Day 23: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

I used to really get offended when a guy said to me about his ex, "She was a real psycho". I thought it such a pathetic way to sum up a relationship. But this movie, well this movie proves that if all men had dated at least one of these kind of women at some point in their life, then they are justified in calling their ex a Psycho. And I think that the reason why I never really sat through this whole movie till today was because the character Kate is playing for her magazine article is really so irritating and awful, I couldn't stand to watch. But sitting through the whole movie, I must applaud Kate and Matt on really defining the moments that their characters are genuniune with each other and when they are playing the roles they both set out to play. And the chemistry is really there. So here we are now, day 23 (much late due to my very bad week) and oh what a relief it is to finally indulge in a light, non-brainer RC! I'm so glad to have this day off, I want to hurry up through this check list so I can plunge into another one! How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days:

• Giddy: Matt without his shirt on I think is cause for mild swooning (I've thought I should start a section of this check list for women over 30 only, who would appreciate the muscle catagory and the baby catagory... but well... I'll just leave that off and keep it here, in Giddyland), The cute character names: Andy Anderson and Benjamin Bennet, whoa the chemistry when they kiss, LOVE FERN! (after seeing this movie, my husband - back when he was my boyfriend bought me a plant as a joke - cause I killed all plants - still do- and called it our "Love plant" and strangely- its one of the only ones that has survived - barely, but there is green there), Naming his penis Princess Sophia, when she comes out in the yellow dress and he reaches up to his heart and says honestly "You are beautiful" (I really don't hear that enough in my life- do you dear reader?), Embarrasing moments all over the place, and ofcourse the end where he runs after her.
  
• Lie: Mmmm Double Header - he's made a bet to have her fall in love with him, and she's writing an article on how to get a guy to dump her in less than 10 days.
• Big Emotional Outburst: We have this one start at a great moment, while embarrasing each other by singing Your So Vain and it leads all the way outside and ends with a fantastic line "You can't lose something you never had".
• Dance Sequence: Nope.
• Wedding: Nope.
• Rewatchable: I think I have to be in the right mood to be able to withstand the seriously irriating things that this woman does. But yes.
• Love: Ah, they start off fascinated, but then get down to work, and then hate eachother but their careers mean so much that they fake it until they fall for eachother despite it all!
  
• Fantasy: We have some pretty nice jobs that pay soo well for great apartments in Manhatten again, and we have Matt without a shirt, and falling in love in less than 10 days...
• Journey of the Main Character: I think they both kind of learn that work is not worth it if you lose the one you love.... but that's mild. Honestly its really just them coming back to being themselves.
  
• Body Count: Nope (and after the week I've had, I sure could use a couple hilarious deaths).
• Music Montages: We have 3 that I counted folks! 3! One that leads to a hot and steamy making love in the parents bathroom scene, and one that leads him to chase her down the bridge leading to JFK.
  
• Strong Female: She drinks beer and likes basketball, but does that make her strong? She's playing the worlds worst weakest woman ever, and I suppose she's really some where in the middle.
  

Day 22: While You Were Sleeping

I really can't watch this movie with out tearing up. Before you throw something at your computer, let me explain, this movie is all really about Chicago. Most RC's take place in NYC and that is great because it constantly reminds me to love this new land I live in. But this movie, ah, this movie loves the town I'm from. And every moment in this movie, I'm remembering fun I had with friends on those very same blocks. I fell in love with my husband in that town. I learned how to be comfortable in my own skin in that town. It's a tough town. It's gritty. But it's great! And I miss it! Okay While You Were Sleeping, though flawed is sweet and lets just go straight to the checklist shall we?

• Giddy: Every scene of Chicago! Besides that? We have saving the man you think is your dream guy, slipping on ice with his brother, the whole fricken family (seriously if families were really like this- my god I'd never dread going to holiday functions), and great lines like "It took a coma to wake me up, my family loves you, I might as well love you".
• Lie: Sandra is lying to the whole family posing as the fiance to Peter Gallagher (Peter saved my life once, oh yes, mine and my best gal Sus- uh - a story for a different day but non plucked eyebrows and all, I love this man!).
  
