Just decided to put on Love Actually, my problematic fave, as background to #AdventOfCode day 25. It was the correct decision. "There was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus?!" #loveactually #christmas
This is an excellent time to share one of my favorite takes on this movie, from Maia Kobabe, on eir experience watching and re-watching this film over the years, as e became more comfortable in eir identity as a queer person: https://redgoldsparkspress.com/projects/7047591
Lord, this movie is such a mess.
Hugh Grant making global policy decisions in order to by proxy be some white knight for a subordinate he has the hots for, come now.
Academy Award nominations for all the "I hate uncle Jamie" kids
And also the carol-requesting children, and the octopus "it is a lot of legs, David" child. And of course Sam. Oscars for all the children in Love, Actually. And also for Gavin and his secret baritone.
And of course we have to finish it up switching between the purest, most perfect storyline (Daniel and Sam, of course) and one of the worst and most uncomforatble (Jamie and Aurelia), with some completely needless fat shaming thrown on top. Why do they do this to me!?
Welp, the movie is over, and thus we wind up this tiny livetoot. In conclusion, this movie is such a damn mess and also I can't quit it. I am here for Daniel and Sam, Harry and Karen, and Judy and John. Also, Sarah and her brother Michael, too-beautiful "will it fix him" Karl can go (not) get fucked.
I should probably disclose that I am responsible for the "Relationships between characters in Love Actually" chart on Wikipedia, which details the ridiculous tangle of relationships therein: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Actually#/media/File:Love_Actually_(2003)_Interconnections.svg
Also, this movie was originally very confusing to me because I kept getting Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman's characters mixed up, because if they're not standing next to each other I have to focus hard to tell them apart. Sorry fellas.
@cincodenada There are so many problematic relationships in this movie… but I also like it…
But I don't think I could watch the movie with anyone without a lot of commentary?
Or at least discussion before and after? 😆
"Okay, so there's a lot of creepy dudes in this movie, but the movie portrays it as romantic? It's fucked up, okay?"
@kirby Just SO MANY. And yes, portrayed so uncritically! 100% not a movie I would watch with others w/o much disclaimers, I'm glad I was watching it by myself for that reason.
But the good stuff is so good, so it's maddening. Truly a mess.
Ah, yes, and there's the cheap pointless joke at the expense of sex workers and...trans folks? drag? Who knows! There's a reason for the "problematic" in that "problematic fave"