105 Best Fresh Romance Movies

Critics Consensus: Jason's Lyric is a sexually charged film whose violent streak weakens or, depending on your perspective, supports the melodrama.

Synopsis: In a violent, drug-infested neighborhood in Houston, Jason (Allen Payne) dreams of something better. He works as a TV salesman and helps out his mother,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett Smith, Bokeem Woodbine, Treach

Directed By: Doug McHenry

Critics Consensus: Chocolat is a charmingly light-hearted fable with a lovely performance by Binoche.

Synopsis: When mysterious Vianne and her child arrive in a tranquil French town in the winter of 1959, no one could have imagined the impact that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp, Lena Olin, Judi Dench

Directed By: Lasse Hallström

Critics Consensus: Pretty Woman may be a yuppie fantasy, but the film's slick comedy, soundtrack, and casting can overcome misgivings.

Synopsis: A prostitute and a wealthy businessman fall for one another, forming an unlikely pair; while on a business trip in Los Angeles, Edward, who makes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Ralph Bellamy, Jason Alexander

Directed By: Garry Marshall

Critics Consensus: A sugary tale overstuffed with too many stories. Still, the cast charms.

Synopsis: Nine intertwined journeys examine the complexities of the one emotion that connects all individuals, love. Among these individuals is David, the handsome, newly elected British... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman

Directed By: Richard Curtis

Critics Consensus: There's not too much to it besides Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, but that's still enough to make this An Affair to Remember.

Synopsis: A man and a woman have a romance while on a cruise from Europe to New York. Despite being engaged to other people, both agree... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Richard Denning, Neva Patterson

Directed By: Leo McCarey

Critics Consensus: Like its winsome characters, Dirty Dancing uses impressive choreography and the power of song to surmount a series of formidable obstacles.

Synopsis: Baby (Jennifer Grey) is one listless summer away from the Peace Corps. Hoping to enjoy her youth while it lasts, she's disappointed when her summer... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes

Directed By: Emile Ardolino

Critics Consensus: Beautifully filmed and unabashedly sincere, About Time finds director Richard Curtis at his most sentimental.

Synopsis: When Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) is 21, his father (Bill Nighy) tells him a secret: The men in their family can travel through time. Although... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Tom Hollander

Directed By: Richard Curtis

Critics Consensus: Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger add strong performances to an unexpectedly clever script, elevating 10 Things (slightly) above typical teen fare.

Synopsis: Kat Stratford is beautiful, smart and quite abrasive to most of her fellow teens, meaning that she doesn't attract many boys. Unfortunately for her younger... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik

Directed By: Gil Junger

Critics Consensus: Great chemistry between the leads made this a warm and charming delight.

Synopsis: Struggling boutique bookseller Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) hates Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), the owner of a corporate Foxbooks chain store that just moved in across... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Parker Posey, Greg Kinnear

Directed By: Nora Ephron

Critics Consensus: Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an epic fantasy tale with rich storytelling backed by fantastic performances.

Synopsis: Born under unusual circumstances, Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) springs into being as an elderly man in a New Orleans nursing home and ages in reverse.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond

Directed By: David Fincher

Critics Consensus: Molly Ringwald gives an outstanding performance in this sweet, intelligent teen comedy that takes an ancient premise and injects it with insight and wit.

Synopsis: Andie is an outcast at her Chicago high school, hanging out either with her older boss, who owns the record store where she works. When... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Andrew McCarthy, Annie Potts

Directed By: Howard Deutch

Critics Consensus: Baz Luhrmann's visual aesthetic is as divisive as it is fresh and inventive.

Synopsis: Baz Luhrmann helped adapt this classic Shakespearean romantic tragedy for the screen, updating the setting to a post-modern city named Verona Beach. In this version,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, Brian Dennehy, John Leguizamo

Directed By: Baz Luhrmann

Critics Consensus: Ghost offers viewers a poignant romance while blending elements of comedy, horror, and mystery, all adding up to one of the more enduringly watchable hits of its era.

Synopsis: Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) is a banker, Molly Jensen (Demi Moore) is an artist, and the two are madly in love. However, when Sam is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Goldwyn

Directed By: Jerry Zucker

Critics Consensus: Sleepless in Seattle is a cute classic with a very light touch and real chemistry between the two leads -- even when spending an entire movie apart.

Synopsis: After the death of his wife, Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) moves to Seattle with his son, Jonah (Ross Malinger). When Jonah calls in to a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman, Ross Malinger

Directed By: Nora Ephron

Critics Consensus: A love-it-or-hate-it experience, Moulin Rouge is all style, all giddy, over-the-top spectacle. But it's also daring in its vision and wildly original.