• Big Emotional Outburst: Lovely! Just beautiful! At the wedding in the hospital Chapel.
• Dance Sequence: hrm... not unless you count the slipping on ice... which I don't so... no.
• Wedding: YES! YES! 2! We have the hospital scene and then I start weeping everytime I even think about that scene of them in their wedding gowns on the back of the CTA at the Chicago Station pulling out of it and heading towards the Merchandise Mart!
  
• Rewatchable: Yes. This one falls under the catagory of soo many times, I really don't want to admit how much!
• Love: The beautiful rich guy, is not for you, the ambitious, humble brother who has potential but not already there is the right guy for you. Love is found while you are distracted by other seemingly more important things.
• Fantasy: There is an actual lot of grit and real life in this movie. I've lived in Chicago and know how tough of a town it is, and this movie doesn't make it appear like a piece of cake (like most RC's on NYC do). I guess if there is a fantasy, its that there is this cool of family.
  
• Journey of the Main Character: Ah Sandra, she doesn't have much of an arc other than discovering her fantasy guy is not nearly as great as the guy who is beside her through most of the movie.
  
• Body Count: A lot of close calls: Peter and the fantastic Glynis but alas no.
• Music Montages: I don't think so.
  
• Strong Female: This is a bit of a tough call. Sandra is not wimpy or weak by any stretch of the imagination but she also has never gone traveling like she really wanted to do, or spoke to the man she is so "in love" with. She lets life happen. Tough call.
  

Day 21: The Ugly Truth

Ah, The Ugly Truth. The character Gerard Butler plays in this movie reminds me of an ex of mine. I know, I know, but I was young and I believed in the fantasy that this film generates that I could be the one to "change him" or bring out his true good self. Alas, very few men that act like this jerk have a good true self. So here we are, another fun, fluff, feel good romantic comedy with a socially awkward girl who wins the heart of a jerk! YAY! Here is how The Ugly Truth checks off:

• Giddy: We have in this movie some great giddy moments: lots of embarrasing moments for Katherine Heigl: hanging upside down from a tree and a great scene with her and some vibrator panties in front her boss (which I must say - if you get the chance rent Oh in Ohio because Parker Posey's version of the exact same scene is much much better); we also have some lovely moments where we truly get to see Gerard fall in love with her, and one super hot dance...
  
• Lie: Katherine makes a deal with Gerard to leave the show if he can teach her to be exactly what the man she is hot for wants and as usual, she's not showing her true nature. I love this morality that RC's teach us: be true to yourself and the one that is right for you will love you for who you are. MMMM... only if your thin and hot like Katherine Heigl but yes, truer words were never spoke!
• Big Emotional Outburst: Here we do it live on the air in front of hundreds of viewers in a hot air balloon. Kudos for the scene change!
  
• Dance Sequence: This is HOT! Or atleast to me it is. Then again most times two people are dancing to remotely latin music I get turned on.
  
• Wedding. No. Probably a bit inappropriate for this film.
• Rewatchable: I rented this movie as soon as it came out on DVD. And, now that I own it, it will be sure to make the rounds on days I need an RC fix.
• Love: Ah, as I mentioned before, we have that oh so precious, he's a misogynist jerk but I can change him and in the process grow to be a bit cooler myself love. And also, the classic: Opposites Attract.
• Fantasy: See first paragraph and previous bullet point.
  
• Journey of the main character: Even though this should be Katherine's film, its Gerard we actually watch grow, change, show his other side and that makes it his movie. And he grows from a bitter, angry, "all women are only good for pokin" guy to an in love, devoted man.
• Body count: No. They could have snuck one in! In one of the news segments! But nooo... they had to be all wholesome with lines like "I only slept with the one who could read" and stuff!
• Musice Montages: Ohhhh yes, and veering off the usual path of the montages being about the 2 main characters, they are actually scenes of Katherine and her pretty boy but not the real one love. Very sweet.
• Strong Female: She is a producer for a tv show, and she thinks she knows what she wants and very strongly goes after that. She knows how to fight too. And she's got a nice gooey center like the majority of us women do. Yes, she's strong.
  

