Empire top 301: #151 IMDb top 250: - Rating 6/10 Director: Rob Reiner Writers: Nora Ephron Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher & Bruno Kirby "You see? That is just like you, Harry. You say things like that, and you make it impossible for me to hate you." In 1977, Harry Burns (Crystal) and Sally Albright (Ryan) finish school at the University of Chicago and share the drive to New York City, along the way they discuss issue of "can men and women ever just be friends". The two disagree and don't exactly hit it off, but over the years after a few chance encounters they become friends, but is love just around the corner?
This is the first time I've ever seen When Harry Met Sally, however I was aware of the film and it's most infamous scene, more on that later. Firstly, the screenplay by the late, great Nora Ephron is great. Really likeable characters with some funny dialogue. Whilst Nora writes Harry really well, she excels with Sally. Such an interesting, annoying, neurotic, adorable, loveable character and played so brilliantly by Meg Ryan, who wouldn't fall in love with Sally. After researching the movie, I noted that Director Rob Reiner directed two of my favourite movies; Misery and The Princess Bride. The direction here is pretty good and he has created some great and memorable scenes. The wardrobe is very "bad 80's", I mean Marie's wedding dress, really? Just awful...but I'm pretty sure bang on trend when the film was made/released. Loved the music, Harry Connick Jr's voice is gorgeous and it really suits the tone of the film.
The chemistry between Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal is great and I love the idea that Sally would fall for someone like Harry. An uptight, kinda OCD, girl who you would expect to be looking for a 6ft handsome prince falls for a short, can be annoying guy who she never agrees with. Is this where Sex and the City got their Charlotte and Harry storyline from? Meg Ryan steals the movie, even from Princess Leia herself!! But that's ok, she really is great and even though I've seen the clip on thousands of shows before I still laughed out loud at the "fake orgasm in the cafe" scene, it's played wonderfully. I can imagine it took quite a few goes to get that take. Billy, the crew and the extras must have been wetting themselves laughing. Carrie Fisher I could watch all day, I imagine I'd be transfixed watching her do the laundry I love her!!
Now I did enjoy the film, but it just didn't blow me away, to me it was a bit run of the mill. Maybe because I've seen thousands of rom-coms; rom-coms that probably pinched ideas from this movie but nevertheless I wasn't thinking, "can't wait to watch that again". It was an enjoyable 1 hour 30 minutes spent but definitely not worthy as number 90 on the top 500 movies ever made. At least not for me!
Empire top 301: #192 IMDb top 250: - Rating 9/10 Director: Randal Kleiser Writers: Bronte Woodard, Jim Jacobs, Warren Casey & Allan Carr Starring: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing & Jeff Conaway "Why, this car could be systematic, / hydromatic, ultramatic / Why, it could be greased lightning" Grease is the story of good girl Sandy Olsson and local bad boy Danny Zucko, who meet on the beach during the summer of 1959 and fall in love. With the summer over and Sandy going back to Australia, she fears she will never see Danny again. After her parents change their mind about going back to Australia, Sandy joins Rydell High School and is met by an all together different Danny Zucko than the one she met on the beach. Teaming up with the Pink Ladies Sandy tries to rekindle her love with the leader of the T-Birds.
Grease is one of my favourite movies, I was brought up watching this movie; and even though I've seen it thousands of times whenever it's on the television I still stop and watch. Grease has in my opinion some of the best and memorable musical numbers, ever! From "Summer Nights" to "You're The One That I Want" the film is chock full of great songs. Everybody at one point in their life has been at a party/disco where a song from Grease has been played, even today some 35 years after the film was released. Grease is also one of those movies that people can quote word for word, if you say a line from the movie, people will know exactly what film it's from and who said it. Sometimes in musicals when the actors/characters burst into song, it can feel a little forced and cringey but in Grease it works. The transitions from spoken performance into song are flawless and every song works, there are so many musicals where songs feel like they've been shoe-horned in. And whilst the songs are narrative and explain the characters current emotions, they never feel like it's just dialogue put to a bit of music, they're fully rounded excellent songs. The musical numbers and choreography are great, never more so than in "Grease Lightning" and "We Go Together" routines.
The cast of Grease are great. John Travolta and Olivia-Newton John are both at their sexiest in this movie and they have great vocals. Olivia doing her best work on "Hopelessly Devoted to You" whilst John Travolta shines with "Sandy". John Travolta again proving he is an excellent dancer during his dance segment at the School Dance to "Hand Jive". My favourite performance and character comes from Stockard Channing. I love Rizzo, always have, and whilst none of the other performances are very layered I feel Stockard really breathes life into the character of Rizzo. Her 2 performance numbers are my absolute favourite, especially "There Are Worse Thing I Could Do", I can hear the pain in her voice!
I've never met anyone yet who hasn't seen Grease, but if you're one of the few who haven't, what are you waiting for! It's a classic!!
