How many chick flicks would an artistic politic with a dick pick if an artistic politic with a dick picked chick flicks?

Sparked by Feena's comment on the Princess Diaries 2 post, I've decided that it's time to come clean about just how many "chick flicks" I have seen and liked. For definition of "chick flick" I will be using this site and list:

Often considered an all-encompassing sub-genre, they mostly include dialogue-laden, formulated romantic comedies (with mis-matched lovers or female relationships), tearjerkers and gal-pal films, movies about family crises and emotional catharsis, some traditional 'weepies' and fantasy-action adventures, sometimes with foul-mouthed and empowered females, and female bonding situations...Compared to the earlier "woman's film," film critic Molly Haskell has written that the:

"chick flick", chirrupy and upbeat, sings a different tune, more defiant and ironic, postmodern and post-feminist, like the growling braggadocio of "grrrl power". Where "grrrl power" says "I can be cute and assertive too", "chick flick" says: "I'm emancipated but it's OK to long for romance, to get hung up on a guy..."

Okay, onward:

The Women (1939)
It's all about men!
"There's a name for you ladies, but it isn't used in high society, outside of a kennel."
"I've had two years to grow claws, mother. Jungle red."

Never saw the movie, but I would have watched the PBS-broadcast of the recent stage revival if they hadn't selfishly cut Jennifer Tilly's nude scene. See, I'm still a guy.

The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Broadway's howling year-run comedy hit of the snooty society beauty who slipped and fell - IN LOVE!
"Put me in your pocket, Mike."

Haven't seen this one either. Big fan of the Cole Porter score for the musical adaptation, High Society, though-does that count?

Grease (1978)
Grease is the word.
"Men are rats. Listen to me, they're fleas on rats. Worse than that, they're amoebas on fleas on rats."

I hate to think how many times I've seen this movie, in whole or in part. Mostly I just like the Barry Gibb-written opening song, though. I'm an even-bigger sucker for the sequel, which has much better songs ("Re-pro-duction...")

Nine to Five (1980)
The power behind the throne.
"...Up until now I've been forgiving and forgetting because of the way I was brought up, but I'll tell you one thing. If you say another word about me or make another indecent proposal, I'm gonna get that gun of mine and I'm gonna change you from a rooster to a hen with one shot! And don't think I can't do it."

I was like nine when this came out, and I've a feeling it doesn't hold up.

The Big Chill (1983)
In a cold world, you need your friends to keep you warm!
"They're either married or gay. And if they're not gay, they've just broken up with the most wonderful woman in the world, or they've just broken up with a bitch who looks exactly like me. They're in transition from a monogamous relationship and they need more space. Or they're tired of space, but they just can't commit. Or they want to commit, but they're afraid to get close. They want to get close, you don't want to get near them."

Now we're talking. One of my all-time favorites, despite my dislike of almost all other forms of boomer culture, of which this film is a supreme example.

Electric Dreams (1984)
The most unusual triangle in the history of love: a boy, a girl, and a computer.

I wouldn't say I liked it exactly, but, hey, young Virgina Madsen, Phil Oakey and Culture Club on the soundtrack...can't be bad.

Footloose (1984)
The music is on his side.
"I'll sing to you of silver swans, of kingdoms and carrilons, I'll sing of bodies intertwined, underneath an innocent sky."

It is embarassing how much I liked this movie (and Kenny Loggins) back in the day.

Romancing the Stone (1984)
She's a girl from the big city. He's a reckless soldier of fortune. For a fabulous treasure, they share an adventure no one could imagine... or survive.
"What did you do, wake up this morning and say, 'Today, I'm going to ruin a man's life'"?

A naked Kathleen Turner lying under an (unfortunately) also-naked Michael Douglas. Very big moment in a 12-year-old boy's life.

Splash (1984)
She Was The Woman Of His Dreams - She Had Large Dark Eyes, A Beautiful Smile And A Great Pair Of Fins.
"I don't understand. All my life I've been waiting for someone and when I find her, she's... she's a fish."

Actually caught this again on cable a few months back and in my opinion, it still holds up.

Pretty in Pink (1986)
Blane's a pretty cool guy. Andie's pretty in pink. And Duckie's pretty crazy.
"May I admire you again today?"

I'm still a bigger fan of Some Kind Of Wonderful. BTW, this season Boston Legal has started slipping in references to its stars' past. In a recent episode when James Spader and William Shatner are on a fishing trip, Spader tells him about a book that "mentions fish called...cling ons." Shatner of course replies, "Did you say...Klingons?"

And even more recently in the Halloween episode, when Spader and Shatner are dressed as flamingos, Spader looks at him and says "You look Pretty In Pink." Just thought you'd like to know.

Dirty Dancing (1987)
First dance. First love. The time of your life.
"Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, I'm scared of what I did, of who I am, and most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you."

I've seen it. I hated it. I don't get the whole thing.

The Princess Bride (1987)
Scaling the Cliffs of Insanity, Battling Rodents of Unusual Size, Facing torture in the Pit of Despair. - True love has never been a snap.
"You can't hurt me. Westley and I are joined by the bonds of love. And you cannot track that, not with a thousand bloodhounds, and you cannot break it, not with a thousand swords."

