Clueless is a masterpiece
Can you believe it’s been over 20 years since Clueless gave us Emma as privileged ’90s Beverly Hills teens? Cher loves plaid, had computer software to design her outfits and most unbelievable of all, had Paul Rudd as a stepbrother that she never noticed was a “total Baldwin”
1995 was a Banner year for adaptations
Am I worth my salt if I don’t mention the 1995 Pride and Prejudice? Or the lesser-known title, the one where Colin Firth goes for a swim. This is a mostly faithful adaptation and what I love about it honestly is that it dares to be so long. The watcher can absolutely luxuriate in Austen for hours. When the opening credits come on and that lettering swirls across that white silk, you know you’re going to be safe, and whatever disaster happened at work or at home can wait.
Bride and Prejudice
Did you know Bollywood queen Aishwarya Rai took a turn at Lizzy as well? It’s not all giddy show-stopping production numbers, silk swirls, lively song - though I wouldn’t be mad if it were. It’s a gorgeous movie with songs I still sing to this day. My two qualms with the movie--is anyone going to believe that Aishwarya Rai is the second prettiest of anyone? Second, they toned down elements of what makes Bollywood movies exciting, so sometimes it felt like Tikka Masala Hold the Masala.
Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility
Yes, I called it Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility. I said what I said. How do you make Elinor compelling without being boring? How on earth can you make Edward Ferrers an attractive lead? Spoiler (Hugh Grant) Alan Rickman’s rolling sonorous voice in the pining Colonel Brandon is legendary. But the best part…that ultimate release of emotion from Elinor at the end when she realized Edward asks for her hand. When I tell you it gets me every time. I will never say no to a rewatch of this gem.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
I know I’m stepping on toes here. But can you imagine being in the pitch room for this idea! Someone definitely started with their hands raised saying, “Ok... hear me out.“ The premise is so out-there it's going to be great or the worst thing ever. In this story, upper-crust English families send their children to Japan or China to learn the secrets of martial arts. And the fighting actually works, ya’ll. When they aren’t kicking Zombie butt as Darcy watches Lizzie slice-and-dice her way through a crowd of zombies, he looks on in admiration, saying her face was made “uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes.” It’s kick-ass and still is romantic.
Liza B—The Only DJ That Gives a Jam—wants to take her neighborhood back from the soulless property developer dropping unaffordable condos on every street corner in DC. But her planned protest at their corporate event takes a turn after she mistakes the smoldering hot CEO for the waitstaff. When they go toe-to-toe, the sparks fly—but her impossible-to-ignore family thwarts her every move. Liza wants Dorsey Fitzgerald out of her hood, but she’ll settle for getting him out of her head.
At first, Dorsey writes Liza Bennett off as an over-caffeinated fake weekend warrior. As the adopted Filipino son of a wealthy white family he’s always felt a bit out of place, and knows a fraud when he sees one. But when Liza’s protest results in a viral meme, their lives are turned upside down and Dorsey comes to realize this irresistible revolutionary is the most real woman he’s ever met.
Romance Multicultural [Berkley, On Sale: November 15, 2022, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593440940 / eISBN: 9780593440957]
By day, Nikki Payne is a curious tech anthropologist asking the right questions to deliver better digital services. By night, she dreams of ways to subvert canon literature. She's a member of Smut U, a premium feminist writing collective, and is a cat lady with no cats.
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