We’ve discussed some heavy issues recently on the blog so I’d like to change the pace and post something light and talk movies. Who doesn’t like to talk movies?
Last year, I asked a question about the movies that have influenced you the most and why and wow, there were some incredible comments and recommendations. I followed many of your recommendations and enjoyed many of them.
My wife and I have different preferences in films. Me like (grunt) Action and (beating chest) Sci-Fi films. And so, she takes one for the team to watch those films but I guess I need to do my part so I ask you this important question in an effort to invest in our marriage.
What are your favorite chick flicks?
In addition to “regulars” sharing their answers, I am especially inviting the lurkers and quiet blog readers to chime in. This is your chance to join in and become one of the cool people.
Here’s what I can bear watching:
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I have two words: Audrey Hepburn.
- Sleepless in Seattle. I still enjoy watching re-runs so that’s a good sign, right?
- Jerry Maguire. Am I cheating here? Can this be considered an entry in the chick flick genre? Cuba Gooding was so good in this movie.
- Princess Bride. Is this a chick flick? This is actually on my Top 10 comedy films. Indigo Montoya is one of my heroes.
- Titanic. No, the rumors aren’t true. I did not not cry at the theaters. There was just something in my eye.
- JoyLuck Club. This was on my list of most influential films.
- Bend it Like Beckham. Anything with sports…I can bear.
Greatest Chick Flick actor of all time? A guy who has managed to make millions playing the SAME CHARACTER in every single movie: Hugh Grant.
Favorite Chick Flick Scene:
And this was the 14 second clip that was edited out:
Filed under: , chick flicks, films, hugh grant, jerry maguire, marriage, movies
Ha. Ha. That last clip is too funny.
Some of my favorites:
Ever After (and anything with Drew Barrymore), Little Women (old and new), Pretty Woman, and Legally Blonde.
For my husband’s communication class, he (we) had to watch three different movies that showed different styles of communication. For the female-female communication we had to watch Beaches. The funny thing, is I can’t even remember what the movie is about! I just remember sobbing, glancing over at my husband and seeing him sniff a little bit too! Great movie! I may need to rewatch it.
Nottinghill with Julia Roberts is a good one too. Gotta love a perfect, sappy ending!
A lurker, Sara
Mystic Pizza, Steel Magnolias, Sleepless in Seattle, The Women (the original version)…
Did you ever watch Roman Holiday? If you liked Breakfast at Tiffany, you may want to check that one.
Hitch
Love & Basketball
Bend it Like Beckham
Something New
Brown Sugar
When Harry Met Sally
Monsoon Wedding
The Holiday
About a Boy
**** These are sometimes thought of as “chick flicks”, but aren’t as overtly romantic.
Real Women Have Curves
Joy Luck Club
Eat, Drink Man Woman/Tortilla Soup
Rabbit Proof Fence
yea . . . I watch a lot of chick flicks.
Princess Bride is NOT a chick flick, and I’m about to unsubscribe your RSS feed for even suggesting it might be.
For favorite chick flick, I’ll have to give the nod to the vastly underrated Serendipity (though I think I like it more than my wife does).
Good poll. I constantly berate my friends who watch chick flicks… but… here’s a couple I love:
+Benny and Joon- Even I have a crush on Johnny Depp in this one.
+I.Q. – Meg Ryan is so cute. also, Walter Matthau as Einstein= awesome
I’ll have to agree with Jenny and go with Ever After. On occasion, I’ve had to convince my wife to watch it with me. Shameful, I know.
I usually enjoy the non-typical ones. Either old stories taken from really good literature, or new ones that take a non-traditional approach.
Pride and Prejudice, the one with Kiera Knightley and Donald Sutherland.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (don’t know if it is a chickflick, my wife doesn’t particularly like it, but it is a love story)
Juno
50 First Dates
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
I know there is more, but I’ve gone blank. These are ones that I’ve watched more recently.
Oh, and add “Up” by Pixar, is a great movie. For an animated film, the first few minutes of the movie are powerful and tell an entire story before it even gets to the rest of the movie.
Sweet Home Alabama is one of my favorites along with You’ve Got Mail. The two of these plus some Pride and Prejudice thrown in and I could hole up for weeks and do nothing but watch TV and eat ice cream.
Ah….sounds perfect.
