Pick Your Roberts Day!
Suggestions for the whole family.
Welcome to Movie Star March Madness, our month-long watch-a-long and countdown to Season 2 of The Vince Vaughn-a-thon. Every day in March, we’re celebrating a different actor, movie star, or famous family - one of which will be our focus for Season 2. Play along with us and leave your daily reviews in the comments. For the full schedule and info, read here.
Julia Roberts: Ticket to Paradise (2022)
A divorced couple teams up and travels to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they think they made 25 years ago.
The following originally appeared in the piece Taylor Watches Rom-Coms Volume 2.
Let’s be honest for a second… it’s George Clooney and Julia Roberts in beautiful Bali. What more could you want?
When you look rom-coms up, they are both included on the top ten list. They’re adorable. Their chemistry is palpable. They’re supported by a similarly adorable bunch. It’s just a really solid, better-than-it-should-be, new rom-com and it gets a high recommendation from me. You should watch it so studio executives know we want more Julia Roberts and George Clooney movies.
Eric Roberts: The Dark Knight (2008)
Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.
Portions of the following come from the piece Ranking Every Batman Film.
Is it a bit of a cheat to pick this for Eric Roberts when he’s like 8th billed? Well, how could you possibly choose a film from a man whose IMDB credits clock in at 721 PERFORMANCES. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?
Might as well choose one of my favorite movies.
The Dark Knight may be the best film with Batman in it.
Nolan clearly had a more grounded vision for the character after the Schumacher debacle and so although I’m not the biggest fan of his Chicago-inspired Gotham, Batman’s toys, or some characterizations (sorry, Christian Bale!) — those things are honestly so nit-picky because this movie kicks ass.
Obviously Heath Ledger’s performance became instantly iconic, but the entire film is filled with memorable moment after memorable moment. Once it gets going, it does not let up. I’m the first to complain about runtime, but this two-and-a-half-hour dance doesn’t have an ounce of fat on it. Every scene, every line, every setpiece has become synonymous with the character and his portrayals on film. I think it transcends “comic book movie” like few others can.
Emma Roberts: It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010)
A clinically depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward.
Taylor: I know this movie isn’t perfect. In fact, it’s really problematic in several ways, especially how it deals with BIPOC characters. But this book meant a lot to me when I was an eighth grader feeling like the world suddenly shifted and life got a lot more complicated in the blink of an eye, and I always loved the movie. It has some really beautiful (albeit maybe a little unoriginal and cliché) direction and cinematography, and an absolutely killer soundtrack. "Blood" by The Middle East is a personal favorite, with of course a special shout out to the great moment of them performing "Under Pressure".
I think there are some really great performances here from the entire cast, which includes everyone from Viola Davis to Jeremy Davies to Emma Roberts, who, for once, plays a really sweet character with a lot of kindness in her heart!
When discussing a topic like mental health, I think we often forget about the people who struggle without “reason” and “trauma” - which totally defeats the purpose of trying to help people recognize that it’s an illness that can happen to anyone. While it definitely meant a lot more to me when I was at the center of their target demographic, it’s still a poignant and powerful reminder that life is there ready to be lived, and while it may be really fucking hard at times- it’s worth waking up and seeing what the day has to offer.
Credit: Each plot synopsis comes from Letterboxd via TMDb.