Something Along the Lines of Bullshit

Quite a while ago, I donated to a Kickstarter campaign for a local filmmaker (like around two years ago? Not sure. But a while). He had a premise and a short film he wanted to expand on, and I thought it was a cool idea.

So now the movie has come out (at least for backers. Not sure that it's available to the public anywhere). I just watched it. And I hate it. Not because it was poorly made, or the story wasn't what I expected. I think I hate it because it was too real.

To summarize, the movie is about a man who gets dumped, is sad for a bit, starts seeing someone new, then dicks out on her after a few dates to go home and hook up with his ex. And eventually get back with said ex. Is that not an objective plot summary? Too bad, it's my blog.

It's the same reason I cannot watch Girls. They're probably mumblecore masterpieces, but I can't take it. I don't need my romcoms to be The Notebook or anything; those kind of movies go to the other extreme and are essentially fairy tales. But what about I Love You, Man? Or Away We Go? I like to see some sort of evolution in my romantic leads. If I wanted to observe an insecure man who still wants to hook up with his ex, I'd just make dates with more of the loons who message me on OKCupid.

I realize that the movies I mentioned above aren't entirely realistic; some people don't grow and just get stuck in the same patterns in all of their relationships. But we're talking about ENTERTAINMENT here, people! The growing and changing and being bold is what makes these movies romantic! There is no romance in stagnation. Blergh.

Things I Used to Love: Veronica Mars

My Veronica Mars collection -- the series on DVD, and the T-shirt and stickers that were part of my Kickstarter goodies.

Oh, Veronica Mars. My love for this show is deep and true. Every time I rewatch it, I my appreciation for it grows (which is not always the case with shows from my younger years). I find these posts are hardest to write about the things I still love, because it's hard to express why something is important to you. "Because it's so, so awesome!" doesn't make for an interesting read. So I will try to keep the straight-up gushing to a minimum.

Some background: Veronica Mars was a TV show that aired from 2004-2007, first on UPN and then on the newly formed CW network. IMDB describes the premise of the show as follows:

"After her best friend is murdered and her father is removed as county sheriff, Veronica Mars dedicates her life to cracking the toughest mysteries in the affluent town of Neptune."

That's technically accurate, but it's really lacking the heart of the show. Veronica is whip-smart and feisty, and has all the best comebacks and one-liners. Formerly popular, she's now an outcast, but her social status only fuels her sassiness. She is kind to those whom she feels deserve it, but certainly not someone you'd want to cross.

I came across Veronica Mars on winter break 2005-2006. I had surgery and spent most of my break on the couch, consuming media in mass quantities. I picked VM out at the video store and plowed through the first season in a day or two. The second season was currently airing, so I jumped aboard midseason (although I didn't have a strong grasp on what was going on) and watched religiously for the rest of its run.

One of my favorite parts about the show is Veronica's relationship with her dad. Their rapport is admirable, but never hokey. He treats her like an adult for the most part, but still cares deeply for her, and her pain when she disappoints him is palpable.

Then there's Veronica's love life. She pretty much always has a man around, but her romantic endeavors are hardly the focus of the show. The main love interests were Duncan, her murdered best friend's brother and clean-cut billionaire; Logan, the rich-kid bad-boy with whom she has a love-hate relationship; and Piz, the sweet, smart college boy (and the hottest of the three, in my opinion). Many believe that Logan and Veronica (couple name: LoVe) are meant for each other, but I prefer not to choose favorites in this case. I can see how Piz and Logan could both be good matches.

There were a host of before-they-were-stars guest stars, including: Melissa Leo, Jessica Chastain, Ari Graynor, Armie Hammer, Max Greenfield, etc. And a few after-they-were-stars appearances by '90s faves Rider Strong (Boy Meets World), Zachery Ty Bryan, and Jonathan Taylor Thomas (from Home Improvement). It's pretty fun to re-watch and see people you know recognize pop up in random roles.