You’ve Got Mail,
Roman Holiday (with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn),
Bringing Up Baby (with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn),
Philadelphia Story (Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart),
When Harry Met Sally,
Sense and Sensibility (with Emma Thompson),
the super-long Pride and Prejudice,
Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea
Oh my… I should stop.
Since you’re calling me out of my lurking shadows…
Pride and Prejudice is great, but a far better Austen movie in my opinion is Sense & Sensibility. Emma Thompson is fantastic. (And Hugh Grant plays, well, Hugh Grant…)
I also love Love Actually– I’ve called it the “perfect chick flick” before because it has so many different love stories– some of which end happily, but not all. So whether I’m in a mood for sugary-sweet romance or or a story that’s more realistic/tragic, Love Actually always hits the spot for me.
ME, I’m with you all the way on “Love Actually”.
My favorite Austen is “Persuasion” (with Ciarán Hinds and Amanda Root).
Moulin Rouge, Enchanted, Lars & the Real Girl, Slumdog Millionaire, You’ve Got Mail
serendipity
So “Love,Actually” is a good one.
you mentioned sleepless in seattle, which was another good one.
if your wife is a kid at heart try that “Twilight” mess, or “He’s Just Not That Into You”. hope I was of some help.
Lurker here. If you like The Princess Bride, I would have to suggest When Harry Met Sally (although I feel neither really count).
My FAVORITES are: Benny & Joon, Strictly Ballroom, Romeo & Juliet (70s or 90s version), Moulin Rouge, Punch Drunk Love, Say Anything, and High Fidelity (which, again, doesn’t count). Not really much of a chick flick person, but I am a cinephile.
For older movies, Roman Holiday is great, along with Sullivan’s Travels, Top Hat, and Singin’ in the Rain.
I’d actually have to go with your genra most of the time PE (I’m usually anti-chick-flick), but I do have a couple:
Benny & Joon (great story about family and mental illness)
Moulin Rouge
so I have to echo a lot already mentioned…
Love Actually (a movie that was made to mock romantic comedies has become the best romantic comedy ever.)
Moulin Rouge
When Harry Met Sally
French Kiss
Sense and Sensibility
Roman Holiday
High Fidelity
Much Ado About Nothing
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Lady Jane
and don’t bother with Twilight UNLESS you’ve read the book
When Harry met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, Pretty Woman, An Officer and a Gentleman, You’ve got Mail, Steel Magnolias, Fried Green Tomatoes, Notting Hill.
All quite old, but trust me, I have experience
Here’s mine: Aliens – The story of a strong and smart woman; and also a story that tells you how far a mother will go in order to protect her child. Of course, this fulfills the need for grunt action at the same time!
PBS/BBC put out new movie versions of several Jane Austen books last year or so. New ones include Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park and Persuasion. All of these are good chick flicks. Of course, the older (1990′s) versions of Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion are good chick flicks too.
Reading others’ lists has me wanting to watch a few chick flicks myself! Here’s a short list from me:
You could really earn points by suggesting a double feature:
An Affair to Remember AND Sleepless in Seattle
Roman Holiday
Pride & Prejudice
You’ve Got Mail
Return to Me
While You Were Sleeping
One Fine Day
Notting Hill
Just watched “He’s Just Not that Into You” with my wife. She LOVED it, and I was pleasantly surprised. It has some funny moments, and has a great cast. Also, we had a great conversation about faithfulness and maintaining a strong marriage afterward, which is always good.
You can always just point to studies that Chick Flicks are bad for your love life. Seriously, according to relationship experts at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, romantic comedies give people unrealistic ideas about love and sex, and cause them to communicate poorly. study: http://bit.ly/TUpwZ
I usually don’t go for chick-flicks’ either, but I do have a couple:
Benny & Joon
Mouloun Rouge
Can’t resist being one of the cool people, Eugene!
My all-time favorite chick flick is Chocolat (Juliette Binoche & Johnny Depp).
The 1993 Little Women is good too.
My daughter suggests Funny Face (Audrey Hepburn & Fred Astaire).
If you’re going to watch “An Affair to Remember” and “Sleepless in Seattle” you should also add “The Dirty Dozen” to make the experience complete.
Marc, I don’t read romance novels and keep my chick flick intake down as well for just that reason. Of course, I think you should be careful about how much of any genre of movie you put into your head.
