Waitress and Knocked Up

In the past few weeks I've been able to see two fairly good summer movies, both small (or smallish) compared to the newest Pirates and Spider-Man. My expectations for both Waitress and Knocked Up were too high. Both movies were good, but neither was great.

Waitress is quirky and fun. And what's not to love about Keri Russell and Nathan Fillon? It's just that for as fun as the movie was, it did feel a bit too precious--a bit too clever for its own good. But I enjoyed the film overall, and there were some really touching moments. It's a real tragedy to think that director Adrienne Shelly won't get to hone her craft and make more movies (she was murdered last year in New York). Waitress can be laugh-out-loud funny at times and really does comed together pretty cohesively. And for a director's first movie that's an incredible feat.

Knocked Up isn't a small indie darling like Waitress but it is still finely crafted and overall a good movie. Following The 40 Year Old Virgin, director Judd Apatow delivers a strange mesh of a romantic comedy and a guy's guy movie. It felt like Porky's had a baby with When Harry Met Sally which worked sometimes, but other times fell flat. Katherine Heigl is as gorgeous and funny as ever, but I'm not sure Seth Rogen can carry a film. It's not just that she's a 10 and he's a 5. For me, Rogen just doesn't have the "leading man" charisma the part takes. But the movie is funny and certainly worth your $10. Curb your expectations some and both movies can be a welcome retreat from the summer weather and blockbuster fare.