By Richard Jutras for Curtains Up
Bring out your bottles of wine, your chocolates and your candles. Get ready to embrace your inner glitter with a few varied choices I have made to help you make your Valentine tingle.
—- “The Bridges of Madison County“
Based on the the 1992 best-selling novel by Robert James Waller, it tells the story of a married but lonely Italian woman, Francesca, in the 1960s – played by Meryl Streep – who engages in an affair with a photographer, Robert Kincaid – played by Clint Eastwood (who also directed the film). Robert, who is visiting Madison County, Iowa in order to create a photographic essay on the almost-extinct covered bridges in the area, meets up with Francesca. Streep`s performance is gut-wrenching – showing the pain of separation from her secret love and the stark isolation she feels as the details of her life consume her, she writes her thoughts of the four-day love affair which take up three journals.
It`s a slow-paced film. But the electricity ignited between Streep and Eastwood is so magnetic, it will make you wish that you were more devoted to a nice Italian red wine and and will have you regretting that you didn`t buy extra boxes of tissue in your last grocery order.
Film Duration : 135 minutes
—- “Le Fabuleux Destin d`Amélie Poulin
This film from France has become a cult classic. Directed and written by the brilliant
Jean-Pierre Jeunet , it tells the story of naive Amélie Poulin (Audrey Tautou), a romantic and a dreamer who lives in the charming and picturesque quartier of Monmartre in Paris. Amélie falls in love with another hopeless romantic – Nino Quincampoix – played by Mathieux Kassovitz (okay, so he works in a sex shop, but that`s another story). As she pursues this relationship, she meets a delicious array of characters and decides to devote her life to those in need of her help. This film is exquisitely shot in lush and vibrant colors.
I had the honor of working with the wonderful Jean-Pierre Jeunet in a 3D film shot in Montréal in the summer of 2012. I was like a kid in a candy store watching this true artist work. If I had known he was going to invite me to have lunch with him and discuss everything and anything about anything – being so interested in what I had to say, there could have been a lovely interview for Curtains Up. Who knows. Perhaps one to come ? I highly recommend for pure escapism and to put a smile as wide as Amélie`s on your face.
Film Duration : 122 minutes
—- “Terms of Endearment“
I know. I know. Most of you have seen this film and are probably wondering why I have included it as a must. I have always personally thought that this was Shirley Maclaine`s masterpiece. A film about the love of a mother and daughter – Aurora Greenway (Maclaine) and her daughter Emma (Debra Winger). With a rich musical score by Michael Gore, the movie, which won 5 Oscars in most major categories in 1983, covers several years of their lives as each find different reasons to go on living and find joy. Spiced with a cast that includes Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff Daniels and John Lithgow, I highly recommend that you, as per the film`s tag line, “Come to laugh, Come to Cry, Come to Care, Come to Terms“ with Terms of Endearment.
Film Duration : 132 minutes
—- “Brokeback Mountain“
You don`t have to be gay to appreciate this raw and powerful story of two young men who meet in the summer of 1963 sheepherding in Wyoming. Based on a short story by Annie Proulx, this film, directed by the Oscar winning Ang Lee, stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway. Set in Wyoming yet filmed entirely in the Canadian Rockies in Southern Alberta. I applaud the entire cast and crew for taking on, what some seem to believe, is a “sensitive issue“. I personally believe it is/was their fear of, well, who know what. Beautifully shot with a magnificent Oscar-winning score, I highly recommend you to sit back and open your hearts and minds for the first time or once again to this beautiful love story of two humans who felt they could not express the love they had for one another for fear of being shunned. Definitely 2 boxes of tissues required.
Film Duration : 134 minutes
—- “Love Actually“
One of my favorite all time films directed by Richard Curtis. Whether it be Valentine`s Day or Christmas, this film has a brilliant buffet of actors. We follow 8 different couples weeks before Christmas as they are falling in and out of love. Let`s face it, we`ve all be there. A box of tissue is required for the scene in which Emma Thompson`s character, Karen, slips into the bedroom and listens to Joni Mitchel`s “Both Sides Now“.
Film Duration : 135 minutes
Other movies to consider : “Ghost“, “Titanic“, “The Notebook“, “`West Side Story“, “Crazy Stupid Love“…………….
There is something for everyone. So snuggle up and enjoy.
Happy Valentine`s Day !
Richard Jutras for Curtains Up
Great web-site and bio Rick. Your movies selections for Valentine’s Day were spot on.
I was particularly interested in the Stephen Truscott story as this happened not far from Toronto and I was the same age as Stephen and always believed him to be innocent. It was a horrible travesty.
Good luck with the site…..it has tons of great information.
Marg