It's a sad day for fans of film, chick flicks, witty musings and the pairing of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks- Nora Ephron passed away at the age of 71 after a battle with leukemia. She was incredibly talented and inspired so many great filmmakers and writers- including this (not so great) blog.
It was this article about romantic comedies that inspired me to write about movies in the first place. This scene that still makes me tear up no matter how many times I watch it. And this movie, my very favorite of all time, that encouraged me to see my best guy friend in a different light and, as Harry and Sally say "and then we fell in love."
This winter, I counted down my favorite Nora movies each Tuesday.
I was reminded of this after catching the last 20 minutes of Cast Away at the beach this week. It's an exhausting movie, but is this part not the most romantic scene in movie history??
Unlike Chuck Noland, I am sad to leave the sun and sand behind as I return from vacation. But just as tells Kelly, " You have to go home."
In 2009, I visited NYC for the first time on a family girls trip. We were able to be in the audience of Live! With Regis and Kelly and Ray Romano was one of the guests. He came out and started talking being a New York native. When he started to mention that his brother still lived in the area and was a teacher in Queens, several women sitting in front of us started screaming. "We know your brother!!!" they squealed. Ray actually chatted with them for a moment, so of course I spent the rest of the show wondering what I could yell out that would get Kelly to put her aside her hosting duties to start a conversation with her new bff (me.)
When I got home from the trip I immediately played the show on my DVR to catch a glimpse of our television debut. I thought I could catch a glimpse of us in the cheering crowd, but we received much more screentime than that! We didn't realize that the camera panned to Ray's brother's friends and therefore, our faces, in the next row. My mom was making this face at them, like " Oh yeah, sure you know him"- sort of a pursed lips, completely cynical expression. And as I hit pause, there she was, on national tv, looking like she'd never heard anything more ridiculous in her life. And now, every time anyone gets a little skeptical, we refer to it as "the Ray Romano face."
What does this have to do with This Means War? Well, the movie is so absurd, so ridiculously unrealistic that its nearly impossible so sit through it and not make "the Ray Romano face." However, if you're like Mindy Kaling and myself and you "like watching people fall in love onscreen so much that you can suspend your disbelief in the contrived situations"- This Means War is incredibly entertaining!
It's a comedy, a romance, a lot of eye candy with Chris Pine AND Tom Hardy, an action film, and the best clothes we've seen in a chick flick in months!!! I have to admit I'm not usually a fan of Chelsea Handler but she was hilarious as the dirty mouthed best friend.
Let's review some of the sexy, cool, sophisticated looks of Reese in This Means War.
This leather jacket practically had a supporting role.
Here's my version of the look.
I think This Means War appeals to girls, guys, action fans, fashion lovers and maybe even Ray Romano's brother. (Yeah, right.)
This Means War, rated "PG-13," romantic comedy/action, starring Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy, "B"
Here are 14 reasons why you should watch Sleepless in Seattle on February 14. Or any Tuesday. Or everyday.
1. Nora directed and wrote the screenplay. Her voice also makes a cameo as the voice of "Disappointed In Denver" on Marcia Fieldstone's radio show.
2. Annie Reed's gorgeous hair. My first memory of this movie - I was 9 when it was released- is my mom trying to style my hair into thick braids and twisty ponytails. Apparently, I've aspired to look like a movie character for quite some time.
3. Bill Pullman as Annie's dorky, sweet, allergy stricken fiance, Walter. You know immediately that they're not meant for each other. I love that scene where she says
"Becky, I'm madly in love with Walter. He did the craziest thing the other night.What was that? Oh, it was so funny. We were hysterical. What was that? "
I once had a friend who talked about her boyfriend that way. I knew they were doomed.
4. Barbara Garrick as Victoria. She's so darn pushy and that damn laugh. How about when Annie sees Sam give his sister a big hug and thinks he's happy with Victoria?! Oh, I'm in such despair everytime I see it.
5. Tell me what was so special about your wife?
Well, how long is your program? Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together... and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home... only to no home I'd ever known... I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like... magic.
6. The million little things that mean Sam and Annie are meant to be this time around. She responds in unison with Sam as they listen to Dr. Marcia. He sees her in the airport and wants to follow her. She peels an apple in one, long curly strip just like his late wife. You just know they're meant for each other.
