I remember hearing about this movie when I was little and I think my mom saw it at some point (dad? No way!). Lots of people saw this movie in 1970 – it was the top grosser of the year. I was in a semi-kid fog – unlike the 60s, the 70s saw me emerging out of it, slowly but surely. So when I happened upon this movie, I decided to watch to see what all the fuss was about.

To me, young Tommy Lee Jones was the fuss. I didn’t buy Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw. They didn’t seem romantic to me. They meet in the library. She rips him to shreds but likes his body, then proceeds to play very hard-to-get for a very long time. If I were Ryan O’Neal, I wouldn’t have stuck around until he finally tells her to stop playing verbal volleyball. Some verbal volleyball is ok, but harsh and continual verbal volleyball isn’t romantic. There has to be some balance and I just didn’t see it. I didn’t see how this guy was turning out to be the great love of her soon-to-be-shortened life. And the movie didn’t prove to me what made her stand out amongst his supposed many girlfriends. The old girlfriends aren’t shown for contrast. Maybe they were all superficial and Ali McGraw was smart, cultured, and deep. None of this appears in the film and so I wasn’t getting convinced there was something special between the two actors. And how convenient that Ryan O’Neal breaks with his rich dad so he can spend some quality time with Ali McGraw apart from any possible rich boy/poor girl problems. I saw some caring in the father, but for the sake of the movie, Ryan O’Neal had to be stubborn and immature. The whole sudden illness plot is also contrived and not convincing. I wasn’t invested in them enough as a couple to believe the sadness of their parting. All in all, I didn’t get it. Maybe it was a 1970-type slower-moving movie, but the core romance wasn’t there for me.

As I thought about why this movie didn’t move me at all, I started thinking about what movies did and what this movie was missing. I looked at my favorites list to see what movies I listed and the similarities. I also reviewed my Valentine’s Day entry about Tension on the Screen. A romantic movie, to me, usually includes humor, some push and pull, but definately an underlying spark that can be seen on screen. There’s always a subtext and to me, that’s romantic. Two people who are emotionally involved live in the larger, less-personal world and also create and embellish their own personal world through looks, comments, and subtext – movies (and television shows) that can convey that to an audience are romantic. Gilda has it – Body Heat has it. Eric and Donna on That 70s Show has it.

Unfortunately, Love Story doesn’t have it. This is not a classic love story to me.

Hot hot hot! The most talked about & coveted kisses from the popular Korean drama “Princess Hours.” Just in case u haven’t see it *The opening kiss in the 1st video  is the “big one”. This was the most anticipated &  most talked about smooch  from the drama. It came at a very pivotal  moment in the story during  a tense & turbulent time for  the couple (Prince Shin & Princess Chaegyung) & their relationship.  A  moment filled with  heart stirring, very romantic dialog (a tear jerker) that added to the build up the explosive kiss. Way passionate & sexy. If you watch it withing context it really does take your breath away.

ENJOYNESS MUCH!

I don’t like romantic movies

I can’t lie.  I wish I could say “I don’t like romantic movies” and if it wasn’t for Truly, Madly, Deeply, it’d be true.  TMD is not only a romantic movie I like, it is a romantic movie I love.  loooove.  even wuv

TMD is a love story between she who is here, and he who is not.  he dies right at the beginning of the movie.  she grieves, and grieves, and grieves to the point of paralysis. she simply cannot go on.  and then he returns.
clippage:
NOTE about clippage: there is an abundance of clips in YT. however, the great majority are remixes based on Twilight or worse – so be careful

trailerino

after she and he reunite, what do they do?  sing, obvy

Were we always like this?

I wish I could send y’all to watch, but incredibly, TMD is not available on DVD. I just very recently and with much regret, discarded my VHS copy.  like she in the movie, I must move on.

Nablopomo 2009 badge

“This is a story about a boy meets girl. This is not a love story. This is a story about love.”

Wow, this movie is really refreshing. Instead of getting into the story itself, I’d like to mention why this movie is great. Click here for the trailer.

The Characters

Starred by Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. This is the first time i saw them and they were fantastic.  I won’t spoil it but soon enough you would know why the movie is titled (500) days of summer. I really like the characters in the movie. I think they protrayed it very well. The girl looks is gorgeous and the guy looks really nerdyly wasted.

They are very lovable and you’d be hook on their chemistry. Their moments are just great specially how they talk and look at each other. You won’t believe how insensitive the girl is, which makes it really interesting.

The Story Telling

The way the story was told was really brilliant. In fact you already know most of the story just by the title but it still has surprises. It amazed me that for a moment the story is at day 300 then after that it goes back to day 10 and  just goes back and forth which in a way a bit hard to graspe but it hooks you to pay attention on what happens.

There was also a very funny scene there, where the Screen is split into 2 parts, on the right is the “expectation” of what the guy was hoping to be happening, and the one on the left is “reality” which is what really is happening. I think that was very comical as it shows the present events of what is happening and what’s the guy was expecting to happen in his mind.

Presentation

There aren’t any special effects involve in the movie. The setting is city scape so its like sweet november or serendipity style of presentation. For me it was a mix of old and modern feel.

