Alphabetical Movie Marathon - F

Fabulous Baker Boys - LOVE. This is a recent addition to the library and I've watched it at least five times since I got it. The music is fabulous and this fits right in with my love of watching people do things with their hands like cook, build things and play fabulous piano. It's not just a movie it's part of the cultural lexicon (re, the scene on the piano). Michelle Pfeifer's greatest role to date.

40 Year-old Virgin - What I love about this film is that while it's a "guy" movie, it's very sincere and emotional and respectful of women. It has a certain sweetness and intelligence to it and you can tell that the writer doesn't have much fear of looking silly and expressing his feelings. It's not about getting with girls but getting THE girl, even though she's a grandmother. Very much like American Pie, you like they guys and want them to be happy despite the stupid "guy" things they do. The chest waxing scene will go down in movie history as the most painful thing an actor has ever willingly done for a role. The on-screen chemistry between Steve Carell and Catherin Keener is really cool and the final number is killer.

A Fish Called Wanda - "Asshole!" is my favorite line and one I use quite often. Especially while driving. "Disappointed!" is also very useful. Again with the British comedy. I just dig it. There's a certain self-effacing quality and no fear of making an ass of ones self. Maybe is the contrast between the uptight pompious English attitude and the sheer stupidity of the circumstances in which they find themselves. You know a movie is funny when a guy actually dies watching because he was laughing so hard.

Flashdance/Footloose - Lets take these together, shall we? To amazing dance movies with awesome 80's vibe and superb music. Both have scenes that have become culturally iconic touchstones and have been reference repeatedly in pop culture. I think people under appreciate these but it may be because I was just at the right age to be all over these films when they came out. It's probably because of the hair (or the low self-esteem) but Jennifer Beales always reminds me of my sister. I love that Kevin Bacon stands up to radical Christianity and uses the Bible to reason with them. And when they are denied anyway, the find a way to make the dance happen.