Tag Archives: bridget jones’s diary

Tuesday Top Ten: Favorite Movie Lines

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I haven’t done a Tuesday Top Ten list in a very, VERY long while, but recently I was watching a movie (My Best Friend’s Wedding) while procrastinating on studying, and I was inspired by a particularly funny scene to make this list. Specifically, it got me thinking about my favorite lines from movies – the ones that have stuck with me over the years, whether for being poignant, wise, or (in most cases) hilarious. These lines aren’t necessarily from the movies I consider best, but they are the bits of dialogue I find the most memorable and often wind up quoting with alarming frequency.

(1) Inception:

inception

  • The Line: “You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”
  • Why It’s Great: Nobody is more suave than Tom Hardy, amirite?! I also like this quote because, thinking beyond the context of the movie itself, it’s just solid life advice in general.

(2) When Harry Met Sally:

when harry met sally

  • The Line: “I love that you get cold when it’s 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. 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.”
  • Why It’s Great: I had to pick at least one unabashedly cheesy romantic comedy moment for this list, and there’s no better choice than the ending monologue from my all-time favorite movie. It is, quite simply, perfection.

(3) 500 Days of Summer:

500 days of summer

  • The Line: “Who’s Lars from Norway?” “Just some guy she met at the gym with Brad Pitt’s face and Jesus’ abs.”
  • Why It’s Great: I love Tom’s little sister, who dispenses words of wisdom way beyond her age bracket throughout this movie. Plus, the mental image of a guy with both Brad Pitt’s face and Jesus’s abs is priceless.

(4) Love Actually:

love actually

  • The Line: “We need Kate, and we need Leo. And we need them now.”
  • Why It’s Great: The father/son relationship in Love Actually is one of the most unexpectedly wonderful parts of the film. And, don’t we all know exactly how it feels to be depressed and to need a little Kate and Leo now?!

(5) My Best Friend’s Wedding:

my best friend's wedding

  • The Line: “Crème brulée can never be Jell-O. YOU could never be Jell-O.”
  • Why It’s Great: When it comes to describing relationships and compatibility, this is a great analogy, and the barely concealed venom with which Julia Roberts delivers it to Cameron Diaz is perfect. (Unrelated side note: In this movie, Julia Roberts’s character is supposed to be 27. Twenty-seven! AKA, my age! My mind is officially blown/I feel old).

(6) Little Women:

little women

  • The Line: “Jo, how could you, your one beauty!”
  • Why It’s Great: I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but Little Women holds a special place in my heart; it’s just one of those movies that I’ve loved since I was a child. What I’ve always found special about the film is that it’s a mixture of sentimentality, drama, and moments – like this one – that make me laugh. It’s also utterly quotable; my family has been saying variations on this line to each other for years (which makes us sound mean, I know, but trust me – we say it with love).

(7) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

  • The Line: “For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”
  • Why It’s Great: This comes from what is easily my least favorite movie on the list, but despite my apathy toward the film, this quote has always stuck with me. Perhaps it’s cheesy, but I think it’s pretty profound and true as well.

(8) Bridesmaids:

bridesmaids

  • The Line: “There’s a colonial woman on the wing. She’s churning butter.”
  • Why It’s Great: The entire airplane scene in Bridesmaids is hilarious and could generate its very own Top Ten list of quotations. Narrowing it down to just this one was tough, but there’s something about the colonial woman (in traditional garb!) that just gets me. Runners up: “Help me, I’m poor” and “It’s called civil rights. This is the 1990s.”

(9) Gladiator:

gladiator

  • The Line: “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”
  • Why It’s Great: Because this is one of the most badass verbal smackdowns in the history of movies. You tell them, Maximus. Respect.

(10) Bridget Jones’s Diary:

bridget-jones-diary-snow-kiss

  • The Line: “Wait a minute… nice boys don’t kiss like that.” “Oh, yes, they f*&$ing do.”
  • Why It’s Great: Colin Firth is a god among men. The end.

What are your favorite movie lines?

