Top 10 Romantic Movies for Geeks

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We’re bringing the Weekly Top 10 forward a few days this week for obvious reasons. Today is a day when couples are going to want to spend some quality time with each other partaking in traditional date-like rituals. One such ritual is the time-honored watching of a movie. If you head over to the romantic section of the video library you will quickly find that everything there is garbage. Valentines Day, Love Actually, Twilight…none of these are going are do anything to create a romantic mood for any self-respecting geek couple.

Luckily, G-Funk is here to help. Below you will find ten movies that will prove to be romantic and appeal to your geeky sensibilities. You’re welcome.

10. L.A. Story

Let’s get the bad out of the way first: this movie does feature Sarah Jessica Parker. In her defense this was years before the series which shall not be named in this article. She’s actually kinda funny as the clueless bimbo named SanDeE* who Steve Martin briefly hooks up as a result of being a “big, dumb male”.

My lawyer informs me that I am legally obliged to include a picture of a horse. This seemed like a nice one.

Anyways, Steve Martin (see how geeky it is already?) stars as a ‘Wacky Weather Man’ trying to make sense of his life in the most insane city in the world. With his relationship on the rocks and his job leaving him unfulfilled his life is given new meaning with the arrival of English Journalist Sara. Plus he’s getting advice from a freeway sign. Much of the humour comes not from Martin’s patented tomfoolery but the insanity that surrounds them in the City of Angels. Warm and goofy, keep an eye out for the cameos, especially Patrick Stewart.

9. Juno

Beeeeeeeeep.

No this is not the last time you’re going to see Michael Cera on this list. The titular Juno McGuff (Ellen Paige) is given a curve ball when she discovers that she is pregnant following a brief fling with friend Paulie Bleeker. Whilst the primary focus of the movie is on the pregnancy there is a very sweet romance brewing just below the surface. Although Juno initially hides the feelings that she has Bleeker, further complicated by her independent streak driving him further away during the pregnancy. As the movie winds on the romantic side emerges and has a very charming finale. The witty script and sharp direction by Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman respectively made this an instant hit with geeks.

8. Little Shop of Horrors

Rule #34. No exceptions.

This awesome little cult musical seems to be over shadowed in geek circles by the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Whilst it doesn’t measure up to the latter in terms of camp value it certainly outstrips it in charm and humour. Seymour is a nerdy assistant in a flower shop, and is completely smitten with his co-worker Audrey. Ditzy Audrey, on the other hand, is dating the sadistic and violent dentist Orin Scrivello (a very funny Steve Martin). When Seymour discovers a new plant species, which he names ‘Audrey II’, and brings it to the shop things take a turn for the worse when the ravenous plant starts devouring people. Quirky and darkly funny (the scene with Steve Martin and Bill Murray is one of the most disturbing things ever), the core of the film is the relationship between Seymour and Audrey, bound together with infectious musical numbers.

7. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Not the first and not the last Michael Cera film on the list, but certainly a worthy one. Scott Pilgrim is dating a high schooler, living unemployed with his cool gay room-mate Wallace and rocking on a moderate level with his band Sex Bob-omb. He’s the epitome of a slacker and everything falls into place for him. When he dreams about a mysterious Amazon delivery girl who turns out to be the very real Ramona Flowers he his instantly in love. But then he discovers the catch – he has to defeat her Seven Evil Exes in order to win her heart. With each battle being tougher than the last and the evil Gideon Gordon Graves waiting for him at the end, Scott Pilgrim learns to fight for his love. Highly recommended for any couple who grew up playing NES games and/or have just eaten their body weight in candy.

6. Crazy Stupid Love

There’s a lot of stories at play in this complex little comedy from last year, each with their own little quirks. Each is also filled with enough touching moments to cause you to scoot closer to your companion and enough one-liners to stop it from getting sappy. From Steve Carrel’s depressed cuckolded husband to Ryan Gosling’s slick womaniser, all the characters are well rounded and feel human, a welcome departure from the sappy nonsense every other romantic comedy is peddling.

5. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist

Last one, I swear. Michael Cera and Kat Dennings star as Nick and Norah (respectively). At the beginning of the film they don’t know each other, but have the same goal: get to the secret show of indie band ‘Where’s Fluffy’. This is the indie romcom that actually is the movie that 500 Days of Summer was desperately trying to be. The stars are charming and their entourage of wacky mates provide plenty of quirks to balance out the tone. If you’re into the music and the indie attitude there’s plenty to love about Nick and Norah.

4. WALL-E

Far into the future the human race has left Earth. It’s become so heavily polluted and strewn with garbage that the massively obese population has relocated to orbit and left some robots to clean up. WALL-E is the last of these little robots and he’s developed a curious mind. One day a more advanced EVE model robot arrives to search for any signs of a sustainable environment. How is this a romantic movie? Watch this trailer:

3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

I seriously just noticed how many girls in indie romcoms have dyed red hair...

If you could erase the painful memory of a relationship out of your head, would you do it? Clementine did, and upon finding out about this her ex-boyfriend Joel sets out to do the same with the aid of the Lacuna company. For most of the movie the viewer is inside Joel’s mind as his memories are being systemically erased. During the process he remembers what Clementine meant to him during their best days together and comes to understand the importance of those memories. A touching and heartbreaking look at a relationship after it has fallen apart reinforces the value of what we already have. The oddball casting of Kate Winslet as the youthful Clementine and Jim Carrey and the depressed and introverted Joel only gives credit to the range of both performers.

2. Edward Scissorhands

Whilst Tim Burton paired with Johnny Depp is the most predictable thing in Hollywood these days, this early outing for them both is still a show stopper. Peggy is selling Avon door to door when she takes the chance to try the giant gothic mansion which overlooks the pastel coloured suburb she lives in and finds someone very unusual. Edward is a man build by a scientist who died before finishing him, leaving Edward without long, sharp scissors instead of hands. Peggy brings Edward home with her where he becomes a curiosity and then celebrity among the locals. Edward, however, only has eyes for Peg’s daughter Kim. Like all the best romances this is ultimately a tragic one, as Edward can never hold Kim in his arms. This is the perfect modern fairy tale.

1. The Princess Bride

You totally have the music in your head right now.

Speaking of fairy tales – is there any movie which is so beloved by geeky couples as The Princess Bride? Most the fun is that whilst the romance is the driving force the bulk of the movie is packed with sword fights, fire swamps, miracle workers, pirates, giants, witticisms, one-liners and comedy. That isn’t to say that the romantic plot is ever left on the side-lines – princess-to-be Buttercup and farm boy Westley are one of the greatest romantic couples in cinematic history. Few characters are so charming that the line “there is a shortage of perfect breasts in the world” could seem like the right thing to say during an attempted suicide. Perfectly cast, wonderfully scripted and downright awesome. If you don’t like this movie then there is something wrong with you.

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