"How to loose a guy in 10 days" or Why I HATE Chick Flicks!

[Crossroads Inc.]

Let me start by saying I love my boyfriend, we have a pretty good thing going and we get along well, I love him and how he i s, and Im lucky to have him, VERY Lucky. And tonight, after trying to get me to watch it earlier... He put in "10 days to loose a man" a movie he assured me was going to be wonderful. Throughout the movie he chuckled, laughed, guffawed and gave occasional "oooooo!!!" throughout. While I, gritted my teeth and TRIED to bare it.

For those that don't know, the movie is your average by the numbers chick flick. Knowing absolutely nothing about the movie, I was able to anticipate and predict virtually every aspect, scene, gag, and "plot twist" of the entire film. The basic plot of the movie is, the Girl hero has 10 days to force a guy to break up with her, basically trying to do Every last thing to drive a man away. The guy hero takes a bet to get any women to fall in love with him NO Mater What also in 10 days... You can see where this is going?

Naturally the girl makes the guys life miserable, the Guy grins and puts up with it all, and by the end the two have fallen in love. Naturally there is the obligatory "Both sides find out the other was 'faking' it. there is the "Sudden break up and argument" followed by 'sad moody reflective' aspects. and then finally "guy hero chasing after girl and both sides instantly making up and falling madly in love again.

As I said, every aspect, every gag, virtually every scene of the film was utterly predictable and the parts where the Girl was trying to drive away the guy where horrible teeth grindingly bad. It follows the basic plot of virtually every Chick Flick movie I have ever seen right down to the fact that, as usually, it is always the GUY who goes chasing after the GIL and gets her to come back to him. Utterly by the numbers, utterly predictable.

In summary "I" feel horrible, my partner could tell I wasn't enjoying myself despite my best efforts and a part of me is equally upset over the whole event. So now i am upset, hes moody, and I really wish Chick Flick movies never existed >_<

[Hawkwings]

Are you upset because you feel the movie sucked, or because you were basically forced to watch it? Or because he apparently thought it was entertaining?

[Big Phil]

Maybe because the boy can't tell the difference between lose and loose?

[dragon]

Well next time you pick a movie you like and he will hate.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Well next time you pick a movie you like and he will hate.

Wow...

I really, hope, that was sarcasm.
Given that this is about an experience where I felt angered, and he felt bad afterwards, the fact that your initial response is that I immediately turn around and then subject him to similar treatment is simply staggering. Again, I hope that was sarcasm, because if not it says volumes about how you view relationships...

Moving on from THAT point The primary reason behind my initial anger was in retrospect simply the fact that, while I LOATHED the movie so much, my partner seemed to truly enjoy it, really though I can't stress what an utter piece of Drek this film was.

Chick flicks in general I tend to revile for being utterly formulaic and I would challenge anyone out there to name one, especially the males, to name one they actually enjoyed.

[Rye]

Ghost, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Some Like it Hot? They're good, funny, romantic films.

[Bounty]

You and your partner have different taste in movies? Stop the presses! I'm pretty sure this is something to break up over right away. Before you know it he may have a vaguely different taste in ice cream toppings.

This is a total non-issue. Get over it.

[Sinewmire]

Eh, my ex forced me to watch America's Next Top Model with her. And I had to watch it, I wasn't allowed to read. I guess it's shorter than the average movie.

I do feel for you. Next time don't watch it.

[Dahak]

I love Black Adder, my boyfriend doesn't.
He loves to watch ER, I don't.
He isn't much into sci-fi movies while I am.

We still manage to find movies we both like. And if not, he lets me watch my stuff and I don't mind if he does watch his.
Why this is such a huge deal for you, I cannot fathom...

[Singular Intellect]

Chick flicks in general I tend to revile for being utterly formulaic and I would challenge anyone out there to name one, especially the males, to name one they actually enjoyed.

Does Titanic also qualify? I think that's an awesome movie and bought it as soon as I could (although I can't remember the last time I watched it).

[dragon]

Well next time you pick a movie you like and he will hate.

Wow...

I really, hope, that was sarcasm.
Given that this is about an experience where I felt angered, and he felt bad afterwards, the fact that your initial response is that I immediately turn around and then subject him to similar treatment is simply staggering. Again, I hope that was sarcasm, because if not it says volumes about how you view relationships...

Moving on from THAT point The primary reason behind my initial anger was in retrospect simply the fact that, while I LOATHED the movie so much, my partner seemed to truly enjoy it, really though I can't stress what an utter piece of Drek this film was.

Chick flicks in general I tend to revile for being utterly formulaic and I would challenge anyone out there to name one, especially the males, to name one they actually enjoyed.

Yes I was being sarcastic at least I think I was, being bi-polar hard to judge sometimes.

[RedImperator]

Okay, wait a minute here. Are you saying you're actually angry because your partner likes a movie you don't? Are you fucking serious?