This has nothing to do with anything, but I think it's one of the funniest lines of the series.

While the first season definitely got me hooked, the second season is my favorite. Veronica and Mac bond, the season-long mystery has a lot of twists and turns, and Veronica has all the love interests. The third season switches gears a bit, as we find Veronica attending Hearst College (still in Neptune). I thought there was some thought-provoking commentary about rape in this season, and the serious subject matter matched the slowed-down theme song (though I prefer the upbeat version). I know they were trying to tweak the show to appease the network and avoid cancellation, so they opted for several shorter mystery arcs (rather than a season-long issue, as they had done in past years). The last two episodes of the series open up this whole new can of worms, and leave the audience with absolutely no closure.

I was pretty gutted when the series got cancelled in 2007. Once it was identified as a "bubble" show (likely to get cancelled), I wrote letters to the network, signed online petitions, and Googled furiously for any news the day of the CW upfronts. The series finale was so deeply unsatisfying, how could they leave it with so many loose ends?

Fortunately for me, I wasn't the only one who wasn't ready to say goodbye to Veronica. Last spring, Kristen Bell and Rob Thomas (the show's creator, not the guy from Matchbox 20) hatched a plan to bring Veronica back in the form of a feature film, and said Kickstarter-funded movie comes out tomorrow! I love the inventive way they went about getting this movie made, and I was happy to shell out $50 for a chance to have more V. Mars (and some pretty sweet swag). I'm suuuuper excited to see the movie. AMC is doing special opening-night screenings this evening, but since I will be en route to Vegas, I cannot attend (rough life, I know). But I plan to watch it as soon as possible upon returning home, and I have already purchased my tickets for a Monday-morning show. I can't wait to see what happens.

Oscar predictions

Source: oscars.org

Happy Friday! I'm forgoing my usual High Five post this week, as I'm (hopefully) sitting on the beach, unaware of what day it is. :) But since the Oscars are rapidly approaching (they air on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST) and I'm a big movie-goer, I thought I'd offer you my predictions (who I think will win) and my preferences (who I think SHOULD win). I cut out categories I know nothing about (sound mixing, etc.) and categories where I'm not familiar with the nominees (best foreign film, best animated short, etc.), because one can only sound authoritative while spewing BS for so long.

Best Picture
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

Should win: Her. I loved everything about this movie. It was awkward and charming, I thought the styling was terrific (using subtle changes to depict a not-so-distant future). It also really got me thinking about companionship and loneliness.

Will win: 12 Years a Slave. Which was great, just not the type of film I really love.

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Christian Bale (American Hustle)
Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

Should win: Matthew McConaughey. I haven't seen Nebraska, but I thought the rest of the nominees all did well. But McConaughey's performance really surprised me (after seeing him primarily in rom-coms and Dazed and Confused): his performance was suprisingly deep, and he disappeared into the role. I didn't think of him playing the bongos naked or saying "all right, all right, all right" even once.
Will win: Ol' Matty might pull this one out. Or Leo might finally get his Oscar.

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Amy Adams (American Hustle)
Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
Sandra Bullock (Gravity)
Judi Dench (Philomena)
Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)

Should win: Sandra Bullock. The fact that she was literally the only person on screen for most of the movie (and I didn't fall asleep) says something. Judi Dench was also great, and totally disappeared into that role (I tend to think of her as more of a bad-ass, silver-haired dame, personally). Meryl Streep gave a great performance, but her character was so unlikable, I don't want to give her my vote, lol.

Will win: Cate Blanchett. I haven't seen Blue Jasmine, but she's won a lot of the lead-up awards.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)
Bradley Cooper (American Hustle)
Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)
Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Should win: Jared Leto. He killed it as the transgender Rayon. I don't even have the words.

Will win: Jared Leto.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine)
Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)
Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)
Julia Roberts (August: Osage County)
June Squibb (Nebraska)

Should win: Unpopular opnion: I like Julia Roberts for this. Her yelling "Eat the fish, fucker!" at Meryl Streep was pretty priceless. And I thought it was a great portrayal of how complicated parent-child relationships can be. Or Lupita. I'm a big J. Law fan, but this role wasn't my favorite for her.

