CheekyChicago

Former American Idol winner Lee DeWyze returned to his Chicago roots on Saturday, June 1, for Barefoot Wine’s Beach Rescue Project in partnership with the Surfrider Foundation. The goal? To keep the world’s beaches “barefoot friendly.” Lee joined fans and volunteers at Oak Street Beach to remove trash, spread environmental awareness and toast to taking a stand in the sand.… Read more

Southside Chicago native Tamberla Perry didn’t always know she wanted to be a leading lady. After graduating from the University of Rochester with a degree in health and society, she moved back to the Windy City where she worked as a corporate recruiter and took night classes toward her Doctor of Physical Therapy program. In 2005, the tides turned, and… Read more

SPOILER ALERT: This write-up contains spoilers for Hunger Games fans who haven’t seen or read the first and second installments of the series. If you haven’t already heard, over at Cheeky we’re pretty much obsessed with Jennifer Lawrence. Not only did we love the first Hunger Games flick, we also think JLaw is a seriously cool role model for women… Read more

The future has officially arrived. And here at Cheeky, we’re kind of geeking out about it. Google X Lab’s Project Glass is taking the concept of “real-time” to a whole new level. Essentially, Glass is a wearable computer with a head-mounted display (or as the techies say, HMD). In simple terms, that means a pair of glasses with the ability… Read more

Playwright Bill Jepsen’s Never the Bridesmaid progresses much in the same way a relationship does. The first act is a “getting to know you” of sorts: lighthearted and bright, chock-full of charm. Our protagonist Maria (played by the very Cheeky Lindsey Pearlman) doesn’t have the best track record: three marriages down and she’s still at home, living with parents Doris… Read more

It’s official. I have a major girl crush on actress Jennifer Lawrence. And her appearance at the 2013 Oscars, where she won Best Actress for her role in Silver Linings Playbook, only re-affirmed it. Here are a few reasons why Jennifer Lawrence is at the top of my list for one of the Cheekiest women of 2013. She holds her… Read more

‘Tis the season for chocolates, Hallmark cards and a whole lot of L-O-V-E. Or maybe not. If you’re spending Valentine’s Day alone this year, not to fret. There’s no better time to cozy up on the couch with your trusty friends Ben & Jerry and pop in one of these beloved rom-coms. We’ve all seen the classics like Breakfast at… Read more

It’s Christmas 2004 when daughter Brooke Wyeth (Tracy Michelle Arnold) returns home to her conservative California family in Palm Springs after six years. And she’s come with a secret that will rock the family to its core. Brooke is on the verge of publishing a tell-all memoir, the story of her late brother Henry, who was involved with a bombing… Read more

Fracking. Yes, you heard me right. Slang for “hydraulic fracturing:” a process in which fractures in rocks below the earth’s surface are opened and widened by chemicals in order to extract natural gas or oil.  Sounds pretty harmful, right? Right. And in Focus Feature’s recent release Promised Land, it’s the job of corporate salesman Steve Butler (Matt Damon) and his… Read more

When Boublil, Schönberg and Kretzmer’s production of Les Misérables debuted on Broadway 25 years ago, no one knew it would be one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history. It swept the Tony Awards with 12 nominations and eight wins. In 1998, Billie August directed Liam Neeson, Uma Thurman and Claire Danes in a film adaptation. And when news hit… Read more

In this sort-of sequel to the 2007 romantic comedy Knocked Up, Judd Apatow’s This Is 40 re-visits Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) as they navigate the realities of marriage and the demands of every day life. The film is told through a comic lens, but writer and director Judd Apatow also attempts to seriously contemplate the familial circle… Read more

Last week at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, performer and choreographer Karim Tonsy took audience members on a poetic journey with his most recent show, CURFEW. Presented by Karim Tonsy Egyptian Physical Dance Theatre (KTED), a non-profit artistic company led by Karim himself, CURFEW embraces Middle Eastern themes while exploring and interpreting the dancer’s personal struggles through movement… Read more

Filled with sex appeal, song and a lot of satire, SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody is a production that should be on every Cheeky chick’s December “to-do” list. Yep, you guessed it; it’s a theatrical spoof of the best-selling book by author E.L. James—but it doesn’t take itself quite so seriously. SPANK! is the story of E.B.J. or “Easy Breezy… Read more