PS: Dear readers,
I'm sorry I haven't written, we were really rolling along there weren't we? The thing is, my job changed, they moved me to a new office that has absolutely no supplies and a ton of work, no staff that wants to sit through these movies with me, tons running around, answering calls and starting all over again. And I had a few fit model jobs that went sour (though seriously - my bubbies are the best! Why you no want me?!!!? Why?!). Plus, this Sunday, I'm reprising my highschool dream role of Lady Macbeth in a reading and I really have to spend my evenings reaquainting myself with the text. So, needless to say, I probably, for at least a week or two will have these posts sparingly. Sorry! The good news? My dear friend who forced me to start this sent me even MORE movies for my birthday and encouraged me to go through my collection I already own and blog on those as well. So, this is no longer a 31 day project... it's much longer than that. And if you're lucky, and I'm lucky, I'll take your suggestions after that and watch even MORE RC's! Woohoo!
Thanks to all those who are actually following along!

Day 20: Addicted to Love

Day 20: Addicted to Love

Yay! Addicted to Love (appropriate title for a gal like me hmmm?)! My husband even likes this movie! Don’t you just love romantic comedies? They allow for the most ridiculous of plots to be accepted in the sweetest way. Here we have two jilted lovers so upset about being dumped that they stalk and ruin the lives of their exes but magically fall in love with each other, confess their sins and all end up happy in the end. If this were reality, we’d have some serious lawsuits on our hands, but as it is Romantic Comedy world, we get a couple slaps, a couple tears and everyone moves on happily ever after. Here is also a good movie where Meg tries to stretch herself a bit, wear some dark makeup and be a bit tougher.

So here is how Addicted to Love checks off:

• Giddy: Oh yes, we have giddy. First off, we have a guy so in love with his girlfriend at the top of the movie that he stops all work each day to look at her (giddy dance), then we have the steamy kiss with Meg in front of her Grandma no less (giddy dance – oh I feel that kiss down to my toes), and of course the end of this movie where they use the Lassie story to come together (giddy dance oh yeah).Also, I just have to say, I love both Matthew and Meg’s descriptions of love in this movie: Matthew says its how you feel hollow when you don’t have love, like something is filled when you do have it and Meg tells the gruesome tale of her dad carefully taking each maggot out of their dog’s butt. Ah lamour!
• Lie: Matthew starts working for the man who stole away his love and lies to him.
• Big Emotional Outburst: Here again, we have several. Personally I love the ones by the Frenchie the best, mainly because it is those outbursts that make me finally see something attractive in him. Until then, I spend the majority of the movie just wondering why on earth not one but two women are addicted to him. Yes- that’s right folks, I’m a sucker for Men being vulnerable. A man cries for me, oh yeah, I’m done for.
• Dance Sequence: Nope.
• Wedding: Nope.
• Rewatchable: Oh yes.
• Love: Ah, passionate love(Tcheky and Kelly) and love for the wrong person (Matthew and Meg)
• Fantasy: Well we have the fantasy I already talked about: You can ruin someones life and all will still be well, but again, we also have NYC apartments and one is amazing and one is a condemned building. Now here is a great fantasy: You can move into a condemned building in NYC and not find rats, or crack addicts, and actually furniture and running water will still be at your disposal. Oh I wish this one were true, I’d break my lease so quick!
• Journey of the main character: We have two jilted lovers who slowly discover that maybe the best thing for them was to have been dumped. It helped them discover the extreme side of themselves and helped them discover each other.
• Body Count: Nope.
• Music Montages: Sort of. But they do end up doing the opposite, they make me think that Meg and Matthew have been stalking for a very very long time.
• Strong Female: Ah Meg, you tough broad with a soft heart! I love you!

Day 19: She's All That

Day 19: She’s All That

Oh dear. Here we have a movie that I can’t believe I’m going to say this but I prefer the film that makes fun of it to the actual movie. I think I’ve seen Not Another Teen Movie more times than She’s All That and it’s a little more fun. Sorry, but it is. But there are some redeemable moments, lets check them off shall we in my checklist:

• Giddy: There are some lines that are so bad, they actually make me laugh and get a little giddy and of course we do have choreographed dance scene that I don’t need an explanation as to why its there to be happy that it is!

• Lie: Oh we’ve got several, we’ve got the bet that he can make her prom queen in 2 weeks, we’ve got Freddy lying to his dad about being accepted to school, The blond kid (who was much better at this character in Pleasantville) is pretending to like her too and lots of other small ones to get us through this movie.
  
