Romance/Chick Flicks that sucked or rocked?

[Nonpareil]

Since my post about love turned into a post about chick flicks, I thought I would create a post on the best and worst romance movies/chick flicks.

I just want to know from you:

What is the best romance movie/chick flick you watched? And why?

What is the worse romance movie/chick flick you watched? And why?

Or why do you watch chick flicks/romance movies? How often do you watch them?

Just curious, thanks for looking at this post.

 

[Kyrielle]

Best: Can't say I think there is one...but maybe "Stepford Wives" because of the creepiness of it.

Worst: "Clueless" (And I am ashamed for having seen it.)...among many, many others.

Almost never. If I ever watch one, it's usually because someone else wanted to watch it and I obliged to keep them company. There are a few that I did see of my own free will either because they were on TV or free On Demand and it seemed like a good idea at the time. As for why? Well, I guess it's because sometimes I like to see what other people's dreams of love are like. Though, they're usually a little too ordinary for my tastes... I never really identify with any of the characters...

 

[Totenkindly]

One of my guiltiest movie pleasures ever is "50 First Dates."
I'm actually embarrassed to admit that. From an intellectual/consistency point of view, it's just so terrible.
But it's also very sincere and sweet.

I remember liking Love Actually, and some of the other Hugh Grant vehicles.

In general, though, I would rather watch a good drama, especially one with spooky elements ("The Others" or "The Prestige" or "Silence of the Lambs" or something similar) than a chick flick.

 

[cafe]

I can't decide, so here is my Top Nine list in no particular order:

1. Bridget Jones's Diary
2. Sense and Sensibility
3. Pride and Prejudice
4. Much Ado About Nothing
5. The Princess Bride
6. Grosse Pointe Blank
7. While You Were Sleeping
8. When Harry Met Sally
9. 50 First dates

I like them because they are romantic and funny. The happy endings make me feel good.

I disliked The English Patient. No happy ending and if I remember right it didn't end happily because of something I considered stupid and trivial. That's just frustrating.

I watch chick flicks because they make me laugh and feel good. I probably watch several a year.

I have notoriously bad taste in movies, so yeah.

 

[Varelse]

The Princess Bride is considered a chick flick? That was the unofficial high school group movie at my church.

 

[cafe]

The Princess Bride is considered a chick flick? That was the unofficial high school group movie at my church.

Oh dear. You must have Generation X youth leaders.

To be honest I have the world's crappiest memory, so I did a search for chick flicks and turned up this list. The Princess Bride is on it and that is my All Time Favorite Movie, so I put it on the list. There's a decent chance Grosse Pointe Blank is also not a chick flick but it has a romantic element and it is probably my Second All Time Favorite Movie, so I put it in, too.

 

[Totenkindly]

John Cusack is cool.

All right, Cafe, you are really putting me in a bind, but any movie on your list I actually have seen, I've actually liked...

(And of course Grosse Pointe Blank and The Princess Bride are great movies no matter how they are categorized.)

 

[runvardh]

The only two that I remember are The Notebook and IQ...

 

[cafe]

John Cusack is cool.

All right, Cafe, you are really putting me in a bind, but any movie on your list I actually have seen, I've actually liked...

(And of course Grosse Pointe Blank and The Princess Bride are great movies no matter how they are categorized.)

I'm going to pretend that means that my taste in movies isn't so bad after all since you are all smart and educated and stuff.

 

[Recoleta]

What is the best romance movie/chick flick you watched? And why?:

1) Miss Congeniality -- I think it's hilarious and Sandra Bullock is probably my all-time favorite actress.
2) You've Got Mail -- I've probably seen it more times than I'd like to admit...but it is just oddly wonderful. Every time it comes on tv I am right there watching it.
3) Diary of a Mad Black Woman -- If you haven't seen this movie, you should because it is so much better than you would ever think it would be.
4) 10 Things I Hate About You -- Just wonderful in every way
5) Hitch -- it was clever...and I think Will Smith is a great actor
6) *And now for my shameful guilty pleasure* Dirty Dancing: Havanna Nights. Perhaps it's because I was a Spanish major...but goodness gracious I love that movie. There is something incredibly appealing about Latin dance/salsa...probably b/c it's is so opposite of my ISTJ personality.

