Inside the Brain of E.C. Henry

The Hate-Love Dynamic: Exploring Issues in Rom-Com Movies: Volume 75

If you watch enough romantic comedy movies over time you start to notice some trends.  One of the trends you see in many romantic comedy movies is where the two lead in the headlining pairs start off by hating each other, but by the end of the movie end up loving each other and solidifying their status as couple together and in love.  It's a type of:

Hate-Love Dynamic

Hup, I think ol' E.C. is up to one his tricks again so don't fall for it.

I got to thinking about this AFTER watching Anyone But You, a romantic comedy staring Sydney Sweeney.  But really this hate-love dynamic is an ingrained reality among men and women all around you.  Let me explain...

Men and women are different.  Typically they think differently.  Sure in today's society there is push to blur the lines of sexuality alleging their is no difference between men and women, but there is.  More so, there are noted differences when men group together apart from women, and women group together amongst themselves.  Because men and women are different their's a latent hostility between the two groups.  Yet men and women find themselves attracted to each other, as that's a dynamic that I believe God put in there to bring the two together.  

Sexual attraction lowers the animosity threshold between the sexes and gets them to set aside differences to "get that itch scratched" if you know what I mean.  

Don't know how Tom Hanks does it.  A man of weaker constitution would have kissed Meg Ryan here.

So whether or not you're a rom-com fan or not, this hate-love dynamic experienced by groups of men and  women is real.  We hate each other because we view the world differently, but sexual attraction draws us together and provides the bridge to a union and lessening of hostilities.  

Men tend to like sports, hunting, fixing cars and building things.  Women tend to want to beautify all that's around them, and are more expressive of their feelings.  Not to say that women can't be in sports or fix things -- you see women doing that all time.  But as seen as a broader group, I think these tendencies are more true than false. 

Rom-com movies springboard off what I've been talking about quite often.  The Bounty Hunter (2010: Jennifer Aniston/Gerald Butler), The Ugly Truth (2009: Katherine Heigl/Gerald Butler), You've Got Mail (1998: Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks), Click (2006: Adam Sandler/Kate Beckinsale), where the differences in the sexes is so extreme that there is some hate, yet love ends up prevailing.  Why is that?  Is it because movies -- especially romantic comedies are all about wish fulfillment?  Sure, there's some of that, but the inner tension between men and women is real.  Movies are a just a safe place to externally deal with these complex issues.  

Some people allege that romantic comedies are all fluff.  No, Sleepless in Seattle shouldn't be confused with Saving Private Ryan any time soon; but that doesn't mean you write of a good drama just because it's not all action 24/7.  There is a place for romantic comedies.  And its place is in coming to an understanding of the sexes.  Forming livable theories about how people different than you think, and what their needs, fears, and wants are.  

Back when I was a teen, I remember some girls really got into George Michael.  He was a "sex symbol" to women.  I think at some point he went off the rails, but he had some sway in the discussion at one point.

Sure, we ALL have a sex drive.  The degree of its heath is up for interpretation, but I'm of the belief that it's God's way of getting men interested in women.  And no, I don't agree with the crux of George Michael's song, and wasn't a fan of it when it came out.  

I hate you, I hate you... No, I think I love you.

I think this is more more indicative of women's response to men's sexual attraction to a woman.  At first the women resists, but over time she comes around and is open to courting.  You see this in the animal world quite regularly where the male goes to great lengths to impress a female he likes until at last she relents and lets him have sex with her.  So the hate-love dynamic has some level of truth and relevance in the animal kingdom as well.

Hey, I love women, and don't openly compare them to animals.  HUGEEE fan of Taylor Swift, and lately Sydney Sweeney to a lesser extent.  Would love to work with an upscale woman like one day to headline some of the rom-coms I've penned over the years: So Go Back & Get Her, Cupid's Helpers, Cupid Got Stupid, Hometown Professional Football, or After the Glory.  For me dealing with celebrity women is matter of building up trust and a bedrock of professionalism.  They're the established pros who headline, whereas I'm just a lowly writer toiling in obscurity.  

"Know Thy Place, Writer," said the Hollywood starlet to schlub from NE Tennessee.

Never wanna get too big of a head, and forget who's who.  

To date I've never had a hate-love romance.  Personally, I've taken to girls and liked them or been down on them pretty early and quick.  I can't remember a time where I was in personal rom-com of my own where I started out hating a given chick, then later came around to want to date her.  Being hot goes a long way.  Guys always notice pretty girls.  But romance is open to all, and you never know when you'll make a special connection that starts you on that magical journey.  Could just be a click away!

 

 

Seeking Rom-com Genre Stability: Anyone But -- This Movie; Exploring Issues in Rom-Com Movies Volume 74

A half naked couple on the verge of kissing must mean E.C. Henry found another romantic comedy movie to review

If you said that, you'd be right!  As earlier today I went to the Fort Henry Mall in Kingsport, Tennessee and watched ol' Sydney Sweeney's latest.