  
• Big Emotional Outburst: “Am I bet, am I f*cking bet?!”, but as for Freddy Prince, I really don’t think he has it in is bag of acting tricks to pull one off.
  
  
• Dance Sequence: Though the choreographer is trying so hard to bring back the thriller dance moves in a sexy, hip, 90’s way and not quite making it, it still makes me happy. I’m that weirdo who can’t help but get all blissful over many people doing the same moves.
  
  
• Wedding: Nope, and its not like TEEN romantic comedies can’t pull them off! Just look at Sixteen Candles!
  
  
• Rewatchable: I’ll catch Not Another Teen Movie next time it’s on Comedy Central.
  
  
• Love: Oh how sweet, we have the I made a bet, but got to know you, saw you take off your glasses and cut your hair and finally see you as hot and then decide you’re my new best friend after only 2 weeks and I’m in love with you kind of love.
  
  
• Fantasy: I’m officially 34 years old. Any movie about teenagers living it up is a fantasy world for me.
  
  
• Journey of the main character: I think Freddy is supposed to be having some kind of journey, but he really doesn’t have a clue how to show me, and the girl in this movie only has to doll herself up like Sandy in Grease to get a man. So that’s not much of a journey either. But don’t we love to watch the transformation? Hmm?
  
  
• Body Count: Nope. There really really REALLY could have been some!
  
  
• Music Montages: Yes, with all the hip songs when this movie was first made. J
  
  
• Strong Female: She runs the house, she wears what she wants, she doesn’t care to fit in with the vipers that are popular. That’s strong! Especially for a teenager.

Day 18: Love Actually

Day 18: Love Actually

As the opening credits started to roll and I realized what film I was in for today, I was half ready to stop it and pick another, not wanting to get all weepy in front of my coworkers. But it is MY Birthday, so I thought, maybe they’ll forgive me (and they did). This is a beautiful movie and one that has a very sentimental connection to me. This movie shall always remind me of my dear friend who was taken away from this short life just a few months after my wedding. He sang the “All You Need Is Love” song at my wedding, inspired by this movie.
I can’t think of a more perfect way of reminding me, on this day, the greatest gift I have received in my life and that is all the many shades of love. I have love and friendship in abundance (Facebook alone, my god, I’m overwhelmed)! This movie is that beautiful reminder that love is everywhere and the only thing worth fighting for. Also, bonus, me and my coworkers danced along with Hugh Grant to “Jump for my love” and I feel younger already!
So, as the cutest boy ever says in this movie “Let’s go get the shit kicked out of us by love” and lets check off Love Actually shall we?

• Giddy: Oh yes, almost every moment of this movie!
• Lie: Not one big lie, no, lots of little ones among all the many different stories.
• Big Emotional Outburst: Yes several And Oh My GOD don’t you just love the end where all these people are realizing that they can no longer be without the ones they love and they have to rush to their neighborhood, their country, their front door, and their work just to tell them!? I had a big emotional outburst just watching the end of this movie!
• Dance Sequence: Hugh Grant… NICE!!!
• Wedding: Yes, opening credits, with by far the most beautiful wedding end ever (but Nick, sweet Nick did such a close second for us at my wedding).
• Rewatchable: I honestly didn’t think I could handle seeing this movie again, but once I got past the wedding scene I started to swim in the gooey heartwarming joy that comes from following these different love stories. So YES, I will be able to watch this again! YAY!
• Love: We have every kind here: destiny, love from afar, speechless love, love worth the risk, love that is strained, LOVE LOVE LOVE!
• Fantasy: Well, I think we have a major one with the British boy who goes to America in search of hot chicks and runs into 4 super model women too poor to own pajamas and more than one bed? Yeah! That’s for you boys! My coworkers and I actually all debated this point today, and we all came to the agreement that the end of this movie is one giant fantasy too
• Journey of the Main Character: All the characters are going through their own journey in this film.. and uh, I want to get back to eating my Birthday cake so I don’t have enough time to talk about them all. Just see this movie!
• Body Count: 1 – Liam Neeson’s wife.
• Music Montages: Another fantastic soundtrack and great montages
• Strong Female: Yes, several – again – cake is calling, can not extrapolate.

