Now, this is listed as my favorite romcom, but my top 5ish kind of cycle through. For the last year or so I've been on a Strictly Ballroom kick, Baz Luhrmann's first and best film.
I can never decide if this movie is the Bazziest of Baz's films or the least Bazziest. It's over the top and visually loud, but it isn't overdone like some of his other films (I'm looking at you, The Great Gatsby). Moulin Rouge certainly has more special effects that make the movie Bazzy, but the story, the costumes, the dialogue, they all very clearly bear Baz's name in glitter without going overboard. It is more Bazzy to do too much or to do just enough?
Either way, this movie is a delight to consume from beginning...
to end.
All of the bits in the middle are fantastic too, just in case those didn't spark your curiosity.
It's not on Netflix anymore, so let me know if you need to borrow the DVD.
Okay, the whole "one movie a day until Christmas" thing didn't quite pan out, but I'll only be three days behind in the end, which I feel like is still a pretty big feat considering I spent both weekends leading up to Christmas out of town. Which is actually where I watched While You Were Sleeping.
Last Thursday I traveled to Moab with four friends. The drive was only supposed to take a few hours, but there was snow further south that hampered our timeline and we may or may not have gotten distracted and driven an hour out of our way. When we got into Moab, there was about 10 inches of snow on the ground and not all of the roads were plowed. It was dark and took a while to find our Airbnb. Once we did find it, we were all pretty tired and didn't want to do much other than relax on the couches. One friend turned on Netflix and told me to find a movie. Now, this friend doesn't really watch movies. I was well aware of this and had it in the back of my mind that I should pick a bit of a crowd pleaser. Something that no one would be able to protest to very much. Something anyone could half watch and be mildly entertained by.
This movie apparently does not fit that description.
Which is crazy. This movie is hilarious and so, so cute. Yeah, they meet and get engaged within a week or two, and yeah, she spends that week or two lying to a family of strangers, but the mashed potatoes were so creamy!
"Twisted steel. Ball of fire, naked baby screaming for its mother!"
It's impossible to not love a movie that begins that way.
It's also impossible to not love a movie with a mustached Kevin Kline. The men in all of these movies are attractive, boy next door types, but Kevin Kline is the only one that makes you go dayum!
I mean, dayum!
Not only did this movie give us Kevin Kline as his dayumdest, it gave us perfect moments like this:
And this:
Also this one:
Based on those clips, it seems like I learned a lot of bad words from this movie. I distinctly remember my mom telling me not to say "slut" when I was singing "I Hate Paris" along with Meg Ryan and I never did. Well, maybe ironically, but only a couple of times at the most.
Probably the only remake in history to be better than the original. I love Audrey Hepburn, but sister, aim higher than Humphrey Bogart. Sure, Harrison Ford was no spring chicken in 1995 either, but who would you rather bone - Humphrey at 55
Or Harrison at 53?
I think we have a pretty clear winner.
But that's not the only reason the remake is better than the original. It's funnier, Sabrina is a bit more of an actual person, the romance makes more sense, David's fiance is more of an actual person... It's just all around better. Plus the remake knew when to not change a good thing.
They also know how to add some amazing things.
"Maude was on the cover of Fortune... Linus was on the cover of Time... David... did a Gap ad."
"Mr. Tom, maybe is not for me to put my hands in on this, but when I first come to this country, I am alone, like Sabrina. I just weigh more. So I ask to God why I am here, I say, 'Why God?' but there is no answer. And so I stop crying. It takes eleven years!"
"I pay for your life, David. My life makes your life possible."
"I resent that."
"So do I!"
"I'm in no position to take care of a wife!"
"Elizabeth is a doctor an a millionaire, David. She won't be a burden."
[On the phone] "He's not going to sue his own mother... Well, he's not me!"
"Maybe I should talk to Sabrina."
"And say what?"
"Sabrina, you're very lovely. But David has a short attention span, he's just jerking your chain. Can I say that to a woman, 'jerking your chain'?"
"Sabrina. Hiii! Did the dry cleaners have your car?"
"David! When did you ever-"
"Mother you've copied me on the financial statements of this company for 17 years. You just assumed I couldn't read."
This movie always makes me want to move to Paris even though Paris wouldn't be my first choice if I were to move to Europe.
Okay, I lied. Amelie actually has the best soundtrack out of these movies. I listen to the music from this movie when I'm calm and happy or need to be calm and happy. Does the trick every time.
