We asked our Movie Critic and Features Editor to come up with their top romantic rentals. Here's what they picked:
Melissa's Picks:
If you cannot act out your romantic fantasy from your favorite love movie, why not spend Valentines Day cuddling up with the one you love...or make it a girl's night by renting and watching a romance or chick flick.
A very handsome man trying to win over the heart of a woman is what comes to my mind when thinking about typical romance films. Although there have been thousands of love movies created in the last 50 years, including classic Hollywood romances, many of my favorites were produced and directed in the last two decades.
When searching for the right Valentine's movie, people might ask themselves, "Do I want an ordinary romance movie, a romantic comedy, a romantic drama or an artistic or foreign romance film?" Here are some of my favorites.
Ghost - This movie supplies a love story with a twist of drama added. Not only does this film display some very romantic and promiscuous scenes, such as Moore spinning pottery while connecting sexually with her dead husband, but it is also filled with many slow love songs. This romantic and dramatic tale has the idea of rekindling love and bringing it back to life. It won Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Screenplay, Best Music and Best Picture.
City of Angels - Another movie about the powers of faith, love and death. Imagine a fantasy romance film in which love questions a person's faith. In this tale a skeptical heart surgeon (Meg Ryan) is confused about life and death until she receives a visit from an angel. The angel, Seth (Nicholas Cage), explains to her how everything in life happens for a reason and gives the meaning behind her unanswered questions. While coming to terms with reality and understanding death, Ryan becomes infatuated with Cage. This film takes different turns, but throughout all of the circumstances that the two face, they are brought closer together.
Armageddon - I would categorize this film as a romance, but I also think that it could fall under the science fiction or thriller category. The movie displays powerful acts of bravery and the strong love between a father and daughter and between a boyfriend and a girlfriend. In 1999, "Armageddon" received Oscar awards for Best Effects, Music and Sound. Dirty Dancing - "Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner," is one of my favorite love lines in this movie. Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey light up the screens after their summer vacation turns into a romantic fling. Baby, played by Grey, is a shy teenager who has never really experienced love and thinks that everyone is more attracted to her sister. Grey becomes fascinated with the resort's top dance entertainer and instructor, played by Swayze. This young and charming man begins to offer Grey dance lessons and a little more.
Sleepless in Seattle - Everyone has probably dreamed of meeting their prince charming on Valentine's Day on the top of the Empire State Building. Tom Hanks' meddling son gets him to New York to meet a new, mysterious lover (Meg Ryan).
Whatever you are in the mood to watch on that day, my suggestion is to rent it a day early so that you are not desperately searching the movie aisles at the video store or left out in the cold as an unlucky last minute renter.
Catherine's Picks:
So many films, so little space! How can I pick just five great romantic films to rent for Valentine's Day? Here is a different set of choices for a Valentine's Day rental, for those willing to look beyond the ordinary. There are some real gems in the genre of romantic films, especially if you remember to include classics. Once upon a time, the best comedies were the romantic comedies, so that makes classic films a great place to look for a romantic movie.
However, in order to hold this list to five films, we will skip the most obvious romantic classic choices: Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Shakespeare in Love. They are sure things from three different time periods: Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in WWII Casablanca, Audrey Hepburn in 50s chic in Tiffany's and Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes in Shakespeare's world.
Whether you are cuddling up with your honey or sharing a bowl of popcorn or some chocolate (hey, I just thought of another great romantic rental - Chocolat!), there are plenty of films to chose from. Here are some other romantic or romantic comedy delights:
Wings of Desire (1987) - "Wings of Desire" is the hit German film on which "City of Angels" is based. Directed by Wim Wenders, it stars Bruno Ganz in a film of haunting beauty about a pair of angels who wander around above Berlin, invisible to the mortals below but trying to help or comfort the sad and lonely on earth. It is about the balance between the spiritual and the physical worlds; it is thought-provoking but also a bittersweet story that is also a very romantic, sexy tale. Set in Berlin before the wall fell, this is one of the most beautiful and haunting stories of forbidden love.
Philadelphia Story (1940) - Madcap comedy from Hollywood's big studio golden era. It starts with a divorce but ends up with love. The question is who? This is the madcap romantic comedy gold standard, and it stars Katherine Hepburn, James Stewart and Cary Grant. It gives you three romantic comedy masters in one film, plus a great script with terrific dialog.
Amelie (2001) - French director Jean Pierre Jeunet cast lovely Audrey Tautou in this tale of a sheltered young woman who comes to Paris to discover the wider world and unexpectedly finds love when she isn't looking. This is the reverse of the usual romantic chase, with Amelie trying to find her elusive, mysterious admirer. Gloriously beautiful and charmingly quirky.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) - This Oscar nominated weird romantic tale is a delight from Charlie Kaufman, who brought us "Being John Malkovich." It is the best romantic comedy in years, even if it is also a hilarious and bizarrely surreal tale. Mismatched lovers uptight Jim Carrey and free-spirit Kate Winslet have a spat and decide to have their memories of each other erased. As they forget, they remember why they fell in love. Sounds weird but it really, really works. The Gold Rush (1925) - Charlie Chaplin's silent comedy masterpiece. Be sure to get the original ending with the kiss, not the re-edited one or the re-issue with a voice over. Funny and heartbreakingly romantic.
Okay, that's more than five films. There are just too many good ones!
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