List-making Time! Favorite Movies Edition

I've been getting several complaints lately (and by several I mean one) about not updating my blog often enough, so I'm trying to get back in the swing of things the only way I know how: by making Top Five lists. Not particularly unique ones, either, just your basic top five favorite movies, shows, Pokemon, blah blah blah. It is my lazy way of contributing to the blogosphere (even though I'm not in any blogosphere). Also, I love lists. Putting things in order is comforting to me.

We begin with my top five favorite movies! Please keep in mind that I don't care about what society considers to be the greatest movies of all time. These are the movies I feel connected with and make think, "Why didn't I write this?!"

5) Romy and Michele's High School Reunion

See! I already warned you that I don't care what society considers to be the best. This one is the ultimate Bad Day Movie. Whenever I've had a few too many awkward interactions or have gotten mauled by a bear or whatever, I watch Romy and Michele to cheer myself up. Watching them is like watching slightly (just slightly) dumber versions of myself. They, too, love fashion. They, too, went to high school in Arizona, then moved to Los Angeles. And they, too, believe that being happy and poor is much more satisfying than being comfortable but miserable. I also admire the ability to write such a smart movie with ditzy (albeit very likable) protagonists.
Best line: "Would you excuse me? I cut my foot before and my shoe is filling up with blood. " - Romy
Best character: It's impossible to choose. I love both them bitches.

4) Heathers
I've been pushing this movie on my friends like Ms. Norbury pushes drugs. If you call yourself a fan of Mean Girls, I absolutely implore you to see Heathers, because Mean Girls wouldn't exist without it. Heathers is like Mean Girls if all of the Plastics were killed. The humor is dark and twisty, but the ending is satisfying enough so that you don't walk away feeling all suicidal. Also, Winona Ryder and Christian Slater are freaking awesome.
Best line: "If you were happy every day of your life you wouldn't be a human being. You'd be a game-show host." - Heather Chandler
Best character: Veronica Sawyer. She's a badass.

3) When Harry Met Sally
What's surprising about this list is how few romantic comedies it includes. I think that's because for me, I need build-up and tension to be emotionally invested in fictional romantic relationships, and that's why I usually favor TV couples over movie couples. Harry and Sally are different, though. Their (spoiler alert!) eventual togetherness is so satisfying because we got to see them go from hating each other, to not remembering each other, to being friends, and then - tear - falling in love. :')
Best character: Harry and Sally are both clever and lovable bastards.
Best line: "When I buy a new book, I read the last page first. That way, in case I die before I finish, I know how it ends. That, my friend, is a dark side." - Harry

2) Clueless
I find no movie protagonist more inspiring than Cher Horowitz, my own personal hero and mentor (other than my mom if she's reading this!), played flawlessly by Alicia Silverstone. Sure, she may be a little selfish, but Cher has high standards (which explains why the guy she initially falls for turns out to be gay), she tries to make everyone around her happy and most importantly, she dresses differently than all of those other flannel and baggy pants-adorned '90s kids. All of the apathetic hoodie-wearers who currently roam high school hallways could take a page from her book.
Best line: "Why should I listen to you, anyway? You're a virgin who can't drive." - Tai
Best character: Cher Horowitz. Duh.

1) Mean Girls
Where do I begin? I'm pretty sure Mean Girls is the most quoted movie of my generation, at least among females and gay males. With so many SNL greats in charge, it better be hilarious, but the way the humor is delivered is what makes MG so unique. We have the "animal world" scenes, the cutaway gags ("Don't have sex. Because you will get pregnant, and die.") the clever, totally irrelevant lines Tina Fey is famous for ("Oh my god, Danny DeVito, I love your work!", "My nana takes her wig off when she's drunk.") and seriously astute acting. Say what you want about Lindsay Lohan and her penchant for alcohol/loser guys/shoplifting, but that girl can act.
Best line(s): "So if you're from Africa, why are you white?" "Oh my god, Karen, you can't just ask people why they're white."
Best character: Regina George. "She's fabulous, but she's evil."

Runners-up: Little Miss Sunshine, Tangled, Juno, Up in the Air, Grease

Inspiration: Film Edition

It's not particularly difficult to find an article or blog post about fashion in movies and find ways to put together Clueless or Heathers-esque outfits. That is not stopping me from writing this. In addition to those movies, I want to point out a few more films that can be considered sources of outfit inspiration. However, instead of just focusing on emulating the actual outfits worn by the characters, I want to use the feeling you get from watching a particular film to create an outfit. Yeah, we're about to get really touchy-feely in here.

Nancy Drew

There is something about this movie that has made me watch it over and over again since it was released in 2007. It boasts some sort of lesson about being yourself, which is apparent when you compare Nancy's (Emma Roberts) outfit with the other furry boot-wearing popular girls in the film. The salesgirl in the above photo recognizes Nancy's originality, saying that she "loves the sincerity." That makes my inartistic self want to go gather a bunch of random fabrics and sew them together to create an outfit that's only awesome to me and about two other people. This film is a great one to watch if you want inspiration for an ultra sincere/preppy detective vibe. Let's just say I went out and bought penny loafers after my first viewing.

