1997
Plot: A grumpy, bigoted, OCD romance novelist is taught his place by a gay man, a strong-willed waitress, and a toy dog.
Eric: If you believe that Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt can be romantically involved, then we have a bridge and a relevant movie review website to sell you; nevertheless, one of my favorite movies.
(4 paws)
Kelly: Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Did I mention I really like this movie? Rent it—even if you’ve seen it before.
(4 paws)
2009
Plot: Eric and Kelly would walk on coals to see this romantic movie.
Eric: I’m always surprised when a chick-flick was worth the price of admission at the movie theatre. I thought Aaron Eckhart’s hypocritical showman and Jennifer Aniston’s quirky, yet thoughtfully mature characters were unique.
Kelly: The story was a little predictable, but the characters were unique. My favorite character was the parrot. It was a perfect flick for date night!
2008
Plot: Habitual wedding planner/bridesmaid finds her own true love…or does she? --another dress at least.
Eric: I think I would have shot myself by wedding number five…but, enjoyable movie anyway.
Kelly: I thought this movie was going to be boring and predictable. It was a little predictable, but the fun dialogue and great chemistry made it really fun to watch. If you want the girl to get the guy, but you don’t want to have to turn off your brain, watch this one.
1992
Plot: Famous country music performer disappears from tour and falls in love with the only woman on the planet who doesn’t know who he is. Uh-huh.
Eric: I know this film is almost as old as my Jeep, but it has been a guilty pleasure of mine for all those years. When Kelly found out, she bought me the DVD. That’s pure love.
Kelly: One of the things I never thought I’d hear Eric say: “Um, I have a confession to make…one of my favorite movies is Pure Country.” I didn’t even know he liked country music.
2005
Plot: Classic love story based on Jane Austen’s novel. Just when you think nobody’s getting married, everybody’s getting married.
Eric: How many novels did Jane Austen write about families comprised of all women obsessed with men and marriage? Yikes! That's my idea of cinematic purgatory.
Kelly: Loved the book; loved the movie. Maybe it’s a girl thing. My favorite part is when Elizabeth tells off Lady Catherine de Bourg. I thought Donald Sutherland and Brenda Blethyn were priceless as Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, too.
2008
Plot: These pants have traveled far enough.
Eric: I liked the parts of this movie I stayed awake for.
Kelly: This is definitely a chick flick, and I loved it! (I also think soap operas are fun to watch, though, so maybe I shouldn’t be allowed a vote on this one.)
2009
Plot: City girl goes country, freezes her *** off. (You’ve seen it a million times.)
Eric: A cliché romantic comedy all the way, but it had some of the biggest movie-night laughs we have had in a while. (I nodded my head sagely several times to the references to sub-zero temperatures.) It made me homesick for the Midwest; Minnesotans are cool people, aren’t they? Yah, sure! (Don’t answer that.)
Kelly: Yes, this one was totally predictable yet strangely entertaining! I wasn’t expecting it to be so funny—especially when we knew what was going to happen three scenes before it actually did. It made me homesick for my Midwest roots, too. I sure do miss the days when waiting for the bus could give you frostbite within minutes…
2008
Plot: Always bring your heart medicine when traveling overseas if you are very old, plan to fall in love, and foolishly run up twenty flights of stairs.
Eric: The cynic in me says that Dustin Hoffman is funny looking, short, and twenty years older than Emma Thompson. But the romantic in me thought this movie was sweet and touching, I thought their romance was believable—very studly the way Harvey, a pathetic down-on-his-luck guy, chased this woman who caught his eye. The movie only works when these two are on the screen together, though; enough for three paws from me.
Kelly: There was something very sweet about the way Dustin Hoffman gazed up into Emma Thompson’s eyes. I thought they made a cute couple. I agree that the movie was at its best when they were sharing the screen, though. The sad, mopey individual scenes leading up to when they met were not particularly entertaining.
2008
Plot: Old guy gets younger; young girl gets older. Both end up in diapers.
Eric: I’ll let Benjamin speak for me on this review:
I hope you feel things that you never felt before.
I hope you meet people with a different point of view.
I hope you live a live you’re proud of. And if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.
Amen.
Kelly: What he said. Amen!
1999
Plot: Beware of a man who sells blouses out of his truck.
Eric: I thought this was going to be just another infidelity movie with angry people forgetting how to love and respect each other. But I thought it ended well and asked some probing questions about what causes people to stray…and stay.
Kelly: Hey, nicely said, sweetie. I agree and have nothing to add (for once).
Eric: Who are you and what did you do with Kelly?
