Morning all! Today I have a guest post for you, from the lovely Tonya at Budget and the Beach. Enjoy! And remember you can still win $100 on the grocery giveaway
Tonya is a freelance video editor and blogger living in Los Angeles. She enjoys movies, running and playing beach volleyball. You can follow her personal finance journey on her blog at Budget & the Beach, and follow her on twitter at @beachbudget.
It’s always around this time of year that I tend to watch a ton of movies, both in the theater and at home (although with my budget this year, mostly at home).
For one thing the “Oscar-type” movies always come out this time of year. And two, because when it’s dark earlier and chillier outside I tend to “nest” more this time of year.
I’ve always been a big movie buff from the time I was little. My dad used to take my brother and I just about every week. And no movie was ever off limits. We went as a family (this explains a lot) to see The Shining when I was 7 or 8 years old!!
It’s no wonder I went into the creative field for work. And I actually used to work on movie trailers at one point in my life, but that truly was the worst job experience of my life. Long story.
The one bad thing about movies though is that I often use them as kind of a crutch, or an escape from my own life. I think I fantasize just a bit too much about wanting to be certain characters in certain films. Maybe to avoid my own life?
But the reality is, life is not like the movies. I mean have you ever seen the romantic comedy where the guy buys the plane ticket at the last minute to France to tell the woman he’s madly in love with how he feels? Somehow the editors deleted the scenes where he opened up his credit card bill a month later and his jaw dropped on the floor. Not very romantic, is it?
Or the girl who sells everything to travel and just go find herself. What about work? What about her student loans? I suppose what happens in the film is she meets a guy who happens to be a prince, but is disguising himself as an ordinary guy so he can see what life is like as an average Joe. Of course they fall in love and she becomes a princess, so those student loans will be taken care of, no worries.
But still we watch, maybe trying to capture the essence of what these movies bring about: love, hope, letting go, happiness, traveling, being free…
And so I give you some of my favorite romantic comedy movies that have probably ruined my sense of reality for life…but I don’t care…I still love ’em.
50 First Dates– I think Drew Barrymore is so cute in this film, but what I really love about it is she lives this low key lifestyle in Hawaii, a place I have always fantasized about living. Ahh, just imagine waking up to the smell of plumeria flowers each day! Although not having your memory would kind of suck.
Bridget Jones’s Diary– Although she’s a hot mess, she is lovable and lives in London, a place I’ve never been. And it’s a story of a girl who IS a hot mess, but really gets her shit together, and ends up with sweet Colin Firth, who I think is adorable.
Leap Year– Pretty average and predictable romantic comedy, but I love the scenery in the movie (Matthew Goode), oh and looking at Ireland isn’t half bad either. Or is it Scotland? Whatever. It’s that whole travel mayhem/they fight but they really like each other crap that I just eat up (male readers are rolling their eyes right now)
The Wedding Planner– Again pretty average, but J-Lo lives in a cute San Francisco apartment, has a job she loves, and a pretty fabulous wardrobe. And she marries a hot doctor who looks like Matthew McConaughey. Yeah like that really happens.
When Harry Met Sally– No explanation needed. I tell you what, let’s just throw in You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle too shall we? You ruined me Meg Ryan! You ruined me! Oh, and Tom Hanks? I love that man.
Under the Tuscan Sun– One of my absolute favorites! It’s a story of a comeback first and foremost, but she does so in the cutest village in Tuscany. Have you ever fantasized about living in Italy with cobblestone streets and drinking wine and eating pasta and gelato all day? Ahhh, just sounds so relaxing. And Diane Lane is absolutely radiant in the movie, even when she is supposed to kind of look like shit. Impressive.
Pride & Prejudice–Because of this line: Mr. Darcy: And what am I to call you when I’m cross? “Mrs. Darcy?” Elizabeth Bennet: No, you may only call me “Mrs. Darcy” when you are completely, perfectly and incandescently happy. Mr. Darcy: And how are you this evening… Mrs. Darcy? Mrs. Darcy… Mrs. Darcy… Mrs. Darcy!
