Chick Flick

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

So, not only did two of the blogs I read write about Chick Flicks this week, EW also had an article in the latest edition. AND I watched Enchanted for the first time yesterday afternoon. So, since it seems to be a current hot topic, I figured I'd do a bit of thinking on them as well.

I should start off by declaring that I am, by no means, an expert on such things. I don't watch chick flicks often, for two reasons: one, I don't really have other female friends with whom I am close, and two, I don't really care for the dumb storylines many of them hold.

• 27 Dresses. I love weddings. I was actually rather disappointed with the storyline, as I really have no compassion for most love stories.
  
• Sex and the City. Saw it against my will. But, my best friend B wanted to go, so I was there. I didn't understand it, as I had never seen the television show.
  
• The Women. Saw it because I was interested in seeing a film done completely with females, working hard to make sure male extras were not even included. The storyline was rather typical, and Debra Messing's character was strange.
  
• Mamma Mia! because I love musicals, and am a fan of the soundtrack. Want to talk about a lame plot, omg. But, it's a jukebox musical, so that's what is to be expected.
• Nights in Rodanthe. Saw it with my best friend T, hoping it would be good. I was disappointed.
• Bride Wars is on my to-see list. Confessions of a Shopoholic is not. and neither is He's just not that into You, which every girl in my high school seemed to have read.
  

Let's talk old-school.

• I can only watch part of Pretty in Pink, because all the damn pink freaks me out.
  
• I do love Sixteen Candles and the chemistry between Molly Ringwald and Jake Ryan.
  
• I loathed every minute I had to sit through The Notebook, as it was utterly stupid. There is no reason to love that movie. There is no reason to cry uncontrollably. The story reminded me of Big Fish. I can't believe I was actually talked into it.
  
• I couldn't handle watching all of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and I've started it at least three or four times. It's just a snooze.
  
• I fell asleep during Hitch
• Grease is one of my all-time favorite movies, easily in my Top 20. I have some of the songs on my gym playlists for my Zune.
  
• Flashdance Just can not get into it, regardless of how much I love the dancing parts, especially "Maniac."
  
• Footloose and I are pretty much inseparable, and not because of the obsession with Kevin Bacon from which many people suffer. I know a bunch of the choreography from the musical, LoL (although I must admit the dance audition piece is starting to fade)
• Dirty Dancing, which I only care for part of -- the dancing parts. I hate the "romantic" parts of the film, mostly because I find them extremely cheesy.
• Pretty Woman, which many see as quite the epitome of a chick flick, does not keep my interest. I've sat through the whole thing, but I can't pay attention to that garbage, even if my beloved Julia Roberts is the star.
• Father of the Bride (both the original and the sequel) are favorites. I love them both and turn them on whenever they're on. And Annie was so pretty, I wish she had done other films.
• A League of their Own, which I watched at my girl scout leader's house for my friend's ninth birthday. I hated it that first time, but now I love it, and can be caught with the dvd in my player from time to time.
• It Could Happen to You is also boring to me. The premise is good, the actual movie, notsomuch.
• Now and Then. When I was twelve or so and it came out, I wanted to see it soooo bad. I didn't see it until sometime in the mid 2000s, and I thought it was a letdown.
  
• Let's not forget The American President. I'm pretty much addicted to it, and I'm sure I've seen it ten times. With as much as it is on TBS, I still own it on dvd, LoL.
  
• Clueless. now here's a film that is undeniably chick flick that I absolutely love. The television show: loved it even more.
  
• Legally Blonde. same thing as Clueless, but replace "television show" with "stage musical." And add in the fact that my husband likes this one.
  
• Jerry Maguire. was given the dvd as a gift sometime in the middle of undergrad. HATED it. So much so that I'm kinda ashamed that I own the dvd.
• My Best Friend's Wedding... crap.
  
• Romy & Michele. I think it is really funny. So does my brother. And we like the movie sheerly for its comic relief.
  
• um, Titanic. duh. in my top ten favorites, easily. maaaaybe even top five. mostly for the costumes and art direction, let's not lie. but I do love me some Leonardo DiCaprio, even if he's not the cute badkid he was in that final season of Growing Pains.
• City of Angels. I can't believe the soundtrack is SO GOOD for a movie that is SO BAD. shut up and get yourself together, you cry too much if you cry at this movie.
• Meet Joe Black. love the concept of the film. love the dialogue in the film. the romance, no.
  
• What Dreams May Come. My family rented this when I was in high school. it could not keep my attention if I was being paid. snore city.
  
• Never Been Kissed. it's good. it's so good. it was sold out the first two times I went to see it, and had to wait all too long to see it. The storyline is unique, the last thirty minutes have some amazing lines, and the costumes at the Prom are beautiful. And it does indeed make me cry when Drew Barrymore stood on the pitcher's mound and the clock counts down before her prince arrives.
• What Women Want. man did this look good. And I also really hoped that it would re-launch Ashley Johnson's career. And it failed big time, on both counts.
• The Wedding Planner. are you kidding me? Jennifer Lopez can't do a good movie to save her life.
  
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding. again, love the weddings. and I have a special place in my heart for weddings with cultural flair, so this is a-okay in my book.
  
• Mona Lisa Smile. I actually love this one so much that I am planning to own it one of these days. I just think it's so fantastic, and such a great and true testament to the historic truth of women in college.
  
• you know, 50 First Dates actually caught my eye under its working title, 50 First Kisses. But it was completely beyond my ability to use willing suspension of disbelief. it was ridiculous and unbelievable in every way.
  
• Mean Girls. I saw it before it was in wide-release, thanks to the wonders of student cinema at FSU. I really don't like it, but I had a great time seeing it that first time, as I was in an audience that just laughed and laughed, and knew part of it rang true.
  

• And then there's I've only seen the orgasm scene of When Harry Met Sally (and that's thanks to the same professor I worked for when I wrote about in my South Park post. And it turns me off from wanting to see the rest of the movie.
• I haven't seen Sleepless in Seattle, as I've just never caught it on television.
• I can also say that I haven't seen the quintessential Gone with the Wind, mostly because I've never caught it on television from the beginning, and I don't know anyone who wants to see it (again).
  
• Same with Casablanca.
  
• And Breakfast at Tiffany's.
• English Patient. Haven't seen it, don't plan to. If it wasn't good enough for Elaine, it's not gonna cut it for me.
• As Good as it Gets. I borrowed the VHS from a friend for about a year, and never actually watched it. oops.
• Hope Floats. not planning on it.
• Erin Brockovich. not planning on that one, either.
• and Bridget Jones' Diary. hell no.
• Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I love Alexis Bledel, but the previews can't convince me to see something, regardless of "how good the book was"
• Working Girl and Baby Boom have also been on my list of things to see since I was in high school, but they just haven't happened yet. Tack on Love in the Time of Cholera, PS I Love You, and Music and Lyrics to this category as well.
  

I know that there are tons of other chick flicks out there, but that covers most of the ones that I've read about recently. Feel free to recommend others that I might like, based on my comments above.