Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to curl up with your loved one and enjoy the best romantic films to watch from the list we have prepared for you exclusively. Whether you’re looking for a classic love story or a contemporary romantic comedy, there’s something for everyone. In this article, we will be sharing Part 2 of our series on the best romantic films that you can watch on Valentine’s Day. From heartwarming to heart-wrenching, these films will make your Valentine’s Day one to remember. So, grab some popcorn, snuggle up and get ready to fall in love all over again.
“The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” is a 1964 French musical film directed and written by Jacques Demy. The film stars Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo and features a score by Michel Legrand. The film is set in the town of Cherbourg in the late 1950s and tells the story of a young woman named Geneviève who falls in love with a young man named Guy, but their relationship is cut short when Guy is drafted to fight in the Algerian War. The film is notable for its use of sung dialogue, where nearly all of the dialogue is sung rather than spoken. The film was a critical and commercial success and was nominated for several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
“The Bridges of Madison County” is a 1995 American romantic drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and based on the novel of the same name by Robert James Waller. The film stars Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood. The story takes place in 1965 and follows a middle-aged Italian-American woman named Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep) who lives on a farm in Iowa with her husband and children. One day, a National Geographic photographer named Robert Kincaid (Clint Eastwood) comes to her door, asking for directions to a covered bridge he is trying to photograph. Francesca and Robert begin an affair, but they are forced to make a difficult decision when Robert’s job takes him away, and Francesca’s family returns home. The film received positive reviews and was a box-office success. Meryl Streep received an Academy Award nomination for her performance.
“William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet” is a 1996 American romantic drama film directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the lead roles. The film is an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet,” set in the modern-day urban setting of Verona Beach. The film features a mix of contemporary music and Shakespearean dialogue, and its story remains faithful to the original play. The film was a commercial success and received generally positive reviews. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes’ performances were praised, and the film was nominated for several awards, including two Academy Awards for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design.
“Before Sunset” is a 2004 American romantic drama film, the sequel to the 1995 film “Before Sunrise.” Directed by Richard Linklater and written by Linklater, Ethan Hawke, and Julie Delpy, the film stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, who reprise their roles as Jesse and Celine. Set nine years after the events of “Before Sunrise,” the film follows Jesse, an American author, and Celine, a French environmentalist, as they meet by chance in Paris and spend an afternoon together, reminiscing about their pasts and discussing their present lives. The film received widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film’s naturalistic dialogue and the performances of Hawke and Delpy were particularly praised.
“The African Queen” is a 1951 American adventure film directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. The film is based on the 1935 novel of the same name by C. S. Forester. The story is set in East Africa during World War I and follows a rough-hewn Canadian boat captain named Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart) who teams up with a strait-laced British missionary named Rose Sayer (Katherine Hepburn) to navigate their boat, the African Queen, down a treacherous river to attack a German warship. The film was a commercial success and was well-received by critics. Bogart won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film, and Hepburn was nominated for Best Actress. The film also received four other Oscar nominations, including Best Director for John Huston.
“Amour” is a 2012 French-language film directed by Michael Haneke. The film stars Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, and Isabelle Huppert. It tells the story of an elderly couple, Georges and Anne, who are retired music teachers. Anne suffers a stroke and gradually deteriorates, leading to difficult decisions and emotional turmoil for Georges. The film won the Palme d’Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. It also won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
“The English Patient” is a 1996 film directed by Anthony Minghella and based on the novel of the same name by Michael Ondaatje. The film starred Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Naveen Andrews. The story follows a burn patient, known only as “the English patient,” in an Italian villa during World War II and the various people who come in and out of his life. The film received widespread critical acclaim and won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress. It was also nominated for other categories. The film explores similar themes as the novel, such as love, identity, and the effects of war on individuals and society.
“Moonlight” is a 2016 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Barry Jenkins and based on the play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” by Tarell Alvin McCraney. The film tells the story of a young man named Chiron who grew up in Miami and the struggles he faces with his drug-addicted mother, his absent father, and his identity as a gay man. The film starred Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, Ashton Sanders, and Naomie Harris. The film received widespread critical acclaim and won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali and Best Adapted Screenplay for Jenkins. It was also nominated for other categories. The film is widely acclaimed for its portrayal of complex characters and powerful performances, as well as its exploration of themes of identity, race, poverty, and sexuality.
“Fear Eats the Soul” (German: “Angst Essen Seele Auf”) is a 1974 German film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The film tells the story of an older German widow named Emmi who falls in love with a younger Moroccan man named Ali and the challenges they face as a result of their relationship, including prejudice and discrimination from their families and community. The film starred Brigitte Mira, El Hedi ben Salem, and Irm Hermann. The film is considered a masterpiece of the New German Cinema movement and is widely acclaimed for its portrayal of themes such as racism, prejudice, and the human condition. It was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival and has influenced a number of other films, including the 2017 American film “The Big Sick.”
