If I could go back to any decade it would be the ’80s, but unlike Michael J. Fox I never found an old man who made a time machine out of a DeLorean. So I’m forced to watch one of my favorite decades through movies, horrible music videos (I’m looking at you Paula), and of course thrift store shopping for bright-colored leggings (they’re still in, right?).
Luckily, the ’80s seem to be making a comeback, I know, I know I’m as surprised as you are. And although I am all set with shoulder pads, it is nice to finally have other people appreciating the artfully crafted movies from that time period.
While getting a much-needed pedicure the other day (seriously, I felt bad for the poor girl who had to get up close and personal with my gnarly feet), I found myself watching (and sobbing with) The Notebook. I don’t know why, but my neighborhood nail salon has multiple plasma TVs that are constantly showing chic-flicks. And I like it. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a woman massaging your feet while you immerse yourself in The Proposal. But I digress.
Obviously, most girls will agree that The Notebook is the most romantic movie of all time. We love the passion, the romance, and idea of ever-lasting love. We cry every. single. time, we watch it. We want our very own Noah, a guy who wants us badly enough that he’ll dangle from a Ferris wheel just to ask us out.
I’m with you, sisters; I watched that movie alone on a Friday night once and sobbed into a large order of Pad Thai. And that was my 6th viewing. But yesterday when I watched it again (yes, I stayed at the nail place for 2 hours so I could see the whole thing), I actually got a little angry.
One of the most endearing parts of the movie is when Noah is chasing Allie, trying to ask her out. He hits on her, follows her, risks his life to ask her on a date, shows up wherever she is and even comes up with a sneaky plan to surprise her with a double date at the movies. Eventually she gives in and 10 minutes later, they are madly in love, smushing ice cream in each other’s faces and kissing it off.
As a woman, I watch that and daydream about having someone want me enough that he’d do just about anything to get close to me. I find it sweet and romantic; Noah knows what he wants and goes for it. The same happened with Patrick in 10 Things I Hate About You, Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything, and countless other dudes in every other romantic comedy ever.
Chick-flicks have always been my favorite excuse for simultaneously whining and crying about my lack of a boyfriend, and also day-dreaming about improbable romantic movie scenes happening to me.
Even though we usually tear up (or start flat-out bawling, depending on your current romantic situation), no girl can resist the chick-flick. Or, more accurately, the dreamboat main characters that make our hearts swoon for 90 minutes (and then again when we watch the DVD alone on a Friday night and cry into a bowl of Thai food). Those boys are just so…perfect. And I can already tell – because I’ve watched the trailer 47 times – that John in Dear John is going to be the same way. I mean, he’s the quintessential bad boy with a heart (and rock hard abs). And have you seen him crying in the commercials?
I get all hot and bothered just thinking about it.
Which is almost the same reaction I have to these 10 mega-hunks – the hottest, sweetest, greatest and most adorable chick-flick leading men of all time. What girl wouldn’t fall in love with (and possibly have to change her pants after thinking about) these boys? Read More »
I remember watching Say Anything with my sister when I was a kid and wondering if all men were as sweet as Lloyd Dobbler, standing outside a girl’s house with a boom box over his head. Obviously I had a rude awakening when I got to dating age and realized that high school guys were actually kinda jerks. I never got a big romantic gesture, Valentines, or even a cute note in class.
After meeting Matt in college and falling in love, I realized that those high school boys were still pretty eh, but I also learned that it doesn’t take some grand romantic gesture to be a sweet guy. It’s all the little things Matt does for me that really mean the most.
Last week I was in Wisconsin for my grandpa’s funeral. Since it was such short notice, my mom couldn’t afford to fly Matt up with me so he stayed at home while I was gone for a week. When I finally returned to Texas, I was coming down the elevator at the airport to meet him and he walked up the escalator just so he could give me a kiss and a hug a little bit earlier. He totally swept me off my feet, and with him just being his usual impatient self.
I’ve learned that guys don’t really like the big romantic gestures because most of the time they’re afraid they’ll either: A. screw it up somehow, B. embarrass themselves, C. get rejected, or D. all of the above. So honestly, the big romantic things are pretty rare, and while that means they should still be valued when they DO come along, you have to pay attention and enjoy the smaller things.
