Top 10 Romance Movies: Part 2

Today is Valentine's Day, and to conclude my Weekend of Romantic Fiction, here is the second and final part of my Top 10 Romance Movies list. If you missed the first part of the list where I explain my ranking, click here to check out part one of the list; otherwise, please enjoy the post!

Romantic Drama: (500) Days of Summer

Bordering on romantic comedy, (500) Days of Summer ultimately places itself as one of the few romantic drama films to actually be good. 

Plot: 7.8/10- Taking place from the perspective of male character, which is unusual for the genre, (500) Days of Summer manages to set itself far enough apart from the rest of the films in the romantic drama genre. Even though most romantic dramas are entirely predictable, the film takes an unexpected direction with the film's conclusion, and it is a nice change of pace compared to the predictability of the other films in the genre.

Characterization: 7.1/10- Tom Hansen, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is a generally likable character, and his romantic expectations are almost a commentary on how romance is glamorized in fiction. Also, typically this role is played by the female character in the relationship. On the other hand, Summer Finn, played by Zooey Deschanel, has a more negative outlook on romance, which contrasts Hansen's view. My problem with the characters is that I never cared much for either of them, and while elements of commentary are interesting, the romance between characters was never all that interesting. 

Overall: 7.7/10- Even though my lack of attachment to the characters detracted from the film, (500) Days of Summer's intriguing commentary on the genre makes it one of the more unique entries in an infamously weak genre.

Honorable Mentions: ?

Romantic Comedy: The Philadelphia Story

The romantic comedy genre is notorious for being well... utterly predictable and completely worthless, unless you enjoy clichéd and sappy love stories, which is fine. However, the older romantic comedies are almost exclusively my favorite in the genre, and The Philadelphia Story is the best of the bunch.

Plot: 7.7/10- The Philadelphia Story is less about the romance itself and more about the relationships between the characters. Like most older films, the characters are not all that complex, but the dialogue is often humorous and witty throughout, which is the main source of entertainment.

Acting: 9.5/10- James Stewart won an Oscar for his performance, and rightfully so, because his performance is superb as always. Cary Gran gives his trademark wit to the role, although his accent sounds more British than Philadelphian, and Katharine Hepburn is great in her breakout role.

Overall: 7.9/10- Thanks to the stellar cast and witty script, The Philadelphia Story is a fun and entertaining classic romantic comedy that holds up rather well.

Honorable Mentions: His Girl Friday,

Animated Romance: The Garden of Words

Chances are, you have ever heard of The Garden of Words, and if so, you need to give this 46 minute film a watch.

Plot: 8.0/10- The Garden of Words follows two character, Takao Akizuki, a hard-working high school student, who hopes to become a shoemaker, and Yukari Yukino, a woman in her mid-twenties. On rainy mornings, Takao skips school to sit in the park, which is where he meets Yukari, who always drinks alcohol and eats chocolate in the park. After several encounters over the course of a few months, more is revealed about Yukari and why she is always in the park. 

Without spoiling anything, even though the plot is simple, it deals with some surprisingly controversial themes in an intelligent and mature way. The romance element is not the most prominent aspect of the film, but it executed in a very mature and realistic way, without ever being overly dramatic. The only notable issue with the plot is that not a lot happens during the early parts of the film, yet the meditative pace was very appealing to me, and it maintained my interest throughout.

Animation: 10/10- Stunning and beautiful cannot even begin to describe how utterly amazing The Garden of Words’ art is! With the exception of Ufotable's Garden of Sinners film series, nothing even compares to the hyperrealistic art style and mind-blowing visuals. Sure, the film mostly takes place in one park, but it is one of the most beautiful works of art I have ever seen. Every few moments, I literally thought: "Wow, how can this look so amazing!" Pictures and gifs can never do it justice, so you have to watch the film for yourself.

Overall: 8.6/10- Beautifully simplistic and bittersweet, The Garden of Words is a mind-blowingly stunning work of art that should be experienced by all.

Honorable Mentions: 5 Centimeters Per Second,

Classic Romance: Casablanca

Having not seen Casablanca in quite some time, providing accurate criticism is a bit difficult. However, from what I remember, I will try to say something constructive, but do remember it being a classic. 

