Tag Archives: movies

Isn’t It Romantic

Kerri Carpenter, ,

(Sparkle Plan Update: Yes, I am still on my Sparkle Plan. But I thought I would take a month off from talking about it. All is still well – I’m starting to do run/walk intervals and getting back into lifting weights. Stay tuned for a bigger update in September.)

Spoilers ahead – you’ve been warned.

I consider myself a romantic.

I write romance novels. I love happy endings and riding off into the sunset and candlelit dinners and long walks on the beach, and flowers, and getting dressed up to go out on a date. Which reminds me, I have these new, totally cute pants that would be great for a date. But I digress.

You know what else I like? Movies.

But recently, I realized that none of my favorite movies are romantic movies. My two favorite movies oscillate between The Empire Strikes Back and Office Space. Both have some hints of romance, but neither can be considered A romance. Furthermore, the usual “romcom” staples don’t tend to make my heart go flutter-flutter.

Pretty Woman

Laughing like a loon….

For example, I would never consider Pretty Woman a romance because I’ve never been able to get over the fact that, oh, I don’t know, she’s a HOOKER! Sure, it’s all romantic and swell when a super-rich guy can whisk you off on a private plane to see an opera after he put a glamorous and expensive necklace around your neck and you laughed like a loon. But you’re still a hooker.

Are my standards too high?

Then there’s Legally Blonde. One of those movies I’ll always watch when it comes on TV. Is it a romance though? There IS a romance but besides knowing Elle and Emmett get together in the end, they never kiss or go on a date. Besides, the scene that really gets me going is when Elle totally wins the argument over former-love Warner in class. Then Professor Callahan says, “I believe you’ve just won your case.” Yes! #winning

You bet I won my case! Plus, my resume is pink and scented!

You bet I won my case! Plus, my resume is pink and scented!

Frustrated, I Googled “romantic” movies. Here’s my thoughts on some of the Internet’s choices for most romantic film (in no particular order). Mind you, I’m not saying these aren’t good movies, just that they aren’t romantic in my eyes.

Titanic – everyone dies and really cold water.

The Notebook – old people, death and Alzheimer’s.

Ghost – he’s, um, A GHOST! Can never have a happy ending unless she also dies.

Romeo & Juliet – are you freaking kidding me? Double death!

West Side Story – see above, same movie as R&J but with singing and dancing.

Dirty Dancing – we don’t know what happens *after*the summer and abortion. And if Baby gives up her Peace Corps dreams that’s just lame.

Gone with the Wind – Dude, come on. Awesome flick, unhappy ending.

Casablanca – um, they don’t end up together! Also, Nazis scare me!

Grease – have to become a slut to find true love.

I will confess to enjoying and being quite smitten by a lot of scenes within the above movies. So really, maybe my problem is the endings? Because in romance writing, we have to conclude with a happily ever after or at least, happy for now. Kerri Carpenter

All of this pondering leads me to the real question. Am I *not* a romantic after all? You be the judge. In the meantime, PLEASE leave some romantic movie options for me in the comments below.

 

Kerri’s Favorite Things

Kerri Carpenter, , , ,

This post is just like Oprah’s favorite things episode. Except, it’s not on TV. And no one’s getting a car. And there are no people dressed as elves passing out all of my favorite things. And most of my favorite things aren’t really tangible so you kinda couldn’t get them anyway.

But other than that, it’s totally just like Oprah’s favorite things.

I love the holidays and thought I would share some of my most favorite things about it. Of course, there are a lot of aspects I don’t like about the holidays as well. Stress, spending money, stress, the song Christmas Shoes, stress… You get the idea. But that’s a whole other blog post…

In the meantime, please enjoy Kerri’s Favorite Things!  The Diva Kerr-ina Continue reading →

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Kerri Carpenter, , , , , , ,

Recently, I spent a night with some of my favorite things: wine, pizza and a movie. I watched the 2011 film, Crazy, Stupid, Love., starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore and Emma Stone.  crazystupidlove

It may have been the wine, but I really, really enjoyed this movie. There was a certain “seize the day,” but in the end, be yourself vibe that I can only describe as awesomesauce.

Of course, being the writer I am, I immediately started thinking about the movie and making it all about myself. So without further ado, here’s what I got: Continue reading →

Good Riddance!

Kerri Carpenter, , ,

2012 is almost over and I, for one, cannot flipping wait! Adios, 2012 and get the hell outta here!

When asked, I often tell people that the best year of my life was, hands down, fourth grade. What a great year! I had a fantastic homeroom teacher, lots of friends and if I finished my computer assignment early I could play Oregon Trail (best computer game ever).

If my life peaked in fourth grade, it’s been coasting ever since. Until 2012. The year of Debbie Downer doom & gloom. For every good thing, there’s a bad thing. For light, there is dark. Up and down, yin and yang, smiley face, frowny face. For glitter, there is … um, poopy brown? Anyway, you get my point. Continue reading →

Favorite Holiday Movies

Kerri Carpenter, mermaids, ,

I find it tough to be a writer during the holidays. With the shopping and the baking, festive movies and parties, writing time can take a serious backseat. So this year, I figure I’ll just go with it – there is nothing wrong with enjoying the season. Without further ado, here is a list of some of my favorite Christmas movies.  

