Movie 7- Mansfield Park

Oblivion. It can be the worst curse there is. I don’t know about you, but I hate it when I finally realize something that’s been right in front of my nose for quite some time! That’s how Fanny and Edmund are in Mansfield Park. Well, that is, more Edmund is oblivious than Fanny. I am ashamed to say I have not read this book yet, so my judgments are based entirely off the movies. So bear with me. In the movies, Fanny and Edmund grow up in the same house. Fanny’s family was unable to keep her so she went to go live with her rick aunt, basically as a servant. She was mistreated, ignored, and oftentimes misunderstood. Except Edmund always understood her. Things drastically change when the siblings, Mary and Henry Crawford, arrive. Mary sets her eyes on Edmund, and Henry (after several diversions for his eyes) sets his mark on Fanny. Edmund loves Mary back, or so he thinks, but Fanny never stops loving Edmund. Oh, what a mess this is! Never to fear, it all works out when Henry shows his true colors and Mary displays just how greedy her fingers are to reach rich society. Edmund finally realizes he loves Fanny as more than a friend, they kiss, they wed, they’re happy. As Edmund says, “Let’s make it our business to always be this happy”. 

What could I have possibly learned?

I have a friend who hates this story. Well, maybe she doesn’t hate it, but she thoroughly dislikes it. She thinks that Edmund is a fool and she is irritated by the fact he doesn’t realize he’s a fool until the very end. I would love to agree with her, but somehow I find it excessively romantic that he doesn’t have a clue what his true feelings are. Maybe because it’s that moment when he does realize his feelings for Fanny is so incredibly powerful, that I don’t mind dealing with his idiocy. But before we talk about him, let’s discuss Fanny.

She’s so sweet. Everything about Fanny is kind, gentle, and sweet, though she is secretly quite witty. She never stands up for herself. She never talks back. She never even works up the courage to tell Edmund how she really feels about him, even when she’s about to lose him. I think this is a crime. (J) Had it not been for Edmund’s realization, their entire lives would have been a misconnection. How sad would it have been if Fanny would have been an old maid and Edmund had married someone who appreciated him as a clergyman? Though I do believe you can catch more bees with honey, I also think that there is a time and place to be, well, direct. I think this would be the time and place. If Fanny would have stood up earlier in the story, proclaiming her love Edmund, he may have come to his realization earlier. Then we would have been able to skip the whole drama and just gotten to the good, romantic stuff at the end! I, therefore, have learned to be the opposite of Fanny in situations. To speak my mind and let myself be heard is no crime. (I secretly think that’s why I have a blog, to let myself be heard with the safety of it being via your internet connection) See? There is a time to be sweet, but also a time to damn the consequences and just say the words you need to say!

Now, for that blasted Edmund. I love him. I really do. However, he may be, in all actuality, a dense man. I mean, really. He grew up with this incredible girl, who supported and advised him, whom he confided in, whom he actually declared to love (but it was in a “I heart you like a cousin”-type-love), and yet there he goes chasing butterflies, which are really moths with pretty colors. In the end, he was misguided and came to his senses, but he wasted a lot of time. Fanny was right where he needed her to be and he hadn’t a clue. Hence (I like words like these-thus, hence, therefore), I have learned to look under my nose more often. Sounds gross, huh? But you’re never sure what you might find. I want to look at what I’ve got before looking at what I want to get. If Edmund had done so, he might have been very happy, very early on. 

Are you looking under your nose? Maybe you don’t find what you want, but at least you’ll know what you have. And for heaven’s sake, if you’re feeling something strong enough, say it! Wouldn’t you rather be thought of as the person who said too much, rather  than not saying enough and just wasting time? I know I would.

I really do love this story, though I hope it doesn’t happen to me. I would hate to waste so much time…

Movie 6- Ever After

Oh, there's hope for me yet! This movie makes me laugh because Danielle and Prince Henry get off to such a rough start. In this movie, Prince Henry wants to escape his responsibilities and Danielle just wants to live a life the way she likes. However, Danielle's luck isn't so great. After assaulting a Prince (unknowingly), her stepmother and stepsister make her life miserable. But, the good stepsister acts kindly and the prince falls in love under false pretenses. There's a lot of drama, but eventually the Prince accepts Danielle for the servant that she is and loves her anyways. All ends well that should end well, I suppose. :)

What did I learn?

