Episode 112: BF Movie Touchstones

Somewhat in the spirit of Extra Hot Great’s television Canon, your hosts each assembled a list of favorite movies and agreed to make a universal Bellwether Friends list out of intersecting titles. In this episode, we reveal our picks to one another. Click here for the joint list! *sounds of paper rustling*

Links
Alene’s List (revised)
10 Things I Hate About You
The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert
Amadeus
American Dreamer
Arsenic & Old Lace
Babe

Black Panther
Blockers
Booksmart
Cabin In The Woods
Charade
Clerks (Kevin Smith)
Coming To America
Cornetto Trilogy: Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World’s End
Crazy Rich Asians
The Cutting Edge
D.E.B.S.
Deadpool, Deadpool 2

Desk Set
Desperately Seeking Susan
District 9
Easy A
Fargo (The Coen Brothers)

The Fasts And The Furiouses (all)
The Favourite
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (John Hughes)
French Kiss
Get Out

Ghostbusters (2016)
Grosse Pointe Blank
Guardians Of The Galaxy
Hidden Figures
The Holiday
The House Bunny
How To Train Your Dragon (all)
Howl’s Moving Castle (Hayao Miyazaki)
Legally Blonde
Let The Right One In
Love Actually
Magic Mike, Magic Mike XXL
Moana

Moonlight
The Nine Lives of Christmas
Ocean’s 8
Out Of Sight
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
The Philadelphia Story
Pitch Perfect, Pitch Perfect 2, Pitch Perfect 3
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Reservoir Dogs (Quentin Tarantino)
Say Anything
The Silence Of The Lambs
Singles
Sleepless In Seattle
Sliding Doors

The Sound Of Music
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
Spy
Step Up (all)
Stranger Than Fiction
The Sure Thing
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil
The Usual Suspects
The Vanishing (1988)
When Harry Met Sally
Wings Of Desire
Wonder Woman
Zombieland, Zombieland 2: Double Tap

Anna’s List (revised)
Beauty and the Beast
Best In Show
*Black Panther
Blades of Glory
The Blues Brothers
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Bring It On
*Charade
Clue
Clueless
Cold Comfort Farm
*Crazy Rich Asians
*The Cutting Edge
*D.E.B.S.
The Dead Don’t Die
Desert Hearts
Fire
*Get Out
*Grosse Pointe Blank
Halloween
Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
It’s In The Water
Labyrinth
A League Of Their Own
*Legally Blonde
Logan’s Run
The Lord Of The Rings trilogy
Mean Girls
The Meg
Miss Congeniality
*Moana
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
*Moonlight
Much Ado About Nothing
Mulan
The Music Man
*Ocean’s 8
The Parent Trap (both)
Persuasion
Pirates Of The Caribbean
*Pitch Perfect series
Pride and Prejudice (BBC)
The Princess Bride
Robin Hood (Disney)
Robin Hood (1938)
Romancing The Stone
A Room With A View
Saving Face
Say Anything
Singin’ In The Rain
Sleepless In Seattle
So I Married An Axe Murderer
*The Sound Of Music
Spaceballs
*Spy
Star Wars (original trilogy)
Strictly Ballroom
*To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
Wayne’s World
When Harry Met Sally

Anna’s Honorable Mentions
*10 Things I Hate About You
Adventures In Babysitting
*The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert
The African Queen
Aladdin
American Pie
Annie
*Arsenic And Old Lace
Austin Powers
Back To The Future
Bend It Like Beckham
Better Off Dead
Captain Marvel
*Coming To America
The Craft
Crocodile Dundee
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
*Deadpool
Deliver Us From Eva
*Desk Set
*Fast and Furious franchise
*Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
*French Kiss
*Ghostbusters (2016)
Gia
The Gods Must Be Crazy
The Goonies
*Guardians of the Galaxy
Highlander
Jumanji (2017)
The Karate Kid
The Little Mermaid
Love & Basketball
Mad Max: Fury Road
*Magic Mike XXL
Meet Me In St. Louis
Moonraker
*The Nine Lives Of Christmas
*The Philadelphia Story
Short Circuit
Shrek
*The Silence Of The Lambs
Speed
*Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
Star Wars (new trilogy)
Tank Girl
Thor: Ragnarok
While You Were Sleeping
White Christmas
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Willow
*Wonder Woman

Other mentions:
The Thin Man
Sunset Boulevard
Wait Until Dark
Johnny Belinda
The Lady Eve
True Grit
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Blazing Saddles
The Harvey Girls
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Good Morning, Vietnam
Pearl Harbor
Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis
Top Gun

Musical Obsessions
Anna: Bad Blood by Taylor Swift
Alene: The Dead Don’t Die by Sturgill Simpson

Obsessions
Anna: To L and Back (podcast)
Alene: KissCon, Loretta Chase, Megan Frampton

Episode 104: Romantic Comedies Part II

In this episode, we discuss our favorite romantic comedies that were not on the list we covered in Episode 103. More happy endings for lesbian couples! The Sandra Bullock sidebar! Aunt Lynne’s picks!

