Wedding Crashers (2005)

This new offering in adult comedy is a decent show, provided you enjoy Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. Some people love the Holiday season, some may love the crisp air of Fall, John Beckwith (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughn) love wedding season. They do their research into upcoming weddings, come up with their game plan and backstory for each, and show up.

With so many strangers showing up to a wedding, these two zany gentleman can show up, and no ones the wiser. After a great (lengthy) montage into crashing, we move into the real story, the crash of all crashes. Crashing the wedding of the daughter of Secretary Cleary (Christopher Walken), someone John Beckwith has admired for quite a long time.

They arrive at the wedding, two venture capitalists, the son of an Aunt, and they begin working their charm. Their goal, to have a great time, party, and sleep with women. Beckwith upon sight of one of the bridesmaids Claire Cleary (Rachel McAdams), falls for her beauty instantly. Which I guarantee so will you the audience.

Invited for a weekend at the Cleary household, hilarity ensues, especially between Jeremy and his clingy bridesmaid, Gloria (Isla Fisher). In the second half of the movie, the story shifts, Vaughn becoming more the supporting role, and Wilson's love story taking center stage.

Performances here are decent for this type of comedy. There is great chemistry between these two actors, Vaughn playing the sleazier of two roles, and Wilson the straight (yet not completely straight) man falling head over heels in love. There are people who aren't huge fans of these two actors, but if you are, look for a fun time.

Black Narcissus (1947)

Black Narcissus, is one of over fifteen collaborations between Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger. At the end of this film I had the exact same thought I did when I first introduced myself to Powell with Peeping Tom here is a man who was ahead of his time.

In the opening of Black Narcissus, Sister Clodagh is given the task of establishing a school, hospital, and school for women in the Himalayas. A stern, yet young woman, she is told by the Reverend Sister of her Covenant that she "does not believe she will succeed." It's much like being given a scholarship to go to Harvard, and while having your hand shook having some "hoity-toity" trustee tell you, "Son, we're giving you this money, but nobody believes in you." Clearly Sister Clodagh sets out with the other Sisters assigned to her with the goal to prove that she can do her job.

They are invited to take space in a castle by the General of the "primitive" community, who pays the villagers to go to the school and hospital. Mr. Dean (David Farrar), the only Englishman is a bit of a brute, but plays a strong role in the changes that occur in the Sisters. Their mission of sorts is surrounded by a group of people they barely understand, and the culture, and limitless views cause each of the Sisters to see and think of things they never thought they would. Dreams and desires in them that they let go long ago when they joined their order.

Herein lies what was so ahead of its time in Black Narcissus, a so called sanctity of religious order. You have devotees, these poor nun's questioning their devotion. Black Narcissus is an amazing execution of this battle. The other star of this amazing film is Powell & Pressburgers glorious use of Technicolor. The acting and color combined with the spectacular music and art direction complete this masterpiece of filmmaking.

The Island (2005)

The Island marks Michael Bay's sixth foray into studio cinema, and in my humble opinion, his most successful yet. Let's take a look into the Bay catalog, his name is synonomous with big budget eye candy, fast cuts, and sugar candy stories. Bad Boys, all right, nothing spectacular, The Rock, a great action flick, Armageddon blah (a guilty pleasure I admit), Pearl Harbor I didn't hate as much as the rest of the world but again it was lacking heart.

Now, to The Island. Imagine if you've got a lot of money, and would like to live forever. The solution is as simple as a few million dollars. A clone of yourself at your age is created, and installed into a controlled facility. It is in this facility that they are educated to the age of about a fifteen year old. The clones are told that there was a contamination on the earth, and that the island is the only pure, uncontaminated spot on the Earth. So they wait in this special facility till they win the "lottery," and are transported to the island. Back in the real world, your liver starts to kick the bed? Your clone then wins the lottery, where in reality, your organ is harvested, the clone killed.

Lincoln Six-Echo (Ewan McGregor) stumbles upon the truth, and along with Jordan Two-Delta, are on the run, pursued by a freelance bounty-hunter of sorts Laurent (Djimon Hounsou). Bay has the right ingredients here, great actors, a great premise, all mixed in with his flashy eye candy. Hounsou is one of my favorite up and coming actors, having had great scenes in Gladiator and In America (totally underrated).

The only cons? Wall to wall product placement, but once your past that, it's a great ride.