Legally Blonde (2001)

Directed by Robert Luketic 

Screenplay written by Karen McCullah and Kristen Smith

Based on the novel by Amanda Brown 

Starring Reese Witherspoon, Luke Perry, Selma Blair and Matthew Davis

What do you do when your Harvard Law bound boyfriend dumps you because you are essentially too much of a shallow blonde? You apply to Harvard Law yourself and get accepted to show him up like Elle Woods does! Yes I know, this story is a little corny and cliche, but its just such a fluffy feel good movie, you can't help but love it. 

As I said before, Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) is your typical blonde sorority queen, who is dating the perfect guy, Wes Warner (Matthew Davis). When Elle is expecting a proposal, she gets dumped because she doesn't fit his blue blood family of lawyers. So Elle does what any girl would do to show her ex-boyfriend she is more than just a Gucci handbag, she applies to Harvard Law herself and gets accepted only to find out Wes has a new fiance, Vivian (Selma Blair). But Elle learns much more about herself while at Law school, than she anticipated. 

Okay, so this movie isn't the most complex. It does not work on many levels, it doesn't have amazing Oscar winning performances (although Witherspoon did snag a Golden Globe nomination). The storyline is very predictable, but it's just so innocent and cute, it's impossible to hate. Reese Witherspoon makes Elle very charming and likable, and you find yourself rooting for her the entire movie. You want her to get the guy and stick it to the old professor and win the jury over for her client.

 Reese's acting performance is really the only one worth mentioning. There is a slew of other big names thrown into the mix like Holland Taylor, Victor Garber, Luke Perry and Ali Larter-- but they're all just supporting characters who add to the fluff of the movie. 

If you want a goofy comedy that's riddled with stereotyped characters and incredibly easy to follow-- this is the flick for you. It definitely leaves you satisfied, but in a way a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would, not a steamed lobster dinner. 

6/10

A Simple Favor (2018)

Directed by Paul Feig 

Screenplay written by Jessica Sharzer

Based upon the novel by Darcy Bell

Starring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively and Henry Golding 

A sheltered mommy-blogger who is formerly a widower and spends all of her time devoted to being a mother, befriends a mysteriously beautiful business women who drinks martini's for breakfast. The trailer for this movie gives you no other information other that that, and if you haven't read Darcy Bell's novel, then this film's plot is an utter mystery thriller to you. Add that Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively are in the starring roles, and I'm buying my ticket. 

As I mentioned prior; Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) is a single mother with a parenting vlog who devotes all her time to her young child and her fellow mommy viewers, trying to forget her past. She meets a fellow mom from her kid's class, Emily (Blake Lively) who is a secretive upper-class women that may be a little less devoted to the life of her child. When Emily goes missing, Stephanie makes it her mission to uncover the truth. 

This thriller does have an interesting plot with many twists and turns that kept me on my toes the whole movie. While you're following the mystery behind Emily's disappearance, you are also learning about some dark revelations from the past of both the women. While Stephanie's sub-plot ends up being a little flawed, given they start to delve into it and it ends up going nowhere, it still gives you an idea of how it shaped her now and makes her character more complex.

Stephanie's character is a little awkward and over the top at times as she is a walking stereotype of a stay-at-home mother. However when you put her next to the confidence and pose of Emily, its a brilliant combination. The two women are so different, yet very similar as they both have skeletons in their closets and imperfections they bring to the table.

 Anna Kendrick has always been one of my favorite actors, and though I had never actually seen many things with Blake Lively her style and sophistication always attract me like a bee to honey. They complimented each other perfectly in this film. I think playing an upper-east sider with gorgeous fashion was familiar territory for Lively having played Sarena on Gossip Girl for years, so she fit this role like a glove. Kendrick seems to play roles as the chipper naive girl a lot, so she fit well in Stephanie's shoes. Henry Golding in the supporting role of Emily's husband is good too. 

7/10