I'm Still Siskel:

Or Rather, What Is It With Chick Flicks Getting Serious and Trying to Take on the Big Issues of Life, Particularly Death?

So, I credit myself with some brains, when I rented PS I Love You I figured it would be sad and I would cry and need something to make me laugh. Last night, after blogging about the whole debacle, I put in my second movie: No Reservations. Can I just say that I am 0 for 2?

This movie is about an uptight chef whose sister dies on the way to see her (see, again with the death thing) and leaves her custody of her niece. Add in a male sous chef who rubs her the wrong way initially but is magic with her despondent niece and you have the movie. The ending was quite cute but it took me a not so enjoyable hour and a half to get there. Please. Not even a Jeffrey Dean Morgan backside to anesthetize me.

Can I just say, "What is up with the movie industry?" Why are they messing with the chick flick genre? First came the round of "independent woman" chick flicks where the girl doesn't even have the guy at the end of the film. Now we are into romantic dramas as opposed to romantic comedies. Seriously? If I wanted romantic drama, I would talk to my husband. If I wanted to deal with the impact of death, I would talk to God and my therapist. I. want. to. laugh. Period. That's the whole point of seeking out a chick flick for me. I don't want to get in touch with my sensitive emotional side. NEWS FLASH - I ALREADY AM!!!!! I'M A CHICK!!

I do want to get in touch with the softer, sweeter side of life. I want fireworks when they kiss and witty dialogue that makes me laugh and wish that I could ever remember to talk like that in the conversations of my life. I want dancing and laughter. I want pratfalls. I want the insanity and passion of new romance. In my opinion, there hasn't been a good chick flick, an oh-my-gravy-I-have-to-own-this movie, since, well hmmmm....the most recent chick flick I purchased was Stranger Than Fiction but that one's slightly odd and I'm not sure it qualifies as a chick flick. (Of course, my husband would assure me that it definitely does.) Wimbledon was fabulous. I think those are the most recent. Everything else gets a "Seriously?!?!" or "Ehh." I don't buy movies, for me anyway, that are "Ehh."

The Great Debaters is up next. And no, I'm not expecting a chick flick. But I do have high hopes for Denzel who is uber fabulous!