Synopsis: A celebration of love and creative inspiration takes place in the infamous, gaudy and glamorous Parisian nightclub, at the cusp of the 20th century. A... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent

Directed By: Baz Luhrmann

Critics Consensus: Old-fashioned without sacrificing its characters to simplicity, An Officer and a Gentleman successfully walks the fine line between sweeping romance and melodrama.

Synopsis: Zack Mayo (Richard Gere), a new member of the U.S. Navy, has a bad attitude. When he signs up for the Aviation Academy, he is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richard Gere, Debra Winger, Louis Gossett Jr., David Keith

Directed By: Taylor Hackford

Critics Consensus: A well-crafted and visually arresting drama with a touch of whimsy.

Synopsis: Mathilde (Audrey Tautou) is told that her fiancé (Gaspard Ulliel) has been killed in World War I. She refuses to believe this, however, and begins... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel, Jean-Pierre Becker, Dominique Bettenfeld

Directed By: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Critics Consensus: Odd, touching, and unique, Punch-Drunk Love is also delightfully funny, utilizing Adam Sandler's comic persona to explore the life of a lonely guy who finds love.

Synopsis: Although susceptible to violent outbursts, bathroom supply business owner Barry Egan (Adam Sandler) is a timid and shy man by disposition, leading a lonely, uneventful... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Adam Sandler, Emily Watson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Luis Guzmán

Directed By: Paul Thomas Anderson

Critics Consensus: Zellweger's Bridget Jones is a sympathetic, likable, funny character, giving this romantic comedy a lot of charm.

Synopsis: At the start of the New Year, 32-year-old Bridget (Renée Zellweger) decides it's time to take control of her life -- and start keeping a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Gemma Jones

Directed By: Sharon Maguire

Critics Consensus: Part biopic, part love story, The Theory of Everything rises on James Marsh's polished direction and the strength of its two leads.

Synopsis: In the 1960s, Cambridge University student and future physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) falls in love with fellow collegian Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones). At 21,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Emily Watson, David Thewlis

Directed By: James Marsh

Critics Consensus: Lars and the Real Girl could've so easily been a one-joke movie. But the talented cast, a great script, and direction never condescends to its character or the audience.

Synopsis: Extremely shy Lars (Ryan Gosling) finds it impossible to make friends or socialize. His brother (Paul Schneider) and sister-in-law (Emily Mortimer) worry about him, so... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Paul Schneider, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson

Directed By: Craig Gillespie

Critics Consensus: One of the last times Godard could make film paradoxes with glee, A Woman Is a Woman is a mocking, genuine tribute to musicals.

Synopsis: A British narcotics agent (Mark Burns) links a woman (Patsy Ann Noble) to Mediterranean murder and heroin.

Starring: Patsy Ann Noble, Mark Burns, Shaun Curry

Directed By: Frederic Goode

Critics Consensus: A rom-com with the right ingredients, Notting Hill proves there's nothing like a love story well told -- especially when Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts are your leads.

Synopsis: William Thacker is a London bookstore owner whose humdrum existence is thrown into romantic turmoil when famous American actress Anna Scott appears in his shop.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Hugh Bonneville, Emma Chambers

Directed By: Roger Michell

Critics Consensus: Jane Campion's direction is as refined as her screenplay, and she gets the most out of her cast -- especially Abbie Cornish -- in this understated period drama.

Synopsis: In 1818, high-spirited young Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish) finds herself increasingly intrigued by the handsome but aloof poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw), who lives next... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Paul Schneider, Kerry Fox

Directed By: Jane Campion

Critics Consensus: Atonement features strong performances, brilliant cinematography, and a unique score. Featuring deft performances from James MacAvoy and Keira Knightley, it's a successful adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel.

Synopsis: This sweeping English drama, based on the book by Ian McEwan, follows the lives of young lovers Cecilia Tallis and Robbie Turner. When the couple... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Romola Garai, Saoirse Ronan

Directed By: Joe Wright

Critics Consensus: It may not be the best of David Lean's epics, but Dr. Zhivago is still brilliantly photographed and sweepingly romantic.

Synopsis: During the Russian Revolution, Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif) is a young doctor who has been raised by his aunt and uncle following his father's suicide.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Tom Courtenay

Directed By: David Lean

Critics Consensus: Anchored by dazzling performances from Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Renée Zellweger, as well as Cameron Crowe's tender direction, Jerry Maguire meshes romance and sports with panache.

Synopsis: When slick sports agent Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) has a crisis of conscience, he pens a heartfelt company-wide memo that promptly gets him fired. Desperate... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renée Zellweger, Kelly Preston

Directed By: Cameron Crowe

Critics Consensus: Brash and big-hearted, The Lovers on the Bridge can sweep away most viewers with its mad romanticism.

Synopsis: A homeless addict (Denis Lavant) and a young painter (Juliette Binoche) with failing eyesight forge a bond on the streets of Paris.

