I Could Never Be Your Woman - **1/2

If I've learned anything over the past decade and a half from all the movies I've screened, it is this: Paul Rudd steals every movie he's in. I've probably only seen a dozen or so of his films, along with a few of his television appearances (remember he was Phoebe's boyfriend/husband on "Friends" -- oh yeah...), but you just can't ignore that much talent. I'm gushing about the boy because I first noticed him in writer/director Amy Heckerling's "Clueless" and they're reunited here in this straight to video mishmash of romantic comedy and Lifetime single mom movie of the week.

Michelle Pfeiffer and Saoirse Ronan both turn in believeable performances as a mother and daughter who don't always see eye to eye but have a mutual respect for each other, even when their maturity levels seem to trade places. Jon Lovitz has a minor role as Pfeiffer's ex-husband,which, really, puts this film in the realm of science fiction or at least asks us to suspend our disbelief enough to accept that maybe 15 years ago he was a catch. It's never mentioned, but given how this film deals with the television industry (i.e., "Hollywood") I couldn't help but think Pfeiffer's charcter married him to further her own career, and that didn't aid in my desire to like her character, let alone empathize with any of her drama.

One other issue I had with this film is why Pfeiffer, who's character is an executive on a teenage show a la "Saved by the Bell," would have cast Rudd's character as he was *clearly* older than any other person shown in the 'audition scene'. I have no problem with actor's in their 20's playing teens, it's been done forever, but if you're going to try and convince us that an actor in their late 30's looks like a teen, don't put them next to other actor's who look much more convincing as a teen. Ironically, Stacey Dash who plays the star of the fictional TV show was 40 years old when this film was made and looked as young as many of the teens on set. I just saw no reason for it to be a "teen show" when any standard sit-com setting would have suited the story just fine.

That said, the film is worth seeing just for Paul Rudd, whom I hope see's more leading man roles in the very near future. Maybe his lasting working relationship with writer/producer Judd Apatow (the two worked together on "The 40 Year-Old Virgin", "Knocked Up" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall") will produce something worthy of notice and garner him accolades he so richly deserves.

27 Dresses / Knocked Up / Beowulf

27 Dresses - ***

A bit too long, but when you're staring at Katherine Heigl for 2 hours, that's not always a bad thing, unless Judy Greer (a fav of mine since 1999's "Jawbreaker") is on screen as she always is a scene-stealer. James Marsden shows promise as a romantic comedy lead and is much more charming here than as Cyclops in the "X-Men" films. The chemistry isn't as great between Heigl and Marsden as it is between her and Seth Rogan, but that's another film (see below). Still, sparks are present and Heigl is clearly the front-runner as the next Julia/Meg/Reese (Amy Adams being her biggest competition, and she's got 2 Oscar nods, but Heigl's Emmy win last fall shows she's not backing down by any means). This film is my first exposure to Heigl as an actress and, had I not heard of her before, I would say she's "one to watch" but everyone's been watching her for years. I guess I should have stuck with "Rosewell" way back when and now I actually have a reason for watching "Grey's Anatomy." Dammit!


Knocked Up - ***

Yes, a Katherine Heigl double-feature day and yes, I hadn't seen this film until yesterday. How is that possible?! I don't know so let's just say I didn't get a chance to see it, then I wanted to wait until the hype died down. The film lives up to my expectations as I found it genuinely funny, touching and well-balanced in humor and drama in it's approach to the subject, much like director Judd Apatow's "The 40 Year Old Virgin." I think a lot of credit needs to go to Seth Rogan for this film finding the success it did, as well as to Paul Rudd who, from what I've seen so far, has never had a bad performance. I will definitely be adding more of his work to my Netflix queue.

I wasn't quickly won over with Heigl on this film, but that may have been a script issue and not with her performance. The story is dependent on the fact that she's a beautiful woman on the verge of becoming a breakout correspondent on the E! network. On the eve of a big promotion she celebrates with a little too much "spirit" and winds up in bed with someone whom she probably would never give a second look. I didn't get any insight into whether she really liked Ben (Seth Rogan) or was only after a one night stand to accent her promotion celebration. Given her reaction the following morning and the fact that she doesn't contact him until she finds out she's pregnant, I would believe the latter. However, her agreeing to breakfast would lead me to believe she was willing to give him a real shot, which he blows big time, but not by being a pompous jerk, but by being nervous version of himself. So does she agree to "give it a real shot" (i.e., give him a second chance) because she's having his baby, or because everyone deserves a second chance? I saw no indication that, had she not gotten pregnant, she never would have called him again. I'll need another screening to be sure.


Beowulf - **1/2

Visually impressive but I found the story to be lackluster at best. Crispen Glover is fantastic as Grendel, yet I felt as if this film was intending to border on campy adventure yet it never gets there. Imagine if Monty Python had done "Braveheart" then maybe you'll understand what I mean. Still, I'm a fan of the motion capture process and hope that it continue's to be a genre of movie making, but I do prefer live actor's in front of a blue/green screen as compared to motion capture as animation has yet to make people look anything but creepy. Although the character of Beowulf did look more real than the others. Maybe because he had no correlation to his live-action actor?

I, Robot / Interview With A Vampire / Man on the Moon / The Matrix: Revolutions / The Last Starfighter

I, Robot - ***

I found this film to be a visually exciting Will Smith vehicle in his traditional summer blockbuster/popcorn movie-esqe way. I know I screened this a few years ago but don't remember liking it this much. Similar in style to "Minority Report" in it's futuristic look, the film holds up well on for what it is, but is not as original as director Alex Proyas's "Dark City." He would be well suited for a comic adaptation.


Interview With The Vampire - ***
I always find myself going back and forth in regards to Tom Cruise's performance. I would have really liked to see him portray Lestat one more time, to see if he was on to something or completely missed the mark. Having never read any of the novels, I have nothing to base his performance on other than how it comes across on screen. Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst, however, always good in their respective roles as Louis and Claudia.


The Man on the Moon - **1/2
Jim Carrey's interpretation of Andy Kaufmann plays well on-screen, but my being unfamiliar with Kaufmann's work made this seem like a standard bio pic that leaves a lot of questions open, which apparently is how Kaufmann liked to leave his audience.


The Matrix: Revolutions - **
I love the "The Matrix." My admiration for "The Matrix: Reloaded" grows everytime I screen it. However, 'Revolutions' is always disappointing. Technically and visually impressive, the story falls flat it it's conclusion and by the end I just don't care what's happening in Zion and I just want to go back to the Matrix.


The Last Starfighter - ***
I hold a deep affection for this film as it was a favorite of mine as a young teen. The story is simple and to the point in it's "teen recruited by a video-game to save the universe" way. As high-concept as the plot may be (and arguibly similar to "Tron"minus the biblical pretense), I just find this film to be charming (but too soft-focused in several scenes). Yes, it's cheesy, corny, and campy when viewed by a "Matrix" audience, but it's charm still holds up. I could easily see this film becoming a TV series someday, a la "Battlestar Galactica."