A Week of Movie Recommendations: Rom-Coms
Ever since shelter in place began in March, on my Facebook page, I have been recommending a film daily. Several people have asked if I could compile those recommendations. So this begins a series of recommendations where each day I recommend a movie based on a theme.
Rom-Com
Day 1 Movie Recommendation
Today, we begin a week of Rom Com recommendations, by request of Morgan Elizabeth Millogo. For the first one, I have to go to one of the best and in my mind underappreciated rom-coms, at least critically, of the 1990s. No, I am not talking about a John Hughes film, but rather the film that introduced so many of us to the brilliance of Heath Ledger.
"10 Things I Hate About You" *** 1/2
There's little originality in this film, but it hits every note in a near perfect manner. First, it is based on Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew", a great Julia Stiles. The main character, Bianca, is forbidden to date by her father (a wonderful Larry Miller at his comic best) who comes up with a scheme that Bianca can date and go to prom as long as her older sister (the shrew), Kat, also dates. It's a brilliant plan on his part, or at least he thinks so.
So Bianca hatches a plan to get the stereotypical school rebel (one again a pitch perfect Heath Ledger) to take a bribe of $300 to get Kat to go out with him. Yes, the plot proceeds exactly as you imagine. He wears her down but in doing so actually falls in love with her. After she falls in love with him, it is revealed that he took money to date her, which leads to her leaving him, but he must win her back. But again, plot formulas exist because they work and when it is working as well as this, you celebrate.
There is an intelligence to the way the film goes about dealing with Shakespeare where Kat has to write a sonnet as a class assignment and are even performed by an English teacher as hip hop (is it any wonder that they work to hip hop considering the importance of meter to any hip hop lyrics?)
Throughout the film, there are small wonderful performances like Larry Miller as the father, or even better Allison Janney as Ms. Perky the sex-counselor who... with a name like Ms. Perky is exactly how you imagine her.
Day 2 Movie Recommendation
Continuing our weekly series of recommendations, this time on Rom-Coms, I started with "10 Things I Hate About You" which was the defining Rom-Com of my teenage years. For today, let's go back to classic romantic comedies. I could easily recommend such classics as "The Philadelphia Story" (just rewatched it with my family as it was on AMC), "His Girl Friday", "It Happened One Night", or Charlie Chaplin's silent masterpiece "City Lights". I could also recommend perhaps the greatest romantic comedy even though it came slightly later than these classics "Roman Holiday". But, today, I want to highlight a movie that for some reason doesn't get mentioned with all the movies above:
"The Lady Eve" ****
Barbara Stanwyck is one of the great dames of Hollywood and this is her masterpiece. The opening credits are a wonderfully goofy and symbolic animated snake winding its way through a tree until an apple drops on its head.
The movie begins when a gullible and truly naive man, Charles Pike (Henry Fonda), returns from the Amazon jungle (a symbolic garden of Eden where the natives don't wear clothing) where he has been on a scientific expedition to study snakes (the sexual innuendos are incredible and numerous). Charles is a bachelor and spends most of the time with his pet snake, Emily (to which Jean responds "that's the first time I've heard that one"). On the boat Charles is returning to America on, he meets the dynamic duo, Jean (Barbara Stanwyck) and her card hustling father, Colonel Harrington, two con-artists who rob rich men by getting them to fall for her and then swindling them in cards.
The con goes easily, at first. Jean creates their meet cute after offering her commentary on all the other women trying to land the catch of Charles Pike. Her intelligence makes her stand out among every character, especially the rather stupid Charles. She trips him and makes him literally fall for her. Then, she gets him to take her to his room where he keeps his pet snake. We then discover that Jean is afraid of snakes (and the sexual innuendo continues). During one of the great scenes of all time, she gets Charles to lay on the floor next to her as she regales him with her dream man, while twirling his hair. For our young and naive man, this is the closest sexual experience he's ever had and man... it's one for the ages.
When she decides to call off the scam, her father won't go along and in a brilliant card game, she reveals she's even better of a con-artist than her father. Unfortunately, like all romantic comedies, we have to add in a layer of conflict. It is revealed to Charles after he fell in love with her that she is a con-artist. As a result, he lies and tells her he was conning her. He always knew and he did this to dump her.
The film could have ended there, but instead, takes a devious twist. Jean becomes obsessed with revenge and comes up with such a simple plan that... it is bound to work. She becomes "The Lady Eve".
The train scene near the end of the film is one of utter mastery, where the male fantasy of "the perfect woman" is shattered. It is amazing the connections to both "North by Northwest" and "Casino Royale" which also all have scenes on trains with a lady named Eve who plays mental gymnastics with the male lead.
If you haven't seen this comedy classic, it is time to do so!
