Loveless movies?

Bozo Erectus

Master Baker
Joined
Jan 22, 2003
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Name one major feature film to come out of Hollywood in the past 20 years that didnt have a romantic subplot. I was talking about this with somebody this morning and we couldnt think of one. Obviously, love and relationships are fundamental bedrock attributes of humanity, and its hard to tell a story about humans that doesnt include romance, or even the lack of it. Even so I find it interesting that there is literally nothing in the popular media that doesnt have romance as at least a subplot. Can you think of any? Could a movie that didnt have a romantic element ever resonate with enough people to become a major blockbuster?
 
The Shawshank Redemption. That's off the top of my head, and it's not really romance-free, but very nearly.
 
The Big Red 1?
 
charilie and the chocolate factory.
 
The War of the Worlds I don't think had one
 
Movies are designed to use subliminals in order to indicate what the society recommends people should be doing.

In the West/USA this means have more babies and be religious.

I think you'd have to be blind to miss the procreation/religion overtones in most movies these days...

On this very site, there was a movie banner about an exorcism recently.

And what is that if not offering supernatural bunk as everyday life?

.
 
using imdb's list of biggest grossing movies of all time, you can include harry potter (the first movie they were all kids so no love there), finding nemo, and all 3 lord of the rings movies. Thats 5 of the top 10 films ever that dont have a romantic subplot, all within the last 20 years. Is that good enough for you bozo? :p
 
One of my favorite flicks - Reservoir Dogs.

Good answer, Plexus - I wish I'd have come up with that. A great movie.
 
farting bob said:
using imdb's list of biggest grossing movies of all time, you can include harry potter (the first movie they were all kids so no love there), finding nemo, and all 3 lord of the rings movies. Thats 5 of the top 10 films ever that dont have a romantic subplot, all within the last 20 years. Is that good enough for you bozo? :p

Lord of the Rings has no romance?

Obviously you have never seen/read it.

What about Aragorn/Arwen? Or Sam/Rosie/Frodo?

:)
 
KaeptnOvi said:
ummmmm, arwen & aragorn?
bugger, forgot about aragorn. ok, i take that back. Still, its only a very small part in the first LOTR, so it depends on how strict you want to be.
 
Its got to be nothing, zilch. Not even occasional longing looks. Kids movies dont count. Taking it completely off the table makes it harder to tell a story, thats for sure.

A correspondent in the field has suggested to me, Alien vs Predator, Clockwork Orange, Wonka and 2001 A Space Odyssey. IMO, Alien vs Predator wasnt a blockbuster, Clockwork and 2001 are older than 20 years, and Wonkas a kids movie.
 
Saving private ryan. No love in that. The exorcist is another one. How about silence of the lambs?
 
CurtSibling said:
Movies are designed to use subliminals in order to indicate what the society recommends people should be doing.

In the West/USA this means have more babies and be religious.

I think you'd have to be blind to miss the procreation/religion overtones in most movies these days...

On this very site, there was a movie banner about an exorcism recently.

And what is that if not offering supernatural bunk as everyday life?

Come on Curt, that's just a load of bunk. If anything movies usually give religion the middle finger, either directly or indirectly. As for procreation, its a part of a normal lifecycle for most humans, just because you have no plans for having children doesn't mean that the rest of the world isn't driven by their hormones :p

I think your disgust for religion tints your view of modern culture- you make it seem like Hollywood is part of the Bible belt.


As for a movie that doesn't include romance, Mr. Bean the movie as i recall has zero romance(for the main character), but it was purely a comedy.
 
shadowdude said:
Come on Curt, that's just a load of bunk. If anything movies usually give religion the middle finger, either directly or indirectly. As for procreation, its a part of a normal lifecycle for most humans, just because you have no plans for having children doesn't mean that the rest of the world isn't driven by their hormones :p

I think your disgust for religion tints your view of modern culture- you make it seem like Hollywood is part of the Bible belt.

Really?

Look at the spate of religious-themed movies coming from the US these days.

The Passion of the Christ, Godsend, Constantine, Dogma, Hostage,
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
, and the soon to arrive Naria movies...

Some are obvious, some are more subtle, but the educated eye
can peel back the syrup and see the theology and ideology.

Perhaps you don't see it, because you belong to the target culture.

PS
And keep the personality assessments to yourself, cheers. :)

.
 
Look at the spate of religious-themed movies coming from the US these days.

The Passion of the Christ, Godsend, Constantine, Dogma, Hostage,
The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and the soon to arrive Naria movies...

Some are obvious, some are more subtle, but the educated eye
can peel back the syrup and see the theology and ideology.

They produce them because they think the public will want to watch them, thus bringing in more money. I hardly doubt they are trying to tell society what they should be doing. Religion happens to make an interesting topic for a movie and people will pay to watch it.
 
Almost had me with Saving Private Ryan, but nope, doesnt the Hanks character think, or talk about his wife longingly at some points in the film? Id have to see it again to be sure. That would disqualify it I think. Silence of the Lambs is out because theres 'romance' between her and the bug expert she consults with. Exorcist is a good one but its older than 20 years. Mr Bean? I saw it but its just a blur, I'll have to reserve judgement on that one.
 
Bozo Erectus said:
A correspondent in the field has suggested to me, Alien vs Predator, Clockwork Orange, Wonka and 2001 A Space Odyssey. IMO, Alien vs Predator wasnt a blockbuster, Clockwork and 2001 are older than 20 years, and Wonkas a kids movie.

Blech; AVP. They should abandoned the whole series after Aliens (I do love the first two though - speaking of which, why not Aliens, or Alien? Or Predator or Predator 2, for that matter? Not that any were necessarily 'blockbusters'.)

If we were allowing Kubrik (I'd wanted to but followed the two-decade rule) Dr. Strangelove and Full Metal Jacket both most definitely belong (unless Jack Ripper's womanizing counts as 'romance'...). Excellent movies.
 
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