Cinematherapy: The Girl's Guide to Movies for Every Mood

Cinematherapy

by Nancy Peske, Beverly West

What can take the edge off a bad day at the office better than a movie where the boss gets his ( 9-5 )? And, of course, that close-up of Antonio Banderas, wet and naked in a cage, is the best cure for the break-up blahs known to modern science ( Never Talk to Strangers ). Now, for the first time, Cinematherapy acknowledges what women have known for years, and provides a sage guide to the best movie medicine currently available for whatever ails you, whether it's a sudden hormonal shift, a bad-hair day, or a full-fledged identity crisis.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Film, Humor, Media Tie In, Chick Lit, Psychology

258 pages, Paperback

First published March 9, 1999

About the author

Nancy Peske is a freelance writer, author, ghostwriter, and developmental editor, and a former in-house editor at HarperCollins, who has co-written, ghostwritten, and edited many bestsellers and perennial sellers.
Nancy is the coauthor of the successful six-book Cinematherapy series, which has over 270,000 copies in print in all editions including foreign sales to Italy, Germany, China, Korea, Indonesia, and Japan. Television rights for Cinematherapy were sold to Women’s Entertainment, which created a prime-time series based on Cinematherapy that lasted for a decade.
Nancy Peske is also the coauthor of Raising a Sensory Smart Child: A Practical Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Integration Issues, a groundbreaking book that has won a National Parenting Publications Award and an iMedia Parenting Award. The site for Nancy’s spinoff brand, Sensory Smart Parent, is at www.SensorySmartParent.com.
Nancy has worked with Marianne Williamson, Christiane Northrup, David Perlmutter, John Gray, Dean Ornish, Julie Morgenstern, Julia Ross, Colette Baron-Reid, Alberto Villoldo, and other top authors.
She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her husband and son.

Reviews

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with many other reviewers: I liked the concept but the execution was lacking in many ways. I really didn't like that they gave away the endings to so many movies (even if they are older, not everyone has seen them), and like another reviewer said, I found a lot of their reviews to be shallow. There was one in particular that did nothing but criticize the movie; why would you recommend it if you didn't even like it?

All that being said, I did get some good suggestions for movies I have not yet seen, and I give them a point for recognizing the awesomeness of Jane Austen, lol.

[Allison Burris · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a great concept here—I’d love to see someone do an updated version. However the men-are-so-dumb and girls rule attitude of the late 90s is a bit tired.

[Simona Calò · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dopo la sfiga doppia di Canne al vento e La pelle cambiata avevo bisogno di una boccata d'ossigeno. La trovo insperata in un manuale pescato in biblioteca che si rivela una guida femminile e scoppiettante al film per ogni umore. Oltre a darmi decine di consigli su classici anni '30 e '40- un periodo che adoro- le autrici sono una bomba h di spasso. Ironiche, ciniche, caustiche come nessuno, rovesciano carrettate di feroci stilettate al genere maschile, sfottendoli senza posa ma esaltandone le spalle e gli sguardi che ci fanno tremare fin nelle scarpe. Oltre alle sezioni che leniscono la vasta gamma di emotività femminile- film da sindrome premestruale, storie d'amore squilibrate, donne appena scaricate, serata tra sole donne, quando gli uomini si comportano bene..- il libro è arricchito da rubriche esilaranti che classificano fusti del grande schermo, film da donna che ci fanno incazzare, citazioni imperdibili, donne con cui ci piacerebbe bere una birra o che ci inducono a bere.. E molto altro ancora.
Dal momento che il cinema a larga prevalenza è quello statunitense, l'edizione italiana prevede una manciata di consigli alternativi di casa nostra. Scritto in maniera di-vi-na, con una ricchezza lessicale e un virtuosismo stilistico che lo rendono sconsideratamente divertente ma anche profondamente originale nel rivisitare trame arcinote, non manca di autorevolezza critica. In più di vent'anni non ha perso un'oncia di attualità e si rivela anche moderatamente femminista (perdono alle ragazze gli insulti a Courtney..)

