Below are some good reviews of some good movies that we liked that you might have missed. Both of these movies, which are very different, are available on Blu-Ray and DVD.
How Do You Know (2010) seemed to fly mostly under the radar as just another romantic comedy, perhaps partly because of the generic-sounding name. It bombed with critics and bombed at the box office, perhaps partly due to poor marketing, as explained in The Washington Post. But How Do You Know was written and directed by James L. Brooks, who also directed and co-wrote screenplays for As Good As it Gets (1997) and Terms of Endearment (1983). And like those two movies, How Do You Know features Jack Nicholson, although in a smaller role than the previous films. While How Do You Know does not live up to those predecessors, it does have a touch of the Brooks magic in that it is not a predictable romp with two-dimensional characters like so many modern romantic comedies. The film features nice performances by Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, and Paul Rudd. If you have high expectations, though, you might agree with Manohla Dargis at The New York Times that it is “an airless, sometimes distressingly mirthless comedy.” Okay, the reviews are pretty much horrible (except this one from Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald). At the beginning of the film, I felt like something was missing, but as it went on, it was entertaining. It is not great, but if you are looking for a decent romantic comedy and go into it with modest expectations, you might be pleasantly surprised by this film.
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring (2003) has critics and audience ratings of 90+% on the Rotten Tomatoes website. I do not think everyone will love it, and suspect that the high rating among audience members is because the people who would see this movie are the ones who would like it. Among others, Movie Habit gives the movie a good review. The South Korean film starts off with a boy being raised by a monk in an isolated area, and it follows the boy as he grows into a man. The movie has dialogue, but not a lot, so it is almost like watching a silent movie in a beautiful setting full of symbolism. I am still trying to decide how much I like it, but unlike How Do You Know, I will remember this one for a long time.
{Missed Movies is our continuing series on good films you might have missed because they did not receive the recognition they deserved when released.}
What did you think of How Do You Know and of Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring? Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some Related Chimesfreedom Posts)
