The Long Weekend: ‘P.S. I Love You,’ ‘We Can Make It Baby’ and ‘Dave’ 

The Movie: “P.S. I Love You” 

What do people love about early to mid-2000s movies the most? Is it the wardrobe, the storyline, the actors or simply everything? Maybe it is because every second of the film is filled with unconditional love. Living in the past through romantic films is a guilty pleasure. While coming off Valentine’s Day festivities, go turn off the lights on a quiet night with nothing but a box of chocolates and a bag of Doritos, sit down and watch the film “P.S. I Love You” starring Gerard Butler and Hillary Swank.   

The film raises questions such as how can one deal with losing someone they love? What should be done to keep their memory alive? When is the appropriate time to move on from a loss? “P.S. I Love You” follows the couple Gerry and Holly; when Gerry (played by Butler) dies from an illness, Holly (played by Swank) is devastated. Luckily, Gerry takes steps to ease the grieving process. He leaves a series of letters behind for Holly to read starting on her 30th birthday, encouraging her to move on and begin a new life. 

Some audiences feel like they want to throw up when watching romantic movies that try to capture what love honestly is. The film showcases an honest representation of love despite an unhinged opening scene: When Gerry and Holly walk into their apartment arguing, mindlessly undressing their bed while barking at each other about their opposing views on their future plans. Then, the pair reach a quick and passionate reconciliation, which is unrealistic for many couples after an argument.   

Just as any widow tries to rebuild their life from scratch and adjust to living a life they didn’t expect to be navigating on their own now, Holly’s character embodies disorder. Regardless, the setting in the Lower East Side of Manhattan is visually pleasing and hot with strong cinematography. Like all good romantic comedies, as Holly returns home, the plot brings back “skeletons” from the past that disrupt her life. 

Taken literally, the skeleton in the film should not suggest a weird romance between a woman and a dead man—it goes much deeper, but that’s for you to find out. The film is unique; a love story is told from its very beginning, and viewers witness the relationship of Holly and Gerry from the moment they meet. Filled with love, humor and heartbreak, “P.S. I Love You” is available on Max and Amazon Prime.  

The Show: ‘Dave’ 

‘Dave’ follows the life of Dave Burd, a rapper in his late 20s who goes by the stage name ‘Lil Dicky’. The series follows the real-life rapper’s fictional life, from trying to make a name for himself in the hip-hop community to becoming one of the biggest stars in the music industry today.  

For those who enjoy edgy comedy that is clever and shocking, ‘Dave’ is worth the watch. The elevator pitch for this show would be if Max’s ‘Entourage’ and the 2007 comedy ‘Superbad’ had a child. ‘Dave’ checks all the boxes of being a show that has great cinematography as the series progresses but also is accompanied by a terrific soundtrack, brilliant writing and impressive acting while also throwing viewers off at times when the story suddenly takes dark turns and can have you on the edge of your seat.   

When college kids are under immense pressure to figure out their future and the workload of everyday class, it is essential to find a point in the day where you can forget about the stress of life and laugh for a bit. That’s why ‘Dave’ is the perfect show to watch at night before bed or with friends. It also helps that the episodes are only 30 minutes long, so it won’t keep you up all night and make you miss your 8 a.m. Since the show is set in Los Angeles, looking at the warm California sun throughout the show can be comforting, as the weather feels like it drops below zero up here in Storrs sometimes.  

The first three seasons of ‘Dave’ are available to stream on Hulu.  

The Song: “We Can Make It Baby”  

Walking back from the last class of the week and passing by the Graduate Hotel—while avoiding the snow —I walked under the entrance awning where the hotel’s lobby music can be heard from outside. As I approached the awning, I heard Marvin Gaye’s “We Can Make It Baby” off the deluxe edition of “Let’s Get It On,” initially released in 1973. The classic Motown sound hits right in the song’s beginning as Gaye’s voice breaks in with energy, soul and passion. Writer and producer Willie Hutch assisted Gaye with this record. Having a tenured background in soul, Hutch also co-wrote songs for Michael Jackson and Smokey Robinson.   

Nothing will ever beat a Motown Soul Mix, a unique blend of songwriting, dancing and passion —something missing in much of today’s music. 

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