‘Down With Love’ upbeat; ‘Matrix’ high on action, low on plot

‘Down With Love’ is delightfully devious

Only Barbara Novak would come up with a scheme so devious to get

what she truly wants. In this symbolic replica of Rock Hudson’s and

Dorris Day’s “Pillow Talk,” “Down With Love” exposes women for the

common criminals they are in fighting for the thing they genuinely

desire ... love.

Novak (Renee Zellweger) is an innocent, prudent writer who wants

to publish her new book, “Down With Love,” which explores why women

don’t really need love and how it shouldn’t be a necessity in their

everyday lives. She asks to have a meeting with a publisher, Catcher

Block (Ewan McGregor), to see if he would authorize publication of

her novel. Instead, he cancels all their dates and goes out to meet

other women.

When Block finds out Novak’s objective, he refuses to let her

influence women about the realities and truths behind the concept of

love. He hides behind a false identity and essentially makes Novak

fall in love with him, causing her ideas to be viewed as

hypocritical.

But even Block’s plan doesn’t hurt her original intentions. As it

turns out, Novak has a secret of her own, which is one that even the

clever Block did not see.

This film has much sexual and crude humor, but most of it is only

funny; none is too vulgar. Peter McMannus (David Hyde Pierce) is the

actor most identified as a comedian, although the entire production

gave the audience something to laugh about. McMannus, a co-worker of

Block’s, is the more cautious and practical of the two, and he always

tries to look out for their best interests. In doing so, he creates a

world of hilarity and in turn makes the movie more enjoyable.

I find this movie to be at the top of my list for recommendations.

It’s a very cute and romantic story, in essence depicting the reality

behind the ‘60s lifestyle, and exaggerating some of the more

prominent points. The ending did throw me off and confuse me some,

but in actuality that just made it all the more interesting.

* SARA SALAM attends Corona del Mar High as a freshman.

‘Matrix Reloaded’ didn’t reload plot

“The Matrix Reloaded” is the long-awaited sequel to “The Matrix.”

This second movie continues the story of Neo (Keanu Reeves), Morpheus

(Laurence Fishburne), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and their fight

against the Matrix and its agents.

In “Reloaded,” the underground city of Zion is threatened. The

machines are tunneling toward the city to slaughter all 250,000

people there. Neo and his shipmates must find their way to the source

of the Matrix to save all the free humans of Zion.

The chase and fight scenes in “Reloaded” are even more complex

than in the first film. The sensational freeway sequence alone raises

the bar for all other action films.

“Reloaded” also uses the great “bullet time” and stop-action

camera effects that were so breathtaking in the first film.

As for everything else in “Reloaded” besides the action scenes,

yikes! The story is overstuffed with twists and pseudo-philosophical

nonsense dialogue. A few scenes are so bad they’re painful,

especially the dancing in the temple at Zion and the parts in the

restaurant.

Andy and Larry Wachowski, who wrote and directed “The Matrix” and

“The Matrix Reloaded,” seem to have forgotten that even the best

action scenes in the world really need a decent underlying script.

The plot of “Reloaded” lacks the intensity and tension that made “The

Matrix” enjoyable.

If you cared only about the great fight scenes and special effects

in the original, then go see the sequel for the same reasons. If you

think things like plot and dialogue are important in a film, then

stay away.

* TRICIA BEHLE lives in Newport Beach and works as a software

validator.