Le Divorce

Whatever the story, however it is presented, set it in Paris and you have magic. Just the look of a film shot in Paris is entertaining, especially in the hands of a pair of old pros like Merchant and Ivory. Ah, but what about that story? The complicated lives of two American sisters (Naomi Watts and Kate Hudson) living among the Frogs hold the interest for the whole running time, and the cast is strong from top to bottom (especially the two leads). Still, the denouement is a bit unseemly, and the viewer is left feeling not quite sure what to make of all this. Overall, a quintessential MEOW review.

An American In Paris

Another reminder of why musicals are dead (or nearly so). This is not to say that the Gershwin tunes aren't great, or that Gene Kelly's choreography is not in and of itself an artistic achievement. There are moments of joy here. But the demands of the set musical pieces upon the storyline are so onerous that the overall effect is weird and disjointed. And don't even get me started about that half-an-hour-of-ballet ending. A review this negative is practically heresy given this film's reputation as a classic, but...go ahead and burn me at the stake.