Mansfield Park (1999)

I just finished watching "Mansfield Park," which is based on Jane Austen's work.  I am a huge fan of Austen and the new version of "Pride & Prejudice" is one of my favorite movies.  The story in "Mansfield Park" was so intriguing and drew me in right from the beginning.  I really enjoyed the fast-paced drama and the romantic twists and turns in this film.  It was very well done.  The story might even be one of my new favorite Austen stories.  The strength of the female heroine was overwhelming and I respected her throughout the film.  The film starts by following a poor young girl with a fantastic imagination who is sent to live with a wealthy aunt.  She is not treated as an equal at the estate, but she grows intelligent and beautiful, and she develops her own opinions.  I really did enjoy this film.
It gets 4 out of 5 stars.

Like Water for Chocolate (Como Agua para Chocolate) (1993)

I had heard about the foreign film "Like Water for Chocolate" for many years.  I finally got around to watching this film produced in Mexico just this week.  The entire movie is in Spanish, but I had to watch the subtitles because I took French in high school.  Even though I had to watch the subtitles throughout the film, I was always engaged and interested in the story.  The story is about forbidden love between Tita and Pedro in the early 20th century.  The story has many twists and turns and follows a mother and her three daughters throughout their lives.  I enjoyed the plot, but there are several references to the supernatural and ghost appearances.
The movie was very good, very passionate, and quite heartbreaking.  This movie gets 4 out of 5 stars.

Bridesmaids (2011)

I was really looking forward to seeing "Bridesmaids."  It looked like it was going to be a hillarious comedy.  It had some funny moments, but overall it wasn't as great as it could have been.  I enjoyed Melissa McCarthy in the film, but the parts played by Rudolph and Wiig fell flat at times.  The movie had an interesting premise, several funny scenes, and some funny girl fights.  All the wedding drama was there, along with the cattiness between a snobby new BFF and the childhood friend who can't get her life in order.  If you're going to watch this film, wait for it to go to video.  It gets 3 out of 5 stars.

  

Thor (2011)

I went and saw "Thor" in 3D.  It would not be my usual pick, but I went to the theatre with my father and didn't think he would be interested in any chick flicks.  I actually enjoyed the movie more than I expected. Chris Hemsworth played Thor, Anthony Hopkins played his father, and there were appearances by Natalie Portman and Renee Russo.  I wasn't familiar with the Thor superhero storyline, but I enjoyed that the hero was banished to Earth and met a female scientist.  The movie had interesting action scenes, a decent story, but a few slow points.  Overall, I would recommend it for a film to go see in the theatre.  It gets 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

Head Over Heels (2001)

"Head Over Heels" is a light and airy romantic comedy with a number of laughs.  It stars Monica Potter as an art restorer who ends up living in an apartment with four models after she breaks up with her boyfriend.  The four models are hillarious and have ridiculous rules about dates.  They often provide comic relief throughout the film.  Their apartment overlooks the apartment of a fashion designer, played by Freddie Prinze Jr., who Potter falls head over heels for in this film.  However, the girls think they see him commit a crime and then they decide to snoop around and get into more trouble.  I enjoyed this film when I first saw it ten years ago, and I enjoyed it when I saw it on television again last night.  Don't expect great acting or the best plot, but a light, funny, often silly, romantic comedy.  It gets 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (2010)

"Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" was a well-done documentary.  I must admit that I didn't know too much about Joan Rivers aside from her plastic surgery and fashion commentary before watching the film.  After viewing the documentary, I had a real appreciation for her work effort and her family life.  The inside look showed just how many jokes she has written and how influential her comedy career has been to modern female comediennes.  I really enjoyed the film and got to see how edgy her jokes were when she was first starting her career.  Underneath the cattiness and alleged ego, there lies an insecure woman still struggling to work after her long career.  I will continue to watch her funny quips when they appear on various television stations.  I give this documentary 3 ½ out of 5 stars. 

Love and Other Drugs (2010)

"Love and Other Drugs" looked like a breezy romantic comedy when it was being advertised.  The film, however, is a bit darker a a lot less funny.  The movie follows Jake Gyllenhaal as a drug rep and Anne Hathaway as a young girl with an incurable disease.  The two of them have sex a lot in this film.  You see a lot of gratuitous nudity throughout the film.  There are many scenes where you wonder why they aren't wearing clothes, or at least underwear.  The excessive nudity and the strange romance make for a so-so movie.  I definitely won't be watching it again, and I won't be recommending it to anyone.  It gets 2 ½ out of 5 stars.