When Khunnai goes romantic Part 2

Khunnais,

It's OK if you CHOSE to spend Halloween night alone. After all, it's just a marketing trick to urge people to spend more on unnecessary costumes, candies, and any orange-and-black things that could relate back to the loosely-based tradition of spirit originated by some smart Americans just in some recent years.

Really, all you need is just a good internet connection & a genius thing called youtube if you don't have a date or (more likely) if you don't want to. And now, without further delay, let's dive deep into the world of romance with these amazing scenes that either cause you teary eyes or make your mind drift off to the land not exists on this planet.

When Harry Met Sally
Can two friends sleep together and still love each other in the morning?

I watched this one after other Meg's series coz when it first came out, I was still too innocent to the plot that a man and a woman cannot be friends if one finds another attractive.. because the sex part always gets in the way. It's so amazing how this assumption is still being discussed even till these days, talking about the power of pop culture. Anywu, we all admit that Harry is pretty ugly, and Sally is really beautiful. This again proves the point that women go beyond the look as long as the men are funny. Watch this scene when Harry ponders around NY city on new year's eve after not knowing what to do (so he did nothing) after spending the night with Sally and waking up beside her. He walked around and suddenly the song "It Had to Be You" just came up in the middle of nowhere. Then, he said something I (and the rest of the women who watched this movie) would never forget.



Romeo + Juliet

My only love sprung from my only hate.

"O Romeo.. Wherefore art thou Romeo?" Remember when you suddenly had a profound interest in Old English and Shakespeare? I remember. I also remember how exciting I was seeing Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet for the first time. The paradox of the setting, Shakespeare's English and pop music. That's why Romeo & Juliet was the only Shakespeare I could recite till these days. And who'd forget that very first moment when Romeo's and Juliet's eyes met, thru the glass of that giant fish tank. Leonardo was flirtatious, stubborn, sweet, daring. Claire Danes was pure, innocent, awkward, genuine, sweet. They were perfect. And then they died. And that's why it was so romantic.


(Watch this link for a better quality)

Love Actually
Love actually is all around.

Cameron Crowe was the first to come up with a romantic comedy with more than 1 couple in Singles (1992). But it was Love Actually that actually made this kind of movie a sub-genre within romantic comedies. There were 8 couples with 8 different love stories. Working Title, the genius behind practically every Brit RomCom, was hoping that everyone must identify with at least one out of eight. My most favorite was of course the unfulfilled one between the new bride and the groom's best friend. Watch when he came to tell her he loves her pretending to be Christmas Carrol (click to the link). Have plenty of time? Watch the whole story of Juliet & Mark.


The Notebook
Behind every great love is a great story.

We all know Nicholas Sparks writes sentimental love stories, which some tactless people call cheesy. Us emotional Khunnais call romantic. The extra special element about the Notebook, another best selling story of Sparks, was that it was crafted into a beautiful film. Somehow, the director brought the story to life with such a strong contention that we, too, believe that it was true love. And the swans. And the white house. And the dance on the street. And Ryan Gosling. What more can I say?

Watch when Noel asked Allison to dance to his "I will Remember You".


Watch the magic of the swans.


Watch when Noel asked Allison what she's gonna do now that she has to decide between him and her finance. Watch what he thinks about them.


Almost Famous
Experience it. Enjoy it. Just don't fall for it.

Is it possible that we talk about romantic movies and not having any of Crowe's masterpieces. We mentioned Singles and Say Anything a little bit. But Crowe deserves a whole full movie. And I pick Almost Famous because it is the most intimate, the most tender one of all. It has that child-like quality none of the rest of his movies have. And it has that tie to rock music that reminds all of us how silly we were when we were young. How we fell for teenage heartthrob. How we thought music & rock bands were more important than food & education. How we thought real love was the only love there is. Penny Lane has suffered for us. And she deserves the whole paragraph to tribute to her innocence. Watch this scene when she realizes she was not worth more than 50 bucks and a case of beer.



That should keep you busy for some time. Until the next episode of this, if you have some time, go out and experience the real thing. Maybe your story could be even more romantic than the ones in the movies. Who knows.

