Mar 25, 2013

The Best Movie Lines by Amy Andrews



Hello to everyone. I’m very excited to be doing my first ever solo blog here in my new LoveCat digs. Forgive my tardiness - this blog took a lot longer to write than I thought it would. Which is as good as time as any to warn you I tend to ramble on subjects I love so, apologies in advance.  
Anyone who knows me knows I have a thing for movies – romances in particular. No surprises there I guess J No matter how trashy or fluffy – I love ‘em. In fact if some snooty critic somewhere has given a romance a 1 star review then I’m probably going to love it the mostest. I own all my favs on DVD and would probably have watched each at least 20 times.
There's always a point in each movie where I wait for the line. You know they all have the line. Like when Dirty Harry says, “Make my day”. I think maybe as a writer I recognise these gems more than others because good writing, even in a movie format, jumps right out at you.
Here are some of my favs –
Notting Hill where Julia Roberts says, “After all... I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” Happy sigh.
The Princess Bride when Westley says, “As you wish,” or Inigo Montoya says, “My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.”
Bridget Jones’s Diary where Rene Zellweger says, “Hang on a moment, nice boys don’t kiss like that,” and then , then, Colin Firth in his utterly swoon-worthy British accent says, “Oh yes they f*@king do.” Kills me every time! I saw that movie 5 times in the cinema just for that line!
My Big Fat Greek Wedding when Toula says, “Are you kidding? Any second now he's gonna look at me and go, "Ha. Yeah, right, you're so not worth this."  And then her brother say “Yes, you are. “ Okay, that one’s a brother sister moment but it’s still so sweet I tear up every time.
When Harry Met Sally where Harry says, “ I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” How can a girl say no to that?
Raising Helen where John Corbett says,  ‘I got news for you little lady, I’m sexy... yeh... I’m a sexy man of God and I know it.” Awww.  If she hadn’t have pashed him right then and there after that I most definitely would have!
Dirty Dancing. Probably one of the most recognisable lines in movie history when Patrick Swayze says, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”  
And I could go on forever!
But my point is – one of my favourite movie lines ever doesn’t come from a romance, it comes from an action movie. It comes from Die Hard - #4 to be exact.
I’m generally not an action movie kind of girl. Sure, I watch ‘em, I really enjoy ‘em but I don’t go to a cinema and see them five times, if you know what I mean. Except for the Die Hard franchise each of which I have seen multiple times. Every one of the four movies have been gold – and we all know how badly sequels can bomb! In fact I think #4 is probably the best – not bad for a 3rd “sequel” that came out 12 years after the previous one. I am so looking forward to number five – A Good Day to Die Hard - coming out this week (it’s going to be my reward for getting the damn book away). And it better be as good cos it has a lot to live up to! And if not, well hey, the more hair Bruce Willis loses the sexier he gets so if nothing else there’ll be good eye candy.
So. What is the line I hear you ask after I’ve rambled for several hundred words to get to the point? Because the Die Hard franchise is known for quite a few lines – none of which are printable here. But it’s not any of those lines. This is the line.
“That’s what makes you that guy.”
Matt Farrell says it to John Maclean after he asks him why he’s risking his own life to save the world and John says, “Because there's no body else to do it right now, that's why. Believe me, if there were somebody else to do it, I'd let them do it, but there's not. So we're doing it.”
And then Matt says, “That’s what makes you that guy.”
And you know, the line at that point in the movie, whilst searingly insightful, isn’t what makes it great. What makes it truly great is when John says its back to skinny, nerdy, fraidy-cat Matt after Matt’s saves John’s daughter’s life. And that’s when it becomes THE line. That’s when I get tears in my eyes and goosebumps everywhere. That’s when it becomes memorable.  
That’s why I watch #4 over and over again and hold my breath just before John says it – “that’s what makes you that guy.” Aww. Cue lump in throat.
Every writer should be so lucky to write such an amazing line.
So, after my incredibly rambly post, its over to you guys – got any favourite movie lines?

Oh and while you're thinking about it - here's the trailer full of Bruce Willis magic.


32 comments:

  1. Oh, my, Amy, I had one of those "movie moments" yesterday when I was watching Sweet Home Alabama.

    You know the line. When 10 year old Jake is hassling 10 year old Melanie to marry him and she says, "What d'you wanna marry me for anyway?" and he replies with, "So I can kiss you anytime I want." And then the way that gets reversed at the end of the movie...Ooh, it gave me goosebumps.

