Hurts So Good

I just watched the newly released trailer for The Fault In Our Stars.

You guys, I can't.

I'm already crying. And yet, on the day the movie comes out, I will go, probably first thing in the morning to see it. I know this movie is going to make me miserable. It's going to make me have lots of feelings about life and love and death, lots of hopes and regrets, lots of thoughts on injustice and overall questions of why these things happen. But I will be there, tissues in hand, ready to have red eyes the rest of the day.

One time someone told me that they hate watching sad movies because life is too hard as it is. I get that. But I tend to disagree. In fact, if anything, I think I use sad movies as an acceptable excuse for me to cry about real life. On the daily, it doesn't seem socially appropriate to cry about the things that really make me want to cry. But if I watch a sad movie, the tears can release, and I can just blame it on the movie. Anyone feeling me on this? Or am I the only one out there who willingly watches sad movies?

Oh well. Here's an abbreviated list (cause, let me tell you, I cry at a lot) of movies that are guaranteed to make me cry every time.

1. Beaches: I love how loud and self-involved and diva-like Bette Midler's character is through the entire movie. I love the realness of their friendship, complete with arguments and periods of silence. But the gem of the movie is at the end when she uses all of that attitude and gumption to get Barbara Hershey out of the hospital and to the beach, and that damn song plays, and I just lose it.

2. Fried Green Tomatoes: If you ever want to hear me audibly and uncontrollably sob, this is the movie to show me. The movie only works because it shows the depth of the friendship that Ruth and Idgie have. This is one of my pet peeves with Thelma and Louise...which I could get to in another blog. But the point is, that we see these two grow up together and go through some really hard stuff. So the care they have for each other is obvious and has been shown time and again throughout the story. There are a lot of tough moments, but at the end when Ruth is dying and she asks Idgie to tell her a story, GAH. I love Idgie's reluctance. She recognizes the heavy moment and knows she should probably say something important, but she can't deny her friend's request. She finishes her story and sees Ruth and the rest is a blur due to the fact that I'm always crying so hard at that point, I have no real idea what happens exactly at the end.

The original drunk kitchen.

3. Inception: This may seem like a weird choice for a crying movie. And maybe it's really a trick of the music, but even with the crazy (and what some would call confusing) plot, and the action packed snow scene that lasts a little too long, there is a sentimentality running through this movie that is genius. The entire goal is to have a man change his mind about something. With all the guns and chases, in the end when Robert opens the safe and sees the paper windmill, I lose it. Yes, it's all fabricated. I know, I know. But it just goes to show that the heart is what makes change. Even though that's my favorite moment, I also love Leo's speech to Mal at the end about why he has to let her go. It's so raw.

4. The Pursuit of Happyness: I love NOTHING more than a story about an underdog who gets what he deserves. I can't help it. I root for people who don't have the same advantages as others. And especially if they are willing to work to change their lives! Anyway, this story is painful on so many levels, but the payoff is fully there at the end when he gets the job. The look on Will Smith's face is one of the best acted moments in cinema history. I cry right along with him every time.

Also, this moment.

5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: I could never put a normal rom-com in this list. Sure, I have some that move me, but if I'm gonna pick a romance, it's not gonna be a conventional one. ESOTSM captures what it's like to go through a break up, what it's like to fall in love, and what it's like to want to forget someone. It's an enlightened movie that circles back on itself and somehow manages to fill me with hope and hopelessness all at the same time. The moment that makes me cry every time is when Jim Carrey's Joel is having his memories extracted, and there is one where he and Kate Winslet (Clementine) are in bed, and he says, "Please let me keep this memory. Just this one..."

Honorable Disney Mention: UP. The first ten minutes are torture.
Honorable Sports Mention: Any sports movie really. The scene is the same in all of them.
Honorable Traditional Rom/Com Mention: While You Were Sleeping. The end when she confesses.
Honorable Period Piece Mention: Sense and Sensibility. Emma Thompson is so composed the entire movie, then she loses it.

