They had a thing on the Today Show about this over the past week, and the commentary was stupid. I normally like the Today Show, but they have this one guy who comes on to represent the male POV on various issues, and he's a meathead. There's another guy from Men's Health that comes on who's much better, but unfortunately this time they had the meathead, and his view was that women don't want men who are sitting by them getting all sentimental and sniffly, and maybe he's right about *that* but has he actually ever been to a romatic comedy (AKA "chick flick?"). I mean, seriously -- how many of the heroes we really love in these movies are sniffly. sentimental guys? Uh... none. But they also aren't chest-thumping meatheads. I suggest he go the the movies (or read a few books) to see what women really are admiring in these romantic heroes...

Anyway, thanks for giving me the chance to rant on that -- it was bugging me. LOL

But as for romance men like -- I'll use my husband as an example. He enjoys action movies and all that as much as the next guy, edgy stuff, but he liked Notting Hill a lot, and I found many men loved that movie. I think the reason was that the romance there was from the male POV. And this is the clincher -- if men go to a movie that's all from the woman's POV, it leaves them little to relate to -- but give them romance that includes their own perspectives and it all becomes more relatable. This explains why they like romance via action -- action movies focus on male POV. And just about all action movies have romance to various degrees, all of them -- but it comes at it a different way.

Personally I like both. I love Notting Hill, Bridget Jones, and things like the Lake House or The Holiday. However, I also love danger/romance, and action movies where you have powerful alphas and heroines falling in love against the odds, as in the Bourne Identity, which is the best one I can think of (except they kill her in the second movie, which is stupid -- she doesn't die in the books, and it's much better). It is very typical of male action movies to kill the love interest as motivation (sigh).

Anyway... FWIW, I think it all comes down to including men in romance by including their POV.

Sam

Like Sam I loved The Lake House and Notting Hill. But I think the most romantic movie for me is Pride and Prejudice, the Keira Knightley version. God, I love it. But for a man, I don't have a clue. I really don't. Maria

One time my husband was recommending the movie Braveheart to someone who said his wife might not be interested in it. My husband assures him that it has a romance in it. I make the argument that the woman is dead so how can this be a romance. He tells me that William Wallace THINKS about her so that makes it a romance.

I can see I'll be watching a lot of movies this weekend LOL.

Speaking of guys POV (bouncing off Sam's comment about the meathead's opinion) did anyone see The Breakup? Definitely NOT a romance, but such an incredible look at relationship games. That was one that my husband kept nudging me in and saying "yeah, I get why he's doing that" every time I hissed during the movie LOL.

From a guy's pov, the ones that immediately come to mind are DIE HARD the first one and LETHAL WEAPON. In Die Hard, he's separated from his wife and still loves her and in Lethal Weapon, Mel's getting over the loss of his first wife while he's falling for Rene Russo's character. Hated the ending to the break up. It made no sense at all. A Knight's Tale was romantic I think.

We go to the movies at least once a week. I love romantic comedy, and so does my very macho man. We agree on Harry Met Sally, Thomas Crown Affair, The Big Sleep, Four Weddings and a Funeral as being good guy romantic movies. I think there has to be comedy in there as well as romance for the guys to get into it - I think the softer, more drama-oriented stuff is a bit more chick-flick-y. But Thomas Crown has one of the sexiest, smartest scripts around. I really love that movie...

The Lake House was very romantic, and The Thomas Crown Affair is one of the best ever! I also loved Mr. and Mrs. Smith, though. And The Mexican. I find a lot of older movies really romantic, like Cactus Flower and Pillow Talk and My Man Godfrey. Then there's Wild Orchid. I love that movie. *fanning self*

I don't watch a lot of movies, romance or otherwise, anymore. I do watch a lot of anime. But from when I did watch them, I loved "A Walk In The Clouds" with Keanu (oh how I love Keanu). Hubby even liked that one because it had Zorba the Greek in it (Anthony Quinn) as the grandfather. Another one was "Bed of Roses" with Christian Slater. Oh, and "Simply Irresistable" with Sarah Michele Geller and Sean Patrick Flannery. I thought "Practical Magic" was a good love story too. Well, that's my two cents. Hugs, Robin S.

Guys and romantic movies? You've got to be kidding. I live in a male dominated house and, the males idea of romance is,blood and guts, where the last man standing is the Hero. I personally love chic flicks that have happy endings. My favorites are: Someone like you, How to lose a guy in 10 days, Dance with me and Shall we dance. I can't help you out with romance movies that the guys I know like. Most of then would have to be duct taped and drug kicking and screaming out of the house, to see a chick flick. I wonder if I did a bit of hypnosis on them, if they would be willing to go happily to view a chick flick? It might be worth a try. My luck the hypnosis would work in reverse and, I'd end up liking all those horrible guy flicks. Good luck on your research. Mads:)

My husband will watch just about anything with me but he leans toward movies with historical or sports themes and comedies. My son likes comedies and action movies...and, okay, just about anything with crude/rude humor. He's a teenager ;-) Some of my favorite movies are Love Actually, Bridget Jones, and Sweet Home Alabama. I've been too busy lately to catch as many movies as I'd like -- I'm hoping to rectify that soon :-)

Hi Tawny, I did a little Q&A with the macho males in my life and came up with a few answers for you. I won't tell you all of thier responses because, they are a bit outrageous but, these seem to be something of what you might be looking for. Yes, they think Rocky could be considered a romance but, only the first one. Oceans Eleven, The Last Samurai, Troy, The Saint and Hitch were some of their answers. Hitch was a comedy but with a bit of romance in it. The others are action movies but have some romantic scenes in the movie and they are also movies that some women might find enjoyable. I hope this helps. Considering the males that I know, I'm surprised that they came up with a few good ones. Good Luck with your research. Mads:)

to name three romantic movies. He actually surprised me. His three (in order): 1) Out of Africa 2) The Saint 3) The African Queen I was amazed he even knew the last one because he doesn't like "old" movies nor does he like B/W movies. Out of Africa is one of his all time favourite movies but I didn't know he considered it a romance. ani

My dh said BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S is pretty much the mushiest movie he's ever seen (he watched it with me for the first time this past winter. I think I caught him swiping at his eyes when Holly Golightly was searching for her kitty in the rain). He doesn't typically go for romantic movies, but admits he does enjoy an occasional romantic comedy, like SPEED, with Sandra Bullock, or OUT OF SIGHT with Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney (note: they both involve guns, and I think he liked the bathtub scene with J-Lo).