It’s safe to say that A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre is one Chicago tradition you don’t want to miss—complete with pre-show carolers and cups of hot cocoa. Now in its 35th year, the production has seen eight Scrooges, nine directors and 31 Tiny Tims. But the heart of the story remains the same. Based on Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella,… Read more

It’s a bittersweet end for Twi-hards around the world with the final installment of Breaking Dawn hitting theatres just last week. Since 2008, I have managed to shrug off Stephenie Meyers’ series and the past four films. Yes, that’s right, people. Before seeing Breaking Dawn: Part 2 this past week, I was a Twilight virgin [cue the collective gasp]. But… Read more

With over 120 million books sold and four films grossing more than $2.5 billion worldwide, it’s safe to say that the Twilight saga has quenched pop culture’s thirst for sci-fi romance, bringing vampires back to the big screen in a big way. Since the fifth film Breaking Dawn: Part 2 hits theatres today, there’s no better time to brush-up on… Read more

On opening night at Bank of America Theatre, the much-anticipated Kinky Boots stepped out in true Broadway style, boasting a powerfully dynamic cast and a quirky storyline with all the right theatrical moves. Based on the book by four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein and directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots is a production bursting at the seams with… Read more

This week at the movies sure was juicy thanks to Director Julian Farino’s most recent film The Oranges. Co-written by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss, the premise for this flick has enough small-town scandal to go around the block—and then some. The Oranges documents the lives of the Walling and Ostroff families, longtime friends and suburban New Jersey neighbors. When the Ostroff’s prodigal… Read more

She’s that Cheeky redhead we all know and love, and this time around, she’s in full-color with Broadway In Chicago’s I LOVE LUCY® LIVE ON STAGE.  It’s 1952 and you’re a studio audience member seated in the Desilu Playhouse soundstage, anxiously awaiting the filming of two I Love Lucy episodes. Host Maury Jasper (Ed Kross) takes you behind-the-scenes of American… Read more

David Cromer’s directorial revival of Sweet Bird of Youth is a complex and undulating drama that’s bursting at the seams with creative talent. In the context of playwright Tennessee Williams, this dark, subversive subject matter is nothing new. But Cromer, his talented leads and a capable cast of 17, still manage to surprise us, dividing and conquering the drama scene… Read more

What would you do if you were confronted with the reality that you’ll never be what you always dreamed you’d become? How far would you go to achieve success? And what risks would you be willing to take in order to achieve it? In this seamlessly layered film, co-directors and writers Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal seek out answers to… Read more

There’s a familiarity about Griffin House when you meet him for the first time. Maybe it’s his Midwestern charm and his honest, unpretentious approach to life. Or it could be the simple sort of truth in his songwriting and his full-blooded Americana guitar. Whatever it might be, Griffin is proof that you don’t have to abandon your roots to cultivate… Read more

Vaudezilla’s Rollin’ Outta Here Naked: A Big Lebowski Burlesque is the definition of Cheeky: bold, playful and slightly improper. Including raucous satire of the Coen Brothers’ classic cult film and a line-up of striptease sketches, Rollin’ Outta Here Naked is sure to tantalize Chicago audiences from beginning to end. Founded in ­­2008 by burlesque performer Red Hot Annie and Keith… Read more

With well-known director Jay Roach and comedian-actors Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, The Campaign was at the top of my list for must-see summer movies. Ferrell plays long-term Congressman Cam Brady, a valueless politician who is less interested in addressing pressing issues and more interested in banging chicks in Port-a-Pottys (not even the worst of it). Then there’s Marty Huggins… Read more

I have an idea. Let’s take three super-famous actors, put them on the same set, give them a shitty script with a ton of filler and a few punch lines, and throw in some aliens just for kicks. Oh wait, the writers, directors and producers of The Watch already did that. And it didn’t work out too well. I’m not one… Read more

