Here's Entertainment Weekly's Top 5 Surprisingly Romantic Films for Valentine's Day.
February 11, 2002 9:49 PM   Subscribe

Here's Entertainment Weekly's Top 5 Surprisingly Romantic Films for Valentine's Day. (Star Man!?) This begs the question: who actually reads Entertainment Weekly? Oh, and what are YOUR Top 5 Romantic Films for Valentine's Day?
posted by adrober (41 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Here's mine: 1. (by far...) MOONSTRUCK!! 2. Defending Your Life 3. The Princess Bride 4. Annie Hall (though, it is kinda sad) 5. Singin' In The Rain.
posted by adrober at 9:52 PM on February 11, 2002


1.Barfly 2.Barfly 3.Barfly. 4 Barfly. 5.Lady and the Tramp
posted by machaus at 9:57 PM on February 11, 2002


This list was obviously not made from the p.o.v. of a heterosexual male. Harold & Maude is a cringe factor movie, not a cuddle factor movie. Starman's a good call, but the film drags. Pierrot le Fou? Puh-leeze! While real men DO eat quiche on rare occasion, we DO NOT watch french films.

Real men watch german films like Run Lola Run, which is a kickass surprisingly romantic film from a man's perspective, cuz even in alternate realities, Lola's going through all this for her man, even though he's a walking git. And for another surprisingly romantic film that real men can handle: Sliding Doors! Cuz there's that distorted time factor which is vaguely scifi and men can get behind that, and cuz one of the male ingenue roles from Monty Python.

You want surprisingly romantic films? The first two Die Hard movies. I mean when you get right down to it, the reason John McClaine goes through all that crap in the first two movies isn't cuz he's a dedicated cop. It's cuz his wife's in danger and he wants to save her. Even though they're estranged and separated, he still loves her.

That's why part three didn't work, because the plot had nothing to do with McClaine saving his wife. The motivation was all wrong and the pace felt more like watching a grade school kid playing Super Mario Bros. The first two DieHards were very romantic.

Oh. And When Harry Met Sally.
posted by ZachsMind at 10:13 PM on February 11, 2002


I read EW, but I'm a pop culture junkie. How about Superman? The whole Lois/Clark thing makes him turn back the wheels of time to save her - that's love! And also Out of Sight - great story, beautiful people (J. Lo and Clooney), and guns/killin'. The scene with the two of them in the trunk is hella sexy (even better in the extended version on the DVD).

(the second Die Hard stunk. "It's the same as the first, only... an airport!")
posted by owillis at 10:27 PM on February 11, 2002


Real men who talk about what real men want would forget La Femme Nikita, a French movie. Open mouth, insert foot.
posted by raysmj at 10:30 PM on February 11, 2002


typo: "..one of the male ingenue roles from Monty Python" should read "one of the male ingenue roles quotes from Monty Python." oops!

Oh, and I didn't forget La Femme Nikita. I ignored it. In fact, I'd like those two hours of my life back.
posted by ZachsMind at 10:34 PM on February 11, 2002


In no particular order, gotta go with owillis on Superman - that and ET really get my wife sappy (just whatchya want on valentine's day). When Harry Met Sally would be in there (Zach got to this first) and Princess Bride (thanks adrober). A couple more that come to mind are Dead Poet's Society and Rushmore. I found another decent list, though I would rather eat 2 billion year old vomit than watch Titanic ever again.
posted by stormy at 10:41 PM on February 11, 2002


Amélie is my top romantic film right now. It's not out on video yet, but it's amazing and a great date movie. You're really missing out ZachsMind. That film and two others by the same writer/director - The City of Lost Children and Delicatessen - are fantastic. You won't find anything like it from Hollywood.
posted by ODiV at 10:44 PM on February 11, 2002


An Officer and a Gentleman is guaranteed to make my wife nearly forget that I didn't buy her roses (again).
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:47 PM on February 11, 2002


crash: isn't it two days away? Don't you still have time?
posted by ODiV at 10:48 PM on February 11, 2002


I could, ODiV, but why spoil a seventeen-year streak?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:50 PM on February 11, 2002


I think I'll drive to see my girlfriend (hour and a half away) and give her flowers and take her out for dinner. I haven't gotten her flowers yet and we've been dating for 2 years. She's been hinting rather heavily. I told her I just needed some time. I dated a florist awhile back.
posted by ODiV at 10:52 PM on February 11, 2002


The list is missing the usual suspects: Casablanca, Love Story, Gone With The Wind, etc.
posted by riffola at 11:04 PM on February 11, 2002


Wings of Desire.

