6:00 PM, 29th August, 2009
She has the best of both worlds... now, she has to pick just one.
Miley Stewart (Cyrus) has made a promise to her father: she will keep her alter ego, Hannah Montana, a secret and won't let the popstar affect her normal life. As soon as the stardom starts interfering with Miley's real life, she will quit. Skip to a few years later and we can see that the fame of Hannah Montana has started to bloat her ego. After ruining the sweet sixteen birthday party prepared for her BFF, Lily (Osment), Robby Ray (Billy Ray Cyrus) senses that his daughter needs some time away from the stage to "detox" her celebrity status. He takes his family back home to Tennessee for two weeks to get back in touch with their country roots. Settling in, Miley finds romance with cowboy Travis (Lucas Till), a renewed relationship with her grandmother (Margo Martindale), and a chance to feel life without the burden of the blonde wig.
It's a heaping of G-rated pleasantries and saccharine tunes but Hannah Montana: The Movie has all the elements that appeal to young girls: popstardom, horses on the countryside and a cute boy from the neighbourhood. And for those looking for something a bit deeper it has a personal story about a girl trying not to lose track of her identity in the face of global fame.
Jacinta Gould
8:00 PM, 29th August, 2009
When high-powered book editor Margaret (Bullock) faces deportation to her native Canada, she quickly declares she's actually engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant Andrew (Reynolds), who she's tormented for three long years. He agrees to participate in the charade, but with a few conditions of his own. The unlikely couple heads to Alaska to meet his quirky family and soon there is an impromptu wedding in the works as well as an immigration official on their tails.
The plot may be something that we've all seen before but when was the last time you saw an original rom-com? That's not what we're here for. What the plot may lack the two stars go above and beyond trying to make up for. Their chemistry is surprisingly potent when they are together, the pair's aggressively narcissistic banter funny and fresh in all of the right ways. Sandra Bullock is at her best in the romantic comedy genre ((ndash)) and I saw a lot more of her than I expected, while Reynolds couldn't be more lovable ((ndash)) or more slyly sarcastic. There's also some lovely scenery (and I'm not just talking about a buff Reynolds) to serve as a beautiful backdrop for the romance to develop. All in all the great cast and the random laughs make it a fun and fluffy pick for a night out with the girls.
Jacinta Gould