Will win: J. Law or Lupita.

Best Animated Feature
The Croods (Chris Sanders, Kirk DeMicco, Kristine Belson)
Despicable Me 2 (Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin, Chris Meledandri)
Ernest & Celestine (Benjamin Renner, Didier Brunner)
Frozen (Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Peter Del Vecho)
The Wind Rises (Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki)

Should win: I haven't seen Ernest & Celestine or The Wind Rises, but I really liked both Frozen and The Croods. The Croods has the edge for me, because I thought it was a little more original. And I liked its message about taking chances and living life.

Will win: No clue. Maybe Frozen, as it seems to be pretty acclaimed.

Best Director
David O. Russell (American Hustle)
Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)
Alexander Payne (Nebraska)
Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)
Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street)

Should win: Imma give this one to Cuarón. He managed to make getting lost in space interesting to me, and that's commendable. Plus, I love all of his other movies (how's that for logic?)  

Will win: Cuarón. Or maybe Steve McQueen, because he has a cool name.

Best Original Song
"Happy" (Despicable Me 2)
"Let It Go" (Frozen)
"The Moon Song" (Her)
"Ordinary Love" (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)

Should win: While "The Moon Song" was pretty damn adorable, I'm going with "Let it Go." I had that song stuck in my head for a week after I saw the movie, and I'm not mad about it. But let's be clear: Idina Menzel sings it best, I have no idea why they had Demi Lovato sing it over the credits.

Will win: Frozen has this locked up.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Before Midnight (Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke)
Captain Phillips (Billy Ray)
Philomena (Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope)
12 Years a Slave (John Ridley)
The Wolf of Wall Street (Terence Winter)

Should win: Before Midnight. I thought this was a really fresh take on a long-term relationship. Jesse and Celine don't hate each other, but they're not exactly in love, either. Good stuff.

Will win: 12 Years a Slave is a front-runner.

Best Original Screenplay
American Hustle (Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell)
Blue Jasmine (Woody Allen)
Dallas Buyers Club (Craig Borten, Melisa Wallack)
Her (Spike Jonze)
Nebraska (Bob Nelson)

Should win: Her. So creative. I love it.

Will win: Her could take it, although people are predicting it will go to American Hustle, since it likely won't win many other awards.

Will you watch the Oscars on Sunday? With Ellen as host, it's sure to be entertaining. We at least know they'll be a dance number ...

Things I Used to Love: Good Will Hunting

My VHS shelf. I'm not sure why I still have a shelf full of VHS tapes, as my only VCR is attached to a 13-inch TV that's currently taking up space in storage, but I guess I'm just not ready to part with them yet.

Continuing with this month's theme, today I'd like to talk about another movie that really shaped my romantic views: Good Will Hunting. On its surface, it doesn't really seem like a love story, but it gave me some ideas of what love could look like.

Good Will Hunting follows Will (Matt Damon at his all-time cutest, IMO), a 20-year-old who spent his youth bouncing around the foster-care system and now leads a rough-and-tumble life in South Boston while working as a janitor at MIT. He meets Skylar (Minnie Driver) while out and about one night, and the two begin dating. Other than that, he hangs out with his boys (Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck and Cole Hauser) and occasionally causes some trouble. After getting into a fight, part of his sentence includes meeting with a therapist (Robin Williams) to work on his emotional state. Oh, also, he's a genius with a photographic memory and he can solve crazy-hard math problems, which impresses an MIT professor.