“All That Heaven Allows” is a 1955 American drama film directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson. The film tells the story of a wealthy widow, Cary Scott (Wyman), who falls in love with her much younger gardener, Ron Kirby (Hudson). The film explores themes of societal pressure, conformity, and the struggle to find true happiness. The film was a box office success, but it received mixed reviews from critics. However, over the years, it has gained a reputation as a classic of Hollywood melodrama and a masterpiece of Sirk’s work. The film has been praised for its exploration of the social and cultural issues of its time and its powerful performances, especially from Jane Wyman. The film’s style and themes have been said to be a major influence on later films and directors, such as Todd Haynes’s Far From Heaven, which is a tribute to this film.
“Breathless” (French: “À bout de souffle”) is a 1960 French film directed by Jean-Luc Godard and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg. The film is considered a pioneering work of the French New Wave movement and is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made. The film tells the story of a small-time criminal, Michel Poiccard (Belmondo), who becomes involved with an American student, Patricia Franchini (Seberg), in Paris. The film is noted for its innovative narrative style, which breaks away from traditional storytelling conventions, and its use of jump cuts, which give the film a sense of energy and immediacy. The film was a commercial and critical success, and it has influenced a wide range of filmmakers and artists across the world. It was also nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival.
“The Last of the Mohicans” is a 1992 American epic historical drama film directed by Michael Mann and starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, and Wes Studi. The film is based on the 1826 novel of the same name by James Fenimore Cooper and is set in 1757 during the French and Indian War. The story follows the life of Hawkeye, a white man raised by Mohicans, and his love for Cora Munro, the daughter of a British colonel. Along with his adoptive father and brother, they get caught up in the conflict between the British and the French and the Native American tribes. The film was well received by critics, praised for its action, performances, and accuracy of the historical details, and went on to become a commercial success. The film also earned several award nominations, including an Academy Award for Best Sound. The film’s score, composed by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman, was also highly acclaimed and garnered several award nominations.
“Titanic” is a 1997 American epic romance-disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. The film is based on the true story of the RMS Titanic, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1912 after striking an iceberg. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as Jack and Rose, two members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ill-fated voyage. The film also features an ensemble cast, including Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, and Gloria Stuart. The film was a massive box office success and became the highest-grossing film of all time at the time of its release. It won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and was nominated for another 14. The film is widely acclaimed for its visual effects, musical score, performances, particularly those of DiCaprio and Winslet, and portrayal of historical events.
“The Shop Around the Corner” is a 1940 American romantic comedy film directed by Ernst Lubitsch and starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan. The film is about two employees at a gift shop, Alfred Kralik (Stewart) and Klara Novak (Sullavan), who are constantly at odds with each other but are also secretly writing to each other anonymously as romantic penpals. The film explores themes of love, identity, and the power of human connection. The film was a commercial success and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The film’s story and its themes have been adapted and remade multiple times, including the 1949 musical film “In the Good Old Summertime” and the 1998 romantic comedy “You’ve Got Mail.” The film is widely considered a classic of Hollywood cinema and is considered one of Ernst Lubitsch’s best works.
“Moonrise Kingdom” is a 2012 American coming-of-age film directed by Wes Anderson and starring Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Edward Norton. The film is set in 1965 on an island off the coast of New England called New Penzance and tells the story of two twelve-year-olds, Sam and Suzy, who fall in love and run away together. The film explores themes of young love, the search for identity, and the importance of community. The film received widespread critical acclaim for its unique storytelling, its performances, and its visual style. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 2012 Berlin International Film Festival. The film’s unique visual style and quirkiness have become a signature of Wes Anderson’s films.
“Dirty Dancing” is a 1987 American romantic drama film directed by Emile Ardolino and starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. The film is set in the summer of 1963 and tells the story of Frances “Baby” Houseman, a 17-year-old girl who falls in love with a dance instructor, Johnny Castle, while on vacation with her family at a Catskills resort. The film explores themes of class, sexuality, and coming of age. The film was a surprise box office hit and has since become a cult classic. The film’s iconic choreography, memorable soundtrack, and star-making performances by Swayze and Grey have made it one of the most beloved films of the 1980s. The film also won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Franke Previte, John DeNicola, and Donald Markowitz.
“Bringing Up Baby” is a 1938 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. The film is about a palaeontologist, David Huxley (Grant), who is trying to secure funding for his museum when he meets Susan Vance (Hepburn), a free-spirited heiress who drags him on a wild goose chase to find her pet leopard, “Baby.” The film is widely considered a classic of the screwball comedy genre, which is characterised by fast-paced dialogue, eccentric characters, and situational comedy. The film was not a commercial success upon its initial release, but over the years, it has gained a reputation as a masterpiece of the genre, praised for its performances, witty dialogue, and its director’s signature style. It is also considered one of the greatest films ever made.
“Weekend” is a 2011 British romantic drama film directed by Andrew Haigh. The film stars Tom Cullen and Chris New as Russell and Glen, two men who meet at a nightclub in Nottingham and spend a weekend together. The film explores themes of love, identity, and the fleeting nature of connection. The film received widespread critical acclaim for its performances, its honest portrayal of gay relationships, and its subtle and nuanced storytelling. It won the Audience Award at the 2011 SXSW Film Festival and was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer. The film has been praised for its realistic portrayal of gay relationships and its exploration of the complexities of human emotions.
