Valentine’s Day is tomorrow. Yes guys, tomorrow—run out and buy your card and flowers now.
I’d rather skip the fancy dinner out (too crowded) and the blood-red roses (too trite). Romantic, for me, is Chinese take-out and a good DVD. Roses—any color besides red— are optional. But there’s nothing optional about chocolate!
So to gear up for my dinner and DVD I thought I’d give you my rundown of the best Valentine’s Day movies:
Moonstruck—I’m not a big fan of Cher, but she gets it just right in this movie. And what’s not to love about a brooding Nicolas Cage?
The African Queen—Odd couple pairing, action, and the most romantic wedding scene.
Casablanca—can’t leave this one off the list, right? If it were made today, would it have the same bitter-sweet ending?
Breakfast at Tiffany’s—Audrey Hepburn. Little black dress. Moon river.
Roxanne—a funny and sweet update of Cyrano de Bergerac.
The Princess Bride—the classic fairy tale with sword fights, rodents of unusual size, and a princess in need of rescue.
Pirates of the Caribbean—Another entry with action mixed with romance. Somehow I missed all the hoopla when this movie came out and watched it only recently, but I have to say, I loved every minute of it, especially Captain Jack. And I thought it was perfect that a corset triggers all the events that follow.
Say Anything—The movie’s tagline is “To know Lloyd Dobler is to love him.” That pretty much sums it up.
What movies would you add to the list? Any you’d delete? Any romantic movie that makes you nauseous?
-
Peggy Sue got Married. Loved Cage and Jim Carey (his first role if I’m right) in this. Kathleen Turner, never really turned into her 18 year old self. It also had a really young Helen Hunt who I love!
Of course I love Notting Hill. I rewatched Failure to Launch the other day, but I think I really like RC with Drew Berrymore. 50 First Dates comes to mine, but she’s been in a lot more. Kind of a modern Goldie Hawn.
Gotta add Bird on a Wire and Overboard.
Before that were the Doris Day Rock Hudson movies I loved so much.
by Lynn on February 13th, 2008 at 7:56 am
-
Hi Lynn,
Overboard was on TV the other night and it was still as funny as ever!
by Sara on February 13th, 2008 at 8:20 am
-
You gave some really good ones, Sara, and so did you, Lynn. I love Roxanne, 50 First Dates and Overboard especially. Other than those, You’ve Got Mail is a good one for me, but then I met my husband online. I’m also a fan of Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story (both Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn). I like comedy in my romances.
by B.E. Sanderson on February 13th, 2008 at 9:17 am
-
I’d toss them all but three:
Roxanne - I love that movie. Steve Martin is awesome.
Princess Bride - Another winner. Definitly in my top 5.
Pirates - The second two lost the charisma, but the first was really good.
From the guys slant:
Caddyshack - OK, not so much romance, but it’s hilarious and has gratuitous nudity.
Animal House - See above.
Slap Shot - See above.
Blazing Saddles - See above w/o the nudity
Rocky marathon - It has some romance to it.
Unforgiven - A really good Clint Eastwood western.
If the wife insists on being entertained:
The Shawshank Redemption
Hunt For Red October.
by Will Bereswill on February 13th, 2008 at 9:20 am
-
Like B.E. and Will, I like a little comedy, and that’s a must if my friend and I are watching. Hepburn and Grant are awesome, also Grant and anyone else - Houseboat with Sophia Loren and of course, with Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief (that fireworks scene beats out the beach scene in From Here to Eternity any day for me!), are two examples. But back to comedy and romance - Real Genius is the perfect goofy movie to share with the smart one you love!
By myself, though, I vote for two Christopher Reeve films - Morning Glory (sort of hard to find, but I think it’s superb), and ladies, tell me you haven’t forgotten Somewhere in Time - it’s so, so, so romantic!!! (And if you’ve never seen it, give yourself an evening, some chocolate, and a box of tissues. It’s beautiful, sad, and even historical, with perfect sets and costumes.) And last, Diane Lane and Viggo Mortensen, in A Walk on the Moon, gets my vote - if you haven’t seen it, well, you’re missing a really good, complete story with some great actors, which is a rare thing.
by Kate Hathway on February 13th, 2008 at 11:32 am
-
Hmmm, I hit ‘Submit Comment’ but it didn’t come up - I apologize if it ends up being here twice!
I agree with B.E. and Will about funny comedies - especially with my particular friend. Grant and Hepburn are great, but then Grant and anyone else generally works, too! (See Houseboat with Grant and Sophia Loren or the incomparable To Catch a Thief with Grace Kelly - the fireworks, wow!) And a goofy-sweet film to share with the smart one in your life is Real Genius - Val Kilmer, ’nuff said.)
But the most romantic films I can only watch by myself, and I have three that are the very best. Two with Christopher Reeve - Morning Glory (a bit hard to find, but totally worth the effort), and Somewhere in Time - truly the best, since it’s beautiful in story, setting, and costumes, and romantic and sad, and even more poignant after CR’s accident and death (yes, I recommend chocolates and tissues). Lastly, A Walk on the Moon, with Diane Lane and Viggo Mortenson - a full, complex story with great actors, it’s the type of film that’s just plain good, and I recommend it most highly.
by Kate Hathway on February 13th, 2008 at 11:52 am
-
Hi, B.E. I love the classics, too. Can’t go wrong with Cary Grant.
by Sara on February 13th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
-
Hey, Will. I may have to pick one of the movies off your list for my hubby. It woubld probably be the best Valentine I could give him!
by Sara on February 13th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
-
“I met my husband online”
Okay, I was obviously reading too quickly and missed that interesting tidbit in your post, B.E. There’s got to be a great story there…
One of the Good Girls also met THE ONE on-line. Can you guess which one?
by Sara on February 13th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
-
Mr. Thrilling?
by Will Bereswill on February 13th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
-
The short answer is Match.com. ;o) If you’re very particular and very careful, those things really can work.
The rest is: six weeks of intense and long e-mails and phone calls across 600 miles, the too-short weekend when we met, another six weeks of more intense e-mails and phone calls (one of which was 6 hours long), then marriage. We spent a total of 7 days together before we got married and the first six weeks of our marriage living in different states. I thought those weeks would never end. Ack. It was whirlwind, but when you know it’s right, it’s right. Best decision I ever made. =oD
by B.E. Sanderson on February 13th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
-
An Affair to Remember
That last scene is priceless.
Love Actually
As for finding someone online. Woo hoo.
And she is right. If you know, you know. My husband and I married nine months to the day of our first date. And no, I was not pregnant.
We’ll be celebrating 18 years this August.
cmr
by Chris Redding on February 13th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
-
Awww…B.E., thanks for the perfect pre-Valentine story. I agree with you and Chris. You just know it’s right and then you might as well go for it. Worked for me and my hubby, too. Sixteen years and counting!
by Sara on February 13th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
-
Kate, we apologize…your reply got spammed for some reason. I’ve corrected it and it shouldn’t happen again!!!
by Laura on February 13th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
-
Hi, Kate! Somehow, I missed your comments. I’m so glad Laura rescued them. So true about the fireworks scene. I’ve always thought Somewhere in Time was especially sad, too, in light of what happened to Reeve later.
by Sara on February 13th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Loading ...