Truth be told, Anyone But You (2023: Directed by Will Gluck) is the first romantic comedy I've seen in some time.  It was released just before Christmas and I debated whether or not to bother going to the theaters to see it, finally deciding to go on a rainy day in early January in NE Tennessee.  So was it any good?  Well, I'll get into that in a minute.

The truth of the matter is I've my eye on the lead actress in this movie for some time.  Sydney Sweeney:  

Sydney Sweeney: short and young looking -- in this shot

Carson Reeves put Sydney Sweeney her on my radar by talking a lot about in his Scriptshadow posts.  Born on September 12, 1997 that would make her 26 years old right now, but in watching her play "Bea" in Anything But You, I was thinking she looks much, much younger that that.  So is that a problem?  Well, yeah it kinda is is you wanna be considered the next rom-com queen, as romantic comedies are typically geared for adults.  

I wrote a romantic comedy series with Taylor Swift in mind to play a main character all the way through a three-part series.  But T.S. is now 34 and dating an NFL player, so she may be out of play.  Still, Sydney Sweeney is an interesting choice/replacement for the Kathy Smith character in So Go Back & Get Her. 

But can she act?

Can Sydney Sweeney pass as a viable love interest in an adult relationship?  

Well, there is no denying that what I just saw Sydney Sweeney in was a romantic comedy.  Slated by my own romantic comedy classifications Anyone But You is a vacation rom-com, as this is a story where two people who had a hot night, but then had a mutual misunderstanding that made Bea and Ben (played by Glenn Powell) that mislead them to think the other party wasn't interested in them reunite several months later in Sydney, Australia for a wedding due to their close relationship to the the two getting married: Bea is the older sister of one of the girls getting married, while Ben is a close friend of the brother of the other girl getting married.    

The story has many of the trapping of rom-com fare.  Both Bea and Ben have past flames that are interested in them -- and are in Sydney, Australia for the wedding.  Then there's the parent of the two girls getting married acting as role models, attempting in spots to provide comedic relief, and there's some exotic settings unique to Australia.  The story shows flashes of working at times, but ultimately the secondary characters aren't funny or interesting enough.  They don't provide enough to push the envelope and move this movie into something meaningful.  They lesbian couple getting married isn't interesting either.  Not good on the supporting front.  Definitely sub-par stuff.  

As far as the leads, Bea does show flashes of being interesting, and Sydney Sweeney does display some come acting flair.  But for the most part I didn't think Sydney Sweeney and Glenn Powell were a good match physically.  Blame casting for the miss-cast pairing of Sweeney/Powell. Someone closer to Sydney's  age and height would have paid off there.  Glenn Powell showed SOME flashes of being a suitable rom-com prospect; he had a nice build for a guy.  But I thought his character arc was flat, and of himself wasn't very interesting.  Glenn Powell's "Ben" never proves himself to be funny either.  So I'm not sure after this if he belongs in the genre at all.  The script for Anyone But You doesn't do Glenn Powell any favors.  :( 

For the first half hour of the show I thought Anyone But You wanted to be the 2023/2024 version of How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days, which is one of my top-4 rom-coms of all-time.  So I applaud the leanings, but the script, story, and subsequent acting never even comes close to the magic of that gem from 20 years ago.  Yep, 2003, that's the year How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days came out, and that's over 20 ago now.  'Bout time we had a new classic to root for, unfortunately Anyone But You isn't a good, romantic comedy movie.

Grading out Sydney Sweeney as a potential rom-com queen for later movies and a greater legacy. 

(Hottest photo of Sydney Sweeney I could find)

Even after considering her best look, I'd have to say that I'm NOT on #teamSydney to be crowned the next rom-com queen.  She's just has too youthful looking to me.  Sydney Sweeney comes across as 13 or 14 year-old girl to me.  She also has some pretty broad front teeth that stick out too far, imo.  Sydney is also too short.  If in future rom-coms she needs a better pairing with a guy guy that doesn't accent what she is already seen to lacking, which is maturity.  Working in her favor is long, blonde hair -- which guys love.  In the end there's no way to hide the fact that Sydney's cons outweigh her pros; though in the spirit of honesty I think her acting was sides more on the good, than on the bad.

Still, Sydney Sweeney won't make you forget: Katherine Heigl, Kate Hudson, Meg Ryan, Andie MacDowell, Drew Barrymore, or Jennifer Aniston anytime soon.  Sorry lady, BUT if you do wanna be a rom-com queen you've gotta up your game.  Right now, Sydney Sweeney isn't in their league, and it shows on the screen.  

Still, she's young enough that if Sydney applies herself, MAYBE she can get there; and be a viable rom-com queen yet...   But from what I've seen so far I don't think she's there yet physically or emotionally to carry the necessary mail in adult, romantic comedy.  

In the final analysis:

Taylor Swift > rom-com prospect vs. Sydney Sweeney

Anyone But You rates: 4 out 10 

2023 to 2024: Out with the Old -- and in with the New!

2024 begins so why not have confetti all over the place so you have your first mess of the new year to clean up?

