25 Days of Romcoms pt. 6: Bridget Jones's Baby

This movie is the near-perfect follow up to a near-perfect classic. Perfect except for the fact that Mark has aged faster than Bridget. In the original movie, he was 4 years older than her. "Did I really run around naked in your paddling pool?" "Oh yes, you were four and I was eight." Then in this movie, when Mark is checking their compatibility on a horribly interfaced dating website, he enters his age as 50. Bridget turns 43 at the beginning of the movie. Did he go on some light-speed galactic trip? Or would it be her that would need to? I never really understood how that worked. Either way, it's probably better that they did that because while Renee Zellwiger can pass for 43 at 47, Colin Firth probably can't pass for 47 at 56. 

The only thing I don't like about this movie is all the ragging on Millennials. I'm very much over it. I like making fun of lunches on Instagram and curly mustaches as much as the next person, but no one in my generation is going to look impressed when you use the word "hashtag" in a sentence. 

What I do like is Bridget so much better when she's a little bit of a basket case but also successful and has two great guys after her instead of one great guy and one pit stain. 

And what I love is that Mark's middle name is Fitzwilliam. It's making me regret I excluded period movies from this little adventure.

I also love Emma Thompson. Both in this movie and generally. Her character is the superior character. 

I think I've watched this movie at least 3 or 4 times since it came out last year. It's a great pick for when life is terrible and you just need a cute, un-lifelike pick me up. Which has been pretty much this entire year. 

25 Days of Romcoms pt. 5: Crazy, Stupid, Love

Part 5 and it's day 7. School is life sucking, but as of tonight it is slightly less life sucking and after I finish a few quizzes this weekend, it will be significantly less life sucking, so hopefully no more skipped days. 

First of all, I don't think I ever disliked Julianne Moore's character in this movie. You're probably not supposed to. But you probably are supposed to identify more with Steve Carrell. BUT he's kind of an ass in the beginning of the movie. Yes, his wife out of the blue asked for a divorce and told him she had slept with someone, but whenever she brought up their relationship and tried to talk and communicate, he shut her down. She absolutely should have brought it up before it got to the point of having an affair, but still. Be a grown up and talk to your wife.

Second, Ryan Gosling tells Steve Carrell to meet him at 3:00 on a Thursday. Who is free at 3:00 on a flipping Thursday?! Cal wasn't even at work when he left. He just took a Thursday off. And what does Ryan Gosling do? He's got a giant house and buys $5,000 massage chairs but does nothing during the day. It's weird.

Also, what's up with the teenage sexual harassment? Robbie, bud, once a girl tells you that you're making her uncomfortable, you stop doing whatever it is you're doing that is making her uncomfortable. I don't know if I picked up on that before.

Okay, done with rants.

Best part about this movie BY FAR is Ryan Gosling. I mean LOOK at that!

 

And he has the best judgy looks in this movie. 

And he's just the right amount of douchey to pull off a v-neck and be sexy. 

Come on. COME ON! 

That man was made for the female gaze and I am here for it.

That actually seems like a pretty good place to end.

25 Days of Romcoms pt. 4: Only You

I'm watching this movie and writing this post instead of grading tests, writing a paper, and reading one of the billion readings I have to do by the weekend. This is what the last week of school is. 

Number 22. My sisters hate this movie but my mom and I enjoy it. I can't say no to Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., or Bonnie Hunt and all three of them are in this movie. So you know, duh. 

I miss Bonnie Hunt.

Also, what is it with Romcoms where the male lead lying to the female lead? Six of my 25 include that very device as a major plot point. Of course, there's one movie where the female lead lies to the male lead, but it's more of a misunderstanding that she doesn't immediately correct, not something she says to get into his pants. Totally not as bad.

And speaking of Tomei and Downey (we were doing that, right?), they have both aged phenomenally.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C: 

Seriously, who ages that way?!

Back to the movie. Secondary couple is Bonnie Hunt (Kate) and Fisher Stevens (Larry). Larry is introduced as an awful person who demands his wife get home and make sandwiches for him and his friends. Why is she with him and why is it that when she tells Faith that she's leaving him, the big thing is that she thinks he's having an affair, not that he's a terrible person. Joaquim de Almeida is the superior person for Kate, even though he just wants in her pants. (Apart from the "My wife's in It'ly" scene.)

