Cast: Abigail Breslin (Andromeda 'Anna' Fitzgerald), Sofia Vassilieva (Kate Fitzgerald), Cameron Diaz (Sara Fitzgerald), Jason Patric (Brian Fitzgerald), Evan Ellingson (Jesse Fitzgerald), Alec Baldwin (Campbell Alexander), Joan Cusack (Judge De Salvo)
For complete info see IMDb's My Sister's Keeper page.
If I hadn't read the book, I probably would have enjoyed the movie a lot more. Don't get me wrong - the movie is very moving and still worth seeing. I think they did a wonderful job with the cast and addressing most of the issues in the book. Like all good books that become movies, a lot of the story from the book is missing in the movie version of My Sister's Keeper. Some of that is barely missed. I think they did a great job with the movie (overall) until near the end of the story when they totally butchered the ending.
Since I don't want to spoil the movie for anyone (whether you have or haven't read the book), I'll simply say this. The ending is drastically different in the movie and doesn't have even close to the same powerful impact as the ending in Jodi Picoult's book.
If you're interested in the story and love to read, pick up a copy of My Sister's Keeper. The movie is decent, but not as good as the book. Definitely worth renting from Netflix.
Grade: B
Labels: 2009, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, book, Cameron Diaz, drama, Jason Patric, Joan Cusack, movie, tear jerker
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Cameron Diaz (Amanda), Kate Winslet (Iris), Jude Law (Graham), Jack Black (Miles)
For complete info, see IMDb's The Holiday page.
Jack black in a movie that has so many serious moments? Who would have guessed? In spite of that choice (great for the comic moments, sometimes not believable in the serious parts), I really enjoyed The Holiday. I thought it was a very entertaining and sweet story.
This story about women who are running away from their personal and professional lives and who find love where they least expect it is well worth watching. I definitely recommend renting The Holiday if you missed it in theatres.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2006, Cameron Diaz, comedy, drama, Edward Burns, Jack Black, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, movie, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Cameron Diaz (Maggie Feller), Toni Collette (Rose Feller), Mark Feuerstein (Simon Stein), Shirley MacLaine (Ella Hirsch)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's In Her Shoes page.
I loved the book In Her Shoes and was excited about the movie in spite of the fact that I wasn't too happy with the casting of the two main characters (Maggie & Rose). In the book, Maggie was described as someone who's just about the most beautiful creature in the world. Though I think of Cameron Diaz as cute, I'd hardly call her the most beautiful woman ever... And Toni Collette is far from the frumpy and fat woman Rose was in the book. I thought perhaps that they used a fat suit or something in the movie, but they didn't.
In spite of the issues I had with the casting before seeing the movie, after seeing In Her Shoes, I think that the casting was well done, even though Rose wasn't as frumpy as she was in the book and Maggie wasn't as gorgeous, I thought it was a bit more real this way.
Unfortunately, if David is any indication, it's a bit too much of a chick flick... Perhaps it's something that only us women will be interested in, since it definitely concentrates on the women in the story. The cast did a wonderful job. Brooke Smith as Amy, Rose's best friend, was perfect - just like every best friend should be in real life. Not all of us are as lucky as I am to have a best friend as great as she is, but Amy was portrayed perfectly.
I had wanted to see In Her Shoes in the movie theater, but after seeing it, I think it's a bit better on the rental list anyway. Very good after Super Bowl movie.
Grade: B
Labels: 2005, Cameron Diaz, comedy, drama, movie, Toni Collette
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Drew Barrymore (Dylan Sanders), Cameron Diaz (Natalie Cook), Lucy Liu (Alex Munday), Bernie Mac (Jimmy Bosley), Crispin Glover (Thin Man)
For complete info, see IMDb's Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle page.
I really enjoyed this movie. You always have to worry about sequels, but I think they did a very good job with this installment of the Charlie's Angels movies and I will see a third if they make one! If you didn't catch this because you worried about the sequel, it's well done. As long as you don't expect it to be anything more than it is (and than the first one was), you'll enjoy this movie.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2003, action, adventure, Bernie Mac, Cameron Diaz, comedy, crime, Drew Barrymore, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 9:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio (Amsterdam Vallon), Daniel Day-Lewis (Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting), Cameron Diaz (Jenny Everdeane), Jim Broadbent (Boss Tweed), John C. Reilly (Happy Jack), Liam Neeson ('Priest' Vallon)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Gangs of New York page.
With Liam Neeson and other great actors in the cast, I thought this would be a great movie about the early days of my home town and the gangs that ruled the city. Unfortunately, I just found it lacking. Not a fan of DiCaprio in generaly, but I thought it'd work out okay in such an ensemble piece. The movie just seemed to really drag on. Not the best pick for the first movie we see in the year, but I wanted to see it before the awards. It was nominated for 10 of them. Of course, at the time, I didn't know it wouldn't win any or that I'd be glad it didn't.
Grade: C-
Labels: 2003, Cameron Diaz, crime, drama, history, Leonardo DiCaprio, Liam Neeson, movie, New York
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:20 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Cameron Diaz (Christina Walters), Christina Applegate (Courtney Rockcliffe), Selma Blair (Jane Burns)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's The Sweetest Thing page.