[Jessie White]

One of the best birthday presents I ever got!!! Pretty close to being right on with my moods. :)

[Päivi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kiva aihe: elokuvaehdotuksia (naisille) katsottaviksi mitä erilaisemmissa elämäntilanteissa ja mielentiloissa (esim. kun oma äitisuhde tuntuu vaikealta, bad hair day, itsensä marttyyriksi kokeminen jne.). Enin osa kirjassa kuvatuista leffoista on jenkkilässä tehty, eivätkä siis välttämättä sovi terapiakeinoksi suomalaisnaisen v-käyrän loiventamiseen.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really great idea written with a sense of humor. I didn't agree with a lot of the recommendations. For example, the film "Alien" for mother issues- a little much for me! Many of the recommendations are from the nineties, which are having a comeback, and many are rated R, which i don't watch.

[Kaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a huge movie list to reference now as I educate myself more in films.

[Carrie]

This book was so shallow that I refuse to give it even one star. Newsflash, ladies: women don't have to hate men. Men are not all bad. They are not only good for being pretty. You make the Shopaholic books look deep. I was thinking about reselling this book, but then it might be inflicted on another poor soul. My love for movies good and bad led someone to gift this book to me with the best of intentions. It's awful. The fact that this book has spawned sequels is appalling.

NO STARS FOR YOU!

[Addison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't help but find the cliched "you-go-girl!" tone of writing this books uses to be patronizing and off-putting but that's a personal thing and it wasn't so blatant and terrible that I need to break out my Unfunny Feminist sign. Just be warned, the you-go-girlness is strong with this one.

I also found several of the movie choices to be baffling but that's also a subjective thing. Having the author name drop Equus was such a surreal moment. You clearly have some taste in you, so why all the subpar movies?

IN SHORT: This book, it's all subjective!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice book to get ideas of what to rent/put on your netflix list. Unfortunately it's getting a bit dated now, but with chapter titles like: "Yeah, Okay, So He's a Jerk, But He's Sooooo Cute!," "I Know She's My Mom, But She's Driving Me Nuts," & "I Hate My Life and I'm Moving to Bora Bora" and Handy Hunk Charts with listings of some of Hollywood's greatest leading men, it's a book for girls who like movies.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

WHAT were they thinking when they gave "Love Story" a positive review?!! Rarely have I seen more sentimental DRECK, and I watched it because of the Cinematherapy review.

That said, there are plenty of interesting, amusing, and insightful movie reviews in the book, and I like their "girl's night" take on the genre.

[Ally McCulloch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read parts of this book (most of the book) and even have a copy of it (for now). My verdict: I agree with them over their hatred of The Women, but mainly they cover mainstream movies I don't really care about.

[Peggy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so excited when I got this book, because I think movies can be therapeutic. And this book would have been helpful in that regard if it didn't give away the ending of every single movie it listed! Isn't that the first rule of movie recommendation--never give away the ending?

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

a cute gifty book for movie lovers

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really love the idea behind this book.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much fun. It's not a "cover-to-cover" read, but you can just flip through and check out what movies match your mood. Very girly!!!

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fun and would make a great gift!

[Bridget · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recieved this as a gift - I skimmed through it, but didnt really get into some of the recommendations - a lot of them were "older" movies that I dont really get into.

[Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book helps me cheat feel, when talking to film buffs

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun, delightfully entertaining reviews of movies.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book gave me a lot of movies that i have not seen, burt the idea of watching a movie because of my mood is kind of dumb.

[Kate]

Cinematherapy: The Girl's Guide to Movies for Every Mood by Beverly West (1999)

[Brandi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this two stars only because the concept itself is great, the execution, not so much. I was really disappointed.

[Holly Goes · Rating 4 out of 5]

- Good list of movies that I'm not exactly familiar with. :)
- Chic book cover artwork!