Sound Track

It’s very good, really fits the setting.  you can preview the soundtrack by clicking here.

Verdict

Everyone should watch it.

We all know the movies don’t necessarily contain the most accurate depictions of actual life. Or do we?

Whether we realize it or not, we all pick up subtle things from movies that we expect to find in our actual lives. And while I’m willing to overlook some of the media’s follies (like the fact that people in any foreign country all speak English), some of their depictions of sex are just. so. wrong.

Sex requires a soundtrack.
Sure, some people like to have sex to music and watching couples do it to some big, romantic song in the movies makes us all think music will enhance our orgasms, too. But how many times have you set your iTunes to random and had the Spongebob theme song come on in the middle of your session? Awkward! Sometimes it’s best to leave the music off while you’re getting frisky (unless you’re trying to drown out the noise so your roommates don’t hear). It will still be just as good.

Couples always finish together.
Not only do women orgasm every time they have sex in movies, but they always do it at the exact same time as their partner. Anyone who’s ever had sex in the real world knows this couldn’t be further from the truth for most sexual encounters.

Women never walk around naked after sex.
I don’t know about you girls, but I have never, ever ripped a sheet off of a bed to cover myself when I need to walk around the morning after sex. Nor do I immediately dress myself in my boyfriend’s oversized, button-up shirt.

Sex makes babies, no matter what.
Of course, sex can lead to pregnancy. But the recent barrage of unplanned-pregnancy movies and TV shows (Knocked Up, Juno, Secret Life of the American Teenager) would make you think birth control had never been invented.

Losing your virginity is a really, really, really big deal.
If you’re a female TV character, chances are you spend at least a season deciding if, when, and with whom you lose your virginity. And when you finally do make the choice, you either A. hurt someone you love, B. get pregnant, or C. feel horribly insecure afterward. And if you’re in a slasher movie, your virginity was probably the only thing keeping you alive!

Only beautiful women have sex.
Or husbands, careers, educations, friends, or any type of life worth living, for that matter.

As I was watching a romantic movie with my BF , I got to wonder… What are the best romantic movies of all time? An Affair to remember? Gone with the wind? Here is what the American Film Institute has to say . I’ll tell you later if mine made the cut! Did yours?
1. “Casablanca” – Love the movie, the romantic plot is too dramatic and complicated for me to identify.
2. “Gone with the Wind” – OHHHH Rhett!
3. “West Side Story” – Good show yet story not so original , Romeo and Juliette? anyone with me?
4. “Roman Holiday” – That I agree, Audrey Hepburn is amazing and the views of Rome are a delight.
5. “An Affair to Remember” – Also one of my favorites and obviously the inspiration of Sleepless in Seattle.
6. “The Way We Were” – I cry when I hear Memories , one of the best song ever written. I would say that both the song and the story are very realistic.
7. “Doctor Zhivago” – Great movie but the guy cheats on his wife so well , not my cup of tea when it comes to great love stories.
8. “It’s a Wonderful Life” – For me it is more about family and the human condition
9. “Love Story” – Now that’s another tear jerker!
10. “City Lights” – Have not seen this one,oops!

I think Ghost, When Harry met Sally, Titanic belong to the top 10 . And my all time favorite WALL-E!

Love ,

http://www.engagement101mag.com

Rishi Kapoor the evergreen Bollywood hero was born on September 4, 1952 in Mumbai. He was born in the famous Kapoor family of Punjabi origin and was the third generation actor in the family. What Barrymore family is for Hollywood is exactly what Kapoor family to Bollywood. Rishi Kapoor is the son of actor and director Raj Kapoor and grandson of actor Pritviraj Kapoor. Rishi Kapoor’s brother Ranbhir and Rajiv Kapoor are also well known actors. His son Ranbhir Kapoor also recently joined the family business to be the fourth generation actor in the family.

Rishi Kapoor came to spot light as a child actor in his father’s directorial movie ‘Mera Naam Jocker’. And in his teen he jump started as the next big thing in Bollywood cult movie ‘Bobby’ opposite Dimple Kapadia in 1973. It is still one of the best romantic movies ever made in Bollywood. For more than three decades he topped the list of romantic heroes. Rishi Kapoor has won several awards in long career as an actor and given several box office hits. Rather than lead roles now he plays supporting roles. His awards includes, BEFTA Special Award, National Film Award for Best Child Artist for Mera Naam Joker, Filmfare Best Actor Award for Bobby, Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement, FICCI “Living Legend in Entertainment” award etc.

In the movies, John Cusack always plays the part of the hopeless romantic; the guy you are always rooting for in the end to get the girl he would give his life up for to be with. Who else would hold a boombox radio in front of someone’s house? Who else would wish themselves better off dead? John Cusack. He’s the guy that gets it right. He knows what he wants…and although he may have this unspoken fear in the back of his mind -  a fear that which he only reveals to his audience and side-kick best friend – a fear that tries to hold him back from getting the girl, he ignores it and still goes after her. Bravo! Now here’s a guy with balls, ladies and gentlemen.

