Love Stories are pretty rare at the local cineplex. They don't pull in the big numbers. Often movies I look forward to as novels into movies--THE ENGLISH PATIENT, END OF THE AFFAIR, THE GREAT GATSBY, don't turn out to be very good at the theater. Although the film of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY was better as a movie IMHO.
I just looked over the list of forthcoming movies in the NYT and once again, I thought several looked promising. I'm not talking about movies with Jennifer Anniston or Sandra Bullock though. Not romantic comedies but real, gut-wrenching, passionate, knee wobbling films. Two of the ones that had these elements of late dealt with homosexual affairs-BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN and BOYS DON"T CRY. Is romance still worth exploring in alternate life style films? Is it fresh there? Has it gotten too dull in mainstream films.
What was the last film that worked for you in these terms. Or are too cynical to care about love?
9 comments:
I happen to love Sandra Bullock movies! A tidbit about her: in Miss Congeniality she walks past a row of FBI photos...one of them is her mother, who is an FBI agent.
I haven't been to a movie theatre in over three years, though my favourite love story movies are: Kate and Leopold, The Cutting Edge, City of Angels. There are probably others but they don't come to mind.
I have a strong opinion about homosexual affairs, and you wouldn't catch me going to a movie about this topic. I'm fairly open minded about most things, but not this.
I care a lot about love, but I just don't watch it at the movies. I don't know when was the last time I watched a real tear-jerking love story. I never would watch one unless I was watching it with the someone I love. I just wouldn't seek it out or select it. I don't mind a love story IN some other kind of tale, as long as a lot of other stuff is happening.
Well, I still haven't seen (nor yet read) THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE...life uncooperative. I wasn't convinced by BROKEBACK, but it was a game try (BOYS DON'T CRY had the advantage of real-life tragedy to limn it). I'm not sure romantic comedies should be dismissed so easily, though the last relatively good ones I've seen, KISSING JESSICA STEIN and GRAY MATTERS, wouldn't meet wtih Barbara's approval...perhaps the heterosexual FALL might not, either. (Goofus romances I LOVE YOU, MAN and FORGETTING SARA MARSHALL can be discounted, even with the likes of Rashida Jones involved.) ONCE AND AGAIN has been my benchmark of late in dealing with this subject, and the series THE MIDDLEMAN, in its not completely comedic approach, has some heartfetl romantic content. MAD MEN plays on in the background, attempting to detail how bad the obstetric experience was in the early/mid '60s (when I was making my debut).
I think Charles' comments are probably representative of a lot of men. KISSING JESSICA STEIN was a very good movie--that I don't remember all that well. I seem to have a two-year window on real recollection now. I like a lot of romantic comedies-they just don't have the knee wobbling affect.
DEFINITELY MAYBE was the best romantic comedy I've seen in years. Not only was it intelligent, it also had a mystery to solve as its frame.
I enjoy froth as much as anyone, but I know what you mean about a lack of real love stories.
I heard that 500 Days of Summer with Joseph Gordon- Levitt and Zooey Deschanel was both fresh, funny, and real. Not the ordinary plot line or arc, but an examination of a romance. I haven't gotten to it yet, but it's on my short list. Here's the Rotten Tomatoes link to the piles of reviews:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/500_days_of_summer/
I saw 500 Days of Summer and liked it a lot, but it didn't make my knees wobble because-well, I dont want to spoil it. Well worth seeing.
My own favs would be BEFORE SUNRISE and BEFORE SUNSET.
After Sunset, I sat in the theater simply to soak in all that I had seen.
Those are two of my all-time fav films.
Now that is exactly what I had in mind. I didn't think the second could top the first, but it did. One of the best last lines ever.
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