Shopgirl (2005)

Why did I rent it?: After "Nobody Knows" I needed to watch something less...emotionally wrenching
What's the plot?: Claire Danes is bored with her life working retail and meets a weirdo in a laundromat and agrees to go out with him (?!). Then she meets Steve Martin and he buys her a lot of things, and they have a lot of sex (eww). Weirdo goes out of the picture for a while and Steve Martin and Claire Danes (they probably all had character names, but I don't remember them) hook up a lot, and he turns out to be kind of a jerk. Like we didn't see that coming. Ends happily ever after- unlike the last movie...
Best scene: The laundromat scene, because who picks up guys at a laundromat? That's creepy.
Who should watch this?: Anyone who has sex fantasies about Steve Martin.
IMDB rating: 6.8
Liz's rating: 6

Dare mo shiranai [Nobody Knows] (2004)

Why did I rent it?: In the mood for a good, foreign film. This was a Japanese kind of foreign.
What's the plot?: First off, HOLY CRAP, most depressing movie EVER. So, this mother in Japan abandons her 4 kids in their small apartment, leaving them a little money and telling them they can't leave the house. At first the kids think it's okay, but then the money runs out and not surprisingly things do not go very well when the electricity and water get turned off. Evidently I did not thoroughly read the back cover and misjudged "Astonishing...poignant" to mean something other than "horrendously depressing". I'm considering reinstating my policy of not watching any movie with the word "poignant" in any of the reviews on the cover. Then to top it off, it turns out it's based on a true story. The movie itself was very well played out, at any rate.
Best scene: The very first scene wasn't sad. The kids get toted around in luggage.
Who should watch this?: Anyone whose life is too happy and needs a good downer.
IMDB rating: 8.2
Liz's rating: 8

Mirrormask (2005)

Why did I rent it?: Pretty cover. Also, it sounded kind of trippy from the description.
What's the plot?: So, I didn't actually finish watching this one. Helena's family runs a freaky, bizarro circus when suddenly her mom gets sick and for some reason she gets transported to some world where they fly around on books and everyone wears masks and some people's eyeballs have eight legs. I bet some stuff happens after that, but I didn't bother to find out. A++ on special effects...it's really beautiful, but the plot was just a little too...trippy. I can't say they didn't warn me.
Best scene: I'm going to have to use a picture.
Who should watch it?: Anyone who is actively "under the influence". Or people with a greater appreciation for art than I have.
IMDB's rating: 7.3
Liz's rating: ?

Bride and Prejudice (2004)

Why did I rent it?: 1 billion Indians can't be wrong!
What's the plot?: I'm pretty sure they plagiarized the plot from some book I read in high school...Catcher in the Rye, maybe? Copyright infringement aside, it was a very singy and dancey movie. I didn't have the sense to turn on the closed captioning until about half an hour into the movie, when suddenly it turned out the movie had been in English the whole time! At almost 2 hours, it was a little long, but then if you watch any Jane Austen movie it is going to take you a lot longer than 2 hours, so this is nothing.
Best scene: The main character is walking down the street and suddenly the ENTIRE street bursts into synchronized song and dance. I want to go to India and have that happen!
Who should watch it?: If you don't like Bollywood, you probably won't like this. Because it is Bollywood.
IMDB's rating: 6.4
Liz's rating: 7

Everything is Illuminated (2005)

Why did I rent it?: I had to find out the dealio with Elijah Wood's crazy glasses.
What's the plot?: This Jewish guy named Frodo Jonfen meets up with some premium Ukranians who take him on a journey to find out his grandfather's story. Somehow the movie ends up being about a cricket and an old Ukranian (not Jonfen's grandfather). I think maybe the plot was about the journey. Also, the main character has a ziplock bag fetish and that is kind of weird.
Who should watch it?: Ukranians...if they are into artsy films with little-to-no plotline.
Best scene: Alex: "Many girls want to be carnal with me... because I'm such a premium dancer!"
IMDB's rating: 7.5
Liz's rating: 5

Hola

It looks like I will have a lot of free time this summer. Thus, in an effort to make sure that time doesn't accidentally get used for productivity (and to have an excuse to watch a movie every day) I will start a movie-a-day blog.

Blockbuster obviously had my plan in mind when they came up with their $15/mo all-you-can-rent deal, and when they built their store 10 minutes from my apartment.

Enough jibbajabba, let the movies begin!