1774 - The Groomsmen

For some reason I completely forgot that I owned this film and here I've been looking for it on VOD all around.  This is one of the last films that Edward Burns made before he decided to go the extremely low-budget route in his filmmaking.  This film absolutely has more polish than his current work (although his newest film looks pretty slick).  Burns tells these extremely watchable character pieces.  I'd argue that this film starts to feel long - and given that it's barely over ninety minutes that's a bit of an issue.  It's the story of a man about to head into a shotgun wedding and where he and the men in his life are currently at.  There's a lot to like about this film - Matthew Lillard is a stand-out for sure.  I found it a touch uneven and also that a good deal of the conflicts in the film came up at random as opposed to organically.  That said it's full of a lot of heart and honesty and really "gets" men and our fucked up issues.  It was lovely to see Brittney Murphy again - goddamn she was lovely.  Still missed!
So while this film is by no means essential viewing, if you're going through Burns filmography it's not one you want to skip over either.

1529 - Sidewalks of New York

I've been meaning to watch this film for years now.  I was always interested by reviews of it that would say stuff like "It lives at a cross-roads between Woody Allen and Sex and the City" or "It fails to be interesting but is impossible to dislike".  And now having seen it - both those reviews are kind of true...
First off, this film has a phenomenal cast.  As an ensemble film it's really important to maintain a balance and making it so your audience enjoys each story that they are currently in and not always wishing that they were back in one in particular.  Burns has a knack for characters and dialogue that's honest and refreshing.  The situations and insights aren't particularly original or unique - but they still hit home nonetheless. 
It's hard to classify a film like this - I'm sure some would burn me at the stake for suggesting it might fit under the intelligent rom-com banner - it's more amusing than funny (but then again when were most rom-coms ever concerned with being funny?).
While not a date film, this is a film I can easily recommend.  Lots of strong characters that you enjoy spending time with.  Give it a whirl.  It definitely makes me want to dive further into Burns' work.
Sidewalks of New York