February 28, 2007
Gender and "Chick" Flicks
In my first blog I discussed the article SuicdeGirls.com that explored the term chick flick and dealt with how men are becoming increasingly interested in the genre.
While I was searching my usual Bloglines and RSS feeds on chick flicks this week, I found an interesting article on Men’s Health entitled Chick Flick’s You’ll (Secretly) Love. This article recommends a variety of chick flicks and discusses the basic plot line of some of the most popular ones. Each movie recommendation also includes a brief reason why men would love them; the reasons range from picking up Humphrey Bogart’s tips on how to woo women all the way to the appeal of leading lady’s with guns.
It seems like each week that I search for the most recent blogs about chick flicks, I find more and more that cover men’s interest in them. While at one point these films could have been considered “women’s interest films”, they no longer appeal to only women.
I find that the male gender’s rapidly expanding interest to be true as two of my closet male friends claim The Notebook to be their favorite film. In addition to the (unexpected!) change I have noticed in my friends, I find this particularly fascinating as my best chick-flick-movie-watching-partner is my father! Possibly someday soon we will begin to call “chick flicks” by a new name that makes no reference to gender as the male interest in the genre continues to grow.
-Courtney
Posted by camoor at 03:55 PM
February 21, 2007
Oh Audrey
I think it would be a travesty to explore the genre of chick flicks without noting one of the most inspiring actresses of the genre: Audrey Hepburn.
She had not only style, but class. Audrey starred in many of the most classic chick flicks, from A Roman Holiday to Breakfast At Tiffanys. These movies have stood the test of time and are watched again and again.
Actresses even today are compared with, and fall short of, the glory that Audrey Hepburn left. While I was reading reviews to this week’s newest chick flick (Music and Lyrics) I ran across an article comparing Drew Barrymore’s role to the legacy that chick flick actress Audrey Hepburn left on the genre.
“I see Audrey Hepburn in the Drew Barrymore role (Sorry Drew, not going to make that comparison. Not in the same league, though you're quite adorable in this and most films),” said Matt Singer in his review of the movie on Termite Art .
I think that Matt was right on in his analysis. I feel like there are very few modern actresses that compare to the style and grace Audrey brought to all of her films, not to mention her immense talent and unique look.
The best blog I found about Audrey was A Blog Tribute to Audrey Hepburn. This extensive blog site shows the truly glorious mark she left on the industry by including articles, photos, reviews, and links to purchase Audrey Hepburn paraphernalia.
My favorite legacy that Audrey left is her style. She has a clean, simple style that people still drive to achieve today. She was one of the first to establish the “LBD” (better know as the “Little Black Dress”). The LBD still serves as a must have style staple for most women.
-Courtney
Posted by camoor at 09:30 PM
The Wedding Date
Once again this week instead of watching a movie with my group of girls I read blogs about my second favorite chick flick of all time The Wedding Date. I think one of the reasons I like this movie so much is because it is completely original and unlike any other movie I have ever seen. I read numerous different blogs on the movie and found that some people really dislike the it. I was curious to see what different people thought about the movie because one of the main characters is a male prostitute. I did not know how people would respond to having a male prostitute as a main character in a movie.
One woman really disliked it, but I got the vibe that she only disliked it because the characters in the movie were pretty people and she wants everyone to date average people. Does not like The Wedding Date . I had mixed feelings about her blog. I was sad that she did not like the movie but at the same time her blog was rather entertaining to read since she ranted about how people should not be so superficial and should date people because of what is on the inside. I completely agree with her because a person’s inside is much more important than the way they look, but at the same time pretty people are just nice to look at. Unfortunately most of the blogs I read people were not particularly crazy and about the movie. I found this really surprising because I love this movie and would watch it over and over if I had all the time in the world.
Rachel Basaldua
Posted by rachbasa at 09:12 PM | Comments (0)
TV shows are Chick Flicks?!?
