As Valentine’s Day approaches, I thought the most appropriate list for this week’s blog would be my favorite romantic movies. This poses a slight conundrum for me, as I am not a fan of ‘chick flicks’ or romances, although there are a few movies that have caught my fancy that lie within this category. There are, as well, movies that have good love stories within them; however, the movie itself, for me, would not be considered a romance. So, I have taken some time to ponder which films I do love that qualify.
Honorable mention goes to these four films (in no particular order), although for me, they have a bigger truth than the romance within them:
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Ghost (1990)
Roxanne (1987)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
This fifth honorable mention is a ‘romance,’ but doesn’t make the Top 10 Cut:
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
My Top Ten Romance Films:
#10 - Rocky (1976) – Breaking the rules from the start! The romance should be secondary to the
underdog story of the boxer, but I Rocky’s love for Adrian supercedes any ring
challenge.
R.I.P. Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed) – you were/are loved.
#09 – Pillow Talk (1959) – A ‘comedy’ for the list.
#08 – Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) Although I have never been a fan of Andie
MacDowell (nor do I NOT like her), for me, the romance of this movie is about Charlie
and his cohort. Will he discover love the way of his friend in the weddings, or will he
‘settle’ and live life attending wedding with his cohort for the rest of their lives. Although
it isn’t a ‘kissy kissy’ movie, I feel for Charlie and his desire for a life-long love
relationship.
And ‘thank you,’ to my son, Logan, for giving me my own personal dvd copy this past
Christmas.
#07 – Hope Floats (1998) – This film surprises many of my friends when I mention this as a
favorite, as they know Sandra Bullock is NOT a face I care to watch in any film! The
romance comes from Harry Connick, Jr.’s sweet, country boy character. Oh, to have
someone pursue in such a gentle way. Boy, howdy!
#06 – Love Actually (2003) – A Christmas season movie for the list! This hyperlink film is filled
with a dynamite cast. Christmas is the backdrop, but the stories of these intertwined
characters and how they traverse through the story of love makes me happy.
This is Hugh Grant’s second appearance in the list. This is purely coincidental.
#05 – Shall We Dance (2004) – This entry is the ‘youngest’ of the list films. It has several things
going for it:
1 – Wanting to know how to dance and actually taking classes to do so,
2 – Jennifer Lopez looks absolutely stunning,
3 – Richard Gere is not only a ‘birthday buddy’ (Aug 31), but has a permanent home on
‘Denise’s Yummy List.’
John wanting to learn so he can dance with his wife, Beverly, and then actually doing just
so, melts my heart, and I cry every time.
#04 – Crossing Delancey (1988) Amy Irving’s first appearance in the list. The chemistry
between her and Peter Riegert is absolutely delicious. It is organic and fresh, and as in
Hope Floats, Sam’s gentle pursuit of Isabelle, let her come to him. THAT’S romance.
#03 – The Competition (1980) Here is Amy’s second appearance for the list. It truly is
coincidence; perhaps she knows just what films to choose to make me love them. Co-
starring one of my favorite actors, Richard Dreyfuss (my go-to dream lunch date), this
sleeper focuses on a young man’s (final) pursuit of the Van Cliburn scholarship award
and another competitor with whom he has met in prior years. Again, for us nerds,
another organic and honest relationship story.
#02 – The Good-Bye Girl (1977) The romance of romances. An out-of-shape dancer and an
actor get tangled up in an apartment misunderstanding and then well… Neil Simon’s
writing is superb (when is it not?) and the chemisty between Richard Dreyfuss (list
appearance number 2) and Marsha Mason (Simon’s wife at the time) makes me ‘warm
and fuzzy,’ especially when Elliot makes Paula the rooftop dinner. Richard Dreyfuss won
an Academy Award for his role as Elliot, which at the time, earned him the title of
youngest male to have won the Best Actor trophy. He held the title for 26 years.
#01 – Somewhere in Time (1980) If The Good-Bye Girl is the ‘romance of romances,’
Somewhere in Time is the ‘love story of love stories.’ Starring two of the most beautiful
faces of the day (Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour), these star-crossed lovers navigate
their story of time travel with full-blown passion. I bawl like a baby each and every time
I see it. Director Jeannot Szwarc took these photogenic faces and used them to their
fullest potential by placing them in the beauty of the Grand Hotel of Mackinac Island,
Michigan. This film also makes my all-time tear jerkers list.
If you haven’t seen any film on this list, I highly recommend any of them, but since most of them are well-know, I’m sure you have seen at least one.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