I just finished watching the movie “Serendipity” (for like the tenth time) on TV.  It’s that movie with John (of course!) and Kate Beckinsale, two people that meet up “by accident” in Bloomingdales, both wanting to have the same pair of gloves, and then end up having a wonderful time together over a cup of hot cocoa and an ice-skating rink. Because they were “both spoken for” at the time, the two then vow that they will need to meet again by accident (him writing his number on a $5 bill and her writing her number inside a book) and then leave the rest up to this little thing called “destiny”. The two end up together in the end…and it’s all thanks to fate. Some of us scoff at fate, some us feel we make our own destiny…while others…well, we just hold our breath and wait.

I think I’m one of those people that hold their breath and wait.  It’s not like I’m always looking for something better around the corner, but I feel that fate or “happening for a reason” has always served as a nice excuse when we want to make ourselves feel better about a relationship that hasn’t worked out. Friends are also famous for saying …”You’re better off” or “you’ll see, these things happen for a reason.” Heck, I say the same things myself. But it’s true…they do happen for a reason. Because, somewhere, somehow, sometime down some very long road…you’ll find out why. You smack yourself in the middle of the head and say “ohhhhhh….that’s why we didn’t end up married, or together, or having each other’s babies.” or “that’s why I didn’t get that job” or “that’s why that ship sailed”.  It all becomes clear and you find that you can move on that much easier. Because things happen for a reason.

Listen, I’m not going to lie. At times, I have some control issues. Particularly if it comes to sitting around waiting for someone to find a random five dollar bill with my number on it or be flipping through a book in a bookstore and Poof! there’s my soul mate’s number written on the inside flap. Although I’m a hopeless romantic myself, I gotta say, I don’t have time for that kind of stuff. I’d much rather go up to someone and say, “Wow, you work here? That’s great. Oh…you wanna sell me some encyclopedias? Okay, sounds good. Wanna go out?” At the same time, if I don’t feel it with someone, I don’t feel it. Simple as that.  It’s not about fireworks going off when I touch his hand, or music playing when I look into his eyes. Let’s be clear…we all can make that happen by a flip of the switch or hiring a knowledgeable fireman.

But I do believe that there is something to be said in following your gut and your heart. And letting fate…God…whomever, take the wheel for a bit. If I truly was in control of my destiny, I wouldn’t have so many stories to contribute to this blog. I can’t make this stuff up. Someone else clearly is providing this material for me.  (and having a good laugh about it!)  A few months back, after the Valentine’s Day Regift Incident of 2009, I let go of the wheel and said to myself, “CLEARLY, someone else is in control. Because it’s not like I’m not trying!”. Perhaps it happens when we stop trying. Perhaps its when we go about our daily business, on an errand to buy a pair of gloves, or to order a sandwich or to listen to an all night radio show where a recently widowed man’s son talks about his dad missing his deceased mom. When we let go of the wheel, let fate take its course, things happen. I truly believe that every story that I have to tell has a lesson to it. And a reason. And I don’t tell myself that to make me feel better…I have let things in my life unfold in such a way that a “reason”  has already revealed itself as true. It is how we listen to and learn from those lessons and reasons that make all the difference.

Three years ago, at my 30th birthday party, I would have said yes. And I would have been unhappy, sheltered and stuck. I would not have been me. And I sure as hell wouldn’t have this blog. But I wasn’t asked, so I didn’t have to answer. Instead, it ended…I moved on…moved forward and dried my tears. And fate took its course. It took me through a couple of more relationships, but as time passed, my true self began to return. And its then that I realized I have not been ready to say yes in the first place, no matter the person. Crazy as that sounds, particularly as it is something my mother has been telling me for the past few years, I haven’t been ready.  It’s not my turn. The wheel changes course and life goes on. And so do I. So…I hold my breath and wait to what may turn the corner next.

John Cusack gets it right. From the lessons I have learned and the reasons that were meant to happen…this I know. We all need to find and hold onto that someone that ignores their fears, turns on the boombox, cranks up Peter Gabriel and doesn’t give a shit what anyone else says. Or someone that travels cross country, scanning phonebooks, old records and past apartment listings just to find us…to find their fate. Its that person that will face their deepest fears in order to be with us. We all deserve that. So, maybe I won’t have to hold my breath. Maybe my destiny is already in motion…the wheel turning towards my next serendipitious destination. Isn’t that what makes life so great? I’ll be sure to let you know where I “land” next.

Leah A. Flynn, Copyright 2009

I’ve said it for years, women are delusional in matters of love.  And as much as people might say that movies are not an accurate gauge for reality, I say art ALWAYS imitates life.  And women’s taste in movies reinforces my theory.  They are called romantic movies for good reason.

Let’s start off with one of the biggest misunderstandings in the history of love.  Look up the definition of “romanticism” and you’ll find this: impractical romantic ideals and attitudes.  A synonym for romanticism is quixotic: not sensible about practical matters; idealistic and unrealistic.  Hmmmm?  What does this mean?  Romantic love is, by definition, impractical love.  So it is no wonder that the movies that are marketed as “romantic” are unrealistic, not to mention dangerous to men and women.  Women watch them and get this delusion that one: guys like that actually exist, and two: it’s not real love unless it’s just like in the movies.  And for those men that are also in search of love, the movies give us a false goal.  Not only impossible to achieve, but on top of that, yields no reward.  At the end of the day, women say they want a nice guy, but don’t have any idea what to do with one when they find him.  What they really want is the bad boy that’ll be good to them once in a while.  But they can’t say that because people will think something is wrong with them.