(Image Sources: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10)

Things That Are Awesome, Vol. 60

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j lawThe weekly roundup of fantastic internet finds:

  1. J. Law is awesome and we should all bow down to her. Seriously, coolest celebrity ever?
  2. These are so wonderful: Extremely Rare Color Photographs of Early 1900s Paris.
  3. And these are so clever: Minimalist Pictogram Summaries of Pop Culture and Historical Events.
  4. My favorite is Steve Martin’s: The Business Cards of 20 Famous People.
  5. The Year of Less. This really resonated with me (minus the “less travel” part – I’m actually hoping for more of that one).
  6. The longest game of tag ever. I love that that they have a Participant Agreement.
  7. As a longtime fan of Sex and the City and a more recent convert to the cult of Homeland, I love this article: Are You a Carrie or a Carrie?
  8. Kind of excited to read the new Bridget Jones’ Diary (let’s hope it’s as good as the first and much better than the second).
  9. If you watched the Super Bowl halftime show, I’m sure you’ll agree: The World Needs Michelle.
  10. Does anyone else feel like, recently, Hillary Clinton has become kind of badass? I don’t know; I think she’s having a moment. I love this compilation of her in every country she visited as Secretary of State. I hope she’s somewhere napping right now, because that is a lot of travel.

(Image via Buzzfeed)

Things That Are Awesome, Vol. 58

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obamasThe weekly roundup of internet wonderfulness:

  1. This article is totally on point (trust a fake news source to get it right): Internet Users Demand Less Interactivity.
  2. In honor of the inauguration, let’s celebrate with amazing GIFs of FLOTUS and the girls. I love the Obamas.
  3. And more Michelle Obama: The 38 Greatest Michelle Obama Facial Expressions. She could not be any more awesome.
  4. This is adorable: Superhero Window Washer Cheers up Children at Hospital.
  5. Bridget Jones’s Diary will always hold a special place in my heart so, naturally, I enjoyed this.
  6. The Aussie Open is wrapping up this weekend, and this article about Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens is so on point. Nailed it.
  7. So clever: The names of Paris Metro stations, taken literally.
  8. I’m sure this is fake, but…it’s amazing anyway: Prince Harry Runs for Ice Cream. Adore him.
  9. Here’s what happens when you have a huge fire in the freezing cold: these photos are incredible.
  10. After my initial ambivalence about Mad Men, I got totally into the show sometime around seasons 4 and 5. Naturally, then, these promo shots make me super excited. April, please get here soon!

30 Day Book Challenge in One Day (I’m That Good)

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I saw this 30 day book challenge floating around the interwebs and thought it sounded like fun. However, dragging it out for over 30 days (and finding enough substance for each prompt to fill 30 posts) did not sound so fun. So, I condensed it a bit. Or, a lot. Whatever. Voila!

Day 01 – Best book you read last year:

Does it make me sound like a crazy teenager to say the Hunger Games trilogy? I hope not, because that’s definitely my answer.

Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times:

When I like a book, I tend to re-read it frequently, so there are many of these – all the Harry Potter books, A Year in Provence, Summer Sisters, and many more.

Day 03 – Your favorite series:

Harry Potter. Obvi. Next question.

Day 04 – Favorite book of your favorite series:

Close call, but probably Goblet of Fire. I think it’s because this seems to be the book where they all start growing up, and the stakes get raised a TON with the resurrection of Voldemort. Also, I think the Triwizard Tournament and the Yule Ball are so fun.

Day 05 – A book that makes you happy:

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle. It’s easy to read, and all his stories are so delightful. Definitely the ultimate travel fantasy.

Day 06 – A book that makes you sad:

There are many. For one, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro – so chilling. Also, Cold Mountain. Man, that ending is crushing. Whyyyy, after all that time, did that have to happen? And, this will sound silly, but…The Polar Express. It always makes me sad when he loses that damn bell (stupid hole in his pocket!). And, I remember as a child being disturbed that the boy was the only one in his family who was a true believer.

Day 07 – Most underrated book:

Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières. And, please, do not watch the movie version of this before you read the book. In fact, do not watch it ever. Nicholas Cage + terrible Italian accent + attempts at emoting = disastrous.