What is the worst romance movie/chick flick you watched? And why?:

I'm not gonna lie, I thought Titanic was totally lame! Yeah, Rose loved Jack so much she just let him freeze to death in the water while she's floating on like an entire door or something. Move your butt over so your man doesn't die, Rose! (If I'm totally off here please correct me, I haven't seen the movie in years, but I distincly remember thinking, "why doesn't she just move over a bit?").

Or why do you watch chick flicks/romance movies? How often do you watch them?

I watch them because sometimes you just get in a sappy mood...and it feels good. I really don't have time to watch a lot of movies, but I might catch 1-2 a month if I'm lucky.

 

[Nonpareil]

Edit: I fixed my typo in my op title. Thank you Nat for showing me how!

For me though, I don't know if I have a favourite romance/chick flick. I loved "The Notebook" and "The Princess Bride" was great. I also liked "10 things I hate about you" and others I can't remember.

I watch them sometime because the happy endings do make me feel good. I'm not in touch with my emotions and this is the little bit of sap that I like to fulfill that part of me. Sometimes, even this INTJ needs a good cry (from a movie). I heard that crying is good for you - every once in awhile. These chick flicks are usually the only time I really let loose and cry (if it's happy tears or sad tears for the characters in the movie).

And Recoleta, I totally agree, in Titanic, I think Rose could have moved over for Jack (or at least tried to) so that he didn't have to freeze to death. I actually hated how "stupid" Rose was in the movie - but maybe that's just me.

 

[Totenkindly]

I'm not gonna lie, I thought Titanic was totally lame! Yeah, Rose loved Jack so much she just let him freeze to death in the water while she's floating on like an entire door or something. Move your butt over so your man doesn't die, Rose! (If I'm totally off here please correct me, I haven't seen the movie in years, but I distincly remember thinking, "why doesn't she just move over a bit?").

She tried, but the bed's headboard she was floating on did not have enough buoyancy to hold both her weight and Jack's and flipped over when he tried to clamber up. So technically, this is a bad reason to hate the movie (IMO).

The technical aspects of the movie were actually logical, in true Te fashion. Where the movie suffered was in the emotional aspects at time; Cameron is not quite as good with those as some other directors. (I would guess him to be xNTJ, but I'm not sure on the E/I divide.)

So I'd hate it just because diCaprio's line delivery was SOOO bad for much of the dialog, and because so many love-struck women just went to see it over and over and over and over and over and....

 

[Nonpareil]

She tried, but the bed's headboard she was floating on did not have enough buoyancy to hold both her weight and Jack's and flipped over when he tried to clamber up. So technically, this is a bad reason to hate the movie (IMO).

I totally forgot that part where they tried to both get on the headboard. Shows how much I watched that movie.

Just wondering, did you like the movie Jennifer? You remember it so clearly.

The technical aspects of the movie were actually logical, in true Te fashion. Where the movie suffered was in the emotional aspects at time; Cameron is not quite as good with those as some other directors. (I would guess him to be xNTJ, but I'm not sure on the E/I divide.)

I didn't like the movie because it was long and drawn out. Both Rose and Jack irritated me because I didn't like how they handled the situations they were faced with - but that's probably me. It has been so long since I watched it, I don't know what irritated me about the characters, it just did.

So I'd hate it just because diCaprio's line delivery was SOOO bad for much of the dialog, and because so many love-struck women just went to see it over and over and over and over and over and....

I, for one am not one of those love-struck women that want to see that movie over and over...Titanic was not my number one for chick flicks.

 

[cafe]

I haven't seen Titanic. I don't ever plan to. I'd much rather watch a documentary on about the Titanic.

 

[Recoleta]

Yeah, I agree with everything Non said. It wasn't that part alone that made me dislike the movie...it was just the final kicker. The movie was too long, and like Non said, I found the characters to be irritating as well. I never saw the movie in theaters, and I think I only watched it once all the way through. All my other attempts (maybe 2-3 other times) ended up with me falling asleep at some point.

