Do You Drag Your Mate to See Chick Flicks / Action Movies?
Filed under: Drama, Romance, Fandom, Newsstand, Summer Movies
Gentlemen, do you drag your dates / girlfriends / wives along to see testosterone-fueled action epics? Ladies, do you force your significant romantic partners to watch chick flicks with you at the theater? These thoughts are prompted by a list compiled by our cousins at Asylum: "Summer Chick Flicks No Man Should Be Forced to See." Their reasoning is that no woman should be forced to see a junky action movie (hello, Man with Adamantium Claws!), so why should a man be dragged along to "potentially dreadful rom-coms and weepy dramas"?
Among others, they cite Julie & Julia (with Meryl Streep), The Ugly Truth (with Katherine Heigl), The Proposal (with Sandra Bullock), and two titles starring the once-beloved Nia Vardalos. Oddly enough, these same titles popped up in a recent article by our own Monika Bartyzel. Monika was trying to look on the bright side, but acknowledged: "We might have a sadly plentiful dose of sadly typical romcoms."
I'm between relationships right now and have become accustomed to solo moviegoing. Thus, I never have an argument about what movie to see. But in the past, I can recall delicate -- and sometimes tense -- negotiations. (Which reminds me of that Star Trek / Borg tag line: "Resistance is futile.") Of course, when you compromise and see something you're not inclined to enjoy, you demonstrate your maturity and willingness to 'give and take' in an adult relationship. On the down side, you might be throwing your money away and spending a miserable two hours. So, back to the question: do you drag your mate to see what you want to see? Do you go your separate ways at the multiplex? Or are you completely simpatico about everything you watch?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-13-2009 @ 6:54PM
paul said...
We can sacrifice for the relationship or we can sacrifice the relationship. A tub of popcorn is better when it's shared, isn't it?
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5-13-2009 @ 7:52PM
Claire said...
Since I detest Chick Flicks this isn't a problem. I would totally drag my boyfriend to Star Trek, Terminator and whatever else Action/Sci-fi I want to see. They would probably be willing to go.
Also let me be one of many to point out the obvious issue that there are plenty of women who drag their mates to action films. I can't help but wonder why people ask this question every year when it's been duly noted that not only women watch "chick flicks" and not only men watch action films.
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5-13-2009 @ 8:53PM
Dave said...
I am fortune enough, in a film-watching sense, to be gay and have a husband who indulges in/often shares/frequently enjoys my taste in exceptionally-gory horror films, junky action flicks and grade-Z grindhouse nonsense. More than anything else, though, we agree on a strict no-chick/rom-com/musicals policy in our home, which works out nicely.
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5-18-2009 @ 6:05PM
Shadow said...
My girlfriend dragged me to see Star Wars Episode One, and I dragged her to EdTV. In my defense I had free tickets. And vowed to never again watch a Matthew McConaughey movie because she hates him so very much.
Does it count if your girlfriend is a tomboy, gets your He-Man references and is less excited about the G.I.Joe movie because Flint and Lady Jaye aren't in it?
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5-14-2009 @ 7:10AM
Jude said...
Fortunately for both of us, my fiancé and I have reached an unwritten, unspoken deal: he drags me to see action/sci-fi films (which I usually like anyway, but that's a secret...), and I drag him to see chick flicks or whatever strange films I want to see.
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5-14-2009 @ 7:59PM
laura said...
I've never dragged my husband to see a chick movie-since I almost never go to them. I "dragged" (quotes because he's not against it-just not as into it as I am) to see Wolverine, multiple showings of Iron Man, Transformers, The Dark Knight. . .pick an action movie and there's a really good chance I want to see it. I'm trying to get him to go to Star Trek now.
I get dragged to chick flicks by my girl friends. . .so I know what it's like to feel like you've wasted 10 bucks in the name of a relationship!!
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5-14-2009 @ 11:07AM
Natasha said...
First mistake: Assuming all "chicks" like "chick flicks. I detest 99% of them (I will watch anything with Emma Thompson in it, even if it happens to be a chick flick) and on no account have I ever in the past or would I ever in the future drag my husband to see one. Personally, I prefer action and sci-fi/fantasy. So, I'm often the one bugging him to see such movies. In addition, I'm not afraid to go to an afternoon matinée to a double header all by myself. I find it quite enjoyable - the whole screen to myself, and a few other souls. A big plus? No kids.
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5-14-2009 @ 4:30PM
Liz Newcomb said...
My husband thinks that pretty much *every* movie is a waste of his time and money, so we've agreed that I will go see films alone/with someone else unless he has a real desire to see something, which happens maybe once per year. On the other hand, he is perfectly willing to watch any piece of crap that comes on TV for free!
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