In 1968, the Vietnam War was in full swing, Americans were fighting for their civil rights, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated and four Australian Aboriginal girls formed a group called The Sapphires. Inspired by a true story, The Sapphires is a touching film about four girls, with their own lessons to learn about life and love, who are swept off to war torn Vietnam by the only man who believes in them.
The Premise
Family group, The Sapphires, is comprised of three sisters and one cousin from indigenous Australia. Led by their inexperienced talent scout, the girls go to Vietnam to entertain the troops in 1968. While overseas, they experience the world's triumphs, defeats and heartaches together. They overcome their own family dynamics in order to make The Sapphires a success and to get out of Vietnam alive.
My Take
In Australia, the girls of the The Sapphires were not accepted in mainstream society because they were considered to be non-white. In the 1950's, Aboriginal children that were light skinned were literally stolen from their homes in order to be mainstreamed in an effort to breed out the Aboriginal race. So it was no wonder that in 1968 these girls were ready to get out of Australia, go to Vietnam and perform for the colored troops.
Gail, Cynthia and Julie are the sisters that started the group. Gail, played by Deborah Mailman, is the eldest member and is the heart of The Sapphires. She holds them together with her strength and perseverance. Mailman plays Gail in such a way that we grow to love her and understand her plight without being angry with her outbursts and bossy ways. Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell) often acts as a referee between the girls. She bounces between wanting to be mature and grown up and also acting out and being young and foolish, much like any other middle child. Julie is the youngest sister. Played by Jessica Mauboy, Julie wants it all. She is the one with the most talent and is determined to be part of the adventure, despite her responsibilities at home.
Cousin Kay is the last to join The Sapphires. The sisters want her to part of the group, much as she was when they were children before Kay was taken away to be mainstreamed into white society. Shari Sebbens plays conflicted Kay. Kay doesn't know quite who she is when she becomes a Sapphire. She has spent much of her life being told she is white and now she is being thrown into a soul group being labeled as Aboriginal Australian. It is a constant source of conflict between Kay and Gail.
Looking out for the girls is talent scout, Dave Lovelace. Chris O'Dowd is the heavy-drinking, inexperienced, Irish man that takes it upon himself to manage The Sapphires. And I think there might be something going on between he and Gail. I'm just saying.
Adapted from the stage play by Tony Briggs and written by Tony Briggs and Keith Thompson, The Sapphires is inspired by real events. Briggs is the son of original Sapphires member, Laurel Robinson. In the movie, four girls momentarily escape their troublesome lives by going to Vietnam to make music. There, they experience life, love, war and prejudice and form a family bond even deeper than they ever imagined.
The Verdict
The Sapphires is an amazing film. The performances are incredible, the singing is gorgeous and the story is beautiful. The Sapphires is one of those rare films that comes along that can make you feel a wide range of emotions in an hour and a half. You laugh, you cry, you get angry, you get wrapped up in the characters and in the story which is what any good film is supposed to make you do. I give The Sapphires 4/4 sapphires. Well done. In fact, I've already watched it twice.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Jerry and Tom (1998)
I can't deny that my husband has excellent taste in movies. He discovered this little gem for me on Netflix and there are many more that I still have to either watch or write about. I'm going as fast as I can, honey! Jerry and Tom is based the one act play by Rick Cleveland, who also wrote the screenplay. Directed by Saul Rubinek, Jerry and Tom features stunning continuous shots and seamless transitions between scenes.
The Premise
Tom is a pro in the hit man business. Jerry is not. By day they work for their boss at a second-hand car dealership and by night they work as hired guns. As Jerry learns the business, his style and personality begins to clash with that of his older friend's.
My Take
Tom is cool and collected and not easily shaken. Jerry is young and impetuous but eager to learn the role of a hit man. As Jerry learns the ropes, his brash actions could get the duo into trouble with their bosses, Billy and Vic. Mistakes are made, but the final solution will wipe the slate clean.
Joe Mantegna is a very calm and teacher-like Tom. He is "too old for this" and ready to teach Jerry how to do a clean and effective hit. Sam Rockwell plays Jerry and shows us the transition of a nervous young man to an unbalanced, trigger happy hit man. Both men played their parts well. While being near opposites, they were believable as best friends and partners.
Jerry and Tom is like a buddy hit man movie. It starts off with the two men together on a job and transitions back in time to ten years prior when they started working together. The movie moves forward, taking you one job (and one cameo) at a time. They duo moves ahead through their lives as well. Jerry gets married and has a baby. Tom's kid becomes a teenager. But what is most appealing to me about this movie is the way in which it was filmed and put together. The scene changes (forgive me, for I come from a theater rich background) are flawlessly seamless.
