Available on Netflix
The Last 5 Years
Adapted straight from the off-broadway stage musical, this film is gorgeous, real and sad. Watch Cathy and Jamie’s relationship come together and fall apart within the span of five years. Their love story is told unconventionally as Cathy’s is shown from the end of their relationship going backwards, and Jamie’s is shown from beginning to end. Feel free to sing along and cry as Cathy and Jamie share moments of heartbreak, romance and conflict. The music is fantastic thanks to the wonderful composing and lyricism of Jason Robert Brown and will leave you with the music stuck in your head for weeks.
Carol
Two women fall in love and face the tribulations of that in 1952 Manhattan. This film is incredibly important and so beautifully done. Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara give some of the best performances of their respective careers that keep you captivated until the last bittersweet moment. This move can be both devastating and incredibly sweet. This is a love story that audiences see far too little of.
Y Tu Mamá También
If you do not speak fluent spanish, be sure to watch this movie with subtitles on. Even if you don’t understand the language, this movie is still immensely enjoyable. Watch as Julio and Tenoch learn about love and sex in this steamy coming of age movie. The three main characters embark on a road trip were they learn about each other and how love and sex are more complicated than they originally thought. This movie is very much rated R but it still manages to tasteful and gorgeous all throughout its one hour and 46 minute runtime.
Stardust
There are few things better than a romantic fantasy and this is one of the very best. Claire Danes plays a literal star who is being led by Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox) to his longtime childhood crush. Watch as they journey across the land and sky to each other as an evil witch hunts them, seeking the star’s power. Based on the acclaimed Neil Gaiman novel, this movie is magical, sweet, playful and Robert De Niro plays one of the most flamboyant pirate captains to ever grace the big screen. What’s not to love?
Moonrise Kingdom
Directed by Wes Anderson, this film is a moving work of art. Each frame is shot so symmetrically that this movie is the definition of “aesthetic.” Our adorable main characters have decided that they don’t belong and that they’re tired of listening to authority. They decide to run away with one another and embark on an epic and innocent romantic journey that is a joy to watch. The sweet innocence of this film will leave you with such a pleasant feeling that’s perfect for snuggling up with a nice cup of coffee or your significant other. Studded with an all-star cast, this movie is a definite must-watch.
Sing Street
Music and love go hand in hand and this movie proves it. This coming of age story takes place in 1980s Ireland. A boy has a crush on a girl and logically decides to start a band to impress her. Watch as a young boy truly discovers his talent and love for music as he tries to figure out his complicated relationship with the girl who lives across the street from his school. This film is nostalgic in all the right ways and incredibly heartwarming. Not to mention, the music throughout the movie is incredible and completely original. Be sure to check out both the movie and its soundtrack because they are both incredibly worth it.
Available on Amazon Prime
What If
This movie shows all of us just how complicated love can be. This love story is one of the best modern romantic comedies out there. Watch as Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan fall in love and struggle as life gets in the way of their joint happiness together. Life is hard, but love finds a way as this movie gracefully shows us.
Across the Universe
This is the second musical on this list, but this time with The Beatles. Well, not the actual Beatles themselves, but their songs. Across the Universe is trippy and wonderful. Focused on a big ensemble cast, this movie has a lot to tell us, but every single second of it is thoroughly enjoyable. Don’t feel ashamed to sing along and stare at your screen in awe and wonder as our main characters find each other in a time of international conflict.
Up In the Air
George Clooney stars as a corporate “downsizer” who basically fires people at different companies across the United States for a living. He takes new hirie Natalie (Anna Kendrick) under his wing, begins a new relationship with Alex (Vera Farmiga) and things get complicated. Watch as an experienced hot-shot learns that love isn’t easy, especially when people aren’t always who they claim to be. This movie is deeply clever and intelligent without being confusing, and the performances are topnotch.
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
This movie, at its heart, is the bonding of two people with incredible chemistry. This film is built off of the chemistry that the two leads, Alfred (Ewan McGregor) and Harriet (Emily Blunt), have together. These two work together on a project that maybe all of us don’t fully understand, but that’s okay since we just love watching our two leads interact with one another. We can’t help but root for them to get together as we watch them grow closer and begin to understand one another.
Short Term 12
This indie movie deals with some difficult subject matter, but it is a really important story to tell. Follow Grace (Brie Larson), who supervises a home for troubled youths, try to fix her own relationship as well as the problems of the house residents. This film is often sad, but there is a wonderful message of hope that can help anyone through the toughest of times. It’s not the most romantic of films, but it is full of charm and aspiration that is unmatched.
Available on Hulu
Liberal Arts
Josh Radnor plays Jesse, a 35-year old man who begins a relationship with 19-year old college student Zibby, played by Elizabeth Olsen. Through this relationship, he begins to learn about love and how weird adult life can be. This film is incredibly charismatic and teaches some very important lessons that we should take seriously as we venture out into the real world.
Much Ado About Nothing
This is probably one of the best Shakespeare film adaptations to ever exist. This film, directed by Joss Whedon, manages to make the audience understand Shakespearean english for an entire movie. This movie just oozes sophistication and charm through and through. Beatrice and Benedict are two of the most stubborn people alive with some friends who come up with a plan to put them in their place. It is witty, well acted and incredibly well realized. It is Shakespeare at its finest.