Romantic moments in the movies

Even though I've never been a big fan of Valentine's Day, I went to see the movie by the same name this weekend. It's an ensemble romantic comedy, which means there are a whole bunch of different people whose lives somehow intersect and it's the viewers job to figure out how they are all supposed to fit together. Some of the actors included Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Julia Roberts, Emma Roberts, Shirley McClaine, Hector Elizondo, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba and Jennifer Garner, among more. The movie is supposed to be all about love, from lifelong marriages, to best friends, to puppy love and everything in between. Some parts of it where more successful than others, but I will reserve more thoughts on the movie for next Friday's movie column, which will posted at the Pinnacle Web site after noon.

For now, here are other love stories that make my list of most romantic movies ever, from the classic to the obscure. Some of these movies aren't romantic, strictly speaking, but they all have a moment on screen that makes me want to fall in love so I can feel a little bit of that magic.

The Princess Bride
Westley (Cary Elwes) has it right in this movie when he always responds to Buttercup's (Robin Wright Penn) requests with "As you wish." He's got the perfect combination of good guy paired with bad boy attitude, when he becomes the dread Pirate Roberts. Plus he rescues her from having to marry a mean king. The movie is fun to watch, with a little hint of love thrown in for good measure.

Breakfast at Tiffany's
Audrey Hepburn is so lovely in every role she had, but she is especially charming as Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's." From the beginning we are hoping for Paul 'Fred' Varjak (George Peppard) to win over the flighty socialite who seems to be more interested in money than love.

Say Anything
Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) is the king of big romantic gestures. The image of him standing outside Diane Court's (Ione Skye) window with a boombox playing Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" has been indelibly ingrained into the brains of many generations of women. We are all waiting for a big fancy gesture. Plus it's so cute when Diane's father asks Lloyd what his plans are for the future and he says he just wants to be with Diane.

Four Weddings and a Funeral
Hugh Grant is the perfect bumbling guy in romantic comedies, but he's never been quite as good as he was in "Four Weddings and a Funeral." This movie has plenty of great moments in it. I love that Charles (Hugh Grant) and Carrie (Andie MacDowell) are star-crossed lovers from the start - he's Britsh, she's American - but after all the missed opportunities they eventually end up together. It's like love that is meant to be can transcend time and continents. The most moving scene in the movie, however is the funeral scene. Matthew (John Hannah) reads a poem after his beloved Gareth (Simon Callow) dies. W. H. Auden's "Funeral Blues" is the perfect ode to a lost loved one.

Bridget Jones' Diary
This movie makes the list because Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) says he likes Bridget Jones ( just the way she is - all her crazy, zany quirks, her too much drinking and too much smoking, and all her curves. It takes a while for Bridge to realize Mark is the one for her and not playboy Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), but the journey is funny and endearing all at the same time.

Playing By Heart
This ensemble movie has a little bit of every kind of love - the young crazy 20-somethings, a happily married old couple, an unhappily married middle-aged couple and the cynical divorcee who is slow to trust. The cast includes powerhouses such as Angelina Jolie, Madeline Stowe, Sean Connery and Gena Rowlands. It's well-acted and touching.

My Sassy Girl
The Korean version of this movie, which is hard to find since it was never released in the United States, is one of my favorite movies period. But it is also one of the quirkiest romantic comedies I've ever seen. In it, Kyun-woo (Tae-hyun Cha) is a university student who is at a loss about what to do with his wife when fate intervenes. He is riding the subway home one night when a drunk girl (Gianna Jun) is mistaken for his girlfriend. for some reason he feels obligated to take care of her. Soon he finds himself on a rollercoaster ride as she drags him on some bizarre dates, always dictating what he will wear, say and drink. At first he just wants to get rid of her, but she begins to grow on him. He starts to understand her only after she suddenly disappears from his life.

Reality Bites
"Reality Bites" is another of my favorite movies and the relationship between main characters Lelaina (Winona Ryder) and Troy (Ethan Hawke) is the reason this film makes the list. Lelaina is the driven over achiever who finds her college success hasn't translated into success in the real life. Troy is her best buddy who has more potential than anyone, but chooses to spend his time in deadend jobs. The sexual tension between the two is palatable, and the whole movie, I rooted for them to get together. Troy is the consummate jerk who hurts Lelaina, but he redeems himself when he shows up on her doorstep and says he has "a world of regret" and declares his love.

Wings of Desire
In this foreign film by Wim Wender, an angel gives up his wings and internal life to be with the woman he loves. Enough said.

Casablanca
In this timeless classic, Richard Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) are former lovers who reunite unexpectedly in Casablanca. Blaine is an American ex-patriot who is cynical and bitter since Ilsa left him in Paris. The reunion gives Isla a chance to explain her reasons for leaving and they consider running off together, in this movie set against the backdrop of World War II. In the end, Richard loves Ilsa enough to let her go.

Love Actually
"Love Actually" is an ensemble love story in the same vein as "Playing By Heart" and "Valentine's Day," but this 2003 movie gets my vote for the best love story I've ever seen. It is packed with actors - Keira Knightley, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and more. Like "Playing by Heart," it has a lot of different scenarios of love and all the characters are somehow connected. It is heartbreaking, lovely and beautiful all at the same time and I see bits of my own life in so many of the stories.

One of my favorite storyline is that of Daniel (Neeson) as a man who has recently lost his wife who is adjusting to life as single dad to stepson Sam (Thomas Sangster.) Sam has his own puppy love crush and has the best line in the movie when his stepdad asks him what is wrong and he says he's in love. Daniel said he thought it would be something worse and Sam's response is "Worse than the total agony of being in love?" Truer words were never spoken, but Sam keeps the faith later on in the movie when he says, "Let's go get the shit kicked out of us by love."

It seems that even with all that agony, a lot of us are willing to get the shit kicked out of us again and again. At least, I know I am.