Starring: Juliette Binoche, Denis Lavant, Klaus-Michael Gruber, Marion Stalens

Directed By: Leos Carax

Critics Consensus: Hal Ashby's comedy is too dark and twisted for some, and occasionally oversteps its bounds, but there's no denying the film's warm humor and big heart.

Synopsis: Cult classic pairs Cort as a dead-pan disillusioned 20-year-old obsessed with suicide and a lovable Gordon as a fun-loving 80-year-old eccentric. They meet at a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon, Cyril Cusack, Vivian Pickles

Directed By: Hal Ashby

Critics Consensus: Though it suffers from excessive length and ambition, director Minghella's adaptation of the Michael Ondaatje novel is complex, powerful, and moving.

Synopsis: The sweeping expanses of the Sahara are the setting for a passionate love affair in this adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's novel. A badly burned man,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Kristin Scott Thomas

Directed By: Anthony Minghella

Critics Consensus: Sure, it's another adaptation of cinema's fave Jane Austen novel, but key performances and a modern filmmaking sensibility make this familiar period piece fresh and enjoyable.

Synopsis: In this adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved novel, Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) lives with her mother, father and sisters in the English countryside. As the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland

Directed By: Joe Wright

Critics Consensus: Worth watching for Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton's performances alone, Only Lovers Left Alive finds writer-director Jim Jarmusch adding a typically offbeat entry to the vampire genre.

Synopsis: Artistic, sophisticated and centuries old, two vampire lovers (Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston) ponder their ultimate place in modern society.

Starring: Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Anton Yelchin, Mia Wasikowska

Directed By: Jim Jarmusch

Critics Consensus: This emotionally gripping examination of a marriage on the rocks isn't always easy to watch, but Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling give performances of unusual depth and power.

Synopsis: Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams) live a quiet life in a modest neighborhood. To the casual observer, everything appears normal, if a bit... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Faith Wladyka, John Doman

Directed By: Derek Cianfrance

Critics Consensus: A beautiful, epic Western, Brokeback Mountain's love story is imbued with heartbreaking universality thanks to moving performances by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Synopsis: In 1963, rodeo cowboy Jack Twist and ranch hand Ennis Del Mar are hired by rancher Joe Aguirre as sheep herders in Wyoming. One night... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris

Directed By: Ang Lee

Critics Consensus: It contains some ugly anachronisms, but Blake Edwards is at his funniest in this iconic classic, and Audrey Hepburn absolutely lights up the screen.

Synopsis: Based on Truman Capote's novel, this is the story of a young woman in New York City who meets a young man when he moves... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen

Directed By: Blake Edwards

Critics Consensus: Even if all it had to offer were writer-director Wong Kar-wai's thrillingly distinctive visuals, Chungking Express would be well worth watching; happily, its thoughtfully drawn characters and naturalistic performances also pack a potent dramatic wallop.

Synopsis: Every day, Cop 223 (Takeshi Kaneshiro) buys a can of pineapple with an expiration date of May 1, symbolizing the day he'll get over his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brigitte Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Faye Wong

Directed By: Kar-Wai Wong

Critics Consensus: The feel-good Amelie is a lively, fanciful charmer, showcasing Audrey Tautou as its delightful heroine.

Synopsis: "Amélie" is a fanciful comedy about a young woman who discretely orchestrates the lives of the people around her, creating a world exclusively of her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Yolande Moreau

Directed By: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Critics Consensus: A mostly unqualified triumph for James Cameron, who offers a dizzying blend of spectacular visuals and old-fashioned melodrama.

Synopsis: Two young lovers from different backgrounds meet and fall in love on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the unsinkable R.M.S. Titanic.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates

Directed By: James Cameron

Critics Consensus: Raw, honest, powerfully acted, and deliciously intense, Blue Is the Warmest Color offers some of modern cinema's most elegantly composed, emotionally absorbing drama.

Synopsis: A French teen (Adèle Exarchopoulos) forms a deep emotional and sexual connection with an older art student (Léa Seydoux) she met in a lesbian bar. View Full Synopsis

Starring: Léa Seydoux, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Salim Kechiouche, Mona Walravens

Directed By: Abdel Kechiche

Critics Consensus: Big heart, big drama, and even bigger colors, All That Heaven Allows is tip top Douglas Sirk.

Synopsis: Predicated on a May-December romance. The difference here is that the woman, attractive widow Cary Scott (Jane Wyman), is considerably older than the man, handsome... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, Agnes Moorehead, Conrad Nagel

Directed By: Douglas Sirk

Critics Consensus: Sentimental, slow, schmaltzy, and very satisfying, The Bridges of Madison County finds Clint Eastwood adapting a bestseller with heft, wit, and grace.

