It’s been ages since I took part in Wanderer’s weekly Thursday Movie Picks, I really need to kick myself up the backside and get involved more often because I’m loving the look of this year’s themes! If you want to take part check out the master post here.
This week the theme is Unrequited Love, and I er, had to look it up to find out what it meant. You learn something new every day, right? Well now I know! This theme is more challenging than I originally thought, but I had great fun scouring my brain for movies I’d seen that fit the subject. Here’s my list!
(500) Days of Summer (2009)
Possibly my favourite movie of his, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays broken-hearted Tom, who reflects on the time that he spent with Summer (Zooey Deschanel) - all 500 days, funnily enough. The tale is told in a non-chronological way, which really sets it apart from similar movies.
Tom falls for Summer almost instantly, but the feeling sadly isn’t mutual and Summer admits that she doesn’t believe that love is real. That doesn’t stop Tom, and for a time, the two of them seem to have a relationship, but it sadly doesn’t last. It’s a brilliant movie, and it wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Worth a watch!
Love Actually (2003)
Hold up, don’t worry! I do understand what unrequited love is. Google told me, remember? Love Actually is one of my all-time favourite movies, and one of the tales sums up unrequited love perfectly. Juliet (Kiera Knightly) is convinced her husband’s best friend Mark (Andrew Lincoln) hates her, but when she finally convinces him to show her the wedding video that he shot, she realises that the camera was focussed on her for every moment.
It all concludes with a beautiful scene of Mark stood on her doorstep to silently explain with the use of signs that he loves her.
All About Steve (2009)
This one came to me as I was scouring my Letterboxd account for inspiration. How could I forget All About Steve? Easily, clearly, as it wasn’t the best movie around. But it’s Sandra Bullock! Of course I can forgive it, and it’s a more lighthearted take on the unrequited love theme. Mary (Sandra Bullock) is a crossword puzzle creator and a bit of an oddball. She gets set up on a blind date with Steve (Bradley Cooper), a news cameraman, and she’s besotted with him. Unfortunately, the feeling isn't mutual, but Mary doesn’t see this.
It’s a nice twist on the usual romantic comedy tale of the guy trying to get the girl to be honest!
So the first two I love...All About Steve, I didn't see, Sandra Bullock just seems too crazy wacky for me. Anyway glad you join in this week.
ReplyDeleteOh she's an absolute nutcase in it! It was enjoyable to watch, but certainly not her best role! :)
Delete- Allie
I've only seen (500) Days and I think it's great. JGL owns that movie. Love Actually is getting a lot of run this week. I'll have to break down and watch that one.
ReplyDeleteWoah. Hold up a minute. You haven't seen Love Actually? Dude! Either watch it this Valentine's or save it for Christmas. It really is a great film :D
Delete- Allie
Nice picks! I have (500) on my list as well, and Love Actually is a good choice. I never did catch All About Steve.
ReplyDeleteI think (500) Days of Summer is like the dictionary description of unrequited love, ha! You're not missing much with All About Steve, but it was a fun watch.
Delete- Allie
OMG, All About Steve! I remember thinking I was going to loathe it and actually...laughing a lot.
ReplyDeleteGreat picks! So glad you girls are playing along.
It was a pretty funny film! Glad to see someone liked it :)
DeleteI really need to take part more often, this has been so much fun.
- Allie
<3 Love Actually. Andrew Lincoln is SO swoon-worthy in that scene. One of these days I want to watch (500) Days in chronological order and see if it works as well that way; haven't seen it since it came out, but it's so good. I haven't seen All About Steve due to the horrendous reviews, but it's tough to blame Sandy for falling in obsessive love with Bradley Cooper!
ReplyDeleteI reckon it would still be a good film in chronological order! I was reading a synopsis in that order to jog my memory of the film actually :)
DeleteAll About Steve isn't the greatest film out there, but it was fun to watch at least!
- Allie
Great picks! 500 Days of Summer also make my list, and I love that scene in Love Actually.
ReplyDeleteThanks! (500) Days of Summer was the first film to come to my head, once I actually knew what unrequited love meant, haha!
Delete- Allie
Love Actually: wow, EVERYONE is in this film. Some stories worked better than others, but I found it a surprisingly charming rom-com. Cornballer very prevalent.
ReplyDeleteI know, right! I keep forgetting who's actually in it. When I put this list together I told my fiance about it, and we spent about 10 minutes arguing about whether Liam Neeson was in it (I was right of course)
Delete- Allie
500 DoS is a real example, I loved that and I picked that too! While Love Actually might represents such kind of love and gets the climax with 'To me you are perfect' scene. Love your picks!
ReplyDeleteI think it was a very popular choice this week, ha! Oh that scene was just so lovely :)
Delete- Allie
Everyone is loving on 500 Days this week! I'm reserved about it due to not being a fan of Deschanel but JGL was very good. Haven't seen All About Steve because of it's reputation but you make it sound like goofy fun which can be relaxing some times. Love Actually is a film I love unabashedly and that story thread, perfect for the week, is so well played and SO crushingly romantic.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely been popular! I can see why people wouldn't really like Deschanel to be honest, but I love her for New Girl more than anything :)
DeleteGoofy is the perfect word to describe All About Steve! I'm so happy to see so much love for Love Actually, it's one of my all time favourite films.
- Allie
Nice. 500 Days of Summer, for the win! Love Actually is a great one as well. That Andrew Lincoln. I tell you what! Haha! Love that scene with the carols and the cards. Just a perfectly touching scene of unrequited love at its best (or worst). I've never seen All About Steve. Maybe I should?
ReplyDeleteWe've all been raving about it this week, haven't we?! :D
DeleteDon't rush to see All About Steve, it's not a brilliant film, but as Joel perfectly pointed out, it's goofy. It's a bit of fun and it has a good few laughs in it :)
- Allie
Another one for (500) Days of Summer, wow, definitely a great movie-likely JGL's best performance to date.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen Love Actually, but have been recommended that title more times than any other, so I'm going to have to finally sit down and watch it one of these days.
All About Steve was good, not the best movie I've seen with Sandra Bullock, and to this day I think the Bullock and Cooper combo was a dumb idea, but it was definitely erm..entertaining :).
You should definitely watch Love Actually! If like me though, your 'to watch' list is a mile long, save it for Christmas. The whole film is set around the weeks leading up to it and it's the first film I put on every year when the nights get darker :)
Delete- Allie