If I had to pick my very least favourite genre of film it would be romance. While I generally tend to stay away from that genre altogether, being in a relationship means that watching the odd rom-com or romantic drama is inevitable after a while. Nowadays especially, the genre has become a bit repetitive with many romance films sharing similar premises and ideas that just become too worn out after a while. To me, a lot of these films just sort of blend into each other and it's hard to tell them apart, but come on can you honestly blame me?
Although I would like to point out that The Notebook, despite what you may think, is a good film and I will stand by that statement. Yes while I don't tend to enjoy the majority of romantic films, there are some films like The Notebook that I have enjoyed and that I do think would appeal to those who also claim to dislike them. The following, in no particular order, are 10 romance films that I feel some of the most anti-romance people would even enjoy (although I didn't include The Notebook because, let's face it, a lot of people still wouldn't like that). They cross over to a number of genres but at heart, they are all romantic films.
Moonrise Kingdom
One of the more recent films from director Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward), two troubled kids who cross paths and decide to run away together into the wilderness. The two young leads are both fantastic to watch, delivering that sharp dialogue with wonderfully deadpan performances. They share this great chemistry between each other which makes it clear that the love between these two characters, despite their age, is very strong. They may be children, but they both have this sense of maturity that makes them seem a whole lot more adult, something that could only work so well in a Wes Anderson film. That's what makes this film stand out, Anderson's signature trademarks such as sharp dialogue, beautiful visuals and clever framing make this a very distinctive love story. Throw in the two talented leads and an equally talented supporting cast including Bill Murray and Edward Norton and you've got yourself a grade A love story unlike anything else out there. Moonrise Kingdom is an incredibly humorous film and clever love story with just the right level of Wes Anderson quirk to set it apart from your everyday rom-com.
Love Actually
'Oh no!' I hear you cry, 'not that one!'. I watched Love Actually over the Christmas, initially reluctant to do so, but I soon found myself breaking my heart laughing at this festive rom-com. Set in London, it follows a number of peoples intertwining love stories over the course of the Christmas season, from a writer who falls for his Portuguese housekeeper to a young boy in love with one of his classmates, the film includes a number of contrasting tales about romance. While the main theme of the film is 'love', it avoids being overly sappy by injecting a fair bit of humour into its respective stories, some of the funniest scenes include Billy Mack's (Bill Nighy) performance and Rufus (Rowan Atkinson) slowly gift-wrapping jewellery which had me in fits of laughter. It's a rom-com that has the perfect balance between rom and com. Enough romance to provide an emotional core for the film and enough humour to make it more than just a soppy anthology of love stories. The huge ensemble cast including Laura Linney and the late Alan Rickman to name a few, are all fantastic in their respective roles. While the film has gone on to inspire similar ones such as Valentine's Day and New Years Eve, none compare to the original.
Grease
The musical genre is one that frequently overlaps with romance, and while I'm not usually a fan of either, Grease is one of the exceptions. I know many people who despise musicals yet still admit to enjoying this 1978 classic. The film centers on greaser Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and the innocent Sandy (Olivia Newton-John), whose summer romance becomes much much more when the latter unknowingly enrolls in the same school as Danny. The rest, as they say, is history. Grease is undeniably a classic, from its catchy musical numbers, witty dialogue and portrayal of 50's youth culture, the film has enough to appeal to even those who strongly detest romantic films. I dare you to try and watch this without having 'You're the One That I Want' stuck in your head for weeks after. The film just has so much charm that it's impossible not to become engrossed in it from start to finish, the dialogue is well-written, the characters are well-acted, and the music is toe-tappingly good. What can I say, as much as I don't enjoy musicals or romantic films I cannot help but love Grease, it's just a classic.
Life After Beth
Horror and romance have always shared this interesting, often morbid relationship since way back when Gothic literature began, here, that bizarre relationship comes fully into play in a hilarious tale of love and zombies. The film begins with Zach (Dane DeHaan) mourning the loss of his girlfriend Beth (Aubrey Plaza) after she dies from a snakebite, however, the mourning doesn't last long as Beth soon returns from the dead as a zombie. Plaza steals the show here as the zombified Beth who, in her undead state, experiences extreme mood swings that gradually become much more violent. While Zach is initially thrilled with the return of his beloved, his excitement soon turns to horror when he realises that zombies are just as vicious as in the movies. While it's not as good as other 'rom-zom-com's' such as Shaun of the Dead, it puts more emphasis on the romance aspect and therefore fits in better on this list. A darkly comedic love story that will make you laugh and, oddly, touch your heart, Life After Beth is an excuse to bring a bit of horror into your romantic movie night.
Amélie
After the highly disappointing Alien: Resurrection, French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet gave us Amélie four years later and suddenly all was forgiven. The film follows the day to day life of Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou) in Montmarte, Paris, as she encounters a variety of interesting characters and situations. Amélie spends the majority of the film trying to bring happiness to the lives of her friends but it's not until the end where she finally achieves happiness for herself. Throughout the film, we gradually see her fall for a young man named Nino (Mathieu Kassovitz), however it's not until the end where she finally gets her man. What I like about this film is that, while it is a romance at heart, the romance is not the centre of the film. Instead, it opts to focus more on the little details in life, peoples likes, dislikes, general quirks, it pours immense detail into the personalities of its characters, even the minor ones. Amélie is a quaint little film filled with such immense beauty and detail, while the romance between Amélie and Nino is not center stage throughout, it is nonetheless crucial to the films satisfying finale. It's the type of film where you smile to yourself afterwards and remember why you love cinema.
