Empire magazine ranks Top 10 cheesiest movies

The rousing presidential speech in Independence Day has been named the cheesiest movie moment of all time.

US audiences may have cheered when Bill Pullman called his countrymen to arms against alien invaders with the stirring words: “Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!” But it tops a list of cringe-making scenes compiled by Empire.

The magazine describes it as “a cornball speech that sounds like Shakespeare rewritten by kindergarteners”.

The scene from Top Gun where Val Kilmer’s Iceman tells Tom Cruise’s Maverick: “You can be my wingman any time” came second.

Third was the climax of The Karate Kid, in which Ralph Macchio snatches championship victory with a few nifty moves.

Four Weddings and a Funeral may be one of the biggest British film successes of all time, but the ending scored a high cheese factor. Audiences groaned as Andie McDowell finally got together with Hugh Grant in a torrential downpour, then ruined the moment with the wooden line: “Is it still raining? I hadn’t noticed.”

Empire put it fourth, saying: “Talk about killing the moment.”

Kate Beckinsale dreamily reading a love letter with an improbably beautiful sea and sunset behind her in Pearl Harbour was fifth.

Other cheesy moments to make the Top 10 included Richard Gere sweeping Debra Winger off her feet in An Officer and a Gentleman.

Kevin Costner earns a place for The Postman, in which a blind woman tells him: “You’re a godsend, a saviour,” to which Costner replies: “No, I’m just the postman.”