60-second cinema

7 out of 10 Squarely aimed at the sentimental Christmas market when released in the cinemas, The Holiday stands up fairly well, even now, on DVD. While some of its Englishness might be a little over-egged (we all live in thatched cottages, don’t we?), overall, it does a pretty good job of not drowning you in schmaltz . Cameron Diaz even turns in a performance that doesn’t make me want to kill her — impressive stuff. Yes, it’s still quite a chewing-gum-for-the-brain kind of movie, but as such things go, it’s a Juicy Fruit. Gav nailed it when he asked “Can a romantic comedy really be a great film?” I doubt it can. And that’s why my mark hits the rom-com glass ceiling.

8 out of 10 I enjoyed this film. I knew I was going to like if from the beginning - it had that typical feel good film feel to it, which was just what I was in the mood for. It also helps that I'm a big fan of Jack Black and Kate Winslet. The 8 out of 10 is kinda relative to the genre. Can a romantic comedy really be a great film? I don't know. I do know that there aren't any films of this kind that spring to mind when someone asks me for my top 5 films. But, as far as rom-coms go, I thought it was very good. Given that, the 8 may be a little generous, but this is my first review here, so that's what it's getting. I thought all four of the main characters were good (Black, Winslet, Law and Diaz), real enough, and believable, in the romantic comedy sense. Watching each pair develop had its own rewards: two people hopeless with romance finding each other and a women who has been unable to attach herself to happiness finally letting it happen. That said, the...