So I admit it, I don't know everything there is to know about chick flicks, in fact, I was doing research (a.k.a. a google search) to decide what to write this entry about. Amazon lead me to a very shocking phrase. "So you'd like to... see the best chick flicks. (including tv shows)" After I got over my immediate shock... my head sounded a little like "What?!? Look at the name chick FLICK. Flick means movie doesn't it?"... I decided to dive deeper and see what Amazon wanted to consider a Chick Flick/SHOW!!.
Felicity, Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill.
How had I not seen this before? There is a reason that my boyfriend would never watch One Tree Hill with me, changed the channel when Dawson's Creek re-runs came on, and simply left before Gilmore Girls on Tuesday nights. Some might consider these shows TV dramas, but lets admit it, how many people can get their guy friends to watch any of these shows with them? That's what I thought.
As times change so does the entertainment industry and these shows are weekly adventures into the lives of our soon favorite character and household names. Everyone wanted to know who Joey Potter would end up with and cried when Jen died on the season finale of Dawson's Creek. It was impossibl enot to care. The viewers grow to love their "friends."
So I guess I taught myself something this week. I learned to keep my mind open and to remember that I have things to learn about chick flicks too.
~Stephanie~
Posted by ssch at 09:12 PM
pride and prejudice
Today I read several different blogs on Pride and Prejudice instead of watching one of MSN’s top ten chick flicks. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite movies and I wanted to find out what other people thought of the movie. I know it did well in theaters so I thought it would be a movie most people liked, and I was correct. In all the blogs I read people really liked the movie. Friday Flick thought it was "pure entertainment from start to finish." Friday Flick I thought this was quite a compliment because Friday Flick is a movie review site.
The site I enjoyed looking at the most was this one where the people who had put it together acted out almost all the scenes in Pride and Prejudice with little plastic people and used drawings to enhance each of the snapshots. I found it particularly fun and interesting. Under every snapshot made of drawings and plastic people were the lines from the movie to go along with what was being acted out. Pride and Prejudice drawn skit with plastic people
Rachel Basaldua
Posted by rachbasa at 08:41 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2007
From Women's Movies to Chick Flicks
I think that it's about time that I explain exactly what qualifies chick flick is. However, I believe that Wikipedia does it even better then I could. A quotation that I really think dicusses what I want this entry to be about is, "Film critic Molly Haskell suggested that chick flicks are very different from the women's films of the 40s and 50s in that they now "sing a different tune". She feels that they are "more defiant and upbeat, post-modern and post-feminist."" I am very versed in chick flicks, but women's films I know nothing about. Would it even be fair for me to attempt to pass a judgment on movies from 40 years before I was born? I don't know. There are backstories and cultural codes to a lot of things, and a majority of the jokes would probably fly right over my head. Even in movies like Pretty Woman , which I most obviously love, I have to remind myself that hair that poofy actually was in style.
According to Molly Haskell's defination, a good number of the movies on MSN's top list would not even be considered chick flicks, they would be considered women's movies. And fianlly I agree, so as for me I plan not to discuss women's movies when I could stick to the wonderful and growing genre of chick flicks.
~Stephanie~
Posted by ssch at 08:51 PM
February 10, 2007
My Number One
When Harry Met Sally is my favorite chick flick of all time. It is also rated the 8th best chick flick by MSN’s Top 10 Chick Flicks. This week my group decided to watch this movie together in order to critique it and compare it to other similar movies, such as You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle.
In my previous blog, I included a clip of When Harry Met Sally because it is my favorite chick flick. In my opinion, this is the best Meg Ryan movie as well as the quintessential chick flick. I find that I enjoy this movie more and more each time I watch it, as well as learn or notice something new. This time I notice just how many different hairstyles Meg Ryan has had!
My favorite aspect of this movie is the classic debate of whether or not men and woman can every really be just friends. Harry posed this question to Sally during their first meeting as they traveled from Chicago to New York together. His view was that men and woman could not be just friends. This movie primarily revolves around this question as it follows both Harry and Sally, separately and together, over the course of 10 years. It progresses from the two being merely traveling acquaintances, to friends, and eventually to lovers.
