The Replacements

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: August 11, 2000

DVD Release Date: November 28, 2000

Plot 411: An ex-football player is given a second chance when he is called in as a replacement during a pro football strike.

Review: My favorite quote from this movie: "Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory lasts forever." I like it. It's a good motto by which to live your life. Keanu Reeves plays Shane, a former college stand out who choked during an important game and didn't do well in his one season of pro ball. When the players of the Washington Sentinels strike over salary disputes, their coach (Gene Hackman) must find replacements for the final four games. Only three wins away from post-season, he puts together a mishmash of players, including a soccer player (Rhys Ifans), an inmate (Michael Jace), a cop (Jon Favreau), a sumo wrestler (Ace Yonamine), a deaf guy (David Denman) and a stockboy (Orlando Jones). While not necessarily deep, I still like the message behind a movie like this - that hard work and sacrifice triumphs in the end; that you've got to want it more than the next guy; that you've got to be thankful for the good things in life; and that you've got to believe in yourself. All of these themes are empowering and can be expounded upon and applied to all kinds of situations in life. As unlikely as the outcome of this movie is, I still found it inspiring. Watching this movie was almost like being there because you felt like you were one of these underdogs just trying to live a dream.

Watch It: For Reeves' amazingly bouncy hair. It's almost a character of its own.

Skip It: Because it really does ask you to suspend your disbelief for the entire time.

Heartbreakers

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: March 23, 2001

DVD Release Date: October 2, 2001

Plot 411: A mother-daughter con team work together to scam some dough from unsuspecting men.

Review: This movie had a great plot idea to begin with that carried it through to the end. Rarely does film capture the con work of women scamming men. Just that in itself is enough for me to watch this one. While the idea may be sort of feminist in nature, their tactics were so not. They, of course, use every woman's trick in the book to get what they want - from slipping some crushed glass in their food to spraying water on some tile and twisting an ankle. Sigourney Weaver plays the mama con and Jennifer Love Hewitt plays the baby con in this duo. They seemed to work together well. There are tons of funny moments in this that most women can relate to, especially the mother-daughter relationship. The love story that develops is sweet as any romantic comedy should be. Gene Hackman is great in this one as he plays a rich old coot.

Watch It: With your mom for some great laughs and some bonding.

Skip It: If you're looking for some real substance. It's a rom-com, what do you expect?

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