On August 2, Michigan Avenue magazine toasted to its summer issue and one of the Cheekiest women we know—Skinnygirl® entrepreneur, star of the hit Bravo reality series Bethenny Ever After, former Chicagoan and New York Times best-selling author, Bethenny Frankel. With the release of her debut novel Skinnydipping in May and a six-week tape-run of a daytime talk show under… Read more

In Woody Allen’s most recent European city love affair To Rome With Love, we follow the romances, adventures and predicaments of a group of visitors and residents in the Eternal City. First we meet Jerry (Woody Allen himself) and his wife Phyllis (Judy Davis), an American couple visiting their daughter (Alison Pill) and her Italian fiancée named Michelangelo (Flavio Parenti). Jerry,… Read more

When you think of your childhood stuffed animal, you probably think of something warm and fuzzy, something cherished and sentimental. What you don’t think of is a crude, pot-smoking, politically incorrect, sexually promiscuous teddy bear that works as a grocery store checkout clerk and lives in his own studio apartment in downtown Boston. Am I right or am I right?… Read more

Improv acts scare the hell out of me for a few reasons: Spontaneous audience participation has been my biggest fear since elementary school. I’d rather die than experience a long bout of awkward silence. Watching people embarrass themselves embarrasses me. A lack of direction gives me panic attacks. So, you can understand why I was terrified last Sunday as I… Read more

Finally. A film that captures how truly awkward life—and human interaction—can be. Especially when you’re Jack (Mark Duplass), a thirtysomething man on the verge of a breakdown. Since his brother’s death a year ago, Jack has been drinking, out of a job and unmotivated, and his friends have started to take notice. Particularly perceptive is Iris (Emily Blunt), a platonic… Read more

Canadian writer and director Sarah Polley is best known for her 2006 feature Away From Her, a film inspired by Alice Munro’s short story “The Bear Came Over the Mountain.” And though her sophomore film, Take This Waltz, draws inspiration from a Leonard Cohen song as opposed to a piece of fiction, Polley still manages to infuse subtle Munro-eque nuances… Read more

On May 24, Rockit Bar & Grill hosted the fifth annual “Rescue Our Angels” Fundraiser with special guest and Chicago native, Jenny McCarthy. The fundraiser and live auction—featuring 2013 Grammy tickets, Chef for a Day with Graham Elliott and VIP Lollapalooza tickets, and much more—benefited Generation Rescue, a non-profit organization providing assistance for families affected by autism. McCarthy became involved… Read more

A dark revision of the familiar fairytale, Snow White and the Huntsman was two hours of pure escapism, chock-full of beautiful cinematography and stunning special effects. Directed by Rupert Sanders and filmed primarily in the United Kingdom, Snow White takes us from the murky shadows of the dark forest to the breathtaking ocean views to the enchanting woods, reminiscent of… Read more

Based on the book by Heidi Murkoff, Director Kirk Jones’ What to Expect When You’re Expecting shows pregnancy in all its glory. Er, gory. Don’t worry – no close-up live birth scenes à la Knocked Up, but What to Expect does give viewers an uncensored perspective on what it’s like to really have a baby. And let me tell you… Read more

The Abbey Resort, nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, is just 80 miles from downtown Chicago, but feels like an airplane ride away. From the 90 acres of manicured grounds to the first class accommodations featuring pillow-topped mattresses and charming lakeside views, The Abbey is the perfect setting for a summer retreat, whether it’s a family getaway, a… Read more

Celebrated Broadway director David Cromer returned to Chicago last Sunday evening, taking the reigns on Rent, co-produced by American Theater Company and About Face Theater. The story is the same as its Broadway counterpart: a group of artsy Bohemians struggle to survive during the AIDS epidemic in 1989 East Village, New York. Which is sad and heartbreaking and truthful. Kind of.… Read more

Founded in 2005 as an extension to Corky’s Catering, CORK Catering & Special Events is a sophisticated, high-end catering and event planning company serving the greater Chicagoland area. CORK’s recipe for success is simple: blend creative, delicious food with outstanding operations and voilà—the finished product is complete customer satisfaction. “We’re trying to break the mold of the stand-alone caterer,” says… Read more