Of course, Peter is also a terrible person. Not for lying to Faith, he did that for "good" reasons. No, at the end of the movie Peter is sitting on an airplane, shoes off, feet up on the top of the chair in front of him. Only a monster would do that.

All things considered, we're still hanging out towards the bottom. It's got a couple good lines (maybe just one) and Bonnie Hunt is always amazing, but there's a reason it's number 22. I guess even with romcoms I have a hard time buying into the whole destiny and soul mates thing.

25 Days of Romcoms pt. 3: I.Q.

If you haven't seen I.Q., it's an adorable and problematic movie with Meg Ryan, Tim Robbins (I wrote Timothy Hutton at first, but that's a different Meg Ryan romcom that I love), and Walter Matthau as Albert Einstein. Meg Ryan (Catherine) is Einstein's niece and a brilliant mathematician. Tim Robbins (Edward) is a mechanic and instantly falls deeply in love with Catherine the moment he sees her (because of course he does). Edward, along with Einstein and his German scientist friends, decide Catherine would be better off with him than her current fiance so they decide to make Ed a fake genius so Catherine would fall for him. It ends with how you'd expect a romcom to - with her getting mad, him being sorry, and them together. 

I don't love anything more about this movie than listening to four old scientists just talk. Every interaction is hilarious. It's worth it just for those little moments.

While I don't appreciate what they're doing to Catherine, watching the scientists try to mime what Ed needs to say is hilarious. I forgot how funny that "x=1+w cubed over pie" bit is. If you haven't seen the movie they're miming the formula to Ed and grab an ice cube for the cubed part and hover it over a piece of pie. I watched it twice it was so good.

Then there's the scene where Edward is taking a multiple choice exam in front of reporters and a couple dozen people. It's my favorite. Here it is for your viewing pleasure: 

One thing I do appreciate about the awful love story/trap is that Edward is genuinely attracted to Catherine's intellect. How often is it that we see a movie where the man falls in love with a woman in part because she's ridiculously intelligent? Especially one that is set in the 1950s?

One thing I don't appreciate about the awful love story/trap is the whole trap and lying part.

In the end though, one of my fondest Meg Ryan memories is her rolling around in the grass with Tim Robbins and yelling, "be right there, Ike!" So you know, the ends justify the means. 

25 Days of Romcoms pt 2: 13 Going on 30

Number 24 on my list. Still kind of scraping the bottom of the barrel, but this one is definitely more entertaining than The Wedding Singer. Either that or the cake I was making while watching it was a good distraction.

I can't wait to eat tonight. Anyway, back to the movie. I always forget I share the same name with the main character. Which is weird, because while a fair amount of people were being named Jenna in 1987, not a lot of 13 year olds were named Jenna in 1987. That seems to be a thing in movies: the names of the main characters are about a generation off in trendiness.

One thing that I don't know if I picked up on before is that a lot of what is said and done while Jenna is adjusting to her new 30-year-old life (ha!) seems like it's a 13 year old's interpretation of what adults would do and say in those situations. Her hockey boyfriend Alex, in particular. I mean, who does a strip tease to Ice Ice Baby?

His character would have been much more enjoyable if he had been played by Paul Rudd.

Speaking of Jenna's love interests, can she not land someone actually attractive? I mean, you've got the unlovable goof ball above, and two guys who are so weird looking that I couldn't even find a decent picture of them. The beautiful sleaze ball that Jenna is in the movie would go for other beautiful sleaze balls. Not weird looking ones.

You know who isn't a weird looking sleaze ball? Mark Ruffalo. He should have been a leading man more often. And he's really only gotten better with age.

2004 Mark Ruffalo:

And 2017 Mark Ruffalo:

I mean, come on! I guess all of Jenna's weird looking suitors make this one worth it.

Also, what parents let their 13 year old have a slumber party in a strange 30 year old woman's house? How did that happen? What were the logistics?

25 Days of Romcoms pt. 1: The Wedding Singer

We begin with number 25 on my list: The Wedding Singer, 1998.

