Best Romantic Movies (or moments)?

DodgingGrunge · June 16, 2007, 02:13:32 AM

IndianaSmith's scariest movie thread got me thinking about love, naturally. I'm sure somewhere under your calloused bad movie shells lies a glimmer of romance! Come on, just a *glimmer*?

With the summer solstice around the corner, I can't think of a better time to come clean. I'll kick this off with a small list of my own favorites from various countries, listed alphabetically:

Amélie (2001) - Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, French - Every frame of this film exudes cuteness! Amélie goes to fantastic lengths to make strangers' dreams anonymously come true. She then sets about the task of fixing her love life, trying to capture the heart of a shy man who collects discarded photobooth pictures.

In the Mood for Love (2000) - Dir. Wong Kar-Wai, Hong Kong - Chow Mo-wan and Su Li-zhen, neighbors in a crowded tenement, discover their spouses are having an affair. They meet for dinner under the pretext of understanding each other's other, to gain some perspective on the betrayal (which neither has confronted head on with their spouse). Inevitably, they begin to fall for each other but circumstance and gossip forbid them to act on their affections.

Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998) - Dir. Julio Medem, Spanish - It is really a unique take on the tired star-crossed-lovers theme. As children Otto and Anna have a schoolyard crush of sorts, and then quite by coincidence, their parents marry. As teenagers, they carry on their relationship in secret. As adults, they find they have drifted apart (quite literally, residing in different corners of the earth), and long for a reunion. This has finally come to DVD, so check it out!

The Shop Around the Corner (1940) - Dir. Ernst Lubitsch, America - Such as true love goes, the relationship between Klara Novak and Alfred Kralik begins as a bitter feud, each detesting the mere presence of the other. But since they work at the same nicknack shop, they inevitably discover the heart and person underneath.

La Strada (1954) - Dir. Federico Fellini, Italy - Times are hard and Gelsomina's mother sells her to Zampano, a brutish traveling entertainer. In her travels as a clownish sidekick, she meets "The Fool", charming and kind, and falls in love. But life is complicated and her emotions even more so.

Snivelly · June 16, 2007, 11:47:04 AM

I'm not crazy about romantic movies (I'd sooner jab myself in the eye than watch a "chick flick") but I do love the movie version of The English Patient. I have the book as well, although it's a completely different story. Ralph Fiennes is one of my very favorite actors.

ulthar · June 16, 2007, 12:13:41 PM

One of the coolest love stories I've watched in the past year is SECRETARY. There was some underlying current in that film that made me just want to root for those to get together, and it was not really formulaic Snobbywood.

dean · June 18, 2007, 05:30:28 AM

Gotta agree with Ulthar, I was very much rooting for the happy 'live together in sickness and binding ropes' type ending in the Secretary.

I tend to be a sap for these type films, but just don't tell anyone. For some reason I have a soft spot for Serendipity, since I'm a reasonable fan of John Cusack, and well Kate Beckinsale is Kate Beckinsale [not a great actress, but hey, that's not what I watch for...]

Raffine · June 18, 2007, 05:37:44 PM

Nothing beats this moment for film romance:

Torgo · June 18, 2007, 09:07:18 PM

I thought that Sex & Lucia was a very interesting romantic/erotic type flick.

If you don't mind going a lot more explicit than typical mainstream fair, it offers equal parts romance/eroticism/mystery/comedy. Paz Vega turns in a fantastic performance in it.

HarlotBug3 · June 20, 2007, 06:09:11 PM

Laugh all you like, but theres a mind 90's Anime feature called "Battle Angel". I don't know if the dubbed is any good, but 95% of the time they are unforgivable.

Thinking about it made me look for something like this

http://youtube.com/watch?v=s5jmGnXgpZU

It is based on one of the greatest comics ever.

Andrew · June 20, 2007, 06:39:44 PM

Quote from: HarlotBug3 on June 20, 2007, 06:09:11 PM
Laugh all you like, but theres a mind 90's Anime feature called "Battle Angel". I don't know if the dubbed is any good, but 95% of the time they are unforgivable.

Thinking about it made me look for something like this

http://youtube.com/watch?v=s5jmGnXgpZU

It is based on one of the greatest comics ever.

"Battle Angel" is a great anime. Love is sharing your cyborg lift support systems with someone else.

RCMerchant · June 20, 2007, 06:54:04 PM

I can't believe no one mentioned this one....

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjOhe-Wk0CM .....(heavy sigh....)

DodgingGrunge · June 20, 2007, 07:17:43 PM

Quote from: Torgo on June 18, 2007, 09:07:18 PM
I thought that Sex & Lucia was a very interesting romantic/erotic type flick.

Sex & Lucia is great. Torgo, it's the same director as Lovers of the Arctic Circle. You should definitely check that one out.

Quote from: Andrew on June 20, 2007, 06:39:44 PM
Love is sharing your cyborg lift support systems with someone else.

I'm surprised Garry Marshall (

) never picked up on this misogynistic possibility. Saber Marionette J has a boy meets cyborg, boy falls in love with cyborg kinda story. Personally, I think the personalities of men would be much easier to capture with robots...

Quote from: RCMerchant on June 20, 2007, 06:54:04 PM
I can't believe no one mentioned this one....

[youtube=213,175]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjOhe-Wk0CM .....(heavy sigh....)

RC, looks like you've found the gem that earned Dalton a stint as James Bond! Really, he's a natural.

Citronnade · June 22, 2007, 09:09:05 AM

Quoteauthor=DodgingGrunge link=topic=114480.msg146939#msg146939 date=1181978012
Amélie (2001) - Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, French - Every frame of this film exudes cuteness! Amélie goes to fantastic lengths to make strangers' dreams anonymously come true. She then sets about the task of fixing her love life, trying to capture the heart of a shy man who collects discarded photobooth pictures.

This is my favorite movie in the whole world!!! I've been to France and it kind of feels like you're in the movie! It's one of those "feel good" movies but certainly not a chic flick!

A demain!!!

DodgingGrunge · June 22, 2007, 09:36:39 AM

Quote from: Citronnade on June 22, 2007, 09:09:05 AM
This is my favorite movie in the whole world!!! I've been to France and it kind of feels like you're in the movie! It's one of those "feel good" movies but certainly not a chic flick!

A demain!!!

Welcome to the board, Citronnade!

One of my best friends is living in Paris right now. She says every day she finds something dirty and strange and alive, as though she's in a Henry Miller novel. She doesn't want to leave.

BTM · June 23, 2007, 08:46:31 PM

I don't know.. not much of a romantic movie fan.. they tend to rub my face into my own sad and dismal social life too much.

To quote some comedian or other...

"Girls always complain that guys don't like romantic movies. That's not true, guys love romantic movies. Porno! it's a romantic movie with all the slow parts cut out!"

unluckytourist · June 24, 2007, 09:18:26 AM

Hmmm, I'll have to stretch my mind to dig up even a couple of titles for this...

All The Real Girls, by David Gordon Green. Felt very authentic. Beautifully made.

Say Anything, of course.

Kind of recently, Cold Mountain. I really hate Nicole Kidman, but even I understood why he had to get back home so badly.

I also love Remains Of The Day. Full of extremely tiny, yet heartbreaking moments of restraint.

Derf · June 24, 2007, 02:52:03 PM

I'm generally a sucker for the classics:

Casablanca
Anything with Bogie & Bacall
Almost anything with Audrey Hepburn (didn't care too much for Breakfast at Tiffany's).

For slightly more recent films, there's the John Hughes teenage romantic comedies (although I still say Andie should have picked Duckie) and the John Cusack series of Hughes movies.