Double Feature Friday- Bring in 2010!!

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It sort of goes without saying that today's Double Feature should be movies about New Year's Eve (or Jan. 1st) or ones that have big, dramatic moments around this time period. So I searched the massive collection of films swimming around in my head for my favorites, and for some reason both of them are chick flicks. "That's odd," I said (yes, I talk to myself sometimes- I mean, I do have a blog), and thought about why this would happen. I decided it's because of the whole sharing-New-Years'-with-someone-special bullshit. That's fine, though- if Hollywood accepts it, then I will too. So without further ado...

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Oh, look, she's all alone on Dec. 31st. Oh wait... she realizes... aww, he does too! And now they're running towards one another.... Best New Years' scene ever. As far as rom-coms go, this one is pretty tolerable. It's unique in that the story is formulaic, but not cliched. When making movies about the differences between men and women, it's hard to get the comedy across without being offensive, and this movie does it perfectly. Meg Ryan proving that a woman can successfully fake an orgasm is hilarious and yet still gets portrays her as a strong, smart woman without making him look like a complete ass. Take that, The Ugly Truth! I don't want any of your chauvinistic bullshit. Aaanyway, I'll just put this here instead so I don't end up belittling more movies through my praise of this one.

The Holiday (2006)

There is no other way to describe this movie except "nice." It has two storylines that both keep you equally entertained, and tries its best to come up with an original plot for once. The two women are strong without being “manish,” as Hollywood likes to portray women having trouble finding men, and the men are neither perfect nor terribly wrong. One of the biggest surprises of this movie is that Jack Black convincingly played a romantic character while still keeping his ridiculous comedy in (because, honestly, if he didn’t, it wouldn’t be Jack Black). The Holiday is special because it doesn’t try. None of the characters are forced on you or overdone, and in that way you get to love them all. The story coasts along so smoothly, and even though you know what will happen in the end, you can’t help but be wrapped up in the conflicts in the middle because you’re already hooked in the current. I would put this as one of the top 5 feel-good movies EVER, because by the time all of them are celebrating the New Year together, you just sigh and smile. It can’t be helped. 

Happy New Year! 

The Movie Mistress