What better way to say “I love you” then by watching a romantic movie with your main squeeze?
You won’t find a cheaper Valentine’s Day accoutrement, but renting a romantic movie is rife with risk.
Rent the wrong one and you’ve just wasted two hours you could have used … in other ways.
So here’s a quick cheat sheet to guide you through this weekend’s holiday celebration:
CAN’T MISS ROMANCES:
- “Once” – WWTW gets chills just thinking about this wonderful Irish romance.
- “Say Anything” – The best romantic movie from my youth.
- “Untamed Heart” – Did you ever fall for a flawed but lovely soul?
OVERRATED ROMANCES:
- “Working Girl” – Cawfee, tea or me? How ’bout ‘none of the above?’
- “Jerry Maguire” – You lost us at “hello.”
- “Love, Actually” – Yes, I said it. Overrated.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS:
- “P.S. I Love You” – President Obama can rebound in the polls if he passes legislation barring Hilary Swank from future romantic comedies.
- “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” – Please don’t make me describe it in any capacity. Please. I’m trying to forget I ever saw it.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
How about some movies from the 1940’s? I humbly suggest the following:
1. The Shop Around the Corner
2. The Enchanted Cottage
3. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. And finally, NO! How dare you put “Love Actually” in the Overrated Romances Department! No. I must defend.
Look, I’m a guy who watches guy movies. It must have explosions and tanks and guns and car chases and space ships and at least one character getting a ball thrown in the groin area. I refuse to watch any chick movies, no Terms of Endearment, Steel Magnolias, or anything with Julia Roberts. Can’t stand her.
Having addressed that, I say this movie has the perfect combination of that girly romantic stuff with guy funny stuff. My wife and I watch this every year for Valentine’s and we BOTH look forward to the next viewing. This is no small feat considering our polar opposing views on good movies. “Love Actually” has a great blending of various stories that start in separate episodes, but then cleverly and slowly intertwine with each other until the final scene.
C’mon, the Bill Nighy (“So if you believe in Father Christmas, children, like your Uncle Billy does, buy my festering turd of a record.”) and the Martin Freeman (“Well, you know the type. He’s married to his job. Either that, or gay as a picnic basket.”) story lines alone are classic.
To quote Captain Bligh in the 1962 version of “Mutiny on the Bounty”: “I’m not leaving you Mr Christian, not ever.”
But sometimes, you test my patience, Mr. Christian.
(This, of course, was typed with tongue firmly planted in cheek. And excellent column as always!).
Paula,
I’m a thoroughly modern film critic … and I tend to weight movies from the late ’70s on with more emphasis. I’m working on this and am planning more WWTW Rewinds to help the imbalance (look for reviews of “The Taking of Pelham” – the original – and “Thunderbolt and Lightning” in the near future.
Jason … yes, yes yeeees … “LA” isn’t awful, by any stretch, but it wasn’t a magical experience for me.” Thanks for putting up with me all the same!
Christian, if my wife and I can sit and watch and enjoy the same DVD at the same time in the same room, it certainly is a magical experience!
Keep up the great work. I love reading your blog and hearing you on Dennis Miller’s show.
I’m a girly girl and I’d much rather see the original “The Taking of Pelham 123″ than “Love, Actually” which bored me to tears.
Mr. Toto, did you mean “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot”?
I did … and you can clearly see how WWTW flies — sans editor. Am fixing it now!
Jason,
I’ll be on Dennis Miller next,most likely, just before the Oscars to give my ‘fearless’ predictions. Thanks for the kind words
Ah yes, Love Actually. When I think of great scenes from romantic comedies, I think of Hugh Grant giving a pious speech about what a bully America is. Or the scene where Liam Neeson teases his young son about his dead mother by calling him a “motherless mongrel” and telling him about how, now that the mother is dead, he will be bringing home women and having sex with them in every room of the house, including the son’s room. Real classy stuff.
As for my Valentine’s Day recommendations, I would definitely second Mr. Toto’s choice of Once, probably the best romance of the last ten years.
I would also recommend 50 First Dates, Notting Hill and High Fidelity.
“50 First Dates” was surprisingly enjoyable…
For recent romances, I would add “Amelie” and “Pride and Prejudice” (the one with Colin Firth) to the list. But most movies today can’t capture the sweetness of classics like “Roman Holiday” or the fun of “Philadelphia Story” and “Holiday” (or anything with Cary Grant in it). Oh, and I completely agree that Love Actually is overrated!
Some Kind of Wonderful always tugs at my heartstrings.
That’s a good one, too, AKJ … haven’t seen it in ages. I need to dig for it at the used DVD shop during my next visit.
How could you not include “Roman Holiday”? If that movie is not one of the all-time great romance movies, I will eat your hat