Comments on: Short Take: 27 Dresses

By: Nick Plowman

Nick Plowman — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:40:18 +0000

As much as I love Ms. Heigl {I am the biggest Grey’s Anatomy fan out there}, I just could not bring myself to watch this film.

By: Rick

Rick — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 05:45:28 +0000

Pat — sadly, I think you’re right. But, in this country, at least, movies have always been about industry. I just wish they wouldn’t be so blatant about it.

Joe — Thanks … I actually own Suspiria (got it from an estate sale) but haven’t seen it yet. I’ll watch it!

By: Joe Campanella

Joe Campanella — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 21:57:18 +0000

Rick-

Start with SUSPIRIA. The cinematography alone will make you proceed further into the realm of Italian Horror.

And just remember…if it doesn’t make a lick of sense, go with it! It’s not supposed to.

By: Pat

Pat — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:59:04 +0000

Rick -

I love your description of rom-coms. They’re a favorite of mine for all the reasons you list; when they’re done well, they’re indeed like good comfort food or a favorite blanket. (I’m a HUGE fan of Richard Curtis’ films - he’s set the gold standard for the contemporary rom-com IMHO.) But, for me, too many recent roms coms have been more like materialistic, home decorating showcases than relationship stories. I decided not to see “27 Dresses” after reading an article about how the set designer wanted Heigl’s apartment to look like the place every woman would want to live, and featured an extensive “where to buy” list so you could reproduce her apartment’s “Look” at home. It seemed like more thought went into the merchandising the character’s decorating style than into developing the actual character.

By: Rick

Rick — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:03:21 +0000

Joe — you know, I’ve never seen a giallo … but I love movies, and I try to experience as many genres as possible.

By: Joe Campanella

Joe Campanella — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:27:51 +0000

I love romantic comedies as well as giallos, noirs and kubrick films!

And you know what? I don’t care!

Even though most suck the big one, I really enjoy those that are on the mark.

By: Rick

Rick — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:16:30 +0000

Rachel — I agree that calling them “chick flicks” is both degrading to women, and inaccurate to boot. In the first instance, it presupposes a kind of empty-headed entertainment and assumes that women like them (the inference, of course, is they’re empty-headed too). In the second instance, its misleading because I know a fair number of guys who like them (like me).

Daniel — Thanks. I think it’s good to try to bend the genre a little bit … it’s just that “27 Dresses” doesn’t do a very good job.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:14:46 +0000

“You know the structure, you know where the emotional beats are going to be, and you expect them, you fit into the film like a warm blanket, or a well-worn sofa.” That’s one of the best defenses of rom-com affection that I’ve heard - and I agree. I didn’t see 27 Dresses, however, because I’m afraid that increasingly these rom-coms are attempting to be more than they actually are. Or they’re just not inventive or jovial enough.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:49:44 +0000

I can’t do the rom-com thing either. That is one aspect of sorority college life I loathed: when the girls got together for movie night it was always some generic rom-com or BS female “empowerment” flick. As you point out, there are always exceptions, but more often than not it’s just recycled junk from the days of yore. And it’s just plain insulting as a woman to have this lstuff abeled as “chick flicks,” since I’m a chick that doesn’t dig it.

By: Rick

Rick — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:56:46 +0000

Yeah, I like ludicrous sci-fi adventures as well, but I’m getting a bit more intolerant of idiotic actioners.

I had no desire to see 27 Dresses, except that it was a on the “on demand” entertainment seat-back on that 5-hour flight.