What Makes A Movie ‘Feel-Good’?

V Donovan2 Comments

One thing about me is that I am a big John Carney fan. He can make a movie about paint drying and I would be seated. So it goes without saying that I was locked and loaded for Power Ballad the other day. Me, my boyfriend, and four other strangers sat in a theater for the Thursday night preview of Carney’s newest project starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas.

I enjoyed the movie, but it’s no Begin Again or Sing Street. It’s got music and heart like so many other Carney works, but didn’t quite have that magic for me. Still worth a watch, though.

But this post isn’t a review. This post is about the concept of feel-good movies. One of the primary posters for Power Ballad had a quote proclaiming it “The feel-good hit of the year.”

Power Ballad poster.

And while the movie was light-hearted, I don’t think it was “feel-good.” The main characters had tension for a large part of the movie. There was uncertainty and dramatics that overshadowed the humor and levity. Of course movies have to have a plot and obstacles, but this one just made it so I wanted the resolution to come sooner and felt that there wasn’t as much payoff as I would have liked. Therefore, I didn’t spend the viewing time “feeling good” per se. I wasn’t feeling bad, but it wasn’t a movie where I left feeling fulfilled and happy. It was nice, and as I said, there was heart for sure but other John Carney projects have done feel-good far better.

So if even I, #1 John Carney stan, didn’t feel it was feel-good, who did? Or does this come down to personal preference? Could someone find an action movie feel-good because they like it and it makes them happy? I suspect not. People can like horror movies, but they probably aren’t ever classified as feel-good. Elements of it can be, though. I do believe a lot of Guardians of The Galaxy, for example, was feel-good because seeing them come together as a team in that first movie was sweet, even amongst the action and superpowers.

The Guardians Of The Galaxy GIF.

What makes a movie fully feel-good, then? A lack of tension? A supremely satisfying ending? An overarching theme of peace and happiness? Inspiring characters and stories?

I’m not going to start analyzing a bunch of movies, but I think, to me, it comes down to how I feel when the credits hit. Do I finally exhale or is it a full breath of new air?

Movies don’t have to be feel-good to be good, but I’d really like it if the ones that are really are. So once again, I will recommend two of John Carney’s other movies, Begin Again and Sing Street because I adore them so much and think they’re great feel-good movies that everyone needs to see.

I feel really good about that gif.

What are your favourite feel-good movies and why?

 

That’s all for now!

A Honk Of Support

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The other week, we drove by some protestors on a street corner, picket signs and all. As we got closer, we saw that they were protesting Doug Ford, Ontario’s Premier. I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of the guy or his work, so we honked in support.

Did that honk do much? No. But it got them cheering and waving for a second. It was amusing, but that was it. The light turned green and we drove off.

That was nice while it lasted gif.

I understand the concept of protesting. I think it’s great that people feel so strongly that they want to stand up for what they believe in publicly and are able to come together to do it in a group. But I’ve got to wonder what it achieves, if anything. In this case, it was a rainy day where a few honks were all they were likely going to achieve, as I doubt anyone was going to pull over, get out of their car, and join them in rallying the burbs.

It’s like the people who stand on bridges over highways and hold up signs to the passing cars underneath. Again, a few honks is all they get. Do they count them? Do they take that number and do something with it? “I got 400 honks, that’s 400 people who support my cause! I’m a great protester, making a difference!” 

There is power in numbers for sure, but I feel like these days, public protests aren’t effective. You hear of students protesting tuition hikes on campuses or environmental activists protesting policies at city halls, and at least those are happening in locations related to the issues, but have we ever heard of a protest actually having an effect? Is a decision ever reversed because the people gathered with signs?

What difference does it make? gif.

These days, I think online campaigns are far more effective. Hard numbers, wider reach. I mean, maybe it’s not on the same level as politics, but many a TV show has come back from cancellation due to online protests and campaigns.

But even online protests seem weaker than they used to be. Maybe because it feels like every week there’s a new thing to fight against, a new level of awfulness people seem to achieve. It gets tiring. That’s one of the reasons I slowly left Twitter.

