With my Top Ten this week I was fighting with myself as to what theme I should go with. I took a look at the films coming out this week and even though I expect The Back Up Plan to be rated as one of the worst romantic comedies ever made I couldn’t help myself to think that this was my opportunity to point you all in the right direction. Here are 10 better films about pregnancy:
10. Precious (2009) (dir. Lee Daniels)
This movie isn’t my favourite but it beats out Traffic only because it’s overall more relevant to the theme. It’s about Precious, a girl who’s being abused by her horrible mother and uneducated as she tries to find a way out of her situation. Did I also mention that she’s pregnant for the second time with her father’s child? Yup, this movie is rough, but a good movie.
9. Fools Rush In (1997) (dir. Andy Tennant)
It’s a movie starring Salma Hayek, how can I not love it? After a one night stand, Alex gets Isabel pregnant, so they decide to get married. We are taken through the next nine months of their lives as the try to get along and find love in this mess of a situation. This is a movie that I watched every morning when I was in high school just because it came on TV a lot and it grew on me more and more each time. I’m not sure what I would think if I were to revisit it today but it’s definitely is worth a mention for nostalgia’s sake.
8. Father of the Bride Part II (1995) (dir. Charles Shyer)
What do you think happens to a man when he finds out that his daughter and wife are planning to have a child each at the same time? With great comedic performances from Steve Martin and Martin Short, I can’t help but smile as I remember memories of watching this film with my parents and watching them laugh a lot more than I did.
7. Junior (1994) (dir. Ivan Reitman)
Why is it only women can get pregnant? Well the acting giant that is Arnold Schwarzenegger is out to prove this wrong. Of all the roles for me to remember the senator for this might be in my top five as favourite. Alongside Danny DeVito and Emma Thompson we get one of the most outlandish pregnancy tales you’ll ever see in film.
6. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) (dir. Roman Polanski)
It’s a horror classic. Rosemary has always wanted to have a baby and now is the time. However, after a rocky evening of foggy memories she begins to get odd ideas of witchcraft and crazy neighbours. Is she or isn’t she impregnated with something dark and evil? We have to wait nine months to find out and find out what evil plot is going on and who is really involved. For me this movie remained minimally interesting until the final scene with a strong ending it became a new found genre favourite for me.
5. She’s Having a Baby (1988) (dir. John Hughes)
Following the relationship of Jeff and Kristen from marriage to the birth of their first child you can’t help but fall in love with this seemingly very personal film from the great John Hughes. Watching it for the first time only months ago it reminded me a lot of my favourite movie from last year, (500) Days of Summer, being told from the guy’s perspective and the male lead being a creative individual who gave us a lot of his imaginative perspective on what was going on. Every so often what seemed like a normal thing would become dream like because that’s how Jeff remembers it. It might be the least talked about Hughes film and at the same time his best.
4. Children of Men (2006) (dir. Alfonso Cuaron)
What if all the women had become infertile? What if no children had been born for near 18 years? What if you happened upon the first woman to become pregnant in 18 years? This is the story of Theo (Clive Owen) trying to get her across of England safely and to The Human Project. It’s one of the most fantastic films from 2006 and probably the last decade. If you like post-apocalyptic science-fiction then you have to see this movie.
3. Away We Go (2009) (dir. Sam Mendes)
This is one of my favourite movies from last year that noone really saw. Burt and Verona are travelling around America, and Canada, to find a new home for them and their soon to be born child after realizing that their current home is no long their home. The great performances and chemistry from Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski make this movie special and more real than any indie comedy you’ve seen in the last five years. It’s as if those hipsters grew up and became real people when you watch this one.
2. Juno (2007) (dir. Jason Reitman)
Now let’s just recognize how meta this is. In #7 of this list is Junior directed by Ivan Reitman, i.e. father to the director of this indie comedy. Moving on.
It’s one of the most loved/hated films on the internet. I love it for the same reason everyone hates it. I love Juno (Ellen Page) and how overly witty and quirky she is. Her ability to handle her situation is just so hilariously enjoyable I can’t hold back the laughter at times. Along with supporting performances from J. K. Simmons, Olivia Thrilby and Jason Bateman the cast alone makes this one of those special movies that won’t be forgotten just yet.
1. Knocked Up (2007) (dir. Judd Apatow)
Here’s the only movie that has taught me that when eventually my wife is having my children I will not be going into the delivery room. What if you went out on the town to celebrate a promotion and ending up getting drunk and having sex with an overweight, unemployed Seth Rogen? That’s what happens to Alison and she decides to try and make this work by attempting to make a relationship out of it. With Judd Apatow writing and directing the film I’m sure you can imagine how many hilarious ups and downs occur in this film already.
What is your favorite film on the list? What would you add?