I know what you're thinking... 'what movie has no happy ending'? I can name three off the bat. Romeo and Juliet. Quarantine. The Break-Up. There is one thing in common for these movies. No. Happy. Ending.
On to the topic of the evening
My Top Five Romance&Adventure Films.
One.
Deep Impact (1998)
Starring Notable Actors: Elijah Wood, Tea Leoni, Morgan Freeman, Leelee Sobieski, James Cromwell.
Romantic Couple: Elijah Wood and Leelee Sobieski.
Why I love it?: Not only was it one of the first movies I've seen with this premise, but it was a great movie for it's time. End of the world was done the next year with Armaggaedon. I wasn't fond of Armaggaedon and cracked up when Superstar parodied the scene when Ben Affleck sings to Liv Tyler before he saves the world. Oh, and btw in Deep Impact, they DO NOT blow up the meteor. That's what makes it so much better. There's a sense that this is what happens when normal people try to save the world and fuck up. Everyone expecting the meteor to be blown to smithereens and suddenly, "Houston, we have a problem," followed by sobs from mission control. It's great, really.
Two.
The Fifth Element (1998)
Starring Notable Actors: Milla Jovovich, Bruce Willis, Ian Holm, and Gary Oldman.
Romantic Couple: Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich
Why I Loved It?: Milla plays an absolutely wonderful innocent girl. The chain of events towards the end is what made my heart stop. Waterworks come easily to me. But either way, its troubling when some horrible fate comes to an innocent person. In the last chain of events, the protaganist isn't protecting the love interest and she can die. She almost dies. And it's heartbreaking.
Three.
The Island (2005)
Starring Notable Actors: Ewan Macgregor, Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Hounsou, Sean Bean.
Romantic Couple: Ewan Macgregor and Scarlett Johansson
Why I Loved It?: Reminds me of a book I had to read in tenth(?) grade entitled "Brave New World". The idea of an alternate society, or reality is beautiful. Although in Brave New World, it was because Henry Ford made a bigger impact than just modifying production. In The Island, it was due to vast advances in cloning, and a decline in moral standards. The deception, the twists, and the moral questions are what make it a wonderful movie.
Four.
Watchmen (2009)
Starring Notable Actors: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson.
Romantic Couple: Malin Akerman and Patrick Wilson
Why I Loved It?: Beautiful movie. The music was great and corresponded so well with the scenes. It was tragic in that so many hearts were broken and such dark themes were pursued. The unsettling idea of "kill a million to save a billion" is part of that controversary. Necessary murder; choosing the lesser of two evils. Touchy subject. So in the movies, two former superheroes have to overcome a few obstacles to find love. But the movie already has a rough relationship with what the idea of love is. There's rape, forced love, cheating, losing sexual attraction, and causing pain to those you love.
Five.
The Matrix (2003)
Starring Notable Actors: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Monica Belluci, Jada Pinkett Smith
Romantic Couple: Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss
Why I Loved It?: Who didn't? Another extreme alternate reality, so it was a favorite of mine. My father prides himself on his surround sound system that he's built over the years, so anytime we watch this movie, it is BLARING in our home! Not everyone appreciates it, though. Besides that, the movies' romantic basis sort of falls into the category of no happy ending. Let's face it, through his death, his exile to a train station, and his intimate kiss with another woman (not to mention nearly dying so many times to save himself, her, or his entire human race) they still manage to stay madly in love. BUT both characters die in the end! Wtf?!
So there you go!
I DO say! What an odd pairing of movie genres, woman!!
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