Need more proof?  Let’s analyze some “romantic” movies, shall we?

Where to begin?  Let’s see.  Casablanca?  The girl lies about being married, then uses the guy she lied to to help her husband, then the guy falls for her again, helps her, and risks imprisonment to help her and her husband flee.  Romantic.  Titanic?  Girl doesn’t have the courage to stand up for herself and say no to an arranged marriage until she essentially cheats on her fiancé(and yes it is cheating because she accepted the engagement), leads the guy on because there’s no real way they can be together, and the movie ends with him dying.  Romantic.  Dirty Dancing?  A girl falls for a “bad boy” who turns out to be sensitive, she gets him fired, and no one cares that he’s a pedophile.  She’s not even 18 but it’s OK, because they really LOVE each other.  Romantic.  Legends of the Fall?  Girl sleeps with all 3 brothers, enough said.  Romantic.  Cold Mountain?  The girl is waiting and waiting and waiting for the guy to come home, he arrives, they have wild sex, and then he’s killed.  Romantic.  This one hurts me cause I love this movie, but… The Notebook?  Girl not only finds a perfect guy, SHE FINDS TWO.  Not only does she get to enjoy them both at the same time but she still ends up with one of them.

I could go on and on.  But the point is, if a guy is to stand a chance, he’s got to be a pedophile, be perfect,  die, or ALL the above.  My last example, which I haven’t seen, but I know the premise from the trailer.  The Time Traveler’s Wife?  Guy travels in time, finds a little girl and thinks to himself, “I’m gonna marry her when she grows up.”  EWWWW!!!  What the hell?!

Don’t get me wrong ladies, guys are retarded too.  The point being that neither men nor women KNOW what true love is, because it varies for everyone.  The best you can hope for is to find someone that likes “some” of the things you like, dislikes “some” of the things you dislike, and willing to compromise in the things you don’t agree on.  The Beatles said, “all you need is love”, and they’re right.  Finding it is the hard part.

–

AC

P.P.

Here’s the secret.  Ladies: Men want food, sex, and to be allowed to do things alone once in a while.  Men: Ladies want EVEYTHING and for you to KNOW what she wants, when she wants it without giving you a hint. 

Forever a dreamer, I have lived through movies. I wanted to change the bad boy like Reese Witherspoon in Cruel Intentions. I wanted a wardrobe like Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada. And mostly, I wanted to dance my way to sex like Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing (and not in the frat party/grinding sorta way).

Keep dreaming, right?

However, after spending lots of time analyzing my favorite movies, I’ve realized that it’s not so hard for the everyday man to create a movie moment in everyday life. Sure, finding a Leonardo DiCaprio to sketch my naked body on a sinking ship might be hard (and not ideal considering the ending), but many of the most romantic gestures in movies aren’t so hard to manage, even without a script:

Kiss me and dip in a public spot: While most couples may become accustomed to the “Good-bye, see you later” peck, it is not really that difficult to kiss a girl for longer than a millisecond and bring in some impromptu passion. Although I personally hated Berger from Sex and the City, there is this great scene where he says to Carrie “We need a movie moment kiss” and then dips her in front of a museum or a library or some other spot where people are bound to swoon at this chivalrous man. Movie moment that takes about 5 seconds and leaves you breathless for the next hour? Not so hard.

Arrange to kiss in the rain: Next time there is a thunderstorm, don’t arrange to be in bed (just yet) watching a movie. Rather, drag me outside to kiss me in the rain. This becomes even more movie-like if we’ve just had a fight and are making up in the rain (but I don’t suggest starting a fight just to create a movie moment – I’m not that crazy). Besides it can only lead to one of two things: either a hot shower (hopefully together) to warm up, or fantastic sex where we rip each other’s wet clothes off of each other…both of which are also great movie moments.

Throw me up against a wall and make out. Seriously: For the greatest of sex scenes, think The Notebook. How hot would it be to walk into a party, look for your guy, and all of the sudden feel those hands on you that push you up against a wall and have to kiss you then and there? So long as he’s not too violent with it, moves like that totally get both of your hearts racing, and again, probably take about 10 seconds to complete. There’s nothing hotter than knowing that you have to have somebody right then and there, so if you’re the kind of person who isn’t into impromptu sex in a broom closet, this move will totally turn a girl on without embarrassing you both if you get caught.

Do cute things without being told to: One of my friends is just blessed with that gene that makes him plan surprise dates for his girlfriend every month or so. He leaves notes under her pillow, he plans surprise picnics, he doesn’t tell her where they’re going, and he gives her flowers for no reason. A lot of this stuff doesn’t cost much, but it’s so nice to see that your guy is thinking about you. Things like bringing each other coffee when you are stressed, popping over with Chinese food, and coming by just to say hi all take minimal effort but get maximum appreciation points. It’s not that girls want loads of money spent on them, we just want proof that the guys are thinking about us since we spend so much brainpower on them. Cute things are often relatively easy and will always earn a man brownie points.

