Movie Review: Crazy, Stupid, Love

Movie: Crazy Stupid Love
Starring: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone
Released: July 29, 20011



Hoot Rating: I give this movie a One Hoot rating.

Summary sans Spoilers:  Steve Carell plays Cal, your average married man who is comfortable with his marriage to wife Emily, played by Julian Moore. He is comfortable, she is bored and asks for a divorce. Brokenhearted, Cal starts to spend his evenings at a bar where night, after night he watches the handsome, ladies man Jacob, played by Ryan Gosling, take home girl, after girl. Tired of seeing Cal's pathetic self every night, Jacob tells him that he can teach him his tricks to getting women in bed. Cal goes along with it and gets completely transformed, wardrobe wise at least, and starts having his own sexual conquests. While Cal turns into Jacob, Jacob turns into Cal when he falls in love with Hannah, played by Emma Stone. Over time, and with the help of his son, Cal discovers that he has only ever loved his wife and wants her back. What ensues is just a representation of the complications on love and the difficulties of relationships. Basically, people do crazy and stupid things when they are in love.

The Critical Eye: To be honest, I have to say I had really high hopes for this film. I am sad to say that I was most unfortunately disappointed. I expected it to be sweet with some sad moments, but  that it would end happily and reinforce my belief in true love, even if just for a little bit once it was over. Instead, I sat through a movie that was very slow to start and poorly constructed plot-wise. It felt much longer than the two hours it actually is because of how slow the beginning was. It is clear that Crazy, Stupid, Love was trying to accomplish the very same seamless story transitions of an ensemble cast that the film Love Actually was able to do quite successfully. Crazy, Stupid, Love, however failed in this effort just like another similar and disappointing movie, Valentine's Day. Perhaps Crazy, Stupid, Love feels so slow in the beginning because it focuses too much on the "picking up a girl at a bar" scenes. I felt we needed to see more scenes between Cal & Emily and Jacob & Hannah. There was really only one good scene with Jacob & Hannah and I think it would have done the movie good to show their relationship develop a little more. As for scenes with Cal and Emily, we just needed more scenes that show how well they know each other. Emily is much too cold in the scenes they do have together. I also found myself quite disturbed by the story-lines of the babysitter and the son. They were just somewhat inappropriate and added to the slow pace. The movie does gain strength in the end, however with a hilarious twist. As for the acting, Steve Carell does a marvelous job, as always, at playing pathetically funny. He has the perfect face for it. Julianne Moore was...well, Julianne Moore. There just wasn't much there. Ryan Gosling definitely gave this movie delightful sex appeal and he had wonderful chemistry with Emma Stone, who was as wonderful as ever with her clumsy sarcasm and intelligent strength.

The Bottom Line: There were, maybe, three really good scenes. For the most part it focused a little bit too much on lust rather than love for a PG-13 movie. It does attempt to send a sweet message but I do not really feel that was accomplished. Basically, if you want a Steve Carell comedy, pick something else. This is more of a Dan in Real Life kind of thing. If you want an achingly beautiful love story like The Notebook, pick something else. If you want a cliche romantic comedy with brilliant wit and sarcasm like Easy A, pick something else. If you just want to see Ryan Gosling shirtless and sexy, this is the movie for you.

Classic Movie Monday: The Lady Vanishes

Title: The Lady Vanishes
Stars: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Year: 1938
Black & White

Summary: Iris Henderson's last vacation with her girlfriends before her walk down the aisle ends her days of freedom is about to come to a close. Before she boards the train on her way back to her groom, she is hit on the head by a falling flowerpot which was pushed off its ledge intentionally. As her friends worry about her injury, the old lady she met the night before promises to look after Iris on the train so they bid Iris' friends farewell. Once they've boarded the train, they decide to have some tea to soothe Iris' headache. As Iris and the old lady dine the pair chat and the old lady reveals herself to be Miss Froy, a retired governess. They finish their tea and make their way back to their compartment where there is also an Italian family and a German lady. Iris falls asleep only to wake up and see Miss Froy is gone. She asks the rest of the people in the compartment where her friend has gone but they all claim that Miss Froy never existed. Not believing them, Iris begins a frantic search for her friend with the help of the charming Gilbert who seems to be the only one who believes her, much to Iris' annoyance. What ensues is a roller coaster ride of Iris' sanity as she goes from being convinced she is crazy to being absolutely certain of a conspiracy. There is a little romance and comedy thrown in there, too, as we meet various interesting characters on the train.

