Remember the outfit Cher wore to the Oscars when she won an Academy Award for her performance in this 1987 film? Ay-yi-yi. The actress' more retiring character in this infectious comedy leaps several psychological hurdles just giving her hair a permanent. But then the original screenplay of Moonstruck, by John Patrick Shanley (Joe Versus the Volcano), is a wonderful, gently satirical tale of an Italian-American family dealing with repression and dissatisfaction against a backdrop of cultural expectations. Cher is focused and funny as a widow who feels she should marry an older fellow (Danny Aiello), but then falls for his black-sheep brother (Nicolas Cage). Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia are perfect as her parents, and John Mahoney (of TV's Frasier) has a memorable, small role as a middle-aged man on the make who gets a lecture from Dukakis's character. Shanley's dialogue is comically stylised in a way that makes one appreciate how much words can inform an actor's performance. Taking its cues from him and director Norman Jewison (And Justice for All), the cast immerse themselves in a pool of hilariously operatic emotion. -Tom Keogh.

Based on Dodie Smith's much-loved novel, I Capture the Castle turns out to be an equally lovely film, delightful and surprisingly wise. When her family moves into a glamorous castle in the countryside, Cassandra (Ramola Garai) imagines great things will happen. But the decaying castle loses its appeal as her novelist father (Bill Nighy) develops writer's block and her mother dies of cancer. From this sad beginning, I Capture the Castle becomes an utterly engaging coming-of-age story as 17-year-old Cassandra and her older sister Rose (Rose Byrne) struggle to win the attentions of their new American landlord (Henry Thomas)-but when everything goes the way Cassandra wishes, her hopes fall apart. Garai's wonderful performance carries the audience through bittersweet discoveries about life and adulthood with hope and yearning. The entire cast-also featuring Tara Fitzgerald and Marc Blucas-is superb. -Bret Fetzer.

Coasting on the successes of Gods and Monsters and George of the Jungle, Brendan Fraser turns in yet another winning performance in this fish-out-of-water comedy in which Pleasantville meets modern-day Los Angeles, with predictably funny results. Fraser stars as Adam, who was born in the bomb shelter of his paranoid inventor dad (a less-manic-than-usual Christopher Walken), who spirited his pregnant wife (Sissy Spacek, in fine comic form) underground when he thought the Communists dropped the bomb (actually, it was a plane crash). Armed with enough supplies to last 35 years, the parents bring up Adam in Leave It to Beaver style with nary any exposure to the outside world. When the supplies run out, and dad suffers a heart attack, Fraser goes up to modern-day LA for some shopping and long-awaited culture shock. More of a cute premise with lots of clever ideas attached than a fully fleshed out story, Blast from the Past is also supposed to be part romantic comedy, as the hunky Adam hooks up with his jaded Eve (Alicia Silverstone) and tries to convince her to marry him and go underground. The sparks don't fly, though, because Silverstone is saddled with the triple whammy of being miscast, playing an underwritten character, and suffering a very bad hairdo. Fraser, however, carries the film lightly and easily on his broad, goofy shoulders, mixing Adam's gee-whiz innocence with genuine emotion and curiosity; only Fraser could pull off Adam's first glimpse of a sunrise or the ocean with both humour and pathos. Also winning is Dave Foley as Silverstone's gay best friend, who manages to make the most innocuous statements sound like comic gems. - Mark Englehart, Amazon. com.

Annie Hall is one of the truest, most bittersweet romances on film. In it, Allen plays a thinly disguised version of himself: Alvy Singer, a successful-if neurotic-television comedian living in Manhattan. Annie (the wholesomely luminous Dianne Keaton) is a Midwestern transplant who dabbles in photography and sings in small clubs. When the two meet, the sparks are immediate-if repressed. Alone in her apartment for the first time, Alvy and Annie navigate a minefield of self-conscious "is-this-person-someone-I'd-want-to-get-involved-with?" conversation. As they speak, subtitles flash their unspoken thoughts: the likes of "I'm not smart enough for him" and "I sound like a jerk". Despite all their caution, they connect, and we're swept up in the flush of their new romance. Allen's antic sensibility shines here in a series of flashbacks to Alvy's childhood, growing up, quite literally, under a rumbling roller coaster. His boisterous Jewish family's dinner table shares a split screen with the WASP-y Hall's tight-lipped holiday table, one Alvy has joined for the first time. His position as outsider is incontestable when he looks down the table and sizes up Annie's "Grammy Hall" as "a classic Jew-hater". [+]

Writer/director Ol Parker's debut takes its title from "Happy Together" by the Turtles ("Imagine me and you / and you and me") and its inspiration from the romantic comedies of Richard Curtis (Love Actually). There's a twist. Flower shop owner Luce (Lena Headey, The Brothers Grimm) is gay. Newlywed Rachel (a convincingly UK-accented Piper Perabo, Lost and Delirious) is straight. The two meet at Rachel's wedding-Luce designed the floral arrangements-and feel an instant connection. Rachel brushes it off. After all, the charming Heck (Matthew Goode, Match Point) was her best friend long before he became her husband. Shortly after the ceremony, however, she begins to feel as if something is missing. She starts making excuses to see Luce. First it's to thank her for the flowers, then it's to invite her to dinner with Heck and their on-the-make pal Cooper (a hilarious Darren Boyd). [+]

