Making Up

So sorry, my non-existent readers, for missing my blog entry yesterday. Just so you know, I DID watch a movie on the list: Home Alone. Today, I watched When Harry Met Sally. My only excuse for not entering a blog for Home Alone is because I was tired. So, to make up for this lapse, I will be doing a double blog today.

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Part 1: Home Alone

Home Alone is the best holiday movie ever made. Say what you want about It's A Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story-- Home Alone tops them all.

Here's the premise, and I'll keep it simple: a kid, Macaulay Culkin, is accidentally left home alone when his rather large family all leave on a plane for Paris. Thinking that his wishing them gone cause his family to disappear, Culkin lets loose in a hilarious assortment of ways. Here's the conflict, okay: Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, too of the world's worst cat burglars, have their eyes on Culkin's house to rob. Culkin, however, puts up a fight and defends his house from the thieves the best way a kid knows how: with marbles, a zip-line, some garden shears, an iron, and a blow-torch. It's a little graphic sure, but in a hilarious way that only John Hughes, the writer for this movie, could have pulled off.

Directed by Chris Columbus, this movie gives kids a hero and parents a laugh. It's a Christmas classic, and a great movie any time of the year-- even the end of July.

My guilty pleasure movies for today were The Wedding Date and 10 Things I Hate About You.

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Part 2: When Harry Met Sally

Nora Ephron is truly a beautiful writer and, when paired with Meg Ryan, simply unstoppable. They worked together in When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You've Got Mail, all of which are staples in the romantic comedy encyclopedia.

So here's the plot: Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Ryan) drive together to New York after graduating from the University of Chicago. On the trip, they discuss whether or not men and women could ever just be friends without sex getting in the way. Deciding they can't be friends, they part ways in NYC. The film follows the pair over twelve years as they search for love, fail, and meet up with each other at regular, accidental intervals. Eventually, they do become friends. But guess what gets in the way?

Anyway, the film ends in one of the best speeches ever delivered, as far as romantic comedies go.

When Harry Met Sally is a very well-written, lovable, seamless romantic comedy, pulled together with some great scenes of New York City that would make Woody Allen envious, a perfect soundtrack (thank you Harry Connick, Jr.), and some great comedy via Billy Crystal.

I have no dirty pleasure movie today-- When Harry Met Sally is all I need.