Day 3 Movie Recommendation
Started my Rom-Com recommendations with "10 Things I Hate about You" (a teenage rom-com from my own teenage years), then a classic, "The Lady Eve". For today's selection, I thought about a number of now classic 1990s rom-coms. There were two actresses in the 1990s whose careers were synomous with Rom-Com: Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts. I've already recommended "Notting Hill" which is now my favorite Julia Roberts Rom-Com; in my youth it was "Pretty Woman". So last night, I sat down and watched two Meg Ryan Rom-Coms. I knew I could easily recommend one of the great Romantic Comedies "When Harry Met Sally...", but I wanted to choose a less talked about film. For today I have chosen:
"Sleepless in Seattle" ***
In the early 90's, were there two more likable actors than Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks? Are there now? "Sleepless in Seattle" is about how love transcends physical attraction. About how we are more than just how we look. How you can fall in love with someone because of who they are, how they express themselves, how they talk.
During shelter in place, I have found myself listening to more radio. I had forgotten what a powerful medium it is. Here, Meg Ryan plays Annie Reed, a professional woman who has a safe life. She is engaged to a man one would expect someone of her status to marry and he's a good enough guy, but everything is routine. One night, while driving home, she is listening to a radio when a young boy calls in to ask help for his dad. You see, his mother died and since her death, his father has been a depressed man. He moved from Chicago to Seattle to try at a new start for life. It didn't help. Then, the dad is called to the phone. There is something about the plea of this young boy and the voice of the man who is sincere and honest in his own skin that moves Annie, but she's not the only one.
Women listening across America to this man suddenly begin writing him and wanting to meet him. How Annie gets through and suggests that they meet atop the Empire State Building creates a hysterical conflict as every force in the world seems aligned from making this happen.
The movie feels like a 1950s tear-jerker and yet is poignant and kind, and moves with an effortless joy thanks to the two leads and the writing and directing of Nora Ephron.
When writing recommendations for female directors, I tried to highlight both famous and directors who were not celebrated enough. One of the directors I considered putting out a recommendation for is Nora Ephron. She has been a pioneer of women's films as her stories always center around a story for a "female audience" which Hollywood often doesn't believe will make money. She proved them wrong.
Day 4 Movie Recommendation
Continuing Rom-Com recommendations, we turn to another master of the genre: Nancy Meyer. Yesterday, I recommended "Sleepless in Seattle" by Nora Ephron. The person who would follow in her footsteps and give her a run for her money, making smart written rom coms, directed by women (unfortunately there are not many as not many female directors were able to break through the sexist Hollywood machine) was Nancy Meyer. They both started with writing screenplays and eventually made it to directing as well.
"Somethings Gotta Give" *** 1/2
There are few roles written for women in their 50s and beyond. Even fewer that allow them to express their sexuality in an earnest and honest way. Even fewer that are good. Diane Keaton is given a role that reminds us how great an actress she is. That she is playing a character so close to her public persona is beyond the point. Her performance is masterful.
Jack Nicholson is also playing a version of himself. His performance while good is something we have seen from him before and often, as he did not have trouble finding work during his later years.
The story involves a music producer, played by Nicholson, who is having a relationship with a much younger woman played by Amanda Peet. They are at Amanda's mother's beach house when Diane Keaton, her mother, finds Jack raiding the refrigerator. At first, she thinks he's a burglar (he would be a lousy thief), but then finds out he's dating her daughter. Now, we expect her to lose it and try to break up her daughter and this much older man, but she doesn't. She has an open mind even though she's skeptical. But when Jack tries to put the moves on her daughter, he unexpectedly has a heart attack. He is prescribed bed rest and so ends up in Diane's guest room.
This seems like a classic set up except for the ages of the main characters. Rarely are adults approaching retirement given the chance to express their own romantic frustrations and needs. The other difference is that the doctor who treats poor old Jack is played by Keanu Reeves who also falls for Diane. Yes, she now has two suitors: one her age and one much younger, reversing the stereotypical gender dynamic in this situation. It puts her character in the position of power, which is awesome.
The key to this movie though is not Keanu Reeves' character who behaves more to the needs of the plot than as any real person would (I don't mean falling for Diane, but rather for seemingly randomly proposing to her and then being okay with her breaking his heart). The key is the smart witty dialogue between Diane and Jack. You see, Jack's character has faced death and he needs someone to talk to who can understand that. Diane knows Jack has issues, but the way they come together is natural and beautiful. In one scene, both of them cry, and to my complete surprise, I was moved and felt for both of them.
The movie's ending is indeed something that comes from Romantic Comedies and as always with Rom-Coms there is an air of magic to relationships that doesn't always happen in reality. But, this is a fun movie with three artists at the top of their game: Nancy Meyer, Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, oh and that it has Keanu in it as well is another plus.
Day 5 Movie Recommendation
Next on my daily movie suggestions celebrating Rom-Coms comes an independent movie that is one of the best Rom-Coms I've seen, certainly in the last ten years. This independent film plays with time in a way that is ingenious and gets to the heart of how we must deal with losing love in order to fall in love again.
"500 Days of Summer" ****
Just from a screenwriting stance, I am amazed by this film. Because the film wants to talk about the repetition of events in life, how we make the same mistakes over and over until we grow from them, they have an ingenious idea of moving between the 500 days that Tom (a perfect Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (an incredible Zooey Deschanel) date. From the beginning, it was obvious that this relationship wasn't going to last. But even with that, it doesn't mean that the relationship wasn't worth it and meaningful. By going backward and forward, we see Tom making a decision but then flashing back to when he made a similar one and the results are the same.