The Princess Bride is my favorite movie EVER. It is so much more than a chick flick.
Pride and Prejudice is always good. For chick flicks, I tend to go with Sandra Bullock movies. But when you are sick and want to lose yourself in ultra-sappy movies, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are the way to go.
amelie
i love this film. when it was in theaters i actually went multiple times (i knew the doorman!)
While You Were Sleeping, Chocolat, and Return to Me — can’t believe I forgot these!
I do think Jerry McGuire qualifies as a chick flick… Oh and Chocolat! Oh, my all time fav! Yummy Johnny Depp! LOL
I despise Adam Sandler, but pair him up with Drew Barrymore!! Winner! Loved 50 First Dates.
Also, recenly saw Nights in Rodanthe… bring out the hankies. A beautiful setting and a wonderful movie with a tear jerker ending!
Just as an add… Recently I was ‘forced’ to watch Fireproof over a 4-week period in Sunday School… (Sorry if any of you just threw up a little in your mouths!) I think an all-time wonderful movie that is a better ‘marriage’ movie is Family Man with Nick Cage and the beautiful Téa Leoni (as well as Don Cheadle!!!) It is an amazing and sweet movie as well as a comedy!!
In an effort to join the cool club, I submit that these three movies were recent “chick flicks” that my wife and I both enjoyed:
The Notebook
Away From Her
Lars and the Real Girl
I view the following chick-flicky movies as classics:
The Princess Bride
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (maybe not a chick flick)
Say Anything
Delurking, as requested, to say there are already many fine suggestions. I don’t know that these are chick flicks but I wholeheartedly agree with:
Princess Bride
Love, Actually
Family Man
High Fidelity
When Harry Met Sally
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (IMO last year’s funniest movie, just edging out Topic Thunder. FWIW my wife really like Forgetting Sarah but not TT at all.)
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
As for “true” Chick Flicks:
While you were Sleeping (and most any Sandra Bullock flick)
You’ve Got Mail (I have no idea why I like this one, but I do. It sucks me in every time it’s on cable.)
Fried Green Tomatoes
And, if ESPN’s Sports Guy is to be believed, Bull Durham.
For some reason I can’t think of any more recent ones. Though I will put in my vote for Sweet Home Alabama as one of the Top 5 All-Time Worst Movies (along with not one but two Harrison Ford movies: Six Days Seven Nights and Random Hearts)
*ducks!*
okay, I am speechless. Well okay, not really, but I am at least completely aghast that TWO men recommended Serendipity.
It’s probably my least favorite chick-flick ever. I love a good chick flick, but I still have my principles. It’s gotta be funny and sweet but not espouse absolute ridiculousness (like Serendipity does).
I love While You Were Sleeping, Roman Holiday, Two Weeks Notice, An Affair to Remember, Love Actually, Much Ado About Nothing…
Eugene, you just got 500 more cool points in my book for loving Princess Bride. It is so amazing.
STAR DUST is my favorite love story. It’s humor style is similar to Princess Bride, in that it is very strange things all paired together (lightning pirates on flying ships?). But a great testimony to what love really is.
so, i’m stretching with suggesting that the princess bride is a chick flick but that’s what you’ve got to do sometime.
i’ve seen love actually and that was pretty good.
so, is ‘titanic’ and ‘jerry maguire’ passable for the chick flick genre?
and let me say,
Slumdog Millionaire & JUNO are not click flicks.
right?
Agreed, Slumdog and Juno are NOT chick flicks (though they might be click flicks
and are made of teh Awesome!
But Jerry Maguire really is and Titanic is the mother of all chick flicks, IMO.
Someone mentioned The Holiday which I have to say wasn’t bad, and does have Jack Black and Eli Wallach.
Just remembered another more recent one my wife loved: P.S. I Love You (with Hilary Swank and “300″‘s Gerard Butler). I liked it because she liked it.
so sad no one said:
The Whale Rider or Mona Lisa Smile.
Juno is too a chick flick: a chick flick should have a strong female lead and adequately address issues from the viewpoint of a female. Thus, the suggestion of Alien was perfect for the genre.
Why is it that people think women’s movies have to involve fatuous romance and crying? Sigh.
Because the 80′s have to be represented:
Sixteen Candles
Some Kind of Wonderful
Home for the Holidays is high on my list too.