Links

Charade
Romancing the Stone/The Jewel of the Nile
American Dreamer
Desperately Seeking Susan
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Zombieland

So I Married an Axe Murderer
Grosse Pointe Blank
Miss Congeniality
Two Weeks’ Notice
The Proposal

Ocean’s 8
Bend it Like Beckham
Bring it On
Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy: Shaun of the Dead/Hot Fuzz/The World’s End
Father Goose
Walk, Don’t Run

Funny Face
The Thin Man
Singin’ in the Rain
After Hours
Something Wild
Who’s That Girl?

Overboard
But I’m a Cheerleader
Jeffrey
D.E.B.S.
Imagine Me and You
It’s in the Water

Saving Face
Raising Helen/How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
The Wedding Planner/Maid in Manhattan
French Kiss
Only You
Mrs. Winterbourne
Sweet Home Alabama
The Cutting Edge

Serendipity
Deliver us from Eva
Can’t Hardly Wait
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
Set it Up

Isn’t it Romantic?
Intolerable Cruelty
Out of Sight
Love & Basketball
The Holiday

Earth Girls are Easy
Down With Love
A Lot Like Love
50 First Dates
Groundhog Day

Musical Obsessions
Anna: “Gotta Get Up” by Harry Nilsson
Alene: “Causing a Commotion” by Madonna (from Who’s That Girl?)

Obsessions
Anna: What Men Want
Alene: Pipsticks

Episode 99: Best of 2018

In this episode, we look back over a year of movies, television, music, experiences, and books. We did the same for 2017 in Episode 77, 2016 in Episode 53, and 2015 in Episode 27.

Links

Movies

Black Panther
Crazy Rich Asians
Ocean’s 8
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
The Spy Who Dumped Me
Love, Simon
Insidious: The Last Key

A Simple Favor
The Meg (Episode 94)
Skyscraper
Looking forward to: Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Autostraddle review), The Favourite, The Wife, Mary Queen of Scots, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Mary Poppins Returns

Television

Killing Eve
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

One Day at at Time (Season 2)
The Good Place (Episode 85)

FBI
Black Lightning
A Very English Scandal
Doctor Who

Jesus Christ Superstar Live
Nanette
Looking forward to: Pose, Insecure, Vida, Howards End, Killing Eve, The Good Place, One Day at at Time, Trinkets

Music
“Party for One” by Carly Rae Jepsen
“Thank U, Next” by Ariana Grande

“Pynk” by Janelle Monae
“The Hamilton Polka” by Weird Al Yankovic
Crazy Rich Asians motion picture soundtrack
Looking forward to: “Fake Love” by BTS, “Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monae, “Curious” by Hayley Kiyoko, “I Like It” by Cardi B, “Love It If We Made It” by The 1975, Golden Hour (album) by Kacey Musgraves, Mitski, Christine and the Queens, boygenius, Carly Rae Jepsen

Experiences

Hamilton (and other live performances)
Royal Weddings
Seattle
Walker’s Shortbread

Books
#libfaves18
Broken Ice by Matt Goldman
Are You Ready to Hatch an Unusual Chicken? by Kelly Jones
My Life as a Goddess by Guy Branum
Looking forward to: The Shallows by Matt Goldman
Thundercluck by Paul Tillery IV and Meg Wittwer

The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta
The Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao
Spellswept by Stephanie Burgis
The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis
The Neighbor by Gerri Hill
Intercepted by Alexa Martin
Pride by Ibi Zoboi
Rosewater by Tade Thompson
Zero Sum Game by S. L. Huang
The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
Treason of Hawks by Lila Bowen


Looking forward to: The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory, The Bride Test by Helen Hoang, Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole, The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi, Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee, Jade War by Fonda Lee, The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker, A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian, The Kingdom of Copper by S. A. Chakraborty, The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey, Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell
Book Riot: 51 New Romance Novels Scheduled for 2019

Musical Obsessions
Anna: Spotify 2018 playlist, “Whistle” by Flo Rida
Alene: “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John

Obsessions
Anna: Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch, read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Alene: Inclusivity

Episode 95: Movie Advisory Fall 2018

In this episode, we talk about the 25 first-run movies we’ve seen since our last movie advisory session, Episode 86. Our extensive movie viewing has been brought to you by MoviePass (RIP) and Ladies in Suits.

