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SYDNEY WHITE The title Sydney White only tells half the story: Since this is a modern-day version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, a more apt marquee filler would have been Sydney White and the Seven Dorks (reportedly the shooting title). Yet whatever its moniker, the news flash is that this mallrat bait frequently rises above its formulaic trappings. Here, our heroine, far more resourceful than the helpless Snow White from the Disney cartoon, is Sydney White (Amanda Bynes), who trots off to college to join the sorority to which her late mother belonged. But said sorority is headed by a frigid blonde beauty (Sara Paxton) who takes an instant dislike to Sydney and does everything to discredit her in social circles. Eventually, Sydney ends up rooming with the campus geeks, seven misfits who benefit by her presence; meanwhile, a prince shows up in the form of a fraternity president (Matt Long) who responds to her warmth and quirky sense of humor. That a hunky frat boy would show empathy for the college nerds – let alone date beneath his Greek status – is a more fantastical notion than anything dreamed up by Walt Disney, Hans Christian Andersen or the Brothers Grimm, but swallow that contrivance and the rest largely falls into place. Too often, scripter Chad Creasey grows slack with the satire, and what's left is a standard teen comedy, no better and no worse than others that have glutted the multiplexes. But when Creasey's game is on, the movie is clever and charming. The updates to the magic mirror and the poison apple are both inspired, yet what really won me over was the spin on "Heigh-Ho." And no, I won't reveal it here. **1/2
2 DAYS IN PARIS Not to be confused with the Paris Hilton porn flick One Night in Paris (yes, let's not make that mistake), 2 Days in Paris is a romantic comedy in which both the romance and the comedy are of the sour-pucker variety. The romance is diluted by the sort of emotional outbursts, petty tirades and jealous rages that often define real-life relationships: As we watch 30-something lovers Marion (Julie Delpy) and Jack (Adam Goldberg) spend a couple of testy days in the title city, we wonder if they'll make it through the picture together, let alone remain a couple for the rest of their lives. As for the humor, it's smart and tart, not only springing from the lovers' innate insecurities but also from the xenophobic attitudes that seem to run rampant in every city in the world. Delpy, who's been appearing in movies since she was a child (she's 37 now), exhibits great multitasking capabilities by serving as star, director, scripter, co-producer, editor, score composer and co-writer of the end credit tune. A vanity project? Hardly; more like the work of an accomplished filmmaker who knew exactly what type of movie she wanted to make. Besides, her generosity toward her co-stars is apparent throughout the film: Goldberg is allowed to match her quip for quip, while her real-life parents, Albert Delpy and Marie Pillet, steal scenes as her character's folks. A bit less starry-eyed than Richard Linklater's European twofer, Before Sunrise and Before Sunset (both starring Delpy opposite Ethan Hawke), 2 Days in Paris nevertheless displays a generosity of spirit, even if it's tempered with a pinch of melancholy. A problematic relationship is indeed sad, the film seems to say, but luckily, there will always be enough love to go around in this crazy world of ours. ***1/2
