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Mal has a knack for unearthing sweet romantic comedies. Why sweet comedies, God? Who wouldn’t like to stay in a $5000-a-night hotel room? Who wouldn’t want to order everything on the menu – and eat it all? Who wouldn’t want to go base jumping before they die? (Well, strike that last one. We can’t all be daredevils.) A word to the wise: If you're ever told you have three weeks to live, you should seriously consider liquidating your life savings and making tracks to the world's most outrageously luxurious five-star resort. A word to the even wiser: Make sure you take Queen Latifah along with you. "Last Holiday," Wayne Wang's energetic remake of the 1950 comedy starring Sir Alec Guinness, gets new life (literally) breathed into it by a wonderful, slightly toned down performance from Latifah. She's soft, bold and very funny, infusing this otherwise predictable movie with a contagious charm. The Czech backdrop is magical, and the effect of the snow and the glittering chandeliers and the plush decor is overwhelming: We feel like we're taking part in Georgia's fairy tale. Most MD readers will be inspired to book their next vacation to visit some of the absolutely gorgeous Czech Republic landscapes. In a remake of the 1950 Alec Guinness weepie, Georgia (Latifah) is, to quote Journey, just a small-town girl living in a lonely world. She's a shy cookware salesperson at a Wal-Mart-esque store, but she dreams of becoming a master chef and marrying the dude (LL Cool J) who works in the home appliances department. Lasting Holiday

Indeed, live every day as if it's your last Book of Possibilities: Grandhotel Pupp