Movie Monday: Pre-666

Ahh, Movie Mondays.  What with my own dream of the vampire flick going to hell, I didn't think I was in the mood to do this post, but then, with the End of the World looming around the bend of midnight (6/6/6) and reading my friend Mark's blog entry... Why not!

I was at the grocery store today, and this woman was telling me that a muslim guy she works with (I didn't get the relevance of the info) told her to stock up on water, canned goods, flashlights, etc. in preparation of what is going to go down tomorrow...  I was not nice, I didn't play along. I said, "if the world is ending tomorrow, what do we need supplies for?"  She looked crushed.  Even more so, when I went ahead and bought a whole flat of petunias to plant tomorrow — her face said, she considered it very irresponsible optimism on my part, but she seemed mollified when I bought a gallon of spring water.  So I guess, if the world is ending tomorrow, I might as well carpe diem, since it is my last chance ever to do a Movie Monday post.

Mark had blogged on an article on great break-up movies by Collin Souter at Hollywood Bitchslap, and he includes in his entry a fab clip from "The Wedding Singer", a flick which certainly would make my breakup movie list too.  The clip made me think of Mike Myers singing "Woman, woah, man" in "So I Married an Axe Murderer", but that's neither here nor there.  There's a lot of meaty breakup stuff in "The Wedding Singer" which most of us can identify with. Though my favorite quote from it has to be when Robbie says to the ex-g/f: "PSY-cho... get out of my Van Halen t-shirt, before you jinx the band and they break up."

Souter is a guy, and his list reflects that — thought I'd add a few more 'chick-flicks' to the list.  Damn, I am taking forever to get to my list, aren't I?  Some of these end up happily, but they all have moments that speak to the heart of the matter: breakups SUCK.

1. The Way We Were
The   breakup movie of all time.  Barbra and Redford both in top form, with an amazing script and Sydney Pollack's deft direction.  You know these two love each other, they just can't be together.

A) First breakup. She calls him, crying her eyes out right after, asking him to come over to comfort her, because he is also her best friend.  He does.

B) Years after the final breakup, final scene. They meet by coincidence in front of the Plaza, where Kate is protesting something or other, and their eyes meet, she brushes a lock of hair off his face and they exchange a few words, but the real exchange is in their eyes.  First time I saw this, I was 15 and hadn't yet broken up with anyone, ever, but I cried for almost an hour.


2. Good Will Hunting
The fight scene.

Skylar: I love you. I want to hear you say that you don't love me, because if you say that then I won't call you, and I won't be in your life. Will: I don't love you.

Minnie Driver's face tore me up.



3. Addicted to Love
About the funniest thing ever — Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick getting back at their exes. Fantastically filmed, too. About how far people go in a post-breakup morbid obsession.



4. French Kiss
There is a scene where Meg Ryan is in the hotel lobby and sees the man she loves coming down in an elevator with the French "Godd-ess" he has left her for.  She faints.  Perfectly describes that punch-to-the-stomach feeling where the whole world lurches the first time you see the other person with someone else.


5. Legally Blonde

Funniest moment-of-breakup scene ever, with Reese first throwing a howling & hyperventilating fit inside a posh restaurant, then stalking away down the street with makeup running down her face, agreeing to get into her boyfriend's car in order not to ruin her shoes.


6. When Harry Met Sally
There's that awesome scene when Sally finds out that her ex is getting married, and she's bawling her eyes out while Harry comforts her:

SALLY ...He just met her. She's supposed to be his transitional person, she's not suppose to be the one. All this time I've been saying that he didn't want to get married, but the truth is, he didn't want to marry me. He didn't love me.... (wailing)... and I'm going to be forty. Harry: When? Sally: Someday. Harry: In eight years.

Well, that's just a few, but it was fun remembering all those movies, from a safe distance, and not being currently in that emotional turmoil, when you just feel numb and dying inside at once.

Feel free to share some of your own faves in the comments, if you happen upon this post before the world ends :P  As a post from earlier today demonstrated, I'm going to hell, so I'm sure to be seeing some of you, and to those of you going upstairs tomorrow, "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

 
Tags: Movies