I couldn't get any sleep, when my mind juggled thoughts of this and that, I watched this movie. As the movie cover illustrates, it is a drama about what happens between two couples, one evening. Will they, wont they?

Michael and Joanna are a married couple of three years and one evening, they have a tiff over Michael's very attractive work-mate, Laura (Eva Mendez). The next day, Michael leaves on a business trip with Laura, where they spend time together. Joanna meets her ex-boyfriend, Alex and spends the evening with him. Will they, wont they? That's the question you'll be asking yourself and then, what's next? Alex's friend advises him not to ruin a virgin relationship with a friend by sleeping with his ex-girlfriend, who is married and has a "life" with her husband. Because, what's next? All relationships culminate in a stalemate or a state of equilibrium, anyway.

Anyway, you can watch this one, if you like this topic. I, for one, spent an hour without tossing and turning in bed.

The King's Speech

Wow, what a movie and what an actor Colin Firth is!

I thought the movie would be too serious for frivolous movie watching. But, I was taken by suprise by the movie's novel storyline. Colin Firth won the Oscar, this year and so did the movie and boy! was it well deserved or what?

Without elaborating too much, the movie is about a Prince of Britain who, has a speech disorder and in-spite of it, must master public speaking, his insecurities, to shoulder royal responsibilities and eventually, become its king.

Don't make the mistake of avoiding this movie on the grounds that its too serious for your taste. Just turn it on.

Beautiful Girls

This drama released in 1996 and is a story about five 30-something friends (men) who come together for the high school reunion. Actually, one of them comes back to visit his quiet home town, where the rest of his friends live less glorious lives than they imagined for themselves. All except one short fellow, are at crossroads in their respective romantic relationships and by the end of the movie, come to terms with relationships, commitment and women. Hence, the title,'beautiful girls'. Don't watch this movie expecting an array of beautiful women seducing the male characters and yourself. 

There's Natalie Portman playing the role of an insightful and bright 13-year old who develops a crush on her new neighbor. Uma Thurman plays the role of a woman who is visiting a cousin, ruminating about her own love life while making the men think for themselves too. Even if Rosie O'Donnell plays a very small part in the movie, she makes her mark. I enjoyed her advise to the men on the pointlessness of fantasizing about "perfect" women because even perfection isn't lasting. But, isn't that what we all want! Women included.

Go ahead and watch the movie once if you can.

Knocked Up

I'm a fan of Katherine Heigl and so, I watched this 2007 movie based on a friend's recommendation. The movie is a romantic comedy. I am cringing when I use the word 'romantic' because there is nothing romantic about the lead actor. His character is a plump, unemployed who lives with similar such friends and knocks up Katherine Heigl. :( I feel awful for judging such a person this way. Sorry! I love fairy tales which are based on perfection.

I just couldn't identify with Katherine's character who, in-spite of being hot, gets knocked up by this plump guy she meets at a bar. She decides to have the baby and raise the child with the same guy. I mean, she wanted to try to get to know him and have a relationship! She doesn't know or like him the morning after the mishap. Yet, she makes this life altering decision involving this unknown person. Ok, that's the movie. I don't need to freak out.

However, the movie had a few funny scenes with unemployed friends and their money-making website, "Flesh of the Stars". There's even Paul Rudd playing Katherine's brother-in-law and his comic responses to his marriage and foul-mouthed wife. There's this scene where Paul (in a drunken state) displays five different chairs at a Vegas hotel room and goes through varying emotions while he sits in each one of them and talks about his marriage. Ha, ha!
I'd give this movie a 3/5 because you can watch it for some comedy and while away your time. It's not my usual handsome-boy-meets-girl flick but I should be ready for something different, right?

The Company Men

Starring Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner, Chris Cooper

"The Company Men" is a drama about high ranking corporate employees from GTX Corporation who lose their jobs to corporate downsizing and restructuring. The story tells what happens to them and how their lives change. The story isn't new. I don't know if there's been another movie along the same lines. But, the truth about downsizing for share price increase and thousands of jobs lost while some at the top take millions home, have been in the news for a long time now. Kevin Costner plays a small role here. However, he and all of the other do a very convincing act. The movie makes you wonder if you take your job for granted. Somewhere along the way, you may have forgotten that your job pays the bills. Will you be ready for a lifestyle change if you didn't have your job?

On the whole, its a good movie that gives you something to think about.

How do you know?

Starring Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, Jack Nicholson

How do you know, what? I don't know if it was an editing problem with the copy of this movie or not, but some scenes ended abruptly while some began with no prelude. 

But, we are an intelligent audience, who having watched many movies, should figure the movie out. I couldn't tell where the story was going but I guess that's what Reese's and Paul's character were going through. Change and confusion. Well, a bit like real life! Reese's character didn't know what was in store for her after her sports career ended and Paul's character didn't know how he was to defend himself against the crime he was accused of. The other lead actors were under utilized. Jack Nicholson had a very small role as a father who had his own anger management issues and Owen Wilson is a sportsman wanting to be monogamous with his girlfriend (Reese). 

Reese looks a bit old at times and her facial expressions were old and familiar too. On the whole, it's not what I wanted to see on a Saturday afternoon. I wanted to relax and transport myself (if only for just 1 hour) to somebody else's life. The movie didn't fit the bill and it didn't give me anything new and interesting, either. Skip it! 

I'm not updating the "The Skip List" because published blogs are not posted again.