The characters can be talking during the summer in a parking lot in one scene and then the camera will pan over to the car lot and it will be snowing outside in the next scene. A woman will be cleaning her gun with plastic sheeting blowing all around her in one scene and the camera will pan over and the movie will continue in a completely different location. My favorite transition had to do with blood, a sock, makeup and a toolbox.
Saul Rubinek also filmed many long continuous shots. I like these kind of shots because it doesn't break up the action. You get a picture of the whole scene and not just bits and pieces. With a script like this, that relies so heavily on dialogue, there is no need to cut back and forth and back and forth. He still managed to make it interesting, though. Mantegna and Rockwell were in constant motion in a lot of their scenes so the camera had a lot to focus on without cutting between actors.
Jerry and Tom may have been led by Joe Mantegna and Sam Rockwell, but a show is not a show without its supporting cast. Playing the mob bosses were Maury Chaykin and Charles Durning. Also making special appearances were William H. Macy, Ted Danson, Peter Riegert, Shelley Cook and Sarah Polley.
The Verdict
Jerry and Tom is a must see for any film buff or photography enthusiast because of the way it was filmed. The only down side, for me, was the way it was written. I know that it was based on a play, but it still read like a stage play to me. I love my theater, I just want it to stay on the stage. All in all I still love it. I give Jerry and Tom 5/7 hits.
The Premise
Tom is a pro in the hit man business. Jerry is not. By day they work for their boss at a second-hand car dealership and by night they work as hired guns. As Jerry learns the business, his style and personality begins to clash with that of his older friend's.
My Take
Tom is cool and collected and not easily shaken. Jerry is young and impetuous but eager to learn the role of a hit man. As Jerry learns the ropes, his brash actions could get the duo into trouble with their bosses, Billy and Vic. Mistakes are made, but the final solution will wipe the slate clean.
Joe Mantegna is a very calm and teacher-like Tom. He is "too old for this" and ready to teach Jerry how to do a clean and effective hit. Sam Rockwell plays Jerry and shows us the transition of a nervous young man to an unbalanced, trigger happy hit man. Both men played their parts well. While being near opposites, they were believable as best friends and partners.
Jerry and Tom is like a buddy hit man movie. It starts off with the two men together on a job and transitions back in time to ten years prior when they started working together. The movie moves forward, taking you one job (and one cameo) at a time. They duo moves ahead through their lives as well. Jerry gets married and has a baby. Tom's kid becomes a teenager. But what is most appealing to me about this movie is the way in which it was filmed and put together. The scene changes (forgive me, for I come from a theater rich background) are flawlessly seamless.
The characters can be talking during the summer in a parking lot in one scene and then the camera will pan over to the car lot and it will be snowing outside in the next scene. A woman will be cleaning her gun with plastic sheeting blowing all around her in one scene and the camera will pan over and the movie will continue in a completely different location. My favorite transition had to do with blood, a sock, makeup and a toolbox.
Saul Rubinek also filmed many long continuous shots. I like these kind of shots because it doesn't break up the action. You get a picture of the whole scene and not just bits and pieces. With a script like this, that relies so heavily on dialogue, there is no need to cut back and forth and back and forth. He still managed to make it interesting, though. Mantegna and Rockwell were in constant motion in a lot of their scenes so the camera had a lot to focus on without cutting between actors.
Jerry and Tom may have been led by Joe Mantegna and Sam Rockwell, but a show is not a show without its supporting cast. Playing the mob bosses were Maury Chaykin and Charles Durning. Also making special appearances were William H. Macy, Ted Danson, Peter Riegert, Shelley Cook and Sarah Polley.
The Verdict
Jerry and Tom is a must see for any film buff or photography enthusiast because of the way it was filmed. The only down side, for me, was the way it was written. I know that it was based on a play, but it still read like a stage play to me. I love my theater, I just want it to stay on the stage. All in all I still love it. I give Jerry and Tom 5/7 hits.
Monday, June 16, 2014
People Like Us (2012)
People Like Us is a film about family, death, acceptance and the legacy we leave behind. Directed by Alex Kurtzman, the movie takes place after the death of the patriarch of a small, dysfunctional family. When an only child finds out that his father had another child, a son learns how to accept his extended family.
The Premise
When Sam's father passes away he leaves the bulk of his money to a boy named Josh. Sam discovers that Josh is the son of the sister he never knew he had. He needs to decide now whether to fulfill his dead father's wishes and give them the money or help himself out of his own bad situation and keep it.