I love this movie. For a while it was the movie I watched most often (I tend to go through phases) and I still just can't get enough of it. I probably relate to Amelie as a character more than any character from any movie on this romcom list. It's probably because I first saw it in high school and I was a lot more angsty in high school, but that relating never died out even though my teenage angst did. The scene where the narrator says something about shy people always having the last laugh if people in cellars whispered comebacks has always been a favorite of mine. I've needed that SO many times.
Every single moment of this movie is not only a delight but it's beautiful as well. The colors and the city and the details are all mesmerizing. A lot of it is just from Audrey Tautou's perfect face framed by her perfect hair that no one but her could pull off (though I've wanted to try plenty of times).
Really though, I was a little bit obsessed with her for a while. It's how I found the other movie I love of hers: He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. I was really hoping The DaVinci Code would make her famous in the U.S. and she'd be in everything, but it wasn't to be. These days I only see her when I'm researching haircuts.
Not haircuts for me, of course. Stupid not curly hair...
So may actor crossovers! Dan Hedaya played Mr. Waturi in Joe Versus the Volcano. He also played Cher's dad on Clueless. Clueless also featured Wallace Shawn as Mr. Hall and Vezzini in The Princess Bride. There must have not been very many actors in the 80s and 90s.
Also a fun thing about actors: Robin Wright. She's perfect and amazing and I love her. Princess Buttercup is pretty fantastic, but just about every character Wright has played has been better than the last. Just look at Claire Underwood or Antiope! She's perfect!
Sigh...
Also great? Tiny Fred Savage. And this whole movie. Has anyone seen it and not loved it? Anyone who likes movies, that is. Some people don't watch movies and it's weird and it's even weirder that I'm friends with more than one of those people, but whatever. People who don't like this movie are wrong.
This movie still has one of my favorite lines ever: "The way I feel about the Rolling Stones is the way my kids are gonna feel about Nine Inch Nails, so I really shouldn't torment my mom anymore, huh?"
Seriously, how can you not love an Emma remake with rich 90s teenagers? Sure, it stars a woman who would later turn out to be an anti-vaxxer, but it also stars Paul Rudd and he makes everything better.
And he just gets better with age.
That's not the only reason to watch this movie, of course. It's just frosting. But like, really good frosting. Homemade cream cheese frosting.
I know I keep talking about soundtracks to these movies, but this one is definitely the best one. It's got some of the best music from the 80s plus a bunch of originals. It's great. I want to own it.
After the delightful soundtrack, the next best thing about this movie is everything. Boy meets girl, boy forms a band to impress girl, band creates some amazing music, boy tries to kiss girl while she's chewing something, boy and girl run off to London. It's adorable. And it's on Netflix.
The guy that directed this also did Once. I didn't think there could be a more perfect Irish musical, but then he made this. Yeah, it may be another one that's a stretch to call a romantic comedy, but it's still just so good. Here's a sneak peak, cause I REALLY want everyone to watch this movie:
And here's a song from the movie because again, the music is awesome.
This might be the movie I was most excited to watch again. It's the first movie Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan made together and it is definitely the superior Hanks/Ryan film. It apparently didn't do well in the theaters when it first came out which is a travesty. It's hilarious. Meg Ryan plays three different characters and Tom Hanks plays probably my favorite character he's ever played. It also has one of the best soundtracks on my list of romcoms.
There's nothing about this movie I don't like. Maybe if they made it now I might be upset about the white people playing Pacific Islanders, but I'm not as bleeding heart as some might believe. Plus, the fake island has Roman influences, so maybe some of them are still white.
BUT it is hilarious. Do yourself a favor and watch this profoundly underrated gem.
Two Lake Bell movies in a row! She just didn't write or direct this movie.
I discovered this movie on Netflix last year and IMMEDIATELY watched it because not only does it star Lake Bell, who we all know I love so much, it also stars Simon Pegg, who I love even more. My undying devotion to Simon Pegg will never die. I love Simon Pegg like normal humans love people they actually know. And now he's in a romantic comedy. Cha-ching!
Simon Pegg and Lake Bell a so great together in this movie. They're both hilarious and play off each other perfectly. Not as perfectly and he and I would, but close. (Just kidding. I've met him and I'm lucky I got more than just noises out while talking to him.)
