Matchmaker stars Janeane Garofalo as a "Yankee lass" who is sent to Ireland to find the Irish ancestors of a senator (Jay O. Sanders) from Boston seeking reelection. Much to her chagrin, she finds herself right in the middle of a matchmaking festival. Every year men and women from the remote surrounding areas come to the festival to find a future mate. Janeane, who is described by one character as being very "Mary Tyler Moore," wants nothing more than to find the senator’s relatives and get back to her laptops, cell phones, and fax machines.

The local professional matchmaker (Milo O’Shea) decides that, despite her best wishes, he is going to find Janeane a mate. As her stay lengthens because of the difficulty in finding the senator’s family, Janeane warms up to the village and its engaging inhabitants. Although lots of men are interested in being matched with her, the one who shows the least interest (David O’ Hara) is the one she falls for.

Back in the states, the senator’s campaign for re-election is getting worse; however, Janeane has hit an impasse in the search for his ancestors and the perfect photo-op to boast his popularity with Boston’s Irish voters. As her stay in Ireland winds down, Janeane is forced to make some tough decisions both personally (what to do with O’ Hara) and professionally (is she willing to create a family for the senator). Although she hates to admit it, the people of this charming little town have smoothed off some of her jaded and rough edges.

Australian director Mark Joffe has created a nice little movie with an even dose of both romance and comedy. Janeane Garofolo, with her 1000-watt smile, shines in the lead role. It is interesting to watch her tough exterior waste away over only a few short days. David O’ Hara, who plays Janeane’s goofy romantic opposite, does a good job. Jay O. Sanders and Denis Leary have a nice dynamic together as the dim-witted senator and his sharp-tongued campaign manager. The real star of the film, though, is veteran actor Milo O’ Shea. He takes such joy in his profession of matchmaking that the viewer can understand why this festival has grown as large as it has over the years.

Chinatown is set in pre-World War II Los Angeles. Jack Nicholson stars in an Academy Award nominated performance as a private investigator that makes a living airing people’s dirty laundry. He is the type of man who nobody likes and does not care that people feel this way. Faye Dunaway (also nominated for Best Actress) enlists his services to find out whether her wealthy businessman husband (John Huston) is cheating on her.

Cases like this are standard fare for Nicholson, although this one is more high profile since Huston owns half of Southern California. However, the case is far more complex ,as Nicholson soon finds out. There is more going on then just a possible illicit affair. The further he digs, the further he gets buried, as he finds himself in the middle of something from which he cannot get out.

Chinatown was nominated for eleven Academy Awards including Best Picture, but won only one golden statue. Robert Towne’s Academy Award winning script is perhaps the most complex in American film history. Loaded with religious imagery and symbolism it is the type of film that needs to be viewed more than once to catch everything that is going on. It addition to being an incredible narrative, story the film is beautiful to watch. Nominated for Best Art Direction, Costume Design, and Cinematography, director Roman Polanski sets the mood for the film by drenching it in dried-out yellows.

The film is loaded with scenes that have become part of American film history such as Nicholson’s punishment by Polanski for sticking his nose where it did not belong and Dunaway’s cathartic confession to Nicholson about who she really is. A testament to the film is that you pick out something new with each and every viewing. Chinatown is one of the few films that deserve to be called a true masterpiece.