Rating: 
Summary: 'Actually'...It's A Mess
Review: It was humiliating enough knowing I was scammed into "actually" watching this thing, but this was one troublesome movie. I know it was also critically acclaimed and it even won some awards for comedic screenplay at the Golden Globes. Here are a few things about a little film I like to call, "Actually...It's A Mess"1. Could there be any more characters in this movie? There are so many people falling in love here that (on two occassions) they simply forget about them and bring them back into the story over an hour later. 2. Nice stereotype of the US President. He's southern, he's drunk, he's a womanizer. 3. The guy who moronically proposes to the Portugeuse woman at the end....what was his deal? At the beginning we see him get out of bed with his girlfriend or wife to go write a book and then he falls in love with a woman he can't even communicate
with just because he sees her in blue panties on a dock after she ruins everything he's written? 4. Alan Rickman? Umm...he's married, he flirts with his secretary twice in the movie, he's married. He buys a necklace from Mr. Bean. Emma Thompson (his wife) suspects he's cheating but absolutely nothing is resolved. Are they together, are
they not? She cries at a school play and then kisses him and says she's happy to see him at the airport. Huh? And the last time we see his secretary is when she opens the door in heart patterned underwear for the Prime Minister. What a disaster. 5. The American girl who is in love with the guy who talks like Ingrieke Iglecias...what was up with that? We're tortured having to listen to her talk to her boss about
how much she loves this guy. Finally, we're spared from the agony and they dance, disrobe and lie on the bed...then her braindead brother calls and calls again. The story is thankfully put on the backburner as they sit by the bed before she goes to the hospital. The last we see of it is her at her work desk and saying good night to Ingrieke Boy late at night. She cries. What the f?? 6. Talk about a completely useless character. Her brother sits in Santa hats and tries to punch her when she sees her. It makes no sense because her relationship problem isn't resolved. If it's a love story and she can't fall in love because
she has to look after her mentally ill brother and talk to him over and over and over again on her annoying cellular phone, there really isn't a point to that situation, is there? 7. Hugh Grant is a likeable enough fellow. My problem with him is that he plays every character as the same guy. I was embarrassed for him after he danced to The Pointer Sisters. I also thought him telling off the US President at a Press Conference had virtually nothing to do with his character....at all. That was a cheap shot at the United States. 8. Liam Neeson's ugly kid. The kid was a little weasel who never combed his hair. There's no way anyone would find him remotely interesting or attractive. He dresses like a homeless orphan and it would be nice to think the kid could think
of his mother who just passed away as opposed to some Alicia Keyes looking bimbo. When you look back on it, he wasn't even sad at his mother's funeral. He was thinking about the American girl. Also, good parenting allowing him to run through a security checkpoint, Dad. 9. The kid ran at least six miles to get to the gate, even though he had no way of knowing what airline she was flying or what gate it could have possibly been. Why is it that once he's brought all the way back to his father, the American girl
is right behind them and she kisses him? Her flight was on a final boarding call in the first place. 10. Claudia Schiffer can't act....and she only had one line in the entire movie. 11. The whole English Girl marry's black Englishman attracted to black Englishman's Best Man was completely ignored. He confesses how he feels for a married woman. She's touched. They forget about it all for fifty minutes. They come back to it
and he writes down a lot of really dumb messages on large poster board paper. He was holding all of that stuff in his arms. Wasn't he taking a huge risk that his buddy (black Englishman) might actually open the door? 12. Finally, mercifully, what in the "Hell" was going on with the two people insinuating sexual intercourse and oral on that stage/set? That really made no sense and then they kiss at the end and she says, "All I want for Christmas is you!" ????????? This whole scenario epitomized what I thought of this
drab, English film: 'Actually'...It's A Mess
Rating: 
Summary: Feel good movie with no depth
