Top 25 Romance Movies

 When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible

Film has been around for ages, but compared to other things in life it is practically an infant. Perhaps one of the most timeless things through the course of human history is love. Valentine's Day for many is a day all about love, whatever form that love may take. For others it is a garbage holiday holding nothing but commercial value and emotional meaninglessness. I think if anything differing opinions on the holiday mirror the function of love and romance themselves. Love is such a complicated thing, so much more complex than just two people meeting and falling for each other. This is what I enjoy so much about romantic movies, there are so many out there, and so many that take vastly different approaches to the subject, just like we all approach love in different ways. So in honour of Valentine's Day, I will be laying out my 25 favourite romance movies, all showcasing the craziness of love in their own unique way. There are some movies I consider all time favourites that could be argued as romances, but in each case I just don't consider it the focus so they will not be seen here, films such as Licorice Pizza, Juno, Bull Durham, and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. So without further ado, here are my 25 favourite romance movies.

#25 - Blue Jay

Blue Jay is a fairly simple film. It follows two former high school sweethearts, played by Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson, who run into each other after not seeing one another for a long time. What follows is a beautiful look at reminiscing on past relationships, all wrapped together with beautiful black and white cinematography and one of the sneaky great musical scores of the 2010s. It's short but certainly sweet and one I really love.

#24 - Call me by Your Name

One of the defining romances of the 2010s. This is an interesting case where I resonate less with the romance at the centre of it all and more with the feelings after. It is a beautiful love story though, Elio and Oliver may have an age gap that irks many, but it is a very honest and compassionate relationship. It isn't a case of Oliver problematically seducing a younger man, Elio is the one that makes a move and their love for one another grows. It's a beautiful relationship to watch but Timothee Chalamet's performance at the end of the film is what moves me the most, nailing the complexity of coming to terms with a relationship that just can't be. Michael Stuhlbarg's big speech also helps in bringing this into the top-25, as well as the gorgeous scenery of the film.

#23 - About Time

This is a film I just watched for the first time recently and I'm ashamed it took me so long. About Time is a romantic comedy(?) about a man who learns he has the ability to travel through time. There is the inherent fun of him using this gift to try wooing his dream girl, but where I found this film really beautiful is the way in which he mostly uses it to help those he loves. Much of the film hinges on his grapple between using his gift to help others and leaving things the way they are so nothing he has changes. This may be my favourite performance by Domhnall Gleeson and he is complemented magnificently by Rachel McAdams. This is the kind of movie that makes you cry after the credits roll (if you weren't crying already), as the emotional complexity it surprisingly reaches sticks long after the film's last moments.

#22 - Little Fish

Little Fish is the movie from last year I want to shout at everyone to watch. This film fell under every radar and it breaks my heart because this is one of the most beautiful pieces of romance I've seen... honestly ever. Filmed just before covid hit, the film follows a couple as a pandemic that destroys people's memory sweeps the world. This acts as the setup to a really emotionally powerful exploration of the importance of memory. Olivia Cooke and Jack O'Connell are incredible, with Cooke giving her all to this character fighting to keep her life together as her partner slowly forgets her. It has a heartbreaking finish and a music/cinematography combo that creates an all around beautiful work of art. I LOVE this movie.

#21 - It Happened One Night

The best picture winner from 1935, this film is just a delight. It's been a while since I've seen it so I don't have a ton to say but the charm of Clarke Gable and Claudette Colbert really just sticks with you. This is the perfect romantic comedy if you want something with that old school charm, delivering a lot of laughs and a general good feeling you can't get from many other films.

#20 - Top Hat

This is another oldie, but a great one. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are two of the absolute darlings of the 30s and this is my favourite I've seen from them. You may come for the romance, which is delightful, but you'll stay for the countless magnificent musical numbers. One number in particular has Astaire putting on a show where he plays a gangster of sorts, and he uses his tap dancing to mimic the sounds of gunfire and it's just a marvel of choreography. Even without the musical elements though, this is a fun quirky story that I love. 

#19 - Perfect Sense

Is it masochistic of me to have more than one pandemic romance on this list? Maybe? I don't know. What I do know is that Perfect Sense is magnificent. I watched this right before Ontario first locked down just to see what a pandemic film was like and I fell hard for this one. Perfect Sense is a story of two people who fall for one another right before a pandemic comes that causes people to lose their senses one by one. Like Little Fish, much of the film centres on the two leads fighting for their relationship against things out of their control, and changing the way they love one another as senses are taken away from them. The film is beautifully shot and put together and offers a downright gorgeous score by Max Richter. I know films on this subject matter are tough for people to watch but this is such a magnificent film I can't recommend it enough.

#18 - The Princess Bride

This is just a classic. It's the kind of story I wouldn't tend to love but Rob Reiner brings a really delightful reflexivity to the fairy tale genre. It's a delightfully fun story even without the central romance, but the love between Westley and Buttercup adds a layer of beauty that pushes it even further. The production of the film is also just magnificent, the sets, the costumes, just amazing all around.

