From the director of The Joy Luck Club comes this beautiful little film basically ignored here in the States. Based on the novel of the same name, the story centers on the timeless bond between two sets of friends, descendants separated by centuries. In ancient China, two women are linked together through an age old ritual, but find themselves separated by their respective social classes, learning to communicate through a secret language. In the present day, their descendants are best friends trying to maintain their friendship while the harsh reality of the world seems to come between them at every turn.
The disappointment by moviegoers and critics was pretty hard to miss. Nobody seemed to appreciate the wild departure this sequel to 2006's Cars took, going away from the homey, small town comforts of Radiator Springs to the violent(for a flick with animated cars) world of global espionage. It's like everybody suddenly forgot that Cars is generally considered Pixar's least successful film,, so their decision to gin a totally different direction makes sense. To me it worked, with plenty of action and a similar message as the original, only expanded on an international level.
Crazy Stupid Love isn't the type of silly, out there rom-com with outlandish hook ups, meet cutes, and contrived diversions. It works because of the genuine emotions of it's lead cast, with the comedy coming from a very real, authentic place. Steve Carell plays a man stunned when his wife(Julianne Moore) suddenly asks for a divorce. Out of the dating game for far too long, he faces a depressing and lonely future.That is until he's taken under the wing of an experienced barfly and cad(Ryan Gosling) who teaches the old guy a few new tricks. Emma Stone plays the woman who turns Gosling's life upside down. One of the best, most mature romantic comedies of the year.
Other Notable Releases
Scrooged (Blu-Ray), starring Bill Murray
Hot Coffee, directed by Susan Saladoff
Cop Land (Blu-Ray), starring Sylvester Stallone
Cars Director's Edition(Cars/Cars 2/Mater's Tall Tales)
Trespass, starring Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman
Bunraku, starring Josh Hartnett and Woody Harrelson
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (Blu-Ray), starring Sam Rockwell and George Clooney
Magic Trip, directed by Alex Gibney and Alison Ellwood
An Invisible Sign, starring Jessica Alba and JK Simmons
Tabloid, directed by Errol Morris