Rotten Tomatoes - When Harry Met Sally review gave a raving Fresh Tomato! Nearly all of the people who commented were extremely pleased with the movie. Phil Villarreal from the Arizona Daily Star said, “What keeps the momentum going, despite the story's predictability, is the dialogue and the chemistry, which makes for a high-wire act.”
The following slideshow shows the progression of Harry and Sally’s relationship.
After watching this movie again and reading reviews, When Harry Met Sally still holds a firm grasp on the number ONE spot on my top 10 and is a MUST SEE for all chick flick connoisseurs.
-Courtney
Posted by camoor at 05:11 PM
February 09, 2007
When Harry Met Sally= AMAZING!!!
First off, I know this should be number 9, but we have yet to locate the movie that took the Number 9 spot, so we decided to switch 9 and 8.
Well I already feel the need to alter my top ten list, as this week's movie was When Harry Met Sally.
1. The Notebook
2. The Holiday
3. Pretty Woman
4. When Harry Met Sally
5. Legally Blonde
6. Titanic
7. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
8. Grease
9. Father of the Bride Part II
10. 10 Things I Hate About You
It managed to snatch the number 4 spot and knock What Women Want off my list.
So now I must explain why I think this movie is so good. But first I think we must start with a picture acurately depicting one of the funniest scenes in the movie.
This is when Sally (Meg Ryan) is proving to Harry (Billy Crystal) that women really can fake an orgasm and men will never know. The funniest aspect of this scene is that she decides to prove her point in the middle of lunch at a crowded city restaurant. This is also probably the most famous scene from this movie.
It looks like someone else found this scence just as amusing as I did. It was placed on a list of the Greatest Funniest Movie Moments and Scenes . The line "I'll have what she's having" really takes the scene up to the next level. I love it!!
Although this is an amazingly funny scene, I have a new found love for this movie for a different reason. It tells the story of Harry and Sally and takes us through their relationship. First they hated each other, then they were awkward aquantiences, then best friends and lastly lovers. It was an amazing story that reminded us that we should never rule out someone as a potential romance because people grow up and sometimes that means together.
This is the kind of movie that I would watch when I am happy, to get a good laugh and reassured optimism, and when I am sad to cheer myself up. It is an all around classic chick flick.
~Stephanie~
Posted by ssch at 02:09 PM
February 08, 2007
When Harry Met Sally
When Harry Met Sally is a really great movie that I love. It is the story of two friends who eventually fall in love. After knowing each other for twelve years, they finally admit to loving each other. Throughout the course of their friendship they both date other people but are not happy because Sally’s heart belongs to Harry and Harry’s heart belongs to Sally.
At the beginning of their friendship both of them had just ended long relationships with people they loved. Harry expressed his pain to Sally who was always there for him. Then when Sally found out her old boyfriend was getting married for the first time she broke down. It was that night that they slept together. After they slept together, things were awkward between them for several weeks. Then on New Year’s Eve they admitted to loving each other and decided to spend the rest of their lives together.
I must admit this is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I think I am going to have to nock a Walk to Remember off my list of the top ten best chick flicks ever and replace it with When Harry met Sally. I am so glad that I was able to watch this movie and find out why other chick flick lovers thinks this is one of the greatest chick flicks of all time.
Since this is an older movie I noticed several differences between it and some of the newer movies that have come out recently. One thing I notices was that there was very little cursing and the clothes the women wore were much more conservative.
Rachel Basaldua
Posted by rachbasa at 05:55 PM | Comments (0)
February 07, 2007
Rachel's Top 10 Chick Flicks of all time
Rachel’s Top 10 Chick Flicks of all time
I am a person who has always loved watching movies, especially chick flicks. Over the years I have developed a list of my favorite top ten chick flicks. They are:
1. Pride and Prejudice
2. The Wedding Date
3. Sweet Home Alabama
4. The Devil Wears Prada
5. The Notebook
6. Pretty Woman
7. 10 Things I Hate about you
8. How to loose a guy in 10 Days
9. 13 Going on 30
10. A Walk to Remember
According to MSN my list only contains one of their top ten chick flicks of all time. This might be due to the fact that I have not seen most of them; the majority of them came out long before I was born. Over the next ten weeks I plan on keeping up with what is going on in the chick flick industry by watching some of MSN’s top ten chick flicks and by reading recent blogs about my favorite chick flicks.
