Background movies
Plus, I still think Ben Affleck is fine af.
Being a parent who stays home full-time can often feel pretty isolating. It’s weird to not hear another adult voice for 8+ hours a day. I used to put on music but honestly — you can only hear so much singing a day, especially when it’s mixed in with Baby Shark and Daniel Tiger.
So, when I had opportunities, I would put movies on in the background. They were always movies I’d seen before, and were a strange, entertaining comfort as I cleaned, cooked, did laundry, or — hallelujah — just relaxed while the baby/toddler napped. Or sometimes as he just happily played on his own for a bit.
Anyway, I found I favored just a handful of movies to be my ‘background movies’ because they have smart writing, laugh-out-loud and/or head-nodding lines. They are:
Gone Girl. Strange choice, you might think. But, this movie has it all — comedy, drama, romance, truth-telling moments and thrill/horror. Yes, I shielded my kid’s eyes if I needed to. But, it’s also one of those movies you learn something new each time you watch it. I also read the book and I have to say, it’s one of very few films I can say is just as good, if not better than the book.
Failure to Launch. I’m a Sarah Jessica Parker fan. I’m also a Matthew McConaughey fan. This movie is hysterical, and I love Zoey Deschanel in it, too. BONUSES: Bradley Cooper, Kathy Bates, Coach (Craig T. Nelson)…and I want all of SJP’s outfits in this movie.
Endless Love (the 2014 version). Ahh, a glorious remake of a story about young love with two impossibly gorgeous people. What’s not to love?
The Choice. A Nicholas Sparks story to make you weep and feel like your heart is going to burst. Humor, quick wit and of course — a boat, birds, North Carolina and a rainstorm — because it’s not a Nicholas Sparks story without those things.
A Simple Favor. For those days when you feel like Gone Girl but also need a little more lightheartedness. I also read this book and enjoyed the movie more. Because, Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick. But, it’s also a diabolical story involving two very different mom friends — a femme fatale and a human cupcake.
I feel like I’m missing one or two, but these are definitely my most-rewatched. What are yours? I mean, I’m always looking to add a BM to my life. Background Movie, that is.