The Ultimate Fairy Tale

I had heard about The Princess Bride many times from my friends.  I had heard how good it is, and how I will love it.  However, it was only a couple of months ago that I actually sat down and watched it for the first time.  I can now state for the record that everything I had heard about this movie is ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

The beauty of The Princess Bride is that it is a fairy tale that a grandfather is telling to his grandson, which in my opinion makes the story more real.  This movie is a romantic comedy, a fairy tale, and an adventure flick all rolled into one.  That's one of the reasons this movie works.

If you look at the list of movies Rob Reiner has directed, he has incredible range.  The Princess Bride was only his fourth movie, and if you look at the movies he has directed since then (When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men), you can truly see that he can do it all.  There is something very admirable and respectable about that.

The Princess Bride is one of the rare films that has a stellar ensemble cast, with not one weak spot.  Everyone down to Andre the Giant and Wallace Shawn are spectacular.  Mandy Patinkin is wonderful as Inigo Montoya,  the son seeking revenge for the death of his father.  

I've been a fan of Cary Elwes since the early 1990's.  He has got incredible range, everything from Days of Thunder to Liar Liar to Robin Hood Men in Tights.  He is an incredible talent, and every movie he is in benefits from the fact that he is in it.

While I'm not the biggest Robin Wright fan, I do know that she is a great actress.  This was her first big role, and she is spectacular in the movie.  The chemistry that her and Cary Elwes have is top-notch, particularly in the Fire Swamp scene.

I am shocked that it took me this long to see this film.  It is wonderful film filled with adventure and excitement, and is just an all-around great movie.  I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone.

Daddy's Little Girl Doesn't Know Squat

Whether you like the movie Clueless or not, the movie has achieved cult classic status.  It is by no means a great movie, but it has a very loyal following of fans.  I'm proud to say that I have seen, and own, Clueless.  I'm also proud to say that I laugh every time I watch it because of how stupid it is.

Clueless is a movie that knows exactly what it is.  This is a movie that makes fun of the dumb blonde who is daddy's little girl, and she gets everything she wants no questions asked.  She doesn't have a clue what is going on in the real world; she just knows it revolves around her.  Ironically enough, that is the genius of the movie.

The thing I love about this movie is that it is a time capsule movie.  Anybody that grew up in the 90's knows what a special time it was.  All the fashion, language, and fads of that time are in this movie, and it is nostalgic to see.

Personally, the bright spot for me in this movie is Brittany Murphy.  There is a scene in the movie where the group of girls are at a dance, and we see Brittany Murphy dancing by herself.  I was watching this movie with my girlfriend Katie, and during that scene I turned to her and said, "I want one."  She is so adorable in this movie, and it is a shame she left us so soon in her career.  She went before her time.

Alicia Silverstone is almost too good in the main role.  In my opinion she has never been a great actress, but for some reason she gives a very genuine performance in this movie.  Even her whining is...well to be honest it's unbearable.

If you understand what this movie is, and what it is doing, you will definitely enjoy it.  It is a very special movie for some good reasons, and some bad reasons.  Ultimately, if you just want to laugh stupidly for 90 minutes, Clueless is the movie for you.