Synopsis: A moving love story about a photographer on assignment to shoot the historic bridges of Madison County. He meets a housewife, whose husband and children... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep, Annie Corley, Victor Slezak

Directed By: Clint Eastwood

Critics Consensus: The first collaboration between Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, Edward Scissorhands is a magical modern fairy tale with gothic overtones and a sweet center.

Synopsis: A scientist (Vincent Price) builds an animated human being -- the gentle Edward (Johnny Depp). The scientist dies before he can finish assembling Edward, though,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall

Directed By: Tim Burton

Critics Consensus: Gone with the Wind's epic grandeur and romantic allure encapsulate an era of Hollywood filmmaking -- but that can't excuse a blinkered perspective that stands on the wrong side of history.

Synopsis: Winner of eight Academy Awards® (plus two special achievement Oscars) Celebrate the 85th Anniversary of one of the most celebrated motion pictures of all time,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland

Directed By: Victor Fleming

Critics Consensus: Eric Rohmer's Chloe in the Afternoon doesn't need sparkly cinematic dross to discover unspoken, universal truths about relationships and love through filmmaking.

Synopsis: Eric Rohmer's acclaimed meditation on marital fidelity follows Frederic (Bernard Verley), a successful Parisian lawyer who is happily married to Helene (Francoise Verley), a schoolteacher.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bernard Verley, Zouzou, Francoise Verley, Daniel Ceccaldi

Directed By: Éric Rohmer

Critics Consensus: Now, Voyager is a Hollywood swooner with Bette Davis and Paul Henreid in a melodrama to end all melomers.

Synopsis: Boston heiress Charlotte Vale (Bette Davis) is a neurotic mess, largely because of her domineering mother (Gladys Cooper). But after a stint in a sanatorium... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bette Davis, Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, Gladys Cooper

Directed By: Irving Rapper

Critics Consensus: Brief Encounter adds a small but valuable gem to the Lean filmography, depicting a doomed couple's illicit connection with affecting sensitivity and a pair of powerful performance.

Synopsis: Returning home from a shopping trip to a nearby town, bored suburban housewife Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) is thrown by happenstance into an acquaintance with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, Cyril Raymond

Directed By: David Lean

Critics Consensus: Rob Reiner's touching, funny film set a new standard for romantic comedies, and he was ably abetted by the sharp interplay between Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.

Synopsis: In 1977, college graduates Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) share a contentious car ride from Chicago to New York, during which... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby

Directed By: Rob Reiner

Critics Consensus: An exquisitely shot showcase for Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung that marks a somber evolution of Wong Kar-wai's chic style, In the Mood for Love is a tantric tease that's liable to break your heart.

Synopsis: In 1962, journalist Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and his wife move into a Hong Kong apartment, but Chow's spouse is often away on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Kelly Lai Chen, Rebecca Pan

Directed By: Kar-Wai Wong

Critics Consensus: La La Land breathes new life into a bygone genre with thrillingly assured direction, powerful performances, and an irresistible excess of heart.

Synopsis: Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love. But as success mounts they are... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt

Directed By: Damien Chazelle

Critics Consensus: Endlessly witty, visually rapturous, and sweetly romantic, Shakespeare in Love is a delightful romantic comedy that succeeds on nearly every level.

Synopsis: "Shakespeare in Love" is a romantic comedy for the 1990s set in the 1590s. It imaginatively unfolds the witty, sexy and timeless tale behind the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush, Judi Dench

Directed By: John Madden

Critics Consensus: Southside With You looks back on a fateful real-life date with strong performances and engaging dialogue, adding up to a romance that makes for a pretty good date movie in its own right.

Synopsis: Future U.S. President Barack Obama (Parker Sawyers) and lawyer Michelle Robinson (Tika Sumpter) go on a fateful first date in the summer of 1989.

Starring: Tika Sumpter, Parker Sawyers, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Jerod Haynes

Directed By: Richard Tanne

Critics Consensus: Propelled by Charlie Kaufman's smart, imaginative script and Michel Gondry's equally daring directorial touch, Eternal Sunshine is a twisty yet heartfelt look at relationships and heartache.

Synopsis: After a painful breakup, Clementine (Kate Winslet) undergoes a procedure to erase memories of her former boyfriend Joel (Jim Carrey) from her mind. When Joel... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo

Directed By: Michel Gondry

Critics Consensus: Silver Linings Playbook walks a tricky thematic tightrope, but David O. Russell's sensitive direction and some sharp work from a talented cast gives it true balance.

Synopsis: After losing his job and wife, and spending time in a mental institution, Pat Solatano winds up living with his parents. He wants to rebuild... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver

Directed By: David O. Russell

Critics Consensus: Steven Spielberg's West Side Story presents a new look at the classic musical that lives up to its beloved forebear -- and in some respects might even surpass it.

