Reviews

iridescent - adjective: showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles When I hear "romantic comedy" I think of 20 something year olds in New York swapping corny lines via Twitter at a bar. Flipped takes a more adolescent perspective on love in a quainter town and in a quainter time. Interestingly enough, even though the main characters are children, the movie targets an adult crowd. Not because there is adult content, but because it takes an adult who has gone through life's lessons to appreciate the complex and pithy analogy and irony. Although in one intense scene a mom ushered her children out of the theater, don't bring your 4 year olds.

Flipped is a story about Bryce Loski and Juli Baker, both of whom narrate the story. The movie begins with Bryce's perspective.

Bryce's Perspective: He just moved into town. He's in the moving truck helping his father with the boxes until Juli interrupts and tries to help. His father emphasizes that there are valuables in the boxes, but she can't seem to take a clue. "Shouldn't you go help your mother in the kitchen, Bryce?" After a second, the confusion on his face vanishes once he understands his father's ploy. He hops out of the truck and Juli follows closely behind. She puts her arm around him. In defense against cooties he flails his arms, but she somehow gets a hold of his hand. He looks right at her face in disgust. Fortunately, his mom comes out. He resorts to his only defense for a boy his age - he hides behind his mom. Juli is so annoying! Juli's Perspective: Bryce just moved into town. Attracted by his "dazzling" eyes, she offers to help, but not 2 minutes pass and his father sends him into the house. She could tell from his face he didn't want to go, so she went after him to see if he'd like to play for a bit before he got stuck inside. To her surprise, Bryce takes her hand and looks lovingly into her eyes. Unfortunately, his mom comes out. Embarrassed about his feelings for her, Bryce hides behind his mom. Bryce is so shy! The entire movie follows this pattern. Bryce and Juli take turns describing their thoughts and motives. It's interesting to watch their contradicting thoughts converge into a single stream of unfolding events. The audience also gets a sense of Bryce's and Juli's personalities. Although Bryce is the handsome young kid at school their vastly different narration proves which of the two has more character. The first scene, Bryce's and Juli's first encounter, gives the false impression that Flipped is a love story. It kind of is. But although the thread that holds everything together is the love story between Bryce and Juli the fabric of the story is substance. The substance of character. Each character's role provides a perspective and a life lesson. The fulcrum upon which these morals are balanced is best represented by the sycamore tree - the gem of the town.

The sycamore tree has many symbolic interpretations - all of which are equally appropriate for the story and its characters. Vanity. Juli is enthralled by those "dazzling" eyes and is irrationally in love with Bryce. Bryce is equally irrational in his disdain of Juli. Bryce's father is especially guilty of this sin. He washes away the pain of lost aspirations with bourbon and takes comfort in condescension. He refuses Juli's fresh eggs produced by her hens simply because of the Bakers' disheveled front yard. However, the sycamore tree could also represent divinity, protection and strength. Juli's favorite spot in town is the peak of the sycamore tree. Here she reveled in the sunset igniting the surrounding clouds and the wind kissing her skin. She suddenly understood what her father meant when he said the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Juli could see it in the landscape. She could even see it in Bryce, but is he greater or less than the sum of his parts? When the tree's owner decided to cut it down, Juli defended it by remaining in the tree. But when it eventually came down, her vanity, her irrational love, began to come down as well. Juli questions the whole that is Bryce Loski. Likewise, Bryce begins to see Juli from a different angle.

Flipped is a gem in itself. I laughed. I cried. No I didn't, but it was very moving. And the writing is pretty good. If you enjoyed The Wonder Years or if you ever daydreamed about that one girl you kissed when you were 13, you'll get a nostalgic kick out of Flipped. If you don't know The Wonder Years and you've never been kissed, you'll still love it. It's flippin' great.

