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A-List: Chick FlicksBy Jason DeanSeptember 25, 2003
It’s been awhile, and I apologize to those of you who take the time to read these semi-coherent lists. The E-list (the “e” stands for excuses) for the absence goes as follows:
Anyway, in all the time that has passed several topics have been suggested and I gave them all some thought before settling on the topic of favorite chick flicks. There is some method to the madness and if things go according to plan, the next column ought to provide some gender balance…in a stereotypical fashion, anyway. As to my credentials for this topic, sure, I’m married, so I’ve watched some of these movies at the urging of my wife but that’s more of an excuse than anything. I think it has much more to do with the fact that some of my favorite actresses are usually well regarded as much for their acting as their more obvious male appeal, and thus they aren’t very likely to end up as female lead in the latest action film or to be next Angel awaiting Charlie’s call. Actually, my favorite actress is probably best known for her legal dealings -- but that’s another list. Even that is more of start than a final explanation. At first, my list of chick flicks was comprised of movies like How to Make an American Quilt and Little Women, but then somehow it evolved into, “Hmmm…well, Someone Like You is relatively entertaining. Er, no, wait, I mean, yeah I saw it. My wife made me watch it. Did you see Ashley in underwear doing that cheerleading routine?”
Girl, InterruptedMaybe this doesn’t quite qualify in the traditional sense, but it has an almost entirely female cast with subject matter that deals with the mental problems of young girls. Whatever subgenre you might want to drop this one into, it’s one of my favorite movies.
When Harry Met SallyThis one is probably more of a traditional chick flick, and is all about the trials and tribulations of relationships and has some great performances by Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in the lead roles. I thought the film was truly funny and really liked the little interludes with the various couples. When Harry Met Sally also holds a special place in my heart as at the time of its release as I was very much trying to deal with that whole friends and more than friends and where are we in our relationship and where are we going type of thing.
Sense and SensibilityBased on a novel by Jane Austen, this movie is a costume drama about loves spoken and unspoken, those that are socially acceptable and those that aren’t. This movie was definitely one that I saw at my wife’s urging…the first time. At this point, I’ve probably watched more times that she has. It has a great English cast (as it should be), glorious production values all the way around and, of course, a marvelous story. There’s a reason that people keep reading and Hollywood keeps adapting Jane Austen material. BOP favorite Hugh Grant does his usual reserved, stuttering, romantic leading man; Emma Thompson is our female protagonist, and Kate Winslet, my reason for watching this over and over, is the impetuous, heart-before-brains daughter.
Romeo and Juliet (1968)Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet was probably the first exposure I had to a traditional Shakespeare adaptation on film. I say that because it’s likely that I had seen numerous things that were based at least in part on Shakespeare’s works by that point in my fairly young life. Like any junior high school guy, I looked forward to watching the film in class basically because it meant that we were watching a movie instead of doing class work. As the story unfolded over the next few days, I found myself actually watching the movie and marveling at the two leads. They seemed to be the very picture of the young lovers that we had been reading about, and the look of the film probably forever colored the way that Shakespeare’s plays looked in my mind. At the same time, I was still a guy in training since what I was really watching was Olivia Hussey. It wasn’t until much later in my life after I had become a self-styled film fan that I realized just how much a miracle it was that Zeffirelli had taken two complete unknowns as his leads and gotten them to perform. I still watch this one when given a chance -- there’s probably no more traditionally romantically soppy storyline. I also really like West Side Story but that’s probably a movie better suited to the “Are You Sure You’re Not Gay?” A-List.
Notting HillAgain starring Hugh Grant in a typically charming Hugh Grant performance, Notting Hill is all about execution as the storyline falls back to basics with guy and girl being thrown together, falling for each other, being separated and then overcoming obstacles to realize true love. I’ve never been the biggest Julia Roberts fan, but she does well here playing a version of herself. Though in my guy defense of myself, doesn’t anybody see the appeal of the every man getting the movie star? Or is that just my fanatical view?
Gone with the WindI’m dragging skeletons out of the cinematic closet here. My wife is a huge fan of this movie and even went (by herself) to see the re-release a few years ago. As such, it plays with some frequency around our place. As annoying as I find Scarlet (dude, I’d never date her), I have to admit that I like this movie. I’ve seen parts of Gone with the Wind so many times that I’ve become a fan by osmosis. Rhett is a man’s man and I’m not quite sure what it says about me that I find Melanie more attractive than Scarlet -- and Ashley’s not worth either of their attentions. For all i’s possible faults (nice fire!), it’s a truly worthy romantic epic. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.Don’t get me wrong. I still have some sense of judgment. For example, Autumn in New York should be squarely in the Venn Diagram. It’s a Winona Ryder chick flick; however, at this point in my fandom I didn’t want to see Winona playing age 20 again and I was pretty much rooting for her die by the halfway point of the movie. On the other hand, I kind of liked Sweet November. Oh, and speaking of chick flicks, regardless of the backlash, I really liked Titanic. I might be one of the few non-teenage girl multiple-views types. I racked up at least four theater screenings that I can remember, including opening night. While it may not have necessarily been the best of the best pictures, I think it’s a entertaining flick and far above average for a commercial film.
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