Compared to James McAvoy's previous picture, The Last King of Scotland, this comedy may seem trivial, but trivia has its pleasures. Produced by Tom Hanks and adapted by David Nicholls from his 2003 novel, Starter for Ten doesn't tackle major historical events, but it also takes place in the past. After a prologue establishing his childhood in provincial Essex, Brian (McAvoy) takes off for Bristol University in 1985 and immediately sets his sights on the campus quiz team. If he makes the cut, he'll get to compete on University Challenge, a show he used to watch the show with his late father, who encouraged his son's quest for knowledge. For all his book smarts, though, Brian is rather naïve about the ways of the world, unlike his friend Spencer (Dominic Cooper, The History Boys), who remains in town. As Brian and his teammates prepare for the competition, he falls for co-eds Alice (Alice Eve) and Rebecca (Rebecca Hall, The Prestige), struggles to repair his fraying friendship with Spencer, and confronts feelings of betrayal over his mother's new boyfriend. For the most part, Starter for Ten explores standard-issue college concerns, but with abundant wit, whimsy, and a soundtrack stuffed with Thatcher-era favorites, like the Smiths and New Order. While the resolution to Brian's romantic dilemma hardly comes as a surprise, the climactic quiz show is a nail-biter. Mostly, the film is a fine showcase for the multi-talented McAvoy, who confirms that he can handle light comedy as gracefully as dark drama. -Kathleen C. [+]

An unlikely sisterhood plots a girl-powered revenge in John Tucker Must Die. When the class-overachiever (Arielle Kebbel, Aquamarine), the head cheerleader (Ashanti, Coach Carter), and the vegan alterna-girl (Sophia Bush, One Tree Hill) discover they're all dating the same guy-namely, star basketball player John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe, Desperate Housewives)-they recruit a bashful new girl named Kate (Brittany Snow, The Pacifier) to become the ideal girl to break Tucker's heart. But as Kate uses the gang's combined wiles to lure Tucker, his interest gives her a social standing she's never had before. an intoxicating experience that may cost her a chance at honest love with another boy. John Tucker Must Die contrasts male and female behavior to cunning comic effect. The portrait of high school life is typically absurd, but the engaging cast, sprightly plot, and crisp dialogue will draw you in. It's a testament to the smooth guiding hand of director Betty Thomas (The Brady Bunch Movie, Private Parts) that ex-Playmate Jenny McCarthy's performance can genuinely be called understated. One of 2006's best teen comedies. [+]

What sounds like a high-concept romantic comedy pitch from hell-widower president falls for smart lobbyist while the world watches-is actually intelligent, charming, touching and quite funny. Granted, it's wish fulfilment all the way (when was the last time you saw a president who was truly presidential?) but in the capable hands of writer Aaron Sorkin (TV's Sports Night) and director Rob Reiner, TheAmerican President is incredibly enjoyable entertainment with quite a few ideas about both romance and the government. Michael Douglas stars as the president, who after three years in office starts thinking about the possibility of dating. When he auspiciously encounters cutthroat environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening), sparks begin to crackle and the two begin a tentative but heartfelt romance. Of course, his job gets in the way-their first kiss is interrupted by a Libyan bombing-but darn it if these two kids aren't going to try and make it work! However, they hadn't counted on the president's Republican antagonist (Richard Dreyfuss), who starts carping about family values. The predictable plot-Douglas finally goes to bat for his lady and his country-is leavened by Sorkin's wonderful, snappy dialogue and a light touch from the usually subtle-as-a-sledgehammer Reiner. Both manage to create a believable White House-office atmosphere (with a crack staff including Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Anna Deavere Smith and Samantha Mathis) as well as a plausible and funny dating scenario. The true success of the movie, though, rides squarely on Douglas and Bening; this is unequivocally Douglas's best comedic performance (ergo his best performance, period) and Bening, usually such a good bad girl, takes a standard career-woman role and fleshes it out magnificently. You can see in an instant why Douglas would fall for her. [+]

