Who doesn’t love a little romance and getting swept off their feet?
I’m the type of person who has an extremely hard shell, but man do I love romance, a happy ending and those sappy love lines like “You complete me.” I also love when movies have those long monologues about why one character loves the other one. They get me every time, and it’s not normal, I know. But I’m a girl, so get over that.
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner and the release of The Vow this weekend, couples around the world are going to be forced into watching all types of romance films. On Valentine’s Day people love to go out to dinner, but restaurants are always so crowded. So guys and gals make your honey a wonderful dinner and spend the night curled up on the couch watching a movie that will remind you why you love to love.
To make your Valentine’s Day a stress free affair, here is a list of the 50 best love films of the new millennium you can enjoy with your Valentine.
| 1. Love Actually |
Love Actually is a film that is all about love and the different types of love out there. The movie is quite funny and what’s there not to love about Bill Nighy constantly thrusting and cursing and Hugh Grant smiling and making quick remarks. Fun fact about me, my parents made sure I walked down the isle to the song God Only Knows by the Beach Boys because of how much I loved the ending to this movie. Love Actually is a nice movie that will make you want to fall in love with your valentine all over again.
| 2. Something’s Gotta Give |
I was talking with my mother recently about this film. She expressed how much she loves Nancy Meyers because she brings a story of love that isn’t based on 20 something year olds falling in love but two older people trying to make it work. In fact, I love this film. It’s light hearted and refreshing, especially with all the crap that comes out these days. Watch and enjoy Diane Keaton’s Oscar nominated role because her and Jack Nicholson are the perfect duo.
| 3. I Love You, Phillip Morris |
| 4. Moulin Rouge |
This Oscar nominated (and ACCA winner) film is definitely something to love. Ewan McGregor gives his all in this movie and it’s so romantic. His love for Satine (Nicole Kidman) is enough reason to get sucked into the film, plus the songs are pretty awesome too. But in the end, the greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.
| 5. Shrek |
| 6. The Notebook |
And speaking of…The Notebook is considered the perfect love story, and I can’t lie, even I enjoy watching it every now and again. I even got my husband to offer to watch it. But this is the love story for the ages and Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams are wonderful together. They display an overwhelming passion for each other that you don’t ever see in film or real life. Plus, when the movie is over you’ll wonder why your man hasn’t bought you a house and fixed it up. This is the go to film for couples but make sure your significant other wants to sit through this before popping it in the DVD player.
| 7. Brokeback Mountain |
Two men fight against all odds to try to be together in this Oscar winner for Best Director. This movie really is a great love story. Two cowboys want to be together and be themselves but are unable because of the consequences that will come with it. So they go on living separate lives but always make sure to spend a weekend together being who they are. It’s a wonderful story and I know many men won’t sit through this but it’s definitely worth it.
| 8. High Fidelity |
| 9. Amélie |
Academy Award nominated film, Amelie is just a wonderful story. Audrey Tautou is simply marvelous and delightful. Don’t ask questions, just watch it.
| 10. Forgetting Sarah Marshall |
The Best of the Rest
11. Juno
12. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
13. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
14. Garden State
15. (500) Days of Summer
16. Bridget Jones’ Diary
17. Big Fish
18. Crazy, Stupid, Love
19. Hitch
20. Lost in Translation
21. The Phantom of the Opera
22. Wedding Crashers
23. The 40 Year Old Virgin
24. Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
25. Wall-E
26. Love & Basketball
27. Love and Other Drugs
28. Conversations with Other Women
29. The Proposal
30. Across the Universe
31. Valentine’s Day
32. Wristcutters: A Love Story
33. The Young Victoria
34. Definitely, Maybe
35. Date Night
36. Kate & Leopold
37. Away We Go
38. Pride & Prejudice
39. Before Sunset
40. Punch Drunk Love
41. Knocked Up
42. Dan in Real Life
43. The Jane Austin Book Club
44. Ghost Town
45. 50 First Dates
46. Once
47. A Walk to Remember
48. 13 Going on 30
49. It’s Complicated
50. Tangled
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Not bad at all…I’m a sucker for a good romance.
Me too, buddy.
Your list is missing one the best romantic dramas of 2008…Slumdog Millionaire. How can you leave that one out…
I struggled with the decision to either add it to the list or leave it off… and I chose to leave it off soley on the subject matter of the film. This list is supposed to be geared towards Valenine’s Day and I felt with the heavy subject matter I was better off leaving the film off the list. Yes, it’s a wonderful love story but when I think about Slumdog Millionaire the romantic storyline isn’t what comes to mind first.
I understand that lists are subjective and based solely on opinions of the one or handfull of people involved and that the point of lists is generally to open readers to new films. And it is with that last point that I have issue. There is only one non-English film on this list. This seems odd to me since the rest of the world has been making amazing love stories in this new century, as well (I am thinking most importantly of Wong Kar-wai and his two Hong Kong features this last decade, hell his short The Hand was one of the best love stories I have seen in years). It is merely perplexing the Americentric/Anglocentric nature of this list.
As for the list itself, I have issues with some films, but you include some really great films. I am especially pleased with the high placement of High Fidelity and the inclusion of what I believe to be P.T. Anderson’s best film, Punch-Drunk Love.
If this were in order, I’d move a few of them up to the top 10, like Eternal Sunshine and Wristcutters. Otherwise, solid list.
Thank you.
