Buena Vista Pictures DistributionI can't get all that jazzed for Charlie Wilson's War. And that's in part because of what this year has given us in the way of political movies: Lions for Lambs, Rendition. Good Lord, can we just put a moratorium on these flicks and watch All the President's Men?
Still, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts are two of the most glossy yet folksy A-listers of all time. Don't you just want to go out to brunch with them? I know. Me, too. So, let's focus on Julia, as she's on her way back onto the public radar like a wide-eyed bat out of New Mexico, hot on the tail of Reese Witherspoon and various other aspiring sweethearts. These are my favorite Julia Roberts things. You show me yours in the Comments section.
1. Pretty Woman: Yeah, what a cliché. It's the romantic fairy tale that every woman has memorized. But, man, would it not have worked with anyone but Julia. The scene where she goes back into the boutique and teaches those snotty clerks a thing or two about manners. The boots! The polka dots! The Roy Orbison! Julia's spirit is pretty and womanly, and that's the trick to her fame.
2. Runaway Bride—and Not the Movie: Ms. Roberts' premarital romantic life is an inspiration to single women everywhere. Just look at the roster of ex-boyfriends: Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Ethan Hawke, Benjamin Bratt. Way to enjoy being a singleton, you know? She once told me it was so much fun being "the only girl with all those cute boys" on the set of Ocean's. You think Catherine Zeta-Jones would ever be so honest? Me, neither.
3. Kissing Denzel Washington at the Oscars: If most people aggressively shared the spotlight with a freaking Oscar winner in his moment of glory, they would be public enemy number one. And sure, there was a wee bit of backlash after the 2002 Oscars. But America can never get that mad at Julia. And it's nice that she can't control her desire for attention and affection.
4. Talking Dirty in Closer: What a naked, brazen, bare-boned performance Julia gave in Mike Nichols' adaptation of Patrick Marber's stage play. She was new to us, foul-mouthed, dirty and sexy. Sure, the film didn't kill it at the box office, but isn't the point of being a superstar that you can make little, intellectual movies whenever you feel like it?
5. Skipping Ocean's Thirteen: Way to jump ship in time. It's tough to say no to George Clooney and Brad Pitt, but her character's story was more than over, and any more Julia playing Julia would have been too much to bear.
6. Stepmom: Idyllic yet realistic, Stepmom is an underrated family drama. Julia's single, Pearl Jam-adoring photographer is a great contrast to Susan Sarandon's elder, divorced supermom. She shared the spotlight well with Sarandon, and she didn't hog the excitement. When you're as big a star as she is, that's a huge achievement.
7. Failing Big: When she does stupid movies, she does really stupid movies. Anyone remember Mary Reilly? Or how about The Mexican? Ooh, my personal favorite bad movie: Mona Lisa Smile. Yep, Julia knows that screwing up is, in some ways, a good thing and makes you seem human.
8. Blooming in Steel Magnolias: Young Julia had to keep up with Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah and…Shirley MacLaine. And as Shelby, the ill-fated, optimistic bride-to-be, Julia was luminous.
9. My Best Friend's Wedding: Along comes Cameron Diaz, tall, sparkling blue eyes and, ahem, a few years younger. Along comes Rupert Everett, stealing scene after scene. And Julia breathes delicate fire into her cigarette-smoking Ivy leaguer, a character who could have so easily been unlikable. To paraphrase, there may not be marriage, there won't be sex, but, oh, there will be dancing. It doesn't get more Julia Roberts than that.
10. What'd I Miss? Get all Mystic Pizza on me in the comments.