I just feel like I’m intruding on a private moment and just sit there tense and embarrassed until it’s over. Trying not to listen to the schlorp schlorp noises.
But it’s such a common trope, I so assume I’m in some weird minority.
Does anyone find it enjoyable to watch? If so, why and how?
I do, but only if it’s built up properly. This is also true of musical numbers and fight scenes. If built up properly, they can be incredibly cathartic and the best parts of the film, but if not, they grind the plot to a halt.
The reason so many people hate these kinds of scenes is that most screenwriters are really bad at creating tension. The purpose of these scenes is to release emotional tension, so without building this, they feel pointless and jarring. The best parody of this is in Men in Tights when Robin bursts into a love song out of nowhere and it scares the hell out of Marian.
I’m trying to provide examples of love scenes I actually like in films, and to be honest, I’m coming up blank. I think it may just be a lot more difficult to generate romantic tension in the average timespan of a film. It’s easier in television, where you get more time to tell the story. I think my favorite intimate scene in tv is in Game of Thrones season 3 when John and Ygritte are in the cave.
Wesley and Buttercup would be a good example. Or maybe I’m remembering it with rose glasses as the kiss itself was narrated by Columbo and Kevin Arnold didn’t mind.
Last of the Mohicans homie; there are a few scenes in that one that scorch AND add to the story. It’s like it’s giving you the reason for fighting an unwinnable battle.
There ya go! I knew there had to be a couple out there!