    Thanks for the fab post!

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  2. Love, love all those lines, Amy!

    One of my faves is at the end of North and South when Thornton says, "You're coming home with me?" His expression is filled with wonder and humility and awe. Might have to re-watch it again soon...

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  3. Great post Amy. Okay, I'm going spoil it as my favourite part in any movie is a look. It's out of the movie The Holiday. The look comes when Graham (Jude Law) hopes Amanda (Cameron Diaz) shows up at the pub but it looks like she gone home to America instead. Then suddenly he see her and she smiles. I get goosebumps just thinking about it!

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  4. Michelle, I haven't seen Sweet Home Alabama, shame on me!
    Rachel, North and South...yes, I need watch it again too :)
    Amy, that line from Bridget Jones's Diary is THE best!!!
    I love the line from Last of the Mohicans when Hawkeye tells Cora, "I will find you." She is in such a bad, bad situation - still I want to be her so I can rescued by him.
    Amy, have you seen the new Reese Witherspoon com-rom "The Means War"? I have a feeling you'd like it!

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  5. Oh Michelle - I love Sweet Home Alabama! Its another movie I have seen an embarassing amount of times :-)

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  6. Lol Rach - this is where I admit to romance author fail #1. Never seen North and South...but anything with Richard Armitage in it has to be on my list so....I will get to it!

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  7. Oh no Jen - that's not a spoil at all! I totally get how one hot look can curl your toes!

    Love Actually is full of them. The storyline where the guy is in love with his best friends girl. Man the degree of longing every time he looks at her is intense! And the one with Carl the architect and the chick with the mentally unstable brother, when they're at her apartment and he looks at her like he wants to eat her right up - bazinga!

    Dont they say a picture is worth a thousand words?

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  8. Okay Robbie, you get thee to a DVD shop and hire Sweet Home Alabama and I'll get North and South then we can both redeem ourselves :-)

    Its been a long time since I've seen The Last of the Mohicans but I remember it fairly sizzled!

    Thanks for the tip re This Means War - something else to get from the hire place!

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  9. Great post, Amy. Those were all great lines, though I admit I don't remember them all all of the time. Bridget Jones is my favourite.

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  10. Hi Sue. I just love that moment. The snow is swirling prettily around them and she's in her knickers and a coat and he's soooo sure about that line, he says it with such conviction! Makes my toes curl every time!

    I didn't get the Colin Firth thing until that movie but now? Lordy lordy!

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  11. Amy, you're a girl after my own heart! I love watching and re-watching my fave movies! It's like comfort food for my mind!

    I adore Love Actually and Notting Hill!

    I must get Sweet Home Alabama! Looks like This Means War needs to be added to the list too!

    Of course I'm feeling completely tongued tied for new romance quotes but I do have a classic ...

    An Emma Thompson line in Junior about being a woman (and funnily enough it's not a movie that I'm overly fond of but this line is brilliant)... "It's a lifetime of leaking, and swelling, and spotting, and smears - crippling cramps, raging hormones, yeasts - - and that's if everything's normal!"



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  12. Amy, what fun! I love movies and movie lines too. Coincidentally I only just saw the Die Hard film with THAT line last week. So at least I know what you're talking about.

    Love the 'Last of the Mohicans' quote and the kiss line from Bridget Jones. Lines from movies get quoted a lot here and the one that always makes me smile is from a Schwarzenegger film (not sure of the title) where he tells his wife 'You shouldn't drink and bake'. I rather like Rhett Butler's 'Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn'. I was fed up with Scarlett by then and so agreed with him.

    Amy, go out immediately and snaffle a copy of 'North and South' - it's essential viewing!

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  13. Would you believe I watched DIE HARD #4 on DVD just the other day with my son? That is a great line.

    I'm taking notes, so that I can watch & re-watch movies.

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  14. Dirty Dancing - yep, that was my first thought, and I love most of the lines people have mentioned but especially that scene in Last of the Mohicans when he takes her to the parapet and kisses her like there's no tomorrow. A real fave though is When Harry Met Sally and "I'll have what she's having" after her brilliant demo! It's brilliant.

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  15. LOL Sharon - I think the lovely Emma summed that up rather nicely, didn't she? :-)

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  16. Oh yes, Annie! Rhett sure had a way with words, didn't he? :-)
    Yes, north and South, North and South - promise!

