Serindipity

Serendipity (2001) starring John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, Jeremy Piven, Molly Shannon, John Corbett, Eugene Levy. Jon (Cusack) and Sara (Beckinsale) meet and fall in love one magical night in New York, but they are both already in relationships. He wants her number so that he can find her later, but she wants to leave things up to fate. Are they meant to be together? Years later, as each is preparing to get married to someone else, they go on one last frantic search for one another. I felt that Cusack and Beckinsale had pretty good chemistry on screen, but not enough to knock your socks off. Of course the viewer knows all along that they will find each other in the final reel, so there's not much suspense. I found that I was pretty well entertained. Subtitles are offered, but the closed captions are easier to read. Grade: B

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (DVD)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) starring Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Penelope Cruz. Cruz won an Oscar for her supporting role as Bardem's insanely jealous ex-wife, who arrives in Barcelona to find that he has taken up with a pair of American tourists (Johansson and Hall). The Spanish atmosphere of the film has a genuine feel, but unfortunately the movie lacks a strong narrative arc. Something of a disappointment, although Cruz is good. Grade: C+