Movie Reviews

Movie suggestions for couples and loners on Valentine’s DayOn Feb. 14, while half of the country, dripping in heart-shaped chocolates and long stem roses, sips champagne and celebrates love, the other half will invariably be alone trying to justify their independence. “It’s just a stupid Hallmark holiday,” they’ll think over a Hungry Man TV dinner for one. Fortunately, there are films for both groups. For those without When the Cat’s Away is a chick flick in the best sense of the phrase. Directed by Cedric Klapisch and starring Garance Clavel, Oliver Py and Romain Duris, this quiet, subtitled French film tells the story of a lonely young woman searching for love and her lost cat in Paris. She fortuitously stumbles upon a community when her neighbors, one by one, join her plight. The final scene of the film rivals the endings of classics like The Graduate. Finally liberated from her loneliness, our heroine runs through the streets of Paris with Portishead blasting in the background. Even if you’re unhappy that you’re alone, this film will make you glad you’re alive. On the other end of the indie spectrum is In the Company of Men. Directed by Neil LaBute and Tony Hettinger, and starring Aaron Eckhart, Matt Malloy and Stacy Edwards, this movie has the power to make the loneliest women rethink their desire to have a man in their life. Two embittered businessmen scheme to target and woo a young, deaf woman, and then dump her. The purpose: to have some fun and gain revenge on the female sex. The filmmakers claim that the movie is a black comedy meant to indict the vacuous white-collar world. Unfortunately, it’s hard to ignore the inherent misogyny. Even the most love-struck women will have a hard time kissing their boyfriends after watching this one. Finally, there’s Fatal Attraction. We all know the story: Michael Douglas plays a successful attorney who cheats on his sweet, unsuspecting wife (Ann Archer) with the icy Glenn Close, who then boils a bunny. Directed by Adrien Lyne this film can comfort both guys and gals. Women will be annoyed that Douglas risks his perfect marriage for one roll in the hay with an ice queen. Men, of course, will be terrified of women for weeks after witnessing the ice queen seek revenge. For those with Baseball and romance blend perfectly in Ron Shelton’s (dare I say) masterpiece Bull Durham. Starring Kevin Costner (the movie was made in 1988 when he was still hot), Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, the film chronicles the season of a minor league team, the Durham Bulls. Costner plays a dispirited catcher sent to mature the rookie pitcher, Robbins. Sarandon perfectly portrays an eccentric groupie who gets involved with both men. Everything about the film is simply sublime, including the behind-the-scenes story. Hollywood’s favorite politically correct couple, Sarandon and Robbins, met while making the movie. Cameron Crowe’s first feature film, Say Anything, is also fun and romantic. John Cusack falls in love with the unattainable beauty and senior class valedictorian Ione Skye. Of course, she’s busy dealing with her future and with the fact that her father (John Mahoney) has been accused of embezzling money from the senior citizens who live in his nursing home. In most video guides, however, the picture falls under romantic comedy category, so you know their love will prevail. Thanks to the supporting cast, particularly the piquant Lili Taylor, the film stands out against all of the other insipid ’80s high school love stories (Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, Some Kind of Wonderful), and John Cusack, as the aimless kickboxer, is about as endearing as they come. Finally, there’s Rob Reiner’s Princess Bride. The hunky Cary Elwes battles monsters to save his beloved Buttercup (Robin Wright) from the evil Prince Humperdink (Chris Sarandon). Along the way he makes some unusual friends, like Andre the Giant and Wallace Shawn, whose lisp can still make me laugh. This fairy tale-like story is the perfect Valentine’s treat for couples of all ages.