Thursday, July 24, 2008

Avoiding the heart


I've had a movie sitting next to the tv for over a week. I think it's called movie denial. Or maybe the fear of feeling to much. Getting too emotional. Or maybe too reflective about our lives. But something told me that the movie was going to effect me in ways I wasn't in the mood to deal with.

Damn I hate it when I'm right.

Five minutes into the movie the tears started and they haven't finished even though the movie is out of the player and back in the red envelope for the mail.

And that is the amazing power of movies, books, music. When they make us feel something. When they open up wounds, or dig into our hearts and find our hidden desires. Or when they make us face our greatest fears.

We can get so wrapped up in our daily lives that we forget to take time out to explore what makes us human. Let our emotions out. Set free our dreams, fantasy's and wishes.

So here are some of the movies I watch for mood. Be it to make me happy, to make me dream, to make me laugh, or to make me cry.

While You Were Sleeping

Love Actually

Notting Hill

Bridget Jones

Pirates of the Caribbean

Men In Black

Lara Croft

Resident Evil

13th Warrior

The Ref

Someone Like You

Practical Magic

2 Weeks Notice

Italian Job

Eastern Promises

Dead Like Me

and now, my newest:

PS I Love You (This is the movie talked about above)

So what are your mood movies?

16 comments:

Jay said...

I don't have a lot of mood movies cause I don't watch too many of those sappy chick flicks. ;-)

But, a good comedy is always good to watch when things aren't going well or if I'm depressed.

Coffespaz said...

OMG...I that movie gets me crying just thinking about it. It will soon be part of our library! There are two others that I didn't see on your list which I love... Autumn in New York, and Sweet November.

Oh...another one that gets to me is What Dreams May Come. We saw it on our honeymoon! Its always good for a good cry, or two...

Abbee Normalle said...

By far, if I want to feel good the best movie for me is 'The Princess Bride' with 'LA Story' a close second. For adventure, "Raiders of the lost ark" or "5th Element." As far as bring the box of kleenex, in addition to many listed here already (esp 'What Dreams May Come'), 'Spanglish' really caught me off guard and had me crying at odd moments. What's interesting, is that I have seen some some great movies that evoke the sadder emotions, but I don't own any of them. I only own the adventures, comedies, musicals, ones that make me feel good.

gary rith said...

"ROMAN HOLIDAY"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J said...

"Starship Troopers"

Anonymous said...

I cried through the ENTIRE movie as well.

I had no idea that it was about that. I ordered it on Netflix forever ago, and then got it, and it sat for a bit, I didn't read the preview. DUMB.

Anyhow, it REALLY made me cry. It was good though.

Jo said...

You explained perfectly why I love movies...they're great for when I just need 2 hours to drift & unwind, and I pick them for what mood I want to be left with--I often want them light b/c the poignant flicks tend to stick with me for days.

I just saw The Pursuit of Happyness & it was a doozy on my heart.

Reb said...

Hmm, we seem to have similar tastes. I will now have to watch PS I Love you.

Kell said...

I like your list! I'm afraid to watch PS I Love You because I know I'll cry, but how can I not watch a Gerard Butler movie?!?

Tink said...

I refuse to watch P.S. I Love You for that very reason. I know it's going to reduce me to a puddle of tears. :)

Aunt Jackie said...

Lordy lord I am a huge movie buff!! I like a lot of the ones you've listed. Usually, though, I'm in a crappy mood and need a lift so I have to revert to many hilarious comedies!

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

Phantom of the Opera!!

Farmer*swife a/k/a Glass_Half_Full said...

PS I Love You was sooo good.

The/A Long Walk To Remember is really, really good too.

The Notebook Total tear jerker.

Bed of Roses, I think? It had Mary Stewart Masterson and...ugggh...what's his name.

I hate getting to the end of a good book because then I sit there wondering? "And, then what? What happend the next day? Did they do this? Did they do that?"

And, I actually miss the characters.

Weird, I know. ;-D

Farmer*swife a/k/a Glass_Half_Full said...

Christian Slater! Christian Slater! That was the guy in that movie.

[I knew it would come to me]

OneDaisy said...

Steel Magnolias offers me the best emotional mind fuck of all time. You're wreching from the heart one minute then nearly pissing yourself with laughter with the tears still streaming down your face. Laughter through tears, it's the best.

Oh, the shoes you have on...I have the same exact pair. Are we sharing a shoe brain now?

Anonymous said...

Very interesting mixed bag of choices. I especially agree on The Ref. That has got to be one of the top "dysfunctional family" movies of all time. And a bit of a sleeper; not that many people I mention it to have seen it.