Have Pity On My Wife....
Jun 05 '01
The Bottom Line Romance, SCHMROMANCE!!!
My wife Melissa likes chick flicks. I'm NOT the biggest fan of them. But I do like them if they're well made. Or sometimes if the lead actress is THAT good looking or THAT funny that I can enjoy the movie. What I have the biggest problem with is the Hollywood Formula that dictates that all love stories have to follow the same course and have the same results.
Therefore, my list is a weird little combination of traditional "chick flicks" and some others you may not have considered as such. So, with no further ado, or even adieu, and in no real order because that changes with the setting of the suns, here's my list of love:
1. The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
While it's not my FAVORITE Muppet movie (that would be The Great Muppet Caper), it may be the best version on film of the love/hate/love relationship between my favorite frog and pig. It also shows a broader family love of the characters for each other, and shows the necessity of them in their lives. Plus it has my favorite wedding scene of all time, spawning the debate that's raged (among Muppet fans) for 17 years: are Kermit and Miss Piggy really married?
2. Freaks (1932)
The cult classic tale of love among circus sideshow "freaks", this film isn't politically correct by any means, but does have a few morals that are adopted by most love stories: there's someone out there for everyone, and outer beauty doesn't equal inner beauty. The love of the two German dwarfs for each other is threatened by his infatuation with a beautiful trapeze artist; how far would you go to protect your dream of happiness?
3. One Fine Day (1996)
Possibly the first true "chick flick" I fell for, it was probably because of Michelle Pfeiffer in the lead role. Intelligent, a mom, sexy, and vulnerable, we like her a lot. George Clooney wasn't bad either, and the two together have a nicely sparking love/hate rivalry thing going on with their kids. I liked it, although I know it's not going to change anyone's lives. Is that okay, just to enjoy a movie?
4. Batman Returns (1992)
My love/lust relationship with Michelle Pfeiffer really began in this flick--can't help it if skintight rubber and a cat o'nine tails make me go "meow-meow..." Beyond the obvious thing I have going for her, I think that Catwoman has always been the best match for Batman, but with their diametrically opposed philosophies and compulsions, it's a tragic kinda love instead of a groovy one. This movie also does a good job of exploring the levels of trust and vulnerability inherent in relationships, and I appreciate that. But the whip is why it's on the list.
5. You've Got Mail (1998)
Everyone prefers "Sleepless in Seattle," but I saw this one first on a semi-date with my now-wife before I dared to ask her out on a date. Because of that it has warm fuzzy memories, and I also think it's a more entertaining movie. In "Seattle" you never get to see Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks together...in "Mail" there's actual chemistry between them. I think they're both great in it, even though I'm not really a FAN of either one of them.
6. The Princess Bride (1987)
Arguably the silliest movie on this list (even sillier than the Muppets!), it's a comic combination of adventure and romance that people my age are a sucker for. And we all know that "love....twue love...." will conquer all. Cary Elwes and Robin Wright will be in these roles forever, and that's as it should be. Perhaps the perfect movie. If you haven't seen it (and I can't imagine you not), you need to turn of the computer and go rent it.
7. Roman Holiday (1953)
My wife just introduced me to this classic a few months ago, and I LOVE it. Really. It's a fun fun movie that stars Audrey Hepburn (the honiest honey ever made) and Gregory Peck. A young princess tired of her responsibilities runs away from her keepers while visiting Rome and meets a newspaper reporter who's looking for a story. Their misadventures in Rome are a lot of fun, and the genuineness of a time before all these things were trite movie conventions is so fresh in this film that you'll love it. I did.
8. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
The only Disney movie on this list, it's my favorite of the modern Disney movies (post Little Mermaid), and the best love story in their library. Even my crotchety heart melts seeing the forging of first a friendship and then a romance between Belle and the Beast; and even though I think he looks like a goofy moron after he's a human again, I can't WAIT for Disney to RELEASE THIS ON DVD!!!
9. Return to Me (2000)
I've written a separate review of this one, but it's my most recent Romance that I've fallen in love with. Unconventional in many ways, this story deals with tragedy in almost equal hands as comedy, and we see the main characters (played by David Duchovny and Minnie Driver) cope with loss and the trembling idea that they may indeed find love again. Great movie, I recommend it to anyone.
10. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
Kenneth Branagh's adaptation takes a Shakespeare play I knew nothing about and makes it hilariously entertaining. Although it, like most comedies, is based on misunderstandings and could therefore most accurately be compared to an episode of "Three's Company," it IS Shakespeare performed by one of the best modern interpreters of his works, and this version rocks. Very funny, very lovey-dovey, very nice.
Runners Up:
The Empire Strikes Back
While You Were Sleeping
Somewhere in Time
Moulin Rouge
Notting Hill
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Epinions.com ID:
JediKermit
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 in Movies, Kids & Family, Books |
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Member: Quinn
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Reviews written: 2189
Trusted by: 601 members
About Me:
Books, Movies, and Toys. Is there more to life?
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