New DVD I Love: Two Lovers

As wonderfully awkward as Joaquin Phoenix himself.

If you haven't seen it: Leonard (Phoenix, Walk the Line) is a young man whose moved back in with his parents after suffering a terrible heartbreak. After being alone for a long while Leonard meets two women within two days Sandra (Vinessa Shaw, the cult classic Hocus Pocus) and Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow) and is suddenly torn between two lovers.

Why I Love This Movie: Here it's all about the actors (in spite of Phoenix going a little nuts during the promotion of this film).

Rent it if you're in the mood for: A moving romantic drama.

New DVD I Like: Table for Three

Okay so I guess I've watched quite a few direct to video dvd's in the last week, but here's the review of another funny one, Table for Three.
If you haven't seen it: Scott (Superman's Brandon Routh) just got dumped and his best friend just moved out, so now he has no social life and too much rent to pay, insert Mary (Sophia Bush, "One Tree Hill") and Ryan (Jesse Brandford, Bring It On) as the perfect couple/ new roommies for Scott,that are just perfect until Scott gets a new girlfriend and realizes that Mary and Ryan are only happy when their friend (I use the singular because they only have one) is miserable.
Watch it if you're in the mood for: A light comedy.

New DVD I Like: Labor Pains

No one ever said LaLohan couldn't act (well I guess the guy who gave her a razzie for I Know Who Killed Me, did). But, yeah I kind of forgot she could.
When you let your personal life interfere with your professional life (as clearly she did on the set of Georgia Rule) your career can get overshadowed. I think it's a shame that Labor Pains didn't make it to the theatres because the premiere of it on ABC Family (LaLohan back to Disney?) averaged 2.1 million viewers (according to PerezHilton.com).
If you haven't seen it: Thea (Lindsay Lohan) is a young on the verge of being fired when she concocts a fake pregnancy to save her job (FYI: A woman can't be fired for being pregnant in the US and if a pregnancy woman was fired for being bad at her job, etc. it could cause the company legal problems). So Thea and her best friend Lisa (Cheryl Hines, "Curb Your Enthusiasm") plan to let people think Thea is pregnant for a couple days, but end up taking it much too far.
Why you should rent it: It's light, it's funny, it's cute, and it's a good movie for pre-teen girls who've tired of watching Confessions fo a Shopaholic at this point.
Rent it if you're in the mood for: A super light chick flick.

New DVD I Love: I Hate Valentine's Day

"The best romantic comedy, ever. Besides Pretty Woman"-Jon.
From the writer and stars of My Big Fat Greek Wedding comes I Hate Valentines day starring Nia Vardalos and John Corbett (Aidan of "Sex and the City").
If you haven't seen it: Georgia (Vardalos) is a Brooklyn florist who believes in romance, but not in relationships. She will only go on five dates before she ends the relationship. Greg is a new restaurateur who's just had his heart broken, knowing about Georgia's five date rule, Greg ad Georgia begin dating, as a sort of boot camp for Greg. But what happens when that fifth date comes
Why I Love This Movie: My Big Fat Greek Wedding was a huge blockbuster and these actors have a great chemistry. Vardalos (who directed this time around) creates realistic and funny characters who feel like people you know. It's also refreshing to romantic leads in their forties (Vardalos is 47 this year!) and who don't necressarily look like Matthew McConaughey and Katherine Heigl.
Rent this if you're in the mood for: A well written, well acted, semi-traditional rom-com.

New DVD I Like: Revolutionary Road

Favorite Actor, Favorite Actress, Favorite Movie? Not so much.

Okay, so I was super excited to watch RR, because Kate Winslet has long been my favorite actress and I really like Leo DiCaprio. Plus, director Sam Mendes (Winslet's real life husband) is a fantastic director (American Beauty, Jarhead). But, while watching this film something about the plot didn't sit right with me. I don't want to give too much away, but most people that I know agree with me.
Why you should rent it: Two fabulous actors (Winslet won a Golden Globe for this performance, but her Oscar was not for this, it was for The Reader). The set, the costumes, the scenery are all great and help redeem the lackluster script.

New DVD I Love: Taken

INTENSE

If you haven't seen it: A retired CIA spy (Liam Neeson, Love Actually) goes to France to hunt down his teenager daughter (Maggie Grace, "Lost") who has been kidnapped by an Eastern European mob.

Why you should rent it: It's a great compromise if you like action and you're watching it with someone who wants a character piece, it definitely has tons of both. Neeson is very believable as this determined father out to steal his daughter back.

A side note: Yeah, the story is a little far fetched, but not so much more than most actions pieces, if you let that go it's really enjoyable, we were on the edge of our seats the whole time.

New DVD I Like: The Last Word

If you haven't seen it: Wes Bentley (American Beauty) and Winona Ryder star in this wonderfully awkward romantic comedy abut a guy who writes professional suicide notes and the sister of one of his clients.
Why you should rent it: If you're in the mood for a new romantic comedy and you've already seen the new stuff that big Hollywood has to offer, this is refreshing and a little different. I also like Ryder in movies in spite of what she's done in her personal life. Bentley is kind of cute, though I liked in more in American Beauty.
A side note: This plot doesn't follow the typical boy meets girl plot outline so if that's what you're in the mood for, I'd save this for another night.