I do respect people who protest and rally. I respect the people who put in the effort to try and make a difference and support causes not just by dropping a like online. It takes courage and passion, two things that seem to be in short supply in this world.

You're Doing It Right GIF.

I’ve never participated in a protest. I don’t think there are a lot of protests in my city to begin with, but still. I recognize that I’m privileged and detached and a little cynical, so when I drive by a group of protesters out on the street, my first thought is to see it as futile and a little silly rather than a dedicated show of intensity. But I still do respect the heart. And I’ll keep honking when I drive by.

Have you ever protested something? Was it successful?

That’s all for now.

Christmas Is Still In The Air???

V Donovan1 Comment

At the time of writing, it’s March 29th. If I get up and go look out a window right now, I can see a neighbour’s front lawn. On this lawn are three light-up snowmen. Behind the trio is a shrub with sparkly baubles hanging off it. Once again, I must stress that it’s March 29th.

A few streets over are these two houses. I’m not sure who lives there or what their relationship is to each other, but they both have their Christmas trees still prominently displayed right in the window. And these are just the ones in my immediate neighbourhood. I know there are others elsewhere. But it’s March 29th.

Spring Is In The Air gif.

Look, I love Christmas a lot. I love the lights and decor and holiday vibes. But it’s March. Christmas is way over. Am I wrong for thinking this is odd?

This past Christmas was the first year that my boyfriend and I had our own space to decorate, both privately and publicly. We put up a tree inside, and hung up some old borrowed/gifted outdoor decorations. Nothing fancy. The outdoor lights were on a timer throughout December, but after January 1st, we unplugged that timer and waited a few weeks until the weather was tolerable enough to go out and actually take our decorations down. The indoor tree came down around the same time in mid-January-ish.

I think this schedule is pretty normal. I think by February, most houses had their Christmas things all put away. Which is why I’m so fascinated by the few houses that don’t. I’d love to knock on their door and ask why. Did something tragic happen to prevent them from taking it down? Are they just lazy? Or are they super busy? Are they on vacation? Do they like the lights and decor? Do they not care about their electricity bill? Do they have a target take-down date in mind? Or will they be keeping it up for next Christmas?

I Have Questions GIF.

If you are someone who also takes longer than a month to take down holiday decor and are willing to self-identify, I’d love to hear your reasons in the comments! I’m not judging, I’m just curious!

Update as of April 2: both the houses with the indoor trees and the house with the outdoor decorations are still going strong.

Update as of April 6: in a shocking development, both indoor trees are gone! Maybe Easter was the catalyst. However, that does not seem to apply to the house with the outdoor decor.

Update as of April 14: Spring has sprung fully now. The house with the outdoor decorations are still up and lit.

Im Shocked GIF.

That’s all for now.

Flexing My Northern Lights Pictures Because OMG

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Though I don’t have an official bucket list, seeing the northern lights was something that I’ve always wanted to do. I live in Canada, but not in a part that is north or dark enough for such activity. So when my boyfriend and I started talking about taking a trip to Iceland, I pushed for a winter visit in hopes of seeing the aurora.

A few weeks ago, just before the middle of March, we made that trip. And of the six nights we were there, we were lucky enough to see the northern lights for five of them!!! I’m still so thrilled.

We saw a lot of other cool things in Iceland too, but the northern lights were what really wowed me, so here I am, yapping about them and showing off our pictures. You’re welcome!

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I know these pictures aren’t the best ever as far as northern lights go, but they’re pretty good for two amateurs on nights of fairly weak aurora activity. I think the highest we ever saw was a 4 out of 9, and most nights we were in Reykjavik, so we were fighting city lights. The best pictures came from the one night we stayed way out in the countryside where there were no streetlights, no cars, no nothing. Just darkness and a clear sky. On the days we were in the city, we walked to the water’s edge to get as far away from lights as we could. We never paid to go on a guided northern lights tour, but if you don’t want to do some hefty walks to a darker area, it’s an option. Had we not been on a tour that had us staying in accommodations outside the city a few times, we likely would have done one.