My Take
People Like Us is much more than a, "Should I or shouldn't I keep the money?" movie. Sam inadvertently gets to know his nephew, Josh. As the two become friends, and as Sam gets to know his sister, Frankie, he becomes more and more conflicted as to how to tell them who he is.
Sam is a salesman who has gotten himself into a sticky situation with the Federal Trade Commission, his dad has just died, he finds out he has a sister and a nephew he has never met, his mom is sick and he gets into a fight with his girlfriend. And to top it all off, his deceased father has left him with the task of gifting his nephew with his life savings. Things are not going well for Sam.
Chris Pine is the very conflicted Sam. He finds his sister Frankie (don't call her Francis) at an AA meeting and uses that an excuse to talk to her. Elizabeth Banks plays Frankie, the mother of Sam's nephew, with comfort, confidence, and grace and I am not ashamed to say that she made me cry at least once. The performance I was most impressed with was young Michael Hall D'Addario. He played Sam's nephew, Josh, with an ease and poise that matched the performances of his adult counterparts perfectly.
Sam's moral compass was his girlfriend Hannah, played by Olivia Wilde. She and Sam had their differences but were always pulled back together in the end. Rounding out the stellar cast was Michelle Pfeiffer as Sam's mother. This is one of my favorite parts she has played in long time. Lillian was a real person, who throughout all her anger with her son, still loved him and forgave him and struggled to understood his reasons for his actions.
The Verdict
People Like Us made me cry at least twice so I need to give a shout out to the writers, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Jody Lambert as well as give a nod the incredible direction and performances given. People Like Us, for me, was a rare gem in which an all star cast gives an all star performance. So many times I have been disappointed in movies that boast incredible casts but are lacking in either writing or direction or both. I give People Like Us 2/2 siblings. It's definitely a must see.
The Premise
When Sam's father passes away he leaves the bulk of his money to a boy named Josh. Sam discovers that Josh is the son of the sister he never knew he had. He needs to decide now whether to fulfill his dead father's wishes and give them the money or help himself out of his own bad situation and keep it.
My Take
People Like Us is much more than a, "Should I or shouldn't I keep the money?" movie. Sam inadvertently gets to know his nephew, Josh. As the two become friends, and as Sam gets to know his sister, Frankie, he becomes more and more conflicted as to how to tell them who he is.
Sam is a salesman who has gotten himself into a sticky situation with the Federal Trade Commission, his dad has just died, he finds out he has a sister and a nephew he has never met, his mom is sick and he gets into a fight with his girlfriend. And to top it all off, his deceased father has left him with the task of gifting his nephew with his life savings. Things are not going well for Sam.
Chris Pine is the very conflicted Sam. He finds his sister Frankie (don't call her Francis) at an AA meeting and uses that an excuse to talk to her. Elizabeth Banks plays Frankie, the mother of Sam's nephew, with comfort, confidence, and grace and I am not ashamed to say that she made me cry at least once. The performance I was most impressed with was young Michael Hall D'Addario. He played Sam's nephew, Josh, with an ease and poise that matched the performances of his adult counterparts perfectly.
Sam's moral compass was his girlfriend Hannah, played by Olivia Wilde. She and Sam had their differences but were always pulled back together in the end. Rounding out the stellar cast was Michelle Pfeiffer as Sam's mother. This is one of my favorite parts she has played in long time. Lillian was a real person, who throughout all her anger with her son, still loved him and forgave him and struggled to understood his reasons for his actions.
The Verdict
People Like Us made me cry at least twice so I need to give a shout out to the writers, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Jody Lambert as well as give a nod the incredible direction and performances given. People Like Us, for me, was a rare gem in which an all star cast gives an all star performance. So many times I have been disappointed in movies that boast incredible casts but are lacking in either writing or direction or both. I give People Like Us 2/2 siblings. It's definitely a must see.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Shout Out to the Home Team
I first got interested in the arts when I got my first part in a production of "Raggedy Ann and Andy" at a local theater in the Houston area when I was only thirteen years old. I have auditioned for films, television shows, commercials and more theater productions than I can count. My humble beginnings allowed me to meet the man I would eventually marry and start the next great adventure in my life. And while I may not have made it to the big screen, I have carved out my little niche here on the computer screen which has given me the chance to give a shout out to my favorite talents that have come out of the place I call home.