I could totally see me having the same luck as Danielle, as far as throwing apples at a prince goes. Like Danielle, I am quick to fight (verbally, mostly). She's strong willed, stubborn, determined, and very opinionated. Now, Is ay those things and you think "Oh Andrea's going to learn that it's better to by mild mannered and kind than like Danielle." But is it? There's a quote, "Well behaved woman rarely make history."- Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. I think this is so true. I actually learned that a strong personality doesn't have to be a bad thing. Prince Henry wouldn't have ever noticed Danielle if she would have been kind and well behaved. Danielle stood firm in her beliefs, at all times. Though she may have bent the truth a bit regarding her status, her true personality never changed. That's what the Prince fell in love with. Thus, I have learned that I don't wish to change who I am. Perhaps I need to manage it better (I'm often mouthy in my thoughts...and out loud), but I don't want to change my determined, opinionated, and often witty tendencies. Like Danielle, I will (probably after drama) find a prince to like me for who I am.

And what about Prince Henry? Sometimes, I think that the men of these movies just need to fall in love, be insulted and angry, then forgive and realize their love for the heroine. But in this movie, Prince Henry actually grows up and changes. My favorite line in the whole movie is when he demonstrates his changed personality and his parents realize it.
Henry-"Mother, Father, I want to build a University, with the largest library on the continent, where anyone can study, no matter their station!" 
King Francis-"All right... Who are you... and what have you done with my son?"
Henry-"[laughs] Oh, and I want to invite the gypsies to the ball!"
In the beginning, Prince Henry is arrogant, conceited, oblivious, and self-centered. Had he not met Danielle and her incredible ability to call him out on his faults, he may have stayed that way. But she, like any good romantic woman, shows him his faults and he changed for the better! A successful end!

But...this is terribly confusing. On the one hand, I want to be like Danielle and never change who I am. But on the other hand, I want to be like Prince Henry and change and grow when needed. Where's the balance? Part of it, I think, is based on what other people tell me. My parent's opinions, my friend's judgements, and all that jazz. So I guess what it comes down to is being open to the changes of life, but still true to who I am. That's why life is so complicated!

Also, why do the men never listen when the woman tries to tell him the truth? He's all like, "I want to show you something." and she's like "Please stand still you goofball and listen!!"

"I will simply deny you the crown and...live...forever!"- King Francis

A Book Interruption- Fairest

A blog about a chick flick will be coming soon, but I just needed to rave about the book I just read, "Fairest" by Gail Carson Levine. I read the whole thing today, which wasn't a big feat considering it is for young readers.But, I loved it. Not quite as much as Ella Enchanted, but almost. I can't help but be swept off my feet. I love the way the characters are portrayed and how it's an easy, intriguing read. I love Levine's books because they're based off of Fairytales, and what girl doesn't like a good fairytale? I squeaked several times while reading the book. Some scenes caught me off guard, appealed to my inner romantic, and totally sent my thoughts flying!
I think it's funny the ideas that romance puts in girls' minds. I wonder what the guys think of the whole thing. The woman of the world go around looking for Mr. Darcy, or Prince Charming, perhaps maybe the Sam Worthington's of the world. Do guys ever get irritated that literature and movies put these absurd ideas into our heads about what a man should be? Or do they accept the challenge?

I guess it's kind of like the men of the world looking for the Megan Foxx's.

Anyways. I love Fairytales. I thrive off of them. Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, all wonderful! It almost matches up with my love of Jane Austen. My poor perception of men is going to be so skewed ;) I guess God will have to be the one to figure that out!

Sweet Dreams!

Movie 5- My Fair Lady

Oh, what a story! "My Fair Lady" is a tale about the spirited Eliza Doolittle going from a flower girl to a proper lady. Professor Higgins takes her into his home and treats her as an experiment, teaching her how to speak elegantly. After six months of brutal practice, she is presented to the queen, dances with a prince, and is thought to be royalty. The arrogant Dr. Higgins thinks himself highly successful in his experiment and doesn't realize Eliza's feelings of neglect until she abandons him. At which point, Dr. Higgins comes to the realization (with bursts of anger), that he really does like Eliza. In his words, she's become "second nature" to him. She ultimately accepts him for who he is, returning to his side, and they live happily ever after (or so we hope).

