Ice Harvest and Just Friends
As we leave Thanksgiving behind and head into the Christmas season, the end of November’s movies are just the thing to get you in the mood for fruitcake, snowfall and Santa Claus.
“Ice Harvest” stars John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton and Oliver Platt. It’s Christmas Eve, and Charlie (Cusack) and Vic (Thornton) have just stolen $2 million from Charlie’s mobster boss. As they go to make their escape, the weather conditions turn bad and they are trapped overnight in the town with the man they just ripped off.
If you have seen the ads for this movie you may think it is an all-out comedy. But, be warned -- this is a dark, dark comedy. Cusack is funny, but Platt steals the show whenever he is on screen. He plays Charlie’s friend who is unhappily married to Charlie’s ex-wife. There are some hilarious scenues in this very adult movie, as well as nudity, bad language and adult content. Once you get used to the fact this is a dark comedy, the film is great. Rated R, I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
Another new Holiday movie is “Just Friends.” Every guy’s greatest fear when asking a girl out is that she might want to be “just friends.” For Chris (Ryan Reynolds), this fear has become a reality. Chris is an overweight, retainer-wearing nerd in love with the most popular girl in school, Jamie (Amy Smart). When he finally has enough courage to ask her out, he finds she wants to be just friends and he is laughed out of the party where they were.
Ten years later, he is a famous record producer. While on his way to spend Christmas in Paris with super model and singer Samantha James (Anna Faris,) their jet breaks down, forcing them to spend a few days back in his hometown. He nowis in better shape, successful and rich so of course the logical thing to do is visit old class mates. He runs into Jamie, who is working at a bar, and they decide to meet for lunch. His intentions are not good, but what starts out as a shallow payback turns into something much more meaningful.
This is a great holiday movie. Though some of the humor may be crude and some situations a little adult, it is a great story that is very funny. Not necessarily a family movie, but definitely for teens and adults. Faris is the best part of the movie playing the dumb, pop culture icon stuck in the small New Jersey town. Overall it is a very funny movie with some romance thrown in and a Christmas theme. Rated PG-13, I give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars.