Singles Awareness Day, the day we all know and love, is right around the corner once again. Better known as Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14 brings feelings of joy, love and commitment into the air. Meanwhile, the rest of us sit on a couch eating hand-picked chocolates while watching the movie that should have been our lives. If you’re spending time with the love of your life or counting down the minutes until Feb. 15, no Valentine’s Day should pass without a little love being sent your way. If the single life is one worth enjoying this year, or if he didn’t go to Jared’s, there are at least ten men out there willing to make living out of reality pleasant for a few hours. Yes, there are men that can do no wrong. In the end, however, they reside in mainly in films.
If you enjoy romantic comedies that make you happy to be in love or romantic dramas that bring along that single tear, Valentine’s Day just wouldn’t be right without a movie thrown into the mix. Luckily each movie happens to contain a man, or two, willing to sacrifice all to be with the one they need in their lives. Even if the ending doesn’t include something as happy as the pair sitting with future grandchildren, still in love, it’s nice to know that the idea of love can never truly die. That’s exactly where these top ten men come in; ready to soften the edges even around the hardest heart. Give these men a try before losing all hope. Their story can be told as many times as need be.
Photo Courtesy of UniversalClips.com
[new page= Jay Gatsby, The Great Gatsby]
10. Jay Gatsby
There’s something about never forgetting your first true love that helps makes The Great Gatsby so magical. Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan were young lovers before a string of events forced them apart from each other’s lives. Yet, Gatsby does all he can to view Daisy’s face again, even going as far as to throw lavish parties at every chance in hopes that she will reenter his life. There’s a bit of selfishness and hatred thrown into the story line, but all in all the film and book dictates how some loves come and go while others refuse to leave.
[new page= Sam Wheat, Ghost]
9. Sam Wheat
In Ghost (1990) Sam Wheat, portrayed by Patrick Swayze, comes back as a ghost to protect the love of his life from harm. All with the help of Whoopi Goldberg. If that’s not love, I’m not sure what is.
[new page= Mark, Love Actually]
8. Mark
Love Actually (2003) does the job of not only telling one type of love story, but ten. Focusing on a full cast’s love life and bringing each character together in one way or another makes it one of the sweetest love movies to grace the silver screen. Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, and even Colin Firth united to join the abundant celebrity cast. But there’s something about Andrew Garfield’s character, Mark, which makes him man of the year.
Deeply in love with his best friend’s wife, Juliet, Mark makes one final attempt to convey his true feelings. Ringing the doorbell one night, Mark waits for Juliet to approach the door before raising different signs that state how much he feels for her. One card in particular reads “You are perfect to me.” It’s the sweetest thing anyone could ever write on a giant flashcard!
[new page= Jerry Maguire, Jerry Maguire]
7. Jerry Maguire
We all know the infamous “show me the money” saying from the film, but it’s the ending of the movie when he approaches Dorothy Boyd, his love interest in the film portrayed by Renee Zellweger, that made Tom Cruise fans and everyone that believes in the sappiness within love melt a bit. It’s the three most exciting minutes of the movie as he states “you complete me” before Zellweger delivers the perfect line: “You had me at hello.”
[new page= Matt Flamhaff, 13 Going on 30]
6. Matt Flamhaff
We’re taught that perfection is impossible. But if Matt Flamhaff, portrayed by Mark Ruffalo, in 13 Going on 30 (2004) is anything, he’s a sign that perfection is real. Well, as real as fiction can get. He builds a dream house at the age of 13 for his best friend that he’s in love with. He does the “Thriller” dance with her even when no one wants to join along. And to top it all off, he still talks to her even after being rejected as a friend for over ten years. He dropped a grudge, got over it, and gave her the photo shoot and pink house she always wanted. If he’s not perfect, all hope is lost.
[new page= Landon Carter, A Walk to Remember]
5. Landon Carter
There had to be a teenage love story in the mix, and A Walk to Remember (2002) holds its ground. Nicholas Sparks, the writer of all things romantically tragic, brought two characters to life when he created Landon Carter, a teen constantly on the rocks of danger, and Jamie Sullivan, a pastor’s daughter completely immersed in her faith. It’s not exactly how Landon gives up his friends, negative ways, and pushy manner to become closer to Jamie that makes this such an adorable love story. No, it is the conclusion that even two people that have nothing in common on the surface can find love greater than two people of the same kind.
[new page= Gerry, PS, I Love You]
4. Gerry
Gerry, though dead, wrote letters for his survived wife to follow through events of her life. Each one reminding her not only how much she loved him, but how much he still continues to love her. Grab the tissues.
[new page= Robbie Turner, Atonement]
3. Robbie Turner
Some say unrequited love is the best kind. But forbidden love is up there too. In Atonement (2007), Robbie Turner, portrayed by James McAvoy, is a worker helping to maintain the estate of the Tallis’s. It is their daughter, Cecilia, young and beautiful, that makes him fall hard and swiftly, even willing to sacrifice his name to be with her. Being together proves to be no easy test for these two with a war, violence, and separation all leading to attest to the fact that they will do anything to be together throughout all circumstances. The story is tragic in a way, but Turner’s willingness to do all to return to his love is beautiful to witness.
[new page=Jack Dawson, Titanic]
2. Jack Dawson
Titanic (1997) is and will always remain the greatest love story of all time. To put it simply, Jack Dawson is willing to die of hypothermia and stay in the ocean with someone that can’t swim in order to preserve her life over his. Beat that, anyone.
[new page= Noah, The Notebook]
1. Noah
Can we all just take a moment and reflect on how amazing this movie alone is. Nicholas Sparks outdid himself when he told the story of a couple that went through the silly love we take part in as teenagers to an enduring love that can’t be broken by separation, different partners, or a gap in communication. Noah will do anything for his lady, including building the house she always wanted from the ground up and waiting for her, even as they grow older in age. There are as many fights as there are kisses in this story, but it’s so realistic that it seems as if you’re watching a real love story unfold before both yours and the characters’ eyes. Noah deserves a box of chocolate for Valentine’s Day man of the year.