[NDR-113]

I really, hope, that was sarcasm.
Given that this is about an experience where I felt angered, and he felt bad afterwards, the fact that your initial response is that I immediately turn around and then subject him to similar treatment is simply staggering. Again, I hope that was sarcasm, because if not it says volumes about how you view relationships...

...Are you really preaching to him right now? You, who don't know how to spell "lose" and "bear" and have a very third-grade understanding of punctuation?
As several other people have asked, why the hell is this such a big deal for you? People do occasionally have different tastes in movies. Shocking, I know.

[CaptainChewbacca]

I've never seen a movie so predictible that it made me angry, and I've actually SEEN this one a few times. Is it the banality of the writing that pissed you off? The fact that he liked it? Or the fact that you lost two hours of your life?

It seems to me you're taking this thing WAAAAAAAAY too seriously. Its a movie, not an MRI.

[Darth Wong]

Let me start by saying I love my boyfriend, we have a pretty good thing going and we get along well, I love him and how he i s, and Im lucky to have him, VERY Lucky. And tonight, after trying to get me to watch it earlier... He put in "10 days to loose a man" a movie he assured me was going to be wonderful. Throughout the movie he chuckled, laughed, guffawed and gave occasional "oooooo!!!" throughout. While I, gritted my teeth and TRIED to bare it.

You know, it's a funny thing about the human mind: if you sit down at a movie and decide you're going to hate it, you'll probably find a way to succeed. It's really not a very fair way to approach movies: yes, we do hate certain movies, but I do think that one should make an honest effort to give a film a chance, before bringing down the hammer of judgement.

For those that don't know, the movie is your average by the numbers chick flick.

(sigh) I don't even know why I'm explaining this, but you have to understand that the entire chick-flick format is supposed to be predictable. Films in this genre sink or swim based on the likability of the characters and the quirkiness of the writing, even though the basic plot structure is generally the same. When you make a major chance to the structure, like "500 Days of Summer", then people will say it was interesting but not really a "chick flick".

Knowing absolutely nothing about the movie, I was able to anticipate and predict virtually every aspect, scene, gag, and "plot twist" of the entire film. The basic plot of the movie is, the Girl hero has 10 days to force a guy to break up with her, basically trying to do Every last thing to drive a man away. The guy hero takes a bet to get any women to fall in love with him NO Mater What also in 10 days... You can see where this is going?

Naturally the girl makes the guys life miserable, the Guy grins and puts up with it all, and by the end the two have fallen in love. Naturally there is the obligatory "Both sides find out the other was 'faking' it. there is the "Sudden break up and argument" followed by 'sad moody reflective' aspects. and then finally "guy hero chasing after girl and both sides instantly making up and falling madly in love again.

As I said, every aspect, every gag, virtually every scene of the film was utterly predictable and the parts where the Girl was trying to drive away the guy where horrible teeth grindingly bad. It follows the basic plot of virtually every Chick Flick movie I have ever seen right down to the fact that, as usually, it is always the GUY who goes chasing after the GIL and gets her to come back to him. Utterly by the numbers, utterly predictable.

See above, Einstein. Do you want an award for figuring out that the guy would eventually get the girl? Ooooh, you're a genius! Give yourself a big pat on the back, sir!

If you're going to criticize a chick flick, predictability is pretty much the silliest angle you could use. Since these films all have the same basic story structure and vary only in terms of the characters, the most meaningful criticism of any given "chick flick" is usually that you couldn't relate to one or more of the main characters. Really, it doesn't get any more complex than that. For example, the "Jane Austen Book Club" was a terrible chick flick because the male lead had no intelligible motives to do the things he did; his entire character was nothing more than a cardboard plot device to aid the female protagonist in her personal journey, conveniently adjusting his mood to suit whatever she needed to experience or learn at any given time. Nevertheless, I sat through it with Rebecca and while I did not pretend to like it afterwards, I did not spoil her enjoyment of the film while it was playing, nor did I make a point of trying to emotionally punish her afterwards for her transgression of making me watch it.

In summary "I" feel horrible, my partner could tell I wasn't enjoying myself despite my best efforts and a part of me is equally upset over the whole event. So now i am upset, hes moody, and I really wish Chick Flick movies never existed >_<

I'm getting a mental picture of you making a point of grousing and complaining and pouting through the whole movie. I like the part where you blame all chick flicks, when it seems more like you're just being bitchy.

[JLTucker]

Chick flicks in general I tend to revile for being utterly formulaic and I would challenge anyone out there to name one, especially the males, to name one they actually enjoyed.

I enjoy Love Actually. Check that one out.

[Setzer]

I hated the main girl in that movie the moment I saw the first article she wanted to print, "How to bring peace to Tajikstan." I know it was meant to portray her as an intelligent, politically aware woman, but then why in hell would she be writing for a fashion magazine? Why wouldn't she work at a newspaper or a magazine like Time or Newsweek? I wouldn't read National Geographic for tips on what shoes to buy. I wouldn't read Cosmopolitan for info on the latest advances in computer technology, I don't wonder why Sports Illustrated has no info on the stock market, and I don't think Popular Mechanics suffers for a lack of celebrity gossip.