Jim Parsons of the Big Bang Theory, and upcoming The Normal Heart, was born in Spring and studied theater at the University of Houston. Though raised in Memphis, TN, Missi Pyle (one of my favorite character actresses) was actually born in Houston. Dennis and Randy Quaid were born and raised right here in my home town. One of my favorite childhood memories was watching Faerie Tale Theater, starring Houston native Shelley Duvall. Brent Spiner of Star Trek fame is from Houston as is South Park co-creator Matt Stone. Alexis Bledel, Sean Patrick Flanery, and Hilary and Haylie Duff have the honor of calling Houston their hometown. My favorite country singer, Lyle Lovett is from Klein, Texas which I am going to say is close enough.
I have had a few brushes with fame, if I do say so myself. Jeremy and Justin Furstenfeld of the band Blue October (one of my absolute favorites) are related to my cousins and were both born right here in Houston. So I can say we are almost related. Actor Sterling Knight got his taste for drama at the same theater where I got my start. In fact, I was the assistant director in one of the plays he did when he was just a wee one. Allison Tolman from the new hit show, Fargo, can also claim to have shared the same stage with me way back in 1995 at that exact same theater. It's a small world.
All stories have a beginning. Some start with a bang and others with a slow burn. That's one reason I was always drawn to the performing arts. Story-telling is just a.part of me. Maybe that is why I was drawn more to writing than to acting in the end.
And if any of my hometown favorites want to do a small time blogger a solid and give me my first big interview I certainly wouldn't turn you down. I'll even give you a perfect score of 10/10.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Bad Milo (2013)
There are few movies that I've watched that earn the moniker, "Better than I thought it would be." I would love to have a sit down with the writers of Bad Milo, Benjamin Hayes and Jacob Vaughan, to hear the story of how this story came to be from beginning to end. Honestly, when you sit down to watch a movie about a demon that lives in a guy's intestines, you wouldn't think the words, "Not a bad little flick," would be the first ones to pop in your head.
The Premise
Duncan is having a lot of unusual stomach ailments. After his wife urges him to seek professional help, Duncan learns that his high stress problems have given life to a demon living in his intestinal tract. The good news (and the bad news) is that Milo the Demon is more than willing to take care of the people who are causing the stress in Duncan's life.
My Take
Duncan is a nice guy that is allowing everyone to walk all over him. At work he is being pushed around, at home he is being coerced into having a baby, and he has a difficult relationship with his father. All this stress has led to severe stomach issues. Little does he know that these stomach problems are actually an intestinal demon that makes its appearance to kill whatever is ailing Duncan while he is passed out. The problem of course arises when Milo, the demon, wants to do away with Duncan's wife, Sarah.
Ken Marino plays Duncan. I don't think I have ever seen a movie where an actor has had to spend so much time on the toilet, let alone pretending to strain and cramp and eventually letting loose a butt monster that he has to bond with. It is as if Marino played the straight man to Milo's crazy antics and he did it really well. It was equal parts appalling and humorous when he was cuddling with Milo on the couch during a very touching bonding moment.
Duncan has two women in his life, his wife and his mother. Gillian Jacobs plays the wife, Sarah, and Mary Kay Place is Beatrice, Duncan's mother. Both women are ready for Duncan to start a family but Duncan is worried about being a good father because of his strained relationship with his dad (Stephen Root). Duncan learns that he doesn't have as much control over Milo as he thought when Milo goes after what he loves most, his wife Sarah.
The Verdict
Bad Milo earned the reputation, "Better than I thought it would be." I admit that I went into this not expecting much but got more back than I ever thought I would. It was funny, cheesy, silly, full of fake blood splatter, charming, and had a pretty cute butt monster starring in it. For a comedy-horror movie, it wasn't half bad. I give Bad Milo 1 good courtesy flush.
The Premise
Duncan is having a lot of unusual stomach ailments. After his wife urges him to seek professional help, Duncan learns that his high stress problems have given life to a demon living in his intestinal tract. The good news (and the bad news) is that Milo the Demon is more than willing to take care of the people who are causing the stress in Duncan's life.
My Take
Duncan is a nice guy that is allowing everyone to walk all over him. At work he is being pushed around, at home he is being coerced into having a baby, and he has a difficult relationship with his father. All this stress has led to severe stomach issues. Little does he know that these stomach problems are actually an intestinal demon that makes its appearance to kill whatever is ailing Duncan while he is passed out. The problem of course arises when Milo, the demon, wants to do away with Duncan's wife, Sarah.
Ken Marino plays Duncan. I don't think I have ever seen a movie where an actor has had to spend so much time on the toilet, let alone pretending to strain and cramp and eventually letting loose a butt monster that he has to bond with. It is as if Marino played the straight man to Milo's crazy antics and he did it really well. It was equal parts appalling and humorous when he was cuddling with Milo on the couch during a very touching bonding moment.
