Tonight's Entertainment (Love and Other Disasters)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452643/

I totally forgot to blog about this one!

Brittany Murphy? Santiago Cabrera? Yes, yes, yes.

Brittany Murphy has a charmingly American-trying-to-be-British-a-la-Renee-Zelwegger accent in this movie. Fortunately, it is not grating and is actually pretty convincing (despite the breathiness). Speaking of Renee Zelwegger, this movie reminded me a lot of Down With Love (one of my favourite rom coms) which, itself, is based on the rom coms of the '60s (?) and plays a lot on the sexual semantics of the time. Think split screen thrusting. It's pretty great stuff.

Back to the movie. The plotline (straight man who everyone thinks is gay but who is actually in love with the chick) is pretty repetitive (Kick-Ass much) but still, it's obviously a well constructed one that hits all the right notes. At times, you want to shake Santiago Cabrera by his beautiful, broad shoulders and scream at him, "JUST TELL HER YOU'RE STRAIGHT ALREADY (SO YOU CAN FUCK)." But that's part of the story, right? Building up all that (one-sided) sexual tension (because the chick doesn't realise the guy isn't gay) and emotional turmoil and, of course, inevitably leads to The Fight. You know the one; I talked about it before. The stupidly sexy one that is so masterfully manipulated right from the very beginning to culminate to this stupid screaming match that is, more often than not, based on something that doesn't warrant a fight of that nature.

Here are some examples:

1. 27 Dresses. Sure, James Marsden's very sexy character (whose name I've completely forgotten) posted a bunch of Katherine Heigl's moderately sexy character's pictures all over the newspaper. And yes, she was dressed a bit stupid in them but hell, I would've been flattered if James Marsden did that to me. It probably means he thinks you're beautiful enough to be in the newspaper and that he loves taking pictures of you.

2. The Nanny Diaries. Chris Evans' throws a big fat hissy fit (one of the few movies where the "fight" is started by the dude) because Scarlet Johansson won't go on holiday with him somewhere or other (can't really remember what happens). Um, grow the fuck up dude. I know there was more to it (shit about her hating her job and him being pissed she won't stand up for herself) but the whole fight just came out like he was being a self-absorbed twat and trying to push her into something she didn't want to. Maybe the only time I've ever been a little mad at Chris Evans (while simultaneously wanting to stroke his hair and tell him everything will be alright).

3. What's Your Number? Anna Faris throws a big shit on Chris Evans because he didn't tell her he had gotten the contact info of her long lost ex like she wanted him to (long story). Even though Anna Faris did it because she wanted to get back together with said ex-boyfriend but, since then, had gotten together with Chris Evans (in my opinion, the superior man). In reality, bitch was just pressed her sister told her Chris Evans was a womanizing tool. I get so mad when rom com twig bitches (thanks, Rebel Wilson) get all introspective and start reflecting on their "mistakes" and shit because they always just hype it up to idiot proportions. Anna Faris needed to sit her ass down and realize Chris Evans offered to cook for her EVEN AFTER she wouldn't have sex with him.

4. Pride & Prejudice. BITCH, MR. DARCY JUST PROPOSED TO YOU. SURE, HE ALSO TOLD HIS BEST FRIEND NOT TO MARRY YOUR (VERY VERY ATTRACTIVE) SISTER BUT THE MAN IS STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU, ALL SOGGY FROM THE RAIN. HE'S JUST TOLD YOU HE LOVES YOU "MOST FUCKING ARDENTLY."

Okay, so the last one wasn't exactly "stupid" and was probably pretty warranted (if Bingley and Jane got married they would "save her sisters from destitution") but I just wanted to throw it in because that fight is the perfect example of a very (sexually) tense "rom com" fight. I love it.

To be honest, the fights are usually the best parts of the movie. All that sexual tension. And now I believe I have used the words "sexual tension" enough in this blog post and must bid you adieu.

Oh yeah, I give this movie 4 stars. Good one. It was great seeing Sir Lancelot back on the saddle again (har har). He was just dashing, very sweet and very goodlooking. Brittany Murphy was legitimately beautiful in this movie. I never thought she was that pretty before seeing this movie but she looked outstanding here. A match for Sir Lancelot and that's saying a lot (because I think Sir Lancelot is a picture).

Besides that, the movie had a kind of Funny Face meets Down With Love feel that was very funny and bouncy and a good setting for a rom com.

J