A favorite duckie, author, and all around good egg (snort), Meljean Brook, shares her cupidness and talks about romance in movies. Read on – it’s a hoot. And don’t forget to catch her latest release, Demon Night (The Guardians, Book 5) (Berkley, 5 Feb 08).
Around Valentine’s Day, I begin seeing a lot of posts about favorite romantic movies. Given that the romance genre is my favorite genre, it may seem odd that my least favorite type of movie is a romance.
Oh, there are exceptions, of course. Pride and Prejudice (just about any version), The Philadelphia Story, The Princess Bride, and … um …
Okay, I’m sure there are more, but not many. Because when it comes to movies, I want explosions. I want martial arts and gunfights and car chases and magic. I want dinosaurs and spaceships. And my favorites are usually the movies where the romance is like a treat on the side or the whipped cream on top. They aren’t always well-developed or healthy, but they sure taste good.
So here are my favorite movies that include a romance … and usually something blows up. (The title links to the trailer on YouTube — the other links are to scenes.)
THE FIFTH ELEMENT: Leeloo and Corbin.
Bruce Willis as a futuristic superagent? Milla Jovovich as the Supreme Being who saves the universe from a giant evil sphere that makes everyone’s foreheads bleed black oil? The Supreme Being who decides the world is worth saving because of love? Who has the BEST background music as she’s kicking ass (a blue alien. See also: DEMON NIGHT.) Pure. Win.- THE LORD OF THE RINGS: Frodo and Samwise.
What, you thought I was going to say Aragorn and Arwen? As pretty as those two are, it’s the deep love between the two hobbits that always gets me. And suuuuuuuure they’re ‘just friends’. I’m sorry — a journey like that, you start snuggling up to each other to stay warm…and before you know it, there’s love in the air. [Ed.: snicker] 
MR & MRS SMITH: John and Jane
They’re supposed to kill each other. They try. They can’t go through with it. They end up in a home improvement store, fighting a bunch of assassins sent to end their lives and marriage. Somehow, they survive. And Jane kicks ass up and down this movie.- WILLOW: Madmartigan and Sorsha.
Sexy, young Val Kilmer dresses up as a girl. She’s a red-headed warrior woman with an evil mother. He gets hit with the dust of broken hearts, falls in love with her on sight, and calls her his sun, his moon, his starlit sky. Then he rolls down a mountain in a snowball, captures her, they fight, she gets away, he fights a troll-dragon, she kisses him. Then they get turned into pigs. - THE ABYSS: Bud and Lindsey
Drilling team at the bottom of the ocean. He’s the laid-back guy who can’t forget her; she’s the hard-ass, brilliant bitch who catches a glimpse of something wonderful. She drowns; he saves her by slapping, electrocuting, and screaming at her. A Navy Seal (played by the romantic lead of my next pick) goes crazy and dies when a submersible implodes. The rest of them get to meet the pink aliens. 
THE TERMINATOR: Kyle and Sarah
He goes (naked) through time to save her life. He’s not nice about it; he’s rough and yells, but he’s loved her forever, just because of her picture. She’s frightened, but not stupid. They have sex in a motel, he gets shredded by robot shrapnel, she drives around in a Jeep, talking into a tape recorder. It’s beyond fantastic.- THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK: Han and Leia
He’s the rogue; she’s the princess. They’re betrayed, she says she loves him, he says, “I know.” There is no end to my love of these two together.
Honorable mentions also go to X-FILES: FIGHT THE FUTURE (because it wasn’t just a TV show), BEASTMASTER (just because), and SERENITY (even though it doesn’t have a strong romantic thread, it’s awesome — and so many couples to root for!)
So … what movies would you add?
Ermm, this list is good. I know exactly one film, namely Terminator (and I always get embarrassed at the mention of Schwarzi) ROFL. Btw. the mullet from Hamilton is priceless, no?
What film would I add??? I kind of am a period drama junky, preferably with romance AND happy ending. Add a lot of Jane Austen stuff (NOT those Hollywood mutilations, though), Elizabeth Gaskell, Dangerous Beauty (*sigh*) … and all the other DVDs I invested in during the last months (too many to count).
