Netflix’s “Summer of Love” isn’t only good for summer. These romances are worth the watch all year round! This summer, Netflix released a whole bunch of original romance movies and branded it, “The Summer of Love”. This list is my personal ranking of these films from my least favorite to the one I can’t stop rewatching!
7. The Kissing Booth
Sure, this movie is fun when you remember it was written as a fanfiction first; which totally makes sense. It follows every fanfiction trope ever created and can be extremely problematic at times. I think the only redeeming storyline in this film is the friendship between Elle and Lee. Other than that, this film was not enjoyable for me. If you’re in the mood for a movie you don’t want to take too seriously then totally check it out!
6. Sierra Burgess is a Loser
This film is only this low on the list because I had such high expectations for it. Who didn’t’t love Shannon Purser in Stranger Things; and Noah Centineo is the internet’s boyfriend so I had high hopes. Unfortunately, I think it was executed all wrong. There were a couple of scenes in this film that rubbed me the wrong way, including pitting women against each other in the pursuit of a boy. Because we don’t have enough of that in Hollywood? I think the intentions were good and the actors are fantastic; however, there are too many plot points that give it the low ranking.
5. Alex Strangelove
This film shows what it’s like to struggle with your sexuality in high school. It was heartbreaking and adorable all in one. Alex was in a long-term relationship with his best friend who was truly in love with him; the only problem is that he couldn’t’t reciprocate those feelings and wasn’t even sure of why. That is until his feelings for a handsome stranger has him really thinking about his sexuality for the first time. I think its an adorable film and a step in the right direction when it comes to the lack of media about gay love in high school. I definitely recommend checking this one out!
4. Irreplaceable You
Now this one is the real heartbreaker of the bunch. From the very beginning of the movie, you know what’s going to happen but you’re still completely unprepared when it does. It’s more than just another movie about cancer. This movie is truly about love and what happens to the people we love when we leave them. The main message of this movie really resonated with me; tomorrow isn’t guaranteed for any of us, so we have to stop worrying about what’s going to happen and focus on what’s happening right now. If you’re in the mood to cry, this one’s a winner.
3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
This movie is so cute. If you’re thinking “that guy looks familiar” it’s because he was also the lead in the film I just discussed. Netflix loves reusing actors, (hello Noah Centineo). Anyway, this film is based on a book and I truly loved every minute of it. It follows Lily James’ character Juliet, on a journey she never expected. It has this old-fashioned tone/setting and contains themes of family, mystery and of course romance. It’s got a little bit of everything and is definitely one of my favorite Netflix originals.
2. Set it up
This movie is a true modern romantic comedy and I’m here for it. This is one of Netflix’s best original films and it is not discussed nearly enough. It’s a feel-good classic romantic comedy that we haven’t seen in a while. Sure, it’s predictable but it doesn’t make it any less adorable. This film is hilarious and heartwarming. If you haven’t seen it, you should definitely check it out! 1. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
Anyone who knows me is not surprised that this movie is number one on my list. Not only was I a huge fan of the book before it was made into a movie, but I pretty much made everyone I know watch it as soon as it came out. This is the feel-good teen romance movie we all need in our lives. It not only features an Asian American lead character, (Hell Yes) but also both a female writer and director behind the scenes (Yes and Yes!). Lara Jean is a protagonist for us all; she’s quirky and feels much more comfortable talking about boys when there’s no chance of actually being with them. Don’t even get me started on my love for Peter K…This movie is cheesy in all the best ways and even borrows inspiration from classic 80s romance movies that we all know and love. I could write about this movie all day, but your time would be better spent watching it!
While this list is my personal opinion; I truly think all of these films are worth checking out for yourself. Go see which film is your personal favorite! All of these movies are streaming on Netflix so grab some popcorn and plan a movie a movie night with the girls!!