@Karen Claassen: Ok, but I think we need to define terms. I submit, at the risk of generalizing my own experience, that for most guys (at least for me and my friends) “chick flick” usually means romantic comedy which in turn usually means, as you say, ‘fatuous romance and crying’. Thus the whole “taking one for the team” bit.
This is very very different from a movie with “a strong female lead…addressing issues from female viewpoint” which, as you point out, includes high quality films of many genres. Like Whale Rider or even Aliens. Or, IMO, Juno.
The only one I don’t see suggested yet that’s good is Moonstruck. People shy away from it when they see Cher in the lead role, but she’s actually pretty good (the academy seemed to think even good enough for an oscar for what that’s worth). But the rest of the ensemble cast and brilliant writing should make up for whatever Cher baggage you have. It’s clever, witty, great date movie. When you’re sick of the typical emotional porn of Grant, Cusack, Bullock, Witherspoon and whoever else, give Moonstruck a chance!
Moonstruck! Yes, I agree with LiNK Clay. That is the best movie. Also, it’s from the 80s and it has a slower pace than most romantic comedies nowadays. It feels like now it takes only the first three minutes for the leading couple to be introduced, fall in love, and have a conflict. The pace of Moonstruck is like taffy – slow, but better with each long pull, and the wonderfully memorable lines “A Wolf without a foot! A Bride without a Head!” make it one of my perpetual favorites.
On another note, Joy Luck Club is more than a chick flick, and more than a chick book. I just wrapped up teaching it to 11th graders and I had many boys talk about how much they related to it and how much they enjoyed reading it. Yay for that!
13 Going on 30 is my all-time favorite chick flick. =) Good message.
The Holiday is my latest 2nd fave.
Personally, I absolutely loved Mean Girls, drama galore!
I’m generally not a huge fan of chick flicks…but there are a few that I really liked:
Sabrina (the one with Julia Ormond, Harrison Ford)
While You Were Sleeping
Moulin Rouge
Wedding Singer
Bend it Like Beckham
Bride and Prejudice
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Ever After
Ok, one more because it is on right now, it’s got Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, and it’s almost from the 80s (1990)… and it is actually funny. In a dumb kinda way at least.
Joe Versus the Volcano
Love Actually
Mean Girls
Dan in Real Life
Joe vs. the Volcano – glad somebody remembered that one. I love that one. It’s kind of like the Princess Bride with lots of memorable quotes.
“I know he can get the job, but can he do the job”.
And I always feel like I am having “brain cloud” moments.
“Princess Bride” – absolutely. It has everything – romance, drama, comedy, action, adventure, and the triumph of good over evil. What more could you want?
“Sense and Sensibility” – the Emma Thompson version. I love this film. I always identify with Col. Brandon.
“Cousin Cousine” – the original French version. So witty, so fun.
“Dan in Real Life” – a recent chick flick for guys.
I liked Under The Tuscan Sun. As well as French Kiss – check out the way Kevin Kline looks at Meg Ryan while she is talking to him at the cafe table. Melting….
OK, my understanding of a chick flick, in general, is that whether it’s fluffy or profound, it tends to focus primarily on relationships. There may be great plot action or thematic content, but it always serves the interior development of the characters and their relationships.
“Guy films,” on the other hand, tend to be situational — usually situations that need fixed in some way (and therefore require action). There may be good character development and relational growth going on, but it’s always subordinate to the larger “task” at hand.
Some films straddle the line really well. “Crash” comes to mind, in which the plot consists solely of the interplay between powerfully flawed situations and powerful relational awareness/growth.
Lots of great suggestions here for you, Eugene! Let us know what you choose and whether it wins you sensitivity points with Min Hee!
I doubt I’ll be adding anything original here:
- You’ve Got Mail (Meg Ryan is terminally cute, and Tom Hanks is excellent – except when he’s doing Dan Brown movies)
- Pride & Prejudice (with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth – the Knightley/MacFadyen version NEVER HAPPENED!)
- Love Actually (I know a lot of people thought it was kitschy and cliche, but it was incredibly well-played and well-told kitsch at the very least…)
- Last Chance Harvey (Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson doing what they do best; what more can you ask?)
