10) Amelie (2001)
There has been no film I've seen over the past decade that displayed more creativity and charm than Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amelie. The entire film reminded me of a painting, in which every color and shape is brought to the attention of the audience. In addition, the way Paris is presented gives the viewer a personal sense of the perks of France. The film follows Amelie, a young girl who gains satisfaction out of helping various strangers throughout the city. During the film she falls in love at first sight with Nino and decides to win his heart by assisting him in the same sense that she helps the common citizens of Paris. Audrey Tautou, who plays one of the most likable characters in cinema history, is responsible for the movie's charm.
9) Bull Durham
(1988)Known as one of the best sports movies of all time, Bull Durham's main strength comes from the scenes which display the unusual connections between love and baseball. Every season Annie chooses a baseball player from the local minor league team to date with the intention that her love and advice will lead him to the majors. However, this year she has a tough decision. She can choose the experienced catcher who she is perfect for but has no chance at making it to the big leagues or the young all-star pitcher in need of advice. This film is funny, clever, and well worth your time no matter if you like baseball or not.
8) Broadcast News (1987)
Three way romances are entertaining because it adds a sense of suspense to a genre which is typically very predictable. The strength of Broadcast News is that it is not only hilarious but the audience has no idea who the main character will end up with. The film follows Jane Craig (Holly Hunter), a workaholic producer for a Network News show who is forced to choose between a nice but nerdy reporter named Aaron (Albert Brooks) or the confident, young reporter named Tom (William Hurt). I believe this film will become a comedy classic (if it isn't considered one already) primarily because of the appeal of the three leads, who each offer different amiable characteristics.
7) Love Actually (2003)Although there are too many story lines to become attached to any particular character, Love Actually remains one of the best romantic comedies of the last decade simply because it is really funny. This particularly goes for the scenes with Bill Nighy (playing a washed up rock star making a come back) and Kris Marshall (playing a sexually frustrated Brit who believes he'll have better luck with the women in America). Since the film is divided into about five different stories, which share little or no connection, audiences will favor some story lines over others. Yet every account has both positive and negative aspects. With a fantastic cast and clever dialogue, Love Actually will appeal to both men and women and is worth a watch.
6) Annie Hall (197
7)In the case of the few Woody Allen films I have seen they have been very hit and miss. Sometimes his kind of humor is appealing, yet at other times I find him annoying. Annie Hall is known as his best film (the only one which won the Oscar for best picture) and for good reason. In the same sense that Seinfeld was so popular, Annie Hall is humorous because viewers are able to relate to the relationship between Annie (Diane Keaton) and Alvy Singer (Woody Allen). In one classic scene the screen splits showing both Annie and Alvy talking to their psychiatrist at different times, in which they disagree about their sex life and overall relationship. Woody Allen may have his strengths and weaknesses but he is an undeniable auteur of cinema and Annie Hall is where he shines the most.
5) The Apartment (
1960)Although it has not aged as well as some other classic films, The Apartment remains entertaining because of the great chemistry between Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. If I had to name an actor who turned out a consistency of great performances throughout a fifty-year career, Lemmon would be up there on my list. From Some Like It Hot in the late 1950s to Glengarry Glenross in the early 1990s, Lemmon has always been able to turn out a great performance even if all other elements of the film were below average. In the case of The Apartment, there has been no other movie I have seen that I wanted the leads to end up together. This is primarily caused by Lemmon's performance. You can see how much he cares for MacLaine's character in every line he states and every move he makes.
4) Forgetting Sarah Marsha
ll (2008)Out of all the raunchy romantic comedies of the last decade (40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, etc.) Forgetting Sarah Marshall is my personal favorite. Unlike the other movies, Forgetting Sarah Marshall does not go overboard with gross humor. Instead it focuses on the hilarious hardships of Peter Bretter (Jason Segel), who is realistic enough for the viewer to be able to relate to him but gullible and clumsy enough so that we are able to laugh at him. Throughout the film we are cheering for Peter to move on with his life, yet we are able laugh at the ridiculousness of his situation. I love films where I can relate to the film's main character, which is partially why I love the number #3 and #4 picks on my list.
3) (500)
Days of Summer (2009)On a radio program I heard (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb state that approximately 75% of the films events had happened to him personally. Now for me it may not be quite that high but I can easily see how most of the scenes within the movie could happen in real life. This film reminds viewers that relationships are not always fairy tales. In fact often relationships bring unforeseen negative consequences, yet life goes on. (500) Days of Summer is unlike any other romantic comedy ever released and it is a must see for anyone who has ever been in a troubled relationship.
2) WALL-E (2008)Most people probably don't consider WALL-E a romantic comedy, yet I was more entertained by the relationship between Eva and WALL-E then any cinematic human relationship I've ever seen. Not only is the animation for WALL-E revolutionary, but it contains a story that captivates the viewer. By the end of the film I realized that even though WALL-E is an animated robot, I wanted to see him succeed and win the girl. Pixar has made a lot of great films over the years, but none of their other works kept me even half as entranced as much as WALL-E. It is the family film of the decade.
1) When Harry Met Sally(1989)
In my mind this is the perfect romantic comedy. It is laugh out loud funny, contains two fantastic lead characters who the audience hopes will end up together, and has some fascinating dialogue and scenes (such as the restaurant scenes and the crying scene). It also brings up a lot of interesting questions about relationships that people go through on a day to day basis. Similar to (500) Days of Summer and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, audiences will be able to relate to a lot of the same problems that the main characters go through. This is why When Harry Met Sally continues to be popular among modern audiences. There is no doubt in my mind that it will be known as one of the best comedies ever made.
No comments:
Post a Comment