Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman in "Australia"
courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment
"Ten Romantic Movies"

Romance in the movies today seems to have been replaced by car chases and special effects. Still a good love story will always be in tune with what movie audiences want. I took a look at the list of movies released in the past twenty years, and now present this list to you of what I consider to be the most romantic movies of the last decade.

Let me know if you agree/disagree with me. You can contact me by email at jkershawcooper@aol.com. I will look forward to hearing your opinions.

NUMBER 10: MEET JOE BLACK - Hollywood leading men don't come any more handsome than Brad Pitt and he practically glowed in this film. Opposite him was newcomer Claire Forlani and she had the dewy-eyed beauty necessary to balance his own charm. These two had a rocky road to romance in the film but it was worth the fight. When they kissed the sky exploded with fireworks and audiences sighed around the world. Brad and Claire were as right for each other as he and Cate Blanchett are wrong in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”.

NUMBER NINE: MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING - Romantics loved this movie because they felt it was about them and their families. Nia Vardalos was the average looking woman who landed the hunk of the month (John Corbett). Women everywhere swore in unison - if she can do it, I can do it.

NUMBER EIGHT: LOVE ACTUALLY - This is one of the most recent movies on my list, and if any movie is totally about love this one is it. Hugh Grant leads a top notch cast in telling seven stories of varying kinds of love. Each one touches the heart and creates a romantic glow. The film is R rated for nudity and profanity so it is not for everyone. But for the adult romantics among us, this film is one of the best. 

NUMBER SEVEN: A WALK IN THE CLOUDS - Now some of you might be saying huh? But remember Keanu Reeves in the wine country in northern California? He and his leading lady, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon burned up the screen with their passion. Who knew Keanu could be so romantic, and what the heck ever happened to Aitana!

NUMBER SIX: PEARL HARBOR - This film presented a love triangle with Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck vying for the hand of Kate Beckinsale. This was in pre J-Lo days and Ben was not yet part of "Bennifer." He and Hartnett were big screen buddies and the audience would have been happy with either choice Kate made. This movie also piled on the torment with war being the background for the romance. Through it all Faith Hill warbled a love song that struck the right notes and made the love story just that much more appealing.

Now we come to the top five. Hollywood turned up the heat as they turned out these next winners. Love was in the air for all ages and that's a real surprise. Even couples who were over fifty could find a movie meant especially for them.

NUMBER FIVE: SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE - This is the exception to the general rule that loves stories have to concern people thirty and under. Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson play the couple who are at the heart of this story and make the movie a wonderful winner. Both of these award-winning actors are in top form and the story is tailor made for their talents.

NUMBER FOUR: RETURN TO ME - David Duchovney and Minnie Driver played the couple in this tear jerker about a man who loses his wife in an accident. Later he meets and falls in love with a woman who has his wife's heart, through a transplant surgery. Now there's a complicated romance but this movie sorts out the plot problems and ends up a making you feel all warm and mushy and happy.

NUMBER THREE: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE – I have seen this movie a million times and each time it gets better. Matthew Mcfadyen and Keira Knightley are so perfectly cast you believe everything they say or do. It takes the whole movie for these two to get together but those final scenes – wow!

NUMBER TWO: MOULIN ROUGE - People either loved or hated this movie musical. Count me in the former camp. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor were perfectly cast as the star-crossed lovers who sang their way into our hearts. A tragic love story but one that drew me to it. This was a movie to see over and over again.

NUMBER ONE: AUSTRALIA - I loved everything about this movie. It had drama, humor and a big dollop of romance provided by Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Maybe I am obsessing over Nicole Kidman since I have her in the top two romantic movies but for whatever reasons the Kidman/Jackman combination lit up the screen. 

There you have them. Let me know if you have other favorites.
 

 

 

 

 

©2009 Jackie K. Cooper

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