My Favorite Romantic Movies

Love is in the air!!!  Or at least, love wins on my Facebook Feed!  In fact, my Facebook Feed is full of the Sharon-Gabby McDonald’s commercial reunion.

With Sharon’s demure and surprised expression, Gabby’s sentimental glances, and the complimentary “Kumusta Ka?” background music, it’s bound to be viral.  Jollibee, let McDo shine.  ‘Wag mo nang labanan.

But honestly, hindi ako kinilig.  I just appreciate the actors’ acting, the music and the thought of their reunion.  But I can’t relate, hahaha!  That’s because I’ve never seen the iconic “Dear Heart” or any movie of the two of them.

But days before that, I had a dreamy look on my face because of another showbiz love story:  Lucy Torres Gomez’s Instagram post:

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I never knew this photo existed until I became his wife. This was taken in 1993, in Lake Caliraya where we shot the second storyboard of our Lux Shampoo TV commercial. Here, I am all of 18 years old, in a long white dress, and totally in love with him (well, since I was 12, actually😂). The latter, of course, no one knew except for my sister Caren who was with me as my chaperone. Anyway. This was Day 2 of our shoot, the morning was hot but the wind was cool, the lake sparkled like a bed of diamonds under the golden sunlight. I remember seeking shade under some tree during the break, and people from the production house and agency were taking behind-the-scenes shots. And somewhere far away from the crowd, there was Richard —— tall, dark, handsome, and perfect, in khaki shorts and a shirt, his professional camera with him. I looked towards him, and seeing that his camera was pointed somewhere in my direction I smiled for him, never mind if I did not know for sure it was I who he saw in those lens. Years later, in 1998, I married him to live happily ever after, and as a very new bride organizing our things in our home, I saw this photograph in a drawer. He says he has kept it all along, and that I look beautiful. And if indeed I do, my love, it is only because I was looking at you.♥️ @richardgomezinstagram

A post shared by @ lucytgomez on Feb 6, 2018 at 4:50am PST

Kilig na kilig na kilig ako dito, gusto kong manghampas ng tao to release my giddiness!!!!

I realized that her story made me want to hug my husband.  Hindi sya si Richard Gomez (kasi mas kahawig ni Randy si Aga ;D), but it made me look back to my and Randy’s earlier days.

Hindi halata, but Randy is a romantic.  In our early days, laging umiikot ang pwet ko sa kilig. But now that Randy and I will celebrate our 16th year of togetherness (gaaah!!!) and 10th wedding anniversary, medyo mahirap nang kiligin, to be honest.  But I am comforted by the thought that we have something deeper and more meaningful.

Nevertheless, since the kilig feeling is so good, it does me wonders when I watch/rewatch my favorite love stories.

I am a fan of “deep and lasting” ang peg na love stories, where a delicate-looking beautiful woman (who’s smart) ends up with a strong (literally and figuratively) man.  Tapos the story is set somewhere with mountainside ridges, or shows a sweeping vista of a rustic place.  Not my cup of tea ang pabebe rom-coms (na paborito ni Motherhood!  Yep, Dr. Emma Sales who is the 2017 Gawad Saka National Outstanding Agricultural Scientist loves watching Kim Chiu-Xian Lim rom coms!  #MyGahdIHateDrugs!  Don’t deny it, Motherhood!!!) with the same formula:

Boy meets girl.  Magtataray-tarayan si girl (para cute kuno at nakakatawa).  ‘Pag boy, masungit/mayabang na mayaman. Then something will happen that will make the boy/girl realize na sensitive/mabait pala si girl.  ‘Pag boy, it will turn out na masungit sya because he is pressured by his family to be successful. They talk, fall in love.  May mangyayari that would test their love, but everything could be explained, usually sa airport or bus station.  THE END!