7. Rosie O'Donnell as Annie's bff and coworker, Becky. What can I say, I love best friends who you work with.
8. Rob Reiner as Sam's bff (do guys say bff? shall I say buddy?) and coworker. Mostly, for this: exchange:
What is "tiramisu"? You'll find out. Well, what is it? You'll see! Some woman is gonna want me to do it to her and I'm not gonna know what it is!
9. The soundtrack is perfection! Especially Joe Cocker's version of Bye Bye Blackbird- the song Jonah's mom used to sing to him as a lullaby.
10. This movie is a love letter to romantic movies and the epitome of a CFC philosophy. Without the example set by Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, we wouldn't be hoping, wishing, praying for Annie and Sam to find each other on top of the Empire State Building on Valentine's Day.
11. This scene might possibly be the best scene in the entire movie. This is what happens to me when I describe about any Nora Epfron movie, most Rachel McAdams movies, the Royal Wedding, and the occasional Justin Timberlake performance.
12. Meg Ryan as Annie Reed. Pretty, classy, a drinker of tea, and a woman who asks to be introduced to Jonah's teddy bear upon meeting him. She deserves to find the one and we know who it is! 13. It's Sam Baldwin of course! Still mourning his late wife, amusingly cynical about love but adorably nervous about dating again. A a great dad who needs to find love again but might miss out on his perfect match.
14. The last scene. You've waited the entire movie to see Sam and Annie meet and now they're leaving! Wait, what?!? How can this happen?
But then. . . "Shall we?" asks Sam. He reaches for Annie's hand. She takes it.Magic.
Well here we are for the first installment of Tuesdays with Nora. Now if I was actually counting down my fave Nora movies, this would probably be at the top of my list, as it is my very favorite movie of all time. Ms. Ephron wrote this movie herself, and also produced it. Because there's a few other movies that deserve some love in February, we're starting with When Harry Met Sally- which I wrote about for the first time in October.
Noticeably absent in my love letter to a romantic comedy I adore? Style! Do you know why I ignored it? Because Sally's clothes are HORRIBLE. The 80's was a great decade to be born in, if I do say so myself, but the fashion- atrocious! So big and overpowering and not at all flattering. The fact that Meg Ryan manages to look cute in this
and this
and this
just shows us that she is perhaps the most adorable actress of all time. Sally wears a lot of Annie Hall, menswear inspired looks and while I've never been a big fan of masculine dressing (not surprised?) I figured I'd try out a few looks in honor of Sally Albright.
Boyfriend cardigan
Blazer and cuffed trouser
Blazers, button-downs, and lace-up oxfords
One of the most unique (and most memorable) parts of When Harry Met Sally are all of the "how we met" vignettes featuring older couples reflecting on their relationship. I'm going to tell you something that's probably going to break your heart, but those are actors. They're not real people. Ugh, its hard to type. However, there is a silver lining! When Nora Ephron would get writer's block, she would interview people who worked for the production company. She liked some of their stories about meeting their spouse so much that she worked them into the screenplay and re-shot the scenes with actors.
Today was not my favorite day. I spent most of the afternoon in stress vortex over grad school and when I sat down to write this I thought about saying "Sally wore blazers and so did I. The end." But I just watched these sweet stories and now I feel wonderful. I love "how we met" stories because every couple has one. They might not be particularly funny or dramatic or romantic, but falling in love means at some point there was a look or a conversation or a moment that changed the rest of your life. If you don't know the story of how your parents or your grandparents or your neighbors met- ask them. Nora did and look what happened! She applied the rules of real life- to a romantic comedy.
A lot of people enjoy old movies because it takes them back to a different era when people were nicer and times were simpler. But I often find the opposite- sometimes older movies make you realize that things really haven't changed at all!
Let's talk about Miracle on 34th Street. And if you think I'm talking about the 1994 remake with Matilda then turn off your computer and turn on the original immediately. This movie is about a little girl who is too sensible to believe in Santa Claus, but if she did, really wishes Santa would bring her a real house and real family for Christmas. It's about her mother, a cynical divorcee who has tried to prevent her daughter from disappointment by discouraging her from ever believing in anything magical. Its about major department stores competing for shoppers during the holiday retail madness. Its about everyone's concern that Christmas is becoming more about materialistic items and less about the spirit of giving. This movie was made in 1947!! Doesn't that make you feel like maybe we're all going to be ok after all?
The real heart of this movie are the scenes between a very young and very adorable Natalie Wood as Susan Walker (yes, that's actually her name!!) and Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle- the real Santa!
