You’ve Got Mail
Few female writer are as beloved as Nora Ephron . A journalist , writer , filmmaker , playwright , and voice for modern American char everywhere , when she pass aside in 2012 , Ephron exit behind a body of work that will carry on to be pored over for its insight and influence as long as the world keep turn .
Though her greatest accomplishment may have been literary , Ephron ’s onscreen work is well - respected and though she had her paw in quite a few clunkers , she produced some bonafide classic , as well . Below are her 10 unspoilt movie , ranked .
Michael (1996)
An " angel expert , " Dorothy ( Andie MacDowell ) accompanies two cantankerous journalists ( William Hurt and Robert Pastorelli ) to enquire a small Iowa townsfolk where a man name Michael ( John Travolta ) claim to be a being from the celestial plane . The disheveled , philander soaker initially seems like the last person you ’d expect to have a lineal parentage to the God Almighty , but as the group gets to know Michael , they come to consider that he might just be on the dot what he claim .
Riding high on the comeback success ofPulp Fiction , Travolta is the one highlight in this maudlin miss . It ’s thought by some that feature directed by Ephron are less successful than those for which she only had screenwriting credit . This is n’t totally bonny , but look atMichael , it ’s easy to empathise the argumentation .
My Blue Heaven (1990)
Former mobster Vinnie Antonelli ( Steve Martin ) relocates to a low California suburb with the informant protection program . Wanting to go direct but struggling to change , Vinnie try difficult for FBI Agent Barney Coopersmith ( Rick Moranis ) , who ’s been charged with keeping him alive long enough to testify against his various associates .
Directed by Herbert Ross ( Soapdish)My Blue Heavenshould be better than it is , and there ’s no deny that Martin is miscast as a spaghetti eatin ' wise to bozo , but it ’s an inoffensive mismatched buddy clowning . The heavy problem is that it just doesn’tfeellike an Ephron photographic film , and therefore , is n’t going to be a favorite on anyone ’s list .
This Is My Life (1992)
Dottie Ingels ( Julie Kavner ) works a dead - end retail job , but yearns to be a comedian . When she suddenly receives an heritage , she eradicate her family line and motion to New York with her minor ( Samantha Mathis and Gaby Hoffmann ) in towage . As she starts to court winner , she dates her handler ( Dan Akroyd ) , but can she equilibrate a successful career , a dating life-time , and two daughters ?
Ephron ’s directorial first appearance sees her conform Meg Wolitzer ’s novel , " This Is Your Life " with interracial result .
Bewitched (2005)
When cosset movie whiz Jack Wyatt ( Will Ferrell ) hits a calling snag , he signs on to act as Darrin in a enceinte - cover interpretation of the 1960s sorceress - in - the - burbs sitcom , Bewitched . compulsive to make a comeback , Jack task his producers with finding an unknown to meet his witchy onscreen wife , Samantha , but when they hire a brilliant - eyed ingenue named Isabel ( Nicole Kidman ) , they have no mind that she ’s a tangible - lifetime , dependable - to - good , while - castor , herself !
This cutesy remake - but - totally - not was crucify by critics upon release for its mucky , self - referential narration and execrable deficiency of movie legerdemain . Kidman , however , is a ready - made Ephron heroine ( one wish they had work together on something less featherbrained ) and with a stand cast including Shirley MacLaine , Michael Caine , and Kristin Chenoweth , Bewitchedis the kind of senselessly watchable hokum you crave from Sunday good afternoon cable television service .
Heartburn (1986)
New York food critic Rachel Samstat ( Meryl Streep ) fall for D.C. newspaper columnist Mark Forman ( Jack Nicholson ) , and relinquishes her career to be with him . After relocating and attempting to work up a spirit together , the two struggle through a home renovation that say more about their human relationship than it does about real estate .
Based on her own novel , Heartburnis a thinly - veiled unpacking of Ephron ’s own doomed union to Washington Post reporter Carl Bernstein . As such , it has some sharp insight into the matter that make a wedding work or fall to pieces . alas , the picture show ’s stemma worked against it , leaving critics unenthused by Mike Nichols ' direction and the two central performances . Still , Heartburnhas amassed a modest cult and it is warmly view as a B - tier up Ephron work .
Julie & Julia (2009)
Burnt - out by her soul - killing job , Julie Powell ( Amy Adams ) spices up her sprightliness with an ambitious project . With Julia Childs ' " Mastering the nontextual matter of French Cooking " in hand , she do out to prepare all 524 definitive dishes comprise therein . Julie ’s culinary journeying is tell at the same time with vignettes from Child ’s own life history , in which she ’s personify by Meryl Streep .
Besides having the doubtful honor of being the first major move picture based on a blog , Julie & Juliawas alsoEphron ’s final movie before her death .
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Kathleen Kelly ( Meg Ryan ) , the proprietress of a small bookstore , receive her deadly enemy in Joe Fox ( Tom Hanks ) , the CEO of a chain bookseller that threaten her business concern . Online , however , the two begin an anonymous toying that only proves more complicated as the insistence build for them to link in veridical animation .
Ephron ’s loose version ofThe Shop Around The Corner ( 1940 ) features Ryan at her rom - com career solar apex and Tom Hanks at maximum superstar wattage . You’ve Got Mailis as charmingly previous - fangled as a dial - up tone .
Silkwood (1983)
Karen Silkwood ( Meryl Streep ) works at a nuclear quickness where she raise concerns about its prophylactic practice . As she continues raising sentience about assault that could put the plant ’s workers in peril , she discovers that she , herself , has been display to high levels of irradiation .
A far more successful collab for Mike Nichols and Ephron , Silkwoodis a multiple Oscar - nominated drama base on a truthful story , with an all - star casting , including Kurt Russell and Cher .
Sleepless In Seattle (1993)
mourn his wife ’s death , Sam Baldwin ( Tom Hanks ) move to Seattle with his immature Logos , Jonah ( Ross Mallinger ) . After being press by Jonah to call - in to a wireless talk show to discuss his opinion , Sam ’s story catches the care of Annie Reed ( Meg Ryan ) . The reporter fall for Sam based on his radio receiver appearing alone and , despite herself , write him a letter asking him to meet her at the Empire State Building on Valentine ’s Day .
Likely Ephron ’s best round behind the camera , this long - length romance was the first to partner off Hanks and Ryan . Floating by on alchemy and Ephron ’s ebullient dialog ( one of three of her screenplay to obtain an Oscar nod),Sleepless in Seattleis a dark horse pick forbest celluloid romanceof all prison term .
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
It ’s 1977 and late alumnus Harry ( Billy Crystal ) and Sally ( Meg Ryan ) are carpooling from Chicago to New York , fence about whether a platonic friendship is possible between the sexes . Ten years later , the two run into each other at a bookshop and endeavour to put that doubt to the mental testing .
Rob Reiner’sfilm of Nora Ephron ’s ridiculously repeatable , Oscar - nominated screenplay ( found on an interview the two conducted come to Reiner ’s return to the dating pool after his divorce ) was a watershed moment for the romantic comedy and still lands on lists as one of the considerably - loved films of all time .
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