I love "Chick Flicks"! There. I said it. Really, this is what my entire blog is about, but it has taken me 3 years to really come out and say it. I don't like violence in film. I don't like unhappy endings. I like comedy. Not slapstick or crude comedy but really witty and fun comedy, interspersed with a bit of really great plot and dialogue. Oooooooh yes, dialogue. Words, words and more words. Why are we afraid to ask for what we want to see? Why isn't there an entire film company run by women and dedicated to making the kind of films we like to see?
Let's stand up and demand good films that we want to see. Good quality entertainment for women is really important. It makes us feel better. It helps us cope with the difficulties we face every single day. Pride and Prejudice 1995 helped me deal with a mild case of postpartum depression after the birth of my second child. It was really important to me. I am crying as I write this. And yes, a good cry every once in a while is really great. Necessary even.
I am not going to say much more except that we really need to let the makers of film and TV know what we want to see, and that we have the money to pay for it. And for the few wonderful men who read my blog and have exquisite taste in film, join us too! The world will be a better and happier place with more of these films in it.
There, rant over. Now if you would like to hear someone talk who has much more knowledge of the film industry than I do, here is the Youtube video of Lindsay Doran, the Producer of Sense and Sensibility 1995 and someone who has been making films for us for decades, this is a link for her TEDx talk on Saving the World vs Kissing the Girl.
And Happy International Women's Day my friends. Feel free to post your fave "chick flicks" in the comments below and tell us all which films lift your spirits or give you a really great cry when you need it.
Hugs to all!!!!
Here are links to my IMDb lists:
Thanks Jenny! I keep thinking you can read my mind :-)
ReplyDeleteI can pretty much remember all the high and low points by either movies or music. And much of the music was from film.
Cheers.
Hello Olga! Glad we are so in synch! My sister claims I am getting rather feminist in my middle age and I think she is correct. Hurrah for film and music which helps us to feel, whether it be high or low. Cheers right back!
DeleteI agree wholeheartedly! Frankly I've had enough tragedy, and watching it onscreen just makes me feel ill. Give me Jane Austen or a Meg Ryan romcom any day; on that note, let's see ... faves ... Pride & Prejudice (Firth/Ehle); all other P&Ps; Sense & Sensibility (1995); Persuasion; You've Got Mail/Sleepless in Seattle; Bridget Jones; The Holiday; How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days; Sweet Home Alabama; The Princess Diaries; What A Girl Wants; Last Holiday; A Cinderella Story; Bring It On; Ever After; 10 Things I Hate About You; Notting Hill; Under the Tuscan Sun; Becoming Jane. Recently I liked The Decoy Bride and, at a different level, Love Surreal.
ReplyDelete-Jennifer (a fellow "Jenny" to my family)
Hello fellow Jenny,
DeleteThanks for your faves. There are a few I haven't seen as well as lots of my faves too. I'll have to check them out as we obviously share taste in film!
Cheers!
Yes, I love feel-good movies, but I feel cheated when the story is lame--not all chick flicks are good flicks, and so I don't want filmmakers to think that we are easy-pickings either!
ReplyDeleteFor example, I still roll my eyes when I think of The Lake House--sorry, but there's just so much I can swallow. And most of the Hallmark movies leave me cold--I hate to feel manipulated.
Give me Shirley Valentine over schmaltz any day.
That said, these are the movies that got me through 11 weeks of bed rest when I was pregnant with my twins 19 years ago. I think a social scientist could do a research paper on the health affects of rom-coms. :)
Hi Jane! Yes, I should have noted that we don't want some of the crappy chick flicks that are marketed our way (yes, I'm looking at you Kate Hudson and all your bride films). I never saw The Lake House but I did catch Sandy B in Two Weeks Notice again on TV last night. That one is just hilarious, even though it was pretty formulaic. Chemistry is everything!
DeleteI would love to still be in University at this point. There is a PhD thesis on RomComs and psychological heath that is waiting to be written. I could totally do some hard core research on that! :)
I am a big fan of happy and romantic films too.
ReplyDeleteI love, Serendipity, While You Were Sleeping, The Young Victoria, Sliding Doors, Bridget Jones's Diary, The Parent Trap, Sleepless In Seattle, You've Got Mail, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, The Paradise and many more! I don't violent or horror films
Hi Kate. I was thinking of you as I wrote this post. You have mentioned before how both certain films and certain books (Jane Eyre) help you feel better when you are low. Thanks for the list. I luuuuuurve Sliding Doors, even though I'm not a real Gwyneth fan. And I can't wait to see The Paradise!
DeleteHi Jenny, Thank you for thinking of me :) Yes, when I am feeling low, I love to read Jane Eyre and lots of nice books. I also love watch nice films with happy endings. I get a lot of pleasure out of doing nice simple things :) It's funny that you're not a big fan of Gwyneth and that you love Sliding Doors because I feel the same way! :) I really hope The Paradise comes to Canda. I think you will love it! I do and let me know if you like Mr. Moray! ;) Hugs
DeleteJenny,
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've seen you mention the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Have you seen it? http://www.lizziebennet.com/ It's a modernized video blog (each episode is 3-5 minutes) that "Lizzie" began as a school project. I thought it would be silly at first, but it's actually quite clever--especially in how certain aspects of the story are updated. And it has the best Bingley I've seen. And there are only four episodes left! Any Pride & Prejudice fan should check it out.
Hi Janeheiress, I really need to check out the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I watched one episode on YouTube but obviously not enough to get hooked. I will give it a go as it sounds like something we could all get behind. Great to see the younguns are so creative and clever! The future is secure!
DeleteYou know “sense & sensibility” is my favorite option among the list of the best chick flicks. I like it the most because it is showing the extraordinary performance of two ladies in some unique way. I really like the concept also used here in the movie.
ReplyDelete