I for one love to get the random text at 2 in the afternoon that just says “i love you” when I’ve been having a bad day. It turns my entire day around from crappy to awesome. Or when Matt lets me have the last Dr. Pepper in the fridge. Such a gentlemen! I’ve learned not to expect amazing over-the-top romantic nights from Matt and I’m perfectly happy with that. As women we need to stop putting so much pressure on men to be romantic when just letting them be them can make us so much happier. Read More »
Do you ever listen to music that’s completely ridiculous? (Editor’s Note: Does Miley count?) To the point that you start feeling ridiculous and maybe even hide the fact that you listen to other people? (Editor’s Note: Miley definitely counts.) Or just sorta wonder what’s going on in the artist’s head?
OK, so clearly I can’t hide what I’ve been listening to this week – and I’ve already admitted previously to liking Demi Lovato – but that doesn’t mean this week’s new releases didn’t have me scratching my head a bit. And while that’s actually kind of what I’ve come to expect from Weezer and Say Anything, I was a little thrown by my homegirl, Carrie Underwood. Don’t get me wrong, she makes some amusing music, but have you ever stopped to listen to the lyrics?
Why does Carrie Underwood hang out with so many crappy men? Girlfriend needs some help! Read More »
A while back, the editor of this very site put out a query: “Give me a Top 10 list of your favorite High School Movies.” I told her I wanted in – after all, who doesn’t love to indulge in a little HS drama? So I sat down and started listing. Only I discovered that including just 10 was more impossible than winning 8 medals in one Olympic games. And I am no Michael Phelps.
So, I listed 10. The first list of what would soon become many. After posting, many of you seemed quite angry with my decisions. Your comments were full of ALL CAPS and lots of exclamation points!!!! You were upset that I had left some classics off the list. Perhaps you didn’t notice the “Part 1″ in the title, or perhaps you just needed everyone to know of your love of The Breakfast Club.
Not that it mattered; I was clearly coming back for round 2. So here it is – another 10 gloriously angsty high school flicks. Get that Smart Pop ready, ladies; these high school dramas are gonna rock your lockers! Read More »
While talking to a good guy friend recently I said something about standing outside his bedroom window with a boom box to get his attention (he doesn’t have a door buzzer), and he immediately shot back with a long rant against the movie I was referring to, Say Anything.
Very few women I know actually saw the Cameron Crowe directed film in theaters. It was released in 1989; I was four, and more interested in Mr. Rogers than Mr. Perfect. But now I can’t even count the number of times I’ve seen the film, and each time I watch it I fall in love with John Cusack’s character, Lloyd Dobler, again. This is why I couldn’t understand why my friend, we’ll call him S, loathed the film, and especially Lloyd, so completely. He said the film was cheesy, the plot unrealistic, and that the character I loved so much was moronic.
I’m going to call this disconnect between the way I feel about Say Anything, and the way S feels about Say Anything, “The Lloyd Dobler Factor.” What is it about the film that I love and that my friend just can’t wrap his straight male head around?
Lloyd loves Ione Skye’s character Diane so completely he braves her overprotective (and criminal) father to get her, and he does that adorable boom box thing (the only time a Peter Gabriel song will ever be okay) to win back her affection after they hit a rough spot. Lloyd says things like, “I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen,” and tells Dad: “What I really want to do with my life – what I want to do for a living – is I want to be with your daughter. I’m good at it.” What’s not to love? Read More »
Bust out the Jiffy Pop b*tches, we’re about to take a stroll down memory lane.
Movies aren’t always just entertainment, and though these films seemed like harmless teen flicks at the time, I see clearly now that they’ve truly effected my maturation into adulthood. Plus, they’re awesome.
1. CAN’T HARDLY WAIT
To this day, I still have a girl crush on Jennifer Love Hewitt. I mean, who didn’t want to be her when this move came out? Plus, Ethan Embry = adorable and Lauren Ambrose = truly kick ass. Read More »
While getting a much-needed pedicure the other day (seriously, I felt bad for the poor girl who had to get up close and personal with my gnarly feet), I found myself watching (and sobbing with) The Notebook. I don’t know why, but my neighborhood nail salon has multiple plasma TVs that are constantly showing chic-flicks. And I like it. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a woman massaging your feet while you immerse yourself in The Proposal. But I digress.
I remember watching Say Anything with my sister when I was a kid and wondering if all men were as sweet as Lloyd Dobbler, standing outside a girl’s house with a boom box over his head. Obviously I had a rude awakening when I got to dating age and realized that high school guys were actually kinda jerks. I never got a big romantic gesture, Valentines, or even a cute note in class.
While talking to a good guy friend recently I said something about standing outside his bedroom window with a boom box to get his attention (he doesn’t have a door buzzer), and he immediately shot back with a long rant against the movie I was referring to, Say Anything.
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