Movie #136 - Sleepless in Seattle

"What if someone you never met, someone you never saw, someone you never knew was the only someone for you?"

One of the many romantic comedies written and directed by Nora Ephron. The only difference between this movie and some of her other movies, she cast Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan together. This is one of three films in which the two are paired, and apart from the flop, Joe vs. the Volcano, this movie and You've Got Mail are definitely keepers.

I am not one to openly claim that I like many romantic comedies, but I do like this movie. Not only is it well written and has an elaborate plot, it is well cast, a recipe that makes for a great movie in the end.

To complement Hanks and Ryan, you have appearances from Rob Reiner, Bill Pullman, David Hyde Pierce, Rosie O'Donnell, and Rita Wilson. However, the driving force behind this movie is the work of Ross Malinger, who portrays Jonah Baldwin, the son of Hanks' character. He is the main reason why this romance starts off in the first place and the main reason why it comes to fruition in the end.

Also, to add, Meg Ryan is again bubbly, perky, and beautiful in this film... too bad she looks somewhat scary nowadays with botched plastic surgery and time catching up with her. I believe she would've maintained that level of beauty from her earlier roles if she just let time do what it had to... instead, she caused her own demise.

And yes, I know... I've spoiled the ending so to speak. But Ephron romantic comedy have you seen where the two love interests didn't get together in the end? If you haven't watched this film after 16 years on the video shelves, pick it up. Not only will your wife, girlfriend, or fiancee thank you for it... but you'll definitely show a softer side... a level of sensitivity that she's never seen before.

However, if you are a female reader and want to pick this movie up on a date night with your boyfriend, husband, or fiancee... please don't. It's not fair to subject most men to these films... I am capable of sitting through them at nausea and I seek them out in order to amass more films on my database, however, I wouldn't openly recommend this film to punish men who would rather enjoy films such as Aliens or The Terminator or Rocky IV. There is romance in all three of those films... you'll greatly appreciate it. Get any of those films instead!

Hehehe... I love double standards.

Movie #132 - Spaceballs

"May The Farce Be With You."

You have to hand it to Mel Brooks. He took one of the biggest franchises in movie history in Star Wars and made one of the most clever spoof comedies. Not only was Brooks able to accomplish such a feat, but he used a large movie production budget and was very respectful to the Star Wars franchise in the jokes that were told.

This is definitely how movie spoofs should be made. The Airplane franchise is another set of movies that does it right. More recently, the disastrous movies such as the ones made by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer are horrible. Poor examples of super spoofs in which every movie of the summer is made into a spoof segment of the film. Stay away from these films.

Mel Brooks did it right with this film. The cast is remarkable in the use of top actors of the 80's such as John Candy, Rick Moranis, and Bill Pullman. Also, the other cast members are pretty good too such as Daphne Zuniga, Dick Van Patten, and Joan Rivers. Mel Brooks is also in this film along with some clever cameos from John Hurt and George Wyner.

Of the Brooks films, this is one of his best. I appreciate his brand of humor, because its creative and unique. He utilizes a basis for his plot, but takes the film into a whole new direction, telling an entirely different story that is only loosely based on the original film.

For you Star Wars fans out there... you'll love the use of various references from the franchise such as the Schwarz instead of the Force, Yogurt instead of Yoda, Dark Helmet instead of Darth Vader, and Pizza the Hut instead of Jabba the Hutt. Overall, Star Wars fans should enjoy this movie, not only for its farce comedy, but for the efforts made to pay homage to the original franchise.