Duncan has two women in his life, his wife and his mother. Gillian Jacobs plays the wife, Sarah, and Mary Kay Place is Beatrice, Duncan's mother. Both women are ready for Duncan to start a family but Duncan is worried about being a good father because of his strained relationship with his dad (Stephen Root). Duncan learns that he doesn't have as much control over Milo as he thought when Milo goes after what he loves most, his wife Sarah.
The Verdict
Bad Milo earned the reputation, "Better than I thought it would be." I admit that I went into this not expecting much but got more back than I ever thought I would. It was funny, cheesy, silly, full of fake blood splatter, charming, and had a pretty cute butt monster starring in it. For a comedy-horror movie, it wasn't half bad. I give Bad Milo 1 good courtesy flush.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Lockout (2012)
From the mind that brought you The Fifth Element, Leon: The Professional, and The Transporter comes another big action film with car crashes, explosions, plenty of gun play and enough fist to cuffs violence to satisfy even the most picky of appetites. So what separates Lockout from the rest of Luc Besson's films? Lockout takes espionage, insane prisoners, witty comebacks and Guy Pearce, and smashes them all together into a maximum security space prison that is hurtling towards Earth - and makes it look good.
The Premise
Snow is an ex-CIA operative accused of treason against the United States in this futuristic action movie. The only way he can guarantee his freedom is to rescue the President's daughter who has been taken hostage aboard a maximum security prison that is floating in outer space.
My Take
Ex-CIA operative Agent Snow has been set up to take the fall for the murder of another undercover operative. Meanwhile, the President's daughter, Emilie, is on board the MS-One that is orbiting around Earth. The MS-One is a maximum security prison for the worst of violent offenders, however Emilie is there on a humanitarian mission. She wants to be sure the prisoners are being treated fairly. While Snow is being incarcerated on Earth, Emilie is being taken hostage during a savage prison uprising in space. When news of the takeover reaches Earth, Snow is offered a "Get Out of Jail Free" card if he will save Emilie. Of course, things aren't always as they seem. Snow has his own agenda once he is in orbit. One of the items on his agenda is locating his ex-partner, Mace, in an effort to clear his name.
Guy Pearce always has been and always will be one of my favorite actors. I never miss an opportunity to watch him in Memento. Pearce plays the snarky, yet somehow charming, Snow that has more interest in finding his ex-partner, Mace, than he does in saving the President's daughter. Emilie, played by Maggie Grace, is the aforementioned President's daughter. Grace begins the movie with a quiet strength reserved for women in power and ends with the appropriate toughness allowed after the ordeal that her character goes through. I enjoyed Maggie Grace's character grow. I've seen too many movies where writers start to write a strong female lead and halfway through, something happens and she ends up forgetting how to do everything for herself. Not to sound to women's lib-y or anything, but there you go.
Alex and Hydell are our two resident bad guys on board the MS-One. Alex is smart and calculating. His brother, Hydell, is just pretty nuts. Vincent Regan, from 300 fame, plays Alex with a cool calm that makes you wonder what he did to land himself in maximum security prison. Then he goes and kills someone without blinking an eye and the mystery is solved. Joseph Gilgun, whom I remember from This is England, plays Hydell, who is quite the opposite from his brother. He acts on impulse and is hard for Alex to trust. Mace, Snow's soft-spoken ex-partner, is also on board. Tim Plester's sympathetic portrayal of Mace, who has made it there quite by accident, goes to show you that you don't have to have a large part to make a memorable impact in a movie.
The Verdict
True, the movie was a bit predictable, but if it had gone any other way I would have been disappointed. I felt that the special effects were a bit lacking on the Earth sequences but looked great in the space sequences. For example, the car crashes were weak, but the space explosions were strong. Overall, it was a good way to spend some time on a rainy afternoon. I give Lockout 7/10 prisoners, just don't shank me.
The Premise
Snow is an ex-CIA operative accused of treason against the United States in this futuristic action movie. The only way he can guarantee his freedom is to rescue the President's daughter who has been taken hostage aboard a maximum security prison that is floating in outer space.
My Take
Ex-CIA operative Agent Snow has been set up to take the fall for the murder of another undercover operative. Meanwhile, the President's daughter, Emilie, is on board the MS-One that is orbiting around Earth. The MS-One is a maximum security prison for the worst of violent offenders, however Emilie is there on a humanitarian mission. She wants to be sure the prisoners are being treated fairly. While Snow is being incarcerated on Earth, Emilie is being taken hostage during a savage prison uprising in space. When news of the takeover reaches Earth, Snow is offered a "Get Out of Jail Free" card if he will save Emilie. Of course, things aren't always as they seem. Snow has his own agenda once he is in orbit. One of the items on his agenda is locating his ex-partner, Mace, in an effort to clear his name.