Well, already discussed recently. I like it, but I think the book is a thousand times better.

Roxanne (1987)
Roxanne dreamed of a handsome, intelligent, romantic man. C.D. Bales is two out of three... but looks aren't everything!
"He made me feel romantic, intelligent, feminine. But it wasn't him doing that, was it? It was you. You and your nose. Charlie, you have a big nose! You have a beautiful, great big, flesh-and-bone nose! I love your nose! I love your nose, Charlie. I love you, Charlie."

Sigh. Also recently discussed. Another of my all-time favorites.

Beaches (1988)
Friends come and go but there's always one you're stuck with for life.
"I was jealous. I was so jealous of you I couldn't see straight! You did everything you said you were going to do, everything! And your talent, this incredible talent! I can't even yodel!"

It's been a while since I've seen this, but I remember liking it surprisingly well. Could've done without hearing "Wind Beneath My Wings" every minute of every hour for a year, though...

Working Girl (1988)
For anyone who's ever won. For anyone who's ever lost. And for everyone who's still in there trying.
"You're the first woman I've seen in one of these things that dresses like a woman, not like a woman thinks a man would dress if he was a woman."

Another one of those movies the appeal of which escapes me.

Always (1989)
They couldn't hear him. They couldn't see him. But he was there when they needed him... Even after he was gone.
"I know now, that the love we hold back is the only pain that follows us here."

I'm actually kind of fond of this movie, mostly because of the performances by Richard Dreyfuss and Holly Hunter, who I find very sexy. Holly, not Richard. Nothing against him, but...

Say Anything... (1989)
To know Lloyd Dobler is to love him. Diane Court is about to know Lloyd Dobler.
"She's gone. She gave me a pen. I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen."

Never seen it. Never will. Love of my life loved it. That's why.

When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
Can two friends sleep together and still love each other in the morning?
"...And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

If you know my work you'd be prefectly within your rights to think I'd love this movie. You'd be wrong.

Ghost (1990)
You will believe.
Molly Jensen: "I love you."
Sam Wheat: "Ditto."
AND LATER
Sam: "I love you, Molly. I always have."
Molly: "Ditto."

I'm not sure, but I think this was the last blockbuster "chick flick" hit I liked until My Best Friend's Wedding.

Pretty Woman (1990)
She walked off the street, into his life and stole his heart.
"I appreciate this whole seduction thing you've got going on here, but let me give you a tip: I'm a sure thing."

Listen. The theme of Pretty Woman is: A woman is a whore until a rich man validates her. That's not my idea of a fairy tale, but hey, knock yourselves out.

Thelma & Louise (1991)
Somebody said get a life... so they did.
"You shoot off a guy's head with his pants down, believe me, Texas ain't the place you want to get caught."

Saw it. Kind of get it, kind of don't. Good movie, but I didn't relate to the supressed rage it seemed to tap into for a lot of women, being an oppressor male and all.

Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
"Friendship is constant in all other things, save in the office and affairs of love."

I like this movie a lot, especially the soundtrack and just the way it looks.

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Five good reasons to stay single
"I always just hoped that, that I'd meet some nice friendly girl, like the look of her, hope the look of me didn't make her physically sick, then pop the question and, um, settle down and be happy. It worked for my parents. Well, apart from the divorce and all that."

Still haven't seen it. I was going through an anti-Hugh Grant stage.

It Could Happen to You (1994)
A cop. A waitress. A lottery ticket.

A trial scene that drove my ex-roommate, the son of two lawyers, utterly mad.

Muriel's Wedding (1994)
She's not just getting married, she's getting even.
Muriel Heslop: "I can't stay married to you, David. I have to stop lying now. I've told so many lies... I don't love you."
David Van Arckle: "I don't love you either, but I think I could like having you around."

Like it, don't love it.

The American President (1995)
Why can't the most powerful man in the world have the one thing he wants most?
"You're attracted to me, but the idea of physical intimacy is uncomfortable because you only know me as the President. But it's not always going to be that way, and the reason I know that is there was a moment last night when you were with ME, not the President."

Again, now we're talking. Third film on this list to be among my all-time favorites, and if you've been paying attention, you know why. Two words. Rhymes with "Aaron Sorkin."

Before Sunrise (1995)
...When love can come as a complete surprise
"If there's any kind of magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone, sharing something. I know, it's almost impossible to succeed, but... who cares, really? The answer must be in the attempt."

Liked it so much it made me wish I could get one of my scripts to Richard Linklater. Thought the sequel, which everybody else seems to love, was surprisingly bad, though, and put the blame on Ethan "voice of a generation" Hawke.

Boys on the Side (1995)
A motion picture that celebrates the art of survival, the gift of laughter and the miracle of friendship.
"I do the best I can, honey. I know it's not enough, and I'm sorry. But that's what you get in life, you know? You get whoever you end up with. Whoever is willing to stick by you, and fight for you, when everyone else is gone. And it ain't always who you expect. But you just have to make do."