Director/Production: This is one of Hitchcock's British films which, to me, just seem to have more charm. It is much more simple than his later work but that does not mean he doesn't have a few tricks up his sleeve with this one. He uses trick shots to make things look far more menacing than they are. It has all of the best of his technique as well as he bits of humor.

The Stars: This film stars Margaret Lockwood as Iris and Michael Redgrave as Gilbert. Margaret Lockwood has a strong screen presence despite being the damsel in distress. She plays the role of Iris with strength and determination. I don't have much more to say about her because all of my focus is on Michael Redgrave's Gilbert. Handsome and tall (so very, very tall), Redgrave is the best part of this movie. His character never lacks in the humor department and without him, there would be no romance in the movie. You might recognize the name Redgrave, and yes he is Vanessa's father. For me, he is the best part of this movie.

Why Should You Watch This? This is absolutely my favorite Hitchcock movie (I might have said that about Rear Window, but this one is my true favorite). It shows his genius better than any other of his films and encapsulates every one of his best tricks. "This Lady Vanishes" shows his talent even better than any of his later work, which was done with far more resources at his disposal. It has all the suspense that Hitchcock is famous for as well as all the romance he managed to squeeze into just about every movie he made. Another reason this film is so special to me is because it just has a certain charm to it that comes from the model village and trains used in the opening shots. It is a reminder of how far film making has come. I also feel like the lack of the more technical elements allows you to focus more on the character development. The characters here are so unique and charming that it is fitting that they are the focus.

I love this movie so much and hope that you will do the same. I hope you watch this and come to enjoy it as much as I do. I also hope you can forgive the fact that this is classic movie Monday on Thursday. This one is probably not one you could find at Blockbuster, but you most certainly can get it on Netflix. However, because it is an older film, copyright ownership does not really apply to it anymore so you can watch the full thing on YouTube without fear of it being taken down. Let me know what you think and, as always, happy watching!

Here is the first YouTube video of it, just to get you started. The rest is up on YouTube.

Greatest Movie Romances of All Time (Top Five)

I am a sucker for movie romances. Well-constructed romances pull at my heart strings and I hold them as shining examples of what love is (even though I shouldn't because it will probably lead to disappointment). Regardless, here is a list of movie romances that I find to be the most true, the deepest, the purest, the most epic and heart aching.

5.)  Lady and the Tramp from Disney's animated picture Lady and the Tramp.

Simple and sweet, this children's movie romance lives on through the popular spaghetti eating scene. Couples all over try to imitate this animated perfection with the one they love most. Also making this romance one to remember is the class difference. This film shows, through dog breed and upbringing, that wealth doesn't matter when it comes to love. He protects her and she appreciates him even though the others in their crowds do not think they belong with each other. They make each other better, which is exactly what we all should get out of our relationships. She shows him that not all humans are cruel and he shows her a world she didn't know existed.

4.) George Baily and Mary from It's a Wonderful Life.

George always dreamed of traveling the world and escaping Bedford Falls. Mary only ever dreamed of George. This romance shows that the most important things in life are the people we love and the people that love us in return. It also gives hope to girls who love a guy who doesn't even realize it. One of the sweetest moments in this film is when a young Mary whispers to a young George: "Is this the ear you can't hear on? George Baily, I'll love you till the day I die!" She wishes with all her heart that George just might one day return her feelings. Her wish comes true and in the end he finally realizes he has everything he wants as long as he is with her. She brings happiness to his life that is much deserved due to his endless supply of selflessness.

3.) Noah and Allie from The Notebook.

This relationship is the perfect example of undying passion and uncontrolable love. Noah and Allie love each other desperately, but Allie's family want's better for her. Due to some manipulation by her mother, the two are separated. Each tries to move on with their life but can't stop thinking about the other. Allie finds a man that she knows she should be with but she loves Noah more. This not only shows the struggle of loving two people and having to choose the one you truly belong with but it shows the power of love through the nursing home scenes. He loves her so much he is willing to go through the pain of her forgetting him again just to have her remember him for one brief moment. Most passionately, their love has the power to to see them through the very end together. This is the kind of undying love that everyone should have the pleasure of knowing. It leaves me sobbing every time I watch it.

2.) Scarlett and Rhett from Gone With the Wind.

This romance is perfectly epic. There are few people that belong together as much as Scarlett and Rhett belong together. They are so similar. Both are very stubborn and strong. They go after what they want regardless of the consequences. This relationship has passion and lust but it also shows that sometimes we are blind even to our own feelings. Sometimes you can think you love someone with all of your might, only to find out that they are not who you want at all. From Scarlett and Rhett we also learn that the ones that love us can only take so much and wait so long before they give up on us and all the heart ache of unrequited love--but even when it seems hopeless we should never give up. Fight for love with all that you have and just maybe you will get everything you are looking for and more. Most importantly: Know what is truly in your heart.