Will and Skylar were kind of my ideal couple: their rapport seems so natural and effortless. They enjoy each other and make jokes, but it doesn't feel overly cutesy. They fight, but they seem like equals, not like rom-coms where the girl is a bitch so the guy gets mad, or the guy looks at another girl so the girl gets mad. And Skylar seems classy, but not stuffy. When Will says, "I was hoping to get good-night laid," she takes it in stride and doesn't huff off like he's offended her delicate sensibilities. This was the kind of girl I wanted to be: smart and classy, but able to hang with the boys and be crude right along with them. In some ways, I think I've accomplished this, but I don't think I'm as classy. Having a British accent like Minnie Driver would probably help.

Good Will Hunting came out in 1997, and I think my first viewing was a year or two after that. I loved it from the get-go, although I now realize how much of it went over my head as a naive teen (example: Skylar tells Will's friends a seriously filthy joke that I totally did not get until later in life). This was also the first time I saw Robin Williams in a serious role, which was quite a switch from Jack and Hook, but I think he knocked it out of the park. The film even won a few Oscars –  Best Supporting Actor for Williams and Best Original Screenplay for Damon and Affleck (at the ripe old ages of 27 and 25!) and was nominated for several more.

Without going into detail, I think the film ties everything up nicely without being too cheesy or over-the-top dramatic. It's definitely worth a watch, even if you're not into the rom-com aspect of it. It's a little hard to find in terms of streaming content, but you can buy the DVD on Amazon for $5. And since it's something you'll watch over and over, that's a pretty sound investment.

Things I Used to Love: 10 Things I Hate About You

Since it's February, and Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I thought I'd do some topical Things I Used to Love. So this month, I'll be focusing on movies, books, etc. that shaped my romantic ideals or otherwise influenced my thoughts on love and relationships. First up: 10 Things I Hate About You.

The teen rom-com was released in 1999, during my freshman year of high school. It's loosely based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, and focuses on two sisters who aren't allowed to date. The younger sister, Bianca (played by Larisa Oleynik, aka Alex Mack), wants to date, while older sister Kat (Julia Stiles) couldn't be less interested. Seeing this, their father decides that Bianca will be allowed to date when Kat does. So she hatches a plan with Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to find someone who will take Kat out. They settle on Patrick (Heath Ledger), but he needs some convincing, so Joey (Andrew Keegan, remember him?), who is also interested in Bianca, agrees to pay him on a per-date basis.

In case you weren't a teenage girl at the turn of the century and thus haven't seen it, I won't spoil the ending for you. But let's just say that Kat and Patrick develop an interesting love/hate relationship. As a teen, I pretty much thought that was the hottest thing ever. The idea that you could be screaming in someone's face and making out with them a minute later? So sexy. As a result, I developed a crush on a boy I constantly argued with, and fantasized that he would one day press me against the lockers and initiate a steamy make-out session. Sadly, said make-out sesh never occurred.

The movie shaped my life in other ways, too. I knew I wanted to go out of state for college, and one I considered was the University of Washington, where the movie was filmed (the campus looks gorgeous!). I also really identified with Kat, as I fancied myself an alterna-girl with some pent-up rage. I admired her ballsy-ness, even if I rarely imitated it in my own life. She was always true to herself, and that was something I struggled with when I was younger.

This movie was also my introduction to the late, great Heath Ledger and a short-haired JGL (after he rocked the shoulder-length locks on 3rd Rock from the Sun), and they were both adorable in completely different ways. The supporting cast is great, as well: Alison Janney is the kooky guidance counselor, and David Krumholtz is Cameron's dorky friend Michael. Also, QUOTES! The movie is full of random tidbits I say to this day, like:

"The shit hath hitteth the fan ... ith." - Michael (a nod to its Shakespearean roots)

"Remove head from sphincter, then drive!" - Kat 

"Bogey's party is just a lame excuse for all the idiots at our school to drink beer and rub up against each other in hopes of distracting themselves from the pathetic emptiness of their meaningless, consumer-driven lives." - Kat

 "And I'm back in the game!" - Cameron (also the title of my very first post on this blog)

10 Things I Hate About You was made into a short-lived TV series on ABC Family in 2009. I watched it (as I am compelled to watch all of their original shows at least once; it's a sickness), and it wasn't bad, but it didn't really have the same tone as the movie. Or maybe it just didn't resonate with me since I wasn't 14 (and their target audience) anymore. But the movie will always have a special place in my heart.