Yep, I’m totally ruined!
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What are some of your favorite movies that have “ruined you?”
I love most of those movies- especially 50 first dates! I need to bust that one out again soon.
We like Drew Barrymore movies. Our recent favorite of hers would probably be Fever Pitch.
Up! I love that movie and totally expect Mr. PoP to miss me so much if I die first that he straps thousands of balloons to the house to finish the adventures we hadn’t gotten to yet. =)
I enjoyed this post. Very well written. We’ve enjoyed Sleepless in Seattle many times. So many people live as if life is just like the movies. Sad really.
I love a good romantic comedy, Leap Year was beautiful being shot in Ireland. Giving the season, I also really love the Family Stone and Love Actually.
My wife and i enjoy 50 first dates…good movies..may have to go out to blockbuster and rent that..
Bridget Jones and 50 First Dates are great !! I cry at the end of 50 First Dates every time ! Movies that ruined me… well it started early for me, with Disney movies where every girl has the guy of her dreams fall for her. Forrest Gump. I know it’s not exactly centred around a romance, but his love for her is so unfaltering!
I watched Pride and Prejudice with my wife for the first time last month. It was long and a sappy chic-flick, but I didn’t mind it too much. lol. Being raised by a single mom, I for whatever reason don’t mind watching films like that on occasion…as long as my wife is willing to watch Die Hard or Braveheart from time-to-time. haha
One I really love is Hope Floats with Sandra Bullock and Harry Connick Jr, where her husband dumps her on a TV talk show for her best friend and she moves back in with her Mom in TX and falls in love with a cowboy. Can’t beat a good RomCom!
That’s a cute movie too! Love Sandy B.!
@John-I like Fever Pitch too. I think its so sweet when Jimmy Fallon helps her when she was sick.
@Mrs. Pop-that one scene was SO sad. I was crying so hard in the theater and I never to that.
@catherine-Love those too, although there are certain storylines in love actually I don’t like, so that didn’t make the cut. I just watched The Family Stone on tv again and I was sobbing on my couch.
@Gillian-forrest gump is such a sweet movie. A little long, but really sweet, and good music.
@worksavelive-I LOVE Die Hard!
I love “50 First Dates”!!! In fact, my husband and I were dating at that point in time, and one of our dates was to see that movie. I was so smitten with Hawaii, that 2 months later, we took our first trip to Hawaii. Those were the days… 🙂
And “The Wedding Planner”, I have seen a hundred times. Can’t help it. It’s so cute!
Awe! It’s such a sweet movie, and who doesn’t love Hawaii! I’ve been 4 times!
I love getting lost in some of the classics, “Dirty Dancing” or “Pretty Woman”. “Under the Tuscan Sun” sounds enticing—I will have to look that one up! Lately I’ve been craving a relaxing, sappy flick, and “Midnight in Paris” has me intrigued (with Owen Wilson). Have you seen it? Also can you believe it, shamefully I have never seen “When Harry Met Sally”!
I haven’t seen Midnight In Paris but I’ve heard good things! I’m going to see Silver Linings Playbook on Friday. A different kind of romcom I think. Maybe romantic dramaish. I can’t believe you’ve never seen it!! 🙂 It’s a classic! I’m at “that age” where I saw it in the theater.
I used to always think my life would be like a movie, but it just never works out that way. Movies are “written”, your life is not.
Sadly…I know….
This was probably totally accidental, but you skipped Notting Hill. In fact, Hugh Grant is remarkably absent from this list. I’m hoping it was oversight. 🙂
lol!! No, it wasn’t an oversight. He’s OK, don’t get me wrong…I just wasn’t that enthralled with the movie. 🙂
I love movies TOO! (So much that we talk about our favs at the end of each podcast).
A new one this year that I liked was Ruby Sparks. It’s a very good movie about what to expect from a relationship…and funny at the same time.
I also thought “It’s Complicated” was a funny romantic, twisted movie.
I’d like to see ruby sparks!
I must admit, romance movies are not normally my cup of tea, but I have seen a couple of these and enjoyed them.