Julie & Julia

Rating - ***

Summary - 

Amy Adams stars in this truth-inspired tale as Julie Powell, who decides to enliven her uneventful life by cooking all 524 recipes outlined in Julia Child's culinary classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Based on Powell's book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, director Nora Ephron's heartwarming dramedy also stars Meryl Streep as legendary chef Child, for which she won a Golden Globe.

- Netflix.com

Review -

Ever since I was a little girl I have had a love of both cooking, and eating, which (along with my mothers influence) has inspired my love of cooking movies.

I thoroughly enjoyed Julie & Julia and as a person who can never quite keep a deadline, it was so easy for me to relate to Julie Powell's (real or imagined) need of a project that she could finish. 

This movie brought to mind the movie The Hours (2002) ( starring Nicole Kidman, Julian Moore, and Meryl Streep herself!) only in the way that it combined more than one line of time though (Although I feel "The Hours" did it more impressively). 

Meryl Streep plays Julia Child, and Amy Adams plays Julie Powell, and I felt they were both wonderful and completely convincing in this movie.

As any good cooking movie should, this movie elicited 2 deep resonating wants in me. A want to eat and a want to get into the kitchen and start cooking!

The movie started slowly enough with Julie (may I call you Julie?) beginning this regimen, as she calls it, where she will work her way through Julia Child's book " Mastering the Art of French Cooking for Americans" though I honestly don't remember if they state which volume. She sets her deadline for only a year, giving her 365 days for something like 524 dishes. While we watch with growing excitement as Julie begins her project, we also see Mrs. Child moving to Paris and finding her passion for cooking at the Cordon Bleu, after many tried and failed attempts at other hobbies. We see both women work through similar trials, spouting similar feelings5 about things that are going on in their lives, though in this movie, they never meet. 

I'd love to tell you more, but that may detract from your urge to go watch it for yourself, and I wouldn't want to ruin your appetite.

The movie has all the great ups and downs, and some wonderful humor. I found myself chuckling quite a few times at Ms. Streep's wonderful impression of Julia's Trill. Honestly I am not much of a Meryl Streep fan, but I must admit, that this movie has made me willing to go and watch some of her movies yet again and give her another chance. She was, in my opinion, completely convincing.

Dont be fooled by the humor though, there is drama. At the end of the movie I was absolutely crushed during a, hm... I guess I would call it a revelation made by Mrs. Powell. 

In the end, don't let my 3 star rating fool you. I quite enjoyed this movie, but I simply don't know how soon I will be willing to watch it again.

Meanwhile, if, like me, you grew up watching the cooking channel this movie is an absolute MUST SEE whether it becomes one of your instant favorites or the one time was enough. As for me? I'm sure I will find myself watching it yet again, but unlike Heavy Metal (1981) I will not be watching it once bi-weekly. Though it has inspired me to find and own copies of Julia Child's cookbooks. 

In the end my thanks goes out to The stars, Creators, and of course the people this movie was based on, because it has opened up an interest in Mrs. Child's cooking once more for a generation much closer to my own.

I hope you enjoy the film, and would suggest watching it while whipping up a meal of your own or else you will find yourself suddenly with the urge to get into the kitchen and banging those pots and pans as you create something whether it be a grilled cheese or a dish from Julia Child her selves cookbook, something your housemates may not be to happy about. I myself have satisfied that urge by typing out this review. 

Julie and Julia recieves a thumb up and three stars as it has left quite a good taste in my mouth.

Bon Appétit

Romy and Michele's Highschool Reunion

Rating- ****

Summary -

Two not-too-bright party girls (Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow) reinvent themselves for their high school reunion. Armed with a borrowed Jaguar, new clothes and the story of their success as the inventors of Post-it notes, Romy and Michele descend on their alma mater, but their façade crumbles quickly. The truth, however, has its own rewards in the film the New York Times calls "cheerful, giddy fun." 

-Netflix.com

Review -

Its cute, and its Campy. The first time I saw this movie, it was on T.V. (back when we Had cable). And I must admit that what must have caught my attention would have to be Lisa Kudrow. The name sound familiar? well it should! especially to anyone who's a 90's child like myself. She played the out there, yet lovable Pheobe Buffay. Once I began watching I was quickly sucked into the quirky cuteness of it, and found myself pleasently surprised at the arrival of Janeane Garofalo (The Bowler, from Mystery Men (1999)) as a dry, quick-witted fellow high schooler. As if her short, albeit wonderful presence weren't enough, throw Alan Cumming ( Spy Kids (2001) - Fegan Floop, Reefer Madness: The Musical (2005) - Lecturer) into the mix and you have a fast paced, fast talking hell of a good time, with Miss Kudrow maintaining that air headed ditzyness that we all fell in love with during those wonderful 10 years that Friends was on the air, but with more of a mainstream spin on it. 

This movie is very much one of those movies that quickly becomes a guilty pleasure, made for nights when all you want to do is sit home in your pajamas with your best girlfriend and a few pints of your favorite flavor of ice cream and innumerable other treats (I've personally never done it, but it seems like a good enough idea). 

It very much reminds me of Legally Blond, as this is not a story of romance (though !SPOILER ALERT! Michele does get the guy, who she never would have thought she would, and Romy realizes she much better off with the guy she spent those 4 long years of high school lusting over), but instead it is a story of self discovery. At the start Romy is a simple cashier at a Jaguar dealership, and Michele is unemployed, but spends her time making her own clothes. They hear about their upcoming high school reunion through a chance meeting with a fellow classmate (a surprise since their from Tucson now living in sunny LA) they decide they'd like to go, but change their mind numerous times, thinking about how their lives arent nearly impressive enough, attempting to remedy that, giving up and finally coming to a solution thats bound to bring quite a few chuckles. on their way to the reunion they get into an argument that, in the end works out, and helps them overcome the petty problem, as well as their highschool tormentors "The A Group". 

Well I'm done before I give away the whole movie!

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who just needs to be silly for a minute, and enjoy a few laughs. If you disagree and find Romy and Michele airheaded and over the top, well I'm sorry but I find this movie highly enjoyable everytime I see it. Thumb up for this one!

Dont forget to make a batch of popcorn though, before you sit down to enjoy this one!

Enjoy!