Sunday Afternoon Tea

Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there. So...we're having strong coffee in mugs (with sugar and Half-and-Half on the side) served along with our Earl Grey and Chai this week (although it was my son who got me started on Chai Lattes many years ago).

We'll serve a "High Tea" with lots of sandwiches, too...in honor of the guys. Even if you are not married...much less a father...here is to all the men who read this blog (and there are quite a few from e-mails I receive).

When I was thinking of our Afternoon Tea for this week, I wanted to make it a little more in line with Father's Day. Then (as usual) something happened that gave me an...idea!

My son had asked to take over the family room to paint his "soldier" figures and was looking to see what was on the various Direct TV channels. He came across the movie, Sweet Home Alabama, and asked me if I'd seen it. Oh yes, and I told him it was a "chick flick guys would like". Hmmm...that had a ring to it and it sounded like a perfect subject for a Father's Day Afternoon Tea.

Now, I'm not the movie buff some other people are...actually, the way I watch movies is perhaps (?) the most annoying thing about me to my family. At least, I hope I don't annoy them any more than this. I think I have MADD...that is Movie Attention Deficit Disorder. I find it hard to sit through most DVDs without jumping up and doing something from time to time. That's why I like to own my favorites when possible. :)

My list is probably quite short so I'd love to hear from others...what movies that you consider "chick flicks" would also be enjoyed by men? Since I just watched it recently, I'd put North & South at the top of the list. Since it is advertised as basically a romance miniseries, many men may not think they would like it. My husband started watching it when my daughter and I were in our second run of the DVDs. He was sceptical but we both told him he would enjoy the movie. He also came away thinking it was one of the best "movies" he'd ever seen (it was actually a miniseries on the BBC). Yes, definitely a British Flick to watch with the guys.

Another British Flick he actually liked was Persuasion. I think it may have something to do with all those Navy uniforms. It also has less of what he would call "silly women" in it than the other Austin novels. It's a good thing because there was a time my daughter and I watched that at least once a month.

Two "romantic comedies" he enjoys watching with me are You've Got Mail and the new version of Sabrina with Harrison Ford (he usually likes original versions of movies better but not in this case). The only thing we don't like about the former is the fact the two original couples are obviously living out of the sacrament of marriage. However, considering most of the offerings in movies today, it is almost G-rated! When we finally bought a DVD player a few years ago, these were among the first DVDs we purchased (I think our first was White Christmas).

The first film we ever saw together (as in before we were married) was one that I think could qualify as a chick flick. That was The Way We Were with Redford and Streisand. We both were sobbing at the end of that film. If he sees it is going to be on TV, he will watch it. It's too sad for me, although it does bring back nice memories of a special date when we saw the movie at the theater and then went out to a fancy restaurant. Since he was a graduate student at the time, that didn't happen again until after we were married.

There are a couple of comedies that probably qualify, those being The Princess Bride and Father Goose (since the latter is basically about a romance). He found The Princess Bride funny but it wasn't a favorite, perhaps the humor was a little too far fetched for an engineer type? However, he would say Father Goose is a favorite.

Another older comedy we like very much that centers around an unlikely romance is Man's Favorite Sport with Rock Hudson and Paula Prentiss. This is another film I must add to our home library someday. I just watched Paula Prentiss in Where the Boys Are again yesterday and remembered why she was a favorite actress.

Two films he enjoyed watching with his daughter were Father of the Bride 1 and 2 (although I believe it was the first film they watched together the most). He also likes the animated film, Beauty and the Beast. I think it has a lot to do with our daughter being in a high school production just before we moved from Iowa and she would go around the house singing the songs (often at the request of her little brother).

One of his all time favorite movies is For Richer For Poorer. I would say it is another "kinda" chick flick. There is one musical he will watch over and over and that is My Fair Lady. I think it has to do a lot with Rex Harrison singing "Why Can't a Woman Be More Like a Man"???

Although my son and I often watch SciFi together, there is one musical we both agree on as one of the best ever made...The Phantom of the Opera! We both like the music but he obviously likes all that sword fighting (since he is a fencer). He also liked Raoul's hair so much that he grew his own longer (and it looks great).

Oh, and both father and son enjoyed Sweet Home Alabama, too. Being from the Midwest and all, we enjoy endings where the small town guy gets chosen over the city men.

So...these are just a few movies I could think of that could qualify as "chick flicks that guys would like". I'm certain there has to be a great many others!