Hope Springs

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(2012)

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Director: David Frankel

Writer: Vanessa Taylor

Producers: Brian Bell, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Guymon Casady, Chris Coggins, Lance Johnson, Nathane Kahane, Kelli Konop, Jessie Nelson, Robyn Norris, Steve Tisch

Nominee

Synopsis: Kay (Meryl Streep) and Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones) are a devoted couple, but decades of marriage have left Kay wanting to spice things up and reconnect with her husband. When she hears of a renowned couple's specialist (Steve Carell) in the small town of Great Hope Springs, she attempts to persuade her skeptical husband, a steadfast man of routine, to get on a plane for a week of marriage therapy. Just convincing the stubborn Arnold to go on the retreat is hard enough - the real challenge for both of them comes as they shed their bedroom hang-ups and try to re-ignite the spark that caused them to fall for each other in the first place. -- (Written by Sony Pictures)

Cast:

• Meryl Streep
• Tommy Lee Jones
• Steve Carell

IMDb - Hope Springs

Melinda and Melinda

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(2004)

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Director: Woody Allen

Writer: Woody Allen

Producers: Letty Aronson, Charles H. Joffe, Helen Robin, Jack Rollins, Stephen Tenenbaum

Synopsis: While Woody Allen has long fused comedy and drama in his films, he embraces the two styles in a new and unusual way in this feature. Sy (Wallace Shawn) is enjoying dinner with some friends when they begin debating the nature of the tragic and the humorous. Sy, observing that a very fine line separates the two, decides to demonstrate this notion by showing how the same essential story can be either funny or sad depending on the way certain elements are handled; for the rest of the film, we jump back and forth between two versions of the story of Melinda (Radha Mitchell), a young woman with some serious problems in her life. (Written by Mark Deming)

Cast:

• Radha Mitchell
• Will Ferrell
• Amanda Peet
• Chloë Sevigny
• Chiwetel Ejiofor
• Jonny Lee Miller
• Wallace Shawn
• Josh Brolin
• Steve Carell
• Vinessa Shaw
• Brooke Smith

IMDb - Melinda and Melinda

Crazy, Stupid, Love

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(2011)

Genre: Comedy/Romance

Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Writer: Dan Fogelman

Producers: Eryn Brown, Steve Carell, Vance DeGeneres, Denise Di Novi, Jeffrey Harlacker, Charlie Hartsock, David Siegel

Nominee

Synopsis: A middle-aged husband's life changes dramatically when his wife asks him for a divorce. He seeks to rediscover his manhood with the help of a new-found friend Jacob, learning to pick up girls at bars. (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Steve Carell
• Ryan Gosling
• Julianne Moore
• Emma Stone
• Marisa Tomei
• Kevin Bacon
• Analeigh Tipton
• Josh Groban

IMDb - Crazy, Stupid, Love

Short Review: Due to the negative comments from a few friends, I had low expectations when I began watching this film. As it progressed I laughed several times, and enjoyed it thoroughly. LOVED the climax - was not expecting it at all. AND the epic cast of several talented actors, made me love it even more.

Dinner for Schmucks

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(2010)

Genre: Comedy

Director: Jay Roach

Writer: David Guion, Michael Handelman, Francis Veber

Synopsis: Tim (Rudd) is a rising executive who "succeeds" in finding the perfect guest, IRS employee Barry (Carell), for his boss's monthly event, a so-called "dinner for idiots," which offers certain advantages to the exec who shows up with the biggest buffoon. (Written by Anonymous)

Cast:

• Paul Rudd
• Steve Carell
• Zach Galifianakis
• Jemaine Clement
• Lucy Punch
• David Walliams

 

IMDb - Dinner For Schmucks 

Despicable Me

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 (2010)

Genre: Animation/Comedy

Director: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud

Writer: Ken Daurio, Sergio Pablos, Cinco Paul

Nominee

Synopsis: In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by a small army of minions, we discover Gru, planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon. (Yes, the moon!) Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays, and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad. The world's greatest villain has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo, Edith and Agnes. (Written by Universal Pictures)  

Cast:

• Steve Carell
• Jason Segel
• Russell Brand
• Julie Andrews
• Kristen Wiig
• Miranda Cosgrove

 

IMDb - Despicable Me