The Proposal

OMG Betty White is in a new movie! That’s right America’s National Treasure THE Betty White is starring in the new romantic comedy The Proposal that opens this Friday. Finally, we get a summer movie that will live up to the hype! And her co-stars aren’t too shabby either: Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. But really it’s all about the Betty!

OK maybe it isn’t all about Betty. It might be a little about Sandra Bullock and maybe a little more about Ryan Reynolds. In The Proposal book editor and bitchy boss Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is in danger of being deported back to Canada. In her desperation she bribes her long-suffering assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) into marrying her so she can stay in the country. Drew agrees with a few caveats, one of which is the couple must journey to his family’s home in Alaska for the weekend. In close quarters, under the prying eyes of Drew’s ex-girlfriend (Watchmen’s Malin Ackerman) his parents (Craig T. Nelson and Mary Steenburgen) and his beloved grandma (the incomparable Betty White) the pair find their relationship changing and the business deal suddenly seeming inappropriate and unimportant.

The Proposal is a passable romantic comedy. It’s got some laughs, chemistry between the two stars, a few tears, an adorable fluffy dog and of course Betty White. What it doesn’t have is a great story. This is all well-trod territory. In fact it was pointed out to me by my friend Sunshine that there were eerie similarities between Margaret and the Lucy character Bullock played in While You Were Sleeping (1995). This genre is Bullock’s forte and she plays up the physical comedy of it well. Reynolds is he usual acerbic self and looks stunning unclothed. It’s a big summer for young Ryan. His turn as Deadpool in the Wolverine origins film garnered him an origins movie of his own. I, for one, am very much looking forward to that.

There are 3 scene stealers in this movie. The aforementioned Ms Betty White is delightful as the hopeful Annie. All she wants is to see her one and only grandson married before she dies and she goes to any length to achieve that. Fans of “The Office” on NBC will recognize Oscar Nuñez as Ramone, the town’s one and only exotic dancer. He is hysterical. Lastly there is the dog. I don’t know its name or its breed but dammit I want one! When you see it you’ll get what I mean.

If you need a cute date movie this weekend and aren’t really up to seeing Jack Black in animal skins The Proposal is a safe bet. Betty recommends it highly.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Hugh Jackman may be the sexiest man alive, but he has got some major competition in this film.  It’s a virtual meat market for tastes of all kinds and for those who aren’t that picky and appreciate the male species.

After the disappointment that was the last two X-Men movies, I didn’t go into this with any more expectation than just being entertained.

Despite a few slow spots here and there, and a bit too long history of wars sequence in the beginning, I have to say I enjoyed this.  It’s not hard to look at Hugh Jackman for an hour and a half.   Heck, I would have paid $20 to watch naked Hugh for the seconds we got of him jumping and running in the buff.  Who wouldn’t?  The hair and sideburns were even an improvement for his previous stint at Wolverine!

Then we get to his cast mates.  Liev Schreiber (enough said in my book, there is not much you can say about his perfection), Ryan Reynolds (looking VERY buff and not an ounce of nerd to be seen), Will i Am (bringing cool to the X-Men), Daniel Henney (model perfect and deadly good looks) and, finally, the cherry on top, Taylor Kitsch (yum, yum, yum).  I could seriously watch an entire film with Taylor reading the phone book and not get bored.

Yes, my shallow, middle aged self was there for the hotties.  I won’t lie.  As a bonus, we did get a decent story that had you connecting this beginning to the X-Men films that have already hit the big screen.  My 13 year old was quite engaged and there were a lot of lightbulbs going off above her head as she connected Sabertooth, Scott Summers and the rescuer of the island children to X-Men 1.

All in all, thanks Hugh, for being you and bringing some of your sexy friends along for the ride.  It was a hellavu show!