 

[Totenkindly]

Just wondering, did you like the movie Jennifer? You remember it so clearly.

I liked the idea of it, but some of the execution of it was too melodramatic or emotionally naive.

Still, the whole metaphor of Rose being trapped in her role in life and Jack being her liberator and essentially dying so that she could be free was a powerful metaphor. (I love the whole "corset" scene with Rose and her mother... a simple visual analogy, but very powerful.) When I put myself in her head and empathized with her situation, that did move me.

I didn't like the movie because it was long and drawn out. Both Rose and Jack irritated me because I didn't like how they handled the situations they were faced with - but that's probably me. It has been so long since I watched it, I don't know what irritated me about the characters, it just did.

Well, I liked Rose... but Jack seemed very clumsy in his lines. I think this was an acting/direction issue.

I, for one am not one of those love-struck women that want to see that movie over and over...Titanic was not my number one for chick flicks.

The movie had enough dramatic flaws to annoy me, but the technical execution (which enabled us to empathize even more with the people on-board) helped make up for it.

The current-day cut scenes were also clumsily written/acted, and "Old Rose" was not very well-acted at all.

 

[spartan26]

Quality Chick flicks but not necessarily romance:
Leaving Normal
Gas, Food, Lodging

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

I find the term "chick flick" ghettoizes some otherwise fine movies, so I'll just call these romances.

"Four Weddings And A Funeral" - My favorite film of this type and notable for managing to be unrelentingly charming enough to hide the atrocious acting of Andie MacDowell.

"Love Actually" - Richard Curtis, the guy who wrote many of the Hugh Grant romantic comedies gets his shot to direct one. Taken as a whole, it's best described as an amiable mess, but several of the individual stories are witty, charming and even have gravity.

"When Harry Met Sally" - I can't stand Billy Crystal, but I love this movie. Well written and acted, and unlike many movies of this type, the situations are very realistic.

"Before Sunset"/"Before Sunrise" - These two movies have to be taken as a whole. Again, I can't stand Ethan Hawke, but I like these anyway. They have a very European feel in their walky/talky-ness and emphasis on conversation, despite having been written and directed by a Texan. The effect of these movies is the same as sitting in a coffee shop and eavesdropping on the most interesting conversation ever.

"The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" - It's not a movie most people will jump at...it's old, every line of dialogue is sung, it's in French, and it doesn't have a happy ending. But it's great. Technicolor never looked so good, and there are worse things to do than look at a 23-year-old Catherine Deneuve for an hour and a half.

Some others I like:
Jerry Maguire, Clueless, Strictly Ballroom, High Fidelity, Bridget Jones' Diary, The Wedding Singer

Two that I just don't like no matter how good people say they are:
The Princess Bride, Say Anything

 

[Lookin4theBestNU]

I just want to know from you:

What is the best romance movie/chick flick you watched? And why?

What is the worse romance movie/chick flick you watched? And why?

Or why do you watch chick flicks/romance movies? How often do you watch them?

I am not sure how many of these are true chick flicks...most are like romantic comedies.
Favorites:
The Painted Veil (it ended well, was very sad & it had Edward Norton*swoon*)
The Illusionist ( It had a story that kept you guessing about what was going to happen next Oh & Edward Norton need I say more?)
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (this movie wasn't about a 'pretty princess' who gets married and lives happily ever after...those kind make me . I liked it because it had people/story that seemed realistic. Hanover likes this one)
Just Married (Several parts of this movie had me in tears laughing...the roach in the bed definitely!)
Dirty Dancing: the original (this is probably my most embarrassing one. "Nobody puts Baby in the corner!!!")

Worst movie:
Pretty Woman (Gag fest. Why I watched it more then once is beyond me.)

Unless it is in the comedy genre I am unlikely to watch them. I sometimes rent movies that I don't know are going to be romance movies though. My ESTJ mom loves romance movies and novels. You would think as an F I would like them more.

 

[Oberon]

I like very few classic chick flicks, but of the few I do like, I recommend the following three:

* The Notebook
* A Walk to Remember
* Sommersby

Note that two of these are Nick Sparks stories...and I find that I write much like Nick Sparks does.