Weekend in Reviews

Bride Wars - You know that stereotype about women planning their weddings since we were in diapers and how we're all total bridezillas because nothing is more important in life than having a perfect and lavish wedding? This movie IS that stereotype.

Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway are Liv and Emma. They've been friends forever and have been planning their dream weddings together since they were 6. Liv grows up to be a successful and wealthy attourney dating Steve Howey. Emma becomes an elementary school teacher sharing a small appartment with her accountant boyfriend Chris Pratt. Both couples get engaged (a day apart) and then the ladies rush off to start making plans for their perfect June at The Plaza weddings caring not at all about what the grooms think or want. When a mix up in scheduling causes them both to be booked on the same day, they become the worlds most petty, shrill, vindictive, bitches.

Steve Howey is obviously in the deepest of love with Liv because he not only puts up with her shit, he's really nice about it. Chris Pratt on the other hand (SPOILER ALERT), can take no fucking more of Emma's wild ways and after one final (completely ridiculous) outburst, dumps her ass like a hot rock AT their wedding. But as it happens, that works out fine for her because in a move I would not have thought possible, the bitch trades UP from Chris Pratt. That's right, about 10 minutes after he leaves her at...or rather near the alter, she moves on to Bryan Greenberg!

I'm not sure how two such vapid, horrible bitches landed 3 completely awesome and hot men between them but I'm sure it has something to do with what they look like. Stupid, shallow men!

This is maybe the worst "chick flick" I've ever seen and yet, I can fully imagine I'll watch it again when it's on cable some Saturday afternoon. But only because I'm powerless to turn away from any opportunity to see Chris Pratt, Steve Howey and Bryan Greenberg (JAKE!).

Fanboys - It's pretty easy to describe the plot of this film as "Über Nerds On A Road Trip To Be The First To See Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace" and that's certainly what Harvey Weinstein wanted everyone to think this movie was. He thought it was too big a downer for the nerds to be on the road trip for a reason other than extreme nerdiness.

Here's what the movie is really about though: sometimes, friends grow apart. Not because they don't like each other anymore but because life, and the decisions we make about what we're going to do with our lives get in the way. But allowing yourself to remember your friendships and get back in touch with who they are and who you used to be when you were together, can save you from yourself.

Deep right? There are also jokes about boobs, testicles, Trekkies, sex with wookies, William Shatner and Darth Vader. It's really a funny, slapstick comedy with a terrific cast (Sam Huntington is Eric, Dan Fogler is Hutch, Jay Baruchel is Windows, Kristen Bell is Zoe and Chris Marquette is Linus) who are capable of nuanced performances and writing that puts the truth on Front Street but doesn't need to beat you in the face with it.

Harvey Weinstein delayed release of this movie because he didn't like that Linus had cancer. But that story didn't stop the movie from being funny, it just made these nerds and their quest for glory at Skywalker Ranch grounded in some kind of real emotion. They were giving something to their friend, sharing something with each other and finding out what their lives were supposed to be. There is no big death scene, no sappy hospital bed moment, no teary goodbye. There are just 5 people having fun and being silly.

I liked Fanboys a lot.