Movie Mania: REMEMBER ME, DARE, and more
I’m back this week for some more Movie Mania. To be honest, I haven’t had as much time as I would have liked to to watch movies over the last couple of weeks (mostly due to me having to catch up on a lot of TV shows), but I did get to see a few that I enjoyed. Hopefully, in the next Movie Mania I’ll have more to share. But for now here are some of the movies I saw lately.
Remember Me (2010) – After a couple of weeks in theaters, I finally saw Remember Me with a friend of mine. Well, we both loved it! It’s a movie that I would want to see again. I loved the romance between Robert Pattinson and Emilie de Ravin’s characters, the story was compelling and the ending was amazing. In fact it’s probably one of the best endings that I have ever seen. That said I am in the minority here because it seems that a lot of people not only disliked the movie, but hated the ending. I say go see it, but that’s just me.
Synopsis: Still reeling from a heartbreaking family event and his parents’ subsequent divorce, Tyler Hawkins (Robert Pattinson) discovers a fresh lease on life when he meets Ally Craig (Emilie de Ravin), a gregarious beauty who witnessed her mother’s death. But as the couple draws closer, the fallout from their separate tragedies jeopardizes their love. Allen Coulter directs this romantic drama that co-stars Pierce Brosnan, Lena Olin and Chris Cooper.
Chances Are (1989) – I decided to watch Chances Are, because I had never seen it and Robert Downey Jr. was in it. I got such a kick out so seeing a young Robert Downey Jr. and it’s just amazing to see how brilliant he was already back then (I’ll admit that unfortunately I haven’t seen that many Robert Downer Jr. movies). As for Chances Are, it’s a fun watch.
Synopsis: A celestial boo-boo sends soul-in-limbo Louie Jeffries into the body of Alex Finch (Robert Downey Jr.) in this heavenly romantic comedy. Louie lies dormant until Alex starts dating Miranda (Mary Stuart Masterson) — the daughter of Louie’s widow, Corinne (Cybill Shepherd). When Louie’s memories are unleashed, Emile Ardolino’s film gets as complex as a Shakespearian comedy, forcing all the players to sort out the remarkable events.
Every Little Step (2008) – I had been meaning to watch this documentary about the casting of the 2006 revival of “A Chorus Line” for a long time and jumped on the chance when I saw it was available to watch instantly on Netflix. I had seen the movie “A Chorus Line” a long time ago and really loved it, so it was really great to get to see the real life story of dancers trying to make it into the show, when the show is about dancers trying to get cast in a show. And here’s a fun fact for fans of Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, choreographer Tyce Diorio is one of the people auditioning.
Synopsis: Go backstage for an up-close look at a Broadway production with this entertaining documentary that follows hopeful dancers as they audition for coveted spots in the 2006 revival of “A Chorus Line.” Drawing parallels between the interactions of the aspiring actors and the events of the play, filmmakers Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern also intercut interview footage of composer Marvin Hamlisch and dancers from the original Broadway production.
Americano (2005) – I have had Americano on my list of movies to watch for almost as long as I have had a Netflix subscription (aka it’s been a while) and finally decided it was time to watch it. I was originally interested in checking it out of course because of Joshua Jackson, unfortunately I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. It was a little long for me, so it was ok but not great.
Synopsis: Before beginning a conservative career as a buttoned-up businessman, a recent college graduate (Joshua Jackson) decides to participate in the world-famous running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, where he meets a beautiful local (Leonor Varela) and an expatriate barkeep (Dennis Hopper) who change his life forever.
Dare (2009) – Dare is definitely an interesting and sort of twisted film. It’s really a film you have to see for yourself. I personally enjoyed it, but it’s not for everyone.
Synopsis: In their final semester before graduation from an affluent suburban high school, good girl Alexa (Emmy Rossum), outcast Ben (Ashley Springer) and bad boy Johnny (Zach Gilford) decide to shed their youthful inhibitions and take some very grown-up risks. A twisty tale of betrayal, heartbreak and unleashed sexuality ensues in director Adam Salky’s unique teen drama, which premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