Review: Love Actually is a romantic comedy designed to make you feel good then forget about it right after you watch it. It follows several people as they pursue love over the Christmas holidays. All of these characters are somewhat related, but none of their stories really intertwine. With so many stories to tell, it's like the movie shows the climax of several stories at once. Even though there isn't time to develop characters, that isn't really noticed because the love stories take center stage over the lives involved in the stories. Hugh Grant is the leader of the stellar cast and plays the British Prime Minister who falls for a staffer and gets to cut down the US and its buffoon president (a role in which he makes the US President look like a womanizing fool without paying homage to Clinton or Bush). Almost every kind of love story is told and the movie magages to hold your interest for the entire two hours. There is a lot of nudity and bad language, so kids shouldn't see this film. This is a charming movie and I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time & money
Review: Recipe for "Love Actually": Pull out every hackneyed cliche in the book, mix in some sappy, syrupy-sweet stock "chick flick" situations, add a lot of bad writing in which the characters all attempt to sound cute and clever, and WALLA! You get one of the most insultingly bad romantic "date" movies ever made. Nothing in this movie makes any sense, and nothing in it could ever really happen... it's escapist fluff. Nothing wrong with escapism, but this goes too far. There were a couple of funny lines and some situations that were potentially interesting (yet fell flat), but overall it was a complete waste -- not only of my time and money but of the acting talent assembled in the cast. I give it five pieces of dung.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun and touching
Review: Love Actually is a light movie with a deep message. In tracing the lives of 8 couples, we see just how precious love and life is. But unlike other movies that preach this message, this is not demonstrated with sad drama but instead mainly through comedy. The cast is superb with Kiera Knightly, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, and especially the endearing Hugh Grant, but some of the funnest parts occur with more minor characters like two porn stars or a Brit's (Colin's) trip to America. Overall, Love Actually makes itself much more than a typical romantic comedy and in doing so really endears the audience to its many characters.
Rating:
Summary: love actually .......really!!!!!!!!!
Review: i have wanted to see this movie ever since it hit the theatres last year, but sadly i was not able to go see it. so when i found out the dvd was coming out i had to buy it. it was a really good desicion!!!!!!!!!!!! i am happy to say that this is one of my favorite movies. this movie follows diffrent people exploring their individual love lifes , during the chrismas season. this sounds boring , but it really isn't. nearly all the characters are connected to each other in some way. this movie balances out their stories in the best way. and it definitly keeps my interest. 1. one has-been pop star , re-records a popular song (love is all around) and changes part of the lyrics to make it a christmas single. he hates it , and thinks it is crap, but it turns out that him making fun of his own song ,on various shows,gains attention and makes it all the way to number 1. 2. this guy whose best friend just got married, shows an impression of almost dislike to the wife, but it turns out that he in fact loved her from the very start. he never wanted to let anyone know about it. later on though , he felt like he needed to confess what he truly thought of her. (this part of the movie is my favorite) i won't spoil how he tells her. 3. hugh grant is the new prime minister , and he instantly falls for a girl that works in his new residence. he tries to shake himself from her, even having her re-assigned. but he cannot get over the fact that he has feelings for her. and again i won't spoil how they end up getting together. 4. okay , now this part is a little weird ,and why this movie got an "r" rating. acutally i think it is a bit funny. there is this guy and girl , that are making this porn film . well actually they don't "really do-it" , but they go through the motions. as they are making this film they have conversations through out it ,and it turns out, they start to fall in love with each other. i got a kick out of it, because how often do people in that profession,actually fall in love like that. and they not only fall in love , they get engaged.