Stay in contact: Leave a message telling your girl that you were thinking about her. If you’re at the library, text her saying you would rather be with her than with your books. Of course she can assume this, but it’s always nice to hear. Again, the little things go a long way, and then she can swoon to her friends about how much her guy appreciates her.

If you have other great moments that are easy to replicate in reality, share ‘em here! Then we can all pass this link on to the men in our lives and have our own real-life romantic movie moments.

I must have seen this trailer at least 20 times since it was first realeased over a month ago. It is coming out next weekend and I am anxious to see it. The trailer features Lifehouse’s Broken and it just tugs on your heartstrings. Honestly, I clutch at my heart everytime I watch this…and I may or maynot be misty eyed.

Genearlly, Lifehouse’s music usually sends me into cynicism and bitterness as it is SOOO overly sappy and melodramatic, but I couldn’t help but be persuaded bythe chemistry between the two leads- played by Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams. I have been looking forward to watching this visual intepretation of the novel by Audrey Niffenegger for over four years (the book came out in 2003) and I sure hope this movie was worth the wait. The scoop is that the movie was filmed in September 2007 in anticipation of a fall 2008, however was postponed on numerous occassions due to reshoot issues. According to an interview by McAdams, “It wasn’t really a reshoot – we did an additional scene in the meadow, so we were waiting on the meadow to look like the way it did. So we were waiting on the seasons. Basically, we were waiting on nature and Eric’s hair.”

The Time Traveler’s Wife was released to early test audiences earlier last year and due to the very complex timelines between past, present lead to numerous problems in post-production to depict a coherent story and resulted in poor screening results. In my humble opinion…this is likely part of the reason it has been delayed for so long. But the most recent cut- new scenes included have received great reviews.

I sure hope that they pull this film off. Most film adaptations of best-selling novels bust (ex. Blindness, by Jose Saramago was adapated in 2008 and rotten). Figners crossed for this one. Thankfully, they did a brilliant job in casting so it looks promising! But in the meantime, I’ve been checking out their soundtrack for the film. It looks really awesome actually. I’m not a huge fan of Broken Social Scene (sorry, please don’t take this the wrong way- they’ve got a couple of tracks I listen to…just not a HUGE fan)- anyway, they are featured in the wedding scene and are playing a cover of Joy Division’s “Love will tear us apart”. YAY.

Only 2 more weeks! If only I could travel forwards and backwards in time…I’m going to go buy tissues for next week.

After a long day at work, I rushed my ass to the only theatre in all of Toronto to watch (500) days of summer. And I’m glad I did. 

For those of you who are reading this, might remember that I have been posting about this movie since February, in my list of Most Anticipated Movies for 2009. I must say that this movie did not disappoint. It is officially my favorite movie of the summer and easily one of my favorite films of the year.

(500) days of summer is a funny, (sorta) realistic, and entertaining ‘non’ love story, love story. Roger Ebert Reviews the film and describes it best, ”we never remember in chronological order, especially when we’re going back over a failed romance. We start near the end, and then hop around between the times that were good and the times that left pain. People always say ’start at the beginning,’ but we didn’t know at the time it was the beginning. ‘500 Days of Summer’ is a movie about just that”. Plus the wicked soundtrack also helps. 

The movie stars my favorite female actress, the ALWAYS stylish Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (remember, the shrimpy dude from 3rd rock from the sun? well and since then lots of awesome indie movies such as “Brick”) Well, the two make a remarkable pair with believable chemistry and style. (500) days is told from the perspective of Tom (Gordon-Levitt) who is in love and relentless pursuit of his ’soulmate’ Summer (Deschanel) who does not feel the same way. It is a classic story of misaligned expectations between couples in relationships…the movie even goes into a split screen depiction of Tom’s ‘expectations’ and the ‘reality’ of the situation. So to put it simply…it is about Tom’s ability to cope with the reality that Summer likes him for now, just not the same way he loves her. 

What I love about this movie is that it is hopefully romantic, yet realistic (and comical) in its depiction of heartbreak. I don’t want to do a long synopsis of the movie itself- so check out the trailer. It is awesome. The song by Temper Trap featured in the trailer is ALSO awesome as is Hall & Oates. For all of you who are wondering…as I was- the soundtrack tracklist is below, courtesy of The Playlist. 

“500 Days of Summer” soundtrack tracklist

1. A Story of Boy Meets Girl – Mychael Danna and Rob Simonsen
2. Us – Regina Spektor
3. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths
4. Bad Kids – Black Lips
5. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want – The Smiths
6. There Goes The Fear – Doves
7. You Make My Dreams – Hall & Oates
8. Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap
9. Quelqu’un M’a Dit – Carla Bruni
10. Mushaboom – Feist
11. Hero – Regina Spektor
12. Bookends – Simon & Garfunkel
13. Vagabond – Wolfmother
14. She’s Got You High – Mumm-Ra
15. Here Comes Your Man – Meaghan Smith
16. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want – She & Him

Oh and if you feel like seriously geeking it out- here are some sweet notes from the Director Marc Webb on his descriptions and notes from the movie and the soundtrack featured in it. Click here. Plus, if you don’t believe me about how awesome this movie is- check out the 90% fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes. I have no doubt it is the indie cult hit for the summer.

