Write Back Weekend "Girls, Girls, Girls"
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Being a chick myself, I should have realized that answering last week's TITMT was going to be easier said than done. Once again I was intrigued by many of your choices although participation was fairly lower this week. What's up with that anyway? You guys don't like chicks?!
As you will soon see, some of my choices overlap with some of yours. While I enjoyed watching movies like Bridget Jones Diary and Steel Magnolias, neither one of these films really did it for me. With Bridget there was too much hype, however, there was Hugh. With Steel Magnolias it was too chick flick, even for this chick.
Then I quickly realized that not unlike some of you, I had a hard time defining what a chick flick actually was. Then I realized there was a tried and true way to see what qualified. I call it the man test.
It's simple really. All you need is a man. He could be your husband, your boyfriend or your best friend. If none of those apply ask your brother, your cousin, your dad or your boss. I don't really care. There's only ONE exception to the man test; the man can't be gay. I'm not cutting out gay men as some sort of weird discrimination, I'm doing this because gay men are like honorary chicks and thus, why asking them is not going to work.
Hold a movie up at your local video store or bring it up in conversation. If the straight man winces, rolls his eyes as a response, or has no idea what movie you are talking about, chances are you have a chick flick on your hands.
Although I'm not a girly girl, I realized that I do like a lot of movies that would pass the chick flick test. I realized this when I compiled a list of 20+ movies to write about here. But in the name of brevity (and sanity) I narrowed it down to twelve. No need to thank me, really.
1. Shag: Whenever I think of movies that never got their fair shake, Shag always comes to mind. It's a great period piece that is supposed to be about the sixties, but it was made in the eighties. It's about four, lifelong friends who decide to have one last girl's weekend together before their lives all inevitably go in different directions. Of course, the four friends are not the types of girls who seem like they would ever be friends, and thus this is what makes their bond (and the plot) much stronger. There's music. There's laughter. And if that's not enough there's Bridget Fonda, Phoebe Cates, Annabeth Gish and Daryl Hannah's sister they must keep in the closet most days. What's not to love?
2. Dirty Dancing: I know it's cliche, but really, how can you create a top chick flick list and NOT include Dirty Dancing? It's like going out to a bar and just ordering a coke. For most people, it just doesn't happen. I don't think I need to elaborate on what the plot to Dirty Dancing was or why it was so special. It is a rarity though because I think on some level it transcends the guy/girl issue I was talking about earlier. Maybe this is because it starred Patrick Swayze, who, for a time made the girls swoon with She's Like The Wind and also earned the men's respect. Therefore, both genders can share joint custody on this one.
3. For Keeps?: I'm well aware of the fact that Molly Ringwald made many great movies in the eighties. I'm also well aware of the fact that this is not widely regarded as one of them. Frankly, I don't care. In this movie, teenaged Molly gets knocked up by her high school sweetheart/my long time crush, Randall Batinkoff. Will they be able to make it work? Believe it or not, with Randall as the teenage dad, even I started thinking teenage pregnancy didn't look half bad.
4. Clueless: I'll never forget going to see Clueless in the movie theater. I remember my friends and I being partly embarrassed to be there because at eighteen we assumed we were already "too old" to enjoy movies like these. Ahh, how wrong we were. Clueless is the perfect example of a movie that can be campy and clever all at the same time. Attending a high school not all that different from this one also helped. Now it's a movie that has stood the test of time and I proudly can say it is a movie that defined my generation without snickering and without apology. And if nothing else, it features Brittany Murphy when she used to eat. Yes, those were the days.
5. The Cutting Edge: Quick! What do you get when you marry figure skating, a decidedly girly sport, with a love/hate romance? I'll tell ya. Chick flick magic! The Cutting Edge is a great movie that takes all that is wonderful about figure skating without employing actors who actually figure skate. Perhaps movies like Center Stage could take a cue from this. Going for authenticity isn't always a good thing. Incidentally now when I see Moira Kelly and DB Sweeney playing the parents in movies and tv I get a tad sad. I guess you could say I'm not ready for the switch over just yet.
