Another Year...Another List

Posted Friday, November 16, 2001 at 2:27 PM Central

by John Couture

The AFI is getting as predictable as an M. Night Shyamalan ending. The institution that has made a name for itself by listing movies is at it again. This time they out to rank the top romance movies with the theme, "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions."

A list of 400 movies have been selected by the AFI that meet the following criteria: a running time in excess of 100 minutes, a "romantic bond" between two or more characters, and reveal "passions" that have significantly "enriched America's film and and cultural heritage while continuing to inspire contemporary artists and audiences."

Besides the obvious Gone With The Winds and Casablancas, there are some choices that leave you scratching your head. I mean nothing says romance like a big monkey on top of the Empire State Building (King Kong). Of course, you have to have some cross-species romance movies as well (The Fly). And everything needs a little extra hair gel for the big date (There's Something About Mary).

A panel of 1800 movie experts will weigh on their favorites and the AFI will announce the top 100 romantic movies on a CBS special in June of 2000.