Chimpanzee is a half “Animal Planet” documentary, half humanly constructed narrative that follows the life of Oscar, a young chimp living with his mother and a troop of chimps in the jungles along the Ivory Coast. Oscar tragically loses his mother after an attack by a rival group of chimpanzees, led by the formidable alpha male, Scar. It’s heartbreaking to… Read more

Drury Lane’s production of Hairspray, originally a cult classic John Waters film, was the most fun I’ve had on a weeknight in a long time—and there wasn’t even alcohol involved. For anyone who’s seen the Broadway production (which, by the way, won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical) or the 2007 remake starring John Travolta, you’re well-aware that bigger is… Read more

When photojournalist Sarah Goodwin (Sally Murphy) returns to the United States after barely surviving a bomb blast in Iraq, things on the home front have changed. Her long-time partner James (Randall Newsome), a freelance journalist himself, has become disillusioned with the profession and would prefer to settle into a simpler and more stationary life. For Sarah, the urgency of war… Read more

Writer and director Jennifer Westfeldt’s film Friends with Kids has all the raw material for a great romantic comedy: a star-studded cast (Bridesmaids, anyone?), keen observations on marriage and parenting, and a sprinkling of humor in all the right places. While Friends with Kids isn’t the most groundbreaking film I’ve seen this year, its premise is certain to spark conversation… Read more

The hype surrounding the cinematic adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” is no joke. Since its release in 2008, the book has sold more than 11 million copies, spent weeks atop bestseller lists, and quickly evolved into a pop culture phenomenon—for tweens and adults alike. Make a movie as good as the book? No pressure. Director Gary Ross successfully… Read more

Brought to stage by the same creative minds behind In the Heights, Bring It On: The Musical is the new comedy that takes us into the world of competitive cheerleading—and into the bitter cross-town high school rivalries that come along with it. When Truman High team captain Campbell (Taylor Louderman) gets redistricted to Jackson High, she goes from “squad” –… Read more

Act of Valor, co-directed by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh, is a brave attempt at bringing realism to the Hollywood military genre. No, really. The film’s stars, including protagonists Chief Dave and Lt. Rorke, are actual, active-duty US Navy SEALs and SWCC. Even the heart-pumping combat sequences are inspired by true events. After rescuing CIA operative Lisa Morales (actress Roselyn… Read more

Scars on 45 graced Chicago in early February with a show at Schubas. We sat down with the band to talk about their headlining tour and upcoming plans with The Fray! Check out our first interview with Scars on 45 when they played Park West with Marc Broussard. Cheeky: How has this most recent tour been? You’re headlining this time around. Nova:… Read more

With the rom-com action attitude so many movies are trying on for size these days (i.e. Katherine Heigl’s recent blunder One for the Money), I was expecting to toss Director McG’s This Means War into the same pile of duds. Not so fast. This film, written by Timothy Dowling and Simon Kinberg, was actually quite witty, charming and consequently, entertaining.… Read more

With a new self-produced album Felony Flats coming out on March 13 and a tour with Scars on 45, Anya Marina is the definition of a talented, independent and Cheeky female artist that’s ready to give rock a run for its money. Cheeky: Tell us a little about yourself. Anya Marina: Well, I’m a Libra. I live in Portland, Oregon.… Read more

Glenn Close is heartbreakingly good as the role of Albert in Albert Nobbs, a film based on the short story by George Moore, adapted to screen by Glenn Close, John Banville and Gabriella Prekop, and directed by Rodrigo Garcia. Close plays a woman passing as a man in order to make a living in 19th century Ireland. Thirty years after… Read more

Things couldn’t get much worse: Stephanie Plum (Katherine Heigl) has just been let go from the lingerie department at Macy’s; she has no car, no money and is facing eviction from her apartment. As a last resort, she seeks out her cousin Vinnie (Patrick Fischler), who offers her a lucrative bounty-hunting job: bring in former cop and murder suspect Joe… Read more

Rocker James Durbin definitely learned a thing or two from his time on American Idol—and he showed it this past weekend at Austin’s Fuel Room in Libertyville. Opening band New Medicine set the stage for Durbin, rocking the audience with hard-hitting electric guitar riffs and Beastie Boys-reminiscent rap, particularly in “Race You to the Bottom,” where lead singer Jake Sherer… Read more