Another example of great preview editing. The previews made my husband and I think this would be really funny. It had some really funny moments, but as a whole this wasn't a very good movie.
Not a bad rental if you have nothing else to do, but I'd put it pretty close to the bottom of the list. Be aware that it's a totally mindless movie that sometimes goes over the top to get a laugh they might have gotten if they didn't go so far...
Grade: C+
Labels: 2002, Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, comedy, movie, romance, Selma Blair
Reviewed by Kat at the 6:50 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Tom Cruise (David Aames), Penelope Cruz (Sofia Serrano), Cameron Diaz (Julianna 'Julie' Gianni), Kurt Russell (Dr. Curtis McCabe)
For complete info, see IMDb's Vanilla Sky page.
This surreal movie that has you questioning reality is very interesting. This movie concentrates on the consequences of ones actions and how it's not possible to have a "do-over" in real life. I haven' t seen the original Spanish movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed Vanilla Sky.
The cast is wonderful. The story is great and thought-provoking. Not a light movie, so if that's what you're looking for, stay away. However, if you're ready to think and enjoy a surreal romantic drama with some sci-fi thrown in, this is a good choice.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2001, 2002, Cameron Diaz, drama, movie, mystery, romance, sci-fi, thriller, Tom Cruise
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Shrek page.
From the ads, I was really looking forward to Shrek. I'm really fond of Mike Myers in general and was looking forward to seeing what they could do with his talent as an animated ogre trying to save the princess who turns out to be an ogre too.
Sadly, the best parts of the movie (for me, anyway) were the parts I'd already seen in the previews (like the gingerbread man scene). The rest of the movie just wasn't as funny as the clips they chose for the ads, which disappointed me. Overall, I'd say this is worth renting, but not worth seeing in a movie theatre.
Grade: C
Labels: 2001, adventure, animated, Cameron Diaz, comedy, family, fantasy, movie, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:40 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Drew Barrymore (Dylan Sanders), Cameron Diaz (Natalie Cook), Lucy Liu (Alex Munday), Bill Murray (John Bosley), Sam Rockwell (Eric Knox)
For complete info, see IMDb's Charlie's Angels page.
I loved the TV show and think that they did a really good job with the Charlie's Angels movie. I think they put in a lot of little things that you'll recognize if you watched the show. Not the best of the detective movies, but the TV show wasn't super-intelligent and difficult to figure out, either, so that's to be expected.
The cast is great and the action is very well done. I think they did a good job and that this is worth watching.
Grade: B
Labels: 2000, action, adventure, Cameron Diaz, comedy, Drew Barrymore, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:55 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Cameron Diaz (Mary Jensen), Matt Dillon (Pat Healy), Ben Stiller (Ted Stroehmann)
For complete info, see IMDb's There's Something About Mary page.
I think this one was just a bit too far over the top for my taste. I've never really been a Cameron Diaz or Ben Stiller fan and I guess this kind of movie is exactly why. It's just not my thing. I'm not a fan of the other movies the Farrelly brothers have put out, but I thought that this one looked funny in spite of it being by the same people who did Kingpin.
I'd say this isn't a bad idea for a rental, but definitely not worth going out of your way to see There's Something About Mary. There may be something about Mary, but I really couldn't figure out what it was. She annoyed me.
Grade: B-
Labels: 1998, Cameron Diaz, comedy, movie, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 4:50 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Julia Roberts (Julianne Potter), Dermot Mulroney (Michael O'Neal), Cameron Diaz (Kimberly Wallace), Rupert Everett (George Downes)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's My Best Friend's Wedding page.
The cast is amazing, the music is great... Yet, somehow, they didn't quite hit the nail on the head. I love that it doesn't have the typical Hollywood ending and George Downes (brilliantly played by Rupert Everett) really reminds me of my best friend, since you know he'll be there for Julianne no matter how many crazy stunts she pulls. I'm glad that they changed the ending from the original ending that they shopped around in previews, since this ending is a lot more real and makes Julianne someone you can handle liking on some level.
Definitely more of a rental than a movie to rush out to see right away, but worth the rental.
Grade: B
Labels: 1997, Cameron Diaz, comedy, Dermot Mulroney, Julia Roberts, movie, romance, Rupert Everett
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: John Mahoney (Mr. Fitzpatrick), Edward Burns (Mickey Fitzpatrick), Mike McGlone (Francis Fitzpatrick), Jennifer Aniston (Renee Fitzpatrick), Maxine Bahns (Hope Fitzpatrick), Cameron Diaz (Heather Davis)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's She's the One page.
She's the One is not a typical romantic comedy. It's a bit darker than most and I liked that. It's not the standard girl who gets between two brothers type of movie. John Mahoney, Ed Burns, and the rest of the cast are amazing. If you missed this one, you should catch it as a rental. It's well worth the time invested.
Grade: B+
Labels: 1996, Cameron Diaz, comedy, drama, Edward Burns, Jennifer Aniston, movie, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 4:30 PM show | 0 screams