movie: 27 Dresses

 I don't watch romantic comedies very often.  How often?  Well, I'm sure that, between How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days and 27 Dresses, I watched one (willingly, not by other people having it on and my not being able to escape) that wasn't a classic or a rewatch, and didn't have magic and/or period costumes, but I couldn't tell you what it was.  Too often, they seem to rely on two people who don't like each other always being stuck with each other and sniping, only to have them randomly declare their love at the end.  That, or raunchy/poor mannered/"funny" guy bring the stiff/wallflower woman out of her shell, and we aren't  meant to notice what a jerk he is.  Plus, they tend to be really big on the idea that humiliating characters and comedy are one and the same.

I'm not really sure why 27 Dresses appealed to me.  In case anyone doesn't know, it's about a woman named Jane who's been a bridesmaid 27 times.  She's incapable of saying no, or really of asserting herself in any way, and always does what people want.  Even to the point of running everything in her boss's life while he doesn't notice she's in love with him, and then standing aside when her sister falls for him.  In completely honesty, while there's nothing wrong with him, the guy is as interesting as dirt.  More interesting is Kevin, a magazine writer who writes articles about weddings, but who doesn't believe in love and marriage.  Jane, who firmly believes in love and marriage, finally finds something to assert herself against.  Things go the way they usually do.

Honestly, I think half my interest was in seeing James Marsden finally get the girl with no chance of her pining after someone else.  Sure, Superman is Superman and Hugh Jackman makes Wolverine about 1000 times more interesting than he is in the comics, but it's kind of hard to watch Superman Returns and the X-Men movies and believe that the women would be pining after them when they could have his characters.  Catherine Heigl is one of those actresses I'm always positive I like, but I can never think of anything I've seen her in.

In all honesty, it's almost impossible to believe that Jane  is single without it being by choice, but it works.  Jane and Kevin are both easily likable, the dialogue is pretty good, and Heigl and Marsden have good chemistry.  I was also very amused by Jane's Closet of Shame, and the fact that the dresses were blatantly an excuse for wardrobe to dress Heigl up in all sorts of outfits.

It's mostly just a normal, if good, romantic comedy, but it does make the romance be the spring that makes Jane step out of her self-assigned role and take charge of her life, and she asserts herself because she's tired of it all, not just because the cute guy told her to.  Because of this, some scenes that would normally result in character humiliation aren't, as they're her finally sticking up for herself, if not always in the best way possible.

( spoiler )

I admit, part of why I like it is because I went in expecting nothing more than likable fluff with pretty people, and that's what I got.

In conclusion, I feel compelled to mention that Kevin is practically a male version of Kate Hudson's character in 10 Days.  They should bond about their desire to write about important issues and such while stuck writing for trend magazines and departments.

hmph

 Dear Hastings:

Why must you have a sale for 40% off used books at a time when I have store credit because I'm taking books I don't think I'll read again in for credit so I can get new books, and then not have any used books in stock that I want?

Also, while I understand your employees will only accept books that are in good condition, I must protest when they turn their noses up at a book for a smudge on the cover when the rest of the book is perfect, especially when I can go to any section of the store and come away with 5-10 new books from just a shelf or two without hunting that are in worse condition than any book i'd ever bring in.  (Because, you know, I take better care of books than your shelvers do.)

Now to decide what movie to watch tonight.

But really, 40% off books already discounted 50% or more, and I couldn't find even one?

movie: Elizabeth: The Golden Age

So, I was tempted to make this post "Clive Owen stole Cate Blanchett's girlfriend," but I doubt I could get away with that.

Before I start, I should probably mention that I haven't seen the first movie starring Cate Blanchett.  I like Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush a lot,  but I don't care as much for Joseph Fienes.  Fiennes.  Whatever.  While I enjoyed Shakespeare In Love, he didn't impress me much and he...he always seems kinda greasy and weaselly looking to me.  I feel very, very bad saying that, but it's true.  Here, he's replaced by Clive Owen.  I approve, as I'm quite fond of him.  Also, the more skanky aspects I've heard about the first movie are gone.

The movie focuses on Elizabeth's steadily increasing problems with Spain and Mary Stuart, as well as her relationships with Walter Raleigh, a privateer, and Bess Throckmorton, one of Elizabeth's Ladies In Waiting, who eventually marry.  Historical fact, not movie spoiler.  The acting is great all around, the visuals are stunning, and the plot is pretty well done.  While I freely admit that my knowledge of the period (like most time periods) is more general than specific, nothing leapt out at me as "no, wrong."  I do have one criticism though, which is that,

( mild movie spoiler )

The most interesting part, however, was Elizabeth's relationships with Bess and Raleigh.  In many ways, it's set up to be a triangle of Elizabeth/Raleigh/Bess.  In many ways, though, it felt more like Elizabeth/Bess/Raleigh.  While Elizabeth's feelings for Bess didn't strike me as romantic, it was obvious from the start that the two women loved each other very much.  Much of Elizabeth's interest in Raleigh seemed to be centered around Bess's interest, increasing Elizabeth's natural interest, and her comments to Bess about Bess's interest in Raleigh, and Raleigh's interest in Bess, were very, very close to the stereotypical possessive boyfriend explaining how only he could ever like his girlfriend.  When Elizabeth learns of Bess and Raleigh's relationship, it's Bess's perceived betrayal that she takes harder, and Bess is the one she cviews as having been stolen, not Raleigh.

For his part, Raleigh never struck me as romantically loving Elizabeth.  Completely awestruck by her, and smitten with her confidence and power, but his love, while absolute, always seemed to be that of a subject to a beloved ruler, not a man to a woman.  Instead of taking the standard romantic triangle route, the movie seems to take the less0used approach that love comes in many varieties, not just romantic and familial.  While I think both Bess and Raleigh loved Elizabeth more than they loved each other, I don't think romantic feelings were ever and issue, save that their love for each other was a betrayal of their love for Elizabeth, and her love for them, because it was a love and relationship that conflicted with the absolute love and devotion Elizabeth demanded.  

For the most part, Elizabeth struck me as viewing Bess and Raleigh as what she wanted.  Bess the young, beautiful girl everyone likes, because she's kind and pretty, Raleigh the dashing, romantic figure and fulfillment of girlish dreams.  I think the best example of this is the scene where

( spoiler )

Anyway, an excellent movie, IMO, and there's no need to see Elizabeth first.  I haven't, and had no problems following it.

Now, all that said:  Elizabeth Tudor:  The original baby kissing politician?  Yes or no?