#17 - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

This is just an absolute classic. A meditation on love and memory done in a way that only Charlie Kaufman could think of. This idea of seeking help to forget someone is something that can resonate with anyone who has ever lost love, but the way in which this process brings things for Joel and Clementine full circle is what really fascinates me. It's a brilliant film with some really creative ideas and imagery and certainly stands as one of the most unique entries in the romance genre.

#16 - Amelie

I was sleeping on this film for so long and I don't know why, it's such a delight. The titular character is just the kind of bubbly romantic you can't help but fall for, and the romantic centre of the film is so cute and fun to ride along with. It has the kind of energy that the Paddington movies and some of Wes Anderson's recent films do, just absolutely beaming with colour and vibrant energy. It really hits the quirky nerve in me and it's really just a ridiculously fun movie.

#15 - Tangled

Felt like I needed a Disney movie on here so why not my favourite of theirs? Tangled is another film I just consider a delight. There are certainly dark (Disney-wise) moments that add some complexity and excitement, but the love between Rapunzel and Flynn is really the core of the movie. It's such a colourful film and has some of the lowkey best music of and Disney movie. I love the story, I love the villain, and I just love the romance of this one a lot.

#14 - Sing Street

This is one of two John Carney movies on this list, which I think just proves that he's one of the masters. Sing Street is an 80s set Irish musical romance that if you haven't seen you are missing out intensely. What makes this film work so well is how brilliantly simple it is; boy meets girl, boy starts a band to impress said girl, it's that simple. That simple and relatable premise makes you just fall absolutely in love with this cast of characters, and if that doesn't do it the vibe of 80s Ireland or the beautiful way the story unfolds will. The soundtrack is also just absolutely killer, basically making a new album of authentic sounding 80s music. I've never seen anyone not love this movie so if you haven't already you've gotta check it out.

#13 - Once

Aaaaaand here's the other one. I really don't know for sure which I like more between this and Sing Street, but the rawness of this pushes it ever so slightly above for me. The film follows a pair of aspiring musicians that decide to collaborate with one another and the possible love between them. This is one of those movies that shies away from the traditional romantic happy ending and I think that's what I love about it. It delivers such an honest portrayal of love and despite not having everything be sunshine and rainbows there is never a moment you feel as though the two don't deeply care for each other. This is also another magnificent soundtrack, making the great movie even better.

#12 - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

This is a film I think I'd have to categorize as a romantic epic. At almost three hours long and spanning decades of time, this film basically shows the entirety of a bizarre but clearly love filled relationship. The way Benjamin's love for Daisy grows as she weaves in and out of his life really just makes my heart smile, but their relationship's growth over time is what really strikes with me. It's such a beautiful and pure love, and accompanied by the sprawling story and overall beauty of the film it truly left me in tears.

#11 - A Matter of Life and Death

Often cited as a spiritual sequel to It's a Wonderful Life, this is just a really cool film, especially for it's time. It centres on a pilot during WWII who falls in love with a radio operator as his plane crashes and his life ends. What ensues is almost a supernatural courtroom drama as the pilot pleads with the higher ups of heaven to undo his death, with his love the reason he needs more time to live. It's such a wild premise that is pulled of superbly well, and has some of my favourite imagery in film history, some of which has a clear influence on Pixar's Soul. I love this movie so much, one of my favourite classics.

#10 - Her

AI is something I love seeing explored in film. Blade Runner posed so many questions about what it means to be human, and Her seems like the romantic follow up, questioning whether it's possible for us to fall for virtual entities and whether they have to capability to fall for us. Joaquin Phoenix gives my favourite of all his performances, and ScarJo gives an all time great voice performance. Despite the physical limitations between the two their love always feels genuine, and the visual style Spike Jonze gives the film really just makes it feel perfect for Valentine's Day.

#9 - The Big Sick

I just love this movie. On paper it's kind of a basic romcom but there's so much passion clearly coming from Kumail and Emily's real relationship that I just fall so hard for it. The movie is hilarious, but it's the emotions coming from Kumail's upbringing and the relationships between him and Emily's parents that make this really special. It's just such a charming film, and while its filmmaking isn't anything incredible, it leaves a really strong mark thanks to its beautiful writing, direction, and of course acting. This is just so lovely.

#8 - Punch-Drunk Love

Licorice Pizza may be getting left off the list, but PTA still gets a space to shine. Punch-Drunk Love is such a unique romance, starting off with the frenetic energy of something like Uncut Gems and slightly waning from it to turn into a beautiful tale on the power of love. It's such a narratively strange one and it isn't a long movie, but the connection between Barry and Lena feels unbelievable strong thanks to the chemistry of Sandler and Watson along with PTA's writing and direction. This is just one of the greats.