"For the past 50 years or so I've been getting more and more worried about Christmas. Seems we're all so busy trying to beat the other fellow in making things go faster and look shinier and cost less that Christmas and I are sort of getting lost in the shuffle."- Kris Kringle, Miracle on 34th Street
But there's also a love story between Maureen O'Hara as Susan's mother, Doris and John Payne as Fred- the handsome lawyer who is also their neighbor. John not only goes to court attempting to prove that Mr. Kringle is the real Santa (and the scene with the bags of mail is just so clever!) but also tries to bring some Christmas spirit into the Walker's lives. Of course everyone gets their wish at the end, and Doris and Fred share quite the passionate (albeit old fashioned) very dramatic smooch!
This is a movie for children and adults, for thinkers and for dreamers, and for anyone with Christmas wishes.
"Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to . . . it's kindness and joy and love and all the other intangibles."- Fred Gailey, Miracle on 34th Street
Once in awhile, a movie comes along that completely confirms why I do this. And by "this" I mean occasionally blog about romantic comedies. New Year's Eve was universally panned by critics this weekend. One review called it "The cinematic equivalent of a glass of flat champagne." Well, guess what? I've been on a champagne high since seeing this movie on Friday- no hangover, all sweet, bubbly, holiday fun!
I've loved New Year's since I was old enough to stay up past midnight and have plans outside of the house that night. New Year's Eve is just so romantic in my opinion. Sure, Valentine's Day you're obligtated to hang out with your honey if you have one, or get bitterly drunk with your girlfriends if you don't. But on New Year's you get to party with people you know and people you've just met. At midnight you can smooch your spouse, best friend, or some random guy who you bumped into on the dance floor. Anything can happen- its a new year! It is magical and sparkly and exciting!
So considering my affection for the holiday, romantic comedies, and celebrities, is it any wonder that I adored this movie? Okay, it starts a bit slow, and I know its totally unrealistic, but my criticism ends there. I can't decide which storyline I loved the most. . . dreamy Zac Efron as a party boy/courier? Dreamy Jon Bon Jovi as a rockstar afraid of commitment?
Dreamy Josh Duhamel as a ladies man looking for love?
Sigh. Its so fun to see how all of the plot lines wrap up and as an added bonus there are even more celebrities then you see in the previews!
New Year's Eve is cute holiday magic that left me with a smile on my face and a tear in my eye. What else could I want?
Well, maybe a midnight kiss from Zac Efron.
New Year's Eve, rated "PG-13," romantic comedy, starring EVERYONE (squee!!), B
Happy Thanksgiving! If you're reading this, chances are you know me very well and I love you a lot so I'm thankful for you! If you don't know me- I'm thankful you are reading this!
Now I'm not at all trying to downplay the spirit of Thanksgiving. I am absurdly thankful for the people and opportunities that have allowed me the life that I have. But since this blog is usually pretty lighthearted (except when crying over celebrities) I wanted to focus on something . . . well . . . a bit more materialistic. Sometimes aren't you really thankful for something you own? Is that just me? Don't judge. So as an ode to some of the things I love and possibly as a holiday shopping guide, I present to you . . .
CFC's Favorite Things
( also known as all of the materialistic crap that I'm thankful for)
Sometimes I can't believe I got through 10+ years of regular running without this. To know how far I am running AND how fast . . . to have a running watch that looks legit, yet still a subtle bit of pink . . . it is a joy to use everyday.
When you graduate from college, it is a requirement that you develop some sort of morning caffeine routine. Maybe you were more hip and developed this in college? But I'm willing to bet you just got some absurd Starbucks beverage when you had to study. Anyways, coffee in the morning makes me so jittery and sweaty palmed that by 4pm I inevitably have to lay down and take some smelling salts. It's very Victorian. Anyways, I started drinking tea when everyone started drinking coffee and I never looked back. I've become a bit of a tea snob, and really only drink loose leaf tea when I can. And Adagio is the best of the best! I like to rotate the flavors in my cup per season- lemon and rasberry in the summer, cinnamon spice in the fall, and I am currently enjoying gingerbread this morning!
Sex and the City - the complete series DVDs
Well this is a gift that keeps on giving. Sure, SATC is now replaying on E! and the Style network, but who wants to watch it completely censored (which pretty much means sans Samantha?) Not me! I got this for Christmas the year the movie came out and watched every single episode in a row before I saw the first film in theaters. When those girls appeared on screen I almost teared up at seeing old friends again! But these discs are great for a lazy Sunday on the couch recovering from a night out, when nothing is on tv, or for those terrible first few days when you move somewhere and don't have cable yet.