Read more chick flick reviews for men @ RatedChick.com

You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension - a dimension of vampires, a dimension of wolves, a dimension of interspecies love . You're moving into a land of both awe and awfulness, of fantasy and romance. You've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone! In New Moon, the story left off with Bella and Edward having averted danger. Eclipse continues the saga with a completely new and fresh idea. Bella is still in danger! I know right? It blew my mind. This time around the danger comes from an unknown source. It could be Victoria, who seeks revenge on Edward for killing her love, James, in the first movie. Or it could be the Volturi, who have a distinct interest in Edward, Alice, and Bella. Their enemy is stronger than the Cullen clan can handle on their own, but luckily they have an ace in the hole - an unlikely alliance with the wolves. The result is the most beautifully filmed fight sequence so far in The Twilight Saga. But what really makes this movie better than the previous two (especially for those who aren't already fans of the books) is the dialogue and the high school drama. Not because they're good, but because they're entertaining. My compliments to Stephenie Meyer. She has the uncanny ability to create the most epic of awkward situations whose silence is broken only by the most ludicrous dialogue. My favorite scene in the movie is when Bella, Edward and Jacob are in a tent in a snowstorm. Awkward - check. Bella is freezing cold and Edward's lifeless body can't do a thing. The shirtless Jacob steps in saying, Face it, I'm hotter than you. and gets under the covers and Bella snuggles up against his warm chest. Edward can only watch. Epic - check. Good only gets better when Jacob then suggests, It'd be faster if you took your clothes off... survival 101 Ludicrous - check. I stood up, applauded, and walked out. With the relationships between Bella, Edward and Jacob established by the first two movies, Eclipse is chock-full of one-liners that are entertaining. And watching the 3 interact and bump heads can be quite funny because as an adult you are reminded of how "love" is so simplistic and idealistic in the minds of teenagers. What consumes more of my mental energy than deserved is how Bella is so irrationally attracted to Edward and Jacob, and the two to her. From her perspective, she could probably do better than an undead boyfriend whose instinct is to drink her blood and a wolf boy who's so angry all the time. And what happen to women's equality? Does she really need two unnatural male protectors? From Edward's and Jacob's perspectives, they're fighting over a girl who can't seem to make up her mind about who she wants more. It might even appear that she's playing them both for fools. Guys do wait - but not forever. But I'm letting the my rational side prevent me from enjoying the movie. So if you're headed out to watch Eclipse with your girlfriend or little sister, lighten up and you might enjoy the movie. Thus ends review #3. Bella loves Edward. Edward loves Bella. Jacob loves Bella. Bella loves Edward. Perhaps Breaking Dawn will take it from epic to classic when Edward and Jacob love each other. Til next time.

This story is about a woman named Anna, whose job involves "staging" homes. She fills empty homes with decor - paintings, rugs, sofas, beds, etc - to attract potential buyers. Buyers just don't know what they want until she shows it to them. Anna's job is analogous to her approach to her relationship with Jeremy, who she has been dating for a while. Jeremy is a busy doctor, but luckily Anna knows exactly what is good for them. This is not a novel idea. Heck, it's mostly true of all relationships, but I'll give the screenwriter some credit and say that the analogy is clever.

Before Jeremy's conference in Ireland, he arranges a "special" dinner, but arrives with diamond earrings instead of a diamond ring, so Anna decides it is her job to point him in the right direction. Taking matters into her own hands, Anna rushes off to Dublin and draws on an old Irish tradition to propose on Leap Day, February 29th. I run the risk of getting drop-kicked by an angry Irish woman, but I wouldn't want to be proposed to. Why don't I hit the salon and breast feed the kids while I'm at it? Ladies, if you're old fashion like me, drop hints, then nag him, and as a last resort, threaten to leave. Don't propose.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), a storm puts a damper on her plans and knocks Anna off course a long ways from Dublin. She tries to go by boat and even on foot, but her best bet is the bartender/innkeeper/taxi driver named Declan. Together, they stumble through the beautiful Irish countryside dodging cows, bad weather, and the occasional lovers' quarrel. But inevitably Anna and Declan go from trading verbal punches to trading loving stares and even swapping spit. Not surprisingly, the romance is trite and contrived. In one situation they must role-play as husband and wife and sleep in the same bed. I suppose if I could write the same story over and over every year and get paid big bucks, I'd do it too.

Her journey ends in Dublin, but that magical feeling is still with me til this very day - I"m just messing with you. This movie is easily dismissible and isn't worth the few brain cells I have left to remember. But if you fancy the idea of starting a foreign romance with someone whom you've been acquainted with for only a few days, Leap Year is your type of movie. Furthermore, if you'd throw you inhibitions to the wind and your career in the toilet to then travel to a foreign country to give him/her a try, watch Leap Year and take a leap - metaphorical or literal.

