the four right chords can make me cry

The Stepford Wives

Great movie! Hai, I typed out a very long review just now, but my explorer hanged!!!!!! ARGH! It was good, so I shall now attempt to reproduce it here... SIGH.

Identify with Nicole Kidman's character alot. There was one part where her husband said to her something like "Successful, high-flying, man-hating career bitch. Is that who you want to be?" and she replied, "Ever since I was a little girl." Except for the man-hating and bitch part, me too! Being the oldest child in the family and the only girl, I've always been trying to prove myself, achieve, be successful in the eyes of my parents(because sons are not better than daughters!). Why can't I learn taekwondo? (darren and darryl are already black belts cos they started learning in primary school and I wasnt allowed to learn. They always laugh at my white belt!) Why can't I ride a bike? And when I was younger, Why do I have to keep wearing dresses!??!?!! (Frilly dresses ITCH big time ok)

I'm a feminist at heart, and this film brings it out. Girl power has been totally disgraced by the likes of the Spice Girls(dark, dark days), it's been dragged through the streets and ruined. Being independent is NOT about buying yourself diamonds or treating guys like dirt or having sex with everyone or just paying lip service and singing "Independent Women" while being scantily clad and shamelessly selling yourself as a sex symbol anyway.

I've always suspected that guys have had this immature concept of a "dream girl". You get to know your guy friends well enough, probe deeper, and inevitably, they will all have this notion of a dream girl. Deep down they all visualise this hot babe(preferably blond, with big boobs), who needs the guy to protect her (me Tarzan!), submissive, sweet, and also somehow only has eyes for you.(even if you are a balding, slobering nerd) C'mon, 'fess up! I only got one thing to say to guys like that; Get real!!!!

But girls are guilty too. I call it the KISA complex (Knight in Shining Armour complex). They dream of a prince charming who will ride in on the sunset and sweep them off their glass-slippered(how impractical) feet on a white stallion (or mercedes-benz). Fluffy, romantic, maudlin, mawkish. As such, I regard with great contempt romantic comedies(sorry enai, just not my kind of movie). Some impose these unrealistic expectations on their poor only-human boyfriends. Those that don't have boyfriends reject every guy who does not match up to their impossible ideals. Sorry dears, we live in an imperfect world(as postulated by the movie), and "it's not always rainbows and butterflies; it's compromise."(as postulated by maroon5) Don't expect a fairytale.

I mean, it IS important to have standards and criteria. You should make your choice for a reason, cos if you dont, you'll just change your mind halfway. But what I'm saying is, guys and girls, be realistic.

Another thing I find is true, is that guys are EXTREMELY uncomfortable with women who surpass them. How many times have we heard them say "But I cannot lose to a girl!". Grrr! Makes me want to smack them! Once Benshyen said to me, "You're the best girl guitarist I know." I know you meant it as a compliment, but it was insulting as a girl, implied that all girls are naturally much lousier than guys at guitar. That is SO not true!

The male ego is easily bruised. That's why some guys become abusive I guess. When they fail to win an arguement(verbal), they resort to physical strength, an advantage they will always have over us females. And that's why I find gentleness a very attractive quality in a guy. I thought to myself that if I ever get attached, the guy should be comfortable with himself and proud of who he is, no matter how well or how badly I do in life. But guys like that are rare...

Herein lies my paradox. Honestly, I want someone to protect me, because sometimes I feel so vulnerable. Sometimes I just want someone to give me a hug, tell me everything's going to be ok, to cry my heart out to, to be myself with, as weak and fragile as I am. But I also desperately want to be independent, strong and I hate people telling me what to do. The last thing I want to be is needy, dependent and clingy.

Anyway, back to the movie. Go watch! It's hilarious! Look out for the gay guy robert, he's adorable! And Bette Midler's caricature of the sardonic, witty, grouchy, protesting novelist is incredibly entertaining. Also look out for the swipes taken at Disney and AOL etc which have come to be expected from every Dreamworks movie now. My kind of humour! Thigh-slappingly funny! Not many people might think like me, but if you do, you will be positively tickled!

I dont mind watching it again! *hint hint* And I wanna watch 'The Terminal' too, when it comes out. If any of you are watching must jio me k!!!

Are you guilty of the dream girl or KISA complex yourself? Or do you think I'm bigoted and misguided? Comments please!

If I knew how to put music on this blog I would leave you here with a lovely number by Ella Fitzgerald(one my my fav jazz singers) called The Man I Love. But since I dont, here are the lyrics =)

The Man I Love :: Ella Fitzgerald

Someday he'll come along
The man I love
And he'll be big and strong
The man I love
And when he comes my way
I'll do my best to make him stay

He'll look at me and smile
I'll understand
And in a little while
He'll take my hand
And though it seems absurd
I know we both won't say a word

Maybe I shall meet him sunday
Maybe monday, maybe not
Still I'm sure to meet him one day
Maybe tuesday will be my good news day

We'll build a little home
Just meant for two
From which I'll never roam
Who would, would you?
And so all else above
I'm waiting for
The man I love

posted by beckyboo @ 1:24 AM