Some Good Movies

As Christmas "break" sets in and work comes to a halt for a week or two, I'm thinking back on some good movies I've seen (in preparation to watch them again), and looking ahead at viewing some new ones. I think two of my all time favorites are "Something's Gotta Give" and "The Holiday." Coincidentally, they were both directed by Nancy Meyers. There is also a new movie coming out on Christmas Day called "it's Complicated," which is also directed by Nancy Meyers. So, I'm thinking I'll probably end up seeing that too and probably devour it. I guess I like her style.

"Something's Gotta Give" was a great movie for me because it was the perfect length (as was "The Holiday"). It was not too short, but not too long. It had great characters and good senses of humor. And I loved, loved, loved the beach house. It was so...perfect. It was not too beach-y and not too unrealistic. It made me want to redesign my house to look just like it. And, the fact that Erica used an Apple computer instead of a PC, for her writing, made it all the more relatable. It was so clean, too. Not clean from a sexual or vulgarity standpoint, but in a fresh way. Maybe crisp is a better word. Everything about the house from their outfits and attire, to their food and wine and choice of restaurants, to the fresh ocean air surrounding them seemed refreshing. I think it was the way they portrayed their lifestyle that made the movie a breath of fresh air to watch.

Diane Keaton did get on my nerves a bit. She always does and I don't know why. I think part of the reason is because they had the "some 'older' women can still be attractive" mentality when they made the film. However, showing someone's full bodied figure at, what, 57, is not really something I want to see. Period. Sorry. At any rate, I wanted to waltz right into that house and make it my own. And the fact that the whole family seemed classy and prosperous in a subtle way made it enjoyable as well. They did not seem to flaunt their success or make it seem to outweigh any real problems they had. Divorce is still hard to deal with (Marin dealing with her dad remarrying) and new heartbreak is tough to swallow (Erica and Harry). It was life. And life for them was real--and good.

"The Holiday" is another favorite of mine. I think I like it more than the former. Again, Meyers just has a way of finding great, ripe actors and developing their characters into ones we fall in love with. I love the story of Amanda and Graham. Cameron Diaz and Jude Law developed those characters so well. It was such a unique way of finding love and one we probably cannot relate to but dream of. And Ira and Miles' love stories were beyond relatable. Ira--a typical girl who fell in love with Jasper Bloom who has been unavailable for years and will never become available. Finding gumption, it seemed, was the only answer. How many stories are there like that out in the world? We could all use a little gumption.

From the moment you set eyes on this double love story unfolding with all it's twists and turns it envelops you in a way that finds no retreat. Even though the love parts of the plot were semi-typical (especially the Amanda and Graham story) it is still sensational to watch. The way that Meyers even plays their English accents (including little Sophie and Olivia) into the movie was brilliant and the part with Arthur Abbott just adds another exciting dimension.
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I'm really excited to see what Meyers' next movie, coming out Christmas day, holds. She has great ideas, great subjects, and amazing talents that she brings to every motion picture.

I think I've found my new, and first, favorite director.