Death Becomes Her (1992)

This is one of my favorite childhood feel-good movies.  I only recently bought it.  I was afraid it wouldn't stand up to the power of my memory of it, but Rob mentioned he'd never seen it all the way through and I decided to throw caution to the winds.

A good thing, too, as it is just as fabulous as I remember. 

Madeline Ashton (Meryl Streep) and Helen Sharp (Goldie Hawn) have been bitter rivals since childhood.  So when Helen lands the brilliant plastic surgeon Dr. Ernest Menville (Bruce Willis) as a fiance, Madeline must have him. 

After nearly twenty years, Helen resurfaces, looking better than she ever had before and with a best-selling new book just as Madeline's life is entering a nadir.  Film roles just aren't coming like they used to and her dream husband is now a drunk undertaker instead of a well-respected surgeon.  Still, Helen is determined to have him back and Madeline is just as determined to never let him go.

In a fit of self-pity, Madeline seeks out the services of the beautiful and mysterious Lisle (Isabella Rossellini) who has a solution to Madeline's woes:  a potion capable of restoring youth and beauty.  But the cost turns out to be slightly more than expected.

The visual effects of the movie were far beyond its peers, evidenced by the Oscar it netted in that category.  Meryl Streep is great as the viciously vain Madeline (she was nominated for a Golden Globe) while Bruce Willis tries on one of his few purely comedic roles.  Honest to God, I didn't even recognize him until the third time I saw this movie because I was so used to him playing action heroes.  For dudes, there's probably not a lot here for you except for some nearly-naked Rossellini but you wouldn't die of boredom if you watched it.  For the ladies, this is a classic and, if you've never seen it, you should get your best girlfriends together, have a pitcher of margaritas, and make a night out of it.