Don't forget to check out what
Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.
Save the Last Dance
Separated by social differences but brought together by dance. Everyone loved this film when I was in school, everyone seemed to own the video. I even think I had a copy on VHS at one point. It's not the greatest film but it a great example of star-crossed lovers in a more up to date setting. This is also around the time Julia Stiles was up and coming actress. When her mother dies suddenley, Sara, a ballet dancer, moves to Chicago with her father. There she meets Derek who helps her train for another important dance audition while incorporating hiphop moves to improve her skills.
The Notebook
Separated by social status, Noah, a poor boy from a working class family and Abbey, the daughter of a wealthy family fall in love. Again, this was a HUGE film when I was at school, it was also the perfect film for both Ryan Reynolds and Rachel McAdams to breakout with. According to wiki, the film now has a cult following, I'm not surprised. It really is the story of Noah and Abbey falling in love in 1940s while their old selves read from about it in the present day.
Shakespeare in Love
Sometimes a film comes along and it just feels like the epitomy of British film. Shakespear in Love is one of those films. The beyond amazing British cast with a couples of American actors in order to sell to the US market. Oh I do love this film. Shakespeare, a rather poor playwright, falls in love with Viola de Lesseps, the daughter of a wealthy merchant after she disguises herself as an actor to audition for his new play, then after discovering her identity they have a love affair. The affair also opens up Shakspeare as he writes/performs 'Romeo and Juliet'.
I've only seen Save the Last Dance and even though it's not the greatest film ever, I love it. It also gives me a chance to name drop. I went to high school with Fredro Starr who plays Malakai, Derek's crazy best friend.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember much from Save the Last Dance, will have to re-watch it at some point. I'm not a fan of The Notebook, though I do like Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling!
ReplyDeleteExcellent call on Save the Last Dance! I love that movie. The Notebook is also the only Nicholas Sparks movie I can stand. Great picks.
ReplyDeleteNice choices. I really like all three films.
ReplyDeleteBTW, it was Ryan Gosling, not Ryan Reynolds, who broke out with The Notebook.
I've seen Save the Last Dance several times, I do realize it's not the greatest film but I love it. I've tried to watch The Notebook once but I didn't make it through.
ReplyDeleteI had expected The Notebook to be all over the place today but this is the first time I've seen it pop up. It's a bit mushy but Gosling, McAdams, Rowlands and Garner manage to keep the goo down thanks to their straightforward performances. I never would have handed Shakespeare in Love the Best Picture Oscar but it is a charming film, Paltrow is okay but to me Joseph Fiennes is the standout. I've avoided Save the Last Dance, I can't tolerate Julia Stiles but it sounds like a good fit.
ReplyDeleteThis was going to be an all Barbra Streisand list since star crossed lovers seems to be part of her stock in trade but her version of A Star is Born is such a stinking pile of wasted celluloid I just couldn’t bring myself to list it and turned to a MUCH better version of the same tale. I threw in a little snippet for each to highlight the theme.
The Way We Were (1973)-Memories will light the corners of your mind after viewing this high quality drama of Jewish radical Katie Morosky (Babs) and "gorgeous goyish guy" Hubbell Gardner (Robert Redford) who attend college together in the 30’s then meet again during WWII and despite immense differences fall in love. The film follows their problem plagued relationship through dating, marriage and the Hollywood blacklist. Tale of doomed love is ultra-romantic with political overtones has nice period detail and perhaps Streisand’s career best performance.
**Star-crossed quote- "I want us to love each other. The trouble is we do."
Funny Girl (1968)-Gawky, burning with ambition and massively talented Fanny Brice is trying to make her way in show biz, by chance she meets suave professional gambler Nicky Arnstein who helps give her a step up. Sensing a spark but pulled apart by circumstances Fanny continues her ascent occasionally running into Nick until a fateful encounter leads to a great love. Problem is Fanny’s compiling one triumph on top of another while Nick feeling the pressure of being “Mr. Brice” suffers a series of bad luck deals leading to a disastrous decision (and an emotion packed finale). Oscar winning showcase for Streisand, how much is true is questionable though the real life Brice and Arnstein did have a troubled marriage.