The Princess Bride
Possibly one of the most exciting romance films of all time, The Princess Bride follows farmboy Westley (Cary Elwes) as he embarks on a quest across a fantasy world to rescue his beloved, the Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright). The title alone may be enough to turn off those who may mistake this for some Disney princess film, however, it is far from that. Taking influences from the likes of Robin Hood and Zorro, this is a swashbuckling tale of adventure and romance that takes place in a beautiful fantasy landscape. It is full of colourful and memorable characters, most notably the Spanish fencer Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) whose monologue has now become one of cinemas most iconic pieces of dialogue. The main story of Westley and co is in fact a story within a story, being read to a young boy (Fred Savage) by his grandfather (Peter Falk). This almost acts as a reflection of some of the viewers themselves, initially disinterested in the love and romance yet slowly becoming more and more engrossed in the world of The Princess Bride. It is that type of film, the more it progresses, the more it captivates you and by the time it's over you'll be wishing to return to its world. Beneath all of the action and fantasy, we sometimes forget that this is a romantic film at heart, and a damn good one at that.
Blue Valentine
The title of this film is a bit misleading, it sounds like your regular, run of the mill romance flick when in fact it is something much more than that. It's more of an anti-romance film, documenting the downward spiral of the relationship between Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams), flashing back and forward from the early days right until the end. At first, you may be led to think that this is your standard romantic drama and that there is a happy ending in store, however Blue Valentine sets to make the point that some problems just can't be resolved. What I loved about this film is that it doesn't sugar coat things, this is not the idealistic movie relationship we are used to. Instead it is a much more realistic depiction of relationships and how sometimes the spark does not last. It's pretty bleak at times, especially in the latter half of the film where we see how much their relationship has developed since the beginning. While it is a romantic drama, don't expect a warm fuzzy feeling by the end of it, just brace yourself is all I will say.
Annie Hall
Before becoming one of the film industries most despised figures, Woody Allen made some pretty great films, Annie Hall being one of my personal favourites. The film revolves around comedian Alvy Singer (Allen) who reflects on his relationship with his ex-girlfriend Annie Hall (Diane Keaton), trying to determine where it went wrong. Much like the aforementioned Blue Valentine, this is another film that depicts the gradual downfall of a couples relationship, unlike Blue Valentine however, it's not nearly as bleak. Instead, Allen injects his signature brand of clever humour into the film, incorporating things such as his experience with psychoanalysis for comedic effect. At several moments he even breaks the fourth wall, there's a famous scene where he pulls Marshall McLuhan into the frame in order to correct a man who, beforehand, gave a misinformed interpretation of McLuhan's work. This type of clever, almost meta humour is what has made the film so distinctive and marked the beginning of a more mature filmmaking career for Allen. However, it is his chemistry with Diane Keaton that makes this film so memorable. The part of Annie was written specifically for Keaton while the character of Alvy bares many similarities to Allen, allowing both actors to slip into the role with ease and deliver a natural and believable onscreen chemistry. It's an unconventional sort of love story, emphasising how love can come and go and the importance of moving on if it does, it's another film with a more realistic portrayal of relationships which, for me, is what makes it stand out.
Singles
A love story set against the Seattle grunge scene in the 90's, Singles is probably one of the coolest rom-com's out there. Not only because of its brilliant soundtrack including the likes of Alice in Chains and Soundgarden, but also due to actual onscreen appearances from Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. Not only that, but Eddie Vedder and co from Pearl Jam portray members of the band 'Citizen Dick', fronted by Matt Dillon's character Cliff. The film follows a number of intertwining stories that focus on the lives of a number of different 'singles' searching for love. These include waitress Janet (Bridget Fonda) who is smitten with Cliff, and Linda (Kyra Sedgwick) who struggles to commit to fellow single Steve (Campbell Scott) despite his genuine affection. As the film progresses, we watch their respective relationships unfold and anticipate who will remain single by the films end. As a fan of grunge I particularly enjoyed this due to the appearances of some of Seattle's most iconic grunge bands, it was pretty surreal seeing Matt Dillon and Eddie Vedder playing in the same band. Much like many of Cameron Crowes films, this one will appeal as much to music fans as it does to film fans, it's a humorous love story that gives an insight into the wonderful world of grunge-era Seattle. Featuring live performances from Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, Singles is a rom-com that's not to be missed.
Casablanca
Ok, so I said this was in no particular order but I had to save the best for last. I don't think there will ever be a romantic film that is superior to Casablanca, the tale of Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) has become iconic since its release in 1942. Set in the titular city of Casablanca during the second World War, the film follows nightclub owner Rick Blaine who is forced to choose between his love for his old flame Ilsa and helping her husband combat the Nazis. It's a wonderful story and the chemistry between Bogart and Bergman is timeless, still iconic to this day. It's not your typical romantic drama, focusing on Rick's conflict between having the woman he loves once again and letting her go once and for all. While it is clear that he and Ilsa still deeply love each other, he feels that he must do what's best for her. While it is a romantic film at its core, the World War 2 setting and subject matter make it feel like much more of a thriller, and it is quite thrilling at times especially due to Conrad Veidt's villainous Major Strasser. It is a love story wrapped up in an exciting tale of espionage, which is why I feel that it has such a wide appeal. Casablanca is essential viewing for everyone at some point in your life, no matter how much you dislike romantic films, you're bound to enjoy this one regardless.
So those are a few romantic films that can be enjoyed by those who hate the genre the most. Don't get used to me talking about romance films though because for the next couple of weeks I'll be doing a 5 part series on horror remakes. Each post will be about a different horror remake that I feel lives up to the original, remakes done right, if you will. The first of those will be up next week.
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