Day 08 – Most overrated book:

I don’t know if this is technically overrated since I think many people would probably agree that it’s terrible writing, but the Da Vinci Code. That damn book was everywhere for awhile, and it annoyed me so much. Also, Beloved. Is it sacrilegious to say that I just. don’t. get. this. book.? Also, part 2, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Also, part 3, The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Too pretentious.

Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving:

To me, Russian literature does not exactly scream “fun,” but I loved both Eugene Onegin and Crime and Punishment. In fact, taking a Russian lit class and reading those two novels is what really made me a fan of Russian authors circa the 19th century (which also sounds pretentious, but I’m owning it).

Day 10 – Favorite classic book:

Obvious choices, but either Pride and Prejudice or Little Women. Both so, so good.

Day 11 – A book you hated:

Twilight, Twilight, Twilight. I felt offended that I spent money buying this book (lesson learned: patronize your local library). I actually laughed out loud on several occasions while reading it, and let me tell you – it’s not because Stephanie Meyer is a brilliant humorist (sidenote: do you remember when Stephen King said she couldn’t write worth a damn? My hero.)

Okay, Twilight was obvious. Other books that really disappointed me? A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway – both of the protagonists were so unlikable that I couldn’t have cared less when Catherine Barkley died at the end. Also, as previously mentioned, Beloved by Toni Morrison. Ugh, ugh, ugh. It’s really gross to try to write a coherent paper about a book that you just cannot stand, as I had to do with Beloved during high school. And finally, Saturday by Ian McEwan. I think McEwan is a fantastic writer generally (see: Atonement. Stunning book.), but I really hated this one. And the protagonist is such a creeper.

Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore:

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. The night before my junior year of high school started, I stayed up until like 3 am reading it. I thought it would end up being an all-time favorite, but I’ve never read it again. And, the more I think about it, the more it creeps me out. You know what scene I’m talking about, right?

Day 13 – Your favorite writer:

Oh so many, but you know who I’m going with? David Sedaris. He never fails to make me laugh, and sometimes you just need to laugh.

Day 14 – Favorite book of your favorite writer:

Me Talk Pretty One Day. I love all this books, but I think this is Sedaris at his best. I love when he talks about learning French and his life in Paris.

Day 15 – Favorite male character:

Seems like an obvious answer, but I have to go with Mr. Darcy. Hot damn.

Day 16 – Favorite female character:

Hermione. Elizabeth Bennet. Abilene from the Help. All strong, smart women.

Day 17 – Favorite quote from your favorite book

Not sure this is my favorite book, but one of my favorite quotations ever is from Corelli’s Mandolin: “Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being “in love,” which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.”

Day 18 – A book that disappointed you:

This also feels sacrilegious, but The Great Gatsby. I liked it, but I had built it up in my head so much that it was bound to disappoint. I just didn’t love it the way I thought I would.

Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie:

In general, Hollywood always gets it wrong. But two times it got it right? Pride and Prejudice (both the BBC version and the newer one with Keira Knightley). And, I really love Under the Tuscan Sun. It is NOTHING like the book (other than the fact that it happens to take place in Tuscany), but it’s a delightful movie.

Day 20 – Favorite romance book:

One Day. This is also a good segue from question 19, as I’m still weeping over the way Hollywood butchered this story. Anne Hathaway’s “British” accent continues to haunt my nightmares.

Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood:

Any American Girl Book, but especially the Molly stories.

Day 22 – Favorite book you own:

Probably the entire Harry Potter series. This whole post is basically an ode to my enduring love for Harry Potter.

Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t:

Yikes, there are so many. But, to name a few? War and Peace, Lolita, and Master and Margarita have been high on my list for awhile now.

Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read:

On Beauty by Zadie Smith. White Teeth was the one that got all the critical acclaim, but I enjoyed On Beauty much more. It’s a hidden gem.

Day 25 – A character who you can relate to the most:

Bridget Jones, in the sense that I feel like I need to get my shit together. Sloane Crosley (who’s not a character, I know), also in the sense that I feel like I need to get my shit together. Beth from Little Women, in that I’m always the quiet one (though hopefully I don’t die from scarlet fever). Hermione, in that sometimes I might be a know-it-all (although, of course, I am ultimately lovable and brave). Now where’s my Ron?

Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something

I don’t know if it changed my opinion about one specific thing, but a book that changed how I looked at life in general was Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything by James Gleick. The basic gist of the book is examining how we’re trying to do everything in our lives faster nowadays, but asking: to what effect? Where is it getting us? Now, I think about this idea often as I go through normal things in my daily life. There are two examples that Gleick gives that I always think about: pushing the “door close” button on an elevator (which apparently doesn’t make the door close any faster, but which people – including myself – do anyway) and microwaving something for 33 seconds rather than 30 because it’s quicker to punch “3″ twice rather than punching “3″ and then “0″ (this is something I never did but, ironically, started doing after I read the book).

Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending:

My Sister’s Keeper. It comes out of nowhere and just guts you. Also, you can add this book to the list of ones that Hollywood butchered by COMPLETELY changing the ending from the book. And also, by casting Cameron Diaz.

Day 28 – Favorite title:

100 Years of Solitude. So evocative. And man, I love that book.

Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked:

Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert. This got a lot of bad reviews, but I actually found it pretty good. I didn’t really enjoy all the musings on her own relationship (a little too self-involved, but that seems to be a hallmark of her writing). However, I loved her research on what marriage means in other cultures and how it has evolved over time. So fascinating.

Day 30 – Your favorite book of all time:

I honestly don’t know if I have an all time favorite; I think different books are good for different moods. It might be the entire Harry Potter series. It might be Little Women, or Pride and Prejudice, or Corelli’s Mandolin, or A Year in Provence, or 100 Years of Solitude, or Me Talk Pretty One Day. All excellent.

Great Christmas Moments in Pop Culture

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I had fun compiling my list of Thanksgiving pop culture moments, and as I was thinking about it, I realized there are many (many) more for Christmas. So, herein, my very favorite pop culture Christmas gems:

Beth Gets Her Piano (Little Women): If you can watch this scene without tearing up, you have no heart. It gets me every time – I think it’s mostly because of the way Claire Danes plays the scene. Her reaction is just so spot-on, overwhelmed and confused and overjoyed, all at the same time.

“Just In Cases” (Love Actually): Well, first of all, this scene involves Colin Firth, so that’s pretty much enough to merit inclusion right there. But, in case you weren’t convinced – I love how this scene builds up – how he goes to her home and she’s not there, and then he walks through town (trailed by random Portuguese family members and townsfolk), and then he goes to the restaurant and sees her standing upstairs. And then afterward, when he says, “You learned English?” and she responds, “Just in cases.” Perfect.

Pam’s Teapot (The Office): This was at the height of the heartbreaking Jim/Pam dynamic on the Office, and it was yet another one of those moments that was so lovely but at the same time so gut-wrenching. Basically, Jim draws Pam’s name in Secret Santa, and he gets her the most perfectly sweet gift, and then Michael messes things up (per usual) and turns it into a Yankee swap, and Dwight ends up with the teapot, and Pam has to trade an iPod to get it back, but she does (because we know that she secretly loves Jim, even though she might not know it yet) (and that was the most run-on sentence I’ve ever written).

In Excelsis Deo (The West Wing): The season 1 Christmas episode still gives me chills, particularly the last scene. The burial part is just executed perfectly, and then I love how, in the parallel scene, the senior staff lines up one by one to listen to the choir. Not shown in the video I linked is another great little moment – when Josh gives Donna, who has been bothering him the entire episode about getting her a present, a book with a sweet inscription in it. Great moment. (And man, did it take forever for those two to get together or what?!)

All I Want for Christmas Is You (Love Actually): This is sort of the big climax scene, where most of the characters come together at a children’s Christmas show. I love when they sing “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” because the little girl totally kills it. I mean, even better than Mariah, I think (sacrilege!). Anyway, I also love how the curtain comes up on Hugh Grant and his assistant making out, but not for the reason you think. What kills me is Alan Rickman’s reaction shot in the audience – cheering and whistling. I don’t know why, but I always find that so funny. Maybe because I always think of him as a serious, stuffy British actor, but in this scene he’s anything but.