Carnage: n. 1. Massive slaughter, as in war; a massacre; 2. Unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by a human being. Based on the French play God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza and adapted to film by Director Roman Polanski, Carnage tells the story of two couples, Nancy and Alan Cowan (Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz) and Penelope and… Read more

After a successful run on Season 10 of American Idol, James Durbin is out with a new album and he’s ready to rock. Cheeky sat down with James to talk about his recent album release, his life after Idol and his end-of-the-month show at Austin’s Saloon in Libertyville. Cheeky: You were down to the wire on American Idol Season 10.… Read more

I should say something right off the bat. I’m a sucker for two things—the animal species and a good family story—and We Bought a Zoo has both. So, it’s no wonder I loved this charming film, written by Aline Brosh McKenna and directed by Cameron Crowe. Zoo is the true story of adventure journalist Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) who, after… Read more

If you’ve been slacking on your movie-going this year and plan on catching a few flicks via Red Box in the New Year, here are my three favorites from 2011. 1. The Help Released August 10, 2011 Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett and directed by Tate Taylor, The Help is a boundary-breaking book-to-film adaptation. Emma Stone shines as… Read more

Directed by David Fincher and based on the first book in a trilogy written by Swedish author Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a dark and brooding story that will thrill you in the most disturbing way possible. Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is a financial reporter whose biggest story of the year crumbles in the face… Read more

Dynamo writer/director duo Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman aren’t afraid of finding humor in dark places. Their box-office hit Juno was able to get mainstream audiences laughing about teen pregnancy, and though their follow-up film Young Adult gives viewers that same shot of dark comedy, it doesn’t go down quite the same. In the simplest terms, Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron)… Read more

The Sitter’s Noah Griffin (Jonah Hill) isn’t what you would call a parent’s “dream babysitter.” A suspended college student, his resume includes a DUI, an affinity for the couch, a coke-crazed girlfriend (Ari Graynor) and a whole lot of f-bombs. But when Mr. and Mrs. Pedulla’s regular babysitter cancels last minute, it’s less about credentials and more about convenience. Let’s… Read more

The holidays are officially here, and with that comes the daunting task of making a list and checking it twice. This gift-giving season, one small Chicago-based business can make this big task less like a burden and more like a treat. A sweet one, that is. The philosophy is this: why send a card when you can send something s’more?… Read more

The blonde hair, the curves, the red lips, the beauty mark—oh my! On the surface, Marilyn Monroe seemed to have it all.  But Director Simon Curtis’ My Week with Marilyn shows us that this wasn’t the case. This film, based on the true account of Colin Cook’s memoir “The Prince, the Showgirl and Me,” explores the lesser known, tragically glamorous… Read more

Hawaii is an unlikely setting for a tragic story like The Descendants, but as Director Alexander Payne shows us in the film’s first scene, the island “paradise” isn’t as immune to poverty, heartache or suffering as we think. And protagonist Matt King (George Clooney) candidly states this in the first few lines of the film: “My friends think that just… Read more

Start and stop. Start and stop. Start and stop. This is reality for British college student Anna (Felicity Jones) and American native Jacob (Anton Yelchin), who fall in love during their last year of studies at a university in Los Angeles. After Anna overstays her visa, she’s banned from re-entering the United States and their relationship is at odds… As… Read more

I’m embarrassed to admit it, but throw me in a heated political debate and I’m lost within the first five minutes. Which is why, generally speaking, politically charged films like The Ides of March aren’t up my alley.  Call this one an anomaly. In its 101 minutes on screen, this gripping political melodrama is less about who wins on election… Read more

Cheeky: How’d you get into music? Trevor Hall: At a young age I fell in love with the guitar and started writing songs. My dad took notice and for my fifteenth or sixteenth birthday, he took me to a recording studio and we made a record for fun. We printed a few copies just to give to friends, and we… Read more

Trevor Hall knows how to rock. Put him on stage in front of a packed house and he’ll give a powerfully charged, goose bump-worthy performance. He’ll stage-dive into the audience—twice. Throw in Aaron Dugan’s guitar riffs, Brian Lang’s bass line and Aaron Sterling’s beats and you’ve got one hell of a show. Then there’s the raw. Break out the acoustic… Read more