**Star-crossed quote-Nick: “I thought maybe, finally, at last my luck had changed…but it hadn’t. “Fanny-“So it will change tomorrow, the way it has a hundred other time. Everybody has a run of bad luck now and then it doesn’t mean anything.” Nick-“How would you know darling? You never lose.”
A Star is Born (1954)-Band singer Esther Blodgett (Judy Garland) saves movie star Norman Maine (James Mason) from making a drunken fool of himself at a Hollywood benefit when he stumbles into her act. Intrigued he tracks her down to a late night club and discovers that she possesses “that little something extra” that makes a great star and convinces her to leave the band. After some complications a friendship develops leading to a romance and marriage but as Esther, now rechristened Vicki Lester, rises ever higher Norman, trapped by demons in a downward spiral, falls leading to tragedy for all. Judy’s pinnacle both vocally and dramatically. She’s almost matched by Mason and they are supported by strong work from Charles Bickford, Tommy Noonan and especially Jack Carson.
**Star-crossed quote:
“Love isn't enough, I thought it was. I thought I was the answer for Norman. But love isn't enough for him. No matter how much you love someone — how do you live out the days? How?”
OMG Save the Last Dance!!!! SUCH a guilty pleasure. That movie was EVERYTHING when it came out. I remember being in love with Julia Stiles. And such a trip to watch it now and see young Kerry Washington. Shakespeare in Love is just perfection and one of my picks, too. Although, wonderful as it is, every now and then when I think of it, I remember the scene in Scary Movie 2 when Brenda talks all the way through it and I LOL.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare in Love is quite a nice pick, here. Wouldn't have occurred to me but it's perfect really. The other two I've seen. That's about all I can say about them. Lol.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen Last Dance but I have seen the other 2. I finally saw The Notebook last year and would have preferred more James Garner and Gena Rowlands more in the film but that's just me. Shakespeare in Love is actually a very good film and Paltrow is good in it even though now one just wants to constantly trip her:) Cate Blanchett deserved the Oscar though that year.
ReplyDeleteAh! That is a name drop. Everyone was just obsessed with it at school, that and Legally Blonde.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I'm not usually a fan of 'those type of films' but I have soft spot for The Notebook, I get why people are fans of it though.
ReplyDeleteSame here - I tried watching another of his adaptations and was so bored. Yeh, I thought, why not Save the Last Dance - I love the dance she does at the end of the film.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Oh my, that is an epic error! I meant Gosling. I was watching trailers when writing the post - Deadpool on the mind. I'll change that asap! Thanks for catching that.
ReplyDeleteI understand the struggle - I found that the older Noah and Ally slow it down and kinda ruins the pace.
ReplyDeleteThe Notebook has a cult following? That's just so weird because I mean it's quite mainstream and hasn't it always been a popular romantic movie.
ReplyDeleteMe too. All the others are not tolerable.
ReplyDeleteAccording to wiki it does. It's popular yes and it was popular, what I think they mean is that it has a following that is infamous, not exactly cult.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised about the Garner and Rowlands . You're the first person I know who likes their parts. I rewatched Shakespear in Love when writing this post, its such a great film, kinda wish I got to see it in the West end.
ReplyDeleteI thought I'd go for an indirect 'Romeo and Juliet' film. There are so many brilliant versions of the story, the one about the author - fictionised account - and how it was created was befitting for the theme.
ReplyDeleteJulia Stiles was getting big back then, what with 10 Things I Hate About You and O around that time. I actually forgot Washington was in the film until I was writing this post.
ReplyDeleteExcellent picks! I still need to see A Star is Born but its just so tragic I'm not sure I can bring myself to watch it, even though I know its a classic. Loving the Barbra Streisand theme going on here! Haven't seen the other version of A Star is Bornbut I saw the trailer and was just not feeling it.
ReplyDeleteI obviously love Streisand, but Good Lord DO NOT waste your time on her version of A Star is Born which manages to squeeze out everything that is special, lovely and delicate about the first two versions and turn it into a cynical nasty piece of junk.
ReplyDeleteGo with the Judy version, it does have its tragic turns but has so much going for it that rounds it out.