What did I learn?

Oh Eliza. I love spirited woman and Audrey Hepburn does an astounding job playing those roles. She throws her lot in with Dr. Higgins in a last-ditch effort to make something of herself. She has nothing to lose at this point. But it's her pride that gets in the way, for the most part. Half of her fights with Dr. Higgins are motivated by the lack of respect she gets, the other half is her own pride. I think this is a valuable line to try to define. Where does the amount of attention we gain from respect end and attention just for pride begin? I like to be respected, treated as a lady, the way Eliza wanted. But I don't want to demand that extra attention merely because my pride thinks I should have it. Am I holding my head high because I am confident or is it because I am haughty? I think Eliza would have had less disagreements with the doctor if she wouldn't have had a rather inflated pride. However, I don't think she was nearly as arrogant as the professor!

Professor Higgins is a jerk. If you've seen this movie, you can't disagree. He's arrogant, rude, insensitive, and frequent with insults ("You imprudent hussy!"). He calls Eliza "baggage" and repeatedly threatens to throw her out. This is certainly not the kind of man any girl dreams of. However...there is a certain allure. Girls do sometimes like the bad boys. But it's what's under the exterior meany that makes for a good relationship. Dr. Higgins actually has a soul and heart, though he may not choose to show it. When he realizes that Eliza has left him, he is clearly tormented. When he finally understands that she doesn't plan on coming back, he is distraught. Eliza never sees any of this, though.

Meanwhile, the darling man, Freddy, is throwing himself at Eliza's feet. Freddy professes his love and admiration for Eliza repeatedly. He writes her, he sings about her, he rejoices in the sight of her. I feel bad for this poor man because the only attention he gets from Eliza is backlash from her ill treatment by the doc. To be honest, I'm not entirely happy with the ending of this story. Eliza eventually goes back to the professor, abandoning the idea of Freddy. Dr. Higgins doesn't finally explain his love. He doesn't beg for forgiveness. He says, "Eliza? Where the devil are my slippers?"





And that's supposed to make us happy?




But anyway, back to learning. I learned from Dr. Higgins that if the person is right, then they will find and see the true you. Even after all his insulting and bipolar tendencies, Eliza loved the man behind the mask (though I think it might have gone smoother had he been kinder, but maybe it might have not gone at all!). So I have learned to wait for the right person to find my true self, whatever that may be (You thought I may learn not to be insulting, but I didn't! ha!). Patience is a virtue, though it's one I've been chasing for awhile.

The Doctor's insults continue...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doz5w2W-jAY

Movie 4-Another Cinderella Story

I'm not being cynical, that's the name of the movie! It features an adaptation of Cinderella in modern times. But, really, what isn't Cinderella based any more? It's every girl's dream to go from rags to riches! Mary, the maid, is a singing, dancing, tomboy wonder (played by Selena Gomez). Her counterpart is Joey, the hot, famous, singer/songwriter/dancer. They fall in love at a masked school dance and Joey searches desperately for the mysterious girl after she runs off just before midnight. Once he realizes it was Mary, they fall in love (for realsies).  After a complication caused by the jealous ex-girlfriend and the evil stepsisters, Joey and Mary realize they were meant for each other, Mary gets into dance school, and they kiss happily ever after.

What did I learn?

Why is life so unpredictable? Think about it. How often is it that we make plans, and the plans actually work out. I, for one, feel that my plans never turn out as they were originally planned! When I was younger (okay, maybe not so young sometimes), I used to think that if I thought of the opposite of what I wanted, I would get what I really wanted. For example, let's say I wanted to buy a horse. I would think of all of the other options. I could borrow a horse. I could never get a horse. I could lease a horse. I could merely take riding lessons, etc. My theory was, that since I thought of everything else, I would surely get the one thing I didn't think of, or at least tried not to think of. In this case, I actually got a horse. ^_^ In the movie, Mary's life is very unpredictable. She had plans to do one thing, she didn't really get it. *However, since it is a movie, it all ended the way it should have*.

