It is officially Hallmark movie season and I am an active participant. I have watched nearly every “lonely city girl begrudgingly moves back to small hometown and runs into her high school crush”-themed movie on every streaming platform I have. There is something so good about the same variation of plot lines that will make my heart warm by the end, even though I saw that he was in love with her 20 minutes in. As much as I would never disrespect the structural foundation of these holiday classics, my main qualm is that they are very predictable and sometimes I must break from the continuous binge of these factory-made movies and turn to something more subversive. So, to start off your romance movie season, here is a list of truly captivating movies that are not made by Netflix nor Hallmark. These movies are still romance, yet have such intriguing plot lines and are tried-and-true movies for me. These movies are guaranteed to bring the cuddly warm feeling that we get when it’s cold out, while still being great movies.
#1: Made Of Honor
A movie about a pair that meet in college and become good friends through their adult lives. The male lead, an obvious ladies’ man, has strict rules on keeping personal feelings from getting into his love life. When his best friend comes home from a work trip with a new fiancee, he suddenly realizes his feelings for her — and yet still agrees to be her maid of honor. This movie is more light-hearted and comical, and, being filmed in Scotland, has some amazing landscapes.
#2: The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
This is a romance for period-piece lovers. It’s set in the 1940s after World War II, where a writer exchanges letters with people from an island that was occupied by Germany during the war. Feeling a sense of relatability and compassion, she decides to travel there and learns of the tragedies that took place there. This movie was adapted from a book and while I can’t attest to the novel, I can say that this movie was extremely well done.
#3: Straight Up
Straight Up is an independent film that explores mental illness and sexuality through a new and refreshing lens. The main character with OCD struggles with his sexual orientation throughout his life. He meets this girl who seems to match his mind perfectly. They work through their relationship together and find that interpersonal connections are harder than they seem. This is an inspired movie that hits home in an awkward, yet gratifying way.
#4: The Lake House
As it stars Keanu Reeves (one of my favorite actors) and Sandra Bullock, I knew that this movie was going to be good. It takes place in this beautiful lake house that two people are independently living in. When they both begin sending letters to each other through the house’s mailbox, they realize something strange — they are living in two different years. The suspense and emotional romance in this movie really are what makes it so different and enthralling.
#5: When Harry Met Sally
I saved the best movie for last. This has been one of my all-time favorite romance movies for a while. It’s about the lives of two people whose lives keep intertwining until they eventually form a strong friendship, despite the male character insisting that men and women cannot be “just friends”. Although a simple movie, I think the complicated aspects of relationships and friendships over the years are really accurate and it’s just a heart-warming movie overall.
When watching these movies, it’s pertinent you have a warm drink of choice and a nice cozy blanket. You can also plan to have a box of tissues in your vicinity if you’re prone to tear-jerkers. All in all, I really think you can’t go wrong with any of these films, especially in the chilly winter quarter when all you want is something to make you feel warm and cuddly.