Last Updated on August 5, 2021
#1 – THE PRINCESS BRIDE
What can be said about THE PRINCESS BRIDE that you don’t already know? Rob Reiner directs everything you could want in a movie from swashbuckling pirates, evil princes, bizarre creatures, and above all, a love story. Combining all of the elements of classic fantasy and retro Hollywood epics, THE PRINCESS BRIDE is a multi-layered film that appeals to all ages. Everything about it works and it never gets old, no matter how many times you watch it. As you wish.
ALSO TRY: STARDUST, LEGEND
#2 – ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
Michel Gondry gave us the most ethereal, surreal, and touching love story of the 21st century. Who would have thought it would star Jim Carrey? Joel and Clementine’s fractured love story will hit you right in the gut as you hope against hope that they will not forget each other as much as they want to. Through the film, you watch them come together, fall apart, and eventually fall for each other again. Winslet rightfully deserved her Oscar nomination, but Carrey deserved one as well.
ALSO TRY: GARDEN STATE, THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP
#3 – ROMANCING THE STONE
What could be better than an Indiana Jones movie crossed with a romance? I know, that sounds kind of lame, but the women in Indy’s life are so disposable. Here, we have Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner who work perfectly together. Part buddy adventure and part love story, ROMANCING THE STONE is enough of both genres to please fans of all kinds.
ALSO TRY: JEWEL OF THE NILE, SIX DAYS SEVEN NIGHTS
#4 – SHAUN OF THE DEAD
Yeah, another Edgar Wright movie! While SCOTT PILGRIM is a different beast entirely, Wright’s collaborations with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are the perfect modern romantic comedies for guys. It all began with SHAUN OF THE DEAD, the original RomZomCom. Shaun’s quest to save all of those he loves, including his best friend, his mom, and his girlfriend, is true love masked by childish behavior. This movie may be populated by monsters, but it is the love story at the core that makes this movie so good. A winning combination of writing, directing, and acting, SHAUN OF THE DEAD is more than just a horror movie.
ALSO TRY: ZOMBIELAND, WARM BODIES
#5 – SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD
Edgar Wright’s adaptation of the popular graphic novel series, SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD is a love letter to dweebs, geeks, and weirdos everywhere. Michael Cera is perfectly cast as the title character questing through literal levels of ex-boyfriends in order to reach his dream girl, Ramona Flowers. Whether you are watching just to see the gorgeous Mary Elizabeth Winstead or are a fan of Wright’s other films, SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD will surely leave you with a smile on your face.
ALSO TRY: AMELIE, NICK AND NORA’S INFINITE PLAYLIST
#6 – TRUE ROMANCE
The best Quentin Tarantino movie he didn’t direct, TRUE ROMANCE is the type of romance that defies categorization. Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette are perfectly matched as a pair of lovers on the run from all sorts of scumbag characters. While the supporting cast almost steal the movie, the love story between the two stars and the classic QT dialogue is what makes this movie as enduring as ever. A great film from the late Tony Scott.
ALSO TRY: NATURAL BORN KILLERS, HEATHERS
#7 – CHASING AMY
Kevin Smith movies invariably showcase a guy and a girl and the path of their relationship, but his taboo-bending movie about a guy falling in love with a lesbian and the repercussions for his personal friendships set the bar high for movies tackling similar subjects to follow. The balance of comedy and drama in CHASING AMY differs greatly from what Smith had done before, but this was truly his Woody Allen moment where we learned he could do more than just funny.
ALSO TRY: ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO, ANNIE HALL
#8 – (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
Before he became the director of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN franchise, Marc Webb gained acclaim for this romance between Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the embodiment of the manic pixie dream girl, Zooey Deschanel. The nonlinear story jumps around to various points in the relationship between the two and uses elements from comedy, drama, musical, and more to tell their tale. A truly unique film experience that showcases Webb’s eye for relationships and casting actors with amazing chemistry.
ALSO TRY: GARDEN STATE, ELIZABETHTOWN
#9 – THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN
The big screen debut from Judd Apatow is both rauncy and hearfelt, much like all of his movies. But, what sets the movie apart is that it never looks down on the main character. Steve Carell brings a true sense of identity to his portrayal of Andy, making him the butt of jokes but also a very real person. The supporting cast is outstanding and created the template Apatow would keep for all his movies. Look out for a smoking hot Elizabeth Banks and Catherine Keener.
ALSO TRY: DAN IN REAL LIFE, KNOCKED UP
#10 – PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE
Often overlooked by both Adam Sandler and Paul Thomas Anderson fans, PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE is a beautiful romance and a stunning dramatic turn by Sandler. An unconventional love story based on a real life person who collected pudding lids to win a vacation, PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE also showcases a great cameo by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. It may not be your run of the mill romance, but that is what makes it so great.
ALSO TRY: HARD EIGHT, FUNNY PEOPLE
HONORABLE MENTION #2 – THE WEDDING SINGER
Adam Sandler’s comedies all tend to have a love interest, but it wasn’t until THE WEDDING SINGER that his gross-out, childish sense of humor segued into a true romantic comedy. The chemistry between Sandler and Drew Barrymore would be used again in 50 FIRST DATES and the upcoming BLENDED, but they will never be able to recreate just how perfectly this pair worked in THE WEDDING SINGER.
ALSO TRY: 50 FIRST DATES, GROSSE POINTE BLANK
HONORABLE MENTION #1 – WALL-E
Animated films don’t have to be just for children. The opening sequence of UP is one of the most heartbreaking scenes ever put to film, but Pixar’s most romantic film is WALL-E. You can look at the science fiction movie as a cautionary tale about the environment or even a political jab at George W. Bush, but the core is the love story between Wall-E and Eve. Their love, told without dialogue, reaches it’s height with their space dance. I defy you not to get all warm and fuzzy when that spark happens between them.
ALSO TRY: UP, FROZEN
Follow the JOBLO MOVIE NETWORK
Follow us on YOUTUBE
Follow ARROW IN THE HEAD
Follow AITH on YOUTUBE