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This film falls under the guilty pleasure category, because it’s funny and charming and the actors sell the material, which is based on Shakespeare’s TAMING OF THE SHREW. The other selling point of the film is the breakthrough performances by young stars Julia Stiles (SAVE THE LAST DANCE) as Kat and Heather Ledger (FOUR FEATHERS) as Pat.

First thing that could have been a major problem was that Pat and Kat’s relationship is based on a bride. I hate romantic comedies based on deceptions. However, Ledger captures the viewer and we are left feeling that the bribe just serves as a device to bring the two characters to meet rather than something that really affects their budding relationship. Though we get the big “girl runs away in horror after discovering the deception” bit, Stiles plays it well and we do get a nice believable make-up scene at the end. Plus, the premise of the bribe, which is that rich jerk Joey (Andrew Keegan, O) wants to date Kat’s younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik, TV’s THE SECRET WORLD OF ALEX MACK), but can only do so if Kat dates, and what transpires afterwards, do not leave Pat looking malicious.

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Anyone who knows me will know that I’m a major fan of this film — it’s one of my favorites. I truly feel it’s one of the most underrated films of the last decade. Director Lasse Hallstrom poetically visualizes Peter Hedges’ angst-filled coming-of-age novel, bringing it to the screen in a funny and delicate way. Gilbert Grape has a quirky family, but you’ll see a real family when you meet them. Brimming with originality, the character study not only builds one believable life, but a whole community of them.

It’s a classic tale of a lethargic young man (Johnny Depp, ED WOOD), who lives in a small Mid-Western town named Endora and tries to do the right thing for his family. His younger brother Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio, TITANIC) is autistic and needs a lot of special attention — and even more patience — to deal with. Gilbert also has two sisters. The older, Amy, (Laura Harrington, PAULIE) was recently laid off from the local elementary school and the younger, Ellen, (Mary Kate Schellhardt, APOLLO 13) is a cocky teenager who works at the local ice cream shoppe. They all care for their 800-pound-plus mother, Bonnie (Darlene Cates, TV’s WOLF GIRL), who hasn’t left the house to years.

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This political satire by director Mike Nichols (THE GRADUATE), in my opinion, is perfect. It looks at the American political process in a new way for a fictional film. A party is named, but the story is universal. Left- or right-leaning viewers can both enjoy this film equally. Political junkies will make a ball picking out the real life counter parts to the film’s fictional cast.

Based on the book of the same name by Anonymous, the film follows the primary campaign for the Democratic ticket of Southern governor Jack Stanton (John Travolta, PULP FICTION). Okay, okay, it’s Bill Clinton — Nichols does nothing to really hide who the film is really about. Emma Thompson (DEAD AGAIN) plays the Hillary Clinton-like Susan Stanton. Both actors become their characters fully and I was blown away by their performances. I think this is Travolta’s best. However, the central character in the film is Henry Burton (Adrian Lester, LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST), the son of a black civil rights leader and an activist in his own right. He is roped into becoming a campaign manager and soon falls for the charming and surprisingly honest Stanton.

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At face value the film seems like a romantic comedy, but it really is more about loves lost and New York itself. If Paris is the city of love than I think this film is saying that New York is the city of longing.

The film starts off with Isaac Davis (Woody Allen, ZELIG) giving a narration about New York, but he changes it ever so often and paints a different image of New York. I think Isaac the character and Allen the director see the Big Apple as a magnificent city in turmoil with its greatness and beauty, and its moral and structural decay. Don’t let that heavy sounding description scare you. It serves as the backdrop for the characters.

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