i would do more than just eat, pray and love...

i know that some of you readers have been waiting for this review (Ahem Dr. Emily) but it's taken me quite awhile to write it. I think mainly because I don't have very strong opinions about Eat, Pray, Love. I haven't read the book (even though I'm a firm believer in reading all books relating to a movie before I it. I just couldn't bring myself to having people on the train see me with that book. I may cave in though). But from the trailers and the reviews of the book, it just didn't seem like my cup of tea. However, armed with three fabulous girlfriends, each with their own preconceptions of the film/book, I embarked on a cinematic journey that would hopefully succeed in transporting me to Italy, India and Bali. First off let me say that our seats sucked. I've never sat so close to a movie screen before and I was dizzy for three-quarters of the film. That being said, I actually didn't' have a horrible time. I came in with such low expectations that I was pleasantly surprised. Was it my favorite movie ever? No. Was it the worst I've ever paid to see? No, that distinction goes to You Don't Mess the Zohan. Yeah. I said it. Surprisingly enough, the movie greatest success is in the hands of its supporting cast. Billy Crudup and Javier Bardem made my heart both melt and smolder. Richard Jenkins was endearing with just enough country sass. Even James Franco was charming as a prototypical new-age hipster. The greatest problem in the film is the lack of continuity. The film definitely had the feel of three different films. Without having Julia Roberts' character being properly defined, she seemed like drifter, which the viewer couldn't really connect with. I had no sympathy for her. Maybe in the books Elizabeth Gilbert comes across as trapped but in the movie she just seemed like a grown up child who can't make up her mind about what she wants and thinks that the people in her life are the reason she doesn't have passion for anything anymore. Gross. It's funny cause the moments I remember most vividly in the film are the scenes that Julia Roberts doesn't really have a central role (ie Javier Bardem crying over son, Richard Jenkins crying over his family, Billy Crudup wanting to desperately save his marriage). Nonetheless it was fun to see places I've never visited before and I definitely had an appetite for Italian food (which consumed after our movie screening). I guess the saddest thing is that directly after exiting the movie theater I wondered, "was that really safe for a woman to be traveling around on a bike in Bali, and living in a house that appeared to have no doors?" Oh well, you could do a lot worse.



I really liked Ketut. And his missing teeth. He has swagger!

it was simply foreplay...

Have you ever gone into a movie theater thinking you knew what a movie was about and then upon viewing the actual film you realized you were misled? I felt that way with Chloe. I thought it was a simple movie about a woman paying a hooker to sleep with her husband to see if he's really cheating on her.  That's just the first twenty minutes. In reality the plot is far from simple. After that, the relationship between Chloe (the call-girl played by Amanda Seyfried) and her client Catherine (Julianne Moore) takes an unforeseen turn. Catherine becomes desperate in her attempt to feel connected to her husband (Liam Neeson) and begins a sexual tryst with Chloe that is definitely too hot to handle. The film is actually an erotic thriller about obsession and needing to feel a connection. The characters aren't clearly drawn and their motivations at times are murky. Liam Neeson's character isn't as present as one would hope (but we'll forgive because he was dealing with the death of his wife during shooting. Being the champion that he is, he returned to work two days after her death) and the film suffers because of it. Chloe becomes less interesting when her actions become maniacal. And the ending was a complete deus ex machina that left me confused and irritated. It's one of those movies that I didn't love but I didn't hate either. I just wanted it twerked. Maybe the original, Nathalie, is more promising.