62. Cliched Romance
How many times have you seen a film and thought, "Well !!! Please kiss the girl & the get the film over with !"
Romance is so cliched such that we sense whats going to happen next like the long lost lovers re-uniting at the end, friends rallying around to help their friends achieve the impossible or even the most done to death sequence of parents getting convinced at the climax and showing the green signal for their children's love.
So why do we always see these Cliched scenes ??
PLOT : " A man moves into an apartment only to find the previous tenant still there. "
I saw this film without any prejudice because I didn't read any reviews or ratings, I just wanted to see a breezy romantic comedy and ended up with a very pleasant feeling, even though I knew how the film was going to end.
"Just Like Heaven" directed by Mark Waters is one of those films which will make you feel with the characters and root for them, this kind of emotional bonding with the film's characters is not easily achieved.
The film is based on the novel If Only It Were True (Et si c'était vrai...) by Marc Levy, it was adapted on screen by writers Peter Tolan & Leslie Dixon. The screenplay was well written & racy, making it perfect.
Reese Witherspoon & Mark Ruffalo portrayed the roles of a doctor and a lonely architect to perfection.
Mark Ruffalo was a real find, I have seen his other movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Zodiac, Shutter Island but this was one of his best roles till date. Having seen him in serious type of movies I was completely dumbstruck by the way he pulled of this role, I would love to see him in another romantic comedy.
Reese Witherspoon, my my, she is such a talented actress, I can't find a single fault with her during the film. She carried herself so beautifully.
The chemistry between the lead actors was so sweet that you couldn't resist the charm they brought, their body language, the simple smile to the display of emotions, they were simply adorable, one of the best on-screen pairs I have seen.
Cinematography was another added advantage to the film, Music by Rolfe Kent was another feather in the cap.The director has made use of his team efficiently.
The other cast includes Donal Logue, Jon Heder, Dina Spybey who played their parts really well making full use of their screen time.
The film unravels itself in its own silly, lovable & moving ways, but its the way in which it unraveled itself that made this film such a memorable & sweet one.
There were many cliched scenes in the film, it makes you think that but the fact is we have grown up listening to fairy tales of how the knight comes, rescues the beautifully damsel in distress, how they fall in love & live happily ever after.
But the real truth is that the words "Once upon a time" & "they lived happily ever after" brings about a smile in us even today.
So tell me, do you hate these Cliched Romances ???
- Director : Mark Waters
- Writers : Peter Tolan & Leslie Dixon (screenplay), Marc Levy (novel)
- Cast : Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo , Donal Logue , Dina Waters , Jon Heder
- Rating : "PG" for some sexual content.
61. Teenage LOVE
This film has entered my list as one of the sweetest love stories I have ever seen, I have seen the movie many times since the last 3 months, such was the sweetness in the film. The scenes, settings, characters have all brought about a magical combination called "FEEL-GOOD FILM".
"FLIPPED" is directed by Rob Reiner, his other movies includes When Harry Met Sally..., and A Few Good Men. Although this film was adapted from a successful novel, its not easy to reproduce the same in a movie and the director has pulled this off with his magical touch.
The screenplay was written by Rob Reiner along with Andrew Scheinman, never did the movie lose its pace, full credits to them both for this feat.
Casting was simply superb, all the characters in the film who had meaty roles to minor roles pulled it off charmingly, you can't resist to playback some of the reactions of certain characters.
Callan McAuliffe as Bryce Loski and Madeline Carroll as Julianna "Juli" Baker are so very talented, I would love to see them in a full fledged romantic comedy when they grow up.
These two characters were the crux of the film and they did justice to it or should I say lived their roles to perfection, the subtle reactions, teenage crushed were evident in their roles. Their roles were sensible and effective.
The story moved in a he says she says pattern, this kind of story telling needed synchronized cuts, Editing by Robert Leighton, who is regular in Rob Reiner's films has not let the director down. His experienced work is profound and never lacks the punch.
As I already described, the settings of 1960s American suburbs were achieved well. Cinematography Thomas Del Ruth has made sure that everything had the right tone to it
Rob Reiner's another regular technician in the movie was Marc Shaiman who has scored the music for the film, his contribution is evident in the film's trailer itself.
The way the movie had played itself was so very beautiful that I can't stop admiring the various talents involved in the film-making process to bring out this feel. The family fights, the jealousy, hardships in the family are portrayed in a very appealing manner.
I never got the feeling that this story could happen only in foreign countries, the problems & the issues that cropped up in the movie gives the nostalgic feeling that this had happened sometime back in our lives.
Looking back at those scenes there is simply no denying the fact that the memories of LOVE we see in teenage will last forever.
- Director : Rob Reiner
- Writers : Rob Reiner & Andrew Scheinman (screenplay), Wendelin Van Draanen (novel)
- Cast : Madeline Carroll, Callan McAuliffe, Rebecca De Mornay, Anthony Edwards, John Mahoney, Penelope Ann Miller, Aidan Quinn, Morgan Lily, Ryan Ketzner
- Rating : "U"