So how did Mary address unpredictability? She didn't. She actually whined. And complained. And gave up on her dreams. There was no persisting, no finding a new path. She moped. And Joey was in agony over what happened between them. Mary totally turned her back on him based on an event that she saw from afar and, obviously, didn't understand. In the end, it was her friends and a lot of Disney magic that gave her the happy ending she wanted.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love this movie. But if the other movies are telling me how I should react, this movie is describing what not to do. Mary almost lost her romance and there was very little effort on her part to regain it. She did drop her grudge, eventually, but it took her long enough! All the while, Joey, did his best to be the "down-to-earth" guy that he wanted to tell the media about. ;)

Thus, I want to not be like Mary in the sense of her...romance. I want to be like Joey. He didn't mope when things didn't go his way (though, he was a superstar so maybe things always went his way). Life is unpredictable and though I will still fall into my ridiculous habit of thinking of everything except the thing I want, I hope that I will be able to handle life's curve balls better than Mary. Maybe the next movie will teach me about the curve balls of life.... 

My favorite scene is the tango-esque one! :)

AND I wish I had animals to help me clean my room...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhTjnzlcIeI

Movie 3- Ella Enchanted and Charlla

I'm about a day behind in my blogs! Yesterday, my sister and I watched Ella Enchanted. This was inspired because I had just finished reading the book (all in one day). It's a great book and really nothing like the movie, so if you're interested in chick flicks, read it! I'm going to go more off of the book, because I liked it better. :) Ella has been cursed with the requirement to be obedient. She is forced to do anything anyone tells her to. This knowledge is found out by her cruel stepsisters (one smarter than the other) and Ella is forced to be miserable. Along the way, she meets the prince (this is where the book and movie differ greatly). In the book, Ella and Prince Char become pals. They're friendship grows when Char repeatedly saves her from danger as she goes along her quest to find her fairy godmother. Her fairy godmother is the one who can remove the curse. Char and Ella fall in love. Char asks her to marry him. She says no for fear someone might find out her curse and use it against Char and the kingdom. Ella pulls a Cinderella move and (anonymously) goes to a ball, loosing her slipper (or slopped her dripper!). Char finds the slipper. Ella fits. She breaks the curse in order to say 'no' to marrying Char, for his own safety. The curse is broken. They kiss. They wed. They're happy.

What did I learn?

First off, don't get cursed.

Secondly, and more importantly, Ella has an incredibly strong willpower. She may be cursed, but by golly she does her best not to be. Most of the time she seems ornery, but it's her way of rebelling against the curse. (I do have to say, I felt like I could relate to Ella because she is definitely a sarcastic person and anyone who knows me at all, knows that I am an extremely sarcastic person!) Not once does Ella sit down and say, "Aw shucks. I guess I'm stuck with this. I might as well give in now." No. She is determined to get her way and break the curse, even if it means running away from finishing school and facing the ogres.  Sometimes, I feel like I face things in life like a curse. "Why do I have to have a job? Ugh. Do I really have to be responsible? Can't I just skip this class?" And, maybe some of it is. No one wants to be weighed down with school. But, instead of whining about it, I can change it. Now, I'm not saying that I should go out and quit my jobs and leave school. I'm saying that I should change that 'curse' into something beautiful. I have the opportunity to learn and improve myself through education. I have the gift of being able to work in a clean, safe environment. I have the privilege of making my own money and putting it where I want it to go (like a new camera or a trip to London!). So I want to view life as an opportunity, no a curse. And use my strong willpower, and sarcastic nature, to make the best of every situation!

Oh, Char. He is extremely charming (in the book...). Plus he's surprising. Ella had him stereotyped from the get-go and Char would have none of it. He slid down banisters. He laughed at jokes. He even fell in love for love, not money or status. He has a kind heart and a caring personality. It's the whole selfless thing again. He had a personal gain only because he gave, before he received. All through the book, his heart was his biggest motivation. I want to be true to my heart the way Char was. Nothing deterred him. I want to do things because my heart tells me to (within reason). Char lived a life with Ella because his heart longed to, not because society dictated it. Wouldn't that be a nice life!

Ella and Char--sittin' in a tree. I've nicknamed them "Charlla". ^_^ They had a friendship more than a romance. They were childhood play buddies, pen pals, and eventually, lovers (in the purest sense of the word). I want to start looking for friendship, instead of romance. I've always had the idea that romance should grow out of friendships, but I think I've been motivated by romance instead. First comes trust, then comes companionship, and then love just grows from there. That way, there's a foundation for the love, rather than just infatuation. I wish to be a friend to others, before I would become anything more.

