Bride Wars (DVD, 2009, Checkpoint; Sensormatic; Widescreen)

Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway go veiled head to veiled head in this bridal comedy. Childhood friends Liv (Hudson) and Anne (Hathaway) have dreamed of June weddings at the Plaza since they were kids, and now their fantasy is finally within reach. Both young women have gotten proposals, and they've booked their dates at the famed Manhattan landmark. But a mistake in the office of their wedding planner, Marion St. Claire (Candice Bergen), causes their weddings to be scheduled on the same day, and neither woman will budge. Harsh words escalate into sabotage, and each woman craftily plots the demise of the other's wedding until events reach a screeching, squealing pitch on a sunny June day. With roles in films such as HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS and MY BEST FRIEND'S GIRL, Hudson has perfected starring in light comedies. In BRIDE WARS, she doesn't take her usual romantic route, and she displays good chemistry with the always fine Hathaway. The romances between the brides and their respective grooms (EVERWOOD's Chris Pratt and REBA's Steve Howey) aren't the point; instead, it's the creative one-upmanship that Liv and Emma engage in to the detriment of their lifelong friendship. For those who mark pages in bridal magazines, BRIDE WARS may provide escapist fare a la BRIDEZILLAS or the romantic comedy 27 DRESSES. They'll just have to cross their ringed fingers that their weddings go off better than the prank-filled events of Liv and Emma.