Guest Author - Rain Battle

Hollywood is gearing up to release a few movies in upcoming weeks, including two romantic films I'm interested in: "Elizabethtown" and "Shop Girl."

Elizabethtown - October release date
Starring: Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom
Cameron Crowe wrote and directed this multi-faceted movie that's already receiving rave reviews. Orlando Bloom ("Troy") is Drew Baylor, who gets fired from his well-paying job, dumped by his beautiful girlfriend, and discovers his father has died at the same time. When he meets Claire Colburn, played by Kirsten Dunst ("Spiderman"), a bubbly stewardess, he isn't expecting to fall in love. Claire helps Drew to see that all isn't lost, and in the course of things, he learns more about his family history and who he is.

I am really excited about this film for three reasons: I love Kirsten Dunst (who doesn't?), Orlando Bloom is a fine actor in addition to being fun to look at, and who doesn't love Cameron's Crowe's mind? His is the mind behind "Vanilla Sky," "Say Anything," and "Jerry Maguire!" Susan Sarandon and Alec Baldwin also star.


Shop Girl - October Release Date
Starring: Claire Danes, Steve Martin, and Jason Schwartzman
"Hilary and Jackie" director Anand Tucker brings us a film about choices. Claire Danes is Mirabelle Buttersfield, a young woman who works as - yes you guessed it - a shop girl. She is torn between two men: Jeremy Kraft, played by Jason Schwartzman ("Bewitched,") and Ray Porter (Steve Martin). The two men are opposites, Jeremy is struggling, absent-minded, and sweet. Ray is successful, confident, and suave. Mirabelle wants them both for different reasons but knows that she has to make a decision.

Steve Martin is one of my favorite actors and it's exciting to see his vision hit the big screen. That's right, he wrote the story that this film is based on! Claire Danes has also been one of my favorites since her days on "My So-Called Life," and I'm thrilled she's working with Martin. Bridgette Wilson-Sampras ("The Wedding Planner") also stars.

In upcoming weeks, watch for my reviews of the two films listed above. I have high hopes for them both, so let's see if my good vibes prove accurate!