“Pretty Woman” is a 1990 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall and starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. The film tells the story of a down-on-her-luck Hollywood prostitute, Vivian Ward (Roberts), who is hired by a wealthy businessman, Edward Lewis (Gere), to be his escort for a week while he conducts business in Los Angeles. As they spend time together, they fall in love. The film is known for its iconic performances, its light-hearted tone and romantic story, and its memorable soundtrack. Despite mixed reviews from critics, the film was a commercial success and has since become a cultural touchstone and a popular romantic-comedy film of all time. Julia Roberts received a Golden Globe award for Best Actress for her role in this film.
“Lost in Translation” is a 2003 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and written by Sofia Coppola. The film stars Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson as Bob Harris and Charlotte, two Americans who meet in a Tokyo hotel while both are experiencing personal and professional crises. The film explores themes of isolation, loneliness, and the search for connection. The film was a critical and commercial success; it won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Sofia Coppola, and it was nominated for four other Academy Awards. The film’s performances, particularly from Murray and Johansson, and its sensitive and nuanced exploration of its themes have been widely acclaimed. The film is also known for its unique visual style, which captures the sensory overload of Tokyo and the feeling of alienation that comes with being a stranger in a foreign land.
“Ghost” is a 1990 American romantic fantasy thriller film directed by Jerry Zucker and starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. The film tells the story of a young man, Sam Wheat (Swayze), who is killed during a mugging but returns as a ghost to protect his girlfriend, Molly Jensen (Moore), and solve his own murder. Whoopi Goldberg plays the role of Oda Mae Brown, a psychic who can communicate with Sam as a ghost. The film was a commercial and critical success and was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, and won two: Best Supporting Actress for Whoopi Goldberg and Best Original Score for Maurice Jarre. The film is known for its emotional performances, its blend of romance and suspense, and its special effects. It is widely considered a classic and one of the greatest fantasy films ever made.
“West Side Story” is a 1961 American romantic musical drama film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins and produced by Robbins and Robert Wise. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was inspired by William Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet.” The film stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, and George Chakiris. The film tells the story of two rival street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, and the romance between Tony, a member of the Jets, and Maria, the sister of the Sharks’ leader. The film explores themes of love, prejudice, and the destructive nature of gang violence. The film was a critical and commercial success and won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress for Rita Moreno. It’s widely considered one of the greatest musical films of all time, credited for its choreography, musical score, and performances.
“His Girl Friday” is a 1940 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. The film is an adaptation of the play “The Front Page” by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur and tells the story of a newspaper editor, Walter Burns (Grant), who will stop at nothing to keep his ace reporter and ex-wife, Hildy Johnson (Russell), from leaving the paper to get married. The film is known for its rapid-fire dialogue, its witty and intelligent script, and its performances, particularly those of Grant and Russell. The film was a critical and commercial success, and it’s widely considered a classic of the screwball comedy genre. It has been praised for its clever, fast-paced and witty screenplay and its performances. The film has been referenced and parodied in numerous films and TV shows, and it’s still considered one of the greatest American comedies ever made.
“An Affair to Remember” is a 1957 American romance film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. The film tells the story of two people, Nickie Ferrante (Grant) and Terry McKay (Kerr), who meet on an ocean liner and fall in love but must overcome the obstacles that stand in their way, including the fact that they are both engaged to other people. They plan to meet six months later at the top of the Empire State Building to see if they are still in love. The film explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the power of memories. The film was a commercial success and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “An Affair to Remember (Our Love Affair)” by Harry Warren and Harold Adamson. The film has been widely considered a classic of Hollywood cinema and has been referenced and homaged in various films and TV shows.
“Notorious” is a 1946 American spy thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains. The film tells the story of Alicia Huberman (Bergman), the daughter of a convicted Nazi spy, who is recruited by American agent T.R. Devlin (Grant) to infiltrate a group of ex-Nazis in Rio de Janeiro. The film explores themes of love, betrayal, and the moral complexity of espionage. The film was a commercial and critical success and is considered one of Hitchcock’s greatest films. It’s known for its memorable performances, particularly from Grant and Bergman, its suspenseful plot, and its striking use of imagery and symbolism. It’s also remembered for the iconic kiss between Grant and Bergman, which took place in a stairway and was reportedly shot in one take. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, and it’s considered a classic of the Film Noir genre.
In conclusion, the selection of romantic films that have been discussed in this article are some of the best and most iconic films of all time. From the timeless classic “An Affair to Remember” to the modern masterpiece “Lost in Translation,” these films offer a wide range of emotions, themes, and styles that are sure to delight any viewer on Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re looking for a heartwarming love story, a thrilling romance, or a touching drama, these films are sure to provide a memorable cinematic experience. With their memorable performances, powerful storytelling, and timeless themes, these films are sure to stand the test of time and remain favourites for generations to come. They are perfect for watching on Valentine’s Day but also any time of the year. These films are not only entertaining but also offer a lot of depth and meaning, making them the perfect choices to watch on Valentine’s Day or any other special occasion.
So, which of these romantic films to watch have you added to your Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney Hotstar queue? Let us know in the comments below. Enjoy your movie. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your loved ones.