"Don't you just love these long rainy afternoons when an hour isn't just an hour - but a little piece of eternity dropped into your hands - and who knows what to do with it?"
- Blanche DuBois, A Streetcar Named Desire
Here in Boston it was a long, grey, dreary day. Rain, rain, rain. And then more rain. But you know what? Sometimes I just love days like this. I admit it, I stayed home from class today. One look out my window and I knew I wasn't going to leave the apartment any time soon. On days like this, I like to cuddle under a blanket on the couch, read a good book, watch a good movie, and cook some good food. Talk about a mental health day! The only thing that could have made it better would have been having someone to play hooky and cuddle under the blanket with.. Alas, that's not in the cards for right now, and I had a nice day regardless. Here are a few of my favorite rainy day books and movies:- I Capture the Castle - Both the novel and the movie are FABULOUS. Written by Dodie Smith, it's the diary of a precocious teenager, Cassandra Mortmain, and her eccentric family living in a run down castle in the English countryside in the 1930s. It's a beautiful coming of age tale that transports you right to the time and place that is being written about.
- Harry Potter - I really only prefer the more recent movies, but the novels are all fantastic. So ANY Harry Potter book. (I'm a huge nerd...more on that later!)
- Love Walked In - (by Marisa De Los Santos) One of my favorite books. The point of view changes from thirty-something Cornelia and 11 year old Claire and the remarkable way in which their stories intertwine. I especially love Cornelia and her references to other pieces of literature and classic movies. Totally a me book.
- Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Probably my favorite author. I absolutely adore the way he writes. His novels are kind of like grown-up fairy tales and have this incredible lyrical poetic quality about them.
- Mad Men - Great TV show! Aside from being extremely well-written, having interesting, complex characters, and an outstanding cast...hello!? THE CLOTHES! I swear I could just watch it with my TV on mute. Oh, and, Don Draper. The end.
- Gangs of New York - Fantastic Scorsese movie and despite the fact that I've seen it more times than I can count, I never cease to be dumbfounded by Daniel Day Lewis' performance as Bill the Butcher. He. Is. Incredible.
- Pride & Prejudice - Ah, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Perhaps the best love story EVER. Yes, I've read the novel. More than once. But it's not the type of book that I would just sit down and read for fun. This is one case (rare as it may be) where I'd rather watch the film version. Despite my deep hatred for Kiera Knightly as an actress, I love love love the 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice.
- Something's Gotta Give - I'll admit it, the first time I saw this movie I didn't really care for it. A few years later I watched it again and now it's one of my favorite movies. I love it! It's funny, well written, and Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson are wonderful together. And they can teach all of us a thing or two about what to do on long, rainy afternoons ;)
- Moonstruck - OK. This is my all time favorite movie. Ever. EVER! I really can't even explain why or what it is about this film, but it's tops in my book. I've seen it so many times I can (and often do) recite the dialogue along with the actors. It's smart, sweet, witty, and is one of the few movies that captures what it's really like to be part of an Italian American family. "La bella luna! The moon brings the woman to the man. Capisce?"
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