Posted in: Movies | Tagged: carrie, Death Becomes Her, Lost in Translation, mars attacks, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, valentine's day

Love Yourself With These 5 Films on Valentines Day

Valentine's Day, a contrived holiday for couples who spend quality time together like it's an anniversary, is superficial and arrogant annual tradition.

The problem is how unlike other super commercialized holidays like Christmas, Easter and Halloween, it's shamefully exclusionary. The holiday is meaningless to singles, no matter the mood. They either become more depressed than usual, ignore the holiday altogether despite the bombardedment by related content, or they rationalize some "singles' day" to celebrate independence to mask their own insecurity.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the renowned sex therapist told the Television Critics Association the questions she gets most often is not about sex, but loneliness.

While everyone has different mechanisms of coping, we are still social creatures at heart. While there are those who live comfortable in solitude, the desire for human contact is powerful. Instead of dwelling on stories involving romance as the main or subplot, here are films I recommend where love isn't a driving the plot and you can escape into.

Mars Attacks! (1996)

The 1996 Tim Burton film, Mars Attacks!, based on the 1962 Topps trading card game of the same name, features an all-star cast with Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Jim Brown, Martin Short, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Danny DeVito, Natalie Portman and Tom Jones. The sci-fi comedy underscores the social naïve social nature of humanity.

When Martians visit earth, a miscommunication triggers them to war. Destroying almost everything in their wake, the military is hapless to stop their ships and disintegrating ray guns. We even have a Martian spy who goes undercover to get into the White House.

The Martians are funny, sadistic, and cruel. Most of the humans are either overconfident or flustered. While the ending is predictable, it does nurture a destructive side of society and its conventions. You may find yourself rooting for the Martians.

Carrie (1976)

A large part of horror genre would fall in this category, but Carrie holds a special place due to its nature. High school was a horrible and awkward time for many. It doesn't take long to find out where a student stands in the social pecking order. Carrie (Sissy Spacek) is bullied throughout the film despite being in the process of discovering her telekinetic powers.

One final prank gone too far and Carrie goes berserk with her climactic revenge attack during prom on her tormentors. The film provides a kind release many don't get in their lives. It's a story born out of empathy where you can live vicariously through the main character and her struggles at school and home.

When it comes to picking which version, I definitely recommend the 1976 Brian DePalma adaptation and not the 2013 remake.

Death Becomes Her (1992)

Vanity and pride are the focus of Death Becomes Her between two bitter rivals Madeline (Meryl Streep) and Helen (Goldie Hawn), who try to out maneuver one another for decades. Despite Madeline often getting the upper hand on Helen, Helen steps back into Madeline's life with dramatic changes, which turns out to be eternal youth.

Going to the same woman (Isabella Rossellini) for the same potion, the two find out the price for their immortality does to their bodies. In the middle of the rivalry is Ernest (Bruce Willis), who initially had a relationship with Helen before leaving her for Madeline.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Martin Donovan and David Koepp, the supernatural comedy hits many accurate notes through a wide range of emotions of a relationship. The marriages to Ernest for the purposes of the plot are a mere façade for the mounting hatred between the women. Taking the feelings of inadequacy and betrayal on one another in the most extreme way possible.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day

James Cameron created one of the best sequels in cinema history, because he's able to blend action and horror into one, which the subsequent sequels failed to do ever since.

While the film's objective is to protect the future, the theme is more an allegory to our self-destructive nature. The quote "There's no fate but what we make," originally in the first film, recurs meaning nothing is ever set in stone and our future is never set. It's a message that resonates to most, because of the belief we have control of our destiny regardless of our interpersonal relationships.

We live the film through the eyes of Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), who believes she must always prepare for the inevitable takeover of SkyNet and nothing can change that. Throughout the film, she takes greater initiative to fight for change.

Another characteristic with Cameron is how he made Sarah a much strong character (from the first film) without love being the primary motivating factor of her actions.

The hope for a better future is the message of strength we can all build from.

Lost in Translation (2003)

The 2003 Sofia Coppola masterpiece is subtle in its setting and characterization. The story focuses on two lost souls doing some soul searching. Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is in a mid-life crisis while in Tokyo to shoot a whiskey commercial. He meets Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), the wife of a photographer (Giovanni Ribisi), who doesn't know what to do with her life after graduating college.

As we grow older, there may be times where you may question your place in life. Some of you may wonder, "Is this it? Am I destined to do this or be with this person the rest of my life?" The thought of feeling powerless isn frightening.

With fate being a similar theme, Bob and Charlotte decided to not dwell about their lives and start socializing with each other. Despite their age difference, they learn how to enjoy each other's company for what it is, knowing they'll have to go back to the lives that await them. Like, Bob and Charlotte, sometimes the best you can do is make the best out what is there.

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What will you do this February 14? What film(s) help you escape? Sound off.

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