The male chick flick - stay in and rent a video
by NICHOLAS J. PRIMERANO Editor

When it comes to movie selection, men have gotten a raw deal. The same goes for shoe shopping, which is an obvious ratio of 10 to 1. Seriously - how many styles of black heels does a person really need?

But, back to movies. Fellas - have you ever walked into a video rental store with a female with the intention of renting something you'd both enjoy?

You're thinking of the slap-stick antics of a "Van Wilder" or "Old School" and she is looking for you to cuddle with her while watching "Brokeback Mountain."

Don't get me wrong - watching two men kiss doesn't really bother me all that much, but it really is a mood killer when you've got a girl on the couch and you're thinking whatever it is you're thinking.

Perhaps she can't understand why exactly "Blue is your boy" and why questions such as "Do the chickens have large talons" are poignant, life-altering inquisitions.

Enter the "male chick flick."

Women have chick flicks that they like to watch with their girlfriends, a box of Dibs, several hundred tissues and a bottle of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc. Movies like "You've Got Mail," "Sleepless in Seattle" and "Chocolat" come to mind in this genre.

The male chick flick is an often neglected area of film of which men rarely talk about. It's out there - we just prefer not to discuss it.

To be considered a male chick flick, the movie must meet certain criteria.

The first rule is, if you get up to go to the bathroom or grab another beer, you still must be able to follow the plot, despite having missed a portion of the scene.

The second rule is, it has to be fun. Not sure of the definition of fun? Watching Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis drive a car off of a cliff is not an example of fun.

Male Bee staffers took part in a voluntary reply to a mass e-mail, asking them what their favorite male chick flick is and why.

So, text your friends, grab some beers, and rent one of these, the next time Time-Warner cancels the NFLNetwork.

The Flicks

S wingers - The movie was written by and starred Jon Favreau ("Hercules," "The Replacements," "Ice Age," "Made") and Vince Vaughn ("Starsky and Hutch," "Old Sc hool") before he gained weight and started doing "frat humor."

Favreau plays Mike, a struggling comedian and actor who is dealing with the breakup with his girlfriend. His best friend Trent (Vaughn ) teaches his friend Mike the unwritten rules of the West Hollywood lounge and dating scene. It's been six months since Mike's girlfriend left him and he's not doing so good. So Trent and some other friends try to get him back in the social scene and forget about his six-year relationship. Besides being extremely quotable, this movie shows that if you lose a girl, you can always find friends. Not only that, the soundtrack is "money." Forget renting it - just buy it.

Nick Primerano, Ken-Ton Editor

The Shawshank Redemption - There are only two females with speaking lines in the entire movie. The script is fantastic and the acting is superb. Set in a Maine prison, the scenery is realistic and avoids any of the over-the-top special effects that so many films rely on these days.

This is a character-driven movie. Tim Robbins ("Mystic River," "Arlington Road") and Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby," "Driving Miss Daisy") play off of each other very well, and character actors, such as Orchard Park's William Sadler, make up an amazing cast. The best part of the movie is that it makes you think. You have to watch it more than once just to pick up on all of the foreshadowing to the conclusion. Also, the main theme of hope is one that all people can relate to. Without a doubt, this is my favorite movie.

Matt Krueger, Sports Reporter

Smokey and The Bandit - Ahh, the movie that made the Pontiac Trans Am famous. The Bandit, played by Burt Reynolds ("The Longest Yard," "Boogie Nights ") and Cledus, played by Jerry Reed ("The Concrete Cowboys") are two truck-driving southerners who accept a dare to steal a truckload of beer from Texas and bring it to Alabama in 18 hours. The men are then pursued by Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason) on a high-speed pursuit across Dixie. Two men, driving fast with stolen property? What's not to like?

Chris Gordon, Orchard Park Editor

The Big Lebowski - The film features Jeff Bridges ("Scenes of a Crime," "The Contender") as The Dude, John Goodman ("Roseanne") and Steve Buschemi ("Reservoir Dogs," "Armageddon"). It's got it all: Bowling, Walter's dirty undies, and, of course, the Dude. Really, what's more manly than wearing a bathrobe and slippers throughout an entire movie? Not to mention the narration by Sam Elliot. Seriously, when I die, I want Elliot narrating my life story. It's wall-to-wall jokes all the way through, and if battling Nazis, nihilists, kidnappers and the entire state of California isn't male bonding than nothing is.

Ken Bartolotta, Lifestyles Reporter

Everything Else

Thanks to Bee Production Manager Karl Scheitheir, who apparently spends more time watching movies than he does managing production, these are a whole slew of movies if the aforementioned four didn't appeal to you and your brethren.

"Tin Drum" (1979), "The Pianist" (2002), "Das Boot" (1981), "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968), "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1975), "Good Night, and Good Luck" (2005), "Matewan" (1987), "My Life as a Dog," "American History X" (1998), "Reservoir Dogs" (1992), "Fight Club" (1999), "The Matrix," and "GoodFellas" (1990).