The Reindeer Jumper (Bridget Jones’s Diary): Okay, I believe this scene technically takes place on New Year’s Day, but it’s still the holiday season so I’m counting it (plus, reindeer clearly equals Christmas). This is the moment that establishes Mr. Darcy as a complete dork, and even though he’s kind of jerk in this scene, you just know he’s going to turn out wonderful. I also love that this scene introduces Bridget’s propensity for extremely awkward over-sharing (“Was at a party in London last night, I’m afraid I’m a bit hungover…Wish I could be home with my head in a toilet like all normal people…”)

Exchanging Presents (While You Were Sleeping): I think this is one of the most underrated romantic comedies (and movies) ever. It stars a pre-fame Sandra Bullock, and I just love it, even though it has basically the cheesiest setup ever. I particularly love the scene where she goes over to the Callaghan family’s home to exchange Christmas presents. I think the look on Sandra Bullock’s face is just perfect – she doesn’t have any family of her own, and so she feels both happy and sad at being included in this family’s tradition. Also, Bill Pullman is really cute in this movie (which is not something I ever thought I’d say).

Phoebe’s Christmas Song (Friends): I think Friends truly excelled during its Thanksgiving episodes, but it had some solid Christmas moments too. Because I always love a good Phoebe song, I have to give props to her Christmas song. I also love how, in desperation because their names don’t rhyme with anything, she just does a crazy amount of mumbling after saying “Chandler and Rachel.” (Earlier, to Rachel: “Do you have a nickname? Did your dad ever call you, like, Budolph?”)

Tim + Dawn (British Office): It’s natural to draw comparisons between the British and American versions of the Office, but to me, their approaches are so different that I just like to view them on their own terms. The Christmas episode was the last of this show, and it just wraps everything up wonderfully – you think Tim and Dawn are going to have a bittersweet ending, and then she comes back, and it’s just amazing.

Somewhere in My Memory (Home Alone): How could I leave this movie off my list? For any child who grew up in the ’90s, this was the essential Christmas movie. In particular, I love the scene where Kevin goes to church and bonds with the shovel guy, who we learn is actually a nice man. In the background, a children’s choir sings “Somewhere in My Memory,” which is one of my favorite Christmas songs. So beautiful.

Turn on the Lights (New Girl): Yeah, this show is brand new, but I already love it. New Girl is the king (queen?) of funny situations turned unexpectedly poignant, and the Christmas episode was no exception. To cheer up Jess, Nick drove her through a neighborhood with great decorations. The only catch? It was 4am, so everybody had their lights turned off. The gang got out of the car and started yelling “turn on the lights” – and, wouldn’t you know, one by one, everyone on the street turned on their lights. And it was a lovely little moment. (And on a totally different note, this episode also gave us Schmidt as Sexy Santa. Love it.)

Index Card I Love You (Love Actually): Yes, this is my third Love Actually Moment on this list; what of it? Anyway, one of my favorite things about Love Actually is that it isn’t a romantic comedy where everyone winds up happily ever after – sure, some stories do, but plenty do not. This story is one of the ones that does not, and even though Mark and Juliet reach closure, it’s still sad. This scene, where he knows they can’t be together but still tells her how he feels (“because at Christmas, you tell the truth”) is impossibly romantic and terribly bittersweet.

(above photo collage from here)

Christmas Football (Miracle): This is another severely underrated movie. I love this scene because it captures the camaraderie among the players so well and I think it also captures how much the coach cares for them, even if he can’t always express it. Also, I love the Carter speech overlaid with them playing football. So nice.

Caroling for Abed (Community): I could have picked a moment from any of Community’s three Christmas episodes – season one’s Christmas fight was great, and season two’s claymation Christmas was the epitome of brilliance. But I give the prize to season three, when the gang arrives at Abed’s apartment, singing a carol and preventing him from spending the holiday alone. An unexpectedly sweet moment, and one made all the more poignant by the fact that the show is on indefinite hiatus now (sob.)

What are your favorite Christmas pop culture moments?