My rant about romance films

My rant about romance films 

Romance is not my favorite genre. No! It's not because I don't find it appealing; it's because Hollywood doesn't do a good job making these films. Part of the reason why is because I don't think Hollywood understands the concept of romance. I mean, whenever characters say that they love each other, they don't establish why they do, other than superficial reasons. This is what I hear in these films, 

I love you 

me too 

You set my soul on fire 

me too 

Your smile lights up my world 

my too 

I want to rock your world (my editor put me in a headlock.) I mean, give you the moon 

Are the writers of these movies Aromantic? This sounds like someone talking to his or her crush for the first time. I can write better dialogue than this. Why can’t actors and actresses show they love each other without saying it and be subtle about it? Not only that these movies play out in one of two ways. For example, boy meets girl, we see them get to know each other, something comes between them, they fight, and the movie ends with them getting back together. Another example, a boy meets a girl, the boy lies to impress her, the girl finds out, and leaves him. Boy wins her back, and the movie ends. Almost every romance movie is like this. It's worse in action films because the purpose of a love interest in those movies is to be a supporting character. Instead, they are used as plot devices for the main character.  

I don't like the will they won't they trope because it drags. 

Plus, once they get together, their dynamic is no longer interesting. 

Steve and Laura from Family Matter is the worst example of this for four reasons. First of all, Laura treats Steve like crap. She does this in front of her parents sometimes, and they don't correct her. I know Steve can be annoying, but he doesn't deserve that. Second, Steve is blinded by Laura's beauty. His efforts to win her over may be charming, but he comes off as obnoxious and pathetic. He ever brags about wearing her down, that's not the best way to sweep a woman off her feet. Third, both parties have someone who suits them, and why can't we see them work past their problems? Finally, when they do get together, you can argue that Laura has Stockholm syndrome. Don't get me wrong, I see what the writers were trying to do, but the execution was off.    

If I was directing a romance movie, I would hire an actor and actress who have chemistry and find each other attractive. Everything matters when it comes to romance films. Do you think women would be comfortable doing a scene where they have to kiss each other if he or she is someone they wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole? If the two of them are not into each other, no one will buy them as a couple. Also, I'm tired of these films making it seem like love is mystic I mean, love at first sight, really? Whoever said that meant lust at first sight. 

How can you fall in love with someone just by looking at them, does that sound like something an 8-year-old would say? Sadly, that's a real thing; it's called love bombing. That's what makes these movies off-putting for me the romance starts and ends with that. Look, I'm not saying this genre has to be realistic however it has to be believable. This is what bothers me about Kevin James movies. Whenever I see him in a movie, he's trying to get with a woman that's out of his league and all he has to do is have the confidence to get with them. Do you see what I mean? Only in Hollywood would you see an unattractive man with an attractive woman. Now if Kevin James was playing a guy who's rich and is a ladies man, I could buy him getting these women but that's not the case. 

That's another thing that bugs me about some of the relationships in DBZ, I mean, I didn't buy most of the relationships in that anime. The only convincing relationship in that anime is the one between Gohan and Vidal because they both remind each other of their parents. I'm also annoyed with the love triangle trope in these movies because it makes the woman look promiscuous and the men look passive. This happens in My Best Friend's Wedding, The Notebook, and Twilight. These movies have nothing else going on beyond the two main leads relationship, and that's not enough to justify a movie. You might as well listen to stories about how your parents met. I bet that's better than what Hollywood is showing you. Hollywood seems to know this, and that's one of the reasons why they put comedy in those films to add more to these films. Plus, get men to watch these movies because they don't make a lot of money.   

Hollywood needs to stop pushing the idea that looks don't matter. If that's the case, then women would throw themselves at burn victims. The reason why I think men are not into these movies is that it's one-sided. I mean, we always see the man doing the work, and when something goes wrong, it's his fault. The Vow could have been better if the husband had amnesia and the wife had to work to rekindle their love. Men will find these movies more appealing if we see women pulling their weight in the relationship. There was a time where women drop a handkerchief to get a man's attention. If she likes him or finds him attractive, she will make him a cake, pie, brownie, etc.

Women need to go back to doing those things because it would make things a lot easier for everyone. Making a man feel special is not hard all you have to do is buy him something that has sentimental value. One of two things will happen he will either be speechless or cry because he doesn't expect that from you. Another example is having her put her life on the line for him. I saw that in a Knight Rider episode, and it was touching. The reason why I find those things romantic is because that's another way of reminding us of our mother, and that's another thing we don't expect women to do. 

I'm not saying these movies have to make relationships realistic; however, these movies are responsible for showing us what a healthy and unhealthy relationship should look like. For example, the line you complete me is fine in these movies, but not in the real world. If you don't feel whole by yourself, that's something you have to work on; being in a relationship is not going to fix that. Because Hollywood made romance a fantasy, it gives women unrealistic standards. Oprah and Steve Harvey are not helping women come to terms with that. Beyonce is making it worse with her single ladies song. Sadly, the best romance movies I've seen are the Shrek films. The reason why is because they make fun of the idea of fairy tale romance, and they go beyond happily ever after. 

I also like He's Just Not That Into You because that movie shows that we make relationships harder than it needs to be. Plus, it also explains why women are drawn to the wrong guy is because they tell themselves that mistreatment is affection. This genre works better in a TV show because the writers have time to show the couple going through the growing pains. That's what I like about the romance between Jen and Wes from Power Rangers Time Force. The two didn't get along because they are opposite of each other, but later on in the series, we see them start to develop feelings for each other. Also, the love triangle was handled well despite it being a cliche in this genre. 

I can write stories for this genre; being romantic is not hard, the problem is women want us to make an event out of it. I would like to see time travel in romance films because it would be interesting to see two people from different time periods getting together. That's all I have to say about this topic. What do you think this genre should do more of? 

P.S. I also would like to see men stand up to women, I mean, this is a problem I have noticed in relationships in movies and in real life. By standing up for yourself, I mean stop letting them seduce you.  

Here are some examples of what I am talking about