Welcome to Café Chaos. Grab a cup of coffee or tea (we prefer coffee) and join us for a chat. Every Saturday we’ll offer recommendations for movie lovers. Feel free to comment on our picks or to throw in a few of your own. We’re listening! SIS Barb says:
The other night I couldn't get to sleep. This is not a typical problem for me. Usually, I am so beat, I'm in bed and asleep by 10pm--Even on the weekends. I do wake up several times a night though and now that I think about that, maybe that's why I'm so tired by the end of the day. Anyway, I was channel surfing and I came across a movie I'd heard a lot about and really wanted to see when it was in the theaters, but that never happened. So, wide awake me watched it, commercials and all and stayed up to the wee hours of the morning to finish it.
My Pick of the Week: The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Based on a true story about a man named Chris Gardner and his struggles to pay his bills and raise his son after his wife leaves him when they come upon hard times. Follow Chris (played by Will Smith) and his son, Christopher (played phenomenally by Will's real life son, Jaden Smith) as they stick together and fight to get off the streets after they lose their home. The story of Chris Gardner is inspiring and moving, showing us that you can never give up if you want to persevere.
SIS Bren says...
Beth gave me the idea to choose a romantic comedy this week. Instantly, a movie popped into my head and it made me smile. It's been a long time since I've seen this movie, but now that I've thought of it, I'll be stopping by Blockbuster soon to view it again. I can't believe I don't have it in my collection.
My Pick of the Week: When Harry Met Sally (1989)
From IMDb: Harry and Sally meet when she gives him a ride to New York after they both graduate from the University of Chicago. The film jumps through their lives as they both search for love, but fail, bumping into each other time and time again. Finally a close friendship blooms between them, and they both like having a friend of the opposite sex. But then they are confronted with the problem: "Can a man and a woman be friends, without sex getting in the way?"
SIS Beth says…
Two of my favorite things. 1) People falling in love 2) Laughter
No surprise that one of my favorite genres of film is Romantic Comedy. The thing is, really great, well-written, well-acted, clever romantic comedies are hard to come by these days. Some of the best romantic comedies came out of the 1930s and 40s. Films starring Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Myrna Loy, William Powell, Jean Harlow . . . I could go on. There were some gems from later decades as well, but lately . . . I always have the highest hopes for a new romantic comedy, but usually I’m disappointed. Sometimes though, sometimes I come across a romantic comedy that so woos and amuses me, I find myself watching it again and again. This week I have two picks and, so weird, I just learned they were released in the same year!
My Pick(s) of the Week: French Kiss (1995) and While You Were Sleeping (1995)
French Kiss stars Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan. It’s hilarious, yet there were several moments that tugged at my heart strings. I felt Kline’s character falling in love with Ryan. Clever writing, wonderful acting and fabulous chemistry. Pure magic.
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While You Were Sleeping stars Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. I adore this movie. Though there are several light-hearted moments, it’s more sweet than laugh-out-loud funny. Fantastic characterization. Wonderful acting and chemistry and top-notch writing.
All I can say is, I aspire to write romantic comedies like these.
Two of my favorite things. 1) People falling in love 2) Laughter
No surprise that one of my favorite genres of film is Romantic Comedy. The thing is, really great, well-written, well-acted, clever romantic comedies are hard to come by these days. Some of the best romantic comedies came out of the 1930s and 40s. Films starring Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Myrna Loy, William Powell, Jean Harlow . . . I could go on. There were some gems from later decades as well, but lately . . . I always have the highest hopes for a new romantic comedy, but usually I’m disappointed. Sometimes though, sometimes I come across a romantic comedy that so woos and amuses me, I find myself watching it again and again. This week I have two picks and, so weird, I just learned they were released in the same year!
My Pick(s) of the Week: French Kiss (1995) and While You Were Sleeping (1995)
French Kiss stars Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan. It’s hilarious, yet there were several moments that tugged at my heart strings. I felt Kline’s character falling in love with Ryan. Clever writing, wonderful acting and fabulous chemistry. Pure magic.
.
While You Were Sleeping stars Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. I adore this movie. Though there are several light-hearted moments, it’s more sweet than laugh-out-loud funny. Fantastic characterization. Wonderful acting and chemistry and top-notch writing.
All I can say is, I aspire to write romantic comedies like these.
Posts
8 comments:
Harry Met Sally and While You Were Sleeping are two of my favs. I wish they had more smart romantic comedies like that. It seems so many are dumbed down now. I loved The Proposal. I decided not to see Sandra Bullock's newest one, All About Steve. From what I've read, it's the dumbed down version.
And I love ST romances that do it well, like Susan Elizabeth Phillips' books. I wish my mind worked that way, but it doesn't.
Big waves to Edie!
I'm with you. I have such a hard time with Romantic Comedies because they are so dumb. Why is that the trend these days? It's disappointing to say the least.
SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi
The Pursuit of Happyness had great message and great acting. And romantic comedies, when done well, is one of my fave genres. I love Sandra Bullock's comedies, especially Miss Congeniality and The Proposal, but I'm with Edie on All About Steve - from what I've heard and seen from the trailer, I'd rather not see it.
Hi Olga,
Yes, the message in The Pursuit of Happyness should be everyones daily motto. Wouldn't we all be in a better place if we pushed ourselves to succeed and to overcome?
SIS Barb
Barb, I haven't seen 'The Pursuit of Happyness' yet, but it is on my TBV (to be viewed) list! I remember when I saw the previews, I cried. Then again, I'm a huge sentimental sap.
Bren, 'When Harry Met Sally' is one of my all time favorites. Soooo many great scenes. So many awesoem lines. And Billy Crystal, who I never really thought of as a romantic lead) was PERFECT with Meg Ryan. Magic!
Edie, you said it. They dumb down today's comedies. Smart rom-coms are few and far between going all the way back to 2000. It's sad. I find I'm rarely disappointed in anything starring Sandra Bullock or Hugh Grant. They seem to hone in on the best scripts (Although, I'll pass on ALL ABOUT STEVE). Have you seen MUSIC AND LYRICS starring High Grant and Drew Barrymore? I real charmer. At first it seemed like a piece of fluff, but very shortly into it I started to connect big time with both the hero and heroine. They had believable issues and depth. A surpise hit with me!
SIS Beth
Olga, 'Miss Congeniality' makes me laugh out loud everytime I see it. And I've seen it A LOT! Have you seen 'Two Weeks Notice' starring Sandra and Hugh Grant. Very cute!
SIS Beth
In ref. to Barb's insomniatic channel surfing, I'll add that (having done the same on MANY occasions) some of my best Movie/TV moments come when I arrive upon some "drive-in" memory from my distant past, the Saturday night Summer trip to the drive-in movies being one of my fondest. This week I came upon:
"The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao," starring Tony Randall (in no less than actually EIGHT roles, all with Oscar-winning make-up) and Barbara Eden (just before she started living in a bottle). A wonderfully rich colorful fantasy, a still-viable morality tale, less cheese than the norm for 1964 and bearer of the great line, "The whole world is a circus, if you know how to look at it." 'Nuff said! Happy Holiday!
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