Do you like a good cry? What are your "go-to" movies that bring you to tears?

Submitting to Valentine's Day

You guys know I'm not a huge Romantic Comedy fan. In fact, what I would really like to do is write a blog defining the Romantic Comedy. If I were to do that, some of my favorites would end up being Waitress, Eternal Sunshine, Garden State, and Lars and the Real Girl. But in honor of Valentine's Day, I submit to Cupid, Venus, Eros, and Hallmark to bring you my favorite Rom Coms. Enjoy this, it won't happen often!

1. While You Were Sleeping- This is my mom's favorite movie, so maybe it's her influence, but it's seriously a great movie. Sandra Bullock is adorable, and the side characters, in this case, the family, are perfect. Side characters are usually the "comedy" in Romantic Comedy, so they play an important role. I appreciate the interaction of this family almost as much as I appreciate Sandra Bullock's over-sized sweaters and the fact she works at a toll booth. By the time Bill Pullman declares his love for her, everyone else, both in the movie and the audience, is already in love with her.

You fell in love with me?

2. Return to Me- I've never been a huge David Duchovny fan, but Minnie Driver is wonderful. The premise of this movie is a heart breaker, literally. But again, it's the comedic relief of the elderly people who hang out at the restaurant that give this movie depth. Aside from their one-liners, they bring wisdom to the movie that Driver and Duchovny are in need of as they navigate what could be some tough waters. Plus, it has Bonnie Hunt who is like the key to success when it comes to Rom Coms. Which brings me to...

I wish this were Dylan McDermott.

3. Jerry Maguire- Don't judge me for liking a movie where Tom Cruise is the star. This movie is so much more than a love story. That's what it ENDS UP being about, but there is so much that happens before that and around that. If anything, it's about a man coming to terms with the dualities that exist within him. The formula isn't obvious, even if it does have a funny kid in it. Getting to the heart of the matter, this movie really captures the awkwardness of liking someone but not loving them yet, but wanting to secure your place with them, but not wanting to commit. The dialogue in the movie is classic, which we all know because it contains some of the most mocked and repeated lines in movie history. My personal favorite being...this one...

How much does the human heart weigh?

4. Roxanne- Look, if you haven't seen this, go watch it now. Based on "Cyrano de Bergerac," Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah are a super odd combination, but the movie just works. This was probably one of my first Romantic Comedy experiences, and I remember being so happy that someone who was less than perfect ended up with the girl! Steve Martin is amazing in this movie. There's a scene where people are making fun of his nose and he joins them. I love that use of humor to shame them and to show his brilliance and confidence.

I love your nose, Charlie!

5. Never Been Kissed-I like to think that I share a connection with Drew Barrymore. We have the same birthday, so there's something to that right? When I saw her in Never Been Kissed, I knew we shared a connection. She pulls off awkward and dorky waaaaay too well not to actually be awkward and dorky in real life. Unfortunately, the movie is guilty of what I consider to be one of the most annoying things about Romantic Comedies...the lack of communication. Most Rom Coms would only last about 15 minutes if just one line of dialogue was added to them to explain whatever misunderstanding launches the rest of the dramatic plot. But this one is just so fun. Michael Vartan is gorgeous, and even adult Josie finds herself giving into the peer pressure of acting a certain way. Plus...it has this line in it about Josie wearing white jeans after labor day, and someone responds, "I don't think you're supposed to wear white jeans after 1983." Boom.

Josie Grossie!

6. The Wedding Singer-Speaking of Drew Barrymore, the best soundtrack to a 90's movie came from this one. When Adam Sandler leaves his over-the-top characters at home, he can actually act, and this movie is so sweet. From his teaching voice lessons, to epitomizing the 80's in all their glory, The Wedding Singer is a classic. I love the transition of these two people as they find themselves drawn together and how they both try to act with integrity in that. But mostly I love how many great lines and references this movie has in it. And don't get me started on the clothes!

