I was feeling a bit off last night so I curled up on the couch with the dog and watched Love and Other Drugs while eating my body weight in ice cream. I really liked it but I’ve decided that I’m not watching any more movies that make me want to cry. There are enough real life things around me that already make me want to cry so I don’t really need film augmenting this. In fact, I’m on medication to lessen this.
I’m also over movies that make me feel anxious, like 127 hours. Obviously an incredible story of heroism, and I appreciate the cinematography and whatever other artsy stuff, but was anyone else just thinking the entire time, ‘is he going to do it now? how ’bout now? now?’
Are there people out there that like to voluntarily feel sad and anxious? If yes, please step forward and perhaps you and I could find a way to switch bodies. Should our story be made into a movie, however, I’m going to insist it be a comedy.
I’m henceforth limiting myself to watching my top five, all-time, desert island movies:
1. Bridget Jones
Just the first one though, not the sequel (though her dancing in her bra to Madonna in a Thai prison is truly exemplary of the triumph of the human spirit). Colin Firth makes you want to settle for nothing-less than an Englishman and her running in her leopard print underwear in the final scene is not only intense drama but makes me feel a little more comfortable about my own ass should I ever decide to run down our street half naked.
2. Dirty Dancing
I dare you not to cheer when Johnny says “no one puts baby in the corner.” I dare you. I don’t think my university roommates and I ever took this out of the VCR. How much did I just date myself?
3. About a Boy
Like Bridget, this is an amazing movie adaptation of a book. The profound moment when Rachel Weisz tells him that the first time she met him, she thought “he was a bit blank,” always gives me shivers and causes me massive introspection to determine if I am blank too. I can’t think of anything worse. More importantly, Hugh Grant as Will isn’t just sexy, but super sexy. Don’t even get me started on how he looks strumming that guitar at the end. The answer is yes, I’m a serious Anglophile.
4. High Fidelity
I adore this movie and not just because it has an amazingly eclectic soundtrack or because it features Denise from the Cosby Show. It’s an amazing, down-to-earth story of heartbreak, thirty-something mid-life crisis and the illusive nature of romance. Oh, and none of the characters have Parkinsons.
5. Clueless
Honestly, I don’t feel like I even need to explain this one. Her outfits are amazing and I have some unfortunate skirts in my closet that I know I bought to try and look like her. It turns out, I don’t have Alicia Silverstone’s legs. In any case, this movie is a brilliant parallel to Jane Austen’s Emma and an amazing modernization of a classic. Not like that horrible Romeo and Juliette with Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes which was not at all interesting and but simply different for the sake of being different.
I’m going to be limiting myself to just these movies from now on. Does anyone have any other suggestions for movies wherein nobody cuts off their arm that I can add to this rotation? Thanks in advance for giving me a hand!
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I love all of your choices!!! I have to add Love Actually (which covers the requirements of both Hugh Grant and lots of other Anglos (and includes random singing)) and Ten Things I Hate About You (in which I dare you not to fall in love with Heath Ledger before he was “Heath Ledger” (and, of course, there is more random singing)).
Also, I turned off Love and other Drugs when I realized she was sick and the movie wasn’t just about love. Yes, I should have caught on since the title includes “and other drugs” but I got distracted by Anne’s and jake’s attractivenes… We have a no depressing movie rule in our house.
I forgot about Love Actually! I watched it over Christmas and forgot how amazing it is. Not only does it have Hugh Grant but Colin Firth too. That’s hot Anglophile overload for me. I’ve never seen Ten Things I Hate About You, but I will definitely have to rent as soon as possible.
I didn’t realize she was going to sick either. I thought the “other drugs” were going to be something fun. Like heroine.
You just brought me back to some of the most fun years ever. . .
Aside from all the wonderful movies you chose, I also like to indulge in silly tv such as. . .
Will and Grace reruns, Keeping up with the Kardashians and House Hunters Internationail (why don’t we live in a mansion in Bali??????). . .and of course to make this all the more enjoyable you must MUST must have a snack cart parked in your dining room.
Love this article.
Happy to take a stroll down memory lane with you! Thank you so much for adding such fabulous tv shows as well and your suggestion re, the snack cart. That sounds intriguing. Could you elaborate further?
There is absolutely NO reason why we shouldn’t be living in a mansion in Bali. Zero.
My wife and I went to see A Lot Like Love the day we applied for our marriage liscense. Even though its not the greatest, it is pretty good, and has become “our” movie. It kind of feels like When Harry Met Sally for Gen Yers.
That’s such a sweet story! Thanks so much for the suggestion Ryan. I will definitely rent it. I love Amanda Peet and I looooooove When Harry Met Sally!
I assume that your omission of Starship Troopers was merely an oversight and not intentional. Or does mankind’s superiority and military might over hyper-intelligent space-bugs not make you happy?