My favorite.

As a single girl, I'm not very fond of Valentine's Day. Still, I never waste an opportunity to watch my favorite chick flicks and eat a massive amount of chocolate (yes, even more than usual).

Tomorrow, I have classes all day. My Valentine's Day will be spent listening to lectures, playing with kids during internship, and practicing CPR. Since I won't be able to squeeze in any movies during all of that fun, I've been trying to get in some chick flicks over the past few days. I watched the first two Anne of Green Gables movies. And yesterday, I watched 2005 Pride and Prejudice.

If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, you've probably noticed that I talk about this movie a lot. But it's been a while since I gushed (in length) about it, so in celebration of Valentine's Day, here we go.

Here's how I discovered this story (and Jane Austen). Back in 2005, I heard about this movie. I thought it sounded interesting, but since I knew it was based on a book, I decided to read the book first. I checked out a Penguin copy of the book from the library, one that had really nice notes that explained all of this unusual speech to me, a Regency newbie. In March of 2006, I finally got to see the movie. I remember this date because I was so completely smitten with the movie that I actually wrote about it in my journal. :)

And the 2005 version of "Pride and Prejudice" has been my favorite movie ever since. Seriously, my favorite. And that's saying a lot, because you guys know how much I love movies.

I've watched it so many times that it's sort of ingrained in me. I realized, while watching it last night, that I know a lot of the lines by heart. There are certain lines that I can hear in my head, and picture the character saying, because of the distinctive way they're said (like Mr. Darcy, during the rejected proposal, saying, "Mr. Wickham!" very quickly when Lizzy brings him up, or Lady Catherine's voice when she says, "I have never been thus treated in my entire life!").

Poor Mary, always wearing dark dresses and looking a little like a bat while her sisters wear pastels. :)

And yet, almost every time I watch, I notice something that I've noticed before. I think that's the sign of an incredibly made movie. :)

I know there's a lot of fuss over which you prefer- this one or the BBC (aka, Colin Firth) one. For me, there's no question. The BBC version may follow along more closely to the book, and you guys know how obsessive I am over such things. :) But compared to this one, it seems a little bland. The 2005 P&P is gorgeous in every way: the scenery, music (one of the best soundtracks ever!), cinematography, the colors, costumes, everything. Plus, to me, it's very clever and humorous, more true to Jane Austen's novel in spirit.

And then there's the ending. Go ahead and swoon, girls. If there was ever a time, it's at the end of this movie (by the way, I consider "the end" to be from the misty encounter in the field until the credits roll). Seriously...my wallet is a tribute to that scene. That's how much I love it. :)

So...tell me the truth. Which version of Pride and Prejudice is your favorite?

P.S. Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow! Here's one of my favorite love songs:

Until next time,