Jessica Simpson- Waleo Pumps
I think we can all agree on one of life's greatest mysteries. How can Jessica Simpson have a successful clothing line with shoes that I LOVE yet have the worst personal style of all time? I don't know! What I do know is that I love these shoes. They come in rich, gorgeous colors and are the perfect mix between demure pumps and GaGa-esque towering booties. I have them in royal blue and leopard print and I'll tell you more about them later.
Frye Daisy Duke Cowboy Boots
I've posted about these here and here, but seriously . . . if you own red cowboy boots you automatically feel like a movie star. Or someone who owns reds cowboy boots.
In my ongoing quest to transform into Kelly Ripa I have developed a fairly regular routine of Physique 57. I know its not the same as being in the class, but its by far the best workout dvds I've ever owned. I'm not much closer to looking like Kelly, but at least I can say I tried.
Frizz Ease Hair Serum
Before and After (with a better hair cut and styling tools too). Enough said.
My favorite romantic comedy I've seen in years starring the sexiest man alive. (Take that Bradley and Ryan!) Out of dvd this Friday!
Regal Cinemas Gift Card
No need to complain that you don't know what to see when you have CFC! Also no need to complain that you don't want to spend the money when you have a gift card! Feel free to send some my way and I would be happy to review some more movies for you!
And as Thanksgiving ends . . . Christmas begins! Here's a few more of my favorite things. What are yours?
I'm a fairly nosy person. Once upon a time "being nosy" was one of my facebook interests, along with "movies that make me cry." We'll get to those later... I just want to make a point that I love unexpected peeks into someone's life. And that's what "Crazy, Stupid, Love" provided.
I felt like I getting a glimpse of major moments and touching heartbreaks of people's lives. I didn't know everything about these people, but I loved feeling like they were real people and I was a nosy neighbor, taking it all in.
If you've watched the trailer you know all you need to about the plot of the movie. I should warn you.. it starts out a little slow. You're interested in all of the characters and their lives, but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Then suddenly a crucial scenes makes everything you just watched really matter.
I want to mention that Steve Carrell is fantastic as a leading man. He made me laugh and cry, and I never once felt like I was in a staff meeting at Dunder Mifflin. And Ryan Gosling.... wow. His sexy, confident and mysterious ladies man is definitely my favorite of his roles since NoahCalhoun.
"Crazy, Stupid, Love" is so funny and interesting.... but most of all it is surprising. I laughed out loud and gasped in shock with the rest of the theater. And of course, I shed a few tears. The movie is about what happens to people when they are in love. Laughing, crying, and finding yourself absolutely, unexpectedly breathless? Sounds like love to me.
Crazy, Stupid, Love, rated "PG-13," romantic comedy/drama, starring Steve Carrell, Julianne Moore, and Ryan Gosling. A-
1. They are just my opinion. And I'm not very picky.
2. I will not give away the plot of the movie. Nothing annoys me more than reading the critic's reviews, then seeing the movie and anticipating every scene because I already read about it.
3. I'm giving letter grades because that works for me. There will be no grading curve.
I was so excited to see Friends with Benefits. The trailer looked hilarious and most importantly, Justin Randall Timberlake is my all time favorite celebrity crush. I can't say I was completely blown away by his work in The Social Network, although he is always adorably humorous on SNL. Regardless, JT in his first rom com was something I was not going to miss!
I saw FWB the weekend it came out with my friend Lauren. It was , as I tweeted Justin afterwards, "funny, sexy, and smart!" (He didn't tweet back.) Justin and Mila have real chemistry as Dylan and Jamie- friends who get it on and try to stay drama free. The movie is very "now" and I know I'll enjoy watching it in a few years and remembering some of the pop culture references. "Friends with Benefits" is rated "R" for a reason- we definitely get a view of the benefits! (aka Justin's cute butt)
Most of all, I loved the character development of Dylan and Jamie. Yes, we get to watch some hilarious and at times swoon-worthy love scenes, but there is a legitimate storyline that encourages you to root for them. As my mom said when she called me to discuss the movie "there was a lot more meat to it than I expected!" Thats what she said mom, thats what she said.
Friends with Benefits, rated "R", romantic comedy, starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. B