6. Some Kind of Wonderful: If you've been reading AOGB for any length of time you know that Some Kind of Wonderful is my favorite movie of all time. It's a love triangle with a twist and both the casting and the dialogue was excellent. But then again, who would expect less from then mastermind, John Hughes? Which reminds me, a moment of silence, please.
7. Terms of Endearment: This movie is decidedly different than the rest of my choices. This is because Terms of Endearment is arguably the most "grown up" of all of my choices. And it's not a chick flick in the sense that there's teenage pining or girly musical montages. It's a chick flick because if you watch it, You. Will. Bawl. Seriously. Even men are not immune to the power that is Terms of Endearment. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and rent it. Purchase a package of tissues while you're out, too.
8. Pretty In Pink: Ok, so like if Pretty In Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful were both up for prom queen, Pretty In Pink would definitely win it while Some Kind of Wonderful would have to hope for Miss Congeniality, at best. And believe me. Choosing between these two is like Sophie's Choice. They're both great in their own right, I've just always been the type of gal who roots for the underdog. Yet, Pretty In Pink makes the top list, too. Chances are if you like one of these movies, I can whole heartedly stand behind the fact that you will like the other. As to what makes this movie special one word, Ducky.
9. Say Anything: Hands down, Say Anything is by far, the best chick flick ever made, bar none. It's Cameron Crowe at his best. It's John Cusack at his best. And it's Ione Skye at her "most memorable" considering the average person couldn't name something else Ione Skye was in, let alone name Ione Skye, period. As MCF said, John Cusack definitely could have made a career out of fronting movies like these alone where he was the lovable loser who may or may not always get what he wants. But Cusack only dabbles in this genre from time to time. I suppose he thinks of his love affair with movies about love like a Weight Watcher's relationship with chocolate: too much is not good for you. I don't know though. In my book, I could never tire of the courting side of Cusack, even if the man, still a bachelor at 40, is all smoke and mirrors.
10. Can't Buy Me Love: Nowadays everyone drools over Doctor McDreamy but what I wanna do right here is go back. Way back. Back into time. The year was 1987 and the scrawny little kid you saw before you made you believe he morphed from nerd to stud, to nerd again- all in under 90 minutes. So some say McDreamy had a rebirth and to those people I say go rent Can't Buy Me Love. It also contains my yearbook quote: "Cools, nerds, your side, my side. Man it's all bull***. It's just tough enough to be yourself." A thousand bucks and a few mowed lawns can't change the fact --he's always been a star.
11. 10 Things I Hate About You: I'm about to lay two very powerful statements out there so get ready. First, I can't imagine Heath Ledger, a now successful leading man, or Julia Stiles, a now successful leading lady, to go on and star in better movies than this in their already blossoming careers. Second, I can't imagine a better modern adaption of a Shakespearean play being made, ever. That being said, 10 Things I Hate About You is a modern day spin on The Taming of the Shrew. It's dialogue is witty and it's approach fresh. Sure they built off a classic love story, but they made something old new again where others can't even make something new interesting. Say that three time fast.
12. Girls Just Want To Have Fun: Last but certainly not least, if you're looking for a movie to personify what men hate so much about chick flicks, look no further than Girls Just Want To Have Fun. This movie stars Sarah Jessica Parker in her pre Carrie days as Janey Glenn, the new girl at a stuck up private school whose only dream is to dance on DTV. So she befriends the class misfit, played by Helen Hunt. Together they sneak out. They meet boys. They wear eightiesriffic costumes and most importantly they DANCE!
Is this movie classic cinema at it's finest? Hell no. But then again that isn't what most chick flicks are about. They aren't meant to be the kinds of movies that make you reexamine your life or its purpose. Neither are movies for men. And when you think about it, they feed all the same voices for men that chick flicks do for women. They're the types of movies you watch to blissfully escape your mundane existence. Cause all girls, at one time or another, dreamt of their prince charming,as all men pined for that one girl. Or taking down the popular girl or jock. Or perhaps most importantly, not being put in a corner. Tableside, ringside, or otherwise.
Giving credit where credit is due, honorable mentions go to: The Truth About Cats and Dogs, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, Grease, You've Got Mail, Can't Hardly Wait, Chasing Amy, Untamed Heart, While You Were Sleeping and Overnight Delivery.
