February 14, 2007

Movie Mush


I’ll let you in on a dirty little secret. At times, I can be pathetically, embarrassingly schmaltzy. This ignominious trait manifests itself by the fact that I love watching sappy romantic movies over and over again (to my husband’s consternation). Mostly, it is the lines that get me. Ingeniously written and marvelously uttered prose teeming with unadulterated feeling that grab me in the gut and silently simmer within, only to pop up unexpectedly every now and then when I encounter a life situation in which their truth brilliantly applies (see previous blog entry entitled Friendship on Fire for proof of this).

To the mush-averse, be forewarned! This is not for the weak of heart. Literally.

Here are some of my all-time favorite cinematic dialogues that speak – nay, shriek – of love, so much so that we might all feel a sliver of sentimentality this Valentine's Day:

The Accidental Tourist

I'm beginning to think that maybe it's not just how much you love someone. Maybe what matters is who you are when you're with them.

Fools Rush In

You are what I never knew I always wanted.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin

When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots are 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. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.

Crazy/Beautiful

You can be anywhere when your life begins. You meet the right person and anything is possible.

Good Will Hunting

Sometimes I wish I had never met you. Because then I could go to sleep at night not knowing there was someone like you out there.

Hope Floats

Dancing is just a conversation between two people. Talk to me.

Beginnings are scary. Endings are usually sad, but it's what's in the middle that counts. So, when you find yourself at the beginning, just give hope a chance to float up. And it will.

Shakespeare In Love

I will have poetry in my life. And adventure. And love. Love above all. No...not the artful postures of love, not playful and poetical games of love for the amusement of an evening. but love that...overthrows life. Unbiddable, ungovernable, like a riot in the heart, and nothing to be done, come ruin or rapture.

A Walk In The Clouds

Newlyweds. What else do they do but make love and war?

Sixteen Candles

That's why they call them crushes. If they were easy, they'd call them something else.

When Harry Met Sally

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.

Alex & Emma

Some things are not meant to last, they just take a place in your heart and make you smarter the next time.

A Beautiful Mind

Perhaps it is good to have a beautiful mind, but an even greater gift is to discover a beautiful heart.

The Perfect Man

I read somewhere that love is friendship on fire. That's what I feel about you.

The Notebook

I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me, and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: I've loved another with all my heart and soul and to me, this has always been enough.

The Wedding Date

I think I'd miss you even if I never met you.

I would rather fight with you than make love to anyone else.

Say Anything

I gave her my heart. She gave me a pen.

Forces of Nature

Marriage has less beauty but more safety than a single life; it’s full of sorrows and full of joys. It lies under more burdens, but it is supported by all the strengths of love, and those burdens are delightful.

I always thought that there was this one perfect person for everybody in the world, you know, and when you found that person the rest of the world kind of magically faded away, and, you know, the two of you would just be inside this kind of protective bubble, but there is no bubble, I mean if there is you have to make it, I just think life is more than a series of moments, you know, we can make choices, and we can choose to protect the people we love, and that's what makes us who we are and those are the real memories.

Paycheck

Some of the best things in life are total mistakes.

Someone Like You

There is nothing sadder in this life than to watch someone you love walk away after they have left you. To watch the distance between your two bodies expand until there is nothing left but empty space... and silence.

The Cooler

You look in the mirror and you don't like what you see? Don't believe it. Look into my eyes; I'm the only mirror you'll ever need.

Shall We Dance?

We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet..... I mean, what does any one life mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things..... all of it, all the time, every day. You're saying “Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed because I will be your witness.”

The English Patient

Swoon. I'll catch you.

Beautiful Girls

A beautiful girl can make you dizzy, like you've been drinking Jack and Coke all morning. She can make you feel high full of the single greatest commodity known to man--promise. Promise of a better day. Promise of a greater hope. Promise of a new tomorrow. This particular aura can be found in the gait of a beautiful girl. In her smile, in her soul, the way she makes every rotten little thing about life seem like it's going to be okay...

A Walk To Remember

What is a friend? A friend is two people sharing one soul.

Indecent Proposal

The things that people in love do to each other they remember, and if they stay together it's not because they forget, it's because they forgive.

Steel Magnolias

I would rather have three minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.

Before Sunrise

If there's any kind of magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone, sharing something. I know, it's almost impossible to succeed, but...who cares, really? The answer must be in the attempt.