Life's an opportunity. True to my heart. And Friendship. That's what Ella and Char taught me.

“And so, with laughter and love, we lived happily ever after.”- Ella Enchanted

Movie 2- Thor

Movie 2 of this adventure was Thor. This is where the definition of "chick flick" begins to go awry (didn't take long, huh?). Thor and Jane are the romantics involved. If you haven't seen Thor, I suggest you do. In this movie, Thor, the God of Thunder, lands on earth, cocky and haughty. His path crosses with the frustrated and determined Jane Foster. Turns out, she needs to know what he knows, and he needs to get back to his own world. He has a dramatic personality change and they fall in love, essentially. ;)

What did I learn?

Let's start with Jane. At the beginning of the movie, her life's work was taken away by a virtually unknown government agency. As you can imagine, this is extremely frustrating to her. However, she does not just give up. She comes up with alternative solutions. Yes, she was in a way just using Thor for his information. But, she was never hurtful nor deceiving to him. She was persistent, level-headed, and it eventually paid off in love. She didn't change who she was in order to further advance her circumstances. She stayed true to herself and that's what Thor fell in love with (I feel like this will be a recurring theme!). At the end of the movie (spoiler alert), she is separated from Thor. Again, she doesn't get down in the dumps. She decides to do what she can to go find the man who stole her heart. As a result, I have decided to be more persistent. I don't want to let even the big things in life that may go wrong, get me down. No good comes from depression over the situation. Otherwise, Jane would have never even met Thor!

Now Thor. He took a bit of a different path. The reason he was put on earth was because he had too much of an ego. I mean, he started a war for heavens sake. That would need a little attitude adjustment. For most of the movie, he had this haughtiness. However, when he was at his weakest was when he was able to gain the most strength (oh those metaphoric oxymorons!). When he was unable to lift the hammer (which Darcy-in a stroke of genius-called the "Myeuh-muh"), he finally figured out that maybe he actually need to have...well, a heart and not just the looks. It was when he was able to be compassionate, caring, and selfless that he did the most damage, for the most good. More often than not, my little world revolves around me. What do I want, what do I need, what are my plans? But life's not lived alone and in order to be the most powerful that I can be, I have to be less me and more others. Make sense?

As a couple, what were Thor and Jane? Passionate (another common theme). And oh-oh-oh so charming! They were surprising and playful, bashful and open. It was Thor's confidence and Jane's shyness that made them just so darn cute together! But again, there was a respectful interaction between them. There was a sense of caring about the other. Jane didn't run away when there was danger, she worried about Thor. And Thor stood up to the danger in order to protect Jane (and others, but what do they matter now? ;).

So I guess this rambling comes down to being true to yourself, and making your true self, selfless. Life is not about the self, it's about everybody else and how they affect the self. I want to be more selfless. (Kind of contradicting since I'm writing a blog, which you are reading....)

"Is that one of Stark's?"
"I don't know. That guy never tells me anything."

Darcy- "Woah. Does he need CPR? 'Cause I totally know CPR."

Side note!
The Avengers movie is going to be incredible. I can't wait!! I pretty much love everyone involved. For example, Robert Downey Jr= awesome.
Captain America=Incredible.
Thor=Superb

Movie 1- Singin' in the Rain

Some of the best romantic movies are musicals. Though I'm not real thrilled with modern musicals (ie-of the High School variety), I have a strong appreciation for the classics. "Singin' in the Rain" starring a handsome Gene Kelly and a gorgeous Debbie Reynolds tells a classic tale of hatred turning to love. Kathy (Debbie) originally finds Don (Gene) to be pompous and arrogant. Of course, Kathy's distaste for Don almost immediately makes him fall in love with her. In the end, she sees Don's real personality and grows to love him. And they dance and sing happily ever after (after a tearful miscommunication).

So what did I learn?

In the beginning, even in her dislike of Don, Kathy tries to impress him by bending the truth. She doesn't lie to him, per se, however she doesn't give him the full story. This makes her appear to be more than she is. I do my best to live an honest life, however, I find this characteristic does appear. And like in the movie, it was all in vain. Don ended up liking Kathy for who she was, not who she said she was. So why lie? Why put the pressure on myself to try and appear to be more than I am? What happiness is there in that?