When Khunnai goes romantic

Khunnais,

From time to time, you might find yourself falling trap into the ambiguous thing called love or something felt weirdly similar. And then after a while, you find yourself unconsciously (and unwillingly) falling out of it. Don't get panic. The concept of love and romance can be recreated even when you are alone. It's the year 2000, anything can be done, honey.

You might have heard of this movie genre called "romantic comedy". But since we are khunnais, we don't just watch this formulaic film of this genre, but also watch other melodrama romance films. And when khunnai goes romantic, khunnai does it in style. The following are the scenes where khunnai is struck, speechless, wants to either laugh or cry (or both at the same time). They are not in any particular order, but they are all romantic.

The Age of Innocence
In a world of tradition. In an age of innocence. They dared to break the rules.

Archer and countess Olenska and their forbidden love in the high manner society of New York in 19th century. Aside from sumptuous costumes and settings, you would be attracted by the desire to express love and longing but unable to, so great that it's gonna burst. The entire movie was based on all these desires that they have to subside. Watch the scene where Archer simply taking off the button of countess Olenska's glove and gently kissed her hand. It's almost unbearable to watch.

Watch this video @ 2:20


Four Weddings and a Funeral
He's quite engaging. She's otherwise engaged.

Back in time when Hugh Grant didn't have so many crow's feet on his face. We were introduce to him in this movie and, boy, how much we have adored him ever since. In Four Weddings, he was awkwardly charming, he was the epitome of Peter Pan syndrome. We knew the type, yet we still fall for them anyway. Watch the scene when Charles was fumblingly telling Carrie he loves her, trying to compare to David Cassidy (his hit song was "I think I love you".) Finally he kinda knew what he felt, thou slightly too late since he was just done seeing her trying her wedding dress & all. It was adorable and therefore effortlessly romantic.

Watch this video @6:25


Sleepless in Seattle
What if someone you never met, someone you never saw, someone you never knew was the only someone for you?

Before Kate Hudson, Katherine Heigl, Anne Hathaway, there was Meg Ryan, a queen of romantic comedy (before she decided to pursue drama and failed miserably and injected too much botox into her lips). In this movie, it was the second time she paired up with Tom Hank. We love the pair, thou, quite magically they barely were in the scenes together. And that's why we think it is so romantic. The plot plays with cheesiness so much so that it became so not cheesy and just plain romantic. Watch the scene when Sam was talking about his deceased wife. I mean... I was dump-folded. And I was 15.

Watch this clip.


Before Sunset
What if you had a second chance with the one that got away?

I love them both, Sunrise & Sunset. But Sunset is more bitter, thus more romantic :) There are tons of phrases that knock you down like getting punched in a face. There are lines like:

'Memories are wonderful things, if you don't have to deal with the past.'
'I guess when you're young, you just believe there'll be many people with whom you'll connect with. Later in life, you realize it only happens a few times.'
'You can never replace anyone,because everyone is made of such beautiful specific details.'

Again, I love the entire movie, but romantically? OK, let's see 2 clips.

Watch @ 4:10 and watch the clip below to fully get what it feels like to be Celine



High Fidelity
A comedy about fear of commitment, hating your job, falling in love and other pop favorites.

He's done it in Say Anything, he did it again in High Fidelity. John Cusack, The ultimate guy next door. The movie, which based on the book of the same name written by Nick Hornby (who is a wonderful author), is a must for every music lover. If you the type that creates mixed tape (or mixed CD or iPod playlists, depending on the generation), if you the type that is pop culture junkie, you watch too many movies, listen to too many songs, read too many novels, then you'll probably love this movie. The movie opens with this:

'What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?'

Watch this scene when Rob proposes to Laura, but of course in Rob's way. I happen to think it's one of the most romantic proposal I've ever witnessed on big screens.


And those are only 5 movies. I still have many more in the list. Let's have episode 2 on this, khunnais. Till then, if love doesn't come knocking on your door, go rent (or download) these 5 movies and watch them over & over & over...