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The Reel World: Most of ‘Sunshine Cleaning’ feels like a never-ending cloudy day
As the weather gets nicer, I've noticed that time during class has started moving a lot slower. My 90-minute classes, which used to move at the normal pace of time, have suddenly stretched out to feel as if they're three hours long. Watching "Sunshine Cleaning" was like sitting in class knowing everyone else is lazing about on the grass in front of the art museum—excruciating.
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The Reel World: French film strives to be at top of ‘the class’
The last few years, I've seen a lot of movies about students in inner-city schools and the nave, but well-intentioned, teachers who come to inspire them. "Freedom Writers" comes to mind, starring Hillary Swank as a devoted English teacher who overcomes budget cuts, condescending colleagues, and surly attitudes to help her students reach heights thought unreachable. "Stand and Deliver" is another, focused on calculus instead of writing. There are others, I'm sure, but they all have a common plot line: enthusiastic teacher starts school hoping to inspire high school students; high school students don't care and give him a hard time; one day the teacher makes a breakthrough; from then on, the students will walk through fire for him and everyone gets A's. "The Class" hits almost none of the points on this checklist.
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The Reel World: Addictions and laughter abound in "Confessions of a Shopaholic"
I have a confession to make: I hate shopping. The bright lights and music in malls give me headaches. There are clothes everywhere and I get discombobulated with all the colors. And then there's the money thing. I have a hard time justifying spontaneous purchases and end up just putting things back rather than opening up my wallet. I have another confession to make: I loved "Confessions of a Shopaholic." I may not like shopping, but I did like watching a movie about a young woman so consumed by clothes, shoes, jewelry, and bags that she looks like an animated Vogue ad walking down the streets in Manhattan.
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The Reel World: All-star cast makes "He's Just Not That Into You" smart, witty
It's common knowledge: The day after a date with a guy she likes, a girl will dissect every sentence, every word, and every gesture to try to determine if said guy will call her in an acceptable amount of time to go out again. If he doesn't call within that time frame, then the girl talk begins. "Why didn't he call me?" "Well, maybe he lost your number. Or maybe he got into a car accident and is in a coma. Or maybe he got food poisoning from the salmon he had at dinner and has been puking for the last few days and is afraid to call you when he's throwing up since that's gross."