Consumables #76

I have been on a pretty steady comfort-consumables diet for the past few months, with lots of watching movies that I have seen many times before (so mind-numbingly satisfying). Right after my dad died--like right after, in the days right after--all I wanted to watch, for some reason, was stand up comedy. I watched anything that Netflix had:George Carlin, Sarah Silverman, Aziz Ansari, Louis CK, Kevin hart, Jim Gaffigan, Russell Peters, Maria Bamford, Aisha Tyler, Tig Notaro, Brian Regan, Eddie Murphy, Eddie Izzard, on and on and on. It didn't even matter if they weren't that funny, because everything was striking me as highly amusing. I would uncurl myself from my ball, and then sit there and laugh like a frigging hyena for hours, and then go curl up again. Catharsis, is the obvious reason. Tears of a clown and all that stuff.

Other than that, here are some other things I have been eyeballing lately.

Notting Hill
After stand up comedy week, I wanted nothing but old school romantic comedies. I no longer have cable, so I have to rely on downloadable rentals, Hulu Plus, Netflix, and whatever else I have loaded up on the Roku box. What I have discovered is that these outlets have paltry choices on the best rom coms. Like, super paltry. Gwyneth Paltry. Roger Paltry. All the paltry. No While You Were Sleeping, no Bridget Jones, no You've Got Mail. It's total crap! Anyway, I did find Notting Hill and here is what I have to say to you about that movie. I really like it, do not get me wrong about that. But it is not really a romantic comedy. I mean, it's heavy on the romantic and super light on the comedy. I was looking for laughs, people. There were hardly any laughs! And not like, because there were bad jokes. There just weren't no dang jokes at all. Plus, Julia Roberts is pulling that part off by the sheer weight of her 2-ton charisma and her 2-ton hair, because when you really look at it, her character is a horrible person. But sappy lovey dovey stuff? Check and check.

When Harry Met Sally
ONE ROMCOM TO RULE THEM ALL. Do you think we live in an era where something as romantic as When Harry Met Sally could star someone as unconventionally handsome as Billy Crystal as the love interest? He is just so non-sculpted in this movie- it was shocking. It would be nice to think that someone normal looking could do that nowadays, but I don't think it's happening. Ain't nobody got time for dat these days. And the wagon wheel table! It was like seeing an old friend.

Broadcast News
My original love affair with Holly Hunter started way back with this one. If you haven't seen it you must watch it for her power-suited 80s outfits alone. Shoulder pads like a gee-dee linebacker! And Albert Brooks with the flop sweat! Oh. So good.

Cheers
I have been watching the entire series all over again, and you guys, it holds up! Still funny. I am only into season 2 but I kind of adore Diane Chambers with her Sally-from-Peanuts hair and her snooty ways. She is ass-kickingly smart and although they kind of make fun of her for it her smarts are really celebrated in a way that I find pretty feminist. One thing I cannot abide by is that theme song. OH LORDY. I know it's iconic but yeesh. Pour on the Velveeta.

That's all I have time for today, friends! Have a lovely Friday. Catch you on the flip side.