So, anyone who knows me knows I am an avid lover (excuse the slight pun) of romantic films. But so are a lot of people, and guess what? There are so many different sorts of romantic films, I feel it is a grave injustice to lump them all in the same genre. So here I am, ready to save you, by offering new names for all these genres
RomanceYes, this is the iconic sort of Romance film you can watch, so I left it as simply romance. These films are characterized by some tension before a climax which will likely induce bawling of eyes.
Most noteworthy examples are
The Notebook and
TitanicRomance ComedyNow, as you'll be able to tell, this will differ from Rom-Com, even though these have the same name origin. I'll explain how. Romance Comedies are films that flow into a general narration, leading to things that are either a) Romantic or b) Funny. They usually don't have a strong climax but rather are successful because of character building and an interesting story line. Examples of this are
500 days of Summer and
A Garden StateRom-ComsThese are different. Unlike the previous, these films lead you into a comedic film for the first hour or so, then switch to serious, building for a climax. The climax includes less river creating, but is still usually emotional. Less gushing waters from your face are due to lack of character building focusing on entertaining using a simple story. Examples of this include
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and
He's just not that into you Romantic DramaThese films have a similar progression as Romantic Comedies, but although they might have funny incidents in them are not dependant on retaining attention using character charisma and likeability but rather using a more engaging story. Romantic Comedies are simple in gist, Romantic Dramas are not. They like to make you think, rather than using a climax to invoke emotion. Examples of this are
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and the recent
Up In The AirRomantic ThrillersOk, I'm probably going to get pitchforked for putting these sort of stories as romance. Let me explain. Romance are simply stories that deal with the topic of Love (or its perception). These films do exactly this. Hell, Shakespeare did it throughout his entire life and got called a genius. These films, usually building up in a similar manner as Romantic Dramas, are opposed to them as they have a very strong climax. Examples of this are
American Beauty and
Audition(ok, maybe this last one is a bit too extreme to be a thriller XD)
Animated RomanceYou might be asking what construes this as different from films in their respective genre. These all share a common factor. They're simple as hell. Which makes them more or less enjoyable to people. Usually Romance or Romantic Thrillers, their climax is less out there in hopes of reaching more audiences and just being more aesthetically appealing. Examples of this include
Beauty and The Beast and
CinderellaWhich is your favorite of these genres? Least favorite?
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Comments (15)
Least favorite: all of them.
I honestly don't tend to like movies where romance is the main topic. (The only exceptions that come to mind are specific animated films by Hayao Miyazaki, and it's because I adore his animation, simplicity, and beautiful narratives... not so much that the films are about innocent, young romances.) Romance as a secondary topic is sometimes okay; it really depends on what the main topic is and how well the movie was written, acted and directed. Romance as a tertiary topic is usually fine.
Animated romances if only because of the fact that they are like a cherished relic of my childhood. Other than that, I can't really identify with romantic movies and I feel they're sometimes so ridiculous or unrealistic that there's really no point in watching them.
@methodElevated@xanga - Agreed.
Animated, definately. ;) I've always had an eye for art (much more the old school stuff like the ones you mentioned rather than this new computer generated stuffs :( ). So, yeah, it's my fav. :) Haha. Otherwise, I like them all about the same. I don't think I've ever really seen any romantic thrillers, though... Any other examples of any?
Thanks,
~*Akarui Mitsukai*~
Animated Romance and Rom-Coms! :D
@akarui_mitsukai@xanga - American Beauty fits the bill beautifully
@methodElevated@xanga - I like romance because it can be an allegory for something deeper. Out of the Genres I mentioned I like Romantic Thrillers and Romantic Dramas the most as the underlying themes are much more than boy meets girls. American Beauty is about Obsession, Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind is about the turmoil of life. Granted, some of them are nothing more than love stories (such as Romance and Rom-Coms), but you can find gems that have more than that
romantic drama and animated romance are my favesss
Auteur's Romance. Perhaps Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind might fall into this category as well. I don't mind short films either. :)Â
Oh I looooovvvvveee romance films. I've never seen a romantic thriller. I wasn't even aware such things existed. I think my favourites would be Romance, Romance Comedy, Rom-Coms, Romantic Drama. . . and then everything else would follow.
@lil_fire_bella@xanga - You'd be shocked. I'd say there are even romantic horrors, so thrillers aren't a large stretch :p
@BicycleInAutumn@xanga - Auteur might fit in every genre of romance there though. Also, American Beauty would definitely fit as Auteur. It has a very unique style that Mendes continued to try and develop (such as in Away We Go)
Eh, I'm not a big romance fan. I love Eternal Sunshine, but I viewed that as an anti-romance movie, like an anti-hero. It may still include love, but in the end you're questioning everything about relationships, not rejoicing at the victory of love.
And yes, saying American Beauty is a romance movie is QUITE the stretch. The thing between Spacey and the daughter's friend is more like a side thing that equates to all the other things he is doing. It isn't even love or romance. His obsession with her (and his openness about it to the audience as the movie continues) is the same as his beginning to smoke pot and work out. It's all just part of his, um, epiphany if you want to call it that.
As far as these films go, the worst are what you call "rom-coms". I don't find the humor they typically use to be funny. My more tolerated genre comes to be romantic comedies, like 500 Days as you mentioned. Though that too kind of falls along the lines of Eternal Sunshine, but with a side of awkward humor.
Hm. I guess I've never thought of it this way.
I really loved (500) Days of Summer, American Beauty, and Up in the Air (I still haven't seen Eternal Sunshine), but I didn't view those as romantic movies. They seemed like more realistic portrayals of how love plays out in life.
To me, the word romance signifies the unrealistic expectations people have about love, so I tend to avoid those types of movies.
interesting that this is posted by a guy
Rom-Coms
@BroadwayBound93@xanga - @mcmeister89@mancouch - I guess it's the definition of romance really. I see romance films as any film that deals with the topic of love. American Beauty deals with it in a lot ways (both the old guy with his daughter's friend, the daughter + the neighbour, the neighbour's father etc).
Also yes, I agree. Rom Coms are definitely my least favourite. If I had to choose a genre it'd be Romantic Thrillers, then Romantic Dramas, then Romantic Comedies.