Dan in Real Life

Starring: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, John Mahoney, Emily Blunt, Dianne Wiest

Year: 2007

Have you heard of this movie? I hope so, although most have not. And that’s such a shame because it’s a great movie. It’s one of those movies that, unfortunately, got lost in the shuffle. The title doesn’t exactly scream ”Watch me! I’m so good!” But you really should. Because it really is.

Dan (Carell), is an advice columnist, and a single parent to three “busy” daughters. And while he is recognized as a very accomplished and successful columnist, for some reason, he can’t seem to listen to his own advice when it comes to his own relationships with his daughters, his brother, even with himself.

Dan and his girls are off to spend the weekend at Dan’s parents’ cottage - with the extended fam going too. A family tradition. And while that seems simple enough, it gets a bit more complicated when Dan ends up falling for his brother’s new girlfriend. And of course it doesn’t end there. His daughters don’t exactly make life easy for him - as most daughters have a pretty good knack at doing. They each have their own drama going on (not in a scary, horrible way - just a typical teenage, hormonal over-the-top, drama queen, kind of way).

If you are anything like me - and love family, being with family and perhaps even have a cottage of your own - you can’t help but love this movie. It is full of warmth, charm and romance. It is funny, and yet touching and tender.

The cast is strong, the cottage is cozy and the family is real. Or at least it feels real. And that‘s what I like about this movie the most. It reminds me that all families have their moments, no family is perfect, and yet, no matter what, we are family! And that's about as real as you can get. ❤️

Favourite Lines:

*Love is not a feeling Mr. Burns. It's an ability.

*I don't want to go out with the pig...face.

*Instead of telling our young people to plan ahead, we should tell them to plan to be surprised.

*There is rightness to our wrongness.

*You are a murderer of love!

From one movie "buff" to another....get that popcorn popped, the lights dimmed and the movie rolling.

10 things I hate about you

Starring: Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Allison Janney

Year: 1999

I have watched this movie countless times! And I never ever tire of IT, the story line or the characters.

It takes place in the late 1990's. New to the high school, Cameron (Gordon-Levitt) sets his eyes on cute, adorable Bianca (Oleynik). He finds out pretty quickly that Bianca isn't allowed to date until her older sister Kat (Stiles) dates. This is unfortunate for Bianca, because Kat isn't exactly the most friendly, calm, sweet person - which doesn't allow for too many man callers rushing to knock on her door. But Cameron has a plan. Enter Patrick (Ledger) - who isn't exactly warm and fuzzy either. Cameron finds a way to persuade Patrick to ask anti-social Kat out.....so that he, Cameron, in turn, can finally date Bianca.

Both Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger together, bring their characters to life. And the rest of the cast doesn't disappoint either. You almost feel like you've been dropped right into their lives. It's so real. So honest. So good!

There are so many scenes in this movie that I love. But if I had to pick TEN....okay fine, three (because I can't just pick one!), they would be: when Patrick and Kat meet at the prom; Patrick's song and dance number to Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes off of You" and Kat reciting her poem "Ten Things I Hate About You". But honestly, I could list SO many more.

Fun Fact: it's the modernized version of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew". But a lot more fun, with prettier characters, and much better fashion style!

This movie is fresh, funny, sweet, romantic. With characters you can't help but fall in love with. It's definitely a must-watch if you're looking for something refreshing, funny and heart-warming. It's plain and simply, a feel good movie, through and through.

Favourite Lines:

*I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed? *My insurance does not cover PMS!

*She's meeting some bikers, big ones, full of sperm.

*The shit hath hitith the fanith

*Hello Katrina. Make anyone cry today? Sadly no. But it's only 4:30

*Don't let anyone ever make you feel like you don't deserve what you want.

*But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.

From one movie "buff" to another....get that popcorn popped, the lights dimmed and the movie rolling.

Muriel's Wedding

Starring: Toni Collette, Bill Hunter, Rachel Griffiths

Year: 1994

I had never seen this movie but every time I googled top one hundred rom-coms, this one always came up. The reviews were "Two Thumbs Up", "Hysterically Funny", "Uproarious!", "Enormously Funny" - so I thought I would give it a go.

Is it just me? Because there is nothing funny about this movie. Or at least I didn't think so. I found it depressing and sad. "Fresh and brimming with wit" it said. Where or when?? Which scenes? I must have gone to the bathroom or poured myself another glass of wine when those scenes took place, because throughout the entire movie, I kept getting sadder and sadder. Or maybe more shocked and disappointed. There were just so many unfortunate things that happened throughout the movie - and not just to Muriel. To her best friend. To her mom. Sad. Sad. Sad.

If you aren't familiar with the movie, it's about a twenty-two year old girl (Toni Collette), living with her family in a small town in Australia, who is constantly being told by her father that she is a lost cause, a disappointment, fat, won't amount to anything, on and on. And it doesn't stop there. There are mean girls too! Hilarious right?? Not in my world! Then one day she and her friend Rhonda (Rachel Griffiths) decide to head to the big city (Sydney), where nobody knows them. Where they can make a fresh start and have fun and be who they are meant to be. And they do all that, until Rachel finds out she has cancer. Uproarious right?? Honestly! Eventually Muriel does get engaged - to a professional athlete - and people begin to notice her. But again, not really funny. Sad actually. I couldn't even be happy for her. You have to watch it to understand why. No spoilers here I'm afraid. It was just not at all what I expected.

But having said all that, I did watch it to the end. And it wasn't exactly two hours of my life I will never get back. I did like the ending. Thank goodness for that! It wasn't an "enormously funny" ending. But it was a happy ending. Would I watch it again? Probably not any time soon. But I may give it another chance - and see if I can actually find the funny bits that all of the critics found.

If you are an ABBA fan, you will love the soundtrack. If you don't, well, heads-up! Muriel is an ABBA fan! A big, HUGE, ABBA fan! Just saying. 😉

Favourite Lines:

*I'm a bride. I'm supposed to be euphoric!

*Wait! Let her finish her orgasm.

*My life's as good as an ABBA song. It's as good as Dancing Queen.

From one movie "buff" to another....get that popcorn popped, the lights dimmed and the movie rolling.