Tom is a helpless romantic while Summer is someone who doesn't believe in love and prefers to live life as it comes at her. This is a great reversal from the stereotypical stances of genders in Romantic Comedies. Tom is a writer for greeting cards and his pick up lines are as bad as a hallmark greeting card. Summer begins working for his company and immediately he's taken with her, especially when she recognizes the music he's playing. She warns him her stance, but he thinks he can change her opinion on love.
The movie plays with his emotions ingeniously. The morning after they first get together when he walks to work and looks at a reflection of himself and sees Han Solo looking back (we've all been there) and then Disney animated birds come to join in on an impromptu musical is one of the great expressions of what love feels like. This is later contrasted with a brilliant use of split screen where we see Tom's expectations of what was going to happen when he tries to get back together with Summer and the opposite screen which shows what really happened. Man... again... we've all been there.
Humorous and insightful, painful and joyful, this is a masterpiece.
Day 6 Movie Recommendation
For today's movie recommendation, I decided that I wanted to recommend an LGBTQ Rom-Com during my Rom-Com selections. Realizing that today thankfully, LGBTQ actors and directors are making their own rom-coms is awesome. But, the subject was so taboo for so long that only really independent films would touch the subject. So for today's recommendation, we turn to one of the great director's today, Ang Lee, first major feature film.
"The Wedding Banquet" ***
Homosexuality in many Asian cultures is still forbidden or at least denied. That Ang Lee would make this the subject of his first (it was his second film) major film and that he would do it in 1993, five years before "Will & Grace" is amazing.
The film stars Winston Chao as Wai-Tung Gao, a first generation immigrant to America, who is living with his gay white partner, Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein). The fact that this movie is dealing with a biracial romance that defies the rice queen stereotype is already amazing. Wai-Tung is a land lord who has a good life in New York save trying to get rent from one of his tenants who is a Chinese immigrant, Wei-Wei. The only other thorn in Wai-Tung's side is his parents insistence that he get married and have children. Simon then suggests something radical that is going to go radically wrong. Why not have a fake marriage between Wei-Wei and Wai-Tung to get his parents off his back?
The two surprise them in coming to America for the wedding and being deeply disappointed by a marriage that consists of going to the Court to get a wedding license. To appease his mother, Wai-Tung eventually agrees to have a traditional banquet. Everything that can go wrong, goes wrong, including jealous lovers, confused parents, a very surprisingly understanding father, and a pregnancy.
This is a wild ride and one that defied it's time in every way possible, signaling the beginning of a ground breaking career for writer / director Ang Lee.
Day 7 Movie Recommendation
I watched four or five films in the past week that I have considered. I re-watched the incredible "There's Something about Mary" but after seeing it, it feels more like a gross-out comedy than a true rom-com. I was recommended to watch "About Time" which was amazing. A rom-com time travel film that actually worked on both levels and a performance by the great Bill Nighy that was incredible. I even re-watched "The Wedding Singer" because Adam Sandler made so many rom-coms and I hate most of them, but have genuine affection for "The Wedding Singer" because of how Drew Barrymore's character can realistically fall in love with such an annoying man.
But, there was a comedy revolution in the 2000's that was the equivalent to the John Hughes revolution of the 1980's and early 90s. The 2000 revolution was led by Judd Apatow. For better or for worse (and since I said that phrase, I think you can guess on which side I fall), Judd, through films he both produced and directed, reshaped rom coms, re-imagined the bro-mance, and even tackled the teen film. Most of his films I considered mild successes, although he has had some very good films such as "Knocked Up", "Superbad" is a great teenage comedy, he produced the great "The Big Sick" and "Bridesmaids" but I believe "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is the best film he's ever been involved with.
"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" ****
The opening scene, based on Jason Segal's actual life, is one of the hysterical openings for a comedy. Peter Bretter has been dating his girlfriend, an actress on CSI likes shows, Sarah for five years. He wants to surprise her with an erotic set up when she comes home one day, waiting for her naked. The problem? She has come to tell him it's over.
Convinced by his step-brother, Brian (a great Bill Hader), Peter needs to forgot Sarah. The issue is that she is a star and is everywhere on TV. So, he needs a vacation. Peter heads to Oahu only to discover that Sarah is also at the same hotel he's staying at with her new boyfriend, an English rocker (Russell Brand basically playing a ... I was about to say 'crude' version of himself, but that would be redundant). Their interactions as well as the continual list of guest stars who all occupy the hotel in various roles are amazing. The continuously escalating jokes involving rock-operas is amazing.
Of course, for this to be a rom-com, there must be a romantic interest. Enter Rachel (played so wonderfully by Mila Kunis who proves her acting chops that would be even more incredible in "Black Swan") who works at the hotel and takes pity on poor Peter. Of course, their romance starts in pity and ends with more as only a rom-com can convince you can happen. But, this is a hysterical movie that finally makes the Apatow lead not just an "ugly" guy, but finally, a likable one.
Trailer (warning, it’s a bit Rated-R for a trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSwA6QQW8P4
