You know what I mean - You get up on a day off with plans to get out, enjoy the sun, visit the farmer's market, run some errands, whatever. You make a chocolate soy milk/banana smoothie and some toast. You sit down to eat it and make your fatal mistake, you turn on the TV, just to see what's on. Next thing you know, it's 2 hours later because one of those movies you can't resist, even though you've seen it 15 times, is on. I wish I could say my list included Koyaanisqatsi, Metropolis, An Inconvenient Truth, Roger and Me, and Citizen Kane. But alas, it's a bit fluffier than that. I'm sure I have lots more of these than this, but in keeping with the theme, here are 5.
1) The Goonies - The movie that did it to me yesterday. Set on the Oregon coast and Haystack rock plays an integral role. This one is just a fun movie from my childhood and may be the first thing that made me think I wanted to live in Oregon. It's such a caper (what a great word), and so fun to see the kids figure out the treasure map and save the day.
2) Sixteen Candles - I could probably quote this whole movie so I could play it in my head whenever I want but still it has very high Saturday-ruining potential. And it's by John Hughes and stars Molly Ringwald so it has street cred. Just hearing Jake Ryan on the steps of the church say, "Yeah you" or the song "If You Were Here" makes me swoon. Memorable moments include Molly Ringwald's scream after her friend says her brother paid $1 to see her underwear, Joan Cusack's dance while wearing a neck brace, any scene with Farmer Ted the geek, and of course, the kiss over the birthday cake at the end. But the line I love the most is when Grandpa calls the police when Long Duk Dong is missing, and describes his outfit, "What was he wearing? Well, uh, let's see, he was wearing a red argyle sweater, and tan trousers, and red shoes... (pause for the police to say something we don't hear) No, he's not retarded." I think of this line almost every time I wear something a little unusual - is it daring or would someone have to defend my mental abilities? And watching it on TV provides even more laughs when you know it well enough to know how they edited the dialogue for TV.
3) The Bourne Identity - I really like the rest of the trilogy too but this is currently the one most likely to be on a Saturday morning. This movie has it all, action, drama, mystery, suspense, a cute actor, a little romance, a great car chase, and it's set in Europe. And Jason Bourne is soooo smart which only makes him cuter. See, I do have my priorities in line.
4) 13 Going on 30 - I love Jennifer Garner. I loved Alias, I loved her on SNL doing the skit as a Walmart greeter and offering people maps of the store and rain gear because the store was so huge it had different weather systems. I think this movie is underrated. It is so funny and so well done. If it were possible for a 13 year old girl from the 80s to suddenly wake up and be 30 in the 2000s, this is how she would be. She would be more excited to have a signed photo from Madonna than Guiliani. She would dance to Thriller, she would waffle between plain and peanut when asked about Eminem. I also really like that the ending is done in a way that the other girl doesn't get dumped. And if that weren't enough, the guy is Mark Ruffalo.
5) About a Boy - I own this one and yet I sometimes catch myself watching it on TV, with commercials! Maybe I don't deserve a DVD player if I'm going to ignore it like that. I love Nick Hornby. I love Hugh Grant. I love Toni Collette. I love that kid's eyebrows. A friend of mine and I have both been unemployed and we totally related to the part about your day being divided into units of time and finding ways to fill the units. I love hearing Hugh Grant's thoughts and how we have all thought things like that. And ultimately, I love his change of heart.
Here are a few others I didn't have room for: Clueless, Never Been Kissed, Ocean's Eleven, Die Hard, Out of Sight, Room with a View, Pride and Prejudice (although this takes more than just a Saturday morning), The Parent Trap, and Grease. What about you? What did I forget?
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Some of my fluffy favorites are Raising Arizona, Three Amigos, Young Frankenstein, Cold Comfort Farm, the Muppet Movie, A Fish Called Wanda, Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, Galaxy Quest (Alan Rickman + Sigourney Weaver! Love love love!), Stuck on You (helped get me over my issues with conjoined twins).
I think my love of About a Boy was enhanced by the fact that I don't really like Hugh Grant and in the movie he was playing himself turning into someone I *would* like. It was sorta healing for me and Hugh :) And Toni Collette is always wonderful.
For years Goonies scared me (I was a wimp) but I'd still watch it because it showed Cannon Beach, which was my favorite place in the whole wide world and because it confirmed my long-held belief that strange and mysterious treasures were hidden in the rocky Oregon coastline.
I love that you love Metropolis. Can we be friends?
Oh my goodness, I agree with all your choices. But I would have to add Breakfast Club. We may have this movie thing in common...but paws off Jake Ryan! He's totally mine!
I am going to have to go with Terminator 2, The Matrix, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Romancing the Stone. Although I did watch 13 going on 30 last week. Hope you are enjoying Portland again.
Ryan - I almost put Ferris Bueller's on the list. It's so good.
Mrs French - It kinda frustrates me that Jake Ryan could have the same hair and clothes today and still be in style but none of the girls in the movie would ever wear any of the same clothes today.
Marie - Galaxy Quest is totally underrated. So funny. The guy named Guy. Priceless.
Oh my gosh!!! I love this post! I am trying to be really quiet as I am testing kids to get into my honors English class next year. They are being so studious and I am trying not to laugh at you questioning your outfits!!
For me:
Strictly Ballroom (the dance by the coke sign!)
The Truth about Cats and Dogs
"What's your skin regime?"
"My regime? The regime where the radicals are trying to break free? Are we selling face cream here or staging a coup?"
Bridget Jones' Diary--
"To Bridget, just as she is!"
Pretty in Pink--
getting kissed in a parkinglot when it was raining has always been the pinnacle of romance for me!
And many more you mentioned. Did you know Jake Ryan now lives in Florida and does construction? Yeah, I guess after "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" he figured he couldn't act. I love in About a Boy when Hugh was like "It was awful, horrible, but driving really fast behind the ambulance was amazing." And the Dead Duck Day...SPAT!!!
I don't like George Clooney or JLo, but somehow, in Out of Sight, I am addicted to them, they sizzle, and reel me in each and every time!
D'Arcy - I love all those movies. It's so hard to remember all the great ones sometimes. Strictly Ballroom is definitely one of the best for so many reasons including the slide across the floor in those matador pants, wow! When I picked About a Boy that was the exact moment I was thinking of, him driving fast behind the ambulance. While I do love George Clooney, I agree about Out of Sight, on paper it doesn't make sense but on screen it's kind of mesmerizing. And one of my favorite Bridget Jones' Diary quotes is from the sequel. "I truly believe that happiness is possible... even when you're thirty-three and have a bottom the size of two bowling balls." Sadly only one of those things is true about me now.
This is the best blog. I love all of those movies. I saw Die Hard three times the summer it came out - in the theatre. I paid FULL price all three times. Granted, back then full price was $5.25, but that was still a big expense for a 15 year old who made $1.25 an hour babysitting.
Anyway, I hope not to bring down the level when I add the Cutting Edge. DB Sweeny on ice skates is priceless.
Annette - The Cutting Edge is so cute. And Moira Kelly is so good at being such a brat.
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