Now, despite what the title of this article may lead you to believe, I’m not the biggest cinephile. Until recently, I hardly watched movies at all, maybe a couple a year. I’m making a concerted effort to watch more movies now because they are an art form I have come to appreciate a lot (in no small part to my wonderful friends, who are most definitely movie people). Before I came to college, watching a movie was somewhat of a rare pastime for me. However, if I do say so myself, that means my movie recommendations are perfect for people who don’t know much about cinema or watch a lot of movies. Most of these are movies that I first watched a long time ago, and therefore have managed to stick in my mind for long enough that I still remember and enjoy them now. With that being said, here are 10 of my favorite romance movies!
- 10 Things I Hate About You
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I would argue that this is one of the classic rom-coms, from the rom-com golden age. Lovable leads, amazing costuming and sets, some of the coolest transitions between scenes that I have ever seen (which I only noticed on my most recent re-watch a couple of months ago) and fantastic chemistry. To top it all off, it’s inspired by Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. What’s not to like?
- Yes or No
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And they were roommates! This is probably the most obscure movie on this list, but I promise you it’s worth it. I watched it for the first time when I was in middle school and I still think of it all the time. It was the first movie I think I ever saw that starred a lesbian couple, and it tackles things like compulsory heterosexuality and internalized homophobia while still being a cute, fairly lighthearted watch. I 100% recommend this movie, especially for people who like to watch things that are a little more serious.
- Love, Rosie
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For all of the years that I swore up and down that I just didn’t like movies, when someone asked me what my favorite movie was, Love, Rosie would be my answer. I fell in love with this movie the first time that I watched it, and I was obsessed with Lily Collins for months after (and also convinced that she was Irish, oops). Seeing the characters grow and change and then finally take their chance after all the ones they missed is so special to me, and I love a good friends-to-lovers story. Bonus points for Ruby, one of my favorite characters of all time.
- But I’m A Cheerleader
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This movie is also a classic, and I think it’s pretty well-known. But I’m A Cheerleader is a love story that takes place in a satirized conversion therapy program (it’s not as awful as it sounds, I promise) and is heartwarming, funny and a true marvel of a movie. Graham and Megan are one of the most iconic film couples of all time, in my mind, and the rest of the cast is hilarious. For people who enjoy the visual aspects of a film as much as the storyline, this one is for you. The sets and costuming are so cleverly done, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film use color to amplify the storyline quite the way this one does.
- 50 First Dates
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This one I haven’t watched this one in a while, truth be told, but I am planning to watch it again sometime soon, and I remember really liking it—enough to watch it multiple times—when I was a kid. It’s a Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler movie, so you know it’s going to be funny, and the storyline is really unique. Drew Barrymore’s character, Lucy, suffers a traumatic brain injury that prevents her from forming long-term memories, so she forgets everything that happened the day before when she wakes up in the morning. Henry, Adam Sandler’s character, falls in love with her, and his dedication to working with her memory issues is adorable.
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding
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This is another childhood classic for me. My family used to watch this movie regularly, it’s one of the first movies I can actually remember watching as a kid. I can also remember quoting lines from this movie on the playground with my friends in elementary school, as cute and kind of embarrassing as that is. I’m a sucker for a movie that depicts not only an amazing romance, but also a journey of self-acceptance, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding does that for sure. Additionally, Toula’s family is absolutely crazy, in the best way possible.
- Pitch Perfect
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I’m pretty sure that watching Pitch Perfect when you were younger was a formative experience. I remember watching it a lot at family gatherings, and it’s kind of a connection between my mom, my sister and me; who have watched it with me more than a few times. It might not count as a romance movie for some people because there is such a focus on friendship as well (which I love, personally), but I count it as one because the main romantic relationship is one of the reasons that I enjoyed the movie as much as I did. I love Jesse, as weird and kind of embarrassing as he is and seeing Beca sing to him in the final competition is so, so cute. When the sequel came out, I remember being so upset that he didn’t show up at all because their relationship is one that really stuck with me.
- Starstruck
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This movie is definitely a throwback for me and probably one that real cinephiles would turn their nose up at, but it was my favorite when I was little and it still makes me smile now. The storyline is insanely unrealistic, but I was obsessed with how the love interests bantered and didn’t get along at first but managed to click so well. Petunia sinking is one of the most iconic scenes ever, in my mind, and the soundtrack of this movie is second only to Lemonade Mouth in my mind, in terms of Disney Channel Originals. I still listen to “Hero” and “Something About That Sunshine” a little more often than I’d like to admit.
- The DUFF
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I just recently watched The DUFF again a couple of weeks ago, and I remembered why I loved it so much the first time. Wesley and Bianca are so funny together, and as I said, I love a good friends-to-lovers story and a good self-acceptance journey. Outside of that, I feel like it captures a lot of the feelings and insecurities that I had around relationships, especially friendships, in high school. There are definitely some moments with intense secondhand embarrassment, but if you stick it out, I promise it’s worth it. (I still maintain that Casey and Jess kind of suck though.)
- Gnomeo and Juliet
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Gnomeo and Juliet is actually one of the movies I’ve watched the most recently, believe it or not, and it was even better than I remember it being the first time I watched it. It’s such a fun, energetic movie to watch, with so many loveable characters and a really zany, cute premise. It’s also a Shakespeare reimagining, which, as you might be able to guess, I greatly enjoy. All of the little references to Shakespeare’s life and other plays, while not really related to romance at all, genuinely made me so happy. Gnomeo and Juliet’s sweet romance really shines, with an iconic first meeting under the moonlight and a stunning soundtrack—Elton John was executive producer for the movie, and he even put together several original songs for it.
Obviously, I am not much of an authority on movies at all, but while I try to broaden my horizons and expand my movie-watching repertoire, I hope that my recommendations are helpful to someone looking for something cute to watch. A good romance movie never went amiss.