But if you’re looking to DIY it too, here are some tips!

  • Bring a tripod and a bluetooth remote. Having your camera steady is key.
  • You’ll have to adjust your phone’s camera settings a bit. I’m an Apple user, but my boyfriend’s Android really took the crown here with its advanced photography settings that my phone couldn’t natively handle. Do this research beforehand, so when the time comes, you’re ready!
  • Dress warmly. Northern lights are really only seen in winter months, so if you’re out there at midnight, it’ll be cold.
  • Go outside. Looking out from your hotel room is hard. You really need to be facing away from any light.
  • And I mean it when I say to face away from any lights. I was shocked at how much of a difference even twenty feet would make if that twenty feet passed a streetlamp.
  • Download apps! There was a great app we used that let people upload their own location-based photos, so you could see what people near you were seeing.
  • Don’t hesitate. If you’re looking for the perfect photo-op, jump on whatever you see, as the lights come and go quickly, and there were some long lulls. There were so many times I’d point out a display to my boyfriend, but by the time he could finish the picture he was taking and rotate the tripod, it’d be gone.

To the naked eye, northern lights (that we saw, at least) look mostly like weird, glowing, grey (and sometimes faintly green) smudges in the sky, but it was still really cool to see. Some nights it was right above us, and some nights we could see it literally ‘dance,’ and both had us in awe.

I'm Literally Stunned GIF.

Winter travel is risky. We had originally wanted to go a week later because it was supposed to be peak northern light time, but flight prices were higher. I’m glad we didn’t, as the next weeks supposedly had worse weather. And because winter travel is risky, and it’s advised to not plan around something as uncontrollable as northern lights, but I’d still recommend trying if seeing them is important to you.

Anyway, I’m really, really glad we were able to see such magical displays for multiple nights. They were worth the Icelandic cold and lack of sleep for sure.

That’s all for now!

A Little More Conversation, A Little Less Awkward Please

V DonovanLeave a comment

Remember when you were a kid and an older relative or a friend of your parents would be over, and they’d try to have a conversation with you? It’d be very one-sided. How’s school? What grade are you in now? What’s your teacher’s name? What’s your favourite subject? I hear you’re playing soccer now. In situations like those, the onus was on the adult to steer the conversation, and it was your job as the child to simply answer.

Well, now I’m almost 30, and I fear I’m still in the child mindset when it comes to conversations, especially with people older than me.

Unsure Yikes Awkward Face GIF.

In my defense, in a lot of social situations, I am still the ‘child’ in the room. I go to the curling club, and most people there are decades older. My parents’ friends are still decades older. That dyanamic hasn’t gone away for me, I’m just realizing that it maybe shouldn’t be that way anymore.

I’ve never been good at small talk. It always seems so fake. That’s one of the reasons I struggled on Tinder many years ago. These guys would be like “how was your day?” and I simply didn’t care enough about them to make that conversation work. They were a stranger and I didn’t have anything excitng to say anyway, so the conversations died and connections weren’t made.

But even with people I do know and care about, I still struggle. I’m so used to being on the answer side of a conversation that I don’t know how to not be. Asking questions seems invasive. Or maybe it isn’t, and I just feel awkward participating in adult conversations because I dont feel like a proper adult. How am I supposed to ask a man if he’s retired or what his kids are up to in life when I’m only a few years into my career and have no kids? That just feels so weird to me. Like I’m trying to sit at the adults table and fake my way through. I can’t relate to those answers. But I don’t know what else to do.

I'm An Adult GIF.

It’s really too bad because I like talking to people and I want to make friends, I just really suck at it all.

I guess other than continue to force myself out of my comfort zone and engage in conversation reguardless, there’s not much else I can do. It’s a muscle that needs to be worked. Over time, I’ll continue to age, and one day I won’t be the child in the room anymore. One day, someone will be asking me what my spouse does for work, and they can be the one feeling like an icky, nosy imposter.

But if you have any tips or any conversation topics that don’t feel basic or awkward, let me know!

I could really Use Some Help GIF.

That’s all for now!