5. Crazy/ Beautiful
(2001)Chalk this up as the one time I liked Jay Hernandez in anything. Ok, that's not true. He got killed real good in Hostel 2. What I thought would be a trite, shallow teen angst flick surprised the hell out of me with a surprisingly mature take that could appeal to both teens and adults. But it was Kirsten Dunst who really won me over here, proving to me for the first time just how good of an acress she could be. During a time when teen movies were either overly stupid or took themselves way too seriously, Crazy/Beautiful was a cut above the rest.
4. Breaking the Waves
(1996)Some would argue that Lars Von Trier's film about a simple woman named Bess, who degrades herself physically at the expense of her faith all for her crippled husband isn't a romance story. But I disagree. It's as much a story about love as anything, and the sinking depths people will go to in order to hold on to it. It also happens to be a story about spirituality and the testing of it. Filmed in Von Trier's "controversial" Dogme 95 style, the gritty camera work adds a sense of realism to the film that can't be denied. I maintain that Emily Watson's miraculously precise performance as Bess is the single best performance by a female I've ever seen. Period. The story is beautiful but heartbreaking, and oftentimes uncomfortable to watch. It's virtually impossible to find a completely uncut version of the film(I saw the uncut version once and haven't found it since), but if you can get your hands on the regular edition it'll more than suffice.
3. Ghost (Special Collector's Edition)
(1990)Ah yes, the film that made the pottery wheel a euphemism for foreplay. The best example of love truly being eternal, Ghost is considered one of the most memorable films ever by many, including myself obviously. Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze's chemistry on screen, even after Sam's untimely death, is immeasurable. And if you can get past the fact that their one great romantic scene isn't so much her and Swayze as it is her and Whoopi Goldberg, it's a straight up scorcher.
2. All the Real Girls
(2003)Most people recognize the name David Gordon Greene from last year's Pineapple Express, but before he was making lame stoner comedies he was an indie auteur. All the Real Girls is arguably his best film, featuring two actors I knew nothing about back then but have grown to love ever since: Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel. It's the story of a small town womanizer named Paul, who has grown tired of all the fast women and short relationships. He wants to change and start a normal life, and he sees the opportunity for that with his best friend's sister, Noel. She's different than everybody Paul's ever dated, more mature and contemplative, which causes problems. But the two fall in love, much to the chagrin of Noel's brother who knows Paul's cheating ways. Why is this movie so great? All the Real Girls pulls no punches. It's often uncomfortably real, and the acting by Schneider(who also co-wrote) and Deschanel is spot on. The way it portrays how a real, lasting relationship completely changes both people is perfect, even if that change isn't always what everyone wants.
1. Once
From the moment Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova(known in the film as Guy and Girl) perform "Falling Slowly" in the middle of the music shop, I knew I was watching something I hadn't seen before. Once might be the most perfect romance film I've seen, and yeah it's more a musical but the songs perfectly convey the emotions of the two main leads. It's not often that I say that a film made me feel truly happier for having seen it, but that's how I felt walking out of this. It's a simple story, about a poor musician in Ireland, who by chance happens upon a girl who's love of music is as deep as his own. The two share an attraction, but life's little complications stand in the way. He still carries a torch for his ex, she has a husband living in another country. But through their mutal love of music, the guy and girl are able to share levels of emotion that they can't truly act upon. The music alone, all of it written and performed by the two leads, makes this movie worth seeing a million times over(I've watched it atleast a dozen times by now). But the real emotion brough out by these two non-actors is so honest and real that the two became a real life couple in the process of shooting. The Once soundtrack is a must own, and if you get a chance to see The Swell Season live like I have, it's a real treat. I can honestly say that Once will be a move I will return to over and over again and never get tired of.
So that's my top 5 romance films. I'm sure I've left off a million of 'em that most people typically love but that's why this is my list and not theirs. In two weeks I've got a ton of movies to pull ideas for a Top 5 from, including Michael Moore's new film Capitalism: A Love Story, The Invention of Lying, and Whip It. Maybe I'll do top 5 sports films. Or top 5 movies about greed. If you have suggestions for a Top 5, shoot 'em on over to punchdrunkcritics@yahoo.com.