So don’t expect any of that genre on my list, OK? 😀

I will lift the synopses on IMDB, and I’ll tell you my favourite scenes/lines.  Let’s begin my countdown:

#5  Ever After

Starring Drew Barrymore & Dougray Scott

I loved the Cinderella fairy tale when I was a little girl, but I disliked it when I thought I wanted to be a feminist.  After watching “Ever After: A Cinderella Story”, the feminist in the angsty teenager in me was appeased.  Because in this retelling of Cinderella:

• Our heroine Cinderella does have a wicked stepmother and stepsisters, but in no way is she in need of rescuing. Contrary to other adaptations of Cinderella, Danielle rescues herself from her horrible family and the prince from gypsies. With help from her fairy godmother Leonardo da Vinci, Danielle overcomes hardship, marries prince charming, and lives happily ever after.

  —Alison A

Why I love it: Made me realize that kind-hearted and loving women are not necessarily weak.  In fact, their values and love make them strong.  And this is not lost on secure, strong men.  It is also funny without trying hard to be.

Favorite scene: 

#4  A Walk to Remember

Starring Mandy Moore & Shane West

The first movie that Randy and I watched together 🙂  Just like Ever After, our heroine here is a sweet girl whose kind heart made a popular boy fall in love with her.

• In North Carolina especially in Beaufort a prank on a guy goes wrong and puts the student in the clinic. Carter, a famous student with no plans for the future, is held responsible and forced to join in after-school community service activities as consequence, which include starring as the lead in the play. And participating in these activities is Jamie Sullivan, the reverend’s daughter who has great ambitions and nothing in common with Landon. When Landon decides he wants to take his activities seriously, he asks Jamie for help and begins to spend most of his time with her. But he starts to like her, that he did not expect to do. They relationship, much to the chagrin of Landon’s old popular friends and Jamie’s strict reverend father. But when a heart-breaking secret becomes known that puts their relationship to the test, it is then that Landon and Jamie realize the true meaning of love and fate.

  —Pjshipman

Why I love it: In this age when young love seems to be either a ticket to popularity, having constant companion or having someone to satisfy your carnal desires (hukhukhukhukhuk!), Landon (Shane Wes) and Jamie (Mandy Moore) show that true love is not just that your perceived you-and-me-against-the-world feeling.  It makes you realize that it’s true love when you want to make things right and if it makes you strive to be a better person.  That, plus of course it’s my and Randy’s first movie together. 🙂

Favorite scene: 

#3  The Notebook

Starring Ryan Gosling & Rachel McAdams

Ah, The Notebook. 🙂  My and Randy’s 2nd Nicholas Sparks novel movie adaptation.  From start to finish, my heart was heavy with all kinds of emotion.

• The movie focuses on an old man reading a story to an old woman in a nursing home. The story he reads follows two young lovers named Allie Hamilton and Noah Calhoun, who meet one evening at a carnival. But they are separated by Allie’s parents who disapprove of Noah’s unwealthy family, and move Allie away. After waiting for Noah to write her for several years, Allie meets and gets engaged to a handsome young soldier named Lon. Allie, then, with her love for Noah still alive, stops by Noah’s 200-year-old home that he restored for her, “to see if he’s okay”. It is evident that they still have feelings for each other, and Allie has to choose between her fiancé and her first love.

  —Jessica Cymerman

Why I love it:  Allie and Noah are my #RelationshipGoals.  It’s proof that love at first sight can withstand time, distance, and even senility.  There’s never a dull moment; all scenes are poignant and even the subplot (when Allie’s mom showed Allie the mom’s ex-boyfriend) cuts through.  Plus, my gahd the cinematography: the lake sparkling like a million diamonds were strewn on it with graceful swans swimming on them will take your breath away! Gandaaaa!!!

Favorite scene:  Ang dami!!!  But here’s my most unforgettable scene:

#2  Cinema Paradiso (Director’s Cut)

If Cinema Paradiso weren’t too long and in Italian, this could have landed on Number 1.  Please don’t let the fact that it’s long and in Italian dissuade you from watching this movie—Director’s Cut, ha?  Everything about it is absolutely one for the books!

• A man receives news from his aging mother in a little town that someone he once knew has passed away. A beautiful story unfolds about the man’s childhood friendship with an old man who was the projectionist at the local theater. Their bond was one that contained many highlights and tragedies, and shaped the way for a young boy to grow and move out of his rundown village to pursue a dream.