Isn't everything we do in life a way to be loved a little more?

Love Actually

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around.

And with that, let me just greet you all...


MWAAAAAAAAAAAH!

See you at the movies!

36 comments:

Scott from Oregon said...

Tell me you didn't roll over in bed and write these down?

Chick said...

Lovely...all of them...ok...I m ight be a mush too...ugh.

I like the last one...it's all around us...we just have to keep looking around.

Happy Valentiine's Day to you too!

Michael C said...

I think you left out 'allow myself to introduce...myself' from Austin Powers.
;-)

Anonymous said...

great, now i have to watch the english patient again just to find out when that line was said..or you can just tell me :)

gosh... mush barrage, buti na lang nag-warning ka!

at gusto ko na ring idagdag ito:

Bounce:
"I want someone to say goodnight to. The last call of the day. I don't have a last call of the day. Do you?"

Irene said...

Scott from Oregon: Watcha think? ;p

Blown away by many talents now, aren't you? HAHA!

Chick: I believe there is a bigger mushy side to all of us than we would ever dare admit. :p

Michael: YEAH, BABY!!!

Rina: Watch the movie so the impact will be greater. =)

I missed "Bounce." Now, I'm going to have to watch it to satisfy my curiosity! ;p

Thanks for visiting me. Dalaw ka uli!

Bearette said...

Awww ;) The Accidental Tourist is one of my favorite books; Say Anything is one of my favorite movies. So is When Harry Met Sally.

slaghammer said...

What about “Love is grand; divorce is a hundred grand.” ;-)

Anonymous said...

Being mushy is --- GOOD!

rauf said...

Some of the best things in life are total mistakes.

how true !

three movies I had in mind Irene, you have listed two of them Forces of nature and before sunrise. The third one I rwally loved and watched over and over was 'Bed of roses' Christian slater and Mary Stuart Masterson.

thank you so much Irene

GatorGirlintheCity said...

Lovely list of movie quotes! I love Never Been Kissed...the end when Michael Vartan's character says to Drew Barrymore: Sorry I'm late; it took me forever to get here". And Drew replies "I know what you mean". SWOON!!

Irene said...

Beautiful Bearette: I haven't read the Accidental Tourist. Now, I'll make sure to do so. =)

Slaghammer: Bwahaha! Now that's a brilliant quote! Who said it?

Kyels: Woohoo for MUSH! ;p

Rauf: I do remember that movie with Christian Slater was a good one. I also recall bawling my eyes out near the end. Sigh! =)

Gator Girl in the City: SWOON indeed!

"Never Been Kissed" was a really sweet film. Thanks a lot for sharing your own memorable movie quote!

Romeo Morningwood said...

Great minds think alike...but you are Uber-Moviemaiden! Wow I loved Say Anything and The Notebook but I generally get nauseous at RomComs...unless they are more Com than Rom like Harry Met Sally.

I posted my all time favorite cheesy line from Up Close And Personal...when Robert Redford said that he loved Michelle Pfeiffer "SO MUCH IT HURTS!"

Ha.. have a great day you big mushball.

ldbug said...

Oh, I like the Sixteen Candles and Say Anything ones the best (probably b/c I remember them;-)

Happy Valentines Day!!

Dan said...

You're not schmaltzy! You're just a wonderful person with a soft, squishy middle! :)

Happy Valentines Day. Hugs and smooches to you!

Marie said...

This is brilliant. Thanks for visiting my blog!

Irene said...

Homo Escapeons: Ahhhh. Up Close and Personal...another movie that had me weeping buckets!

You can ask any of my friends and they'll tell you I hardly cry in front of others, but run a sappy movie in front of me and I'm bawling (shamefully) like a baby. Ngyikes! :p

Ldbug: You just revealed your age bracket. HAHA! Have a nice day! =)

Dan: "You're not schmaltzy! You're just a wonderful person with a soft, squishy middle!"

Goodness. I hope you were not referring to the sorry state of my post-childbirth belly. Bwahaha!

Marie: Thank you for gracing my blog with your wonderful presence. Do feel at home here! =)

It's me, T.J. said...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Tracy said...

OHHHH cool, several on your list I have not seen. Writing them down so when I am alone next I can curl up on the couch and watch a good romance!

and MWAAAAAAAAAAAH! back at ya!

Hugs

Irene said...

