Flickgrrl

sleepless in seattle, moonstruck, love story

I never see this on anyone's list of best romantic movies: Before Sunrise by Richard Linklater. The script is fresh, tart and jarring at times. The pacing and direction make the relationship between Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy's characters so organic you almost get a documentary feel from the thing. Plus, not since The Third Man did Vienna play such a prominent role in a film. The last moments, when the lovers depart on separate trains and we, the viewers, are left to ponder the ambiguity while we revisit the city spots they seem to have made their own...simultaenously heartbreaking and joyous. Plus, Julie Delpy curses in two languages. What else do you want???

Glad you mentioned, "Hitch," Carrie. For me, it's one of the more underrated recent romantic comedies, hastily dismissed. I believe we also agree on "Spanglish." The stuff with Paz Vega and Adam Sandler - their unofficial courtship (he's married, of course) - is sweet and believable.

Of the older films, I'm a die-hard for "Bell, Book & Candle" (as you know) and almost anything romantic/witty with Cary Grant and Doris Day (although not the film they made together, "That Touch of Mink").

My most favorite recent romantic comedy is Julie Delpy's "Two Days in Paris."

As for romantic comedies of a darker sort, I think "The Apartment" and "The Break-Up" are both first-rate.

That's it - for now.

Thanks, Jordan for mentioning Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset," exquisite romances, all the better for their ambiguity, and absolutely agree with you, Joe, about "Bell, Book and Candle" and "The Apartment" Yummy

How'd they leave out "Love, Actually"? Even the omitted scenes on the DVD are good, especially the head mistress and her dying lover. Tough call, too, leaving out "To Catch A Thief" and "North By Northwest." I think they're biased against my favorite blondes. Guess there's no way they were going to include "A Life Less Ordinary," which is insanely romantic. "Sleepless" but not "When Harry Met Sally"? That's wack. Would have picked "Manhattan" over "Hall", too, though not by much. New York really lifts a love story, even more than Paris. The end of "The Way We Were"? I hope a woman I love never looks at me like that - Streisand's eyes are extraordinarily expressive in that scene. And Redford's Hubbell really does get it. Heart breaking. Then there's also "This Property Is Condemned" and "Splendor In The Grass." This list without Natalie Wood is unjust. "Bandits" ought to be in there, too, just for Cate Blanchett's Kate Wheeler.

I'm surprised that "Shakespeare In Love" didn't make anyone's cut. I'd definitely go with that one. Then again, I guess I'm biased, since it was the first movie that my future wife and I saw together, way back in Feb 1999.

I also agree with the "Before Sunrise/Sunset" movies. "Lost In Translation" is also pretty great.

And, of course, the John Hughes-Howard Deutch double hit "Pretty In Pink" and "Some Kind of Wonderful."

PS OK (I guess) that they left out "Strictly Ballroom" but how on earth did they skip MOULIN ROUGE? Pardon my caps.

Last time I looked "West Side Story" had Natalie Wood, JDM, but I take your point about "Splendor in the Grass." It may be the great unrequited-love story. I also love all the comedies of remarriage -- The Awful Truth, His Girl Friday, The Philadelphia Story -- so popular in the late '30s and early '40s as well as silents such as "Sunrise," the Garbo movies "Flesh and the Devil," "Queen Christina" and "Camille," and yes, even "Clueless" and "Legally Blonde."

The first title that comes to *my* mind is Borzage's "History Is Made At Night." Some definite dark stretches, yes, but Jean Arthur and Charles Boyer (in their b&w Art Deco splendor) displaying a love sufficiently great that The Titanic (under a different name) is prevented from sinking ...

... now *that's* Romance!

Rambo gets no stars but Hottie or Nottie gets one?!?!

I'm not even upset, just terribly disappointed. I suggest you re-review Rambo and give it the proper recognition.

This is sad.

Serendipity

What about "Out of Africa"? Beautiful scenery (including Meryl Streep and Robert Redford), lovely music and young death. Doesn't get much more romantic than that.

The English Patient.

I am neither a Jew nor a Nazi but that little Italian in it's a Beautiful Life completely defined what it means to be in love. There are so many better movies not representented in the top twenty-five romantic films of all times that I have to question the authors of this list experience to fall in love.

Moulin Rouge....While You Were Sleeping with a luminous Sandra Bullock...

And when I think back of unconventional love stories, I have to include Neil Jordan's "The Crying Game," because it is a love story from beyond the grave--Jody (Forest Whitaker) and Dil (Jaye Davidson) as well as a growing love/friendship/protective relationship beyond words that blossoms between two unlikely people: an IRA terrorist and a hairdresser.

Anyone agree? Or, am I cracked?

I typically dislike romance flicks (I judge people who cried at "The Notebook"), but the masochist in me adores "Splendor in the Grass."

A great guilty pleasure pick - "Only You" with Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr.

My fave is "History Is Made At Night," but that's already spoken for. I'll mention Vincente Minelli's "The Clock." It scares me to think how bad this would be if some genius got the idea to re-make it today. The delicacy and tact, combined with the un-ironic expression of young emotion, is almost without exaception beyond the grasp of today's Hollywood. The frequently mentioned "Before Sunrise" has many of the same qualities, but it's independently made. No surprise there.

I'm also partial to the romance between John Cusack and Minnie Driver that's at the heart of "Grosse Pointe Blank." I'd suggest it as a good modern counterpart to the comedies of re-marriage from the 1930s and early 1940s cited by Carrie.

SEND OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, I think Sandra is hot! Do you think she is really having an affair on Jesse?