For me, it's Princess Diaries. Fun ramble rant time! (Humor me, my car battery died today at work AND I got a flat tire after - I'm beyond adulted out and just feel like talking about this movie, lol)
I effing LOVE The Princess Diaries. I was 11 in 2001 when the movie came out and it was honestly formative for me.
I remember the first time I watched it my family was all hanging out at my parents' best friends'... I'm talking the good old days of us kids playing crazy all over the house while the moms chatted in the living room, and the dads dad'ed out together and would eventually go buy a pie or brownies or something after consulting with the wives.
I can't remember if I watched the whole movie then, but it was playing, and I remember thinking even the parents were entertained... to this day, I remember which parts of the movie each of my parents laughed at, either initially or throughout the years, as we proceeded to watch it over and over, my sisters and I (my brother not really though). Speaking of which, I kiiiinda feel guilty that I, as the oldest daughter, claimed our original copy of the DVD and have had it since moving out at 20...I need it though, you guys.
So I grew up with this movie. And later the books. My sisters and I reference it at least monthly I'm sure. And, to this day, this movie helps keep me sane and entertained, and the memories make me me happy and stimulate contentedness.
Back then, at 11, there was much I didn't even understand, despite the movie's G rating.
And, at 28, even though I'm in the throws of an ongoing quarter-life crisis that I'm realizing is probably just life... this movie is a rock.
To me, the best type of movie is entertaining no matter how familiar. Moving every time.
The best movies, to me, take me to a place I WANT to be.
To me, the best movies demonstrate recognizeable humanness that one can either relate to or learn from. Something to emulate.
I always relate to and learn from The Princess Diaries. And I hope I emulate at least the principles and values, if not able to actually BE a princess.
This movie makes me smile, dance ("I am suuuper giiirl" wahwahwah), think, and pause at life - at least almost enough.
The movie soundtrack also followed me from probably age 14, when I was heavily into checking CDs out at the library (represent!!), highlights include Hillary Duff, Avril Lavigne, and later Simple Plan and Good Charlotte... and then the whole emo and hipster scene of the day... The early youtube days/years when "random" was high culture amongst kids and everyone liked someone's whiny singing voice secretly...Someone please reminisce being a dorky teen girl with me, you know circa '05-'07... Mix CDs were life, and life was no real stress!! Little did I know, one day I would finally be pretty AND cool as a grown up, but that comes with the price of work and "woke". And figuring out calories and sugar.
I saw Panic! at the Disco AND The Hush Sound together back when, and the drummer in one of the two bands (how do I not remember which??) threw his drumstick and I caught it mid-air...fuck yeah, teen me. Fuck yeah.
Anyways, the movie.
The humor is beautifully subtle and I feel the movie is a gift to mankind. If you've seen it 100s of times, you know. If you've watched the DVD extras and behind the scenes while sick in bed...you know. If you know that nothing Anne Hathaway did afterwards, or will ever do, can or will ever compare to this role... then you get it. (No offense, Anne, but I am that OG and you are actually Mia to me for life.)
I was just wondering how to wrap this up, and the part in the movie just started with the song "What Makes You Different Makes You Beautiful" so I think that's a pretty good end. Thanks for reading!!
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