High Five for Friday

Yay, it's really Friday! With the midweek holiday, I thought Tuesday was Friday and Wednesday was Sunday, so I'm all turned around. Since I didn't do a High Five last week, I'm just going to cover the whole holiday period, since it's really all a blur anyway. Some of my favorite things from the last two weeks are:

1. Time with friends and family: I tried to unplug some over the holidays and really be present while hanging out with my loved ones. Thus, I have zero photos of my various Christmas/New Year activities. Not great for blogging purposes, but I think it was easier to be in the moment and enjoy the company that way.

2. Cards Against Humanity: This game is similar to Apples to Apples, except waaaaay raunchier. Which is right up my alley, so I love it. We played with my family on Christmas Day (playing with your parents is an interesting experience), then again with pals on New Year's Eve. Good times.

A sample Cards Against Humanity round. These were chosen at random,
so it gives you an idea of how bawdy it is. Obviously, it's not a game for children.

3. My new gym bag: I've been using a giant reusable grocery bag as a gym bag for a few years (yeah, I'm cheap - and it was so big grocery store clerks seemed afraid of it, so I had to find an alternative use), but my mom got me an actual gym bag for Christmas. It's so nice! It's lined, waterproof, and super cute. Plus, having pockets for my electronic stuff (heart rate monitor, headphones) and a little pouch for my toiletries really cuts down on time spent rooting around while getting ready. It's something I didn't think I needed but definitely appreciate.

Showing off my new bag with my best Price is Right model pose.
Just pretend my sweaty gym clothes are a sparkly cocktail dress.

4. Getting back in the gym: I've been kinda half-assing it in the workout department lately (skipping my lifting days, cutting workouts short, or just not going at all), but I finally have my resolve back. I lifted three days this week, and while it was pretty dang tough (turns out consistency is the key to progress, who knew?), it felt great. I'll share more about this on Monday.

5. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: I've been going to the movies like it's my job the past few weeks (all the big movies I've been waiting for are finally out!) and this was one of my favorites. I can be a snarky bitch sometimes, but at heart I want to be optimistic and take chances and embrace the good in life, and this movie totally appealed to that side of me. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I'm linking up with Jennie and Lauren; check out their blogs below. Happy 2014!

Top 10 Movies of 2013

A snapshot of movies I've seen recently from my virtual ticket stub book. Tis the season to go to the theater!

Happy week after Christmas, y'all! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I had lots of fun with friends and family and got some great gifts, so no complaints here. :) I wanted to do a few year-in-review style posts for the blog, but time got away from me, so I cut a few down to one: my favorite movies of 2013.

We go to the movies a lot – I saw 48 just at AMC theaters this year (this post is in no way sponsored by AMC, but I'm in their Stubs club so it keeps track online. And the AMC by my house has reserved, recliner seating, so it's the best theater ever and we go there all the time). So I have a pretty large pool to choose from. That being said, my choices are completely subjective (obviously) and based totally on my feelings about the film. Without further ado, I present my top 10 movies of 2013:

10. Promised Land - As I tweeted before watching this, "only Matt Damon could get me to watch a movie about fracking." But I'm glad he did, because it was really interesting – Damon's character, who worked for the oil company but earnestly wanted to help the landowners, presents an argument I hadn't really thought about before. And even though I'm sure it was fictionalized (and therefore maybe not that accurate), I actually learned a few things about fracking that helped me form my own opinion.

9. About Time - This movie really surprised me. I went to see it out of convenience (we wanted to go to the movies and it was playing at the right time) and was shocked by how much I liked it. I guess I should've known, as it was directed by Richard Curtis, who made one of my favorite movies of all time, but I didn't see it coming. It was just so dang charming. And even though it had a fantasy element, I found it more grounded than a lot of romantic comedies.