Church tongue.

7. Forces of Nature-I'm the first to admit that this next one is not a classically great movie. But I love something about it. Maybe it's the free spirit in me. Maybe it's the combination of Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock (which doesn't even measure to Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds in The Proposal). But it just seems that the stakes are high in this movie or something. And I like the implication of the title, that some things just can't be stopped. And I really like the rain at the end of the movie. I think what I'm trying to say, is that in spite of Affleck's bad comedic timing, and a less than perfect movie with what some people call a bad ending, I like the theme. That the grass might be greener on the other side, but it doesn't mean you have to go live on that grass, you can just water what you have to make it greener.

8. Romancing The Stone-Remember when Michael Douglas was considered sexy? And Kathleen Turner, wow! This was one of my very favorite movies for a long time. I felt like it combined Indiana Jones with romance, and I loved it. I loved that she was a writer and he was a rebel. Consequently, I watched the "sequels" to this one, The Jewel of the Nile and arguably, The War of the Roses. There's not really any quality to this, it's just fun!

A hopeful romantic.

9.Can't Buy Me Love-Before he was McDreamy, he was Ronald Miller. Ronald. In my opinion, this is the movie that MOST teen/high school Rom Coms are based on these days. From the rise to popularity, the dishonesty behind it, the ridiculous dance at the prom, slow clapping, lunch room fighting, and inevitable shunning, this movie has it all. I like the way it shows Ronald's change from being a nerd to being popular, and how he has to abandon his friends to get there. Of course this leaves him alone, which is where you deserve to be after lying, abandoning friends, and trying to be someone you're not. The ending's good though. It also has Amanda Peterson in it, who really never acted in anything substantial again, even with her adorable dimples.

I 'll probably be out of the country.

10. Anything Julia Roberts-Listen...you might not like her lips or her laugh, but I adore her. I think she is pretty close to flawless when it comes to acting. In her real Hollywood life, she has had very few mishaps that have landed her in controversy. She is known for her grace, integrity, and honesty in a career that strives to suck those things from you. And there is really no fighting it...she is the queen of the Romantic Comedy. Don't talk to me about Meg Ryan (honorable mentions, You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle) or Sandra Bullock. And don't make me laugh at you by for mentioning Katherine Heigl. Anne Hathaway is on her way out of this genre, and Kate Hudson has about 50 more movies to do before she catches up with Roberts...not to mention, she needs to work on quality.

From Pretty Woman when we all pretty much fell for her, to Larry Crowne and (almost) EVERYTHING in between, she is my favorite Rom Com actress. My personal favorite is My Best Friend's Wedding because I think she is at her best in that movie. But a close second for me is Runaway Bride. The cast of that movie is so at ease, and it's full of Easter eggs for fans of Roberts and her past movies. Here's a little sampling of JUST her Rom Com listing. It is not extensive NOR does it include her brilliant roles that fall outside the genre. Conspiracy Theory, Stepmom, Pretty Woman, America's Sweethearts,Something To Talk About, Steel Magnolias, Mystic Pizza, Larry Crowne, Mona Lisa Smile, My Best Friend's Wedding, and Notting Hill. JUST TO NAME A FEW. My favorite scenes of her include The Notting Hill "I'm just a girl..." speech. Pretty Woman shopping trip and Pretty Woman "I say who!" speech. Runaway Bride scene with Joan Cusack where she makes the platypus face. And Mona Lisa Smile (which by the way has one of the most amazing casts of any movie ever) scene where she lectures them on the portrayal of women in advertising and contemporary art. (You can find the link at You Tube under "Mona Lisa Smile What For?")  Anyway, there's not much romance or comedy in that one, but you get the point, she's wonderful.

If you love someone you say it. Right then, out loud. Or else the moment just...passes you by.

Ok...your turn! 

What is your FAVORITE Romantic Comedy and Why?