I think you all could tell from previous days on this that I wasn’t looking forward to my birthday, but I have been filled with love and well wishes today and I can’t thank you all enough!

Day 17: You've Got Mail

Day 17: You’ve Got Mail

Oh now I get it… Sneaky dear friend… Sneaky! My best friend who created this project for me put smack dab in the middle of these 31 days the trilogy we have often debated about and I believe was the reason I even asked him for Romantic Comedies as a present in the first place. Watching Meg and Tom over and over again is one of the simplest joys in life, or well, my life at least.

Completing the Meg and Tom trilogy we have You’ve Got Mail. This movie grew on me. I have no idea why I didn’t like it in the theatres but I didn’t. And now I do! Somehow, the older I get, the more I can relate to having both a luddite side and a titillated by the latest technology side. I haven’t seen the original this movie is based on. I’ll have to check that out once this project is complete. But, what I once saw as “eh”, I must now admit is the strongest of the trilogy of Meg and Tom. So here is how You’ve Got Mail checks off on my list:

• Giddy: So there is this moment where she’s ranting about something awful he did, as she does (as I do) and he covers her mouth ever so gently and stops her from saying something nasty: That moment makes me weak in the knees.
• Lie: Tom and Meg are lying to their partners sort of, but the big lie is Tom knows his online partner is Meg and she doesn’t know.
• Big Emotional Outburst: eh… there’s a couple of almost scenes… and let’s be honest, that last scene- ouch – as a romantic I love it, she sees him, she says she hoped it was him, they kiss. But as an actor, that scene SUCKS! I’ve never seen a stiffer reading of “Don’t Cry ShopGirl, Don’t Cry” in my life. But eh hem, you guys don’t care about my acting criticisms, you are here for my ROMANTIC critique… or here to laugh at me… either way… back to the point… there are not that many emotional outbursts.
• Dance Sequence: Again… no… what do Tom and Meg not dance? Honestly I actually can’t think of a scene in a movie where Meg danced… hmmmm…
• Wedding: No.. and maybe that’s why I didn’t initially like this movie. But I’ve really come to appreciate how Meg is dressed in this film, like an adult little girl, I like it so much. It’s sweet.
• Rewatchable: Yes actually, but I didn’t think so way back when it first came out. I’m happy to report, this could be on in the background on a Saturday while I rearrange my closet, happy to know that love is working itself out while I organize.
• Love: Once again we have the destiny love. I love this kind of love.
• Fantasy: Lets talk about a fantasy not yet discussed here but quite evident in most of the Romantic Comedy movies: The “it’s okay” break up. We have a movie where the gal or the guy are with the it-should-be-right- but- really- the- wrong person and before they can run off and fall in love with the right one they must break it off. And every time in these fantastical RC’s, the wrong one practically says THANK YOU for not ruining my life. Now we, here in reality land know that this is absolutely false, that even if the person maybe 20 years down the line might think that, they sure as hell are not going to take it so lightly in the moment. Have any of us had this kind of break up? Seriously? People do not get over it that easy and usually, if you are doing the breaking up, chances are the person you are dumping thought everything was pretty okay (cause if they didn’t – they would have dumped you) and is now really heartbroken. But in the wonderful world of Romantic Comedy’s this is as painless ripping off a bandaid, and as forgotten the moment it is done. I think my favorite breakup of all time is Meg and Greg breaking up and laughing out loud about how they should love each other but just don’t. Ahh… lovely fantasy!
• Journey of the main character: Having just recently uprooted my life and moved to NY (a romantic destination) and now struggling to redefine myself, I can really relate to the journey she is going on. She loses her job that has till that point defined her. She fights like hell for it, but that is futile and ultimately she must learn to find her own way without the comfort of what is familiar.
• Body Count: None. I’ll forgive them because in the first of the trilogy there was a mass genocide of an entire island… so you really can’t go any further than that.
• Music Montages: Yes, there are some. And some lovely pics of NYC throughout. This movie says I LOVE YOU NEW YORK. It shows all of the good, all the beautiful.
• Strong Female: Trying to come out of her mothers shadow and define herself, but in that cute, sweet, not too threatening Meg way!