Guy Pearce always has been and always will be one of my favorite actors. I never miss an opportunity to watch him in Memento. Pearce plays the snarky, yet somehow charming, Snow that has more interest in finding his ex-partner, Mace, than he does in saving the President's daughter. Emilie, played by Maggie Grace, is the aforementioned President's daughter. Grace begins the movie with a quiet strength reserved for women in power and ends with the appropriate toughness allowed after the ordeal that her character goes through. I enjoyed Maggie Grace's character grow. I've seen too many movies where writers start to write a strong female lead and halfway through, something happens and she ends up forgetting how to do everything for herself. Not to sound to women's lib-y or anything, but there you go.
Alex and Hydell are our two resident bad guys on board the MS-One. Alex is smart and calculating. His brother, Hydell, is just pretty nuts. Vincent Regan, from 300 fame, plays Alex with a cool calm that makes you wonder what he did to land himself in maximum security prison. Then he goes and kills someone without blinking an eye and the mystery is solved. Joseph Gilgun, whom I remember from This is England, plays Hydell, who is quite the opposite from his brother. He acts on impulse and is hard for Alex to trust. Mace, Snow's soft-spoken ex-partner, is also on board. Tim Plester's sympathetic portrayal of Mace, who has made it there quite by accident, goes to show you that you don't have to have a large part to make a memorable impact in a movie.
The Verdict
True, the movie was a bit predictable, but if it had gone any other way I would have been disappointed. I felt that the special effects were a bit lacking on the Earth sequences but looked great in the space sequences. For example, the car crashes were weak, but the space explosions were strong. Overall, it was a good way to spend some time on a rainy afternoon. I give Lockout 7/10 prisoners, just don't shank me.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
25 of My Favorite Sappy Romantic Movies
Well it's February and Valentine's Day is upon us once again. If you find yourself wondering what sappy romantic movie you should watch with your significant other (or by yourself) I have put together a list of my favorites. As with my Halloween and Christmas lists, I invite you to share with me your favorite lovey-dovey movies and I will compile the suggestions I get from comments here, on Face Book and on Twitter in another, reader inspired list, at the end of the month.
Without further ado, 25 of my favorite sappy romantic movies of all time...
Always (1989)
This movie is a real tear jerker. I can't watch it without crying and I know exactly what's going to happen. Always is a movie that is a little bit ghost story, a little bit action story, and a lot of heart and soul.
Say Anything... (1989)
One of my absolute favorites, Say Anything... is about first loves, high school politics and determination. Lloyd Dobler falls in love with Diane Court, a girl that is supposed to be way out of his league. But together, they make it work. I hope they are still together.
The Princess Bride (1987)
It's inconceivable to me how anyone could not like this movie. It has everything. Sword fights, princes and princesses, romance, revenge, giants, pirates and rodents of unusual size.
The Notebook (2004)
Another movie that makes me cry, The Notebook is a story about love that has lasted true the ages. It has been time tested and now, in the twilight of their years, an elderly man is still committed to his wife who has Alzheimer's Disease. He tells her the story of their love over and over, knowing that she will never fully remember him.
Casablanca (1942)
A classic love story, Casablanca shows the conflict between former lovers and their desire to be together. This movie gave us one of the most famous lines ever, "We'll always have Paris."
The English Patient (1996)
Love stories don't always give us a happy ending. The English Patient is full of tragedy, adultery, plane crashes, pain and sorrow. But Count Laszlo couldn't have loved Katharine Clifton any more than he did and that's what makes it a great love story.
Gone With the Wind (1939)
The Civil War was a turbulent time in American History. One of the things I love best about Gone With the Wind is Scarlett O'Hara. She is a Southern beauty with a fiery temper and a manipulative personality. She meets her match in Rhett Butler. They are like fire and ice, not meant to be together, yet a perfect complement to one another.
Pretty Woman (1990)
A Cinderella movie for hookers! But seriously, what girl doesn't dream of a man rescuing them from whatever situation they are in, sweeping them off their feet and living happily ever after?
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
I love movies that address romantic love versus arranged marriages. I think we are spoiled, in a very good way, in that we can choose our partners. In this movie, Shakespeare and Viola have to sneak around to be together. Even though their love won't last, she inspires one of his greatest creations.
The Graduate (1967)
Mrs. Robinson, the original cougar. The Graduate is such a great movie. Emotions run high when a young man has an affair with an older woman and then falls for her daughter.