1.   A Christmas Story

Nothing makes me laugh like this movie. It’s not only a favorite holiday movie, it’s an all-time favorite. There are so many quotable lines I could seriously write a whole thesis on this film. (And I know you’re all saying, “You’ll shoot your eye out,” right now. Admit it!) Whoever decided to play it nonstop for 24 hours on Christmas day was a genius!

2.  How the Grinch Stole Christmas

I’m talking about the cartoon, not the one with real people. What’s not to like about this movie? It’s short, it’s sweet and it makes my heart grow three sizes too big as well.

3.  Holiday Inn

I remember the first time my parents showed me this movie. I quickly got over my aversion to black & white because it’s so fantabulous! Plus, my mom and I like to guess what color all of the gorgeous costumes are.

4.  White Christmas

I find myself very drawn to White Christmas. The dance scenes are amazing and I would kill to be as thin as Vera Ellen.   And I love when Bing Crosby says, “what’s the beef” and how the train looks all clean and fun. Those were different times.

5.  Elf

Elf is so funny! But I think my favorite thing about it is how committed Will Ferrell is to the role of Buddy the Elf. He believes he’s Buddy and so do I. “Santa!!!!!!! I know him, I know him!”

As a self-appointed Christmas movie aficionado, there are many, many more movies I could have listed (Bill Murray’s Scrooged, Miracle on 34th Street). But I just wanted to give you the basic idea. No matter what you like watching this time of year, I hope you have a wonderful holiday and a fabulous New Years!

What is your favorite holiday movie?

 

 

John Cusack, a pen and a phonebooth

mermaids, , , , , , , ,

You’ll have to bear with me today. I’m a little silly and punch-drunk due to the grueling time at the PITADJ (pain-in-the-a**-day-job).  it is the busiest time of the year for me and I’m down two out of the four folks on team due to maternity leave – so yeah, I’m a little stressed and a lot tired.

Which leads to the fact that I had no idea what to write about today. Not. A. Clue.  So, I do the one thing I always do when I’m stuck (ignore the Main Man shouting “spend money” in the background) – I watch movies.  And I usually go back to favorites, the tried and true – no, new shockingly disappointing flicks for me – I want one that I know will deliver every time.

So, I had a little movie marathon and lost even more sleep but felt a little more human.  And, I felt a little inspired creatively – which was very good for the writing.

The first flick was ‘Romancing the Stone” ( and , no, we are not going to talk about the possible remake with Katherine Heigl who hasn’t made anything decent since she finished “Roswell”). The movie about a romance novelist Joan Wilder and the guy, Jack, who helps her rescue her kidnapped sister and is constantly upstaged by the amazing Danny DeVito. Awesome movie.

At the end Gloria, Joan’s agent is reading her latest-post-sex-with-Jack novel and is sniffling as she says:

Gloria: Joanie you are now a WORLD CLASS hopeless romantic.

Joan: No, hopeful. Hopeful romantic.

Sigh . . . aren’t we all in this business?

Okay, next on the agenda for my personal film festival was an indie adaptation of the classic Pride & Prejudice. Now, no one beats Colin Firth as Mr.Darcy but Orlando Seale fills the role nicely in this movie. It’s bright, cheerful, offbeat and quirky and set in UTAH. It always makes me smile.

One of the best performances is the gal who plays Lydia – who in this version is a husband-hunter following a how-to guide that has all the single girls taking it for the gospel truth.  In one scene, Lydia is disgusted with Elizabeth and Jane’s moping around after Darcy and Bingley and she lets them have it at the grocery store, saying:

“Oh, this is just great girls. Here we’ve just spent 20 minutes picking out the perfect array of romantic items, and what do we come back to find? Two kegs of ice cream, pills for cramping, pills for bloating, and six super size boxes of Tampax? Why don’t we just put up a big neon sign that says, “Men, run for your lives! Menstruating monsters approaching!”

Brings back lots of college memories . . . .

Finally, I ended with my favorite movie of all time: Say Anything.

Now, this movie spawned a 10-year obsession with John Cusack for me. How could you NOT love Lloyd Dobler? The high school everyman who woos, charms and gets the beautiful valedictorian to fall in love with him – classic romance.

Of course, he gets his heart broken and the scene is gut-wrenching because you want Lloyd to get the girl. If he can’t get the girl then any guy who isn’t Brad Pitt is destined to die alone with lots of cats.

So, you have Lloyd in a phone booth. Its’ pouring rain and he’s called his sister to tell her that Diane, the love of his life, has broken up with him and given him a pen so he can write to her. Harsh.

So, he delivers the best line of the movie and rips your heart out:

“I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen.”

Sigh . . . .

I don’t care what you think about the hairdos and parachute pants – the 80’s were a beautiful thing.

So, at the end of all that film goodness, I felt better. Relaxed. And, I had a post to write for you guys.

What are your “go-to” flicks?

Robin Mermaid