Rated Chick

Sex and the City is about women, and in order to condense the essence of the female mind into a show or movie we are presented with 4 very different women. Charlotte is the good wholesome girl. Samantha is the promiscuous, independent, A-lister. Miranda is the logical workaholic, who's sometimes a party pooper. Carrie is the successful writer and fashionista who holds this group of girls together. Though fashion, sex, and glamor are central to the franchise, the conversation is what makes Sex and the City what it is. The topic of conversation? Sex and Love. It's the unadulterated thoughts of all women funneled into just 4. Guys, if this sounds horrible, then stop watching Entourage because it's the same damn thing.

The movie picks up after the end of the TV series, so during the opening credits, a quick recap brings us clueless men up to speed. Charlotte is happily married with an adopted child. Samantha is in Los Angeles managing a celebrity who's also her boyfriend. Miranda is in Brooklyn with her husband and son. Last but not least, Carrie has written three successful books and is in a serious relationship with "Mr. Big". I get the impression that the movie is trying to tie up all the loose ends of the TV series. It's the big finale that 30 minutes couldn't provide. And like any proper finale to a show about love, Sex and the City is about marriage – that of Carrie and Big. Of course, their wedding has to be spectacular.

Fashion and glamor. I can appreciate the fashion although I'd say Sex and the City is a hit and miss in this department. At times Carrie would have on the most dreadful clothes that supposedly passes for high fashion. But when she gets it right she's spot on. The wedding dresses she wears for the Vogue photo shoot are amazing: Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, Christian Lacroix, Lanvin, Dior, Oscar de la Renta, and Vivienne Westwood. All were stunning. The white dress with the giant flower – no. The best fashion segment of the movie is when Carrie clears her closet of old clothes and models her 80's fashion faux pas. It's horrible and yet so funny how fashion can quickly go out of style.

But love – love never goes out of style. And that's what the movie is about.

Charlotte is perhaps the luckiest of the bunch as she proclaims that she is happy every single day. She has such good fortune that her contribution to the lessons learned at the end of the movie is minimal. The one thing her character brings to the table is that miracles do happen. Charlotte and her husband have tried numerous times and failed on every occasion to have a child the old fashion way. They resorted to adoption. However, during the movie she becomes pregnant and gives birth to a baby girl.

Against every fiber in her body, Samantha finds the strength to be faithful to her Hollywood boyfriend who's so busy he missed the chance to eat sushi off her naked body for Valentine's Day. Samantha is not the type to cook or wait around for all day for a man to come home. Even though he was there for her through chemo, she eventually had to leave him. She loved him, but she loved herself more, and the only way to be happy was to be free. She couldn't change who she was.

Miranda, being a busy lawyer, said, "let's get it over with" during sex. Her marriage and sex life has always taken a back seat to work and that resulted in her husband cheating on her. Miranda had to learn forgiveness and make time for her husband. Call me old fashioned, but I can't stand adultery and forgiveness is out of the question. Maybe I need to get with the times.

Finally, Carrie gets carried away with wedding plans and her small group of 75 guests grows larger than 200 when she scores a spot in Vogue magazine as the 40 year old bride. Carrie would be Big's 3rd wife, so he wants to keep the wedding simple and discrete, but all the attention gives him cold feet. He stands her up at their wedding. As a result, Carrie falls into a deep state of depression, which she overcomes with the aid of her good friends. Having parted ways, she returns to their vacant apartment to save a pair of her $500 shoes before the landlord changes the locks. She finds that Big has already beaten her to it. He had come to save her shoes and motivated by emotion rather than logic she throws her arms around him and kisses him. In the end, they get married, but without all the glamor. It's just Big and Carrie in a label-less dress. Reflecting, Carrie says, "We were perfectly happy before we decided to live happily ever after." It's strange that weddings get blown out of proportion. It's simply love uniting man and woman. All the hype, fancy clothes, and glamorous presentation that encompasses weddings don't change a thing. After the honeymoon, it's just man and woman. If you can't be happy without the wedding, then maybe you weren't truly happy to begin with.