Up (2009)
The first fifteen minutes of the movie sum up how I want my entire marriage to be. Two people completely in love and entirely devoted to each other. The rest of the movie is all about the little old man trying to complete their last goal of going to Paradise Falls and finding a unique bond along the way.
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
This is an unconventional love story, but I adore it. Lars tells his family that he has met someone. The 'someone' that he has met is a life-sized doll, but Lars loves her and treats her as a real person. Eventually his family and the entire town does the same.
Secretary (2002)
Another unconventional love story, Secretary takes on the idea of not only an employee-employer relationship, but a sadomasochistic relationship. Lee Holloway meets Mr. Grey and together they find love while pushing boundaries and the expectations of those around them.
Dirty Dancing (1987)
"Nobody puts Baby in a corner!" The epitome of the story about a bad boy and a good girl trying to make their relationship work, Dirty Dancing is a sexy movie that has been copied time and time again.
Overboard (1987)
Overboard is able to make you laugh at love. And you should be able to laugh together. Joanna Stayton is a terrible person. She hires carpenter Dean Proffitt and then refuses to pay him for the work he does. Later, she falls overboard and suffers from amnesia. Dean is able to convince her that she is his wife. A story of revenge turns into a story about love.
Footloose (1984)
What's a senior prom without dance? Ren is rebellious, but only because he loves to dance. Ariel is just plain rebellious. Together they make an explosive couple that take on Ariel's bible-thumbing minister father and a town that is ready for a change.
Love Story (1970)
I think this movie gets made fun of a lot of times, but Love Story takes a different route by exploring what happens when a spouse is terminally ill. It strikes a chord with me because of the reality of our life after stroke.
Love Actually (2003)
This movie was a collaboration of several actors and several stories. It follows the lives of different couples that are in different stages of their relationships. Some couples are falling in love, others out of love and some are seeking love.
Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
Frances buys a home in Tuscany after an infidelity breaks up her marriage. She briefly finds love in a man, finds lasting love in friendship, but most importantly, finds love in herself. This may not necessarily be a romantic movie, but it is, nonetheless, a love story.
In Her Shoes (2005)
Another movie that is more Chick Flick than romantic escape, is In Her Shoes, but I still love it and highly recommend it. Two sisters who could not be more different go there separate ways only to be reunited by a grandmother they never knew they had.
Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
A movie that proves you can come home again. Even after heartbreak, it is possible to heal and try again. Especially if you're ex-husband is Josh Lucas. Just sayin'.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Two damaged people meet and become friends. They slowly begin to heal each other, but their friendship is not without its problems. Pat is determined to reconcile with his ex-wife even though Tiffany is falling for him.
Warm Bodies (2013)
This is probably the best Zombie movie / Romeo and Juliet movie ever. Even the coldest heart can be started again by the right person. It's a love story that crosses very unusual boundaries and proves that one person can change the world.
Enchanted (2007)
Enchanted is a love story that parents can enjoy while the kids are also being entertained. It's the story of what happens when a classic story book princess collides with the real world. She finds a love better than in the stories when a real life man and his little girl take her in.
13 Going on 30 (2004)
In 13 Going on 30, a little girl learns that friendship is better than popularity. Jenna Rink makes a wish at her thirteenth birthday party and wakes up a thirty year old woman. She discovers that in this life, she made some bad decisions and only wants her one true friend, Matt, back.
Don't forget to add to the list! I will compile a list of reader's favorites at the end of the month!
Without further ado, 25 of my favorite sappy romantic movies of all time...
Always (1989)
This movie is a real tear jerker. I can't watch it without crying and I know exactly what's going to happen. Always is a movie that is a little bit ghost story, a little bit action story, and a lot of heart and soul.
Say Anything... (1989)
One of my absolute favorites, Say Anything... is about first loves, high school politics and determination. Lloyd Dobler falls in love with Diane Court, a girl that is supposed to be way out of his league. But together, they make it work. I hope they are still together.
The Princess Bride (1987)
It's inconceivable to me how anyone could not like this movie. It has everything. Sword fights, princes and princesses, romance, revenge, giants, pirates and rodents of unusual size.
The Notebook (2004)
Another movie that makes me cry, The Notebook is a story about love that has lasted true the ages. It has been time tested and now, in the twilight of their years, an elderly man is still committed to his wife who has Alzheimer's Disease. He tells her the story of their love over and over, knowing that she will never fully remember him.
Casablanca (1942)
A classic love story, Casablanca shows the conflict between former lovers and their desire to be together. This movie gave us one of the most famous lines ever, "We'll always have Paris."