Being a chick myself, I should have realized that answering last week's TITMT was going to be easier said than done. Once again I was intrigued by many of your choices although participation was fairly lower this week. What's up with that anyway? You guys don't like chicks?!
As you will soon see, some of my choices overlap with some of yours. While I enjoyed watching movies like Bridget Jones Diary and Steel Magnolias, neither one of these films really did it for me. With Bridget there was too much hype, however, there was Hugh. With Steel Magnolias it was too chick flick, even for this chick.
Then I quickly realized that not unlike some of you, I had a hard time defining what a chick flick actually was. Then I realized there was a tried and true way to see what qualified. I call it the man test.
It's simple really. All you need is a man. He could be your husband, your boyfriend or your best friend. If none of those apply ask your brother, your cousin, your dad or your boss. I don't really care. There's only ONE exception to the man test; the man can't be gay. I'm not cutting out gay men as some sort of weird discrimination, I'm doing this because gay men are like honorary chicks and thus, why asking them is not going to work.
Hold a movie up at your local video store or bring it up in conversation. If the straight man winces, rolls his eyes as a response, or has no idea what movie you are talking about, chances are you have a chick flick on your hands.
Although I'm not a girly girl, I realized that I do like a lot of movies that would pass the chick flick test. I realized this when I compiled a list of 20+ movies to write about here. But in the name of brevity (and sanity) I narrowed it down to twelve. No need to thank me, really.
1. Shag: Whenever I think of movies that never got their fair shake, Shag always comes to mind. It's a great period piece that is supposed to be about the sixties, but it was made in the eighties. It's about four, lifelong friends who decide to have one last girl's weekend together before their lives all inevitably go in different directions. Of course, the four friends are not the types of girls who seem like they would ever be friends, and thus this is what makes their bond (and the plot) much stronger. There's music. There's laughter. And if that's not enough there's Bridget Fonda, Phoebe Cates, Annabeth Gish and Daryl Hannah's sister they must keep in the closet most days. What's not to love?
2. Dirty Dancing: I know it's cliche, but really, how can you create a top chick flick list and NOT include Dirty Dancing? It's like going out to a bar and just ordering a coke. For most people, it just doesn't happen. I don't think I need to elaborate on what the plot to Dirty Dancing was or why it was so special. It is a rarity though because I think on some level it transcends the guy/girl issue I was talking about earlier. Maybe this is because it starred Patrick Swayze, who, for a time made the girls swoon with She's Like The Wind and also earned the men's respect. Therefore, both genders can share joint custody on this one.
3. For Keeps?: I'm well aware of the fact that Molly Ringwald made many great movies in the eighties. I'm also well aware of the fact that this is not widely regarded as one of them. Frankly, I don't care. In this movie, teenaged Molly gets knocked up by her high school sweetheart/my long time crush, Randall Batinkoff. Will they be able to make it work? Believe it or not, with Randall as the teenage dad, even I started thinking teenage pregnancy didn't look half bad.
4. Clueless: I'll never forget going to see Clueless in the movie theater. I remember my friends and I being partly embarrassed to be there because at eighteen we assumed we were already "too old" to enjoy movies like these. Ahh, how wrong we were. Clueless is the perfect example of a movie that can be campy and clever all at the same time. Attending a high school not all that different from this one also helped. Now it's a movie that has stood the test of time and I proudly can say it is a movie that defined my generation without snickering and without apology. And if nothing else, it features Brittany Murphy when she used to eat. Yes, those were the days.
5. The Cutting Edge: Quick! What do you get when you marry figure skating, a decidedly girly sport, with a love/hate romance? I'll tell ya. Chick flick magic! The Cutting Edge is a great movie that takes all that is wonderful about figure skating without employing actors who actually figure skate. Perhaps movies like Center Stage could take a cue from this. Going for authenticity isn't always a good thing. Incidentally now when I see Moira Kelly and DB Sweeney playing the parents in movies and tv I get a tad sad. I guess you could say I'm not ready for the switch over just yet.
