The 5 best romance films
Evelyn Rose is a sophomore and a reporter for the Fishers Tiger Times. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.
As Valentine’s Day begins the air is full of cupid’s energy and couples are getting each other chocolate, jewelry, and sitting down to watch a great film together. Though it can be hard to choose an original romance film, these are my top picks for best romance films
- Love and Monsters 94% critics score and 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (RT)
“Love and Monsters” is a film about a post-apocalyptic world where the worlds population live in bunkers but one day Joel (played by Dylan O’ Brien) hears from his girlfriend who is 500 miles away from his bunker so decides to go on a quest to see his girlfriend.
This film has beautiful cinematography with interesting designs for the radioactive monsters. Dylan O’ Brien delivers a performance that is surprisingly sincere and carries a film that would seem unoriginal. Michael Rooke (well known for “The Walking Dead“) plays a great part in this film that delivers on his amazing acting. The only criticism I had with this film is that the ending slightly lacks in oomph.
- La La Land 91% critic score and 82% audience score on RT
“La La Land,” directed by Damien Chazelle is about an actress (Emma Stone) and jazz musician (Ryan Gosling) who fall in love with each other, but they each wish to be successful in their careers
I find this film entertaining even if I do not tend to usually like musicals. This film pays homage to older films by using much more color than stereotypical musicals. Chazelle studied color theory, and it is very apparent in this film. Ryan Gosling has amazing chemistry with Emma Stone, and they perform adequately. The ending is one of the most iconic film endings of all time in my opinion.
- Submarine 88% critic score and 82% audience score on RT
“Submarine,” directed by Richard Ayoade, is a great underrated film that shows the beauty of romance in high school. This coming-of-age drama has so many intriguing sequences I have not seen anywhere else in film. This type of love shown in the film is memorable and leaves the viewer wishing for more of it.
If you enjoy Wes Anderson films, I highly recommend this film because it is very reminiscent of early Wes Anderson films. This film beautifully explores the same concept of being scared of the future and finding love that “Rushmore” from Anderson also intertwines into its plot.
- Casablanca 99% critic score and 95% audience score on RT
“Casablanca” is a romance film about loving the past vs. the present. When Victor Laszlo has to escape Casablanca from the Nazis with his girlfriend, Ilsa, he must go to Rick Blaine because he has a ticket for unmolested travel. However, it turns out Ilsa and Rick had a life together before.
An oldie but a goodie, “Casablanca” has been popular since 1939 for good reason. This is the only romance film I have watched that portrays a love triangle perfectly. Ingrid Bergman perfectly portrays being in love with two people but not knowing which guy is the right choice.
“Casablanca” was originally banned in Germany because it was considered anti-Nazi propaganda since it is about escaping Nazis. However, at the heart of this film is a romance that has withstood the test of time because the relationship feels genuine.
- A Matter of Life and Death 97% critics and 93% audience on RT
“A Matter of Life and Death” is not only the greatest romance film but it is the greatest film I have watched. When a pilot is supposed to die during a WW2 dogfight, an angel loses him, accidentally letting him live. Other angels figure this out and try to kill the man but he decides to go on trial against heaven because while he was alive he found love wishing to stay alive for her.
Because “A Matter of Life and Death” is old, many might expect the film to be boring However, this film was shot in technicolor 35mm film- the most colorful format available. This format was used for films such as “Wizard of Oz,” “Vertigo,” and “Fantasia.”
Romance has never been dreamier than in the colors that fill the film, and it has never been stronger. The movie suggests the idea that love transcends dimensions. Director Michael Powell even dips his toes into making remarks about bureaucracy in life.
This film, choosing to follow so many topics at the same time, makes it a bold gamble, though it pays off because there is no other film that can reach how amazing this film is.