1.) Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blithe from The Anne of Green Gables Trilogy

I don't know how well known this movie series is (it is Canadian made and I think it was made for television) but Anne and Gilbert's relationship is beautiful. It begins when they are just kids. Their relationship at that point, however, is a love-hate relationship: Gil would love to be friends and Anne hates that he called her carrots. She holds on to a grudge for far too long. She never knows quite how to talk to him or explain things to him but he is always trying to get in her good graces. When they grow up and finally become friendly, Gil is ready to marry Anne and he loves her but she is afraid of change. This fear also lead her to tell Gil that she will never marry, but Gilbert thinks she is just in love with someone else. As a result we see the extent of his love for her and his pain with what I think is one of the greatest lines of all time: "I hope he breaks your heart. Whoever he is." Change is a common fear that can keep us from being with the ones we love and it can even cause us to hurt the ones we love. Anne also shows us that pride can get in the way of love sometimes and if we do not toss that pride aside when we get a chance, we could miss our opportunity for good. Anne thinks she has realized it too late but love prevails.


All of these on-screen romances make my heart flutter and keep me hoping that some day I will fall in love. They also teach us a thing or two about finding love and keeping it. What do you think of these romances?

(Not Little) Red Riding Hood

Movie Title: Red Riding Hood
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Romance
Released: March 11, 2011


Hoot Rating: I give this film One Hoot. It is classified as a horror film, but I never really felt like it was one either time I saw it. The film was mostly a fantasy-romance flick. It was enjoyable and it did keep me guessing as to who the wolf was till the very end which kept me intrigued. Some of the acting was a little laughable on the supporting end as well as some of the plot. Some of it was just a bit of a stretch. I do think it is worth seeing, but don't expect it to be the best movie you've seen in a long time or to be very traditional when it comes to the story.

The Critical Eye: "Red Riding Hood' is not the fairytale you were read as a kid. It takes the usual cautionary story and turns it into a romance. Amanda Seyfried stars as Valerie, who lives in a small village that lives in fear of the wolf. This fear is so strong the villagers sacrifice their best animals to it in order to stay safe from its wrath. This however, does not seem to worry Valerie, who is more focused on her love affair with Peter (Shilo Fernandez), who she is in love with but cannot be with because she is to marry Henry (Max Irons). As Valerie is frolicking in the woods with Peter, the Wolf defies the village's agreement and kills someone close to Valerie. This causes the village priest to seek the help of Father Solomon (Gary Oldman), who is an expert at hunting werewolves. Before he arrives, the villagers go do some wolf hunting of their own and are lead to believe they were victorious when they have only killed a normal wolf. Father Solomon arrives and tells them they have made a mistake, but they ignore his warnings and celebrate anyway. When they learn they are still in danger, they turn all power over to Father Solomon, who conducts a Salem Witch Trial-esque hunt. He informs the village that the wolf could be anyone, even those you are closest to. This makes Valerie suspicious of everyone and even places Valerie in danger herself.

"Red Riding Hood" is, overall, an entertaining movie. Although it focuses on the forbidden romance between Valerie and Peter, it does provide suspense about who the wolf is. We get the sense that Valerie knows it is someone close to her and therefor she is conflicted throughout the movie as to who to trust and love. It is directed by the same woman who directed "Twilight," so that says something about the movie. The camerawork is better in this than in "Twilight," though. I had a similar feel as "Twilight" which could be attributed to the soundtrack. The special effects are good (minus one obvious puppet wolf head) and there is little gore, which is good for some people and disappointing for others. There are some humorous parts, whether they were intentional or not is hard to say. The plot is pretty simple and straightforward, until the ending, which I find problematic in terms of Valerie's emotions, but I won't get into it because I would have to spoil the ending. I would say, though, that the end leaves room for sequels, if they choose to go the saga route.

The Bottom Line: The movie is entertaining, but if you want 'can't sleep for weeks' horror and 'pee your pants' thrills, that is not what you are going to get. It is more so a movie about relationships and trust with a CGI wolf thrown in. It is worth seeing once, but you might want to wait to rent it. Don't see it twice. The second time is quite boring. If you want to take kids to see this, I would say it is okay if you are worried about gore, but be careful because there are a few parts (maybe two parts) that are quite sexual, especially during the village celebration, which is a bit like Mardi Gras.