Romantic Movie Pick of the Week: Ever After

This version of Cinderella offers a gritty and less fantastical (substitute glass slipper for embellished shoe and fairy godmother for mentor Leonardo Da Vinci) twist on the original, chronicling the trials of a mistreated woman who manages to charm Prince Charming himself.

While impersonating a noble under her deceased mother's name in an attempt to save a friend's life, the servant Danielle (made so by none other than her cruel stepmother) encounters Prince Henry, who is immediately awestruck by her unabashed resolve. Captivated by the stranger, the Prince inquires about the mysterious Comtesse Nicole De Lancret, knowing nothing of Danielle's true identity.

Amidst the pressures of a looming arranged marriage designed by his family, the Prince fervently pursues Danielle, who shies away for fear that he could never love a peasant. When fantasy and reality collide, their love story is tested, and yes, the Prince is left with nothing but a shoe to chase at one point.

Don’t worry, much like the original, this movie ends happily ever after. And for those who hate females who need to be rescued, this Cinderella is no damsel in distress.

The Lady and the Tramp

Two conflicting personas, one confusing ordeal.

We have all met her, hell, we have probably all been her (to varying degrees) at some point. The girl at the bar who makes it known that she is looking for nothing more than a one night stand. We envy how men flock to her, preferring transient, guaranteed, noncommittal satisfaction over anything of substance. We brush this girl off as a tramp and convince ourselves that no guy would ever consider anything serious with "a girl like that", but as ladies, are we just trying to compensate for our own loss? Can what was supposed to be "just sex" really be the foundation for a lasting relationship? Should women who seek something more jump on board or are casual flings just sinking ships?

Yes, good sex is a key component in any relationship, but I'd like to believe that laying the stepping stones for something real doesn't begin with a lay, in general. I'd like to believe that. With each girls night out, more and more it seems that men are getting tired of working for a girl's attention, or maybe they just want something physical, period. Are we playing too coy and dooming ourselves to be the ones left standing at last call, or are there really too few men out there that believe the juice is worth the squeeze?

I always thought that men simply slept with the one night stands, devoid of any emotional connection, and dated the girls who weren't as easy. The lines between the two are blurring nowadays. Many relationships emerge from a drunken hook up, or from a series of meaningless but consistent flings that force a pair to find comfort and companionship after extended time together. If the physical part has already been nailed down, what creates the barrier that prevents "just sex" from becoming something more?

The answers are contingent upon our own personalities, desires and experiences, and those of the potential suitors that we interact with. If what we want is the chase, then we have to wait for someone who is willing to do just that. If we don't feel the need to drag out the inevitable, then we must accept that it could end after one night, a number of nights, or simply never develop into anything more.

We can play either the lady or the tramp, but we must remember that while there are plenty of fish in the sea, the type that we reel in are the ones that are hungry for whatever it is that we put out there. Sex or otherwise.

My question:

Would you consider a one night stand for a serious relationship, or are you looking for someone who makes you work for it?