There's Something About Mary is one of the funniest movies in years, recalling the days of the Zucker-Abraham-Zucker movies, in which (often tasteless) gags were piled on at a fierce rate. The difference is that co-writers and co-directors Bobby and Peter Farrelly have also crafted a credible story-line and even tossed in some genuine emotional content. The Farrelly brothers' first two movies, Dumb and Dumber and Kingpin, had some moments of uproarious raunch, but were uneven. With Mary, they've created a consistently hilarious romantic comedy, made all the funnier by the fact that you know that they know that some of their gags go way over the line. Cameron Diaz stars as Mary, every guy's ideal. Ben Stiller plays a high-school suitor still hung up on Mary years later; the obstacles standing between him and her include a number of psychotic suitors, a miserable little pooch, and, oh yeah, a murder charge. The Farrellys' admittedly simplistic camera work, which adapts easily to a TV screen, and the fact that you'll likely laugh yourself so silly over certain scenes you'll want to replay them to see what you were missing while you were busy convulsing, make this a perfect video movie. -David Kronke There's Something About Mary recalls the days of the Zucker-Abraham-Zucker movies, in which (often tasteless) gags were piled on at a fierce rate. The difference is that cowriters and codirectors Bobby and Peter Farrelly have also crafted a credible story line and even tossed in some genuine emotional content. The Farrelly brothers' first two pictures, Dumb and Dumber and Kingpin, had some moments of uproarious laughter, but were uneven. [+]

The tricky topic of interracial romance gets a sexy, charming, and unexpectedly realistic treatment in Something New. Kenya (Sanaa Lathan, Out of Time, Alien Vs. Predator), a successful accountant, gets set up on a blind date with Brian (Simon Baker, The Ring Two)-only to discover that he's white, leading her to cut the date short. At a party, Kenya admires the garden and gets introduced to the landscape architect: Brian. Thus begins a bumpy but increasingly sparky relationship, despite opposition from Kenya's friends and family, as well as Kenya and Brian's own internal resistance. Make no mistake, Something New is a mainstream romantic comedy, with ridiculously attractive people grappling with problems that get solved with just a little too much ease-but along the way, Kriss Turner's script, Sanaa Hamri's direction, and Baker's and especially Lathan's performances ground the movie in something resembling the real world. Kenya's and Brian's emotional terrain has a genuine texture to it; the rhythm of the dialogue and the visual pacing allows their characters to breathe and become more genuine and vivid than your standard rom-com lovers. The strong supporting cast-including Alfre Woodard (Crooklyn), Donald Faison (Scrubs), Mike Epps (Next Friday), and Blair Underwood (Full Frontal)-doesn't hurt. But Lathan owns the movie; this actress deserves true stardom. -Bret Fetzer.

Like a pumpkin that transforms into a carriage, some very shrewd casting (and the charisma of Julia Roberts, in particular) morphed this story of a Hollywood whore into a Disneyfied Cinderella story-and a mainstream megahit. This is the movie that made Roberts a star, her charms helping tremendously to carry viewers over the rough spots in the script (which was originally to be a cynical tale about prostitution called 3000-after the amount of money Richard Gere's character pays the prostitute to stay with him for the week). Gere is the silver-haired Wall Street knight who sweeps streetwalker Roberts into a fantasy world of room service at the Regent Beverly Wiltshire Hotel and fashion boutique shopping on Rodeo Drive. The supporting cast is also appealing, including Laura San Giacomo as Roberts's hooker pal, Hector Elizondo as the hotel manager, Jason Alexander, Ralph Bellamy and Hank Azaria. -Jim Emerson, Amazon. com On the DVD: With a beautiful bubble effect offering a touch of fantasy to the special features menu, the viewer might expect a disc packed with lavish offerings. Unfortunately the extras are a little more spartan than the menu would have us believe, consisting of a theatrical trailer and a cringe-worthy pop video of "Wild Women Do", complete with a bouncing camera and "arty" black-and-white shots. The worst of these features comes in the form of the "production trailer", a useless addition which attempts to briefly summarise the film's underlying themes with inter-cut comments from the actors and directors on the original trailer (already featured in its pure form on the disc) and which offers little additional information of any merit. The disc does, however, come into its own when Gary Marshall takes the helm for the director's commentary: he has an entertaining and amusing narrative style, which is upbeat and direct like his film, and his comments really bring to life the fairy-tale narrative. Add to this a widescreen 1. [+]

In the ensuing years since Working Girl was released, Harrison Ford has never given such a charming and witty performance, Sigourney Weaver hasn't been given quite the same kind of scenery-chewing role, and Melanie Griffith simply hasn't got near doing anything this good again. And yet in Mike Nichols' excellent romantic comedy, they all gel in a film with eminent rewatch value. The premise is fairly simple. Griffith's lowly secretary gets a job with Weaver's megabitch boss. The former is unhappy at home and work, while the latter is unscrupulous and underhand, and happy to pass off one of Griffith's good ideas as her own. Yet when Weaver's character is incapacitated, in steps Griffith, who quickly attracts the professional and personal attention of Ford, as she attempts to navigate her way to the top-until Weaver reappears on the scene… In lesser hands, all this could become routine Hollywood nonsense, yet here it really clicks. Griffith effectively brokered her career off the back of her performance here, yet all three leads are in fine form, with a strong supporting cast and a delicious script to fall back on. Elements have certainly dated, and the world in many ways has moved on, yet there's still plenty of room in it for films as good as this one. -Jon Foster.