This movie is not as good as it was when I was a teenager and it probably shouldn't be on my top 25 list anymore (because that list totally existed in real life before I decided to do this project). The reason this movie isn't good is not because I watched it so much that it stopped being good. There are plenty of movies I've seen a hundred times or more and I still love them (which you'll see closer to Christmas). Point being, I got bored. This movie is boring. That and I haven't liked Adam Sandler since I was about 17, and while The Wedding Singer isn't typical Adam Sandler, it's still Adam Sandler. My dislike for modern-day Sandler seems to have tainted my enjoyment of 1998 Sandler.

One of the things that did make me laugh was at Robbie's wedding in the beginning. I don't think I ever noticed that the string quartet was playing Don't Stop Believing as he was waiting at the end of the aisle for Linda. I can't imagine 80's weddings actually featured Journey on strings, but it was at least funny.

That seemed to be a theme while I watched the movie - the music. I remember liking the soundtrack and I still do, but something seemed off about it. It was probably the fact that music doesn't play a big role in movies these days, but the snippets of songs in the scene transitions seemed a little awkward and pigeonholed. I don't know if that's because it was actually awkward or because the lack of good movie music lately has ruined me.

I also may or may not have teared up when David Bowie came on in the club.

But enough about the music.

The ending is still cute and that growing old with you song still does it for me.

I guess that was still about the music.

That's all I've got.

25 Days of Romcoms: Prologue

I love romantic comedies. I don't care if you think they're shallow and flippant and only for shallow, flippant women. You're objectively wrong.

In order to convey that love (and disappointment in the fact that they're dying), I started writing an ode (but not really an ode because an ode is a poem and I don't do poetry) to romantic comedies, but I soon realized there was just too much love for one post. Hence, to help countdown things to Christmas (and to stave off the looming depression caused by the garbage fire that is this country right now), I'm doing 25 days of my favorite romcoms (and cramming as many asides as I can into two sentences). 

As of now my plan is to watch each movie as I write about it, but I'm still in school for another week and my free time is severely limited, so fresh rewatch and/or getting each post out on time is TBD.

Some ground rules:

1. Recent romcoms only (meaning the last few decades). Movies like Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, and Thoroughly Modern Millie would absolutely be included, but that just complicates things. Maybe I'll do classics later.

2. No period pieces. Pride and Prejudice (the miniseries, naturally) and other period pieces are absolutely romantic comedies, but again, that would just make the list too hard to narrow down.

3. I have to have already seen it. Sure, I've missed out on some classics like There's Something About Mary and What's Up Doc, but I can't very well include them on a list of favorites if I haven't seen them. I'll get to them someday.

That's it! So come back on the 1st for my first installment. Fingers crossed I'll be able to keep up. I've got my list and I really want to watch all of these movies again, so maybe the last week of school will just have to wait.

The NeverEnding Peak TV

I just read this article about the movies and Netflix shows being released over the next few weeks and I feel like doing this:

There's just too much!

Shows that are on right now that I'm trying to keep up with each week:

-The Americans
-Jane the Virgin
-Supergirl
-The Flash
-iZombie
-American Gods
-The Handmaid's Tale
-Harlots
-Archer
-Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
-Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
-Veep
-Silicon Valley
-Bob's Burgers
-Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Shows that I need to catch up on:

-Fargo
-Dear White People
-Outlander
-Better Call Saul
-Black Mirror

Shows that I am caught up with and are starting again within the next month:

-Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
-Master of None
-Orange is the New Black
-Orphan Black
-Casual

Shows that I haven't seen anything of that I need to watch:

-Sense8
-Bloodline
-Narcos
-Colony
-Twin Peaks
-Preacher
-Home Fires
-Westworld

Keep in mind, this isn't counting brand new shows that are starting soon and I'll want to watch, like Glow.

I'm also studying for the GRE, traveling, going outside, working, reading, sleeping, watching movies, being social, and possibly starting school in the fall. So when you recommend a show to me and I tell you I'll put it on my list, don't expect me to actually start it anytime soon.

I have no time for Peak TV, but Peak TV won't let me go.

Confession

I have a confession to make. I love It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. 

I love it so much. And I'm coming clean about it.

I used to think my love for that show made me a bad feminist and a bad progressive.