I’d like to second ‘The Abyss’ (God, that movie is awesome) and add ‘Speed’.
Yes, Keanu generally displays all the emotion of a thin plank of wood but I have never stopped loving this movie and am absolutely positive that Jack and Annie got married and lived HEA (we ignore Speed 2) *shudders*
I’m not a big fan of romance movies, either. Although I do get the urge once in awhile.
My all time favorite couple is definitely Scarlett and Rhett, though. Love them to pieces. She was such a hag, and he deserved so much better, but together? They were amazing.
I’ll have to think of some other movies…
I always say the best romances are in action/adventure movies and people look at me like I’m nuts but I hate sappy “romance” movies. They just do not do it for me at all. Things don’t have to blow up, though. 😀
I haven’t seen all of the movies on your list but absolutely agree with the ones that you have listed. Mr and Mrs Smith is one I particularly love, and Han and Leia get me every time. I would add Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark).
On your short romance movies list, again those are favorites of mine. There is also a great movie with all kinds of love called Love Actually.
I just have to say that I love The Philadelphia Story. Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, sparks and witty banter flying everywhere, with James Stewart aka America’s Everyman thrown in there and it’s solid gold.
I would have to say I like You’ve Got Mail as a romance and totally agree with Empire Strikes Back. Has anyone ever seen the movie Go? Katie Holmes (before she got all weird and Crusie-washed) and Timothy Olyphant. It’s so out of left field, but fits with the movie.
Terminator, oh my gawd, yes!!! *sigh* Michael Biehn *sigh*
And The Abyss is cry your eyes out romantic. “love you wife”
I love Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but True Lies makes me laugh even more. “Honey, next time, duck” “I married Rambo!”
I also really like Dante’s Peak–but then Pierce Brosnan being all heroic just pushes all the right buttons.
I maybe ashamed to admit this but when I saw Titanic and Jack lets go of Rose I cried like a baby. And then I went home and listened to My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion and cried even more.
And Shawshank Redemption. Andy and Red. Not a romantic couple, but the best of friends and the last scene when Red is walking on the beach towards his friend Andy is so beautiful and moving!
Hi Meljean, I admit I’ve only seen a few of these movies. On those, I agree with you on most. I can’t remember the actual scene in The Empire Strikes Back but just reading it now, it seems arrogant. Or at least I know people in real life really don’t like it if you say “I know” when they tell you they love you. :-X I’m not really big on romantic movies either, but one of my favorites is Gone With the Wind. Unlike a lot of people, I like and respect Scarlet. I also think Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable were fantastic actors. 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day!
I love The Abyss! Great film.
Of course I clicked on your link and watched the clip.
But I wasn’t satisfied, so I found this! 😀
i likey your type of movies. Action movies are the best. But when they have alittle bit of romance thrown in they are better.
Loved terminator.
Oh, I can’t think of any to add right now. But as I read through the lists I kept coming across ones I would have added. Puts me in the mood for a major film-watching marathon!
Have to agree that Kablooey Romance = Awesome.
I’ve seen all the ones on your list and special love to The Abyss. I heart Lindsey. OMG, that drowning scene! And I love when Bud throws his wedding ring into the toilet and he changes his mind and retrieves it and his hand is all blue from whatever crap was in that toilet.
And Mr and Mrs Smith — well, any movie that brought about the Brangelina phenomenon is gonna be good but I loved how Jane was probably four times the better assasin than John.
Other Kablooey films I heart are Dark City (never warmed up to THE MATRIX because I saw this first that same year and thought it was better) and The Island (Mrs Ewan McGregor may be the luckiest woman in the world. I hate her. 🙂 )
I haven’t had the chance to watch the movies you listed. All I can think of is Titanic and You Got Mail.
I have to add Lethal Weapon 2 I think when Mel Gibson’s character meets his future wife. Romancing The Stone was a goodie too.
Love Mr. & Mrs. Smith.