'Nuff said.
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:16 PM on February 11, 2002


The Blues Brothers. Before Sunrise. Bachelor Party. The Little Mermaid. Broadcast News.

No, I'm not joking. Though these are only off the top of my head and could change after deeper recollection. I've never been a big movie guy, so there's a lot I've never seen.

And lileks and I both discovered last week that the other was a charter subscriber to Entertainment Weekly, for roughly the same reasons: Keeping up with what's going on there without having to immerse yourself in the 90% of it that's crap 24/7.
posted by aaron at 11:23 PM on February 11, 2002


If we're talking French, can we please forget the pap that was Amelie and go straight to the heart: Children of Paradise. You can't go wrong with mimes in love.
posted by muckster at 11:49 PM on February 11, 2002


1. Doctor Zhivago
2. An affair to remember
3. Officer and a Gent
4. Dark Passage
5. The Postman always rings twice (original)
posted by Mack Twain at 11:57 PM on February 11, 2002


o-o-o-o-h, machaus beat me to Barfly. I somewhat reluctantly screened it for my wife during our courtship, and was surprised that a (relatively sheltered) Japanese woman would enjoy it as much as she did.

So, my contribution would be Lost in America, which I think is the best of the written by/directed by/starring Albert Brooks genre.

Self-indulgent yuppies "drop out" to "find themselves" and "touch Indians." Boy, do they find themselves. If you like Brooks, the deadpan puchlines are gut busting, and Garry Marshall as the casino manager is priceless.
posted by planetkyoto at 12:04 AM on February 12, 2002


La Strada, as it's the first movie I saw with my SO. Still can't get the tune played by the clown fiddler out of my head. Actually we may have seen Female Trouble first, but I don't guess that's Valentine's Day fare. I ignore all holidays anyway.
posted by mlinksva at 1:06 AM on February 12, 2002


1.) The Lonely Guy (Steve Martin, 1984 -- Very underrated; love the "roof" scene).
2.) The Graduate (1967 -- What's more romantic than crashing a wedding in progress?)
3.) Ghost (1990; Chicks dig the clay scene-- don't ask me why.)
4.) Casablanca (1942 -- If I gotta explain why, you'll never understand.)
5.) Dave (1993 -- A personal favorite; good chemistry).
posted by RavinDave at 2:25 AM on February 12, 2002


10) Year of Living Dangerously
9) Nights of Cabiria
8) Roxanne
7) Ghost and Mrs. Muir
6) Annie Hall
5) Truly, Madly, Deeply
4) Groundhog Day
3) When Harry Met Sally...
2) Casablanca
1) Brief Encounter
posted by bilco at 3:27 AM on February 12, 2002


In no particular order:

Say Anything
Fucking Amal
Defending Your Life
True Romance
The Apartment
posted by Optamystic at 3:53 AM on February 12, 2002


Word on Broadcast News and Officer and A Gentleman.

The two most romantic movies that both guys and gals seems to like are Princess Bride and Last of the Mohicans. Lots of smooching AND battles.

Room With a View, Philadelphia Story, His Gal Friday, Bringing Up Baby, are also good, as is the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth (a bit long, that last one).

Do not rent Bridges of Madison County unless you are making a last-ditch effort to get your wife to stay in a rotten marriage with you.
posted by jfwlucy at 4:22 AM on February 12, 2002


How about Charade, with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant? That movie's awesome.
posted by josh at 4:31 AM on February 12, 2002


When Harry Met Sally is, undeniably a very good romantic flic. On the other hand, Amélie is a most mediocre film, or perhaps a potentially great film which turned out to be 2-d shallow; this year's marketed-into-the-ground Chocolat.
posted by ParisParamus at 4:50 AM on February 12, 2002


That Web site is so bloated and slow....
posted by ParisParamus at 4:51 AM on February 12, 2002


Harold & Maude is a cringe factor movie, not a cuddle factor movie.