Watching this movie provides men with a glimpse into a woman's inner most thoughts. The inner sanctum of womankind. I suspect women and their friends look at Charlotte, Samantha, Miranda, and Carrie and they see a bit of themselves. They can relate. So if you're looking to understand women a little better, then give Sex and the City a shot. Otherwise, you can safely ignore it.

Unequivocally, Rated Chick Read more chick flick reviews for men @ RatedChick.com

They burp. They cry. They poop. But they also make life unbelievably magical. Babies. We all love them.

It's a documentary with cute babies doing cute things. The documentary follows 3 girls and 1 boy in the first year of their lives: Ponijao lives in Opuwo, Namibia with her parents and 8 older siblings. Mari is an only child and is raised in the ultra-modern city of Tokyo, Japan. Bayar (short for Bayarjargal) lives with his parents and older brother Degi (short for Delgerjargal) on a family farm in Bayanchandmani, Mongolia. Last but not least, Hattie is raised in a very "green" family in San Francisco, California. There is absolutely no narration throughout the entire 80 minutes. It is simply a collection of video clips with some music. There's really no need for narration because the babies' actions speak for themselves and completely transcend language barriers.

The movie starts with a short introduction of each city and each baby. After birth, two go home in diapers, one is naked, and the other is bundle tightly into a baby burrito. All are adorable. Being a new born can be tough. Especially if you have older siblings because they can get jealous. Bayar's brother, Degi, is caught on camera repeatedly swinging a sweater at his helpless baby brother. Afterwards, Degi puts Bayar into a baby stroller and rolls him out of the house and onto their family cow pasture - and leaves him there. Hattie is kept under closer guard. As her mother cooks, she is bouncing around in a baby seat with bungee cords attached to a nearby door post. She finds it curious that her view constantly changes as she is rotating on each bounce.

As the babies begin to crawl around, they get more mischievous. Ponijao discovers that another child has an extra appendage between his legs. She gives it a quick tug. Flipping her loin cloth up, she's curious to find no such appendage! She laughs. Babies are so curious and it's amazing how fast they learn. Mari finds that a round wooden peg fits perfectly in the hole of an orange disk. Unfortunately, the peg falls out once she picks up the disk. She breaks into a convulsing cry as she rolls around on the floor and kicks bother of her legs. She sudden stops to try again. Upon failing to fix her toy she continues to cry.

Babies is both heartwarming and enlightening. It sheds light on the vast cultural differences in the way people perceive and handle pregnancy, birth, and raising babies. On the other hand, there are fundamental human qualities that cross national borders and are shared by each child. The cuteness is only interrupted by shocking differences. The thing that stood out the most was the amount of supervision. Ponijao had all sorts of stuff in her mouth, even half a bone she found in the dirt. Bayar is seen popping up from a truck bed stark naked as though he had just woke up from one hell of a night. I was shocked, but they look like they do just fine. In fact, if you stay for the credits, you'll see footage of them in present day.

If your husband is on the fence about having kids, take him to watch Babies. I guarantee you that it will be the end of that conversation. This movie is chock-full of moments that will make you smile without even realizing it. Guys, you don't even have to hide it this time. You might even score a few points with the ladies for being sensitive.

Be filial and take your mother to watch Babies on Mother's Day. Or you can take her to watch Iron Man 2.

Bro-Approved.

Follow my chick flick reviews for men @ RatedChick.com

As with most period pieces of this nature, the lavish lifestyle of the rich and powerful is portrayed with great accuracy and grandeur. Although The Duchess is a beautiful film to the eye it is dreadfully dull in the minds of men. Just so you know I'm not completely biased against such films, I'd like to mention that I thought The Other Boleyn Girl and Atonement were both very good.

Well then, let me summarize.

Georgiana Spencer is a naive 17 year old girl who is ecstatic about marrying the Duke of Devonshire, who has fallen in "love" with her after only a few brief encounters. Unfortunately, the Duke desperately wanted an heir and was only in "love" with the Spencer women's supposed reputation for bearing male children. Georgiana found herself going from "knowing love" to a loveless marriage. Even on their wedding night, he shows no passion and no tenderness in his love making. He only has a single objective set in his mind. He sleeps with other women without discretion and has an illegitimate daughter with one of his servants.

