Sunday, February 14, 2010

Valentine's Day: It's not just hearts & flowers

"Valentine's Day" has a star-studded cast. Everyone from Ashton Kutcher to Anne Hathaway, from Jennifer Garner, to Jamie Fox, from Julia Robers to Shirley MacLaine appears on the screen. But don't hold that against it. And its subject is far from profound. Don't hold that against it either. In fact, while this flick isn't more than the sum of its parts — oh, those parts.
"Valentine's Day" has been compared — negatively — to the brilliant 2003 British film, "Love Actually", which also boasts an ensemble cast. But the Movie Slut believes the real yin to its yang is
"Crash," the 2005 movie, which also takes place in L.A.and presents a series of stories that interlock like a
serpent puzzle.
Think of "Valentine's Day" as "Crash" on a sugar high.
While "Crash" revolved around racism and violence, this movie focuses on what fools we mortals become on the "most romantic day of the year."
MS was expecting a predictable pastiche of syrupy vignettes. You wrong, girl. There are surprises in this film and some really funny jabs at the insanity of a holiday that only Hallmark can love.

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