Day 100: Casablanca

Casablanca w/ Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart

So it’s finally here. I’ve reached 100.  A milestone within this crazy project. I must say it has been a long and cultural cinematic blur. 100 movies in 100 days so far. I’m surprised I haven’t gauged my eyes, but it’s a thought that hasn’t been fully dismissed. There have been movies I’ve loved and absolutely loathed. It’s kind’ve like I formed this unexpected relationship with romantic films. If there’s one thing to note thus far in this journey, it’s that the themes of love don’t ever change. We often test these theories in several circumstances, hoping someway we can prove them wrong. But, that’s the thing about these films, they’re often the same formula and we love just the same. Scripts, budget and actors and whatever else make the difference in what makes a film great, but there are uncertain tangible expectations that often make love great. But unlike movies, we’ll never really know the ending. We often allow ourselves the opportunity to put aside reality when watching these films, but the fine lines of expectations are often scribbled over. We give ourselves too much credit for our foolishness.

So this love affair with this project – there are days where we’re incredibly compatible, depending on the status of the day, my mood, the mood of the film. Often times, I have no patience for it and condemning it for even existing. The late nights, always searching for time to make time.  Then I let my frustration subside and somehow appreciate the good it has brought into my life. The insight it has brought me has made me truly astounded by the many facets of love that are sometimes misrepresented. This project has made realize things I have refused to believe or acknowledged what I’ve always have.

I’ve never seen Casablanca until now. It seemed befitting considering it’s such a classic. It’s everything you thought and more. Romance in the most desolate of conditions. To chose love over the “right” thing. Bergman and Bogart are just striking characters. The ensemble duo makes the stereotypical flair of being mysterious absolutely effortless and makes us envious of such effortless cool. Bogart is the hunk of hunks. Cheers to him sweeping me off of my feet during wartime.

Thank you all for the support! I wouldn’t have made this far without you guys. Please continue to pass on any recommendations, it’s more than appreciated.

“Here’s looking to you, kid.”

 

Day 72: He’s Just Not That Into You

He's Just Not That Into YOU.

Worst movie ever to boost any sense of self esteem in the dating game. Fact: there are no exceptions. Things just happen, sometimes in the oddest conditions. If you buy this exception nonsense, shame on you.

Drew Barrymore was probably the only character that brought a bit of insight. Yes, shit gets complicated when you’re rejected by seven different technologies. Not to mention, the pangs continue if you’re friends on any type of social network. As in, oh you’ll know when you’re rejected when it says he’s at a romantic location with a female that isn’t you. Ugh. 

Day 32: Beginners

Beginners w/ Ewan McGregor & Christopher Plummer

It was a beautiful story. A beautiful story about lost love. There were key elements that made this movie and made me cinematically, by which I mean emotionally, invested. There’s that sudden emptiness that appears whenever we lose someone – romantically involved or not. It’s not indifference to the world, but just a quiet sense of self growing and pondering. Maybe that’s why we’re so quiet when we’re hurt. It sinks harder that way versus telling the whole world of your sadness. When we lose romantic relationships, we question the everything especially if it wasn’t on our own terms.

It probably didn’t help that I was watching this movie in my dark room, cue depression. It culminated a lot of elements of love that I’ve been thinking about – learning to love someone new despite being in a dark place, what we inherit from our parents, and the idea of trusting ourselves when we are in love. By trust, I don’t mean monogamy, but rather trusting ourselves to let good things happen in a relationship  versus expecting things to fail already. That’s a hard one to bite especially coming from me. I’ve been adamant that most of my romantic involvings have a life span of two weeks. I shit you not. But lately, having a bit more faith in things have resulted in longer time frames with, more or less, better results. Not to say everything would dramatically get better with faith, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.

Anna: Why do you leave everyone? Why did you let me go?

Oliver: Maybe because I don’t really believe that it’s going to work and then I make sure that it doesn’t work.

Day 24: One Day

One Day w/ Anne Hathaway & Jim Strugess

As in… one day to my 25th movie! I really thought I was going to fall in love with One Day. It had all the right elements – accents, hot Jim Strugess, Anne Hathaway, success and love. But I didn’t. It felt like it didn’t go in depth in the reasons of why they were so madly deeply in love with each other. I get it, there were time lapses, but still nothing substantial to expound on.

Anyways, it was as whimsical as I wanted. Not the greatest love story or the realest, but valid enough. It was as if the writers decided to create a story that was as predictable as can be, but decided to ruin any hope the viewer has of a happy ending. I guess that part wasn’t predictable. There’s solace in realizing and admitting there are things you can’t have.

Day 17: Blue Valentine

Blue Valentine w/ the Gos & Michelle Williams

In continuing with Gosling week, I’m seeing the Gos in Blue Valentine. Basically the complete opposite of The Notebook. It’s as if Noah and Allie said deuces after they got married. The reality of this movie is that it’s the marriage of most adults I know. It’s loveless, sad and asking to watch a train wreck. That’s the scariest part of being married. How do you know that one person is worth committing a lifetime for? When did “I do” became a death sentence for most couples. I thought the point of marriage was to be able to solidify the love you have into a piece of paper. When does it start getting complicated? It seems like routine and children just usurp itself into the marriage and then it becomes dull. With divorce rates at an all-time high, what’s the point of marriage? I think that’s one of my fears, to start out so in love and then have your world fall apart. How do you keep passion going when you’re against all odds?