"Christmas" Movies I Love

By now you probably know enough about me and my preferences in pop-culture to know that I am not a huge fan of formulaic movies/TV. Christmas movies are a perfect example of this. Missing or disappearing or estranged family members coming home just in time to cut the turkey. Trauma and crisis working themselves magically with the help of a Santa or Elf or Ghost. Materialistic people suddenly realizing the true meaning of the holidays. And the tears...so many tears. The music swells, the family hugs, and even though I am fully aware I have been manipulated, I still cry. And my mom cries. And there we are, at “the most wonderful time of the year” crying together on the couch at the TV. It might be tradition, but we should not submit ourselves to these Lifetime wannabes time and time again! 

My favorite Christmas movies are actually movies that happen or mention Christmas, but don’t necessarily revolve around the holiday itself. I can’t say these are in any way traditional, and I doubt Lifetime would show them, but here they are!

Creepy.

Gremlins

Still one of the most unexpectedly creepy movies around. Gremlins fools you with the cute Gizmo, only to turn his offspring into these horrendous messy obnoxious creatures that kill people. The movie takes place at Christmastime which is really a brilliant balance if you think about it. Scenes that would otherwise be seriously scary draw some laughter...think Addams Family. It’s Black Comedy, music and setting work against the dark events of the movie and make them a little lighter. Of course, if I’m honest, this movie does seriously scare me. But you know, I like it that way. Best Scene: The very last scene for sure. It just stays with you.

Enough said.

Die Hard

This is one of, if not THE best action movie ever made. Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, and Alan Rickman really brought it in this film. Willis (a cop) is going to make nice with his estranged wife on Christmas Eve, but before he can get to her, the high rise she works in is taken over by...Alan Rickman (Hans Gruber) and his crew of bad guys. I think what I love about this movie is that it gets right to the point. The set up happens quickly and the movie is fast paced from the very beginning. Willis basically has to take down an entire gang of terrorists on his own, and manages to do it creatively and effectively. The movie has great one liners, great acting, and a nice ending. Best Scene: End scene when you think the movie is over, but it’s not, and the unexpected crazy man comes out shooting, only to be taken down by Carl Winslow. ;) Hehe.

Caesar Romero was tall.

While You Were Sleeping

This is my mother’s very favorite movie. The set up happens on Christmas Day, when Sandra Bullock saves Peter Gallagher from an oncoming train. The best scenes in this movie revolve around Peter’s family and their fantastic conversations with each other. The idea of family is really emphasized and is something Bullock doesn’t have, but quickly becomes a part of. The themes might be Christmassy but the movie doesn’t require the holiday to make sense. What hooked me is that Bullock loves the idea of traveling and got her passport just in case she suddenly needed to leave the country. I think I got my first passport simply because of this movie, and having decided to leave the country rather quickly a few times, I can honestly tell you it is a great idea to do so. Best scene: Dinner conversation with the family for sure. But secondly, there’s this little gem: Early one morning, a paper boy is riding his bike and tosses a paper, but when he does, he swerves his handles and busts it. Totally underrated moment, totally hilarious.

I bet you want this on a T-Shirt don't you?

Almost Famous

The most perfect movie ever made, begins with Alvin and the Chipmunks singing their Christmas serenade. Other than that, the movie really has nothing to do with Christmas...seriously. Like less than the previous three I’ve mentioned even. But who cares. It’s the most perfect movie ever made. Best scene: Everyone singing Tiny Dancer on the bus.

Don't let your arms get tired!

Hook

Again, the movie begins at Christmastime, which is why Peter and his family are visiting Wendy. While everyone else is occupied with being together and celebrating the holiday, Peter is preoccupied with work. The fact it’s Christmas makes his preoccupation even more obvious. I love this movie. It’s wonderful on so many levels I can even forgive the choice of Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell (not everyone can rock a pixie cut.) Best scene: The food fight is definitely at the top of the list.

There are a lot of other ones out there...can you think of any? What’s your favorite Non-Christmas Christmas Movie?