- Chocolat (does that count as a chick-flick? It seems a little too Nietzschean in its philosophical approach to be a true chick-flick, particularly with Molina’s character, but I liked it anyway…)
- Babette’s Feast (does that count either? In any case, it always makes me hungry and happy in a bittersweet way every time I watch it…)
- Sense & Sensibility (again, Emma Thompson just can’t go wrong. When placed against Kate Winslet, she just shines all the brighter by comparison!)
I also love Princess Bride, but that’s more a straight-up 80′s comedy than a chick-flick.
DRAT! I forgot to add Amelie!
hi! came across your blog while I was searching for the best korean movies. quite interesting.
anyway, i don’t like chick flicks that much but my boyfriend does (funny, i know). So i’d like to share a few movies that i honestly liked:
Fools Rush In
50 First Dates
He’s Just Not That Into You
hope this helps. =)
While You Were Sleeping
Tess of the D’Ubervilles
love me if you dare (jeux d’enfants)is phenomenal if you don’t mind subtitles. trust me, it’s worth it.
another good one unmentioned above is
love affair w annette bening & warren beatty
ah… the chic flick… it takes a little bit of will power not to get started on that topic in general… but still, felt the need to chime in…
Love, Actually (so lovely! and hugh grant almost doesn’t play himself)
When Harry Met Sally
A League of Their Own
Bring It On (“You better ‘Bring It!’” “Oh, it’s already been brought!!”
An Affair to Remember (a classic amongst the classics)
You’ve Got Mail (I never would have guessed I would meet my husband on the internet!)
Fried Green Tomatoes
Never Been Kissed
The Wedding Singer (although, can an Adam Sandler movie truly be a chic flick, aside from the one he did with Penelope Cruz, that was a pretty much a chic flick)
and I’m sure I’ve seen a lot more, but there’s just no need to go so far down that road…
I love Chick Flicks. Here are some of the movies I like:
Never Been Kissed
Titanic
He’s just Not that Into You
You’ve got Mail
Clueless
The Lake House
P.S. I love You
Twilight – my favorite movie <3
The Notebook
50 First Dates
First, i have a question. What is a chick flick in general. Is it a love story with romance and crying involved? Or is it where there is a strong female lead and a good plot? These are the questions that I would like to know. Please answer.
Good Chick Flicks:
Juno – has a strong female lead. Not sure if it is a chick flick
16 Candles – yes, it is from the 80′s but is very good.
Romeo and Juliet – has a hot guy in it!!!
The Notebook – Good romance movie
She’s the Man – Don’t even get me started!!!
The Lake House – Also a good romance movie
Twilight – All romance!!
You’ve got Mail – Good romance/also good actors
Bride War – Great movie!! About being friends, very good.
Fool’s Gold – Good Romance movie with comedy.
A Walk to Remember is the best chick flick ever!!! It has romance and has a very good plot! I would definitely recommend it!!!
-beauty and the beast (i know…it’s a disney movie but i <3 it)
-anastasia
-how to lose a guy in 10 days
-my best friend's wedding
-serendipity
-pride and prejudice
-ps i love you
-stardust (sooo awesome!)
-200lb beauty (korean movie)
achick flick does not have to be a romantic comedy at all. Just a film that lacks a storyline…haha. No seriously one with female characters and very little action.
I have recently seen ( with my with wife) the following:
Vicki Christina Barcelona
Beatrix Potter
Under the Same Moon.
Women (new version)
Atonement
Coco before Chanel
Samson and Delilah – australian film.
What gains me the brownie points is I choose them from the DVD library and she says “they are so beautiful, what made you choose that”
I have always enjoyed them immensely as well.
Anybody see a little film called “THE NOTEBOOK”? Umm, yeah. Hands down the best chick flick of all time. Ryan Gosling literally hatched in this movie into a full-blown stud after his days in the Mickey Mouse club and the wimp role on “Remember the Titans.” That alone deserves attention in addition to Rachel McAdams’ borderline oscar-caliber performance.
Speaking of McAdams, “Mean Girls” with Lohan is perhaps one of the funniest, most enjoyable teeny-bop, somewhat chick-flick movies of all time.
I credit my wife with the passion I have behind these rec’s. ahem…
il postino. cinema paradiso.
bono once said all great songs are about love. the same goes for movies, except you can also add explosions.
Nottinghill, You’ve Got Mail, Four Weddings & A Funeral.