Movie Roundup

Um...I haven't done one of these since March, so let me try and remember all the movies I've seen since then:

Double Indemnity - I was in the mood to watch an old flick and this one did not disappoint.  This was a noir film about the man plotting the perfect murder, and how it all backfired.  A. 

Rachel Getting Married - Oh, boy.  This is definitely one of those critically acclaimed movies that do not deserve the accolades.  The film, about a drug addict coming out of rehab to attend her sister's wedding, does feature some really good performances.  Anne Hathaway's performance in particular deserved the hype, and she even had me in tears at one point with one of her monologues.  But the movie was SO. SLOW.  It could have been better if there was an actual editor on the project.  There was this one interminable wedding toast scene (I swear that went on for 20 minutes), and then another scene where the family had a dishwasher-loading fight.  Not really worth your time.  C-

The House Bunny - This movie was cute and actually funny.  It's about a sweet but ditzy young woman who is kicked out of the Playboy Mansion and starts over as a house mother to a sorority full of misfits.  There were great performances from the strong female cast, like Anna Faris, Emma Stone, and, surprisingly, Katharine McPhee (she's actually a good actress! I was surprised).  B

Junebug - Another one of those indie films that got a load of attention but actually sucks. The only redeeming part of the film was Amy Adams...she's becoming one of my favorite actresses, just because she's so versatile.  If you see this movie at all, see it for her performance alone.  C- 

Clueless - Yeah, so, I never saw this movie when it first came out.  I know, right?  It's a travesty. I remember everyone quoting it to death ("AS IF!") but I just never got around to seeing it.  I was surprised how...good it was.  I got all nostaligc over the 90's while watching it. Plus it had Paul Rudd <3  A

Garden State - Another one of those flicks that I hadn't seen when it was so hyped.  I actually liked this one though.  I wasn't so sure how I felt about it when it was done- it was one of those movies that made me think for the next couple of days.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I liked it.  I could really relate to the themes in the film.  Plus Natalie Portman was actually good in this movie...this is the first movie I've seen her in where she put on a believable performance.  A  

17 Again - I don't care what anyone says, I loved this movie. Just needed more Matthew Perry.  A.

Sunshine Cleaning - I really liked this movie.  It's about these two sisters who open up a crime-scene cleaning service, and the bond between the two of them as they navigate through their complicated lives.  Amy Adams and Emily Blunt were the main characters, so you know there were strong performances. A

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - This was a cute girly movie about a womanizer who is visited by ghosts of his past and present to help him realize that his one true love is someone he left behind.  B

To Die For - Nicole Kidman plays a murderous weather girl who will do anything to become famous.  Good flick.  A

Lollilove - I was a fan of The Office back in the day when it was actually good, and I wanted to check out the faux-documentary that the show's star, Jenna Fischer (Pam) made before getting hired on The Office.  The film is about a married couple who have the good, but misplaced, intentions to start a charity by handing out lollipops with artwork drawn on them to homeless people.  The movie is definitely low-budget, but it wasn't bad.  It wasn't great, either.  C.

The Hangover - This was a really funny movie. It's about a buddy trip to Vegas that goes hilariously wrong.  Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper were my favorites.  Bradley Cooper is so good at playing douches in movies that I wonder if he is one in real life...but he's hot, so I don't really care.  A