Actor: 9.5/10- My very first experience with a Humphrey Bogart film, it is no denying that he is one the greatest actors of all-time, and his performance in Casablanca is one for the history books. Ingrid Bergman, one of my favorite actresses, gives an exceptional performance as well.

Overall: 8.0/10- With unforgettable quotes like "Here's looking at you kid," Casablanca is an undeniable classic, and anyone interested in film should watch it at some point.

Honorable Mentions: Breakfast at Tiffany's, Roman Holiday, Sabrina,

Romantic Mystery/Thriller: Rear Window

Since the romance in any of the classic thrillers is not a main focus, Rear Window, my favorite film from Alfred Hitchcock, takes the number one spot on the list.

Plot: 10/10- Rear Window shaped my early days of film reviewing by showing me what it means for a film to be suspenseful. From the slowburn buildup to the edge-of-your-seat finale, Hitchcocs demonstrates his mastery of filmmaking throughout Rear Window.

Acting: 9.7/10- James Stewart always gives an exceptional performance, and his work in Rear Window is no exception. Grace Kelly is beautifully superb in her role, and for the era, she is one of the best heroines in cinema, despite her smaller role. 

Overall: 9.7/10- Overall, Rear Window is a masterpiece of cinema, the best work of the era, and an absolute must-watch for anyone that considers themselves a film fan.

Honorable Mentions: Charade, Laura, North by Northwest, Notorious, Vertigo,

Comic Book Romance: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Even though many superhero and comic book films have better romance in them, few actually focus on the romance itself more so than Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. 

Plot: 7.9/10- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World's plot plays out much like an old video game with Scott having to defeat Ramona's seven evil exes, which makes the plot somewhat simple, yet that is also the appeal. Plot points follow elements of video games and even anime to a lesser degree. While not as apparent to me as it was for others, there are some metaphors about dating, and it almost makes fun of it to a certain degree.

Special effects: 9.5/10- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is all about the insane visual style, and Edgar Wright's quick cuts work perfectly, and the use of on screen text and comic book like "Bang" and "Pow" visuals are often humorous and add to the video game/manga aesthetic. 

Overall: 8.3/10- Overall, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a fun, stylistic, and insanely unique movie with a style all its own. While it has its flaws and does not always hit the mark, it is yet another stellar film by Edgar Wright that is great for those looking for something truly unique. (you can read the full review by clicking here)

Honorable Mentions: ?,

Sci-Fi Romance: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Even though there are better romances in the sci-fi genre, like Han and Leia in The Empire Strikes Back, no other sci-fi film focuses on relationships and romance more so than Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. 

Plot: 8.3/10- In terms of concept, Eternal Sunshine probably has the strongest and most unique concept of any film in the romance genre. 

The best aspect of the film is easily the different direction it takes than most other films in the genre. However, the science fiction element that is introduced is not explained at all, and while that is not a big problem, the movie definitely had the clichéd indie feel when it comes to glossing over the details. Also, the movie's pacing could have been better. It dragged a bit with some side plots taking too much time. Despite having a very unique concept, some elements of the movie still fell into romance movie clichés with some overly sappy moments. 

Characterization: 6.1/10- Even though the main character is fairly developed, you never care all that much for Joel, or his romantic interest, Clementine. All you really know about Clementine is that she is the exact opposite of the meek and timid protagonist. Her energetic character is appealing at times, but that is it. 

Overall: 7.5/10- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an incredibly unique take on the romance genre in concept, yet it still falls into a few of the genre's clichés. Despite these flaws, it is one of the better films the genre, thanks the concept and strong performances. (you can read the full review by clicking here)

Honorable Mentions: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,

Overrated Romance: Titanic

As a bonus, let's talk about the most overrated romance film ever made, Titanic. Of course, this is my opinion, and if you like the film, that's fine (my mom likes it), but James Cameron stopped making quality movies when he made Titanic. It is just a giant cash cow with poorly developed characters, corny dialogue, and too many useless scenes. If Titanic won Best Picture for essentially making a ton of money, why wasn't Transformers won already!? (okay, that might an exaggeration). 

Dishonorable Mentions: Annie Hall,

What are your favorite romance movies? What do you think of my new list format? Please comment below and let me know.

Other Romance Posts:
Top 10 Romance Movies: Part 1
Top 5 Romance Anime

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