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Sarah (7798 KP) rated About a Boy (2002) in Movies
Feb 16, 2019
Heartwarming and funny
You can’t really go wrong with a Hugh Grant film based on a Nick Hornby book. Hugh Grant is his usual lovable, charming foppish self and the perfect person to play Will. Nicholas Hoult is great as Marcus and truly an up and coming star when this first came out. The rest of the supporting cast too are good, but it really is all about Will and Marcus. The plot is a little silly but is pretty much your almost typical British rom-com type film, but it stands out thanks to the funny and heartwarming script. It’s got enough serious moments in it too to not make it too silly either.
An altogether lovely and wonderful British film that may be over 16 years old now, but definitely stands the test of time and is worth a watch.
An altogether lovely and wonderful British film that may be over 16 years old now, but definitely stands the test of time and is worth a watch.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Hampstead (2017) in Movies
May 8, 2019
Soul-eatingly horrible late-life rom-com. Recently widowed clearly well-off American woman living in (duh) Hampstead meets human womble living rough nearby, there is chemistry, despite the fact her friends disapprove and he is about to be evicted by the council. Various life lessons are just waiting to be learnt.
A calculated new take on the classic Richard Curtis formula, although it is even more obvious and predictable than most examples of the form, and has virtually no good jokes to make you not care about this. The soft-focus depiction of homelessness and the social divisions in London is simply objectionable. Gleeson and Keaton are too good not to find their moments even in a film like this, but they are glitter on a dungheap. Hollow and mechanical, unsurprising, unfunny, unemotional and manipulative.
A calculated new take on the classic Richard Curtis formula, although it is even more obvious and predictable than most examples of the form, and has virtually no good jokes to make you not care about this. The soft-focus depiction of homelessness and the social divisions in London is simply objectionable. Gleeson and Keaton are too good not to find their moments even in a film like this, but they are glitter on a dungheap. Hollow and mechanical, unsurprising, unfunny, unemotional and manipulative.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Thor: The Dark World (2013) in Movies
Jun 9, 2018 (Updated Jun 9, 2018)
Marvel's second Thor movie is a not especially well-judged mixture of somewhat leaden epic fantasy and cutesy, kooky rom-com. Looks spiffy throughout, but it doesn't half drag in places: you can see why they decided to shake things up so thoroughly in the third one.
The thing about the Marvel Studios films is that they are routinely so good that when one is merely a fairly competent blockbuster, as is the case here, it does feel unreasonably disappointing. Apart from the sluggish pace and mishandled humour, the main problem here is that the script doesn't feel particularly well-focused or engaging, with the new villains eclipsed by Tom Hiddleston as Loki, and a reliance on lavish spectacle over characters you actually care about. Still not much worse than many a successful blockbuster, but one of the more dispensable Marvel movies nevertheless.
The thing about the Marvel Studios films is that they are routinely so good that when one is merely a fairly competent blockbuster, as is the case here, it does feel unreasonably disappointing. Apart from the sluggish pace and mishandled humour, the main problem here is that the script doesn't feel particularly well-focused or engaging, with the new villains eclipsed by Tom Hiddleston as Loki, and a reliance on lavish spectacle over characters you actually care about. Still not much worse than many a successful blockbuster, but one of the more dispensable Marvel movies nevertheless.
Alicia S (193 KP) rated Can't Touch This (Can't Touch This, #1) in Books
Sep 28, 2018
Another fabulous book from an incredible author!! I'm in love with every word Pepper (Tess) writes and have been a huge fan of her incredibly dark stories. Taking a chance and letting out some personal emotions she has written and shared with us something totally unlike anything she has ever written and yet its as amazing as her previous works. From dark to rom-com... she does it all flawlessly! <3 This book had me laughing my a$$ off from page one! The hysterical banter, heart-wrenching stories of animal abuse and rescue and the incredibly huge heart both Vesper and Ryder have, make this a book you won't want to put down. I struggled wanting to rush through it to wanting to savor every moment. A beautiful and hysterical love story that should not be missed!! HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommended read & author!!
Dean (6925 KP) rated Last Christmas (2019) in Movies
Dec 28, 2019 (Updated Jan 5, 2020)
Great soundtrack (2 more)
Emilia Clarke
Not a traditional Rom-Com
Heart Warming festive film
I'm not particularly a fan of festive films but I'd seen most other stuff out so gave this a whirl with an open mind. It was a pleasant surprise a mix of Bridget Jones diary type humour to start with and a few good laughs throughout. The romance side is OK and Emilia Clarke is on form as a helpless Londoner down on her luck and feeling sorry for herself. Until she meets Tom who improves her outlook on life.
I figured out what was going on before the big reveal, which is why I think some people probably didn't like it. Overall I found it a heartwarming film that was fun and festive without being overly cheesey. So check it out even if you normally avoid Christmas films.
I figured out what was going on before the big reveal, which is why I think some people probably didn't like it. Overall I found it a heartwarming film that was fun and festive without being overly cheesey. So check it out even if you normally avoid Christmas films.