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  17. Snap, Mary1 I bet you didn't know when you were wtaching it that it was going to be compulsory viewing for this blog :-)

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  18. Hi Amy - great post. My favourite line of all time..... "I came through time for you, Sarah...I love you...I always have." Sigh. Kyle Reece and Sarah Connor from Terminator will always get my vote. But I love some of the movie's quoted.

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  19. Oh Susanne, there are so many lines I could have quoted from WHMS - Nora Ehpron was a genius. Was so sad to hear of hr death last year.

    A line that's always resonated with me from WHMS is when Sally is crying on Harry's shoulder and in her gown and its ust before they do the deed and she'd upset because her ex's is getting married and she says something like - "its not that he didn't want to get married, he just didn't want to marry me, What's wrong with me." Or words similar anyway. I really felt for her in that scene.

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  20. "So shines a good deed in a weary world."
    Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It has my by the throat everytime. I know it is actually Shakespeare, but such a brilliant line.

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  21. Does TV count? Cause I watched that Torchwood kiss between Gwen and Owen about fifty times (may have even made you watch it, AA). Remember the one? He pushes her up against a tree, and says something like "you and me, we're not cozy at all. We'd be amazing, and that scares the shit out of you". Bad boy. Bad, bad boy, But delicious kiss. But I guess more raunchy than romantic. Great post, sis. x

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  22. Some of the best movie lines are stolen from the greats, Sasha! Why re-invent the wheel?
    :-)

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  23. Does TV count?? Are you my sister or what? Course it counts :-)
    How about the WW Josh and Donna kiss?
    What about Riggins and Lila in Friday Night Lights?
    What about the Will and Diane kiss in the lift in Good Wife?
    Sigh...TV always counts :-)

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  24. Oh hey Helen, sorry I missed you but so pleased I checked back - yes yes yes and yes! Great example!

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  25. Awww, you've got most of my favourite ones here...I also love Renee Zellwegger 'You had me at hello' in Jerry Maguire.

    And the one that gets the lump to my throat every time, in Casablanca as Humphrey Bogart watches the love of his life walk away forever, and he knows that letting her go is the best thing for her and knows he can't (won't) show any emotion that might change her mind: 'Here's looking at you, kid.'

    TV- Grey's Anatomy, Izzie and Denny. Oh. My. God. I cried and cried and cried.

    Izzie:I 'll never be able to forgive you!"
    Denny: "For dying?"
    Izzie: "No! For making me love you..."

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  26. Oh yes Louisa - that's a great line from Renee!
    Bogie check!
    Izzie and Denny. Sob!

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  27. For me it's the Gilmore Girls - Luke and Lorelai are on their date and he tells the story about the annoying woman who begged for coffee and gave him a piece of paper to keep for luck. Which he did for 8 years. He gives it back to her and says:

    "This thing we’re doing here. Me, you. I just want you to know, I’m all in. I am all in."



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  28. Great movie lines, Amy My two favorites are from Last of the Mohicans when Daniel Day-Lewis says:
    No, you submit, do you hear? You be strong, you survive... You stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you. No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you.

    And from The Big Easy:
    Anne Osborne: That's OK. I never did have much luck with sex anyway.
    Remy McSwain: Your luck's about to change, cher.

    Dennis Quaid is so sexy in that scene

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  29. OMG, I'm sitting here (should be writing but reading posts instead!) and nodding and going yeah, yup, oh yeah that one, etc--especially yours Tammy. That scene in the Big Easy--fans self--OH MY!

    Right now my brains a frazzled blank but can I just say you guys make me want to watch all these movies all over again? Oh, and confession time, I not only haven't watched North and South, I have also not ever seen When Harry Met Sally. ::gasp!!:: Can I still be a Love Cat?

    And please, don't mention Izzy and Denny or play that freaking song by Snow Patrol...tissue alert! Every. Darn. Time. In fact I refused to watch Grey's Anatomy ever again after that. Scarred me for life.

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  30. Oh Cathy, I adored Gilmore Girls and Luke... swoons...

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  31. You know, Tammy, I dont know if I've seen The Big Easy..... will put it on my to-hire list!

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  32. Yvonne!!!! No When Harry Met Sally?
    tisk tisk.
    Right then, clearly we need a movie night here at the LoveCats - whose in? :-)

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