Links

motorcycle slides under giant flying hello kitty pez

Ant-Man and the Wasp
Avengers: Infinity War
Book Club ANDY GARCIA: HEARTTHROB (v. 1)
Vanity Fair: Andy Garcia is Book Club‘s Handsome Secret Weapon

gabrielle union grimaces, wields knife

Breaking In
Crazy Rich Asians
Deadpool 2

rachel pushes off rachel’s wig as they kiss

Disobedience
The Equalizer 2
The Happytime Murders

cate delivers excellent sideeye, with fancy teacup

The House With a Clock in its Walls
Hotel Artemis
The Incredibles 2
Life of the Party
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again ANDY GARCIA: HEARTTHROB (v. 2)
The Meg (Episode 94)
The Miseducation of Cameron Post

cate strides purposefully, in glitter

Ocean’s 8
Sierra Burgess is a Loser

blake strides purposefully, in tuxedo

A Simple Favor
Skyscraper
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Sorry to Bother You
Tag

kate and mila stride purposefully, in sequins

The Spy Who Dumped Me
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

Looking forward to

Anna:
Aquaman

keira enters, in three piece suit

Colette
Halloween
The Hate U Give
If Beale Street Could Talk
Mary Poppins Returns
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Widows
Robin Hood

Alene:

claire looks tough, in leather

The Girl in the Spider’s Web
Suspiria
Creed II
The Favourite
Mary Queen of Scots
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Venom (tweet)

Obsession
Anna and Alene: Hamilton

Musical Obsessions
Anna: One Last Time
Alene: The Reynolds Pamphlet

Episode 92: We Need Inclusive Romance!

In this episode, jumping off our presentation at the Massachusetts Library Association conference in May, we discuss inclusive romance novels we’ve read and are looking forward to reading. The official genre of Bellwether Friends is Historical Romance. This episode is brought to you by Fake Dating with a side of Getting It Out Of Our System.

Links
LA Review of Books: Romance, Compassion, and Inclusivity (Or: How Romance Will Save the World)
Why We Need Asexual Romances
Reading romance as an asexual & aromantic person

Courtney Milan Cyclone series
Sherry Thomas
Jeannie Lin
Alyssa Cole An Extraordinary Union, A Princess in Theory, A Duke by Default
Jasmine Guillory The Wedding Date, The Proposal

Helen Hoang The Kiss Quotient, The Bride Test
Jackie Lau Grumpy Fake Boyfriend (May 2018), Mr. Hotshot CEO
Alisha Rai Forbidden Hearts series
Camille Perri When Katie Met Cassidy (June 2018)

[LESBIAN ROMANCE SIDEBAR]
Bold Strokes Books, Bella Books

BookRiot: Native American Romance Novels by Native Authors
V. S. Nelson
Evangeline Parsons Yazzie
Laura Brown Signs of Attraction
Margaret Locke The Demon Duke
Amanda Quick Deception
Julia Quinn To Sir Phillip, With Love
Karin Kallmaker
Claire O’Dell A Study in Honor

Jamie Wesley Slamdunked by Love
Cathy Yardley Level Up, One True Pairing
Sonali Dev A Bollywood Affair, The Bollywood Bride, A Change of Heart
Alexis Hall How to Bang a Billionaire, How to Blow it With a Billionaire, Glitterland, Looking for Group
Mia Sosa Acting on Impulse
Ruby Lang Acute Reactions
The Ripped Bodice: The State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report
Jeevani Charika A Royal Wedding
Alexis Daria Take the Lead
Pema Donyo Revolutionary Hearts
Talia Hibbert A Girl Like Her
Priscilla Oliveras His Perfect Partner
Cat Sebastian
KJ Charles

E. E. Ottoman
J. K. Pendragon
Damon Suede
Yolanda Wallace Tailor Made
Rebekah Weatherspoon So Sweet

K. M. Jackson Insert Groom Here
Beverly Jenkins (we totally forgot to talk about her but she should be on this list)

WOC in Romance
Read Harder: Romance Novels By or About a Person of Color
Romance Novels in Color
A List of the Best Contemporary Romance Books Featuring Women of Color
Diverse Romance
The New York Times: In Love With Romance Novels, But Not Their Lack of Diversity
The New York Times: The Changing Face of Romance Novels

Obsessions
Alene and Anna: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before; Crazy Rich Asians

Musical Obsessions
Alene: “Money (That’s What I Want)” by Cheryl K feat. Awkwafina from the Crazy Rich Asians soundtrack
“Material Girl (200 du)” by Sally Yeh from the Crazy Rich Asians soundtrack
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Kina Grannis from the Crazy Rich Asians soundtrack
(Bustle article)
Anna: “Yellow” by Katherine Ho from the Crazy Rich Asians soundtrack (LA Times story)