though their profession is a weird thing to put in this film, i acutally thought them falling in love was very sweet. it works. 5. there is this guy , whose wife just past away. he is the stepfather of her son. they are not too close , but soon the son ends up telling the father about this girl he likes in school. its a cute mini-story line, because the father tries to help his step-son in catching the girl, and at the same time , they are getting to know each other, and they really start to connect. love at two points ... the son for the girl at school, and the love between father and son. 6. a young guy(collin) who has no luck at all with the ladies, decides that he is in the wrong country to meet girls. he thinks coming to america will change that. collins' buddy, thinks its a horrible idea and that he shouldn't go. well the friend gets a very special surprise as collin comes back to england not by himself, but with some american girls. the look on the friends face is great. 7. colin firths character thought he was happy in love, until he came back from a wedding to discover that his girlfriend had been cheating with him with his own brother!!!! colin firth then retreats to his gettaway home , and starts to work on a novel. he ends up getting a maid, who speaks portugese, while he speaks english. their is a language barrier, but yet these people start to understand each other, and they end up falling in love. I don't want to spoil how they end up together, because this is also one of my favorite parts of the movie. 8. this husband and wife , have been married for awhile, and things were okay, until a little co-worker at the husband's job, tell him that she is basically interested in him. he gets seduced and and starts messing around with the co-worker. the wife finds out about it. and well this situation is sad. but i will say that this doesn't end all syrupy, but ends on an okay level. you have to watch the actress (emma thompson) performance when she finds out . it is really emotional. 9.a girl at work , basically fell in love with this guy ever since she started working there. they finally end up getting together and it is one of those moments of too good to be true. because it is so cute to watch their story. and it really is too good to be true, because despite their feelings for another, it will be the love of family that has the top priority. okay, i might be missing some other stuff, but hopefully you get the point. i know this may sound confusing , and because what i have written may have gotten boring, but it really isn't this movie has a good flow to it, and i will say that if you liked bridget jones' diary, you will most likey buy this one up. don't be afraid .....buy it now.
Rating:
Summary: Cute and Funny
Review: This Christmas time romantic comedy has a stellar cast list filled with Britain's finest. Hugh Grant, Keira Knightly, Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman all have starring roles. Billy Bob Thornton also appears as the American president. This movie features about 8 different relationships that are loosely inter-connected. The characters are falling in and out of love and this movie captures many different types of relationships (siblings, friends, the romantically inclined, etc) - most ending happily ever after at Heathrow airport. The beginning may be a bit confusing as there are disjointed shifts from one relationship to the next and many characters are introduced in a short time span. Once you figure out who's who the shifts aren't as annoying and you can see linkages popping up amongst the characters. The acting is brilliantly done, the lines are humerous and all in all it's a movie that makes you feel good. Viewers should be aware that there is a fair bit of nudity in the film as one of the relationships blosomming is between two people involved in making a porn movie.
Rating:
Summary: I liked this valentine of a movie.....
Review: I rented "Love Actually" last week and watched it with my girlfriend. The film, released at the theaters last year, was not even my fourth choice. But when one is in a relationship, one finds themselves having to make compromises. In this case, the compromise turned out to be a pleasant surprise - though my girlfriend did fall asleep halfway through. Anyway, as I watched the fairly complex plot threads slowly weave their way towards a predictably syrupy conclusion, I found myself contemplating this film a bit more than expected. I'll try to cover the bases without boring readers to death. First and foremost, "Love Actually" boasts an extraordinary cast of actors, many of whom are from Britain, the location of this valentine of a movie. Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, Laura Linney and Colin Firth, among others, lend an air of respectability to the mainly light proceedings. This ensemble piece examines eight varieties of relationships, all of them involving a form of love. Richard Curtis wrote and directed this romance/drama/comedy, and it was his first time behind the lens. His previous work included the charming screenplays to "Four Weddings and a Funeral" (a favorite of mine), "Notting Hill" and "Bridget Jones' Diary." After such notable success with the pen, I suppose it was about time for him to sit in the director's chair. He does an adequate job with a fairly daunting screenplay. Not only must this story weave in and out of the lives of 10-20 individuals in modern-day London, but it must walk a fine line between comedy and drama, giving each notable actor enough screen time to flex their professional muscle. The misfires are many, as the budding love between the porn stand-ins strikes the harmonious note of a wooden nickel. This talkative pair, in various forms of undress, pretend to perform lustful acts while cameramen set the lighting meters prior to the actual actors doing their "business." The odd couple make a