For the past two weeks, I’ve been looking for a new place to live which, after seeing a depressing string of tiny, smelly, outrageously expensive studios, has been about as much fun as doing time in a Soviet gulag (or so I imagine). For some reason I can’t fathom, whenever I go to that place of complete and utter despair, I think of Holly Hunter (who turned 50 on Thursday, happy birthday Holly!). To be specific, I think of the insecure, controlling Holly as TV producer Jane Craig in the 1987 film Broadcast News who, every once and a while, turns off her phone and sobs really, really hard for a couple of minutes. In the film it’s kind of funny, because her neuroses are part of what makes her character so endearing, but for some reason those are the scenes that always come to me when I’ve just had enough.
How about you, PopWatchers? Do you have a particular TV or movie scene that you revisit when you’re feeling really low? Or feeling really great?
i’m a little embarrassed to admit this. but when i have my down moments, i think of the scene in 13 Going On 30 that’s set to Billy Joel’s song “Vienna.” I know I’m an adult and all, but sometimes I just wish my parents would make me smiley-face pancakes. http://youtube.com/watch?v=tRIeC3Es5kA
what can I say – the part of Beauty and the Beast when the Beast turns back to a human always lifts my spirits.
To kim: That is such a good one! I cry everytime!
If I feel a little down, I watch the factory dancing scene in Footloose! How can you not feel better after this!
When I am frustrated with teaching and feeling like I am not reaching my students I think of Bill Murray in The Razor’s Edge sitting in the freezing cold on a Tibetan(?) mountain side burning pages from books to stay warm. This reminds me that not all knowledge and wisdom comes from books, but the experiences that I might offer them.
Billy Elliot!!! The first big dance sequence when he’s running/dancing in the streets gets me everytime. I just wish I could to that when I’m either feeling happy or sad.
I know it’s cliche, but I don’t care because it’s such a beautiful ending: Red’s final narration in “The Shawshank Redemption.”
“…I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.” And then the two friends meet on that beautiful beach. That always picks me up.
My newest one is from Tina Fey’s SNL appearance this year…I still have it tivo’d so that I can hear her say “I Can Do It” like a cartoon mouse.
The movie “BARAKA” is truly amazing. There is a scene with a Tibetan monk walking down the city street, 1 step every second, followed by him ringing a bell, while people frantically rush past him. He must be in such an intense place of meditation to keep calm – just watching it helps.
When I’m having a down moment, I watch the end of Stepmom. Either that or the scene where the two women admit their fears about the children-the mother afraid her daughter will forget her, and the stepmom afraid that the daughter will wish she was someone else.
When I’m in a good mood, I usually watch a Hugh Grant movie-usually Love Actually or Two Weeks Notice.
the scene from clueless where she is strolling down the street but doesn’t even feel like shopping and “all by myself” is playing. or maybe i just picture myself strolling sadly down the street while “all by myself” plays
I have four scenes that I frequently go to when I want to just get it all out and cry, but most of them aren’t actually sad. The only one I watch to keep feeling low is Anya’s “I don’t understand” speech in the episode of “Buffy” where Buffy’s mom dies. It’s one of those perfect scenes that just captures the emotions so beautifully. If I want to feel happy (but still cry), I either watch the last few moments of the last episode of season 3 of “The Office,” where Pam is talking about Jim taking that job in NYC, but then he walks in and asks her out instead, or I watch one of two scenes from “Gilmore Girls.” Either Luke just telling Lorelai to “stand still,” then kissing her for the first time or the last few moments of the series finale when Lorelai walks over to Luke, thanks him for putting together the party, then kisses him as the camera pans up and back to the party. Oh, and then there’s always the “I Will Always Love You” karaoke part. That’s always good for a heart tug too.
Gigi — especially “The night they invented champagne” song and dance. Oh and the end, when Gaston has the epiphany near the fountain and … Well I guess I just love the whole thing.
When I’m sick, or down, the movie that I watch is The Princess Bride. Never fails to make me feel better!
I think of the final scene in Before Sunset when Celine is dancing and Jesse has the hugest smile on his face.
Whenever I’m really depressed, I think of the final scenes of the Six Feet Under finale. That music is SO depressing. Whenever I visit my old hometown, Madonna’s song from A League of Their Own starts playing in my had and gets me teary eyed. “This Used to be my Playground.”