We were like two grains of sand in the hourglass of eternity. Two miniscule grains that have always been together since the Big Bang waiting for millions of years, to be born, to be washed up on the same same shore, to lay there, next to every other grain of sand, next to each other, what luck. And as I lay here next to you, feeling the glaring sun, smelling the windy salty breeze, feeling the hot sand melding to the contours of my back, legs, and arms, squinting to see the farthest wave that I could see in the horizon of the Pacific Ocean, I think how insignificantly precious this moment is in the history of time.

And since the story of our day at the beach is much like any other, it ends with us. It began with the getaway necessity, a nicoise salad to-go, a six-pack of Belgian beer, a bottle of sunscreen, bathing suits and flip-flops, a perfect spot to setup camp with an old quilt. To wait all day for the perfect sunset. For that moment when the ocean looked like liquid gold, and the sky looked like it does in all those romantic movies, and despite my conviction to selfishly assign this sunset from this spot at this moment to us, there was nothing special about it. When the sea breeze remembered the nite,  it was cold. And that was our cue to pack up our things and leave.

The gals and I saw The Proposal last night. You know, the Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds rom-com out in theaters at the moment. Afterwards, over dinner and drinks, we tried to figure out what was the most romantic movie of all time. This was not an easy task. Classics such as Casablanca, Love Story, An Affair to Remember, It’s a Wonderful Life,  and Lady and the Tramp were put forth for debate. Gone with the Wind made it pretty far up the list and didn’t go down without a fight (though, being a group of southern ladies, this isn’t surprising). Love, Actually, While You Were Sleeping, When Harry Met Sally, Say Anything…, Titanic, Sleepless in Seatle, Annie Hall, The Princess Bride, Ghost, and Dirty Dancing were all tossed into the ring. More recent releases such as The Notebook, Wall-E, Atonement, and Slumdog Millionaire were brought up as well. And, by no means are these lists exhaustive. Of course, we all had our own favorites that were fought for tooth and nail until the bitter end: My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Sweet Home Alabama, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Groundhog Day, High Fidelity, and Amelie. This brings us to my choice…

The moment the question was posed, I immediately thought of Hannah and Her Sisters. Ok, maybe not the entire movie, but one scene in particular more than makes up for the rest of it on the romantic scale. The scene I refer to? The record store scene. It comes toward the end of the movie. Mickey (Woody Allen) is walking past a record store when he spots Holly (Dianne Wiest). He decides to go in and talk to her. They had been on a date several years ago that did not go well, to say the least. (“I had a great evening; it was like the Nuremberg Trials.”) Well, they really start to hit it off.  The energy between Mickey and Holly is palpable. I guess it’s more what the scene represents rather than the actual scene itself.  Hope. New love. Second chances. It’s all there.

We finally did decide on the ‘most romantic movie of all time’, though I think we just chose one to end the lengthy (and several bottles of wine later) debate. Romeo and Juliet. Not the Leonardo DiCaprio/Claire Danes version, but the old school 1968 Franco Zeffirelli one. It is a classic and how much more romantic than Shakespeare can you get?

I would love to know what everyone else’s picks are. Comment and let me know…

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1001508/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVlqVHKn2dg

http://rapidshare.com/files/250807835/STARSS.part1.rar.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/250807745/STARSS.part2.rar.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/250807447/STARSS.part3.rar.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/250813754/STARSS.part4.rar.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/250806383/STARSS.part5.rar.html

I should have trusted Pixar a little more.

We are huge movie people in the Love Bungalow and especially animated movie people.

Chris, as a former Disney minion of 14 years, is equally as excited about new animated releases as he is about action or science fiction movies.  And I have always felt that animated movies have been responsible for some of the most honest stories I’ve ever seen.

But I simply could not get on board with “Up!”  Whoopideedo, crotchety old man goes renegade and hijinks ensue.  What. Ever.

What I didn’t know, what I should have known, was just how true and beautiful this story would be.  (Don’t worry, no spoilers!)

The Third Most Romantic Movie Ever

I swear on everything that is sacred and holy, this movie had me tearing up within the first 10 minutes.

The rest of the movie was fun and heartfelt and touching, but it is because of those first 10 minutes that this is the third most romantic movie I have ever seen.  Everything, absolutely everything, is colored by the love story of those first minutes.

A Sweeping Romance?

No, it wasn’t “The Notebook” nor was it the fierce partnership found in “300″.  It was a simple, happy marriage of two people who loved each other fully and beautifully and completely.

It was a lifetime in minutes.

This is probably the most unromantic thing I will ever write, but a good marriage is a boring marriage.  Where you and your beloved are in concert – in heart, in mind, in soul – dancing through life together…that takes dependability, reliability, loyalty, and commitment.

