On Demand Weekly

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of movies on demand from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: WHEN HARRY WANTS TO MARRY (Gravitas).

WHEN HARRY WANTS TO MARRY - On Demand
By Amy Slotnick

Harry is an Indian-American college student who, scarred by the divorce of his parents as a child, is longing for a marriage the old fashioned way – arranged. With a matchmaker in India, he is quickly matched up with an Indian beauty who seems perfect for Harry. Before even meeting her, and even though Harry’s parents and friends are not supportive, wedding plans get started.

Simultaneously, Harry is falling for Theresa, a beautiful co-ed he is paired with for a Sociology project (coincidentally, the topic is marriage).

The premise feels more like a 30-minute sitcom, and the exaggerated tone makes it feel like the film should have a laugh track. The story plays out in a predictable way, with super-broad comedic moments thrown in, some with no rhyme or reason, like an unfunny waxing scene with Harry’s roommate. There is good chemistry between Theresa and Harry, but the critical suspense of whether or not he forgoes the arrangement and hooks up with Theresa peters out after the first half.

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of hot movies on demand from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home.  ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS / Les émotifs anonymes (Tribeca Film). 

ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS
Chocolate Is Nothing To Be Afraid Of
By Kris Scheifele

Variety is the spice of life, unless it—along with most everything else—scares the living daylights out of you. The latter is the case for the two lead characters, Angélique (Isabelle Carré) and Jean-René (Benoît Poelvoorde), in ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS.

In France, this romantic comedy is called LES EMOTIFS ANONYMES, a title which doesn't really translate properly into English. In French, an émotif is not a romantic, but rather someone who has emotional issues, particularly a fear of other people. Plagued with anxieties, an émotif is deeply perturbed by mundane social situations, especially intimate ones. In France, they even have an Alcoholics Anonymous-type support group for émotifs to come out, so to speak, of the closets they literally hide in. It was as a member of this group that director, co-writer, and émotif himself, Jean-Pierre Améris, found his inspiration.

The plot is simple. Without knowing they share the same affliction, Angélique, émotif, goes to work for Jean-René, émotif, in Jean-René's ailing artisanal chocolate factory. Almost immediately, he asks his new hire out on a date. Not nearly as twee as the 2001 film, AMÉLIE, everything is super adorable and old-fashiony, but the story seems to be happening now which makes it hard not to think about the legal tinder box on which the film's premise rests. Eventually, this looming spectre fades as the two jittery lovebirds faint, sweat, and stutter through interactions fraught with self-perpetuated panic.

Obviously, variety, change, and mixing it up are definitely not the spice of life for Jean-René. Variety, however, will not be denied and spice literally saves the day. It just so happens Angélique is a brilliant, avant-garde chocolate chef, which she conceals for fear of the spotlight. Pink peppercorns, paprika, and Porcini breathe life into the unevolved, run-of-the-mill chocolates that have been both the safe staple and downfall of the business.

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of movies on demand from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: CONCEPTION (Tribeca Film).

CONCEPTION
By Amy Slotnick

Nine romantic couples on the eve of conception. First time, first date. Erotic and neurotic. CONCEPTION shows us vignette-like scenes, immersing its audience into nine separate relationships.

The implications of sex are made relatable and humorous by the a talented cast including Julie Bowen (“Modern Family”),, Sarah Hyland (“Modern Family”), David Arquette (NEVER BEEN KISSED), Connie Britton (“Friday Night Lights”) and Alan Tudyk (DODGEBALL).

We follow these couples in various set ups, one on a blind date, another going through fertility treatments. Pairs are shown in long-standing and dysfunctional relationships. Some sex-deprived, others over-sexed. What they have in common is that all are about to conceive, however not intentionally for all.

It’s a cute concept, but the film is weakened by the limitations of its many sketch-like scenes that provide a lack of feeling for any one story in the ensemble. As a result you never get fully immersed in the story, which breezes by at a fast pace and light, comic tone.

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of hot movies on demand and from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: THE PILL (FilmBuff).

THE PILL

By Sky McCarthy

The morning after can be extremely uncomfortable, but THE PILL takes the awkwardness of a one -night stand to the next level. While this movie may be a snapshot to the sexual realities of today, the film lacks any imagination to provide unique insight. It begins with a classic tale of modern “romance” – boy meets girl, girl gets drunk, boy sleeps with girl…unprotected.

After a frantic morning fight, Fred (Noah Bean, “Nikita” “Damages”) convinces Mindy (Rachel Boston, “In Plain Sight”) to take the morning after pill despite her surprising religious convictions. Fred is immediately relieved after the initial swallow but soon becomes Mindy’s unwilling companion for the day when he realizes she must take a second dose within 12 hours.

The storyline is somewhat complicated by the fact that Fred is already in a relationship. Fans of the MY GIRL movies will be surprised to see Anna Chlumsky in a rare on screen role as Fred’s nagging and shrewish girlfriend. While Mindy initially represents a mental and physical escape from reality, she herself is emotionally unstable and invents white lies throughout the film to keep Fred’s attention. The next 24 hours take Fred on a strange roller coaster of events through New York City including a confrontational meeting with Mindy’s ex and a surprise visit to her parent’s apartment.

As the movie drags on, it becomes apparent that every character is completely flawed. Not one of them is likeable so it becomes unclear as to why anyone should care about hurt feelings or unwanted pregnancies. Initially the film plays like a lengthy PSA for the consequences of unprotected sex and one may be left wondering if Planned Parenthood had a hand in funding production costs.