Last Updated on August 3, 2021
#1 – TRUE LIES
Like Stallone, the films of Arnold Schwarzenegger are not commonly looked at as the most romantic of movies. But, TRUE LIES relies on the relationship between Harry and Helen to make the dual lives plot device work. Seeing Jamie Lee Curtis grow from meek housewife to sexy secret agent is one of the best on screen transformations of all time. Plus, the chemistry between the two leads is phenomenal. Forget that striptease scene, it is the closing tango that makes this the most unexpected romantic movie of all time.
#2 – CASINO ROYALE
When Daniel Craig was cast as a rebooted James Bond in 2006’s CASINO ROYALE, we were promised a different kind of 007. One of those key changes is that the idea of a Bond Girl is no longer a disposable sexual object but rather the motivating factor for who Bond is and what he does. Eva Green is stunning as Vesper Lynd and her echo rings through each sequel to this film.
#3 – ROCKY
Would there be a ROCKY without Adrian? The brute, tough Rocky Balboa falling for the shy, quiet Adrian Pennino is one of the best romances of all time. Who would have thought it would have come from the pen of Sylvester Stallone in a movie about the sport of boxing? The confluence of all these elements is why ROCKY remains one of the best movies of all time.
#4 – DISTRICT 9
Sharlto Copley plays the bumbling bureaucrat Wikus van de Merwe as a man stuck between the love for his wife, the thumb of his father-in-law, and the devastating effects of an alien species on his DNA. As Wikus transforms into another entity, we see that the love for his wife is the one thing that keeps him motivated to protect both humanity and the alien refugees within District 9. The movie ends with one of the most simple and romantic gestures in any scifi film.
#5 – INCEPTION
Cobb and Mal are one of the most loving couples on screen. Well, aside from the fact that she is dead and the memory of her is trying to kill her former husband. Yeah, besides that they are just peachy. But, when you get to the crux of their story and the core of their relationship, these two but Jack and Rose to shame.
#6 – DIE HARD
One of the best action movies of all time hinges on John McClane’s desire to reconcile with his wife, Holly. Through explosions, gunfire, and walking barefoot over broken glass, McClane defeats all of the bad guys and wins back his wife. If that isn’t romance, I don’t know what is.
#7 – UP
I still feel confident in the statement that the opening fifteen minutes of UP are not only the most touching film moments of the last twenty years but also the most romantic. Carl Fredricksen and his late wife Ellie are one of the most perfect screen couples of all time, animated or otherwise.
#8 – DRIVE
Nicolas Winding Refn’s neo-noir defies categorization but remains a contemporary favorite thanks to the phenomenal soundtrack and haunting visuals. The nearly mute Driver discovers feelings for single mother Irene and does everything he can to protect her and her son from the bad guys on the hunt for him from a botched robbery. Not a traditional romance by any means, but what woman wouldn’t feel touched by a guy willing to stomp a hitman’s face until his skull caves in?
#9 – THE FIFTH ELEMENT
Luc Besson’s cult classic scifi movie pays homage to STAR WARS and other epic space operas while also presenting one of the most unique cinematic experiences of the 1990s. Milla Jovovich entered a wide number of spank banks thanks to this movie but her romance with Bruce Willis’ Korben Dallas is vital to the plot of the movie and actually invests you into whether the pair makes it in the end.
#10 – SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE
While Zack Snyder’s MAN OF STEEL put the action and origin of Superman back in the forefront, Richard Donner’s SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE makes the romance between Kal-el and Lois Lane a central element. You could almost look at it as a love triangle as the relationship between Clark Kent and Lois is just as vital to these movies as the superhero/reporter love story is.
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