Fourteen Flicks for February Fourteenth

by Jack Garcia

Brian and I decided to come up with some movie recommendations for you lovebirds out there.  With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’re all in the need for some romance this weekend.   Our list contains movies both obvious and unexpected; some with happy endings and some without.  We didn’t bother ranking them or anything, so you’ll find them in chronological order.  We hope you enjoy!

1934       It Happened One Night

“Aw, where you gonna find her?  Somebody that's real.  Somebody that's alive.  They don't come that way anymore…  She'd have to be the sort of a girl who'd... well, who'd jump in the surf with me and love it as much as I did.  You know, nights when you and the moon and the water all become one.  You feel you're part of something big and marvelous.  That's the only place to live... where the stars are so close over your head you feel you could reach up and stir them around.  Certainly, I've been thinking about it.  Boy, if I could ever find a girl who was hungry for those things...”

1939       Gone With the Wind

“There's one thing I do know... and that is that I love you, Scarlett.  In spite of you and me and the whole silly world going to pieces around us, I love you.”

1942       Casablanca

“Kiss me.  Kiss me as if it were the last time.”

1953       Roman Holiday

“I have to leave you now.  I’m going to that corner there and turn.  You must stay in the car and drive away.  Promise not to watch me go beyond the corner.  Just drive away and leave me as I leave you…  I don’t know how to say goodbye.  I can’t think of any words.”

1955       Lady and the Tramp

“Side by side with your loved one/You’ll find enchantment here/The night will weave its magic spell/When the one you love is near/Oh, This is the night/And the heavens are right/On this lovely bella notte!”

1968       Funny Girl

“Lovers are very special people/They’re the luckiest people in the world/With one person, one very special person/A feeling deep in your soul/Says you were half now you’re whole/No more hunger and thirst/But first be a person who needs people.”

1971       Harold and Maude

“Oh, Harold…  That’s wonderful.  Go and love some more.”

1987       Moonstruck

“Loretta, I love you.  Not like they told you love is, and I didn't know this either, but love don't make things nice—it ruins everything.  It breaks your heart.  It makes things a mess.  We aren't here to make things perfect.  The snowflakes are perfect.  The stars are perfect.  Not us.  Not us!  We are here to ruin ourselves and to break our hearts and love the wrong people and die.”

1989       When Harry Met Sally

“I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes.  And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night.  And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve.  I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

1990       Pretty Woman

“When I was a little girl, my mama used to lock me in the attic when I was bad, which was pretty often.  And I would… I would pretend I was a princess… trapped in a tower by a wicked queen.  And then suddenly this knight… on a white horse with these colors flying would come charging up and draw his sword.  And I would wave.  And he would climb up the tower and rescue me.”

1995       While You Were Sleeping

“Do you believe in love at first sight?  Nah, I betcha don't, you're probably too sensible for that…  Have you ever fallen in love with someone you haven't even talked to?  Have you ever been so alone you spend the night confusing a man in a coma?”

1997       Titanic

“Winning that ticket, Rose, was the best thing that ever happened to me…   It brought me to you.  And I’m thankful for that, Rose.  I’m thankful.  You must do me this honor, Rose.  Promise me you’ll survive.  That you won’t give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless.  Promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise.”

2001       Moulin Rouge!

“I don’t need you anymore!  All my life you made me believe I was only worth what someone would pay for me!  But Christian loves me.  He loves me!  He loves me, Harold.  And that is worth everything!  We’re going away from you, away from the Duke, away from the Moulin Rouge!”

2004       Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

“I could die right now, Clem. I'm just... happy. I've never felt that before. I'm just exactly where I want to be.”

The Gleek Critique: "Silly Love Songs" Episode

Tina, Mike, Rachel and Mercedes sit and listen to the Warblers on Valentine's Day.  Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

It's Valentine's Day at McKinley High School, and Finn is feeling like a stud.  With the recent football win girls seem to be swooning over him, so he decides to take it upon himself to open a kissing booth.  He claims it's to raise money for the glee club, but really he just wants to kiss Quinn again (remember last episode?).  His plan works, and when they kiss:  fireworks.  The two realize that they may have ended things prematurely, and begin a love affair behind Sam's back.  However, Santana soon realizes and comes up with a devious plan to get things out in the open.  She gives Finn mono, who in turn gives it to Quinn.  What a coincidence that they would both have the kissing disease!

Cupid has also set his sights on Puck, who's got it bad for Lauren, the large and in charge hockey player turned glee clubber.  He tries throughout the episode to get her attention, even going so far as to sing Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls" in her honor, but to no avail... she stands him up on Valentine's.  Lauren just wants to make sure that he really wants to be with her.  You know, playing hard to get.  And it seems like Puck is more than willing to play the game.

And then meanwhile over at Dalton Academy, Blaine asks Kurt for his advice on telling a friend that he might be in love with him.  Kurt of course thinks he is the "friend" of which Blaine speaks, until he realizes the guy Blaine's got the hots for is a Gap employee.  Poor Kurt!  The Gap guy turns Blaine down though, and Kurt decides it's the opportune time to actually tell Blaine how he feels about him.

The Pros:

• "Fat Bottomed Girls" performed by Puck made me smile from ear to ear.  My mom was a huge Queen fan and I practically grew up on that song since it was one of her favorites.  So hearing Puck sing it was just the cherry on top of a deliciously fun episode.
• Two songs sung by Blaine this episode!  Yay!  He and the Warblers performed "When I Get You Alone" by Robin Thicke and "Silly Love Songs" by Paul McCartney.  Both renditions were amazing.  I really love that kid's voice!
• Surprisingly, I actually like the idea of Puck wanting Lauren.  I know a ton of gleeks out there want Rachel and Puck to get together, and they do have a bit of a past, but I don't think Puck would be good for Rachel in the long run.  But Puck and Lauren?  They are just so bad-ass!
• Blaine finally knows that Kurt likes him.  They still aren't exactly dating, but at least it's out in the open!
• Rachel's cover of the popular "Firework" was terrific.  She's a much better vocalist than Katy Perry.  No offense.
• The entire episode got me in the mood for Valentine's Day!

The Cons:

• Sue Sylvester was absent from the entire episode.  Always breaks my heart a little.  It would have been funny to see her crushing everyone's Valentine's candy or something.  You know, being her regular killjoy self...
• It's really looking like Finn and Quinn are getting together.  I don't know why I'm so opposed to this.  I just am.  Maybe because I liked Finn and Rachel so much... oh well.
• At the very end they hinted that Santana and Sam might have an interest in each other.  I really don't think that's a good idea.  Boo.
• Tina's sobbing performance of "My Funny Valentine" was stupid.  I like her voice.  They should actually give her real songs to sing, not have her start singing and then start crying hysterically in the middle.  It wasn't even funny...
• Kurt never sings anymore!  AAH!  He's just in the choir behind Blaine...  I miss Kurt's solos!