Hey! Watch what you say about But Cort around here. He's "in the family."
posted by ColdChef at 4:55 AM on February 12, 2002


casablanca is SO overrated. it's too gushy/traditionally romantic and humphrey bogart inspires narcolepsy. for my 1940s kick i always preferred sullivan's travels, which was everything casablanca wanted to be and nothing it could deliver...but sullivan's travels isn't very romantic. so i'd put either the palm beach story, the miracle of morgan's creek, or the lady eve on there. okay, so only the lady eve would be really appropriate for the holiday.

and harold & maude! my boyfriend saw it independently of me and of his own will and volition, and he LOVED it. admittedly my revelation that it's among my favourite films may come as a surprise after reading the above, and though my explanation is plausible (it was also my late father's favourite film) it also casts an icky, slightly incestuous pall over it. um, okay, we should move on here.

to trust, which is not only the film that inspired me to become a filmmaker, but is also hella romantic in a longing sort of way. if you don't melt during the "trust fall" scene there's no hope for you.

finally, since everyone seems to think films were born in the 1930s with sound intact, may i recommend sunrise a heartbreaking, romantic silent that's regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.

[/steps off soapbox]
posted by pxe2000 at 4:59 AM on February 12, 2002


Here's one that the guys will love because it features a tough-guy boxer, and the girls will love because its sappy and the tough guy boxer is Daniel-Day Lewis: The Boxer
posted by vito90 at 5:51 AM on February 12, 2002


The English Patient. A Summer Story.
posted by rushmc at 6:31 AM on February 12, 2002


breakfast at tiffany's, out of africa, cinema paradiso...
posted by centrs at 6:41 AM on February 12, 2002


thanks cold chef!
posted by goneill at 7:30 AM on February 12, 2002


The list is missing the usual suspects: Casablanca, Love Story, Gone With The Wind, etc.

Those were mentioned in a separate sidebar article on the classics.

On another note, any person who doesn't like Amelie is a person I wouldn't want to know.
posted by Ben Grimm at 7:39 AM on February 12, 2002


i thought that the danish movie 'italian for beginners' was very romantic, and very well done.

i liked amelie too though, so what do i know...
posted by goneill at 7:59 AM on February 12, 2002


You might hate it, but at least it'll make you want to fuck: Aria.
posted by Skot at 8:13 AM on February 12, 2002


I can understand how you might overlook the romantic side of The Fifth Element (ah, Leeloo...)
But you can't forget The Crow. What's more romantic than coming back from the dead to avenge your fiancees murder?
posted by Tubes at 8:20 AM on February 12, 2002


pxe2000: I'll see your Sunrise and raise you City Lights, Charlie Chaplin's classic and one of the most romantic movies ever.

About E.T.'s list: Harold and Maude would've been a bold choice maybe 10-15 years ago, but it's a pretty standard "offbeat romance" choice by now. Starman is very romantic, and Jeff Bridges was great in it. Pierrot le Fou: I'm really skeptical that a signficant percentage of Entertainment Weekly readers will see this movie. Same goes for I Know Where I'm Going!. Choose Me is very romantic and sexy.
posted by kirkaracha at 8:55 AM on February 12, 2002 [1 favorite]


Pierrot le Fou: I'm really skeptical that a signficant percentage of Entertainment Weekly readers will see this movie.

I thought it was sort of funny they included this too. You know what this reminds me of? Though I haven't seen a Playboy centerfold in years (honest!), I remember chuckling over the datasheets they used to include -- where the model would list her likes and dislikes, etc. Seemed like every one listed two or three "fluffy" things, then tossed in (almost as an afterthought) one zinger so that they wouldn't look totally vacuous. "I love swimming, snowboarding, frisbee ... and translating Shakespeare into Lithuanian."
posted by RavinDave at 10:30 AM on February 12, 2002 [1 favorite]


Miracle Mile. Romance and thermonuclear war. What more could you ask for?
posted by doorsnake at 10:44 AM on February 12, 2002


Lots of good picks here from everyone. I'm surprised that EW would put Pierrot le fou in there, but I agree wholeheartedly. My all-time favourite. I have yet to find a partner who will watch it with me and then have non-stop sex for a few days, so I don't think it's that much of a date movie.

I'd like to put a vote in favor of horror movies, more for the "nookie factor" than the romance, though. Deep Red, The Thing, Night of the Living Dead, these will give you a good night of sex, guaranteed.
posted by qbert72 at 7:20 PM on February 12, 2002


I'd go for:
My Blue Heaven
The King & I / Anna & The King
A Walk in the Clouds
Jane Eyre
The Accidental Tourist

And major "yes" points to Broadcast News and Defending Your Life and Lost in America. An Albert Brooks trilogy may be exactly what the love doctor ordered...
posted by Dreama at 9:21 PM on February 12, 2002


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