6. Some Kind of Wonderful: If you've been reading AOGB for any length of time you know that Some Kind of Wonderful is my favorite movie of all time. It's a love triangle with a twist and both the casting and the dialogue was excellent. But then again, who would expect less from then mastermind, John Hughes? Which reminds me, a moment of silence, please.
7. Terms of Endearment: This movie is decidedly different than the rest of my choices. This is because Terms of Endearment is arguably the most "grown up" of all of my choices. And it's not a chick flick in the sense that there's teenage pining or girly musical montages. It's a chick flick because if you watch it, You. Will. Bawl. Seriously. Even men are not immune to the power that is Terms of Endearment. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and rent it. Purchase a package of tissues while you're out, too.
8. Pretty In Pink: Ok, so like if Pretty In Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful were both up for prom queen, Pretty In Pink would definitely win it while Some Kind of Wonderful would have to hope for Miss Congeniality, at best. And believe me. Choosing between these two is like Sophie's Choice. They're both great in their own right, I've just always been the type of gal who roots for the underdog. Yet, Pretty In Pink makes the top list, too. Chances are if you like one of these movies, I can whole heartedly stand behind the fact that you will like the other. As to what makes this movie special one word, Ducky.
9. Say Anything: Hands down, Say Anything is by far, the best chick flick ever made, bar none. It's Cameron Crowe at his best. It's John Cusack at his best. And it's Ione Skye at her "most memorable" considering the average person couldn't name something else Ione Skye was in, let alone name Ione Skye, period. As MCF said, John Cusack definitely could have made a career out of fronting movies like these alone where he was the lovable loser who may or may not always get what he wants. But Cusack only dabbles in this genre from time to time. I suppose he thinks of his love affair with movies about love like a Weight Watcher's relationship with chocolate: too much is not good for you. I don't know though. In my book, I could never tire of the courting side of Cusack, even if the man, still a bachelor at 40, is all smoke and mirrors.
10. Can't Buy Me Love: Nowadays everyone drools over Doctor McDreamy but what I wanna do right here is go back. Way back. Back into time. The year was 1987 and the scrawny little kid you saw before you made you believe he morphed from nerd to stud, to nerd again- all in under 90 minutes. So some say McDreamy had a rebirth and to those people I say go rent Can't Buy Me Love. It also contains my yearbook quote: "Cools, nerds, your side, my side. Man it's all bull***. It's just tough enough to be yourself." A thousand bucks and a few mowed lawns can't change the fact --he's always been a star.
11. 10 Things I Hate About You: I'm about to lay two very powerful statements out there so get ready. First, I can't imagine Heath Ledger, a now successful leading man, or Julia Stiles, a now successful leading lady, to go on and star in better movies than this in their already blossoming careers. Second, I can't imagine a better modern adaption of a Shakespearean play being made, ever. That being said, 10 Things I Hate About You is a modern day spin on The Taming of the Shrew. It's dialogue is witty and it's approach fresh. Sure they built off a classic love story, but they made something old new again where others can't even make something new interesting. Say that three time fast.
12. Girls Just Want To Have Fun: Last but certainly not least, if you're looking for a movie to personify what men hate so much about chick flicks, look no further than Girls Just Want To Have Fun. This movie stars Sarah Jessica Parker in her pre Carrie days as Janey Glenn, the new girl at a stuck up private school whose only dream is to dance on DTV. So she befriends the class misfit, played by Helen Hunt. Together they sneak out. They meet boys. They wear eightiesriffic costumes and most importantly they DANCE!
Is this movie classic cinema at it's finest? Hell no. But then again that isn't what most chick flicks are about. They aren't meant to be the kinds of movies that make you reexamine your life or its purpose. Neither are movies for men. And when you think about it, they feed all the same voices for men that chick flicks do for women. They're the types of movies you watch to blissfully escape your mundane existence. Cause all girls, at one time or another, dreamt of their prince charming,as all men pined for that one girl. Or taking down the popular girl or jock. Or perhaps most importantly, not being put in a corner. Tableside, ringside, or otherwise.
Giving credit where credit is due, honorable mentions go to: The Truth About Cats and Dogs, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, Grease, You've Got Mail, Can't Hardly Wait, Chasing Amy, Untamed Heart, While You Were Sleeping and Overnight Delivery.
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