Synopsis: Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: The Shape of Water finds Guillermo del Toro at his visually distinctive best -- and matched by an emotionally absorbing story brought to life by a stellar Sally Hawkins performance.

Synopsis: Elisa is a mute, isolated woman who works as a cleaning lady in a hidden, high-security government laboratory in 1962 Baltimore. Her life changes forever... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer

Directed By: Guillermo del Toro

Critics Consensus: Francois Truffaut's arguable masterpiece in a filmography full of masterpieces ready to be argued for, Jules and Jim is an eternal ode to boundless love.

Synopsis: In the carefree days before World War I, introverted Austrian author Jules (Oskar Werner) strikes up a friendship with the exuberant Frenchman Jim (Henri Serre).... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeanne Moreau, Oskar Werner, Henri Serre, Marie Dubois

Directed By: François Truffaut

Critics Consensus: Director Billy Wilder's customary cynicism is leavened here by tender humor, romance, and genuine pathos.

Synopsis: Insurance worker C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) lends his Upper West Side apartment to company bosses to use for extramarital affairs. When his manager Mr. Sheldrake... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston

Directed By: Billy Wilder

Critics Consensus: Buoyed by Robert Wise's dazzling direction, Leonard Bernstein's score, and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics, West Side Story remains perhaps the most iconic of all the Shakespeare adaptations to visit the big screen.

Synopsis: A musical in which a modern day Romeo and Juliet are involved in New York street gangs. On the harsh streets of the upper west... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, George Chakiris

Directed By: Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise

Critics Consensus: With towering performances and an unflinching script from Michael Haneke, Amour represents an honest, heartwrenching depiction of deep love and responsibility.

Synopsis: Retired music teachers Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) have spent their lives devoted to their careers and to each other. Their relationship faces... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert, Alexandre Tharaud

Directed By: Michael Haneke

Critics Consensus: Warm, whimsical, and poignant, the immaculately framed and beautifully acted Moonrise Kingdom presents writer/director Wes Anderson at his idiosyncratic best.

Synopsis: The year is 1965, and the residents of New Penzance, an island off the coast of New England, inhabit a community that seems untouched by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand

Directed By: Wes Anderson

Critics Consensus: Earns its 6 hours running time by telling an engrossing story with compelling characters.

Synopsis: Two close-knit brothers, Nicola (Luigi Lo Cascio) and Matteo (Alessio Boni), are buffeted by the social and political upheavals that rock their native Italy during... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Luigi Lo Cascio, Alessio Boni, Adriana Asti, Sonia Bergamasco

Directed By: Marco Tullio Giordana

Critics Consensus: Led by energetic performances from Nicolas Cage and Cher, Moonstruck is an exuberantly funny tribute to love and one of the decade's most appealing comedies.

Synopsis: No sooner does Italian-American widow Loretta (Cher) accept a marriage proposal from her doltish boyfriend, Johnny (Danny Aiello), than she finds herself falling for his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis

Directed By: Norman Jewison

Critics Consensus: A superbly-mounted adaptation of E.M. Forster's tale of British class tension, with exceptional performances all round, Howard's End ranks among the best of Merchant-Ivory's work.

Synopsis: Helen Schlegel falls for Paul Wilcox, but is rebuffed. Her sister Margaret becomes friends with his mother, who promises her the family house, Howards End.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Vanessa Redgrave

Directed By: James Ivory

Critics Consensus: One of Woody Allen's early classics, Manhattan combines modern, bittersweet humor and timeless romanticism with unerring grace.

Synopsis: Director Woody Allen's love letter to New York City stars Allen as frustrated television writer Isaac Davis, a twice-divorced malcontent facing middle age alone after... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Mariel Hemingway, Michael Murphy

Directed By: Woody Allen

Critics Consensus: Enchanting, sweepingly romantic, and featuring plenty of wonderful musical numbers, Beauty and the Beast is one of Disney's most elegant animated offerings.

Synopsis: An arrogant young prince and his castle's servants fall under the spell of a wicked enchantress, who turns him into the hideous Beast until he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach

Directed By: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise

Critics Consensus: An accomplished directorial debut by Sarah Polley, Away From Her is a touching exploration of the effects of Alzheimer's, in which the tender wisdom of Polley's script is beautifully complemented by a wonderful performance from Julie Christie.

Synopsis: Long married, Fiona (Julie Christie) and Grant (Gordon Pinsent) find their mutual devotion tested by her struggle with Alzheimer's disease. When it becomes apparent that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis, Michael Murphy

Directed By: Sarah Polley

Critics Consensus: Filled with engaging dialogue, Before Sunset is a witty, poignant romance, with natural chemistry between Hawke and Delpy.

