Iris
Dame Judi Dench can do no wrong. Kate Winslet has a permanent, irresistible aura of joyful energy. Hugh Bonneville and Jim Broadbent nearly broke my heart with their sweet, clumsy devotion (and rare bursts of anger). As a loosely structured, poetic, emotional montage, this movie is well done. But if you seek narrative satisfaction, or just want to know more about Iris Murdoch -- what was her career like? what happened between her and Jim as their courtship led to marriage? -- look somewhere else.

Monsoon Wedding
A noisy, colorful, mostly lighthearted, ultimately feel-good movie in English, Hindi, and Punjabi. The ostensibly main characters, the young couple arranged to be married, are the least interesting. The several side plots involving cousin Ria, the father, housekeeper Alice, and others are more engaging. Can't wait to get the soundtrack! (Reviewed on FreshLimeSoda.com)