  —Tam Bui

Why I love it:  What’s not to love about this movie?!?  For me, this is the ultimate love story—it’s love love love all throughout!  This is probably the only movie on this list that didn’t focus on the romantic love story angle; nevertheless, Toto’s/Salvatore’s love for Elena will make you smile and sigh…and make your heart ache.  But as I’ve said, this movie isn’t just about Toto and Elena—it’s about Toto and his love for the cinema primarily (I know, I know—parang walang kwentang plot but trust me!!!), and then about an old projectionist’s love for the son he never had.  All the actors who played Toto/Salvatore were absolutely brilliant—from the mischievous little boy Toto–to the lovesick teenage Toto/Salvatore–to the successful, jaded but still in love middle aged Salvatore!  And the musical scoring—wow!  I’m not a musical person, but I couldn’t help but notice how perfect each melody was for every scene.  Cinema Paradiso’s musical scoring is the cherry on top!

Favorite scene: LAHAT!  And to show you how beautiful this movie is, this is my favorite scene:

Yes, that.  Partida, walang linya diyan.  But if you’ve seen this beautiful movie, you’ll understand why you’ll have a difficult time swallowing when watching this scene.  After you watch Cinema Paradiso (or if you’ve watched it already), tell me your thoughts about why that’s what Alfredo gave Toto.  And why the soldier in Alfredo’s story didn’t show up on the last day.

 

#1  Moulin Rouge

Starring Nicole Kidman & Ewan McGregor

How much do I love Moulin Rouge?  Well, I’ve memorized almost all of the dialogues and monologues here!That’s because this is also probably the movie I’ve watched the most.  Paulit-ulit talaga!  When I got married, I insisted that “Come What May” be my wedding march.  I love, love, love this movie!  Here’s what it’s all about:

• It’s Paris in 1899. Christian, a young English poet, comes to Paris to pursue a penniless career as a writer. However, he soon meets a group of Bohemians who tell him that he should write a musical show for them to be performed at the Moulin Rouge, the most famous underworld night club in Paris. The night they arrive at the Moulin Rouge, Christian meets Satine, the club’s star and a beautiful courtesan. He falls head-over-heels in love with her and though it takes a bit of convincing, she falls for him as well. Meanwhile, the club’s owner, Harold Zidler, invests in a wealthy Duke to help pay for the club, however, the Duke will only pay if Satine is his. This crazy love triangle twists and turns. And little does Satine know that she has a deadly secret that could end everything.

  —sweetlilcyclone210

Why I love it: Moulin Rouge is a visual and auditory extravaganza.  To be honest, the storyline is simple.  But the “Just add Baz Luhrmann” and suddenly it’s the antithesis of simple!  The lyrics of the songs were more than perfect for the dialogue (Oh I forgot to mention—it’s a musical) That’s why this is also not for the faint of heart (hehe).  It’s one of my most favorite movies ever, but Randy couldn’t stand it.  The chemistry between Ewan McGregor’s Christian and Nicole Kidman’s Satine is electric!  You can’t help but fall in love with both of them, and the idea of their being together.  I’ve never seen Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor as beautiful or as handsome, respectively.  And boy, can they sing!  

Note:  This movie overwhelms me so much that I am running out of words.  I’m not giving it justice!  Therefore let me just lift a review of it from IMDB.com:

A stunning, visual feast

Gouda-312 June 2001

Favorite scene:

Christian: [to the Duke] This woman is yours now. I’ve paid my whore.

[to Satine]

Christian: I owe you nothing. And you are nothing to me. Thank you for curing me of my ridiculous obsession with love.

Too bad I couldn’t find a clip of that online!

*********************

I hope these movies make you feel good this Valentine’s season.  If you’re brokenhearted or jaded, don’t give up on love.

Let Christian and Satine convince you:

Happy Valentine’s!!!

 

PS:  This post is brought to you by Love Esden.  Yesterday she commented na malungkot daw pat hindi ako nagba-blog, so I promised her I would. 🙂  Bagay sa name n’ya ang topic…all about LOVE! 🙂