Odd Movie Synchronicity

A few years ago there was a quickly forgotten movie called "Laurel Canyon". The movie starred Christian Bale, who subsequently starved himself for "The Machinist", in the title male lead.

This movie had a dopey hippie subplot that was forgotten instantly (even though it was ostensibly the purpose of the movie). The REAL challenge in the movie, from my perspective, was Christian Bale as the lead character as he chose between:

1. Kate Beckinsdale - the smoking hot brunette who subsequently starred as the barely clad werewolf / whatever in the terrible "Underworld" series (as well as the horrible "Pearl Harbor) - as his fiancée


2. Natascha McElhone - the smoking hot redhead who subsequently starred in "Solaris" (which is actually my favorite book of all time, regardless of how the movie was made) - as a co-worker who has an intense desire (crush is too light a word) for Christian Bale's character

The woman with whom I went to the movie with instantly forgot this turgid mess; for me, however there was a real choice between Kate's and Natascha's characters.

Normally Kate would win between her and virtually any female in the universe. She is flat out smoking, with a beautiful face and a body that looks great clad in whatever insanely tight clothes, latex or leather is at hand.

However, Natascha puts up a ferocious fight in one of the most romantic scenes I have ever seen in my life - in a car with the title male lead she hits on him in an amazingly sultry scene and they make out and it is amazing - you need to see it to believe it.

While everyone else had forgotten the movie (because of its dumb main hippie plot) for years I was still pondering the difficult choice Christian Bale faced between these two fabulous babes.
And where does the synchronicity come in? In "The Departed", a shrink played by Kristen Dalton (I don't know her, either) has to choose between:

1. Matt Damon - as the smooth but bad guy who has infiltrated the police department as a "rat" for the mob


2. Leonardo DiCaprio – as the rough but good guy who has infiltrated the mob as a “rat” for the police

I can’t speak for women but would have to guess that a choice between these two leading actors would have to be similar to the choice faced by Christian Bale. Oh, and by the way, when Leo starts sneaking around your back door with your wife or girlfriend you pretty much have lost from the get-go. You can’t win.

An odd synchronicity between these two movies, then…