Alas, her hand is bound by the ring on her finger and her mouth is bound by 18th century social conventions. She is trapped. Georgiana provides the Duke with 2 daughters, but that is insufficient to please him. She finds refuge in fashion and becomes the "it" girl among socialites and commoners alike. And in an age before suffrage, Georgiana is able to wield her influence in fashion into leverage in politics. Her wit and charm is able to dictate modern fashion and sway the allegiance of voters. In particular, she uses her influence to forward the political career of a young member of the Whig Party, Charles Grey. Georgiana and Charles fall madly in love, but are unable to act on their feelings.

Charles isn't the only intimate relationship that keeps Georgiana from drowning. She befriends Bess, a woman who has fled from an abusive husband. After inviting Bess to live with her with the Duke, tensions rise. The Duke and Bess begin sleeping together. Bess begs Georgiana to understand that she is only in this affair to have the Duke force her husband to release their children to her. When her children finally arrive at the Duke's home, the Duke finally shows some humanity while he instructs Bess's son how to shoot a rifle properly. Georgiana tries to bargain a deal where Bess and the Duke can have their affair only if she can have an affair with Charles. Outraged, the Duke chases her down and rapes her. No one is able to do anything.

Finally, Georgiana provides the Duke with a male heir. With the hand of a skilled swordsman, the Duke signs a check to Lady Spencer for Georgiana's completed "duty". Georgiana decides that this is her chance to escape in a love affair of her own. Against her mother's advice, she flees to Bath to meet Charles for a prolonged "vacation". Her affair results in gossip, so the Duke threatens to take her children away and to strip her and Charles of their social status. Georgiana has no other choice than to obey and return to her beautiful prison. She gives birth to another girl, but this one is Charles's illegitimate child and is consequently raised by the Grey family.

The rest is uneventful and is summarized in a few paragraphs at the end of the film, which I lack the enthusiasm to repeat here.

Besides the fact that she is unusually thin, I find Keira Knightley quite beautiful - ravishing even. Perhaps that's the reason I agreed to watch this with little objection. Little did I know I had signed myself up for 220 minutes of torture. Right. The Duchess is only 110 minutes, but I assure you I was watching a much lengthier version of he most inhumane nature. The end is a bit hazy. I must have blacked out from repeatedly banging my head against the empty seat in front of me. Sorry if I come off as a simple-minded brute, but I can also see that the story is enlightening of the times. This film illustrates the great societal pressures on both men and women. Especially women. However, when it comes down to entertainment value, The Duchess is lackluster.

So where did the movie go wrong? I couldn't sympathize or relate to any of the characters. The Duke is a complete ass, Bess is a total bitch, and Georgiana is pitiful. It was too difficult to detach myself from my 21st century values to understand the psyche of upper class Englishmen of from the 18th century. To me, period pieces tend to overplay the suppression of women to get sympathy points that can be cashed out for public catharsis. This just doesn't work well on male viewers. It can be done, but it's rare. Also, the story is completely predictable. Yes, I understand this is based on history, but I hated history in school. Let's face it. Movies aren't the best sources for education, so why not stretch the truth a bit in favor of entertainment? Get the viewer to want to know more. I left wanting to know nothing. The story is objectively compelling, but subjectively mundane. In my mind, The Duchess would play a fantastic role in a Bud Light commercial where the men sneak beer into the theater, high-five, and drink to stave off boredom.

This is truly a Chick Flick. If your boyfriend or husband paid good money to watched this with you, he's a keeper. Especially if that boyfriend is me. ;) Follow my chick flick reviews for men at RatedChick.com

