Man Movies are from Mars, Chick Flicks are from Venus

Several days ago, my wife rented a couple of movies: Toy Story for our boys, and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer for us. Unfortunately, we didn’t get time to watch anything for a few nights. During this time, her friend brought over a movie to let her/us see.

Then a couple nights ago, when I was suffering from a bit of writer’s block, I saw the FFRotSS DVD sitting on the kitchen counter. I needed a little action and excitement to grease the imagination.

“Hey,” I said, waving the Fantastic Four DVD in my hand, “want to watch a movie tonight?”

“Yes,” she answered. “There’s one in there my friend brought”

The Holiday – a chick flick about “relationships.” Yuck. Not at all what I was hoping to get into. I showed her the FF movie, but no go. I held back a sigh. I’d have rather tried writing, even poorly, than watch a chick flick right then. I put the FF DVD back in the kitchen, and just “forgot” to grab The Holiday.

A minute later, my wife retrieved her friend’s DVD and brought it to me. “Put this in the player, please,” she said. I held back another sigh, and I might have rolled my eyes when her back was turned.

I put the DVD in the player and started it up. She sat down on the sofa and asked me to come sit with her. When I sat down, I picked up the DVD box and looked for the running time for the movie. I could put up with it and hold off doing my work for 90 minutes or so. I found the running time: 136 minutes. “Oh geez!” I did sigh this time.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“It’s over two hours long,” I said.

“You don’t have to watch it,” she said.

My work really increased in importance at that moment. I went to my computer and got down to writing, poorly.

As I sat there, I could hear the movie. When I looked at my wife, I could see her smiling while watching it. Only a schmuck would work when his wife wants him to sit with her and watch a movie. So I left the computer and went to sit with my wife and watch that, sigh, two-plus hour chick flick.

From the back of the DVD case:

Iris is in love with a man who is about to marry another woman. Across the globe, Amanda, realizes the man she lives with has been unfaithful. Two women who have never met and live 6000 miles apart, find themselves in the exact same place. They meet online at a home exchange website and impulsively switch homes for the holiday. Iris moves into Amanda’s L.A. house in sunny California as Amanda arrives in the snow covered English countryside. Shortly after arriving at their destinations, both women find the last thing either wants or expects: a new romance. Amanda is charmed by Iris’ handsome brother Graham, and Iris, with inspiration provided by legendary screenwriter Arthur, mends her heart when she meets film composer Miles.

Every once in a while, during the movie, my wife said,
“A man with a machine gun is about to jump out.”
“That car is going to explode.”
“Guys are about to parachute down with guns.”
“Ninjas are about to attack.”

She knows how to keep me interested in a movie.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com