Do you know how they say you spend a third of your life sleeping, a third working, and a third with free time? Well, I spend about half of my free time watching movies (and probably half the time I’m sleeping, I spend dreaming about movies).
Movies are the way we connect with others without having to speak. You can appreciate the same movie as someone else and already know so much about them All because they know that movie as you do. Movies, Rom-Coms specifically, is the way I connect with my dad. We spent hours in my childhood and even now just watching movies together.
There are some movies that have left a lasting impression on me and have helped shape my view on life. Specifically, movies that highlighted people and behaviors that people have when they interact with others. For most of these movies I don’t remember the first time I saw them, but I know they were great enough to watch way too many times.
Caution Spoilers Ahead
Easy A
The series of events that follow this movie taught me a lot about teenage girls and more importantly teenage boys. I love the artistic parallel of the book that they’re reading, The Scarlet Letter, and the movie itself. Easy A is honestly an anti-romance movie because the main character, Olive, exploits her new status as a “hoe” to get money from boys without actually doing anything (honestly, pop off). Even though she faces so much bullying and self-doubt, there is still one boy who remembers who she is and reminds her that what other people think doesn’t really matter.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
This is honestly one of my favorites. It reminds me of one night when my mom and I were home alone and didn’t know what to do. She ended up showing me this movie. I’ve never been too good at love, relationships and dates, so I really love the beginning of this movie. Toula, the main character, is a quirky woman and meets Ian, her love interest in the movie, also quirky. She’s also 30 and has never had a serious relationship, but the romance and connection of the characters Ian and Toula across their cultures made me truly believe there has to be someone out there for anyone, it’s just all about timing.
Notting Hill
Humility, subtle humor, and things on paper that honestly shouldn’t work out, but do. These are a few of the things I learned from Notting Hill. The movie is made so simple, with no big theatrics, loud imagery, or anything like that. The way human behavior is shown could only be described as soft. The movie shows Julia Roberts as a famous American actress and Hugh Grant as an unknown British bookstore owner. Even though Roberts’ character, Anna, is famous and could get any guy she wants, she only wants Hugh Grant’s character, Willam, in the purest way. The way this movie makes me giggle, almost cry, bawl my eyes out, and then feel happy is unlike any other movie I have ever seen.
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