Thursday Movie Picks: Star Crossed Lovers

It's a new month for Thursday Movie Picks, hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. This month, she is running a Valentines Edition, so themes for the month all have something to do with love. For this week, we have star crossed lovers. I think the most famous pair would have to be Romeo and Juliet, and while their relationship is in any way not ideal, the romanticization of their tale would leave us swooning and rooting for the young couple - or so I think. Here are my choices for the week.

Guy and Genevieve, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg


I was very happy that I ended up watching The Umbrellas of Cherbourg – it’s a sad and romantic tale between Guy and Genevieve, how they fall in love and how they became torn by war, followed by the aftermath. It doesn’t focus the war, but rather the heartaches the characters have. Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo were very good in the roles and despite the way things end, I can’t help but root for their happiness.

Robbie and Cecilia, Atonement

Robbie and Cecilia are one of my favorite movie couples and loved the way their story ended - if it did end up that way. Instead, we find out that it was Briony Tallis' tale of redemption, to give the two lovers a happy ending as a reversal to what she did. I really disliked Briony because of this, even if in some way she tried to do right with her decision.

Landon and Jamie, A Walk to Remember

I'm going with the only Nicolas Sparks movie I can stomach in. Landon and Jamie are school mates who end up falling in love, only for Landon to find out that Jamie was dying. I'm a wreck when I watch this one; the tears just don't stop coming out. 

17 comments:

  1. UGH, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is one of the greatest movies of all time. Such a painfully beautiful film. I almost went with that one, too.

    I did choose Atonement!

    Great picks.

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    1. Thanks! Umbrellas of Cherbourg was one of the films that went in my mind immediately. I was just hoping I haven't used it in the previous weeks.

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  2. OMG The Umbrellas of Cherbourg - such a favorite! Love the music, love the colors, LOVE Deneuve and Castelnuovo. SO romantic in the first half, so sad by the end. I would have picked it if I hadn't already in a previous week.

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    1. That was such a wonderful film. I didn't know what to expect when I first watched it but it was so lovely!

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  3. OMG Atonement. I want to cry just thinking of that ending. It's such a beautiful movie. I didn't care much for A Walk To Remember, but I really like the "Only Hope" song that Mandy Moore sings in it. It's beautiful.

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    1. I don't think I've disliked a character as much as I did with Briony.

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  4. I've only seen A Walk to Remember and I also picked it because it's the only Sparks film that pleasingly surprised me.

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    1. That's the only movie of his that I like, though he must have a huge market for his books keep on getting adapted.

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  5. UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURGH!!!! What a fantastic choice, I adore that film. I put off watching it for years because on paper the idea of a French musical made me leery but I regretted that as soon as I started it. So beautiful in look, performance and presentation.

    Atonement is a heart-tugger and both Knightley and MacAvoy are wonderful but all three actresses who play Briony, in particular Saoirse Ronan, bring so much to the film. Excellent pick.

    I thought A Walk to Remember was okay, I don't have much memory of it but it fits well.

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    1. I got to watch Umbrellas of Cherbough by chance and it was so wonderful!

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  6. Solid pick with Atonement. That's the only one of these I've seen. Never even heard of that first one, but it sounds interesting.

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  7. Atonement! Strong pick. I almost went with that one myself. I haven't see Umbrellas of Cherbourg. It's on my list. A Walk to Remember is one I can easily do without. It came out when I was in high school, and all the girls, including my girlfriend at the time, went gaga over it. Not for me. I'm too much of a dude I think. Lol.

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  8. I like the Umbrellas of Cherbourg..it's soooo.....French:) Love the music. I was bored to death by Atonement. The story is so very sad but I thought the way it was done was horrible-I know I am in the minority. I call it Aboredom. I have not seen the last one but it sounds like a better version of one of my picks (Love Story)

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    1. Love Story didn't cross my mind for this week, it makes a great pick. I didn't like the movie though, I preferred the book.

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  9. I forgot about A Walk to Remember. It is the only other Nicholas Spark adaptation other than the Notebook that I could tolerate. I also read the book, which I shouldn't have because I thought it was so much worse than the movie.

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    1. I haven't attempted to read the book, but I really liked the movie. Not a fan of the Notebook though.

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