What’s Your Number? is like your first time: forced, clumsy and a little more bitter than sweet.  Anna Faris plays Ally Darling, a single chick who, after reading a Cosmo-esque sex article, realizes her number of partners is utterly too high. In an effort to stay under twenty, Ally tracks down former exes with the help of hot neighbor Colin… Read more

Written by Will Reiser and directed by Jonathan Levine, 50/50 is a film that successfully balances the seriousness of a diagnosis with the rare humor and quirks that come along with life’s bad news. 50/50 is the story of 27-year-old Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a radio program writer, whose world is turned upside down after being diagnosed with a rare form… Read more

Drive’s plot sounds a lot like your typical Hollywood action-thriller: a stuntman by day, getaway driver by night (Ryan Gosling) who finds himself in trouble with some mobsters (Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman) after a botched heist. Of course, there’s also a girl (Carey Mulligan) who serves as the catalyst for his involvement in the first place. But, no –… Read more

Scars on 45 has had quite an unconventional journey into the music circuit. Originally from Bradford, England, the group’s founding members played professional soccer until some unexpected road bumps in their early twenties. After a turn of events, lead vocalist Danny Bemrose, lead guitarist Stuart Nichols and keyboardist “Nova” (short for Nowakowski) turned to music and never looked back. They… Read more

Based on the 2002 bestseller by Aline Brosh McKenna, I Don’t Know How She Does It follows the frenzied life of Kate Reddy (Sarah Jessica Parker), a high-power financial executive who also happens to have a husband (Richard, played by Greg Kinnear) and two kids waiting at home. Kate tries to have her cake and eat it, too: closing a… Read more

Twenty-nine-year-old Marc Broussard has been playing music since the ripe old age of five. Heavily influenced by his father and musicians such as Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, it’s no wonder his recent self-titled album Marc Broussard is filled with so much soul. Cheeky sat down for an interview with Marc at Park West in Chicago as he… Read more

I’m a huge hypochondriac. Which is why I shuddered when I saw previews for Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion. The first words out of my mouth were, “I will never see that movie.” Alas, here I am, reviewing this flick for all you Cheeky chicks. The hype surrounding Contagion after its opening Friday night was a bit… contagious. So I put on my… Read more

We’ve all caught ourselves wondering what it would be like to travel to another time and place, and unfortunately, we will never be able to experience the thrill of living in the past – at least not in this century. For Midnight in Paris’ Gil Pender (played by Owen Wilson), this isn’t the case. Gil and Inez (Rachel McAdams), a… Read more

I’ll admit it: I have one. A long-haired, dog-loving, not-sure-where-he’s-going-but-he’s-going-somewhere, organically grown brother. Which is why I was intrigued to see what Our Idiot Brother had to say about what this family member brings to the table – or doesn’t. There have been few movies (I can count on one hand) that honestly capture the complexity and humor of a dysfunctional… Read more

Based on the 2009 novel and adapted to screen by the same author, David Nicholls, One Day didn’t end up being the neatly tied together love story I had in mind. When I hear “love story,” I think of the clichés: perfectly staged kisses, romantic one-liners and (spoiler alert) happy endings. These clichés don’t apply to this film, which is… Read more

Based on Kathryn Stockett’s New York Times bestseller, The Help is a book-to-screen adaptation that is boundary breaking and full of heart. When it seems as though all Hollywood can give us is one overly eager romantic comedy after another, The Help serves as a reminder that there are still important stories to be told through film. Writer and director… Read more

Directed by the man behind Wedding Crashers (David Dobkin) and scripted by the writers of The Hangover (Scott Moore and Jon Lucas), it’s no wonder The Change-Up acts the way it does. Saturated with crude jokes, countless profanities and the all-too-familiar bro-mance, stars Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds don’t have much to work with in this film except flat, predictable… Read more

Crazy, Stupid, Love has all the raw material to move beyond your run-of-the-mill romantic comedy: great characters who are both hilarious and complex, and scenes that have you laughing out loud one minute and in serious contemplation the next. At the end of its two hours, however, this film’s Love Actually structure of intertwining subplots can’t seem to break free… Read more