an ode to our movie moments
why every first kiss belongs on a roof
My friends. ♥️
I am really just full of a lot of emotion this week, but mostly today (which is Thursday). Surprisingly (but also not surprisingly), I am in bed drinking a sparkling grapefruit water. I think there’s a Mercury-Neptune conjunction? Did I make that up? Idk, but there is something in the air today that’s making me want to go down the rabbit hole of nostalgia and watch old movie scenes.
One of my all-time favourite movies is How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days (and let us lol at my taste in movies). First of all, it’s the yellow silk dress + diamonds aesthetic for me, old school Matthew McConaughey (also for me), and last but not least - the iconic bathroom scene.
And if you need a refresher on why I believe that this scene deserves 1001 Oscars, and will forever live in my mind - here you go:
It just gets me? I don’t know? Is there something romantic about two people pretending to be in a relationship for a bet, and then realizing they actually have feelings for each other? I mean, yes. It’s toxic and entertaining and fun and chaotic, and I am sold. I also cry every time I watch this, so.
Anyways, speaking of iconic scenes - do you remember your first movie moment? They’re usually the moments that happen within the first few dates with someone new. It’s some romantic line, a first kiss, or any other moment that completely catches you off guard.
And it’s all still so new to you that you have nothing to lose, so you don’t have time to use your usual defence mechanisms - hiding behind sarcasm, flippancy, other toxic traits, etc. You’re fully there, and maybe, mostly, sometimes, a little drunk.
Two moments stand out in my mind, and coincidentally, they both happened to be on rooftops. And I will tell you these moments, because I think they deserve to be shared.
So, last August, the universe blessed me with a really hot neighbour in Rome. And one night, he messaged me to meet him on the roof. And as I’m typing this, I’m like - wow people are going to think I’m making this up for content - but I guess that’s also the point of movie moments. Anyways, after hyperventilating to all of my friends via emergency FaceTimes - and everyone telling me to calm down and to just turn on my location - I threw on my favourite little white Zara dress (in case I decided to get married), and met him on the roof of our building.
It was 40 degrees outside, we were literally using Google Translate to communicate, but all you could see was Rome, in all of her glory, completely lit up. I, Emily Mais, was having my very own Lizzie McGuire movie moment.
And there is another one of my favourite movie moments, that always holds a place in my heart. I was seeing this guy, and we were back at his place, standing outside on his terrace in the middle of December. I remember I was wearing my red SuperPuff, and his ginormous running shoes because I didn’t want to put my boots on.
And you know when you get That Look from someone? And it’s almost like time completely stops (as cliché as it sounds), and you can’t figure out if they’re going to either throw you off the balcony, or kiss you.
So, to prepare myself, and to play into the movie moment more, I asked him why he was looking at me like that. And he responded with “Because I’m about to do something I should have done a long time ago.” Tbh, a great line.
So, yes. One was on a rooftop in Rome, and one was with me wearing men’s Nike’s in the dead of winter in Toronto. But they still really take you somewhere.
In those 3-5 minutes, you’re not in your head. You’re somewhere above it, thanking god that you bought that dress, and thanking god that he didn’t throw you off his balcony. And maybe in that moment, someone’s cracked you open the tiniest bit. It’s the beginning of A Something. And sometimes, it’s good to be reminded that there is some force out there that is bigger than the both of you, and there is also probably a reason for anyone who takes you to a rooftop.
There is a quote by Nikki Giovanni that I love: “And I think it’s good to fall in love. And, you know, recognize that it’s not going to last, but at least fall in love.”
Well, I love you. And here’s to many, many more movie moments.
Emily