Why, you ask? Because of things like this:



Don't worry, I'm easing you into things.



If you're thinking to yourself right now, "I am offended," don't watch any more videos. Maybe just skip down and read the rest of the blog.



By the way, they show part of that movie later on in the series. Both Mac and Dee show up in black face.



There's a fair amount of really terrible things in this show.



And they don't all have to do with race.



Okay, those are legit some of the most controversial moments in the show and with zero context, I understand why some of you may be thinking that I'm a terrible person for loving them (I especially love that last one). Absolutely nothing is off limits. Sexism, racism, child molestation, sexual assault, drug addiction... it's all been covered.

Here's the thing though - this show doesn't make you laugh at women, people of color, people who have been molested or assaulted, or drug addicts. We're laughing at these horrible, vile people and at the consequences of them being sexist, racist, narcissistic psychopaths. Consequences like being ripped off in a drug deal and becoming addicted to crack, being hit in the face with a volleyball, and watching their boat burn and sink. The one constant in this show is these are horrible people and nothing good ever happens for them because of their horribleness. There's even a Christmas Carol-esque episode that ends horribly for the gang because they are horrible people.

I'd actually go so far as to say this show is kind of a secretly progressive one.  It's essentially the show version of "rape jokes are okay if you're making fun of the rapist." As viewers, we don't relate to any of these characters. Not a single one. We're not supposed to. That level of separation allows people (particularly white people) to watch and see the sometimes subtle, sometimes overt things these people do that are sexist, racist, homophobic, etc. and subconsciously want to do everything they can to NOT emulate them. They're always called out on their terribleness and they're always punished in some way.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is covertly teaching White America to be less terrible.

It's also just ridiculously funny and has been for 12 years.

An Open Letter to the Women (and Men) Who Rolled Their Eyes at the Women's March

Dear Women (and Men),

As we keep seeing in the media (well, at least the media I expose myself to), we live in an echo chamber. We surround ourselves with people who think the same way we do. We read and watch media that thinks the way we do. We decide to live in communities that think the same way we do. As such, I've realized that some of you may have seen the Women's March from one perspective and may  not even know anyone personally who participated. Consider this a respectful explanation and different way of looking at it.

I was quiet about this for a long time but I have seen too many Facebook posts and heard too many women (and men) that are still annoyed with or straight up hostile towards the Women's March and those who participated, like myself, to remain silent on this.

I've heard we were just a bunch of whiners.

If that's what you want to call this country's tradition of protesting and demanding certain rights, so be it.

I've heard there are so much better uses of our time and resources like donating a can of food to a food shelter.

We can't do both? (For the record, don't donate canned goods. Give money. People using food shelters prefer fresh food too.)

I've heard we need to get jobs.

Not that it's any of your business, but everyone I knew who went works full time.

I've heard we were paid to protest.

Funny, considering that last statement.

I've heard there was no reason for us to march because life is good for women today.

Ironically, life is so good for you because of countless women who marched (some were beaten, imprisoned, and even died) for your rights. And sure, the threat isn't as big for me. But that's not because I'm a woman living in 2017.

It's because I have a good job that provides great health care.

It's because my health insurance pays for birth control.

It's because even if my health insurance decides to not cover birth control, I make enough that I can pay for it out of pocket.

It's because I probably won't ever need an abortion due to my access to birth control.

It's because I won't be condemned or discriminated against because of the person I love.

It's because my gender matches my genitals.

It's because my skin is white and my hair is straight.

It's because the faith I belong to (if any) isn't obvious based on my appearance.

It's because I have no fear that I or anyone in my immediate family will be deported.

It's because I don't have a serious mental illness.

It's because if I lost my home I have people in my life I could fall back on to help me get back on my feet.

I am privileged in a multitude of ways. I marched for myself on January 21st, but I marched more for those who face a far bigger threat. Even though the threat isn't as big for me or anyone else in similar situations, make no mistake - the threat is still real. You don't even have to agree with abortion, homosexuality, being transgender, atheism, Islam, or illegal immigration. All you have to agree with is treating others the way you would like to be treated. And that's why we march.

We march for ourselves, we march for those who have fewer privileges than us, and we march for those who don't think we need to march.