Heathers

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the classic 1988 film Heathers portrays the preppy look (and lifestyle) in a very dark and ironic manner. The plaids and colorful tights are worn by girls who make the Mean Girls look like misunderstood sweethearts. The brightness of their clothing make the morbid occurrences of murder and suicide look positively stylish. I'm not saying you should dress like the Heathers in preparation for some deadly activities, but there's nothing wrong with being influenced by their bitchtastic style. Also, remember the higher the shoulder pads, the more power you will hold.

Matilda

Nothing says "childish whimsy" quite like Matilda, which I find to be a sorely underrated film. I mean, the kid develops psychokinesis because she isn't using her brain enough! There's a message there about the consequences of not valuing education. Whatever. Miss Honey's overalls may appear childish in 2011, but I think they speak volumes of her sweetly optimistic personality. The green world setting of her humble abode make such an outfit possible, and inspires one to throw on a pair of denim overalls and hang out in the grass with a good book. (Okay, perhaps not everyone would ever be inspired to put on overalls. To each his/her own.)

Uptown Girls

Speaking of childish whimsy (and overalls), I love the role reversal (that is especially evident in the above photo) of the two main characters in Uptown Girls. In this movie, which critics hated but I've always adored, Molly (Brittany Murphy) is the free-spirited adult who refuses to grow up and Ray (Dakota Fanning) is the uptight ballerina who won't let loose. Since Molly lives a fairy tale life, she dons a wide assortment of pretty dresses and flowy skirts (did I mention the overalls?), which contrasts well with Ray's structured school uniform. Anyone looking for inspiration for a princess-like outfit should watch this movie.

Clueless

We end with an epic movie that supports this theory: If you put effort into how you look, you will end up looking better than everyone else. In a bonus feature on the Clueless DVD, writer/director Amy Heckerling talks about how the tendency of 1995 high school kids to dress like dirty supporters of the grunge movement ultimately provoked Cher to dress the way she did. This means lots of plaid (jackets and skirts, not flannel), knee-high socks, headbands, and of course, that notorious Calvin Klein dress. She taught us that it is worth the effort it takes to look good. Putting an outfit together carefully reflects a creative mindset that understands and respects the fact that other people are going to be subjected to look at him or her.

Four Alternatives to Douchey Entertainment

I spent my last post hating on Pop Culture, whom I love and adore, so I am making it up to Her by providing a list of films and television shows that I highly recommend to college students who want to expand their respective metaphorical horizons.

1) Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN)

I think the biggest consequence of living in a college dorm is that it forces one into a bubble. When the Sunday-Thursday goal is completing homework and the Friday/Saturday goal is to...not write blogs, it's easy to lose sight of the rest of the world. This is a shame, considering how easy it is to get news these days. There are plenty of sufficient sources out there, but I personally recommend my man A-Coop because he's a badass (see video below) and really tries to provide viewers with the truth in order for them to make up their minds about the issues. Plus, he's hilarious.



2) What Not To Wear (TLC)

I know I bitch about the way people dress all the time, but it's not totally unmerited bitchery. One thing Clinton Kelly stresses on What Not To Wear is that the way you present yourself to the world is the way you want people to see you. I honestly think it's a total "fuck you" to the professor to show up in pajamas. How seriously can an outfit like that be taken? Also, it takes just as long to put on jeans as it does to put on sweatpants. I highly recommend getting a light but beneficial dose of Stacy and Clinton every so often to get inspired.

And remember: "Sometimes comfort doesn't matter. When a shoe is freakin' fabulous, it may be worth a subsequent day of misery. Soak in Epsom salts and take comfort in the fact that you're better than everyone else." - Clinton Kelly

3) Heathers (on DVD)

After finally watching this brilliant black comedy from 1989, I decided it should be required viewing for anyone who is a fan of Mean Girls. I recommend this very dark and hilarious film to anyone who wished Regina George had gotten hit by that bus...multiple times. Go watch it now, because as one YouTube commenter wrote, "Without this movie, there wouldn't be Clueless or Mean Girls. These are the most important movies of our generation..."

Best clip:


4) Veronica Mars (on DVD)

I lived for this show in high school, so I still have this nagging voice within me that wants to shout to the world about how awesome it was. Now this is the type of role model girls these days could certainly use. The title character is the Buffy of the '00s - witty, intelligent and generally badass. I wish every girl could learn to be as confrontational as Veronica (the amazing Kristen Bell who needs to spend less time doing crappy movies) is in the clip below. It's never too late to start watching.

How I ended up being so confrontational:


I also really like receiving recommendations (other than "Stop being such a know-it-all douche.)