This week my group of girls and I watched Pretty Woman one of the movies on MSN’s list. I had seen the movie before and really loved it. What I think makes this movie great is its theme of the poor girl being rescued by a wonderful knight. Vivian played by Julia Roberts is a hooker who has had a rough life and is practically living on the streets. Edward is a rich, successful investment banker who comes along and wiskes her away to his castle i.e. New York pent house. Although Edward is rich and successful he is hurting and lonely. Vivian is able to fill the void in his life as he solves the problems of hers. Once they find each other they are complete.
Rachel
Posted by rachbasa at 10:49 PM | Comments (0)
CHICK FLICKS
My group is taking the next 10 weeks to explore Chick Flicks. Personally, keeping up with movies is a passion of mine and I have seen a wide variety of films from many genres. Being a girl, I particularly like the genre of Chick Flicks. Since I am taking these weeks to further my knowledge of the industry I hope to challenge my current favorite movies with new movies that offer the best aspects of the industry.
Currently, my top 10 personal favorites are:
1. When Harry Met Sally
2. Breakfast At Tiffany’s
3. Casablanca
4. Sleepless In Seattle
5. Love Actually
6. Clueless
7. Titanic
8. The Notebook
9. Legally Blonde
10. Pretty Woman
I began researching this project using an RSS feed from Bloglines. I was specifically searching for chick flicks and what the word means. While searching I found something that diverted a little bit from my purpose but that was surprisingly interesting:
SuicdeGirls.com has an article on the genre of chick flicks. One of the most interesting finds was the number of men interested in the genre. “A Kansas State University Study has pushed the envelope of science and psychology to reveal that chick flicks are actually not chick at all. Guys love 'em too, if not more.”
The article continued by exploring the main problem with the genre: gender stereotypes. Gender stereotypes still strongly exist in the entertainment world. From calling romantic movies CHICK FLICKS to woman becoming upset when their dates are scared during horror films. Also, the article describes how decisions to see chick flicks are often mutual. Many men prefer watching a Meg Ryan movie with their hunny.
If the viewers of movies would continue to open their minds to genres they feel they are not (or even should not be!) interested in, I believe that the industry would develop tremendously quickly by a wave of fresh ideas.
The following is a clip from my number one favorite chick flick: When Harry Met Sally.
-Courtney
Posted by camoor at 10:30 PM
February 03, 2007
Pretty Woman!!!!!
Well first off, I want to provide you with my list of my personal favorite top ten chick flicks I have ever seen. I am prepared to have my list shift a little because the majority of the movies on MSN's list I have not seen. So, well reading my list keep in mind the fact that they are mostly movies from the past decade (the 90s) because before that I was 2 years old and chick flicks were far from my mind. In other words, I realize I have a lot of catching up to do.1. The Notebook
2. The Holiday
3. Pretty Woman
4. Legally Blonde
5. Titanic
6. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
7. Grease
8. Father of the Bride Part II
9. 10 Things I Hate About You
10. What Women Want
MSN's number 10 is the same as my number 3, so obviously it is one of my favorites and I support their decision to have it on the list. It is Pretty Woman (1990) with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.
~Stephanie~
Posted by ssch at 10:38 AM
February 01, 2007
Introduction
Our group has decided to take the next 10 weeks to write entries to learn more about
chick flicks and our opinions on them. We will explore movies from MSN’s Top 10 Chick Flicks to Hollywood’s latest additions. We decided on this topic because we are a group of girls who share a passion for chick flicks and the way in which Hollywood has found to capture the attention of so many people through this genre and manages to keep them coming back to see a plethora of movies with the same basic plot line.
Stephanie Schwartz, Rachel Basaldua, Courtney Moore
Section 006
Posted by ssch at 05:11 PM