Rumor Has It/Must Love Dogs (Full Screen) (Region 1 Import DVD)

RUMOR HAS IT: With the romantic comedy RUMOR HAS IT, director Rob Reiner (WHEN HARRY MET SALLY) attempts the tricky task of creating a film based on an already celebrated classic, 1967's THE GRADUATE. Starring Dustin Hoffman and based on a novel by Charlie Webb, the original film revolved around the love triangle between a recent college-graduate, his girlfriend, and her famously seductive mother. Here, Reiner casts a chain-smoking Shirley MacLaine as the supposed real-life inspiration for Mrs. Robinson, and Jennifer Aniston as her granddaughter. Set for the most part within the gossipy community of Pasadena, California, the film follows Sarah Huttinger (Aniston) and her fiancé (Mark Ruffalo) as they travel home for her perky sister's (Mena Suvari) wedding. Having nothing in common with her family, Sarah is intrigued upon learning that she may actually be the secret love child of her deceased mother and Beau Borroughs (Kevin Costner), the man whose affairs with both Sarah's mother and grandmother supposedly inspired Charlie Webb, a classmate and friend of Beau, to write THE GRADUATE. From here, Sarah seeks out Beau, interested in him as a father-like figure and possibly more. MUST LOVE DOGS: John Cusack and Diane Lane star in this romantic comedy titled after a personal ad on the Internet. Eight months after getting divorced, downtrodden preschool teacher Sarah (Lane) is wary of re-entering the dating pool. Seeing her reluctance as a cry for help, Sarah's large, jovial family plans an intervention. While Sarah does not appreciate being bombarded by photographs and phone numbers of potential mates (half of whom are married), even she can see that her most meaningful relationship should not be with her brother's dog--a loveable Newfoundland named Mother Theresa. After Sara answers personal ads with less-than-thrilling results, her sister Carol (Elizabeth Perkins) takes things into her own hands, secretly posting an online-dating profile on Sarah's behalf. In a familiar montage of first-date scenarios, Sarah meets one unappealing prospective bachelor after another: one who can't stop talking about himself, another who can't stop crying, one with an affinity for bondage, etc. But when she meets recently divorced Jake (Cusack), something clicks. While their meeting is somewhat awkward, it makes enough of an impression on Jake that he wants a second chance. From here, the two embark on a clumsy courtship complicated by misunderstandings, mishaps, and another equally charming suitor, Bob (Dermot Mulroney). While doing her best to navigate the unfamiliar world of modern-day romance, Sarah learns that sometimes finding Mr. Right means taking a chance. Christopher Plummer and Stockard Channing are excellent in their respective roles as Sarah's widowed father, Bill, and his new girlfriend (a compulsive Internet-dater) Dolly.