What I've Been Watching

One of my very best friends is moving away from Atlanta back to the frozen north, and, before she left, we had a movie marathon, consisting of four films, and then I watched one more when I got home that night. I'm thinking that since I'll be watching a lot more movies and television shows, I would occasionally post little roundups of what I've been watching.

Bend It Like Beckham

I think most people will agree with me that this is a classic in its own special, not that old sort of way. I rewatch this probably every year, because it's just so much fun. The whole Bollywood/Hollywood mashup thing really works for me, and I really wish there were more movies like this. Honestly, I can never decide how I feel about the romance. I really wish I knew how old Joe is. Also, his behavior at the end when he's playing cricket with her dad is so preppy and gross.

Drinking Game: Drink every time Jonathan Rhys Meyers looks more attractive than he does creepy.

John Tucker Must Die

Obviously, I love teen comedies. Sure, they're utterly predictable and everything, but they can be so funny. In John Tucker Must Die, three girls discover they've been dating the same guy and bring the new girl into a scheme to make him pay. They essentially do a She's All That on her, only with an endgame of breaking his heart. The movie is hilarious and all around surprisingly good, playing up stereotypes only to show that everyone has depths.

Drinking Game: Drink every time Kate is lacking in self-esteem.

The Princess Diaries

Y'all, I know it's not cool to like the movie adaptation more than the book, but this is one instance where I super do. I love Meg Cabot, but her Princess Diaries books disappoint me. The movie has all of the charm, but makes awesome improvements, like replacing a chain-smoking, bitchy grandmother with a Julie Andrews grandmother. FOR THE WIN. Also, the guy from Rooney makes the perfect Michael, and Anne Hathaway is the cutest.

Drinking Game: Drink every time Mia does something clumsy or embarassing.

A Room with a View

I could never tell you my favorite book, but this, right here, is my favorite movie. I just LOVE every bit of it, and, while I know it wouldn't work for everyone, it gets me every time. The book's wonderful too, but I like it filmed even more. Also, you get to see Helena Bonham Carter as a baby! She's so freaking young in this movie. Other stellar cast members: Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Daniel Day Lewis.

Drinking Game: Drink every time Charlotte complains about something.

I'm with Lucy

The relationship dynamics in A Room with a View, not realizing for so long what the heroine is looking for in a guy, got me thinking about this movie, so I went home and watched it. On a lot of levels, this is a really strange movie, and one I suspect a lot of people would not appreciate at all. However, this totally lived up to the rewatch, and I still find it powerful, even if the ending gets a bit cheesier than I would have liked. So what happens is that Lucy goes on a bunch of blind dates, and the movie skips from date to date, alternating through them. They all go really differently, and I like that she learns something from each and that things don't always go as she'd expected at the beginning. There are some clever interconnections, like the spilling of drinks. This could have been better, but I really like it.

Drinking Game: Drink whenever one of the guys acts like an asshole.

Literally the ONLY gif of this film. It's like the internet
is sticking it's tongue out at me.