8. The Impossible - This was one of those movies that isn't really enjoyable to watch, but it's so powerful that it sticks with you. It follows a family vacationing in Thailand when the 2004 tsunami hits. It was based on a true story, which really added to the emotional punch for me.

7. Saving Mr. Banks - Mary Poppins was one of my favorite movies growing up, but I had no idea what the story behind it was. The blend of P.L. Travers' backstory and unwillingness to loosen her grip on her beloved characters and Walt Disney's magical worldview was really fascinating. Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks were perfection, as per usual. And Paul Giamatti was great as Travers' driver (and first American friend!).

6. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - I really enjoyed the Hunger Games novels, and while movies generally don't live up to the books they're based on, I thought this one was pretty great nonetheless. I think they adapted the story as well as they could have, and the movie was riveting: great performances, great costumes, and great special effects. I would never have guessed it was more than two hours long, because it went by in a flash. I'm ready for the next installment!

5. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - I've been dying to see this movie since the trailer came out months ago, and it did not disappoint. A great story about what it means to live life and be adventurous. I thought Kristen Wiig showed some range in a more dramatic role, and Ben Stiller (who also directed) has come a long way since Zoolander. I haven't seen the older movie version nor read the book, but I'm curious about them now.

4. Before Midnight - the third "Before" film (after Before Sunrise and Before Sunset), it picks up nine years after the second film, with the central couple now married parents of twins. I enjoyed the movie's discussion of long-term love, commitment, and how relationships ebb and flow. Also, the movie was filmed in Greece and everything looks Mediterranean and lovely.

3. Liberal Arts - the only movie on the list I didn't see in the theater, but I loved it so much I had to include it anyway (it came out in 2012, but since I watched it in 2013, it makes the list). The movie was written and directed by its star, Josh Radnor (of How I Met Your Mother fame). In a way, it's a coming-of-age story, even though the main character is 35. And it features a relationship that blossoms via letter, which I think is really romantic and adorable. Lastly, Zac Efron has a small part and totally kills it, destroying my idea that he was just a pretty face.

2. The Way, Way Back - I'm a little obsessed with bildungsroman/coming-of-age stories, and this is a great one. A 14-year-old boy spends the summer on the shore with his mom, her boyfriend, and several colorful neighbors. Steve Carell plays against type as the mom's douchey boyfriend, and Sam Rockwell is outstanding as a slacker water park employee. It was heartwarming without being predictable or trite.

1. Don Jon - Far and away, my favorite movie of the year. I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt (or JGL, as I like to call him), and he wrote, directed, and stars in this film. I thought it offered a new perspective on love and sex and the way our expectations around each are formed. It was really refreshing, while still coming off as funny and sweet. Also, JGL might be the most charming man alive.

And there you have it. Now that I'm done, I've realized how hard it is to put into words why I like something. Good thing my dream job of movie critic hasn't panned out. What are some of your favorite movies from this year?

Things I Used to Love: Love Actually

My Love Actually poster. I got it when I worked at a video store in college and it's graced every home I've had since.

Since there's one Thursday left before Christmas, I have a final holiday throwback for you: Love Actually. I have to say, right out of the gate, that I still absolutely love this movie. I'm not really a fan of most traditional romantic movies: they're unrealistic, or they reinforce gender stereotypes I don't agree with (I submit Exhibit A for your consideration). And don't get me started on movies based on Nicholas Sparks books. But not only is Love Actually one of my favorite Christmas movies, it's one of my favorite movies OF ALL TIME. Top three, for sure. Something about it really struck a chord with me, so it’s easy for me to overlook any rom-com cheesiness involved.

The voiceover that opens the movie really sets the tone for the whole film. I loved the quote so much, I printed it on all of my Valentines the following February (I used to be BIG into Valentine's Day, but that's a story for another time):

"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there – fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion that you'll find love actually is all around."

