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Uptown Girls (2003)
2000s nostaligia, a lot of heart, and great actresses
This movie is hard to categorize because it has it all: humor, fashion, emotional friendship story, dancing/music, and self-discovery. The details of the movie were just right, and it was a fun showcase of New York city life. It isn't perfectly done, but I appreciated the movie showing a female gaze that had the main character experiencing moments of life not just in the context of her romantic connections alone, but also portraying that her sense of self and expression were growing in other ways too.
Both actresses were cast perfectly for their roles. The very young Dakota Fanning is almost too believable as the stressed and picky kid, and Brittany Murphy is effervescent in her role that also seems like resonates with her true self, based on the fun ways in which she participated in wardrobe -- purchasing all the jewelry her character wore and coming up with the idea to put the lamp shade in her hair.
Overall, a great movie.
Me, Myself & Irene (2000)
The pizazz of young Renée Zelleweger in a classic Jim Carrey romp.
I know many people note this movie for Jim Carrey, but I want to give a shout-out to Renée.
Renée's seemingly effortless acting in this film as Irene has deadpan humor and a firmness in her delivery which remind me of her performance in Chicago (2002). Her character's balance of street smart and down-to-earth is especially winning as she shows tenderness when falling for Johnny. She plays it well, and was a pleasure to watch as her character was not overshadowed even when acting across from a bombastic Jim Carrey.
The movie is a fun time capsule - early 2000s fashion and lifestyle details will be interesting for people are nostalgic for the time period. The story has more depth and romance than your average comedy; however, I found most of the comedy to have aged poorly due to racial, misogynist, and psychiatric topics. The slapstick and toilet humor remain eternal, if off-putting to some.
"Did you just refer to yourself in the fourth person?" - Irene (Renée Zelleweger)
Clueless (1995)
Perfect Teen Chick Flick
Great fashion, great cast, great characters and story, great music, and a well deserved status as iconic. Cher manages to be whiny in an endearing way and her blowout is too die for. They brought in skate culture and the rich SoCal teen vibe (a lá The O. C.) that would become all the rage in a few short years from this movie's release. Clueless is a time capsule and should be valued as such.
Pros and cons from a feminist lens:
Cons:
- A lot of the fashion in that era leaned into the infantilization of women
- Toxic diet culture jokes that have not aged well
- Supportive female friendships
- Teenage women in power in their sexuality.