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated Life as We Know It (2010) in Movies
Mar 22, 2020
one of katherine heigl's best
I really liked this movie! I was really surprised by the ratings from critics and other people, I thought it was super cute. Sure, it was predictable, but it was still a really cute movie. It had a few hidden gems in there - "Having someone help you doesn't mean you've failed. It just means you're not in it alone." I think that Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl are great together. I can't say enough good things!
Everyone knows that my reviews always have a favorite character - almost always a supporting character and in this film it was Janine. She was so funny and when she cried? I lost it. I loved this film. It's an easy watch, it's a cute rom-com, great for a night in with some wine and popcorn!
Everyone knows that my reviews always have a favorite character - almost always a supporting character and in this film it was Janine. She was so funny and when she cried? I lost it. I loved this film. It's an easy watch, it's a cute rom-com, great for a night in with some wine and popcorn!
Transgression in Anglo-American Cinema: Gender, Sex and the Deviant Body
Book
Sexuality within mainstream Hollywood cinema features primarily in comedy or rom-com genres, where...
David McK (3382 KP) rated Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
OK, I'll admit it … that was better than I was expecting.
Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams starring Rom-Com, as the members of the Icelandic band 'Fire Saga', who get chosen (for plot reasons) to represent their country in 2020s Eurovision Song Contest, which is being held in Scotland for some reason(?!).
Yes, the actual 2020 Eurovision competition itself was cancelled due to Covid-19.
As for the film: after a slow(ish) setting the scene start, it picks up once Lars and Sigrit make it to the song contest, and with the introduction of Dan Stevens completely-over-the-top Russian entrant - the firm favourite to be the winner of said competition - alongside a whole host of actual Eurovision nods and winks.
And Graham Norton.
Yes, that Graham Norton.
(although he may be more familiar to UK watchers than to others)
Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams starring Rom-Com, as the members of the Icelandic band 'Fire Saga', who get chosen (for plot reasons) to represent their country in 2020s Eurovision Song Contest, which is being held in Scotland for some reason(?!).
Yes, the actual 2020 Eurovision competition itself was cancelled due to Covid-19.
As for the film: after a slow(ish) setting the scene start, it picks up once Lars and Sigrit make it to the song contest, and with the introduction of Dan Stevens completely-over-the-top Russian entrant - the firm favourite to be the winner of said competition - alongside a whole host of actual Eurovision nods and winks.
And Graham Norton.
Yes, that Graham Norton.
(although he may be more familiar to UK watchers than to others)
Awix (3310 KP) rated Fisherman's Friends (2019) in Movies
Mar 20, 2019 (Updated Mar 20, 2019)
Punishingly trite, manipulative and formulaic (not very) based-on-a-true-story rom-com melodrama. Jaded urban over-achiever finds himself stranded in remote rural community, learns to appreciate the value of The Important Things in Life; meanwhile a crew of hairy fishermen sing songs with lyrics like 'Nacker-nacker-toory-ay'. Cornwall and its inhabitants are arguably patronised a lot.
Utterly predictable and not very funny (well, we did laugh a lot during the bit with the funeral, but we're not very proud of that), the script overdoses on feelgood platitudes while not bothering all that much about things like characterisation or internal logic. The music is not that bad (if you like that sort of thing), but sheesh, you can go and buy a CD for that. In the end this is a sort of lobotomised version of Local Hero with added folk music.
Utterly predictable and not very funny (well, we did laugh a lot during the bit with the funeral, but we're not very proud of that), the script overdoses on feelgood platitudes while not bothering all that much about things like characterisation or internal logic. The music is not that bad (if you like that sort of thing), but sheesh, you can go and buy a CD for that. In the end this is a sort of lobotomised version of Local Hero with added folk music.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Big Sick (2017) in Movies
Mar 13, 2018
Somewhat unorthodox rom-com with comedian Kumail Nanjiani playing himself and Zoe Kazan, er, not. Starts off looking like another of those love-across-the-cultural-barricades movies before turning into something quite different (I can't remember if they have The Smiths' 'Girlfriend in a Coma' on the soundtrack, but if they didn't, they should have).
Possibly I am just biased as Nanjiani seems like a man after my own heart (X-Files fan, plus the first thing he does when he takes a woman home is show her an early 70s Vincent Price horror movie - did I mention I'm single?), but this manages to be both touching and funny. Good support from Ray Romano and Holly Hunter as Kazan's parents; manages to deal with some fairly serious issues with a light touch. Works hard to earn its happy ending; an immensely likeable film.
Possibly I am just biased as Nanjiani seems like a man after my own heart (X-Files fan, plus the first thing he does when he takes a woman home is show her an early 70s Vincent Price horror movie - did I mention I'm single?), but this manages to be both touching and funny. Good support from Ray Romano and Holly Hunter as Kazan's parents; manages to deal with some fairly serious issues with a light touch. Works hard to earn its happy ending; an immensely likeable film.