These are not sexy words or exciting concepts.  But anything that will endure must be dependable and reliable, built on a well-constructed foundation.

Life is Not Boring

Things will happen, events both predicted and unforeseen.  Your heart will break, you will rejoice, you will lose and gain and lose again.  Life will not be what you planned no matter how you wish it to be.

A good marriage, a great marriage, is a marriage where you and your beloved face the maelstrom together.  Where your union grounds you in the face of unimaginable pain and loss, in the heady joy of good fortune and glad tidings.

Up!

I can admit when I’m wrong.  (And boy was I ever.)  Thank you, Pajiba, for changing my mind.  And thank you, Pixar for rocking the most romantic movie of 2009!

I shared “A Moment to Remember” with a past coworker recently.  I remembered how much it made me tear up.

This morning, I woke up a bit early and it’s hard to get things done before 10a here in Korea.  So, I decided to rewatch it.  I’ve seen it a few times now, but it still lets me tear up quite easily.  The last clips in this Youtube playlist really make you want to grab some tissues.

It’s funny how direct translation of a title into English can be though.  The Korean title in English means, “In my head, there’s an eraser.”  The leads in the movie are both appealing characters.  You literally fall in love with both of them.  One quote in the movie I think is amazing to hear is “You’re a great husband.”  The male star really does epitomize what a husband should do in such a situation.  

I love movies, whether going to the cinema for the full popcorn and maltesers experience or watching a favourite from my DVD collection or finding something I’ve missed on Showtime or the Movie Network. This past week several random things had me musing on romance in movies.  Or romances as movies.

First thing, two romantic comedies I watched this past week.  Run Fat Boy Run and Knocked Up.  Not movies I’d rushed to watch at the theatre but I’d heard enough buzz (good and not so much) to watch them on TV.  Neither grabbed me, because I just couldn’t believe the romance. Understand, I’m not looking for perfect characters or beautiful people matched up with other equally beautiful people. I like an underdog success story as much as anyone.  But I need characters with charm, with something — anything! — that makes me understand them falling in love. 

Next thing: on another group blog (the Desire authors blog at eHarlequin) Sandra Hyatt asked about movies that could have, conceivably,  been Desire books.  Readers came up with a lot of possibilities but most would have taken a lot of tweaking to pass the Desire guidelines.  That got me thinking about what kind of category romances would make a good movie…and whether any would be as good on screen as in the written word. 

Last year I watched six of the Harlequin made-for-TV movies, adapted from category books from the 90s.  They all had a strong external plot.  A mystery, suspense, danger to the protagonists — in some cases that was the stronger storyline than the romance.  I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t have been the case in the original novels.  I’m equally sure that the external part of the story was changed considerably for the screen. 

And yet there are movies which are purely about the characters, their romance, their falling in love.  One of the purest examples, which I also saw this week, Before Sunrise is only about the Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy characters getting to know each other, and falling in love, through conversation as they walk around Vienna.  That’s it, nothing else, no other characters.  Found the movie completely charming and credible — possibly a slice from a book but not the whole story.

Last thing: our latest RWA newsletter contains an article on writing for Blaze, which quotes editor Brenda Chin saying she seeks stories that would make good movies.  Not because she’s looking for movie scripts, understand, but because that’s the type of story that suits the line. I could be wrong, but I’m thinking she is referring to the kind of hooky storylines that make movie loglines as well as strong characters in contemporary settings and situations.  

This all got me musing about what kind of romances (books) make good movies…and which don’t.  What do you think?  Do you wish more romances were made into movies, or do you think the experience you get from reading is lost in translation to the screen?  Any of your favourite books you’d love to see as a movie?

Bengali
Antarmahal (2008) – * * * * * – A Bengali movie by Rituparno Ghosh about ancient superstitions and how they are twisted… Bengali directors are simply awesome. The region has immense talent and art! Not to forget, beauties too! This movie is set in 1878 and is about a landlord (Shroff) who desires a child. He marries a young bride (Soha) while his 1st wife is still with hi (Rupa Ganguly). The two women share a bond amidst the insecurities and yet they have this sisterly bond between them. The story is told from different POVs at times and is simply brilliant in some moments! Bachchan plays a sculptor who is to make an idol of Goddeess Durga. The landlord wants him to put the Queen’s face on the idol to earn a title from the Empire and grow his power. The movie handles various topics like lust, power, marital rape, childlessness, polygamy, superstitions, vain kings, dis-loyalty, seduction. To watch such strong, bold, controversial cinema made at home was quite a shock for me. I was mighty impressed by the director and his handling of such a myriad of emotions with elan in this 2 hour movie! Classic!

French
A man and a woman (1966) – * * * – A story of a divorced model/actress and a widower race car driver. Their kids go to the same school and they both meet. The romance shown is very innocent and classy. The movie sometimes uses black and white to nice effect and also makes ample use of facial expressions to convey the romantic connection between the woman and the man. It also has an unexpected twist in the end… A nice romantic movie to watch when you have nothing to do but get your mush on! The man is played by Jean-Louis Trintrignant and the woman is played by Anouk Aimee. Direction is by Claude Lelouch. Classy romance.