Synopsis: A sequel to Before Sunrise, this film starts nine years later as Jesse (Ethan Hawke) travels across Europe giving readings from a book he wrote... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Vernon Dobtcheff, Louise Lemoine Torres

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Critics Consensus: Sweet, soulful, and smart, Spike Jonze's Her uses its just-barely-sci-fi scenario to impart wryly funny wisdom about the state of modern human relationships.

Synopsis: A sensitive and soulful man earns a living by writing personal letters for other people. Left heartbroken after his marriage ends, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) becomes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, Rooney Mara

Directed By: Spike Jonze

Critics Consensus: Shaped by Todd Haynes' deft direction and powered by a strong cast led by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, Carol lives up to its groundbreaking source material.

Synopsis: Aspiring photographer Therese spots the beautiful, elegant Carol perusing the doll displays in a 1950s Manhattan department store. The two women develop a fast bond... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy

Directed By: Todd Haynes

Critics Consensus: Call Me by Your Name offers a melancholy, powerfully affecting portrait of first love, empathetically acted by Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer.

Synopsis: It's the summer of 1983, and precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending the days with his family at their 17th-century villa in Lombardy, Italy. He... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar

Directed By: Luca Guadagnino

Critics Consensus: The solid leads and arresting visuals make a case for Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet as the definitive cinematic adaptation of the play.

Synopsis: In the Italian city of Verona, the Montague and the Capulet families are perpetually feuding. When Romeo (Leonard Whiting), a handsome young Montague, disregards convention... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey, Milo O'Shea, Michael York

Directed By: Franco Zeffirelli

Critics Consensus: George Cukor's elegant, colorful adaptation of the beloved stage play is elevated to new heights thanks to winning performances by Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison.

Synopsis: In this beloved musical, pompous phonetics professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) is so sure of his abilities that he takes it upon himself to transform... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Stanley Holloway, Wilfrid Hyde-White

Directed By: George Cukor

Critics Consensus: It may be a chamber piece but Weekend's revelations on modern sexuality expand far beyond the modest setting.

Synopsis: A gay man's (Tom Cullen) weekend-long encounter with an artist (Chris New) changes his life in unexpected ways.

Starring: Tom Cullen, Chris New, Jonathan Race, Laura Freeman

Directed By: Andrew Haigh

Critics Consensus: Effectively balancing humor and subtle pathos, Sofia Coppola crafts a moving, melancholy story that serves as a showcase for both Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.

Synopsis: A lonely, aging movie star named Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and a conflicted newlywed, Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), meet in Tokyo. Bob is there to film... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Giovanni Ribisi, Anna Faris

Directed By: Sofia Coppola

Critics Consensus: Sumptuous design and perfect casting makes Wuthering Heights an exemplar of old Hollywood studio filmmaking, even if to a fault.

Synopsis: In this adaptation of the classic Emily Bronte novel set in 19th-century England, wealthy young Cathy Earnshaw (Merle Oberon) shares a loving bond with Heathcliff... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Merle Oberon, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Flora Robson

Directed By: William Wyler

Critics Consensus: Stolen Kisses is a fine feature follow-up to The 400 Blows, transforming Antoine Doinel into a sympathetic, silly, and romantic figure that carries to the series' end.

Synopsis: The third in a series of films featuring François Truffaut's alter-ego, Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud), the story resumes with Antoine being discharged from military service.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Delphine Seyrig, Michaël Lonsdale, Claude Jade

Directed By: François Truffaut

Critics Consensus: One of the best underdog romance movies ever, with an ending that will light up any heart.

Synopsis: A hapless but resilient tramp (Charlie Chaplin) falls in love with a blind flower girl (Virginia Cherrill) on the tough city streets. Upon learning that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Charlie Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Harry Myers, Hank Mann

Directed By: Charlie Chaplin

Critics Consensus: With its magical optical effects and enchanting performances, Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast remains the most surreal -- and soulful -- of the fairy tale's film adaptations.

Synopsis: The story of a gentlehearted beast in love with a simple and beautiful girl. She is drawn to the repellent but strangely fascinating Beast, who... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean Marais, Josette Day, Mila Parély, Nane Germon

Directed By: Jean Cocteau

Critics Consensus: Stairway to Heaven is a ravishing, creative, and exciting fantasy.

Synopsis: British Air Force pilot Peter Carter (David Niven) is on his way home to England from a World War II bombing mission in a badly... View Full Synopsis

Starring: David Niven, Kim Hunter, Raymond Massey, Robert Coote

Directed By: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger

Critics Consensus: With Greta Garbo proving her comedy chops in the twilight of her career, Ninotchka is a can't-miss classic.

