A Refreshing Rom-Com

It has been such a long time since I have seen a good romantic comedy, my favorite genre. Even Trainwreck wasn't very satisfying for me. As such, it was very refreshing to finally watch a good rom-com, Sleeping with Other People, starring Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie as leading characters.

Written and directed by Leslye Headland, this film released by IFC, portrays the story of two dysfunctional characters: Jake and Lainey. Instead of being honest with his girlfriends that he doesn't want to have a long term relationship with them, Jake cheats on them. Lainey is unfaithful to her boyfriends because she is obsessed with an extremely creepy-looking gynecologist, who doesn't respect her and is only using her to cheat on his fiance. Both Jake and Lainey develop a platonic relationship and become best friends while trying to help each other overcome their relationship issues; however, fall in love with each other in the process. 

This movie is being compared heavily to When Harry Met Sally and yes, it does seem like a modern version of the 1989 classic. But so what? I still really enjoyed watching it because it seemed honest and believable as if such characters could exist. Furthermore, the casting of this chick flick was excellent. Sudeikis's films that stand out to me are mostly comedies such as Horrible Bosses, Horrible Bosses 2 and We're The Millers. He indeed has great comedic timing; however, to watch him as a leading man in a romantic film for the first time was refreshing. He was so charming as Jake and an absolute delight to watch! Both Brie and Sudeikis nailed their roles and shared excellent on-screen chemistry. Even the supporting cast especially Jake's friend's character played by Jason Mantzoukas and his wife played by Andrea Savage were very charming on-screen - don't miss their scene during the credits! An honorable mention goes to Adam Scott, who plays the creepy gynecologist. I think he is adorable; however, his look and demeanor in the film were convincingly creepy so hats off to him! 

Overall, I absolutely loved the movie! I definitely want to watch it again and will most likely buy the DVD when it comes out. 

Three Hits, One Miss

When you love movies just as much as I do, it is no surprise that I recently watched four movies back to back.

We Are Your Friends

Any movie that is shot in Los Angeles excites me as I am now somewhat familiar with the city. Since We Are Your Friends is about a musician living in the San Fernando Valley in LA with four close friends, I was definitely intrigued. Much to my delight, I quite enjoyed it. 

Directed by Max Joseph (from the MTV show, Catfish, fame), the film mainly revolves around an EDM (Electronic Dance Music) DJ, played by Zac Effron, who gets a big break after a seasoned DJ, played by Wes Bentley, takes him under his wing. In my opinion, the plot was interesting, captivating and well-executed. As expected from a film about music, the soundtrack was really good. 

I think Effron is a good actor who just needs a breakthrough role to really showcase his talent just like Miles Teller was able to do in Whiplash. 

Phantom 

Directed by Kabir Khan, Phantom is a political thriller based on the book, Mumbai Avengers, written by Hussain Zaidi. The main premise involves a foreign intelligence agency in India that hires an ex-Army officer, played by Saif Ali Khan, to assassinate terrorists involved in the 11/26 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. 

Though this film has been subject to controversy because it was banned in Pakistan, I thought it was very well-made. Usually, I prefer Bollywood films with lots of songs and a romantic element. However, despite this movie lacking such elements even with a female lead played by Katrina Kaif, I really liked it. With global terrorism being such a major issue, the story was relevant and moving. 

The Man From U.N.C.L.E

Directed by Guy Ritchie and based on the 1964 TV series with the same name, The Man From U.N.C.L.E had a riveting plot. This spy film showcased how a CIA agent, played by Henry Cavill, and a KGB operative, played by Armie Hammer, work together to bring down a criminal organization in the process of making nuclear weapons. It was funny and sexy just like the leading actors.

She's Funny That Way

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, She's Funny That Way revolves around six characters: an escort/ struggling actress, Broadway director, his wife who is also the leading actress in the play he is directing, the playwright, his girlfriend who is also a therapist and the leading actor of the play. Despite a good cast including Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Kathryn Hyne and Will Forte, this comedy film didn't quite hit the mark for me. It was quirky but wasn't that funny or interesting.