English
Tadpole – * * 1/2 – Just what is it about the older woman that boys find attractive? Is it the intelligence, the full bodied figure, the commanding attitude, the understanding motherly way in which they act? The young boy (John Ritter) in the movie falls in love with his french step-mom (Sigourney Weaver). Only she doesn’t know it yet. His mature demeanor and suave ways makes him irresistible to girls. The story takes a turn when he gets drunk and unwittingly sleeps with his step-mom’s best friend (Bebe Neuwirth) because she was wearing his step-mom’s scarf. The boy now jumps thru hoops in an effort to conceal what happened and this presents various funny moments in the movie. Rom-Com.

PS: Post style inspired by Vee’s latest!

Clueless is one of my favorite romantic movies because it combines two favorite genres in one: romance and teen movies. It also gets bonus points for being a stylish ’90s update of the classic Jane Austen story, Emma.

This movie proves some things are eternal. Like in Austen’s day, meddling friends, devotion to fashion, showing off for the object of our affection and falling in love for the first time are part and parcel of growing up. But in this case, the spot-on teenage lingo creates a fresh and delightful take on an old story. And when you add in the very specific wardrobe of richie-rich Beverly Hills teens, you have a perfect snapshot of love in a specific place in time. Most of us probably didn’t have quite as much privilege and wealth while growing up as the characters in Clueless, but that doesn’t matter. You can pile as many designer mini-skirts, BMWs and mansions into a story as you want, but love will always be universal.

In my opinion, Clueless would be half the movie it is without Alicia Silverstone playing the lead character, Cher. She manages to be beautiful to look at while revealing flaws that could be too obnoxious to bear in a lot of other people. Silverstone’s innate charm caused her character to nearly float around on energetic, un-self-conscious self-involvement. And her own personal inexperience factored into the mix when she mistakenly pronounced “Haitians” as “Hate-ee-uns” during filming and director Amy Heckerling left it in the movie. It’s just that type of vulnerability that made her well-suited for the part.

The rest of the cast is accomplished, too. Paul Rudd is the perfect choice as Cher’s tormentor and the undersung Dan Hedaya plays the part of her dad to a tee. Stacy Dash also convinces us she’s gleefully self-involved, as does bad boy Jeremy Sisto. Together, these accomplished actors; which also included Brittany Murphy, Donald Faison, Breckin Meyer, Justin Walker, Wallace Shawn and Twink Kaplan; created a classic romantic movie that has every right to sit proudly beside any of the other adaptations of Jane Austen’s work.

Talk about a romantic movies  But then again, if you’re a female, the mere presence of Tom Berenger in his 1980s prime makes it romantic.

Someone to Watch Over Me succeeds in the romantic genre because it has some essential contrasts. As with many such movies, the characters in question are thrown together through no choice of their own. In this case, gritty and oh-so-adorable Detective Mike Keegan (played by Berenger) is thrust into the upscale world of crime witness Clare Gregory (played by Mimi Rogers) when he has to protect her before she testifies.

Dutifully waiting at home is Mike’s wife, Ellie (played by Lorraine Bracco) and their young son, Tommy (played by Harley Cross). Ellie’s no shrinking violet; she’s lived as a cop’s wife for years and she has no illusions. So it doesn’t take her long to figure out that Mike is at the very least fascinated with Clare’s upscale Manhattan lifestyle. His fascination soon turns to love, however, when Clare and her night-shift guard Mike spend time together until the wee hours.

I know adultery hurts people. But this film makes it so compelling, it almost makes you glad they’re being so naughty. And don’t worry, it all works out in the end — not that there aren’t lots of complications in between. There are bad guys galore but, naturally, someone as cute as Berenger just has to win. But to the writer’s credit, I’m surprised at the outcome every time I see the movie.

Even though there’s a lot of action, this is definitely a romantic movie. If you’re a romantic movies fan, this is one you won’t want to miss!

Here’s the trailer

I’m sure I don’t bring anything new to the party by focusing on this particular romantic movie, but I can’t help myself. The themes are huge and iconic: love war, infidelity, The Old South, family and love of the land. All those and more are packed into just under four hours. It’s like The Jerry Springer Show with hoop skirts and a side of crack cocaine to keep the energy level up.

One of the things I love most about old movies  like this is that the surroundings start out so beautiful, then move into ruin and decay and are restored to beauty again. Somewhere during that journey in Gone with the Wind, however, you start to realize that beauty is relative. Scarlett, played by the lovely English actress Vivien Leigh, is universally acknowledged as the belle of the county and beyond. But how beautiful is she really? As the movie progresses, she lies, cheats, steals, manipulates and mis-marries. The question is, does Scarlett’s long slide into selfishness and depravity make her any less beautiful? I say yes.

For me, her beauty is only restored at the end when she realizes that the man who loved her all along is the man that she loves too. Maybe her luster is restored in my eyes because I also know what it feels like to make the wrong choice where love is concerned. Maybe that’s why we all watch romantic movies — we’re all just trying to figure out that thing called love.

Here’s the trailer: