Brief Interviews With Hideous Men

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: September 25, 2009

DVD Release Date: March 16, 2010

Plot 411: A grad student interviews men for her thesis and learns more about herself in the process.

Review: Julianne Nicholson plays Sara, a woman who has recently burned by love and is focusing her efforts on her research project to uncover the motivations of men. Through interviews with subjects, she gathers information about their fears and desires. Their anecdotes help her analyze her own situation with her ex, played by John Krasinski. Even after watching this, I don't really understand what it's all about. So, if you've seen this flick definitely leave a comment and demystify it for me. The movie is quirky because the interviews make it seem like a documentary but there are also characters that speak directly into the camera and serve as narrators. What's the movie really trying to say? Does it even know? The movie featured cameos by Timothy Hutton, Chris Messina, Will Arnett, Will Forte, Dominic Cooper and Christopher Meloni.

Watch It: And help a sistah out by 'splaining it to me.

Skip It: If you don't want to bust your brains on one of these high concept endeavors.

Puccini For Beginners

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: February 2, 2007

DVD Release Date: July 3, 2007

Plot 411: After her girlfriend breaks up with her, Allegra falls for a guy and a girl who are former lovers.

Review: This is a humorous look at today's dating game as the playing field keeps getting diverse and causing the rules to be completely obscure. Allegra (Elizabeth Reaser) is a little distraught after her girlfriend Samantha (Julianne Nicholson) breaks up with her. She sees the world as consisting of two types of people - those who follow their heads and those who follow their hearts. She has always made her head the priority and in the process grows afraid of revealing her feelings and trusting her heart. This behavior pushes her lovers away, yet she believes she was never meant to be alone. When she meets Philip (Justin Kirk) at a party and Grace (Gretchen Mol) at the movies she is instantly attracted to both of them. What starts out as a fun adventure to help take her mind off of Samantha quickly turns serious when she discovers that Philip and Grace are ex-lovers. This movie tackles hetero- and homosexual stereotypes as well as the conventions of love, marriage and commitment. It's too intellectual (with all its discussion of philosophy, feminism, post-modernism, opera, etc.) for a regular rom com, and I think this can be a barrier for mainstream audiences. The movie is fiesty and quirky, but somehow I don't relate with the characters. They come off as egocentric and neurotic despite their overly abundant intelligence and Reaser's attempt to be completely likable.

Watch It: For a great performance by Elizabeth Reaser. She somehow seems very similar to her Grey's Anatomy character in this movie.

Skip It: If you're looking for a good, independent romantic comedy.