When Harry Met Sally
“Meg Ryan. Billy Crystal. Rob Reiner. Cable-knit sweaters. A fake orgasm at Katz’s Deli. Nora Ephron did not play around when she wrote this perfect rom-com about whether a man and a woman can really be friends without their feelings getting in the way. Over 30 years later, we’ll still have what she’s having.”—Erica Gonzales, deputy editor, culture
In the Mood for Love
“Wong Kar-wai’s moody, sensual masterpiece stars Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung as two neighbors who become entangled after learning of their respective partners’ affairs. Beautifully shot and acted, this exploration of intimacy and longing is both a feast for the eyes and a punch in the gut.”—EG
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Titanic
“The Door Debate aside, James Cameron’s film is beloved for giving us the epic romance between Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet), two lovers aboard the doomed Titanic. Following its 25th anniversary, our hearts still go on and on for this film.”—Lauren Puckett-Pope, staff culture writer
Love & Basketball
“Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps are an unforgettable duo as Monica and Quincy, two childhood friends who love basketball, and eventually, each other. Gina Prince-Bythewood’s 2000s classic follows the pair through the years as they grow up and apart, but ultimately find each other again.”—EG
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Casablanca
“Set during World War II, Casablanca club owner Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) finds his former lover Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) and her husband on the run from Germans. Conflicted by the run-in, he must decide whether to help them flee the country or rekindle his romance. Here’s looking at you, kid.”—EG
While You Were Sleeping
“There are rom-coms, and then there’s While You Were Sleeping. For the uninitiated, the criminally underrated 1995 film stars Sandra Bullock as a lonely train token collector in Chicago who develops a shameless crush on one of her regular passengers, Peter (a pre-Sandy Cohen Peter Gallagher); saves his life when he slips and falls onto the tracks; then pretends to be engaged to him while he’s in a coma. Still following? During the time he’s unconscious (a.k.a. while he is sleeping), she falls in love with Peter’s brother, Jack, played by the impossibly charming Bill Pullman, instead. Come for the sweet and endearing holiday fun, stay for Joe Jr.”—Claire Stern Milch, digital director
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Moonlight
“Although its Best Picture spotlight was stolen in memorable fashion by other romance contender La La Land, Moonlight remains one of the best films I’ve seen in the past decade, and among the best of director Barry Jenkins’ work. The love story between Chiron and Kevin is deeply affecting, pulled along by career-defining performances from a cast including Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris.”—LPP
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
“I’ll watch any movie that Angela Bassett is in, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, which is based on the novel by Terry McMillan, is probably one of my favorites. Bassett plays Stella, a highly successful career woman who travels to Jamaica for vacation and falls in love with a man named Winston (charmingly played by Taye Diggs).”—Juliana Ukiomogbe, former assistant editor
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The Notebook
“Adapted from Nicholas Sparks’s novel of the same name, this modern classic follows the sprawling love story of Noah and Allie, which spans from their teenage years to old age. Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams make an incredible pair in this tear-jerker.”—EG
Past Lives
“Have you ever been emotionally wrecked by two hands almost touching on a subway pole? Or how about (spoiler alert) two people almost kissing on a sidewalk? I have, and I’ll forever be obsessed with Celine Song’s Past Lives—which tells the story of Nora (Greta Lee) reconnecting with Hae Sung, her childhood love (Teo Yoo) from her home country of Korea—because of it.”—Madison Feller, digital deputy editor
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Pride & Prejudice
“Kiera Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen are Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy in Joe Wright’s magnificent adaptation of Jane Austen’s famous story. Their chemistry burns through the screen, whether it’s in a rain-drenched confession of love or the mere brushing of their hands.”—EG
Crazy, Stupid, Love
“Certain movies never get old no matter how many times you watch them. Crazy, Stupid, Love falls into that category. The story follows various couples—Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone; Steve Carell and Julianne Moore—and the ebbs and flows of their relationships. Come for the laughs and stay for the stacked cast.”—JU
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Portrait of a Lady on Fire
“In 1770s France, a stubborn bride-to-be and the artist commissioned to make her wedding portrait (Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel) fall into a passionate romance as her nuptials loom. By the end of Céline Sciamma’s gorgeous film, page 28 will forever be ingrained in your mind. (If you know, you know.)”—EG
If Beale Street Could Talk
“Another Barry Jenkins masterwork, If Beale Street Could Talk is adapted from James Baldwin’s novel of the same name, and follows a radiant KiKi Layne and Stephan James as Tish and Fonny, long-time friends turned lovers who face the turmoil of a racist wrongful conviction.”—LPP
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To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
“Sixteen Candles walked so To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before could run. The Netflix adaptation of the YA novel by Jenny Han is the best teen movie in years, with a diverse cast to match. There’s something about seeing John Corbett as a widower slicing kalbi for his half-Korean kids that will tug at your heartstrings in just the right way, whether you’re Asian or not. Justice for all token minority characters, and specifically Long Duk Dong.”—CSM
Before Sunrise
“When American tourist Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and French student Celine (Julie Delpy) strike up a conversation on the train, sparks fly instantly and he invites her to spend the day with him in Vienna before his flight the next morning. Director Richard Linklater knows how to play with time, and in this cult classic, he explores the whirlwind of young love with a looming expiration date. Of course, fans know that it doesn’t really end there; the trilogy continues with Before Sunset and Before Midnight.”—EG
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Cinema Paradiso
“One of the most famous Italian films of all time—and, frankly, one of the most famous films of all time, period—Cinema Paradiso is a love story both between two people, and between a filmmaker and cinema. Written and directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, the story follows 8-year-old Salvatore as he befriends a projectionist who encourages him to love the craft of directing—and, eventually, a woman named Elena Mendola.”—LPP
Love Jones
“Has anyone ever looked cooler on film than Nia Long and Larenz Tate do in Love Jones? The pair star as artsy Chicago couple Nina and Darius, as the film follows their romance through hazy poetry readings, long-distance struggles, dating mishaps, and sultry nights out at smoky nightclubs. The jazz-infused score is everything.”—EG
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Mississippi Masala
“Sarita Choudhury stars as Mina, a young woman whose Indian family seeks refuge in the States after fleeing a dictatorship in Uganda. In Mississippi, their new home, she catches the eye of handsome carpet cleaner Demetrius (Denzel Washington), and the two fall for each other despite their families’ disapproval of their relationship.”—EG
Dirty Dancing
“‘Nobody puts baby in a corner’ might be the line best remembered from 1987 classic Dirty Dancing, but there’s a much better one that captures the spirit and sweeping romance between Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grae’s dance duo Johnny and Baby: ‘I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you.’ Runner-up is ‘I carried a watermelon,’ but hey, I digress.”—LPP
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