Romantic Moi, Twist of Lemon

[akirlu]

There's a long and not very interesting story as to how I wound up browsing at A Small Victory of all places, which I'll spare you, but in doing so I was reminded that Valentine's Day is acumen in and a mildly amusing way to mark its approach might be to catalogue favorite romantic movies. Yes, while it's quite true that Hal is the real fan of romantic comedies in our house, and I am the big fan of exploding action films, that doesn't mean I don't like a bit of romance. So here's a list, in no particular order, of some of my favorite romantic movies. By a sometimes broad definition of romantic.

Dangerous Beauty
Pride and Prejudice - A&E production, of course
The Truth About Cats and Dogs
While You Were Sleeping
Persuasion
Shadowlands
Harold and Maude
Pleasantville
Little Women
Paris Match
Beauty & the Beast
Brazil
Four Weddings & A Funeral
An Ideal Husband
My Big, Fat Greek Wedding

Oh, and, for the record? I will not be among those posting rants against Valentine's Day. Yes, it's commercial. Yes, it's a promotion point for various industries. But I can't think of too many holidays that aren't commercial these days, saving of course National Sneak Zucchinni Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day, and I can think of worse forms of crass commercialism than supporting florists and makers of sappy cards. Sosumi.

Oh, and in case Jenn's reading this, Hello Kitty sighting of the week: Hello Kitty contact lens case, with one of the case covers in the form of Hello Kitty's head, the other, that of her teddy bear. It's Decapitate a Teddy for Sight Week.

Update:
O, the irony. Today of all days, how could I have forgotten Groundhog Day?

Comments

[dlacey.livejournal.com]

Have you seen Mambo Italiano? If you liked Big Fat Greek Wedding I think you'd like it. Personally I thought Mambo Italiano was actually better but then I grew up in an Italian neighbourhood.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

No "Princess Bride"?

I like Valentine's Day. I like a holiday that's small enough no one has to participate (unlike Christmas). And that gives us an opportunity to say, "I like you." And where homemade cards are at least as welcome as the boughten kind. And society encourages couples to enjoy each other. It's just nice.

K.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Princess Bride. Hmm. I love it as a book, and am pretty fond of it as a movie, but I'm not sure I think of it as romantic. More like a satire of romance. Perhaps I let Goldman's framing device invade the text too much.

[ckd]

The Coolidge Corner Theatre is showing Princess Bride for Valentine's Day.

[cluefairy-j.livejournal.com]

Okay. Thanks for posting that coolidge is showing the princess bride because I then clicked on your journal and then clicked on "mapparium" and about shit my pants with excitement. I've now lived in Boston for 9 years and I have never heard of the mapparium before. I love maps. My husband loves maps. OH MY GOD what a cool thing. No, we're not going to Boskone, cause we're most likely skiing, otherwise I'd invite us along to your excursion. :-)

[ckd]

I hope you both enjoy it; it's loads of fun.

[thatwordgrrl.livejournal.com]

OK, so exactly when IS NSZOYNPDay anyhoo?

Just so, like, I'm prepared for the onslaught of anonymous squash.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

I couldn't remember the date - I originally heard about it on NPR some years back - but a quick google on the string "sneak zucchini" reveals a pretty strong consensus for August 8. Though, if the procedure the radio documented was correct, then I think the wee hours of the morning of August 9 will do just as well. I imagine that some particularly bountiful gardeners may want to expand to cover the entire month of August...

[thatwordgrrl.livejournal.com]

So sayeth Garrison Keillor...

And that's the news from Lake Woebegone

[smofbabe.livejournal.com]

My own additions:

When Harry Met Sally
An Affair to Remember
The Philadelphia Story
The Ghost and Mrs Muir
Coming Home

Unfortunately, much as I liked nearly everything about Four Weddings and a Funeral, the lack of chemistry between Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell (and the latter's lack of acting ability) keeps it off my fav list.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

I really like The Ghost and Mrs. Muir too. I think the reason Andie McDowell didn't bug me in Four Weddings was that she was just so much more annoying in Green Card that I was ready to cut her some slack for an otherwise charming film. And by the time she gets to Groundhog Day, she's actually learned to be as charming as she's supposed to be, and is quite likable.

[bella-peligrosa.livejournal.com]

I love your list... (especially the addition of Pride & Prejudice)

And I would add a couple of personal favorites:

Cinema Paradiso
Shakespeare in Love (it's a special movie for my husband and I...it makes me sappy and romantic)
Love Actually
When Harry Met Sally
Like Water for Chocolate


There are tons of others, but my brain fails me right now. :)

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

I remember liking When Harry Met Sally at the time, but somehow in the interim, it jumped the shark for me. Too many subsequently rehashed clips of the faked orgasm scene, or something.

Shakespeare in Love should definitely have been on my list, as should Trevor Nunn's Twelfth Night. (Quick, spot the connection!)

[bella-peligrosa.livejournal.com]

Too many subsequently rehashed clips of the faked orgasm scene, or something.

Oh that's true. Although I have to say that the concept of When Harry Met Sally rings true for me...the crossover from friendship to romance. We need more movies that delve in that area I think. A good romance based in friendship has always been my favorite kind of love.

Quick, spot the connection!
That one I noticed right away actually...Imelda Staunton who played the Nurse in Shakespeare in Love

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Ah, well that would be another connection, then. I was thinking about the fact both that Will is about to launch on writing Twelfth Night toward the end of Shakespeare in Love and the fact that the very end of the latter (in a shipwreck where all the crew are lost, washed up on the shore of some unfamiliar land) very much echoes the opening of the former. Well, and of The Tempest, for that matter, but nobody says Bill the Bard insisted that all his plot ideas be fresh.

[fritz-freiheit.livejournal.com]

How about:

Amelie
Sliding Doors
Undercover Blues
Castle in the Sky

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

I love both Amelie and Sliding Doors for my list, which suggests I should at least check out Undercover Blues and Castle in the Sky. And I just realized I also forgot a fabulous romantic comedy: A Fish Called Wanda

[fritz-freiheit.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't necessarily compare Amelie or Sliding Doors with Undercover Blues or Castle in the Sky, but I found them both romantic and adventuress. You will probably enjoy them, but for very different reasons.

Oh yeah, forgot these (and really shouldn't have):

L.A. Story
and
Roxanne

[cluefairy-j.livejournal.com]

I'm reading. Oh my god, I still have flashback memories to your "unveiling" (beheading?) of the Dis-Mem-Bear at what...BayCon or something? hahahaha.

Dude, I wish I could wear contact lenses (developed corneal ulcers a few years ago and have been banned from wearing them). I'd ask you to get me that!!

I like Bridget Jones's Diary. And almost all of the ones you mention (not a big fan of beauty and the beast). Chocolat. Say Anything. The Princess Bride. Blah blah blah blah

Love you.

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

I'm not much for romantic comedies, as you know Bob, I'm more the blow it up type. In fact the Austen is the only one on your list I've seen. I do like musicals an awful lot, but 2 of my favorites are Cabaret and All That Jazz which you'd hardly call comedies.

MKK

[kateyule.livejournal.com]

Oh please! The Addams Family movie, with Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston. Immensely romantic -- and they're in love the entire way through the movie, too, no slacking off.

As for Four Weddings, there's plenty of romance in that movie, just none of it involves Hugh & Andie!

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

For me The Addams Family doesn't fit the model I'm talking about. All of the rest are essentially of the classic 'romance novel' model, in that the growth character is the romance itself. The films are stories about how two (or more) beings meet, fall in love, and establish their relationship together. While Gomez and Morticia are romantic with each other, there is no growth in their relationship over the arc of the movie.