Love Me If You Dare / Jeux d'enfants

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: September 17, 2003 (France) / May 13, 2004 (USA)

DVD Release Date: October 19, 2004

Plot 411: Childhood friends Julien and Sophie dare their way through life with increasingly difficult challenges.

Review: The French are some wild and crazy mofos, but I love them anyway. This quirkly rom com, starring Marion Cotillard as Sophie and Guillaume Canet as Julien, could never have been imagined by Americans. Never. As childhood friends, the Sophie and Julien dare each other to do outrageous things that get them in trouble at school and with their parents. It is a good distraction for Julien whose mother is ill. The friends share a bond with one another that continues, as the game does, throughout their teen years and into adulthood. As time progresses, the dares get more and more complex, just as their lives do. When their hearts become involved, you'll never believe the sacrifices made in order to win the dare. I also quite enjoyed the visual effects of this movie. Somehow, despite being kind of out there and unpolished, they seem particularly artistic and creative. Or this could just be me stereotyping the French. There's a lot of humor and heartache that seems related to the dares but are actually a result of human nature and growing up. I loved how this movie takes you on an emotional rollercoaster and how it connects you with the characters.

Watch It: For an interesting take on love.

Skip It: Because it was a little difficult to follow what was going on. I'm not usually this bad at it, but I found it hard to keep up with the text and keep an eye on the actors at the same time.

Public Enemies

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: July 1, 2009

DVD Release Date: TBD

Plot 411: The story of John Dillinger and how he motivates J. Edgar Hoover to create the F.B.I.

Review: Johnny Depp plays John Dillinger, a notorious bank robber during the 1930s who was seen as a threat by law enforcement officials and a celebrity by the public. Dillinger and his friends planned and executed bank heists across the nation while the F.B.I.'s Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) tracked him down by the orders of J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup). This film seemed to delve deeper into Dillinger's character to uncover the real man. I don't know if any of it is true, of course, but it really felt more like an introspective documentary than a shoot 'em up gangster film. Because of this, the beginning was pretty slow going as if trying to build sympathy for the character. Despite being a killer and bank robber, Dillinger is also portrayed as a protective and respected friend; a showman and master publicist; and a loyal and trustworthy lover. His love interest Billie is played by Marion Cotillard. She does a good job of conveying the inner turmoil of a woman who is tempted to give in to her desires for excitement and love and embrace all the consequences that go along with that choice. Also making an appearance in this film are Stephen Dorff, Channing Tatum and Giovanni Ribisi.

Watch It: For a refreshing new look at Depp.

Skip It: If you're looking for a really good gangster flick with tons of machine gun action.