What I Did On My Labor Day Vacation - Movie Reviews

Joe and I were big lazy slobs this weekend. I won't share the details with you because I would like to still have a bit of your respect, but one highlight was an abundance of movies. I LOVE going to the movies and lately Joe has been appeasing me and going with me. So in case you are thinking about hitting the theater, here are my reviews of the movies I saw over the Labor Day weekend.

Stars are on a 5 * scale.

All About Steve (Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper) **** 1/2
Overall I LOVED this movie and walked out of the theater smiling and wanting to hug strangers while simultaneously yelling "I LOVE ME!". Yes, I am a geek (who had a glass of wine right before the movie) but this movie is for geeks (and wine always helps). Plot summary is basic - geeky girl who creates cross word puzzles for a newspaper lives at home and has no social life. Her parents set her up with the attractive Bradley Cooper, she shows her true geekiness, madness ensues until the happy ending. Sounds boring and cliche' right? If you have ever wondered if there was someone out there who would love you even though you (fill in the blank), it isn't. There are many laugh out loud sections and I can honestly say that there are parts that I see myself, or several different friends doing. There is a part at the end that is so hysterically me that it STILL makes me laugh almost a week later. Sandra Bullock looks HORRIBLE, with a weird hair color and even worse clothing, but for anyone who has ever sat a little, or a lot outside the "in-crowd", this movie is adorable and will remind you that there are people who love you because of (or in spite of) your quirks.

Extract (Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck) * Disclosure: I did go to see Extract less than 20 minutes after leaving All About Steve so I was a bit on a happy high.
The first time I watched Office Space was painful because it was so true to life, but with every watching since, it has become absurdly funny BECAUSE it is so true to life. The same directors did Extract so I am trying to be open minded about this movie but in truth, it just wasn't good. I love Jason Bateman and think Arrested Development is pure genius. He was OK in this movie but I just didn't really care about his character. Ben Affleck was the best part of this movie, playing a stoned, laid back bartender who gives Batemen all the wrong advice. There were some slightly funny parts, but really I'd just recommend skipping Extract.

He's Just Not That Into You (HUGE cast including Jennifer Aniston, Ginnifer Goodwin, Bradley Cooper, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore among others) ** 1/2
So there was this book that Oprah talked about...blah blah. I am NOT an Oprah fan, and never read this book. But I love Ginnifer Goodwin and I'd heard this movie was cute so we watched it. Maybe it was because I was in the mood for a feel-good chick flick, but I was not a fan of this movie. There are a few happy endings, but overall I just didn't care enough to be glad when he finally proposed etc, etc. Ginnifer Goodwin still is adorable in it and each of the actors do a decent job, I just think there were too many of them to fully develop and really, I just wanted a happy ending for all. Sometimes I see movies to escape reality, so when they are too real, I am disappointed. Check it out on video, but lower your expectations to enjoy this movie.

500 Days of Summer (Zooey Deschannel) *****
Go see this movie. Do not pass go....go straight to this movie. Bring a friend, a spouse, a neighbor or bring me because I will surely see this again. This movie is sweet and adorable and innocent and funny. It also has a fantastic soundtrack.

Inglorious Basterds (Brad Pitt) ****
A lot of press has been devoted to the latest Quentin Tarantino flick. While some of my friends are calling it the Picture of the Year, I disagree. I liked it. It was entertaining. You wish it happened that way and Brad Pitt is hysterical. I am glad I saw it, if anything to understand the hype. I walked away surprised at the lack of violent deaths shown (a hallmark of Tarantino films) and wondering if all the people that spoke multiple languages knew how before or learned it for this role. That caused me to think about my own inability to speak a foreign language and that made me really like the actor who plays the bad German dude. Go see it, like Pulp Fiction, you will be glad you know what people are talking about.

I Love You Man (Jason Segel, Paul Rudd) ***
I wish I could get a grant to study the effect of movie expectations vs reality of enjoyment for movies. We LOVED Forgetting Sarah Marshall, written and starring Segel, and really like How I Met Your Mother. So this movie was cute, but not the laugh riot we were expecting so we were disappointed. I think had I gone in with no expectations I would have liked it more. It is a solid, watch-at-some-point-on-DVD movie.

The Proposal (Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds) ****
Joe and I LOVE Ryan Reynolds and have followed him since he was a skinny kid on Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place (what a show-starring our other favorite man- Nathan Fillion). Mr. Ryan Rodney Reynolds has buffed up thanks to roles in superhero flicks and he is yummy. He is also funny with a great delivery which is why Joe likes him. He takes his shirt off in this movie and that alone is worth the $10 movie ticket. Wow, is he hot. OK...enough about him, but seriously...positively lickable. I was very happy to see Sandra Bullock's hair back to a normal color and in this role she reminded me of what a beautiful woman she is. She also has an almost naked scene and in all fairness, is pretty amazing looking. This is your standard, predictable romantic comedy (do we call that a rom-com?) but it is worth seeing. The lusty Reynolds has a unique timed delivery and he is able to project so much with just his expressions. There are some laugh out loud parts and Betty White is hysterical as luscious Reynolds' grandmother. Come on...Betty White! The action takes place in Alaska so the scenery is gorgeous. Is this movie going to change your life? No...but it will make you smile and what can be wrong with that?

Till the next movie.....