Synopsis: A no-nonsense diplomat of the Soviet Union, Nina Ivanovna Ninotchka Yakushova (Greta Garbo) arrives in Paris to ensure the sale of jewels seized during the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas, Ina Claire, Sig Ruman

Directed By: Ernst Lubitsch

Critics Consensus: With Audrey Hepburn luminous in her American debut, Roman Holiday is as funny as it is beautiful, and sets the standard for the modern romantic comedy.

Synopsis: Overwhelmed by her suffocating schedule, touring European princess Ann takes off for a night while in Rome. When a sedative she took from her doctor... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert, Tullio Carminati

Directed By: William Wyler

Critics Consensus: A dark teen comedy with an explosive twist, Spontaneous reaffirms Katherine Langford as a rising star -- and marks debuting director Brian Duffield as a filmmaker to watch.

Synopsis: When students in their high school inexplicably start to explode, seniors Mara and Dylan struggle to survive in a world where each moment may be... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Katherine Langford, Charlie Plummer, Yvonne Orji, Hayley Law

Directed By: Brian Duffield

Critics Consensus: Sense and Sensibility is an uncommonly deft, very funny Jane Austen adaptation, marked by Emma Thompson's finely tuned performance.

Synopsis: When Elinor Dashwood's (Emma Thompson) father dies, her family's finances are crippled. After the Dashwoods move to a cottage in Devonshire, Elinor's sister Marianne (Kate... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant

Directed By: Ang Lee

Critics Consensus: For viewers in search of an uncommonly smart, tender, and funny coming-of-age story, The Half of It has everything.

Synopsis: A shy, introverted student helps the school jock woo a girl whom, secretly, they both want.

Starring: Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire, Enrique Murciano

Directed By: Alice Wu

Critics Consensus: A charming, captivating tale of love and music, Once sets the standard for the modern musical. And with Dublin as its backdrop, Once is fun and fresh.

Synopsis: A vacuum repairman (Glen Hansard) moonlights as a street musician and hopes for his big break. One day a Czech immigrant (Marketa Irglova), who earns... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová, Hugh Walsh, Gerry Hendrick

Directed By: John Carney

Critics Consensus: Brooklyn buttresses outstanding performances from Saoirse Ronan and Emory Cohen with a rich period drama that tugs at the heartstrings as deftly as it satisfies the mind.

Synopsis: Young Irish immigrant Eilis Lace navigates her way through 1950s Brooklyn. Lured by the promise of America, Eilis departs Ireland and the comfort of her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen, Jim Broadbent

Directed By: John Crowley

Critics Consensus: My Beautiful Laundrette is fast and all over the place because it has so much to say, and show, including a highly watchable fresh-faced Daniel Day-Lewis.

Synopsis: In a seedy corner of London, Omar (Gordon Warnecke), a young Pakistani, is given a run-down laundromat by his uncle (Saeed Jaffrey), who hopes to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Gordon Warnecke, Saeed Jaffrey, Roshan Seth

Directed By: Stephen Frears

Critics Consensus: Perfectly cast, smartly written, and beautifully filmed, The African Queen remains thrilling, funny, and effortlessly absorbing even after more than half a century's worth of adventure movies borrowing liberally from its creative DNA.

Synopsis: After religious spinster's (Katharine Hepburn) missionary brother is killed in WWI Africa, dissolute steamer captain (Humphrey Bogart) offers her safe passage. She's not satisfied so... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, Robert Morley, Peter Bull

Directed By: John Huston

Critics Consensus: One of the definitive Generation X movies, Say Anything... is equally funny and heartfelt -- and it established John Cusack as an icon for left-of-center types everywhere.

Synopsis: In a charming, critically acclaimed tale of first love, Lloyd (John Cusack), an eternal optimist, seeks to capture the heart of Diane (Ione Skye), an... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney, Lili Taylor

Directed By: Cameron Crowe

Critics Consensus: Beyond ravishing, Wings of Desire is Wim Wenders' is aching and heartbreaking exploration of how love makes us human.

Synopsis: Two angels, Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander), glide through the streets of Berlin, observing the bustling population, providing invisible rays of hope to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander, Curt Bois

Directed By: Wim Wenders

Critics Consensus: Boasting masterful cinematography to match its well-acted, wonderfully romantic storyline, Sunrise is perhaps the final -- and arguably definitive -- statement of the silent era.

Synopsis: Bored with his wife (Janet Gaynor), their baby and the dull routine of farm life, a farmer (George O'Brien) falls under the spell of a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: George O'Brien, Janet Gaynor, Margaret Livingston, Bodil Rosing

Directed By: F.W. Murnau

Critics Consensus: A delightfully postmodern fairy tale, The Princess Bride is a deft, intelligent mix of swashbuckling, romance, and comedy that takes an age-old damsel-in-distress story and makes it fresh.