[Darth Wong]

I hated the main girl in that movie the moment I saw the first article she wanted to print, "How to bring peace to Tajikstan." I know it was meant to portray her as an intelligent, politically aware woman, but then why in hell would she be writing for a fashion magazine? Why wouldn't she work at a newspaper or a magazine like Time or Newsweek? I wouldn't read National Geographic for tips on what shoes to buy. I wouldn't read Cosmopolitan for info on the latest advances in computer technology, I don't wonder why Sports Illustrated has no info on the stock market, and I don't think Popular Mechanics suffers for a lack of celebrity gossip.

Why does Rolling Stone magazine write about health care policy? Why does Playboy have interviews with foreign ambassadors? I'm not going to defend this film in particular since I haven't seen it, but that seems like an odd thing to focus on.

[aerius]

I'll be honest, I hate chick flicks because they don't have Tony Jaa doing a backflip off an elephant and fucking killing people.

[Oni Koneko Damien]

I hated the main girl in that movie the moment I saw the first article she wanted to print, "How to bring peace to Tajikstan." I know it was meant to portray her as an intelligent, politically aware woman, but then why in hell would she be writing for a fashion magazine? Why wouldn't she work at a newspaper or a magazine like Time or Newsweek? I wouldn't read National Geographic for tips on what shoes to buy. I wouldn't read Cosmopolitan for info on the latest advances in computer technology, I don't wonder why Sports Illustrated has no info on the stock market, and I don't think Popular Mechanics suffers for a lack of celebrity gossip.

I'd have to take objection to this viewpoint. Writing can be an incredibly competitive field, and the position at a fashion magazine might have been the only thing available to her. I don't know if you noticed, but she did seem to be rather young, and that likely means she doesn't have a huge resume to get her where she wants to be, but is rather putting her nose to the grindstone in the place she has to be. And how do you get to the place you really want to be in writing? Doing good work at the place you have to be and hoping it gets noticed by the right people.

[wolveraptor]

I'll be honest, I hate chick flicks because they don't have Tony Jaa doing a backflip off an elephant and fucking killing people.

I just came.

Seriously I was like the ONLY one of my friends to have seen the first one. And they're making a sequel, fucking yes.
Oh yeah, OP, you're making too big a deal out of this, etc. etc. tony jaa will murder you with his knees and so on and so forth.

[SCRawl]

Seriously I was like the ONLY one of my friends to have seen the first one. And they're making a sequel, fucking yes.

They made a sequel, or rather, a prequel. It's already out on DVD.

I'll echo what others have said. Losing two hours of your life to an insipid movie isn't the end of the world, especially if you're spending it with the right person.

[Aeolus]

Well next time you pick a movie you like and he will hate.

Wow...

I really, hope, that was sarcasm.
Given that this is about an experience where I felt angered, and he felt bad afterwards, the fact that your initial response is that I immediately turn around and then subject him to similar treatment is simply staggering. Again, I hope that was sarcasm, because if not it says volumes about how you view relationships...

Moving on from THAT point The primary reason behind my initial anger was in retrospect simply the fact that, while I LOATHED the movie so much, my partner seemed to truly enjoy it, really though I can't stress what an utter piece of Drek this film was.

Chick flicks in general I tend to revile for being utterly formulaic and I would challenge anyone out there to name one, especially the males, to name one they actually enjoyed.

I have seen the movie in question. Sure it's a predictable chick flick but it's not that bad. It's funny enough for what it is.

[Phantasee]

While we're on the topic of chick flicks, have any of you seen When In Rome?

[PeZook]

Chick flicks in general I tend to revile for being utterly formulaic and I would challenge anyone out there to name one, especially the males, to name one they actually enjoyed.

I may be strange, but I found something to enjoy in most chick flicks I watched. Some I loved: Love Actually, Notting Hill, Four Weddings And a Funeral, Holiday.

That's four. Do I get a cookie?

More seriously, as DW said: Chick flicks are not about originality, so criticizing them on this is completely pointless: they're escapism for women, where love always flourishes despite all problems and the people who are made for each other always end up together, to live happily ever after. Case in point: The Breakup ends with both characters actually breaking up at the end and moving on, and my wife fucking hated it just because of the ending, because this kind of movie is supposed to be uplifting and optimistic, not gritty and 'ard and realistic.

To flip the situation around, was Die Hard a bad movie because the bad guy gets shot and Bruce Willis gets his wife back? Most "guy" movies are utterly formulaic as well, and win/lose on their special effects, characters, creative fights and/or epic battles. Because men like to think most problems can be solved with a liberal application of violence, and these movies cater to that.