Listosaurus Rex

Don't worry -- Sex and the City is NOT on this list

Romantic movies don’t, in general, have a good rep with guys.  It’s not like we don’t get emotional — just catch one of us watching Rudy.  And we’re even okay with romance in movies, when it’s well done.  What guy doesn’t like the end of Rocky?

But we don’t do chick-flicks.  The term was invented as derisive and inflammatory term towards the type of hyperfeminine film that usually has a dramatic and unrealistic take on love. Romantic comedies? Nuh-uh.  If its primary thread is a love story, then we don’t want it.

Nonetheless, there are exceptions, and I am here today to provide the public service of sharing a few of these.  These are the kind of movies that are so well done or creative that they’ll pierce through that shield of a testosterone and manliness that hides the part of us known as “feelings” or “emotions.”

Are these widely known?  Yeah.  Pretty predictable picks?  Sure.  You’ve probably seen or heard of these four recent stories and one classic.  But the holidays are a romantic and sentimental time, plus Valentine’s day is just around the corner.  You ladies can always use a reminder for what to show us to keep the atomosphere romantic and sweet for both us.

Enchanted

This movie, starring Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams, was one of the best movies of 2007.  It starts as an animated movie, a la classics like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, before an evil queen sends the princess to a world with no happily ever after — New York City.

It’s a hokey set up, but the way it unfolds is solid gold. First there’s the animated portion, a brilliant send up of the idealism of the old Disney movies that is equal parts satire and homage.  Guys and girls both watched Disney movies when they were kids, so both’ll eat it up.  And once the movie gets to the real world, things get even better.

Giselle, played by Adams, is naive and idealistic.  It could be annoying, but her performance is so good, it steals the show.  Everyone who watches the movie will be swept away by her charm.  The reason that guys will love it is because it makes fun of the idea of “happily ever after” and “soul mates” that seem to plague romantic comedies — but at the same time endorses the idea.  It’s a fine line, and the movie treads it perfectly.

Plus, the movie is hilarious.  It seems like only Disney and its branches (Pixar) can make PG movies that are actually entertaining and worthwhile to grown-ups.

Are there some missteps?  Absolutely.  The ending fizzles after the rest was so great.  A couple of potty humor scenes were tacked on for the kids, but might bother the adults.  But, I promise you, nobody can watch this movie and not walk away feeling a little bit happier, a little more bounce in their step.

WALL·E

Speaking of Disney, their Pixar branch has the Midas touch.  Every movie they’ve made has been good at a minimum, and their average is somewhere between “great” and “classic.”  WALL·E has been called their best by many critics.  I’m not sure whether or not I agree with that, but it is, without doubt, a classic.

At the heart of WALL·E is not its post-apocalyptic tale of Earthly redemption, but a simple love story. WALL·E and Eve (”Ee-vuh” according to WALL·E).  The robots are more life-like and convincing than most human actors.  WALL·E might be a mere computer-animated robot, but I dare you to find me another movie character who is cuter.

But the real reason we fall for WALL·E is because he’s hardworking and diligent.  He does his little job, without fail, for seven hundred years we’re told.  Just as we all have felt saddened by stretches of loneliness, we begin to sense WALL·E’s sense of longing in the early scnes.

This movie will win over guys and girls alike for a few reasons: most of the cinematic frills are drawn to other parts of the story; that is, the movie doesn’t harp on the romance.  It just lets the romance unfold elegantly.  The scenes centered around the romance are simple and sweet.  No excessive drama, worries about emotion/communication/etc.  Just two little robots, happily ever after.  They’re completely adorable, and not really in a feminine way, even.

The Office

It’s not a movie, but where in the post did I promise that they’d all be movies?

The Office is one of the greatest shows to grace television in recent years.  It’s got personality to spare.  The characters are drawn deep, the send-up of corporate culture is incisive, and the presentation as a documentary manages a remarkable artistic and thematic depth.

Yet, despite all of  these, most females seem to like this show for one reason: Jim Halpert.  Seriously, is every girl in love with him? It seems like it sometimes.

The show begins with Jim and Pam working at the Dunder Mifflin office and very close friends.  Pam is engaged to another man whom it’s never clear if she really loves.  Meanwhile, Jim only very thinly veils his feelings towards her.

While the girls swoon over Jim and Pam, it feels like the romance is sympathetic and relatable towards guys moreso than girls.  It has a guy who treats the girl almost perfectly, who is exciting for her, but the girl who, for whatever reasons, wastes this opportunity.

There are a lot of reasons to like the show, but speaking specifically about the romance, I think most guys will find something to relate to in the situation.  Jim is what most guys try to be like to girls they’re interested in, but things just don’t seem to go right for him.  Maybe it’s because she’s involved with someone, maybe it’s because the girl doesn’t see him the same way he sees her, or maybe he doesn’t know why.  But everyone knows the feeling of wanting someone they feel like they’re right for and not getting that.

Every guy has experienced this at some point, so every guy will be rooting for Jim and Pam to happen.  Check out seasons two and three in particular.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

What’s great about Forgetting Sarah Marshall is that the lead, Jason Segal, is relatable and likable.  We root for him not just because he’s been wronged, but it’s easy to understand how bad the guy feels after being dumped by Sarah Marshall.

The lure to this movie for any guy will be its comedy, though. Forgetting Sarah Marshall is one of the funniest movies of the decade.  A lot of its laughs come from raunch, as is true of most Judd Apatow-produced comedies, but plenty of sequences are just bizarre and priceless.

Once guys are invested in the movie’s comedy, the sweet and surprisingly unpredicatble love story comes in.  Eventually there are two girls in the mix: Sarah Marshall, of course, as well as this sweet receptionist at a hotel.

The balance between sweetness and R-rated comedy is walked perfectly.  If you’ve liked other Judd Apatow movies (Superbad, Knocked Up, 40 Year Old Virgin), you’ll probably like it.

And now, a classic…

Casablanca

Does this movie really need an introduction?  For starters, it’s one of the greatest films from its era and one of the most beloved films of any era.  The script has rarely a dull or uninspired moment.  And the performances are perfect, especially the lead male, Humphrey Bogart. Cynics will tell you the movie is overrated, but those same people are the ones who tend to miss the point of why film is such an important medium: film is for images, and images are instantly emotional and sentimental.  Casablanca is certainy an emotional and sentimental movie.

But the reason that it gets away with such sentiment and emotion is because it sneaks up on us.  The film sets itself up as a tough adventure film with a hard-nosed hero.  Bogart sticks his neck out for no one.  He’s tough and coolly detached from every situation.

Then, of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into his.  Sam plays it again.  The rest is history.  I will say no more in case you haven’t seen it.  If you want a romantic adventure that will win over anyone and everyone, rent this movie, round up the usual suspects, and enjoy.