Romantic Film Review - Footloose

So, Footloose is thirty years old this year. THIRTY! Who can believe it? This one is definitely worth a trip down memory lane if you're planning a nostalgia binge for Friday night, you can't do much better than Footloose, Ghost, and Splash.

The very best thing about Footloose is that it was panned by the critics. Ghost wasn't loved, but the critics could see why it would be popular, Splash was considered a huge success by everyone, but the critics hated Footloose, and like the teen rebellion it represents, could never understand why the film was so popular.

Why was the film so popular? Partially its because thirty years ago the female audience was hugely misunderstood and misrepresented. There is a lot about Footloose that doesn't work, but what works (Kevin Bacon for one) works so well, women are willing to let go of all the crappy dialogue and the ludicrous premise of an entire town outlawing dancing. Maybe its because women lived with a lot of non nonsensical rules in the 80's, so they understood how stupidity can control peoples behaviors? Maybe its just because Kevin Bacon was SO sexy - and I don't mean in a James Dean way, he was sexy in a female-centric way. He had the dance thing going on, he had the strut and pose going on, he had the bad boy thing going on, but also convincingly had the "I'll never hurt you" thing going on, and that just make women melt.

I watched Footloose again recently, because of the anniversary. I watched it with hubby on the proviso that we watched The Goonies (one of his 80's favorites) first.  I watched it wearing my old designer jeans (the ones that zip at the ankles not the ones I had to lay on the floor to zip up - I'll never be wearing those again) my leg warmers and my padded denim jacket. I frizzed my hair and piled on the blue eye shadow. We had eaten burgers together earlier and drank cheap beer, then we sank into the couch, drank beer, nibbled on popcorn and each other.

Confession time: the combination of beer, hubby and Kevin Bacon meant we didn't get all the way through Footloose. (grin)

Romantic Film Review - I, Frankenstein.

Ok, so perhaps this one doesn't leap to mind instantly when you think of romance, but for the hetro-romance-movie-challenged of us out there perpetually trying to find a romantic film that will appeal to her as well as him - I, Frankenstein is your monster.

First things first - I, Frankenstein goes where none of the other adaptations from the Mary Shelly novel have ever gone before! Frankenstein's monster is HOT! Aaron Eckhart has buffed up, got a sexy six pack, and same dark under eye makeup and looks downright gorgeous. Enough to get any straight woman in the mood. Add to that, he has a girlfriend in this version - Yvonne Strahovski plays sexy scientist Terra Wade who becomes a sort of unconventional love interest of the invented man.

I, Frankenstein is set in the current day and the monster has already battled it out with his creator and won. However, there are now bigger fish to fry as Frankenstein (as the monster is now called) has found he is being chased by demons led by an all powerful leader, Naberius (Bill Nighy) who is leading his demons through a perpetual war with the stone gargoyles that sit in watch over humans from the top and cornerstones of old Gothic buildings around the world. The Gargoyles invite Frankenstein to join them, after all the demons are trying to kill him too, he may as well come on board, but he refuses stating he is alone and that is his curse. However, when he discovers the demons evil plan for him, he has to join forces with them, to ensure the demons are stamped out forever.

In the middle of all these battles is Terra Wade, a scientist who works for Nebarius, although she thinks he is a human benefactor. it is when her client tries to get her to start building another human that Terra realizes she is caught up in something far larger than she knew existed, and evil to its core. When she finds her life threatened, it is Frankenstein who comes to her rescue, and Frankenstein she will find herself sitting on a bed with, caressing his perfectly sculptured body.

It may be a tad silly in parts, but if you suspend your judgement and just enjoy yourself, this one might be a great pop corn movie that you can secretly pretend was hubbies choice for date night. It's romantic enough so that you will feel engaged and invested in the two main characters, and its feisty enough that a man's man won't notice the romance. It can get a little violent, but sending demons to hell isn't quite the same as killing humans, so there is an out for those with a lively imagination.

As I said above, I Frankenstein might be an odd choice to a romance film review, but I think you will be pleasantly surprised by what's in store.