Theme: Tuesday’s Overlooked Films, Audio and Video at Todd Mason’s blog Sweet Freedom.
I enjoy watching films with big casts of popular and familiar actors, called blockbusters in Bollywood. Of course, blockbusters pertain to mega hits and not the strength of actors, as they usually do in Hindi cinema. The thinking is more the number of actors, greater the entertainment. It doesn’t always work that way unless we are talking of The Dirty Dozen.
I enjoy watching films with big casts of popular and familiar actors, called blockbusters in Bollywood. Of course, blockbusters pertain to mega hits and not the strength of actors, as they usually do in Hindi cinema. The thinking is more the number of actors, greater the entertainment. It doesn’t always work that way unless we are talking of The Dirty Dozen.
New Year’s Eve, directed by Garry Marshall, has a diverse cast that includes both principals and ensemble. The 2011 romcom is all about twosomes caught in various stages of their lives and in different situations on, you guessed it, New Year’s Eve. The various characters put their lives in perspective hours before ringing in the New Year. It’s not a happy time for everyone, though. For instance, we have a dying patient, Robert De Niro, and his caring nurse, Halle Berry, in a hospital setting. Two mature people coming to terms with the realities of life.
You can give the film a miss if you like. There is nothing terribly exciting about it. I watched the film because it was a lazy Sunday afternoon when I didn’t feel like doing anything truly worthwhile. Besides, I wanted to see how Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, John Lithgow, Robert De Niro, Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Josh Duhamel, Hilary Swank, Héctor Elizondo, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker, Katherine Heigl, Jon Bon Jovi, Ashton Kutcher, Sofia Vergara, Russell Peters, Seth Meyers, and Jim Belushi, among others, got together and entertained the rest of us, in a decent and mild sort of way.
Garry Marshall made Valentine’s Day, a somewhat similar film, in 2010. He seems to be the master of makeup and breakup movies as evident from his other fare that includes Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, Raising Helen, and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.
You can give the film a miss if you like. There is nothing terribly exciting about it. I watched the film because it was a lazy Sunday afternoon when I didn’t feel like doing anything truly worthwhile. Besides, I wanted to see how Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, John Lithgow, Robert De Niro, Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Josh Duhamel, Hilary Swank, Héctor Elizondo, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker, Katherine Heigl, Jon Bon Jovi, Ashton Kutcher, Sofia Vergara, Russell Peters, Seth Meyers, and Jim Belushi, among others, got together and entertained the rest of us, in a decent and mild sort of way.
Garry Marshall made Valentine’s Day, a somewhat similar film, in 2010. He seems to be the master of makeup and breakup movies as evident from his other fare that includes Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, Raising Helen, and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.
hum, sounds like something my wife would like
ReplyDeleteCharles, one could watch this film and pick the actor they thought was a standout. Plenty to choose from.
DeleteI've liked some of Marshall's work, Prashant. Still, to be honest, I would have to be in the mood to watch this film; it's not at all my usual fare. You give a thoughtful and interesting review of it, though, for which thanks.
ReplyDeleteMargot, thank you. The family enjoys romcoms and comic dramas and so I end up watching quite a few including Marshall's other films that I mentioned. They are not my "usual fare" either but I keep an open mind.
DeleteNever heard of this one, I doubt I'll rush out to get a copy. Decent cast though, so a maybe if it appears on TV.
ReplyDeleteNot worth buying or even waiting for it to be shown on television, Col.
DeleteDidn't or havent' seen this one, bu I liked Pretty Woman.
ReplyDeleteOscar, I didn't like PRETTY WOMAN or its sequel, though I liked Roberts and Gere in their other films.
DeleteThere/s a sequel? Or do yuo mean RUNWAY BRIDE, which I think is what we would term a 'box office follow up'?
DeleteMy mistake, Sergio! I don't know why I thought there was a sequel. For some reason PRETTY WOMAN 2 is stuck in my head, maybe because there is usually a sequel. I thought RUNAWAY BRIDE was rather silly.
DeleteNever seen this one Prashant - I love the fact that Marshall is still at it (I remember watching HAPPY DAYS and that was 40 years ago now)
ReplyDeleteSergio, I didn't even know about HAPPY DAYS. Forty years was long ago. You have a filmmaker's mind but I'm not surprised. Garry Marshall has written some popular television series too.
DeleteI'm with you, Prashant, sometimes this kind of film is just what you need. I like the idea of the cast of big stars and nice stories. I will look out for it.
ReplyDeleteMoira, the multi-cast is what attracted me to watch parts of NEW YEAR'S EVE. Frankly, the film is passable.
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