The movie follows the lives of several Londoners in the weeks leading up to Christmas. We have the more traditional, grand-gesture love stories: The Prime Minister (Hugh Grant), who develops a crush on his catering manager, Natalie (Martine McCutcheon). Jamie (Colin Firth), who harbors strong feelings for his housekeeper (Lucia Moniz) despite a language barrier. Or Mark (Andrew Lincoln), who has a complicated relationship with his best friend's new wife (Keira Knightley). But I really enjoy the quieter, everyday relationships: Jack (Martin Freeman) and Judy (Joanna Page), who start dating after working as (naked) stand-ins on a movie together. Or the aging rock star (Bill Nighy), who comes to realize the important role his manager (Gregor Fisher) has played in his life. I also like the familial relationships, particularly between Daniel (Liam Neeson) and his stepson, Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), who charter a new course after losing their wife/mother.

I first saw Love Actually in December 2003 (a decade ago?!? Eesh). I had just finished my first semester at CU and decided to treat myself to a solo movie to relax after finals. I have a clear memory of driving home afterward: it was around midnight, snow was falling, and the world looked so peaceful. I felt revitalized and inspired to tell/show people how important they were to me. Since then, I make a point to watch it at least once a year, particularly around the holidays, and it always has the same heart-melting effect. Thus, I feel it more than earns its tagline of "the ultimate romantic comedy," particularly given that one definition of romantic is "inclined toward or suggestive of the feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love." It's not just about the guy getting the girl in the end, it's about being excited about possibility and investing in the important relationships in your life.

The film is not for everyone. I'll never forget sitting at Christmas Eve dinner and listening to my grandma call it "the best porn [she's] ever seen." I was horrified and tried to argue its virtues to her to no avail. And when a girl in my journalism classed called it a trainwreck, my only retort was: “But love ACTUALLY IS all around!” I don’t think I changed her mind, either. There's also plenty of online backlash, but I know better than to argue via online comments so I will just say haters gonna hate and let that one go. But in my eyes, Love Actually is about embracing love in all of its forms, and I really can't find fault with that.

Things I Used to Love: The Muppet Christmas Carol

I thought for this week's Things I Used to Love I'd switch it up from TV shows and make the leap to ... a movie! Quite a stretch, I know.

I'm pretty sure The Muppet Christmas Carol is the first holiday movie I ever saw in the theater. My sister and I were spending the day after Thanksgiving with my grandparents in Boulder while my parents attended the CU-Nebraska game (back in the day, when CU played Nebraska and actually had a decent football team). We arrived at at the theater early and waited with my grandma while Grandpa tried to find a parking spot, stopped at the concession stand, and made our way into the packed auditorium. Nowadays, that kind of crowd would drive me crazy, but for 8-year-old me, it just added to the excitement and novelty of the day. We spent many a gameday with my grandparents growing up, but this outing sticks out as one of my fondest memories of that time.

The movie is a take on Dickens' A Christmas Carol, starring Muppet characters – in case you couldn't infer that from the name: Kermit and Miss Piggy are the Crachits, Gonzo is Charles Dickens (who narrates the movie), Statler and Waldorf play the ghost(s) of Marley, etc. There's a few non-puppet characters as well, most notably Michael Caine as Scrooge. It stays fairly true to the original story, but it also has SONGS! I love me some musicals, so this is icing on the cake.

While the Muppets were my first exposure to A Christmas Carol, I try to watch a rendition every year. The Denver Center does an annual production that is great, if you're into live theater. I also watched the CGI Jim Carrey version that came out a few years ago, although I'm not crazy about it. But no matter the delivery, I love this story and think its message is particularly relevant this time of year. It reminds me to be thankful for what I have, and of the importance of goodwill.

If you're looking for a festive film this year, Amazon has it on Blu-Ray, DVD and streaming video. Although I loved this movie as a child, I still think this is a fine holiday film for the whole family. But I know that's a pretty crowded field, so I'll open it up for discussion: what was your favorite Christmas movie growing up?