It's the first day of the new year, 2024.  Hope you're doing well.  Lots of uncertainty as we enter an election year in the U.S.: war in Ukraine and in Israel.  Was just reading about the U.S. taking out some Houti raiders in the Middle East.  Iran's on verge of having nuclear weapons.  So we're in very dangerous times!

Thankfully I'm a sold-out Christian and believer in Jesus so I know from my belief in the bible that hard times are forecasted, we just don't know when the events of Revelation will take place and who the evil characters predicted to come will end up being.  Sure, I can speculate, but to know for certain...  That's up to God to reveal.  Still, from his choices he makes I'm certain that Joe Biden is doing the will of the devil: purposely destroying the United Stakes of America.  I have ZERO faith in that sell-out.  Maybe not now, but later in history, I think Joe Biden's legacy will get his comeupance, when the truth he's tried so hard to bury will be known.  He may have protections now, but those protections won't last forever.  How anybody listens to Joe Biden and believes what he says is mystery to me.      

In today's society it's hard not to get swept away in the political debate.  I've learned there's a time to set that aside.  As there is more to life than politics.  It's just things have gotten so corrupted, it's hard not think politics 24/7: as the good man desires better leadership than the corrupt leadership we have right now. 

The thing is, I'm not really a great political mind.  If born in a different time, I'd probably avoid talking politic altogether.  If you've followed this blog at all you know that I'm a writer.  True, I have no "big success" to date, and may never have; but that doesn't mean I don't try.

Currently, as of 1-1-2024, I'm working on the 2nd draft of a creature horror feature entitled, The Otterroid.  So creatively I'm in bliss right now.  Sure, there's lots of work to do on this spec. script; but I've already written THE END on it once!  Knowing you have written to the end in a relief that I don't know if non-writers can relate.  It's so refreshing to know you have a complete story. 

Okay so lets grade out how 2023 went:

Biggest accomplishment of 2023: 

E.C. Henry wrote his first animated musical: A Dilly of Duckling's Dally

I'd grade myself an A+ on that.  Sure it was my 30th script.  But I have never written an animated feature before.  The target audience: kids; was a first for me too.  It took me a while to get the  Lit Expression  ironed out on it.  Still, I'm quite proud of that accomplishment as a creative writer.  A+ is justified, imo.

Total blog post made in 2023:  28

Started the year in Freezing Florida, ended it cold-but-not-freeing NE Tennessee.  We had a flurry of know a couple days ago, but no accumulation.  I think by and large this winter season has been pretty mild.  Was watching some of the Bills/New England game yesterday and they didn't have any snow on the ground in Orchard Park, NY; and the temp was like 35 degrees.  But I digress...

I know recently I haven't been writing a lot of blog posts, but overall 28 in a calendar year is a respectable number.  Not overly great, but far from shameful neglect.  Solid "B" grade is deserved there, imo.

2023 as year for this writer in terms of productivity: C

YES, this year technically I only finished one totally new screenplay.  BUT I did a makeover on a previous script I wrote, and even paid a consultant to review it.  So I'm giving myself some credit there.  Still 1 new script in a year isn't anything to shout from the rooftops, so as far as yearly output goes, I'd give myself a "C".  I did consider counting my current spec as part of this total, but yielded on that as I'm on the 2nd draft of it, and there's still a lot of work to do it, both in terms of story and  Lit Expression  aesthetic.  

As far as my big opus goes, The Legend of Thars series, it's been so long since I was working on editing that, than now when I pick it up again I'm going to have to re-familiarize myself with it.  Still the goals remain the same: finish line editing the last two books, include artist made pictures for all chapters, and write that last two movie adaptations.  So I haven't lost sight of what needs to be done.   

Hopefully 2024 will be filled with new and fresh adventures.  I know I'm excited about the new church I'm attending.  Good sermons, lively worship -- and lots of good-looking girls!  Don't know how much longer I'll be going to AA meetings, but since going to them makes my mom happy I still do.  As far as Tennessee goes NOTHING about this state excites me.  Maybe in 2024 I'll drop into North Carolina and Virginia more to see what those states are about.  Later in the year, after the 2024 NFL schedule is posted I'll look into taking another "road trip" to see my Seahawks play.  Last weekend, just before Christmas I saw them play the Titans in Nisan Stadium.  That was a great game, won in the last minute by a Geno Smith to Coby Parkinson TD pass.  I had a blast at ht the game.  Was at the 300 level, 50 yard line, primo view of all the action.  Was shocked that they offered hard alcohol "spikes" to hot chocolate.  Didn't drink, but was tempted too when I saw Budweiser tallboys for sale, but didn't partake.  :(  Been almost as year and half since I last drank alcohol.  :)  So there's that accomplishment too!  :)

2023: out with the old: And in with the new!

The world is T.S. oyster, and the number of her past boyfriends keeps growing... 

Joe Alwyn, you in there somewhere?

Still, it's fun to see her up in the suites of Chiefs games.  Appearances by Taylor Swift always makes life more interesting.  

'Till we talk again hope your 2024 is off to a good start.  And I hope y'all keep coming back to visit my blog.