Never seen it. My aversion to Whoopi Goldberg (yeah, I got over it for Ghost) is not outweighed by my desire to see Drew Barrymore naked.

Clueless (1995)
Sex. Clothes. Popularity. Is there a problem here?
"Sometimes you have to show a little skin. This reminds boys of being naked, and then they think of sex."
"I feel like such a heifer. I had two bowls of Special K, 3 pieces of turkey bacon, a handful of popcorn, 5 peanut butter M&M's and like 3 pieces of licorice."

This is one of those movies that, like Bring It On (which is actually an even better example) is so much better than it had to be.

Forget Paris (1995)
A comedy about love... after marriage.
"Marriages don't work when one partner is happy and the other is miserable. They only work when both are miserable."

Seen it. It doesn't work. Maybe I just don't buy Billy Crystal in romatic comedies...

Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Lose your heart and come to your senses.
"Can he love her? Can the soul be really be satisfied with such polite affections? To love is to burn - to be on fire, like Juliet or Guinevere or Heloise..."

It's got Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson and I was still bored out of my mind. Next!

Beautiful Girls (1996)
good times never seemed so good
"Remember guys, no matter how perfect the nipple, how supple the thigh, unless there's some other stuff going on in the relationship besides physical, it's going to get old, okay? And you guys, as a gender, have got to get a grip, otherwise the future of the human race is in jeopardy."

Never seen it, but I have a feeling I could really like it if not for my aversion to Rosie O'Donell. Maybe I'll watch it on On Demand and fast-forward through her scenes.

Jerry Maguire (1996)
Everybody loved him... Everybody disappeared.
"I love him! I love him for the man he wants to be. And I love him for the man he almost is."

I like this movie. For my money, Cameron Crowe remains the only director/writer who can make Tom Cruise look like an actor and not a movie star.

As Good As It Gets (1997)
A comedy from the heart that goes for the throat.
"I might be the only person on the face of the earth that knows you're the greatest woman on earth. I might be the only one who appreciates how amazing you are in every single thing that you do..."

Jim Brooks, baby. One of my favorite writer/directors (The Simpsons, Broadcast News).

My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
A comedy about finding your heart and losing your head.
"Michael... I love you. I've loved you for nine years, I've just been too arrogant and scared to realize it, and... well, now I'm just scared. So, I realize this comes at a very inopportune time but I really have this gigantic favor to ask of you. Choose me. Marry me. Let me make you happy. Oh, that sounds like three favors, doesn't it?"

As aforementioned.

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)
The Blonde Leading The Blonde.
"You know, even though we've watched Pretty Woman like thirty-six times, I never get tired of making fun of it."

It's as though somebody wanted to make a movie just for me. "Let's put a couple of pretty women who can do comedy in low-cut tops and mini-skirts and set it all to a soundtrack of '80s classics."

I mean...hello!

Titanic (1997)
Collide With Destiny.
"They've got you trapped Rose, and you're gonna die if you don't break free. Maybe not right away because you're strong, but soon, that fire that I love much about you, Rose, that fire's going to burn out."

Well, everybody knows the poop on this by now, right? You have to tune out everything before the ship starts to sink. Oh, except for Kate Winslet stripping butt-ass naked, of course.

City of Angels (1998)
She didn't believe in angels until she fell in love with one.
"I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it. One."

Haven't seen it but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the German original, Wings of Desire (which I have seen) is better.

What Dreams May Come (1998)
After life there is more. The end is just the beginning.
"Thank you for every kindness. Thank you for our children. For the first time I saw them. Thank you for being someone I was always proud to be with. For your guts, for your sweetness. For how you always looked, for how I always wanted to touch you. God, you were my life. I apologize for everytime I ever failed you. Especially this one..."

I was a big fan of the Richard Matheson book on which this film is based, but although it looks amazing, it fails in the casting. What I mean by that is for it to work, I have to believe that Robin Williams has this all-emcompassing passion for his wife...and I just didn't.

Notting Hill (1999)
Can the most famous film star in the world fall for just an ordinary guy?
"After all... I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her."

I'd gotten over my Hugh Grant thing by now, and I liked this movie. I liked Love, Actually, by the same writer, even more.

Erin Brockovich (2000)
She brought a small town to its feet and a huge corporation to its knees.
Ed Masry: "What makes you think you can just walk in there and take whatever you want?"
Erin Brockovich: "They're called boobs, Ed."

Good. Academy-Award-Worthy good? That's another subject.

What Women Want (2000)
He has the power to hear everything women are thinking. Finally... a man is listening.
"What kind of knight in shining armor would I be if the man I love needs rescuing and I just let him walk out my door?"

Great idea. Tried to watch it. Hated the script. Next!

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Who Is Lara Croft?
"To see your world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wild flower. To hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour. William Blake."

Never seen it, but one of my proofs positive that Hollywood creates unrealistic expectations for young women was reading that Angelina Jolie had to wear a padded bra for it.

I mean, if there's anything wrong with the size of her breasts I certianly hadn't noticed...

Okay, that's all I got. Ladies? Gentlemen? Any comments?