Blogoversary #3

Strange but true -- whether one sees this blog as a relative newbie (three years, is that all?!) or yet another Thing That Wouldn't Leave (he's still blogging?!), the time for celebration is nigh once again: Living RomCom turns 3 this week. 

Per tradition, what follows is a "Best of 2007-2008 Posts" summary, so that those of you who truly do have leisure time on your hands (and/or you writers desperate for another procrastination pursuit) can troll and cruise these recent archives to your rom-commer heart's content.  (You can of course also visit my first Blogoversary and the Second Blogoversary, to find all the precious goodies annotated therein.)

Movies & Reviews

Cutting to the chase, did we see any good romantic comedies since last June?  Well, "good" is a relative term, as this post on the five tenets of movie-viewing subjectivity explains.  But there were some high spots, as acknowledged in 2007's Asta Awards: the delightful musical romantic comedy Enchanted, the coming-of-age/teen rom-com hybrid Juno, and the too traditional for some but I-thought-it-was-fun Dan in Real Life.

The middling realm of rom-com-dom was occupied by the estrogen-driven 27 Dresses and Sex and the City, along with the testosterone-powered Forgetting Sarah Marshall.  Romantic Comedy Bummer of the past 12 months?  Clearly The Heartbreak Kid. Living RomCom interviewed the director of the noble genre tweaker Definitely, Maybe, and we observed the official emergence of the Bromantic Comedy (i.e. a rom-com about the love between two heterosexual men) as exemplified wonderfully in the French My Best Friend and the not-so-wonderful American I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.

As for films reviewed outside of the rom-com region, most memorable was Michael Clayton; the worst and best in recent memory? Indy 4 and the indie pic The Visitor.

The Romantic Comedy Genre

Trends and issues discussed included This Cliche Must Die (yet... it's alive!!!), the quest for Romantic Comedy Heroines, the oft-reported, yet-to-be-true Death of the Genre, and the Whither Chick Flicks? question (which may have been answered by Sarah and crew, see Sex, above).

Writing & Screenwriting

We explored a fundamental philosophy of crafting authentic characters, posed a challenge to cautious writers, explored cinematic storytelling via Oscar-nominated screenplays and went with the best film history tome of the decade thus far into Movie Book Heaven.

In Memoriam

The past twelve months saw the sad passing of Antonioni and Bergman, Minghella and Pollack; the latter director had received tribute in this piece on Tootsie, part of our now-ongoing series of Romantic Comedy Classic posts (see sidebar).

Culture & Current Events

Looming large in this blog's past year was the Writers' Strike, which was perhaps addressed best in these posts done at the outset and in the midst of it.

Personal Bests

Finally, two major experiences in the Mernit World may bear perusal. Tater and I went to Burning Man (and all you got was these three posts).  And my first novel was published... leading to the inevitable ruminations on the Realities of All That.

There you are and there you have it -- highlights of the third Living the Romantic Comedy year.  Coming up soon: a Rom-Com Classics look at AFI's #1 Romantic Comedy winner... and who knows what else?  Here's your chance to tell me what you'd like to see.  Living RomCom wants to know.

Comments

[binnie]

And to think I was reading you back when you were blogging THREE TIMES A WEEK!
*sigh*
Happy 3rd! Keep 'em comin'.

[E.C. Henry]

In review of year 3, I'd have to say you do a great job of mixing it up, Billy.

Guess what I'd personally like to read is what it's like working with people in the industry. I really like you telling us a little bit about your collaborating with Carly Simon (you're soo blessed!)

You're the best blog poster EVER!! Keep up the great work. Look forward to reading more of your insights and musing during year 4.

- E.C.Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

[Therese]

Happy Blogversary, Billy! ...And Many More!

[tammy stark]

Happy 3rd! I love the blog... am addicted to it. The writing, the insights, the musings really please the romcom junkie in me! As to what I would like to see more of: that's simple, more of the blog! Please post more... Miss it otherwise :)

[Judith Duncan]

Happy Blogoversary !!! :)
Thank you for 3 years of fun,perceptive,astute,intuitive, and discerning reading.I am currently working at a call centre and my spirit and soul are flatlining by the time I leave there each day.This is one of the places I come to for CPR.

3 Cheers,
Judith

[MaryAn]

AFI did the unthinkable when they didn't even ADD Tootsie to the Rom Com list on their ten top tens. Weird.

[mernitman]

Thanks, Binnie: I can't believe it myself...

Thank you, EC: I will endeavor to keep at it.

Therese you are sweet.

Tammy, I'm so sorry to let you down! I love being your drug of choice, but I must choose quality over quantity -- any more than a weekly and my reading & writing overloaded brain really will start leaking...

Thank you, Judith! CPR is kind of what romantic comedy's all about, come to think of it.

Hey MaryAn: I KNOW!!! (Explanation offered in the next post.)

[Tilly]

Congratulations, Billy, on your 3rd anniversary. I just looked you up because I read your novel and love, love, loved it!