The English Patient (1996)
Love stories don't always give us a happy ending. The English Patient is full of tragedy, adultery, plane crashes, pain and sorrow. But Count Laszlo couldn't have loved Katharine Clifton any more than he did and that's what makes it a great love story.
Gone With the Wind (1939)
The Civil War was a turbulent time in American History. One of the things I love best about Gone With the Wind is Scarlett O'Hara. She is a Southern beauty with a fiery temper and a manipulative personality. She meets her match in Rhett Butler. They are like fire and ice, not meant to be together, yet a perfect complement to one another.
Pretty Woman (1990)
A Cinderella movie for hookers! But seriously, what girl doesn't dream of a man rescuing them from whatever situation they are in, sweeping them off their feet and living happily ever after?
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
I love movies that address romantic love versus arranged marriages. I think we are spoiled, in a very good way, in that we can choose our partners. In this movie, Shakespeare and Viola have to sneak around to be together. Even though their love won't last, she inspires one of his greatest creations.
The Graduate (1967)
Mrs. Robinson, the original cougar. The Graduate is such a great movie. Emotions run high when a young man has an affair with an older woman and then falls for her daughter.
Up (2009)
The first fifteen minutes of the movie sum up how I want my entire marriage to be. Two people completely in love and entirely devoted to each other. The rest of the movie is all about the little old man trying to complete their last goal of going to Paradise Falls and finding a unique bond along the way.
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
This is an unconventional love story, but I adore it. Lars tells his family that he has met someone. The 'someone' that he has met is a life-sized doll, but Lars loves her and treats her as a real person. Eventually his family and the entire town does the same.
Secretary (2002)
Another unconventional love story, Secretary takes on the idea of not only an employee-employer relationship, but a sadomasochistic relationship. Lee Holloway meets Mr. Grey and together they find love while pushing boundaries and the expectations of those around them.
Dirty Dancing (1987)
"Nobody puts Baby in a corner!" The epitome of the story about a bad boy and a good girl trying to make their relationship work, Dirty Dancing is a sexy movie that has been copied time and time again.
Overboard (1987)
Overboard is able to make you laugh at love. And you should be able to laugh together. Joanna Stayton is a terrible person. She hires carpenter Dean Proffitt and then refuses to pay him for the work he does. Later, she falls overboard and suffers from amnesia. Dean is able to convince her that she is his wife. A story of revenge turns into a story about love.
Footloose (1984)
What's a senior prom without dance? Ren is rebellious, but only because he loves to dance. Ariel is just plain rebellious. Together they make an explosive couple that take on Ariel's bible-thumbing minister father and a town that is ready for a change.
Love Story (1970)
I think this movie gets made fun of a lot of times, but Love Story takes a different route by exploring what happens when a spouse is terminally ill. It strikes a chord with me because of the reality of our life after stroke.
Love Actually (2003)
This movie was a collaboration of several actors and several stories. It follows the lives of different couples that are in different stages of their relationships. Some couples are falling in love, others out of love and some are seeking love.
Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
Frances buys a home in Tuscany after an infidelity breaks up her marriage. She briefly finds love in a man, finds lasting love in friendship, but most importantly, finds love in herself. This may not necessarily be a romantic movie, but it is, nonetheless, a love story.
In Her Shoes (2005)
Another movie that is more Chick Flick than romantic escape, is In Her Shoes, but I still love it and highly recommend it. Two sisters who could not be more different go there separate ways only to be reunited by a grandmother they never knew they had.
Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
A movie that proves you can come home again. Even after heartbreak, it is possible to heal and try again. Especially if you're ex-husband is Josh Lucas. Just sayin'.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Two damaged people meet and become friends. They slowly begin to heal each other, but their friendship is not without its problems. Pat is determined to reconcile with his ex-wife even though Tiffany is falling for him.
Warm Bodies (2013)
This is probably the best Zombie movie / Romeo and Juliet movie ever. Even the coldest heart can be started again by the right person. It's a love story that crosses very unusual boundaries and proves that one person can change the world.
Enchanted (2007)
Enchanted is a love story that parents can enjoy while the kids are also being entertained. It's the story of what happens when a classic story book princess collides with the real world. She finds a love better than in the stories when a real life man and his little girl take her in.
13 Going on 30 (2004)
In 13 Going on 30, a little girl learns that friendship is better than popularity. Jenna Rink makes a wish at her thirteenth birthday party and wakes up a thirty year old woman. She discovers that in this life, she made some bad decisions and only wants her one true friend, Matt, back.
Don't forget to add to the list! I will compile a list of reader's favorites at the end of the month!
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