Review of The Next Best Thing (2000) by Christopher L — 10 Aug 2008

[i][b]The Next Best Thing[/b][/i] - Madonna needs to shut up. [b]* (out of ****) D.

[i]The Opposite of Sex[/i][/b] - Fun, funny little nasty about silly, mostly promiscuous people with teensy little lives and biting wit. Don Roos, who also did [i]Happy Endings[/i] (which I loved) has a great ear for dialogue, but his films tend to teeter into cliche toward their endings. [b]*** (out of ****) B.

[i]Punch-Drunk Love[/i][/b] - Certainly the least of P.T. Anderson's films (which is not at all a negative criticism), the Adam Sandler-driven [i]Punch-Drunk Love[/i] is a wildly original love story with central and supporting characters that are brilliantly written and acted. Beautiful cinematography as well. [b]**** (out of ****) A.

[i]The Purple Rose of Cairo[/i][/b] - One of Woody Allen's best and brightest pictures. Beautiful all around. So very funny, truthful and excitingly imaginative. Genius! [b]**** (out of ****) A+.

[i]Runaway Bride[/i][/b] - One of Garry Marshall's better films, which isn't saying much, [i]Runaway Bride[/i] survives the slaughter of my fingers solely because of Julia and Richard, who charm once again. [b]*** (out of ****) B.

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