You forgot Slumdog Millionaire, Before Sunrise, Cinema Paradiso (the director’s cut), Sleepless in Seattle, Serendipity, Fever Pitch (2005), Titanic, and The Philadelphia Story. Not a great list but at least you have it right with Love Actually at number 1.
Other than that, I’ve seen much better lists.
Well this list is based on movies from year 2000- now like the title of the article specifies… so Before Sunrise, Cinema Paradiso, Sleepless in Seattle, Titanic and The Philadelphia Story wouldn’t be found on this list.
but I’ll explain myself for Slumdog Millionaire like I did for a previous comment; I struggled with the decision to either add it to the list or leave it off… and I chose to leave it off soley on the subject matter of the film. This list is supposed to be geared towards Valenine’s Day and I felt with the heavy subject matter I was better off leaving the film off the list. Yes, it’s a wonderful love story but when I think about Slumdog Millionaire the romantic storyline isn’t what comes to mind first.
As far as Fever Pitch goes, I didn’t think the movie was anything original and it missed my top 50. I love the movie but I couldn’t find a place for it. Same thing goes for Serendipity. I love Cusack and the movie itself but again, missed my top 50.
Awesome list… I love the addition of Shrek and Tangled. I don’t think many people would stop and consider animated movies. Well done, I’m going to have to pick a movie for me and my beautiful wife to sit down and watch together based on this. It’s going to be tough to choose between The Notebook and The Notebook
Thank you, I think people forget that a lot of animated films are based around love and Shrek and Tangled were by far the best 2 of the millenium. If you haven’t seen Big Fish, it would be a very nice choice to go with. It’s a wonderful movie.
I personally thought LOVE ACTUALLY to be a terrible movie that tried way too hard. AWAY FROM HER is one of the most heartbreaking love story I’ve seen this millennium.
Some low class Notebook. What happened to Blue Valentine, We don’t live here anymore, The Reader, Atonement, Monster’s Ball, The Kids are all right?, Two lovers, The Descendants, The Painted Veil, An Education?, Monster, Frida, Little Children, Slumdog Millionaire?, Elegy, Keeping the faith and Two lovers? You can put Crazy Stupid Love but not Friends with Benefits, which is easily the superior film?
Most of the movies you named are depressing as hell and not proper VALENTINE’S DAY movies… Blue Valentine, Atonement, The Descendants, and then some would probably encourage me more to question a relationship than embrace it.
If that were the case then such films as Brokeback Mountain, Moulin Rouge, Eternal Sunshine, and Once would not be on the list. The list is of Love Stories, not Valentines stories (though the list is dominated by the latter type of film). Melancholy is and should be the dominate form when it comes to romantic artistic displays, since the majority of relationship do not involve “true love” or “soul mates,” if there are such a things.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Possibly the strangest, but oddly charming, romance I’ve seen of the new mellennium.
I really disliked that movie so when I made the list it didn’t even come to mind. Should have considered it though.
I don’t know if you forgot to mention Midnight in Paris as a new addition to romance.
Also, you should’ve considered Enchanted. I don’t know if you had it in mind? It beats the extremely negative reviewed ones you’ve listed.
Oh, I wish My Big Fat Greek Wedding made the top ten. It was such a fresh romance comedy among others.
When you’re making a list like this you always remember a handful but always forget quite a few, and Enchanted is one of those movies I totally forgot about. I forgot to add Melinda & Melinda too.
Just my opinion of course but Melinda and Melinda may be the Woody Allen film I dislike most. Will Ferrell and his awful impression of Allen was like nails on a chalkboard. But to the list you do have, Love Actually is a great pick for number 1.
Where was Up? That movie had the most moving romance I’ve seen in years. It beat the snot out of Wall-E too.
My thoughts exactly.
Not to discredit this list, but I want to believe that there are better love stories than many of the ones listed here. A Walk to Remember? The Notebook? Valentine’s Day? It’s Complicated? The Jane Austen Book Club? Tangled (I know this seems baffling, but there are too many little errors in logic for me to get over)? I applaud many inclusions, especially Once (my favorite film of all time,) and even underrated gems like Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Away We Go. Why not include films like Crazy Heart or Lars and the Real Girl? Kinsey may not have been a good choice, but it would have been better than The Phantom of the Opera. Sure, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is easily just an update of Forrest Gump, but that was also a great love story of sorts.
I’m sorry if I seem picky. I’m sure that most, if not all other lists are inferior to this compilation.
I got the criteria of the new millennieum but the list seems to be a hodpodge. I don’t think some of them were primarily a love story which is what I think you were going for. I do agree with some of those choices though and I’m glad you gave Brokeback Mountain and I Love You Phillip Morris a mention. Those are definitely love stories. Instead of a critique, I am going to add what “I” think are probably some of the greatest love stories in filmdom.
Casablanca………Wuthering Heights (1939)……Annie Hall…A Man And A Woman…The Philadelphia Story….
City Lights….It Happened One Night (1934)…Now Voyager….West Side Story…Romeo and Juliet (1969)…
Moonstruck….Ghost….The Lady Eve….Camille (Garbo)…The Shop Around The Corner…Sleepless in Seattle….Ninotchka…The Graduate….Picnic…Breakfast at Tiffany’s….Love Is A Many Splendored Thing….
Lady and the Tramp…Pillow Talk…The King and I….Dr. Zhivago…As Good As It Gets…Elvira Madigan…
and I’m sure there are many more.
If I were making a list of the best love stories of all time most of those would make the list.
I’ll never forgive you Anna … Greek Wedding out-ranking Eternal Sunshine??!? Ahem …