Synopsis: A fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a long separation and save her.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon

Directed By: Rob Reiner

Critics Consensus: Building on the first two installments in Richard Linklater's well-crafted Before trilogy, Before Midnight offers intelligent, powerfully acted perspectives on love, marriage, and long-term commitment.

Synopsis: On the last night of their idyllic Greek vacation, longtime lovers Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) reminisce about their lives together and what... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Prior

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Critics Consensus: A singularly rich period piece, Portrait of a Lady on Fire finds stirring, thought-provoking drama within a powerfully acted romance.

Synopsis: In 1770 the young daughter of a French countess develops a mutual attraction to the female artist commissioned to paint her wedding portrait.

Starring: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami, Valeria Golino

Directed By: Céline Sciamma

Critics Consensus: Jacques Demy elevates the basic drama of everyday life into a soaring opera full of bittersweet passion and playful charm, featuring a timeless performance from Catherine Deneuve.

Synopsis: Geneviève (Catherine Deneuve), a beautiful young Frenchwoman who works at a small-town boutique selling umbrellas, falls for dashing mechanic Guy (Nino Castelnuovo). Their brief romance... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon, Marc Michel

Directed By: Jacques Demy

Critics Consensus: Capturing its stars and director at their finest, It Happened One Night remains unsurpassed by the countless romantic comedies it has inspired.

Synopsis: In Frank Capra's acclaimed romantic comedy, spoiled heiress Ellie Andrews impetuously marries the scheming King Westley, leading her tycoon father to spirit her away on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns

Directed By: Frank Capra

Critics Consensus: An undisputed masterpiece and perhaps Hollywood's quintessential statement on love and romance, Casablanca has only improved with age, boasting career-defining performances from Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.

Synopsis: Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), who owns a nightclub in Casablanca, discovers his old flame Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains

Directed By: Michael Curtiz

Critics Consensus: Marvelously directed by Sebastian Lelio and beautifully led by a powerful performance from Paulina Garcia, Gloria takes an honest, sweetly poignant look at a type of character that's all too often neglected in Hollywood.

Synopsis: An aging divorcee (Paulina García) embarks on an intense affair with a man (Sergio Hernández) she picked up at a disco.

Starring: Paulina García, Sergio Hernández, Diego Fontecilla, Coca Guazzini

Directed By: Sebastián Lelio

Critics Consensus: Golden Age Hollywood romance doesn't get much better than Letter From an Unknown Woman, a powerful tale of doomed love.

Synopsis: In early 20th-century Vienna, Stefan Brand is about to leave the city because he faces a duel that he wants no part of. However, before... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joan Fontaine, Louis Jourdan, Mady Christians, Marcel Journet

Directed By: Max Ophuls

Critics Consensus: Love and hope soar in Cyrano De Bergerac, an immensely entertaining romance featuring Gerard Depardieu as his peak.

Synopsis: Soldier and poet Cyrano de Bergerac (Gérard Depardieu) is in love with Roxane (Anne Brochet), but he's too ashamed to admit it because of his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gérard Depardieu, Anne Brochet, Vincent Perez, Jacques Weber

Directed By: Jean-Paul Rappeneau

Critics Consensus: The hard edges of E.M. Foster novel maybe sanded off, but what we get with A Room with a View is an eminently entertaining comedy with an intellectual approach to love.

Synopsis: In this British drama based on the novel by E.M. Forster, Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham-Carter), a young Englishwoman, is touring Italy with her older cousin... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, Julian Sands, Denholm Elliott

Directed By: James Ivory

Critics Consensus: Deftly directed by Ernst Lubitsch from a smart, funny script by Samson Raphaelson, The Shop Around the Corner is a romantic comedy in the finest sense of the term.

Synopsis: Alfred Kralik and Klara Novak are employees at Matuschek and Company, a general store in Budapest. Klara and Alfred are constantly at odds with each... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan, Joseph Schildkraut

Directed By: Ernst Lubitsch

Critics Consensus: Thought-provoking and beautifully filmed, Before Sunrise is an intelligent, unabashedly romantic look at modern love, led by marvelously natural performances from Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

Synopsis: On his way to Vienna, American Jesse meets Celine, a student returning to Paris. After long conversations forge a surprising connection between them, Jesse convinces... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Erni Mangold, Hanno Poeschl

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Critics Consensus: Clever, incisive, and funny, Singin' in the Rain is a masterpiece of the classical Hollywood musical.

Synopsis: A spoof of the turmoil that afflicted the movie industry in the late 1920s when movies went from silent to sound. When two silent movie... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Jean Hagen

Directed By: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly

Critics Consensus: Offering a wonderfully witty script, spotless direction from George Cukor, and typically excellent lead performances, The Philadelphia Story is an unqualified classic.

Synopsis: This classic romantic comedy focuses on Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), a Philadelphia socialite who has split from her husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), due... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Ruth Hussey

Directed By: George Cukor