TJ: Thanks! Hope your Valentine's was fabulous. =)

Mysti: Happy mush-watching then! Hope you're feeling better, dahling! (",)

Cherry Popcorn said...

Did u remember all of those? Haha

Happy Valentine's Day!

krystyna said...

Hi Irene!
Wonderful. I love this post.Thanks for sharing.
Did you see "father and son love" on my blog?
"There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved".
Love and Happiness to you!

Christina_the_wench said...

I love Hope Floats and Forces of Nature. Great post, girl!

Laura said...

Watching The Notebook always makes me cry. I feel it on a personal level because of my job taking care of the elderly, alot of whom have dementia. I like sappy romantic movies too. I don't think that makes you "schmaltzy".

Unknown said...

I think that you forgot Reign of Fire. No movie made me cry more than that one ... cry for having to sit through the whole thing.

Anonymous said...

Movies??? What are those???

I am finally starting to feel better.

Ian said...

Lovely Irene - only you could post this without it seeming hokey and contrived. Wonderfully done. Thank you for digging up all those excellent quotes.

Ian

Maria said...

this is a very good movie list; one they - date flick or chick flick, here!

a belated happy valentines day to you and your hubby!

Katie said...

Oh man...I know what you mean. That part in "Say Anything" where Lloyd holds up the boom box playing "In Your Eyes" to Diane's window makes me all gooey.

Hope you had a lovely Valentine's Day ;)

Irene said...

Princess Shin: Yes, I cited all those from memory.

Bwahaha! ;p

Krystyna: Love and happiness to you as well, dahling!

Christina my favorite Wench: Thanks! Hope you had a fabulous Valentine's celebration.

Laura: Have you tried reading the book? It's even more heart-wrenching. My copy is stained with tears. Sigh! :p

Dorky Dad: HAHA! I haven't watched "Reign of Fire." After your comment, I guess I never will. :p

Brian: Glad you're feeling better, my friend! Take care as always. (",)

Rmada: Now that would be more like my husband's kind of perfect movie! ;p

Irish Ian: Glad you enjoyed reading them just as much as I enjoyed compiling them.

Maria: I just had Valentine's dinner at home with my husband. It was simple yet happy. =)

KatieBelle: That was an unforgettable scene indeed. Hope you're having a happy weekend!

Pamela said...

I can't remember how many times I have watched "While You Were Sleeping."

Claudia said...

oh, I love good movie lines...i'm a big sap too.

Eddie said...

When Harry Met Sally and The Notebook are two of my favorites. Not one to be roused or enticed by Movie Mush in general, I did manage to feel my heart beat a little warmer when I saw those in particular...

You've done your homework. I'm proud... LOL. I'm sure your husband is quite pleased with your affection and love for... well... love. It's just a man's roll to play a bit hollow-tin-chested once and a while...

Besos

Anonymous said...

Those are some of my fav movies... sorry I have been so late in stopping by...i am totally behind on my blogs.

Unknown said...

This is great. I liked: Swoon, I'll catch you.

Little Wing said...

One of my favorite movies, of all time, is Meet Joe Black. Anthony Hopkins is on a plane with his daughter. He is concerned regarding the man whom she is engaged to. He says, "It isn't what you say about him, it's what you don't say." And then he goes off on this description of how he feels love should be. He says, "I want you to get swept off your feet, I want you to levitate. I want you to sing with rapture and dance like a dervish! Be deliriously happy... or at least leave yourself open to be." Then he goes further to say, "I know this is cornball stuff, but love is passion... obsession... someone you can't live without. Fall head over heals, find someone you can love like crazy and who loves you the same, back. How do you find 'em? Forget your head and listen with your heart. There's no sense in living your life without this... to make the Journey, and not fall deeply in love??? Well, you haven't lived a life at all... but, you have to try, because if you haven't tried, you haven't lived." Then he shortened that synopsis of love into two simple sentences, "Stay open... lightening could strike!"

And no, I didn't roll over and write that down, either, rofl... though someone was amazed, at thinking that I had.

Irene said...

Sarala: Thanks for visiting. I'll catch you again soon...swoon or no swoon! ;p

Little Wing: That was fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing. The next time I watch "Meet Joe Black" again, I promise to pay more attention to the lines you cited and less attention to Brad Pitt's rivetingly beautiful on-screen presence. HAHA! :p