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| been awhile... |
| 05.17.08 (8:02 am) [edit] |
So what prompted me to update? Could be my reaction to the movie last night. Could be that I am awake and home for a couple hours. My housemates and I watched PS, I Love You last night. Before you run away, I will say that I will not babble on about details or spend too much time on it. I had heard that it was too sappy, without much substance. I think those reviews were written by someone who did not emotional connect with the characters. I cried more than I have during any movie I can remember. I might have sobbed, if I didn't try so hard to stay quiet for my friends. It is so good to see reality. Or in this case, what could be. We all go through loss and fights and need to choose how to respond. and the ends do not always tie together beautifully. Our plans do not always work out, but we do not always know what is best for us. How could we? We only know so many factors and have only such a range of experiences to compare them to. Anyway, life is good. Dave and I are volunteering in Guatemala in one week for two. So exciting! my main goal today is to prepare- picking up some items to donate- garage sales, here I come! I got the job I applied for at work! The start date is pending hiring someone for my current position. In the meantime, I have been working really hard to prepare things for the next person. I want to train him or her well, and to not leave much work for them. I have been working so hard, in fact, that I came to the 'big city=sooo busy + stressed-out' mindset. Not so fun to experience, and I am sure others nearby will agree. Good news: attitude is a choice. All for now. Enjoy your weekend! |
posted by: Chuck (reply)
post date: 05.17.08 (6:15 pm)
Have you ever thought that maybe it's not the pundits that are wrong, but that it's something about you that causes you to gravitate toward a very specific type of movie theme? You've consistently expressed high regard for movies that get horrible reviews among critics, so I'm thinking it's you, not them. Personally, I've never liked a single movie that you've recommended, so I'd say there's some emotional part of you that indulges in so-called "sappy" movie elements.
posted by: SparklingSnow (reply)
post date: 06.07.08 (3:21 pm)
Reply to Chuck:
interesting. Everyone has different qualities they look for in a movie, so if one's seem to align with a particular critic, good for them. I just would hate to decide for people and have them miss out on something (and any that I have criticized, I have given reason why, and it is still ultimately up to the individual.
posted by: Melanie (reply)
post date: 06.19.08 (6:57 pm)
Umm... whoever said "P.S. I Love You" didn't have substance should shoot themselves in the head. That was the best and most thought-out movie I've seen in YEARS! Definitely not something I'd watch with Greg due to his history but wow... SO incredible. What is wrong with them!?
posted by: Chuck (reply)
post date: 06.19.08 (11:15 pm)
All right, I have been trying to post a response to the above comment but for some reason keep getting blocked by some content filter. I cannot figure out which part of my comment is responsible, so i am going to post it in several pieces below.
posted by: Chuck (reply)
post date: 06.19.08 (11:18 pm)
Okay, Melanie, let's look at the facts and then see which one of us has something wrong with them. P.S. I Love You got 21% positive on RottenTomatoes dot com. In case you're not familiar with it, RottenTomatoes is a website that compiles movie reviews from critics throughout the country. P.S. I Love You got 19 "fresh" ratings and 72 "rotten." Among the most respected critics, it did even worse -- only 8% positive, with a measly 2 out of 24 positive.
posted by: Chuck (reply)
post date: 06.19.08 (11:18 pm)
Let's look at some typical reviews:
"Little more than a cryfest for those looking to release their own emotions, rather than experience anything new." --The New York Press
"Swank's raw, genuine performance stands out -- like an emerald on a compost heap" --Sacramento News & Review
"P.S. I Love You runs 126 minutes, and that extra half-hour bloats the material into an ugly mishmash in which the attempts at comedy are excruciating and the drama gets diluted by needless set-pieces." --Matt Brunson
And from the top critics:
"Who should be more insulted by P.S. I Love You: Women, who are portrayed as shrill, materialistic h arpies who fall down regularly? Or men, who are shown to be at their most romantically attractive when they're dead?" --Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
"A protracted piece of s chmaltz." --Lou Lumenick, New York Post
"B. S. I Love You would be a more accurate title." --Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
"You could go see P.S. I Love You, or you could hit yourself on the head with a meat mallet." --Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times
"Snippets of sharp, witty dialogue are lost in a sea of sappy clichés and too-cute-for-words plot twists." --Jessica Reaves, Chicago Tribune
"What's on your holiday wishlist? Is there room for a maudlin romantic comedy that brandishes its earnestness like tacky light displays synchronized to Trans-Siberian Orchestra?" --Bobby Hankinson, Houston Chronicle
Even the few positive reviews are barely positive:
"It could have been better, but it’s good enough to be a solid girls’ night out flick." --Lori Hoffman, Atlantic City Weekly
Need I continue? Because there are many more less-than-exuberant reviews.
You know who should shoot themselves in the head? You, who obviously have no taste in movies, yet enough arrogance to insult those who don't share your lack of discernment.
When did this blog forum get so personal, anyway? All I can say is I feel confident in my original assessment of this movie, which was summarized by RottenTomatoes as a "clichéd film about loss and love." Sounds pretty dead on.
You women who go for these movies that are nothing but pointless drivel and embarrassingly clichéd tripe really need to expand your horizons. There are truly profound, meaningful, even life-changing romantic comedies out there, but this is not one of them.
posted by: Chuck (reply)
post date: 06.19.08 (11:21 pm)
(I guess the problem was the dot com -- had to write it out instead of using the .)
By the way, if you'd like to experience a truly masterful romantic comedy, try As Good As It Gets. That is one of my favorite movies.