Paris, je t'aime

Paris, I love you. Movie, you are wonderful too. Back in 2006 Tristan Carné got the idea to combine stories from a variety of talents to show what a great city means to a variety of people. Paris was first on the list. New York came later in 2009. We'll soon see Shanghai and Jerusalem and I hear Rio is in development.

There were so many great names in this I will list only the ones American audiences will be most familiar. Apologies to my many French readers. here are a few reasons to watch this movie:

Steve Buscemi in a subway scene many of us have dreamed of or feared.

Miranda Richardson in a hot red trench coat.

Juliette Binoche who finds a cowboy (Willem Dafoe) to look after her son.

Nick Nolte surprises everyone.

Maggie Gyllenhaal, Bob Hoskins, and Elijah Wood in 3 very odd relationships.

Olga Kurylenko as a very hot vampire.

Natalie Portman best sees Paris though the eyes of a blind man.

Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara show us how exs should get along.

Rufus Sewell and Emily Mortimer get a little help learning to laugh together.

There are truly too many other great performances to list here. Be patient and watch all the stories. The point is that everyone we see has an interesting story. And, from time to time our story lines cross.

Watch this with someone who has been to Paris and will delight in seeing it again.

Dan In Real Life

This movie was much better than I expected. For a change, all the funny bits are NOT in the previews. In fact, the best parts are not.

This movie got to me on a different levels. First, as a father of daughters. Second, as former single guy. Third, one familiar with large funky families.

This story keeps moving and goes in directions you may not expect. It is smart. It is funny. It hurts to watch certain scenes if they are things that have happened to you or people you know.

Steve Carell may be one of the most recognizable faces on American screens big and little. He is so funny because his timing is perfect, and he represents the "everyman" in each of us. He is very smart and knows how to make us laugh. He is the ultimate straight man. And I mean that in the comic sense.

If the conversation between Carell's character and his daughters (any time he talks to all 3) does not bring a tightness to your throat or a tear to your eyes, I'll refund the cost of your rental. If you are a parent of teens, especially daughters, you will totally relate to these conversations. They are totally real.

Juliette Binoche is as charming and desirable as she is in Chocolat if not just a wee bit older. The meeting between her character and Carell's should appeal to the romantics of both genders. Brilliant.

Dane Cook is the same doofy character he played in "Good Luck Chuck", but this time it actually works.

The relationships in this family should ring true with anyone who grew up in a big family.

Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney are perfect as the heads of this very interesting bunch of adults and their kids.

Watch this movie with someone who will play word games with you to see who does dishes.

Chocolat

Ever wanted to change the world? This movie will inspire you. If you have not already seen it, you are in for a treat. Juliette Binoche is magical, and her supporting cast, which includes greats such as Dame Judi Dench, Lena Olin, and Johnny Depp all weave together a delicious dramedy.

It is a story of good versus evil, right versus left, old versus new, and yin versus yang. The parties all discover that it is only when they embrace each other that they can stand themselves. Even if you don't have an addiction to chocolate, you will find this movie intoxicating. The more often you watch it, the more you learn from it.

Nominated for best picture and 4 other academy awards in 2001, "Chocolat" was a risky venture. The script and setting were better suited to Masterpiece Theater audiences, but Disney, via it's Miramax label, decided to give the viewing public a taste of smart story-telling that raised the bar for other studios.

Eating popcorn during this movie seems odd, so choose the milk duds or bon bons instead. It is a great movie to watch in front of the fire on a dark and stormy night.