date and literally shiver during their first kiss. The symbolism is too obvious - yes Richard, we know lust and love are two entirely different things. The slovenly Colin, played with nose-picking intensity by Kris Marshall, couldn't find love if it punched him in the face. So the 20-something man decides to travel to America in search of drooling babes entranced by his British accent. Colin lands in snow-covered Milwaukee. Within minutes he finds three single models who take him back to their penthouse to have an apparent romp. Granted, British accents are cute, but I'm not sure it's going to give any man the inside track to winning the fantasy lottery. Liam Neeson is terrific as a recently widowed father attempting to raise a young son on his own. By utilizing the power of positive thinking, he is lovingly supportive, and it's just a wonderful turn by an actor who normally plays the "hunk." I liked this vignette immensely and would enjoy seeing a film dealing simply with this father and son relationship. Hugh Grant does a nice turn as the recently appointed Prime Minister of England who's shot by the Cupid's arrow upon meeting the caterer of his new home. Grant goes to great lengths to deny his love for this lower middle-class woman. This vignette gives us one of the finest scenes in the film when Grant stumbles upon a Bill Clinton-like president of the United States (nicely played in a cameo by Billy Bob Thornton) trying to make a pass at the caterer. Grant's character has already been bullied by this important world leader. Now the prez is making a move on the love of his life! Grant stands up to the powerful man during a press conference, and the enjoyable scene will make one swell with British pride whether they live in Olde England or not. The strongest scenes in the film are delivered by Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman, as a longtime married couple. Rickman is being flirted with by a young woman at work, and Thompson catches wind of it. Her scenes where she deals with the infidelity are the most memorable of "Love Actually." This very fine actress reveals the true trauma of what such shenanigans can do to the victim. She delivers the best line in the film when she says to her longtime husband, "You haven't just made me look foolish, but you've made us look foolish." Thompson's work is nothing short of brilliant. What I liked about "Love Actually" was it dealt exclusively with ADULT romance. Amazingly, there's not a teenager in sight. This is also such a sweet, life-affirming film, without a single moment of cynicism. To me, that's rare in today's movie making world. "Love Actually" stumbles happily to the semi-truth of life and love and how we cope with all the mundane crap. Love happens when we least expect it, and this film is aware of this. Love is not always fulfilled, and this film knows this sad fact as well. Thank you Mr. Curtis for at the very least attempting to reveal such important lessons. Thankfully, there's only one wedding scene in Love Actually. It's early in the film. After the bride and the groom have exchanged vows, they begin walking back down the aisle. Suddenly, a choir begins singing, trombone players stand up, someone plays a guitar and a man wails into a microphone. The bride and groom laugh in surprised delight as the impromptu musicians begin performing The Beatles' "All You Need is Love." Has there ever been a more perfect song for a wedding?
Rating: 
Summary: Love is not in my air, actually.
Review: I thought this was going to be a lot better. I'm glad that I just rented it because that's all it is good for is a watch. The only part that meant anything to me was the ending. The rest of the movie was quite bland. I do have to say there was nice casting here, but it's such a shame that they were wasted on this movie. As for the DVD extras, there was a lot of boring stuff. I went to the menu, then quickly got out of it. If you decide to watch this, rent it because I think 20.00 is steep for a movie like this.
Rating: 
Summary: Good storylines... but they tried to do too much
Review: _Love Actually_ is being touted as "THE ULTIMATE ROMANTIC COMEDY", and while some of the relationships were sweet and romantic, I became frustrated with the sheer amount of storylines in the film. The overall film suffered because it had to rotate between the relationships--each couple got their requisite five miunte screen time (with some overlap) and then SWITCH! The really interesting stories were cut off to show another scene that was silly and unnecessary. (The biggest example of this is leaving Laura Linney's character "out to dry"--what happened to her?) The reason why everyone is seeing this movie is because of the stellar cast, and while they all performed very nicely, all of their characters were severely underdeveloped, and it was hard to have any connection with the characters when you knew so little about them. The film would have been much more enjoyable had they focused on three or four relationships (namely Rickman-Thompson, Liam Neeson, and Hugh Grant's characters) and developed them more fully.
Rating:
Summary: Hated it, actually
Review: Maybe I missed something, but what exactly was this movie about? None of the characters were ever on scene long enough for me to develop any empathy toward them, none of them were drawn with the slightest bit of realism or depth (except for maybe the washed-up singer), and none of the situations were the slightest bit believable. The entire sequence with the "prime minister" meeting the "president" was utterly pointless and added nothing to the movie. But then, that pretty much describes every other scene so I guess it fit right in. Like "Four Weddings and a Funeral," this movie was pointless, meandering, unfocused drivel and a complete waste of film. I'd give it zero stars if I could.
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