#7 - The Shape of Water

I know this is the fish sex movie to many but for me it's one of the most beautiful films out there. Part of this is Alexandre Desplat's beautiful score which feels as close to classical romance music as possible. Part of it is del Toro's beautiful rendition of a tough time in American history. But the big part of it is the central idea of two individuals seen by the rest of the world as unworthy falling for one another despite neither even being able to speak. It's such a beautiful romance, set against brutality and darkness that only makes it shine brighter.

#6 - The Worst Person in the World

I hesitated a lot on including this, truthfully I wasn't sure if I consider it a romance, but it offers such a different take on love I decided to keep it in. Really it's on here though so I can gush about it, this movie means absolutely so much to me. The film is set to 12 chapters in the life of Julie, a woman around 30 stuck in the struggles of figuring out love and life. This film really came at the perfect time in my life, with the difficulty of finding oneself really resonating with me deeper than pretty much anything else I've seen recently. Upon rewatches the way Joachim Trier handles relationships has really resonated as well, showing how much more complicated a relationship is that just love between two people. Renate Reinsve gives my favourite performance of 2021, possibly creating one of my favourite movie characters ever just with how real she feels. Romantically this film also perfectly captures the feeling of the world stopping around you when you fall for someone in a scene that I think people will fall in love with for many years to come. I love this film so deeply and I hope everyone gets the chance to see its magic now that it's out everywhere.

#5 - When Harry Met Sally

If you read that opening quote you could have guessed this would be on here. This is the peak of rom coms, especially 80s rom coms. There's just nothing not to love about When Harry Met Sally, is hinges on the premise of whether or not a guy and girl can be friends, and ultimately says nothing about it. Instead it uses this idea as a vessel for two people to fall for one another, with the bumpy road along the way perfectly showing the weird complexity of love. Rob Reiner is clearly a man with a lot of love in his heart, and between this and The Princess Bride he has spread that to the masses. The Billy Crystal/Meg Ryan duo is perfect, the laughs are never ending, and this movie lowkey invented the zoom/netflix party movie night.

#4 - The Apartment

One of the wildest classics out there if you ask me. The Apartment if you didn't know is about a man who basically lends out his apartment for co-workers and employers to have romantic evenings (often with women they aren't married to). This gets complicated when he falls for a girl that his boss has had affairs with. This is just a wild film with frantic energy throughout, but holds the love at its core through and through. Billy Wilder's exciting energy as a director shines, and the love triangle dynamic between Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLain, and Fred MacMurray really makes this a fun ride.

#3 - Casablanca

One of the classic romances of all time. This film has just aged brilliantly, really earning its identity as one of the all time greats. It's without a doubt one of the best written films ever made, with too many iconic lines to count. The film presents a love triangle that feels no ill will between the two male parties, instead offering a male lead that cares more about what's best for the others than his own feelings. It's a thrilling watch with the war looming behind the romantic centre of the story, and it climaxes in one of the most bittersweet endings in cinema history. Classic.

#2 - The Before Trilogy

You can not talk about romance in cinema without touching on Linklater's Before Trilogy. Maybe including all three is a cop out, but if you want to get technical just put Before Sunset in this spot. These films are genuinely perfect. Before Sunrise gives us Jesse and Celine living that kind of spontaneous love I think we've all fantasized about, spending a day falling for each other and divulging in each other's philosophies. Before Sunset picks up 9 years later as the two reconnect once again over a short period of time. This is my favourite of the three and one of my favourite movies ever in how beautifully it presents this reconnection, as well as delivering one of my all time favourite endings. Before Midnight picks up another 9 years later and hinges more on the struggles that come with being with someone for a long time, and while it doesn't hit as hard as the other two for me it's still an incredibly beautiful and emotional work. It's clear how much Linklater, Ethan Hawke, and Julie Delpy care about these characters, and that has allowed their cinematic to carry over almost three decades. On paper they're such simple films but there's so much brilliance in the screenplays and the dynamic between the two actors and their director that really makes them unlike anything else.

#1 - La La Land

Alas we come to the top of my romance movie mountain. La La Land is perfect in my eyes. It is a sometimes fantastical film with non-diegetic musical numbers and people dancing in the air, song and dance on busy freeways, and impromptu tap dances. Yet it presents one of the most honest portrayals of love I've ever seen. Gosling and Stone as Sebastian and Mia are perfectly cast and their chemistry makes the love between these characters feel just as magical as the story surrounding them. But the way Damien Chazelle shows how hard it is when life takes two people who care deeply for one another down different paths is what makes it so lasting to me. These two care so deeply for one another but being together just doesn't fit within the path they need to take and that's a heartbreaking but real thing. The iconic "what if?" scene that wraps up the film is one of my favourite pieces of filmmaking ever, we've all thought of the what ifs and this scene shows it in such a surreal and beautiful way. And those last few moments, just unbelievably emotional thanks to these two great performances. Oh... and the music and dancing are just magnificent. I love this film so much.

So that wraps up my top 25 romance movies. Whether you're celebrating alone, with family/friends, or with that special someone, I hope everyone has a good Valentine's Day, and if you need something to watch, here are some options for ya!

Written by Matt McKenzie