The Back-Up Plan starts with a desperate girl named Zoe, who wants nothing more than to meet the man of her dreams and have a family. Mostly, the bit about the family. But having dated for years with no results she decides to take matters into her own hands and gets artificially inseminated by CRM-1014. On that very day, along comes the man of her dreams, Stan. A cheese selling farmer. He's good looking, charming, and after learning that Zoe is pregnant, is willing to help her raise this kid who isn't his. They have 9 months to date, fall in love and have a baby. Her clock is ticking like no other. So. Having watched the preview and against your better instinct you are now considering whether to watch The Back-Up Plan. And you ask, "Is this movie as cheesy as the cheese Stan sells for a living?" Let's start with the not-so-great. On their first date, Stan accidentally spills wine on Zoe while going in for their first kiss. Apparently the wine they have is 50% alcohol because their candle-lit dinner in the garden turns into a fire. In an attempt to put the fire out, Zoe inadvertently sprays Stan down with a hose and a water fight ensues. This is not the first chick flick I've seen with a playful water fight. Actually, Remember Me had one as well. I just don't understand the appeal or the entertainment value. In another scene, Zoe and Stan are standing in front of a kiddie pool with a fully dilated mother screaming her lungs out in an exorcism-like fashion. Not only does Zoe belly flop into the pool, but Stan gets a nice Shamoo-sized splash in his fear-stricken face. Disgusting? A little. Funny? A little. Before women start chastising me - I just want to state that having children is a beautiful thing and can be very painful. Women everywhere have my utmost respect for going through what they do to bear and raise children. But how may times has a movie exaggerated the insanity of giving birth? From a movie-goer's perspective this has been played out. I could say the same about a lot of the other jokes. The humor was on the lower end of the scale for me. The best laugh I got was the gynecologist repeating, "Vagina. Vagina. Vagina." in order to calm Stan down during a visit. What about the good? What if there something deeper to this shallow comedy that masquerades as entertainment? Perhaps The Back-Up Plan serves as a litmus test for the acceptance of artificial insemination in today's modern world. Must the modern woman live life at the speed of light and battle the pressures and expectations of marriage and of having children? Perhaps The Back-Up Plan shows that a true man perseveres and stands by his woman through thick and thin and babies - and a real man should. Well, then I'd have to retract all my criticism and atone by watching it once again with open eyes and a new perspective. Or maybe this is yet another failed attempt at cheap entertainment because with a $12 price tag, it might be a bit overpriced. Well, if you can first suspend your disbelief that a man is able to fully commit to a woman pregnant with someone else's baby after just 2 dates. Then, if you wade through all the failed comedy bits and the cliché romance, then maybe we can talk a bit about the good. Perhaps Zoe isn't trying to be a single mom because she can't meet the right guy. Maybe the reason is deeper and is paralleled by her grandmother who has been engaged for the past 22 years. Maybe I'm giving this movie too much credit. But what I do know is that there were at least a dozen people in the theater and there were quite a few good laughs in the audience. This movie is entertaining - to some. So if you're on the fence about The Back-Up Plan, I say just do it. I hope those that decide to watch it against my recommendations enjoy it. As for me, I'd rather watch Knocked Up again.

As a movie reviewer I'm very biased in the romantic comedy genre. I give most of them an eye-roll at best. Maybe a light chuckle. But instead of invalidating my reviews of romantic comedies, I'd like to propose that it makes a positive review that much more genuine. It also makes it many times more satisfying to find a truly good one, and that's what 500 Days of Summer is. It is an excellent romantic comedy because it balances all aspects of the genre beautifully. There's romance. That's a given. It's comedic, but not the 'somehow they're both naked and for reason don't realize it but they're about to collide and land on one another and for some reason they're all wet' kind of comedy. No. Take that corny stuff away and keep the cheesiness. The comedy is offbeat and witty and never goes astray.

Best of all is the story. It's completely relatable. Who hasn't had a case of the butterflies when a new love enters your life and you are hopelessly hypnotized by your own infatuation? You are on the highest of highs only to to fall to the lowest of lows when the definitions of "couple", "dating", and "love" complicate things. The relationship isn't perfect. "Is this really how 'love' should be?" you ask yourself. I've gone through all this myself, so 500 Days of Summer really resonated with me. The movie's tagline says it all:

This is not a love story. This is a story about love.

This is a story about a boy named Tom who falls in love with Summer, a girl who doesn't believe in love. He's the hopeless romantic who writes greeting cards and she's the new girl at work. Summer is aloof and uninterested in Tom at first, but when she learns about his feelings for her through their coworker, McKenzie, she kisses Tom. Not exactly out of reciprocation, but out of whimsical curiosity.