How does Don react? With sarcasm. Don doesn't chastise Kathy for lying to him. He doesn't even call her out on it. He makes sarcastic jokes and laughs at her need to build herself up, because he likes her just the way she is. I want to be able to react like this more. To take my anger and turn it into laughter instead of hatred. Because, in the end, it is Don's kindness that ultimately melts Kathy's heart, not his abilities to change her behavior with harsh words.

Even when Kathy holds a grudge and keeps up her barriers, Don persists in his attempts and wins her over. So why hold a grudge? Why not let the past be the past and start fresh? If Kathy would have just accepted her humiliation for being caught in a lie, she would have found something much sweeter, more quickly.

What did I learn from Don? Well, first off, the way to a girl's heart is through song and dance. ;) But really. He persisted until he caught Kathy, then he fought to keep her, and fought others to treat her well. Granted, I want to eventually have a guy like this, but this applies to more than just relationships. Fighting for something, even in the tough parts, produces some of the best results. If it's not fought for, it's not wanted so badly that I can't live without it. If I can live without it, then I don't need it and whatever I was working for has now become obsolete. So fight if it's worth it.

As a couple, Don and Kathy are passionate. Mostly it's displayed through their dramatic singing and tearful exchanges of words, but it is obvious they are passionate. That seems like the best way to live life and have relationships. There's also something to be said for the classic way of romance. How the caressing of hands could mean so much. In my mind, this displays a lot of respect. Respect for what's proper, appropriate, and even, sophisticated and refined. I want to conduct myself, in public and private, in a way that I'm proud of and that makes me feel....well, classy. It's like being Audrey Hepburn rather than Kim Kardashian.

15 Chick Flicks in 21 days

I love movies. I always have and I probably always will. However, as I'm sure many girls know, watching movies (especially romantic ones), can really get a girl down in the dumps. I have a bad habit of watching chick flicks and wishing my life was like those in the movies. I wish, and dream, and think about how my life should be just like those perfect-ending movies. However, I have decided to take on a new approach. I have decided to watch a movie a day and instead of whining about how my life doesn't live up to that, blog about ways that my life does compare and ideas or values I take away from the movie. Like I said, I love movies so watching them won't be hard for me and I hope to keep my blog updated on my reviews.

That being said, since I do have a couple part-time jobs and am a full time student, I have decided to give myself a little extra rope. My plan (should I follow it), will be to at least blog about a movie I have seen previously if I am unable to watch a movie that day. I will also allow myself about 6 days in the next 3 weeks that I can go without a blog at all. I suppose this could be something of a new years resolution, but I want to learn something from these movies that I use to "just distract" me.

The interpretation of what a "chick flick" is will probably vary, depending on my mood. But since romance is so common in movies, I hope this will be entertaining for both me and any readers who venture along with me as I focus on the romantic aspects.

I love to discuss. So I ask for comments, questions, challenges, anything. If you have a particular chick flick that you love, let me know and I'll maybe put it on the list. This can be as interactive as my readers make it.

Now that you know, let's get started!

Life's Uncertainty

Sometimes, life pulls the rug out from under your feet, and no matter how prepared you were or thought you were, you still fall on your ass. I thought I had such a good thing, and it was; for a while. But then it became something unbearable. Then I reached the point where I had to make the decision of how much do I endure and when do I make for the hills? Cruelest of all of life’s torments is uncertainty. Uncertainty about the future, uncertainty about previous decisions, uncertain about actions, thoughts, words, beliefs. Questions regarding people, promises, plans. Did I do right? Of course, but what if…--Will it turn out fine? Absolutely, but what if…--There’s no plan, obviously. There’s no promises, of course. But how much light must we have gathered before we decide to plunge into the darkness, headfirst, heart scared? 

 

It’s not so bad being alone, save for those moments when you realize it. Stop and think, or don’t, but soon enough life will hit you with the truth and most of the time it’s ugly. Well, personally, I’ll be damned if I let life catch me like that again. And yet, there’s no avoiding it.

The worst part of life is its uncertainty…..and its desire to sneak up behind you and scare the shit out of you.