What followed was bliss. The highest of highs. They fall in love, or so Tom thinks, and it culminates in sex and a subsequent dance number as Tom walks to work the next morning. All the pedestrians jump in as back-up. Even a cartoon bird comes in the mix. This dance number was a nice touch since it's comedic value contrasted with the rest of the movie.

But not even "love" can violate the laws of the universe. What goes up, must come down. Tom falls to the lowest of lows when he questions where he and Summer are in their relationship. She's not one to be tied down, so she takes off like the free bird she is. Then there was despair. Tom has lost the girl destined for him. He falls in a downward spiral of alcohol and cynicism.

However, seasons change. Autumn. Winter. Spring. Eventually, Summer returns, but now she's engaged and Tom is confused. How can Summer out of all people get married? And so suddenly? She just happened to meet a guy who was right for her, and she saw all the wonderful things about love that Tom has always believed. She explains:

Summer: Well, you know, I guess it's 'cause I was sitting in a deli and reading Dorian Gray and a guy comes up to me and asks me about it and… now he's my husband.

Tom: Yeah. And… so?

Summer: So, what if I'd gone to the movies? What if I had gone somewhere else for lunch? What if I'd gotten there 10 minutes later? It was – it was meant to be. And… I just kept thinking… Tom was right.

Tom: *in slight disbelief* No.

Summer: Yeah, I did. *laughs* I did. It just wasn't me that you were right about.

Movies, TV, and music has all brainwashed us into thinking that love is perfect, pure, and simple. And if that wasn't bad enough, they even suggest it is somehow easy to obtain. No. That's bull. It's a lot more complicated than that and it requires a lot more work than we are led to think. Enter 500 Days of Summer. This is a romantic comedy that is telling us just that. It is doing a public service to the love-struck youth by striking them upside the head with some reality.

Tom writes Hallmark style cards for a living. They all contain those cookie-cutter, idealistic "I love you" messages that are so fake. He eventually breaks free to pursue his true passion, architecture. This is also about the time when he breaks free from his false preconceptions about love and finally gets over Summer. Love is complicated, and for a romantic comedy to convey this message so poetically is commendable. Bravo and a big thanks.

PENIS!

Follow my reviews at RatedChick.com

OK, so Date Night is only a boarder line chick flick, but it does involve romance and comedy – mostly comedy. Phil and Claire Foster (Steve Carell and Tina Fey) desperately needed to put a spark back into their marriage. After learning their close friends were getting a divorce, they decide to make their date night a special one. They head into Manhattan and steal a reservation at the newest hip seafood joint. The night is a success and they have a great time until 2 men interrupt their dinner. They are mistaken for another couple who have gotten themselves in some kind of mess. Madness ensues.

I found this movie very entertaining. There were a few moments of dialogue that portrayed their marriage as the inevitable routine couples accept. Ultimately, time and energy is spent on working and raising children without reserving any to keep the fire burning. It was heartwarming, but I was mostly having a knee-slapping good laugh. Tina Fey is hilarious as always. Tip for the ladies: Girls like funny guys, but guys like funny girls too. Steve Carell is on par with all his other performances. He's well equipped with plenty of signature ad libbed one-liners including "Whore!" and "Shut your vagina!". The dynamic duo even hit the dance floor grinding on each other in a robotic fashion. Comedy gold.

Obviously, Bro-Approved

Chloe is a story about a married couple, David (Liam Neeson) and Catherine (Julianne Moore). Catherine suspects her husband of infidelity after watching him flirt with the occasional younger woman. Catherine hires a prostitute named Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to entice her husband to find out what he'd do.

The story gets pretty hot and heavy. There's a bit of nudity and some freaky love scenes, so cross your legs fellas. The story has one major twist and it is surprisingly good. Even though I haven't watched it, Chloe reminds me of Obsessed. There's no girl-on-girl martial arts, but there's some other girl-on-girl action if you catch my drift. And during the movie I must have said, "Sh*t is about to get crazy" at least 3 or 4 times. Chloe is a remake of a French movie called Nathalie.

This is not your typical chick flick. No rainbow ponies or handsome princes here. Bro-Approved Follow my reviews on Ratedchick.com