“I wish I were her.”
That’s what my girls and I said when we started putting together a romantic movie list. We intended on ten and we couldn’t agree so we have turned this into a three-part series. We all felt, with the holidays so close, feel good movies are what we need.
Netflix has a treasure-chest of romance just waiting to be appreciated.
Fashioned with first kisses, breath-taking moments and desirable women; these movies are crafted with poise and flawlessness. Let the silver screen take you on a journey of affection, and rekindle the sentiment within.
The Best Romantic Movies On Netflix
Pretty Woman
How do you pull of thigh-high leather boots like Julia Roberts?
When Harry Met Sally
Roaming the streets of Manhattan with Billy Crystal, what more could you want?
Dirty Dancing
We all remember those holiday romances.
Shakespeare in Love
Lust and Literature, the greatest combination.
Sleepless in Seattle
The Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day… Meg Ryan, her charming best.
Titanic
Kate Winslett, the English Rose in all her glory.
Annie Hall
The moment where Diane Keaton became our fashion aficionado.
Notting Hill
Oh to fall in love with a bookworm.
Something’s Gotta Give
What we would do for that beach house in the Hamptons.
4 Weddings and a Funeral
To look as good as Andie McDowell in the rain; wouldn’t that be lovely?
P.S
sale time is fast approaching; thought you might love these @50% off
I have been crushing on wraps all season
madeleine thompson striped cashmere wrap // madeleine thompson block colour wrap // tomas maier cashmere poncho
alexander mcqueen tartan wrap // acne fringed wrap
images, shakespeare in love
My most favourite romantic movie of all time was “An Affair to Remember” – but it’s probably not on Netflix.
Have seen all of the above list and enjoyed most of them, including specially “Something’s Gotta Give” – but partly because some of it is set in Paris and in one of our fave places – Le Grand Colbert – and also because I liked the interiors and costumes. Would hesitate to give many of them more than 3 stars. Some only two. Don’t watch “Shakespeare in Love” any more because I think our wonderful Cate Blanchett was robbed of the Oscar that year, 1998. She was brilliant as Elizabeth – and so much better than Gwynnie who can’t hold a candle to her. Not that I’m biased!
But also we didn’t have a good introduction to “Shakespeare in Love”. We first saw it on a plane. They began screening it on a British Airways flight (I use the term flight loosely) when we were stuck on the ground in extreme heat at Athens airport. It was during the NATO bombing of Kossovo and our flight had a delayed take-off because of some technical difficulty. Then the pilot announced we were so late we’d missed our window for flying over the special zone and would have to wait until there was clearance when there was another break in the bombing. The airport wouldn’t let us back inside. So they brought up an air conditioner to pump cooler air into the plane and eventually began screening “Shakespeare in Love”. About halfway through the movie the pilot announced we were cleared for takeoff so the air conditioner was quickly whipped away and the screens folded up. After takeoff they tried to find the point at which they had switched off the movie. We could see it being fast forwarded and then backed up. This went on for about 20 minutes. Finally they found it and started from there – only without sound. This went on for some time. Finally they twigged as people must have been complaining – so we went back to trying to find the spot to start again. Finally it began at the correct point WITH sound. Don’t remember how it ended – I think we were landing at Heathrow and it had to be switched off again. Kind of spoiled the movie for us. We did eventually see it properly but I stand by our feeling that Cate that year was superb in “Elizabeth” and deserved the Oscar far more. Best wishes, Pamela
Oh my Pamela… what an experience!
It sounds like one to remember… :)
And don’t forget “LoveActually”. The airport scene where loved ones are meeting gets me every time. Plus I am a sucker for the Bridget Jones movies. Can’t wait for the next one.
Other favorites (not sure about Netflix availability): “Out of Africa,” “Clueless,” “Eat, Pray, Love” and “Under the Tuscan Sun.”
Mine can only be Manon of the Spring although I am sure that its not on Netflix
Well……I agree with “Taste of France”…..”Out of Africa” is one of the very-most romantic (in several ways, not all them necessarily complimentary to the director’s sensibilities/intentions) movies ever made…..a woman steelily equipped with her own mind and strengths, pairing with an equally endowed (so to speak) man.
I think the hair-washing scene in “Out of Africa” is one of the most purely sensual/sexual (fortunately, I’ve never had to differentiate between the two, since I’ve never done it for a living) scenes I’ve ever seen. Fairly recently, I showed the movie to two visiting women (neither of whom had ever seen it). They agreed with me on my assessment of that scene.
As for “Shakespeare in Love”? Oh….it so hate=able on so many stickly-treacly-sweetie-pie levels……Paltrow simpering and coyly smiling throughout the whole business (that’s when she’s not making a little face to show that she’s petulant or irritated or bored)……and Joseph Fiennes looking almost as repetitively pretty as Paltrow does. I think it’s a movie that’s about what 14 year old girls think love and relationships are about. Paltrow just makes various faces(did she spend her adolescence practicing these in a mirror?) in just about every movie she’s ever been in….which is why she’s known as a movie-star, rather than as an accomplished actress.
And to think that Paltrow beat-out Cate Blanchett (in “Elizabeth”) for the Oscar? I think that we all have to do is to look at what Blanchett’s done since….and recall the Paltrow spends an inordinate amount of her self-indulgent time talking about her immaculate bowel-cleansings (“TMI” anyone???), 800$ boots for her toddlers, and telling the world how to get divorced from your husband once you get tired of being married to a rock-star (as we all do from time to time, right?).
My List of Best Romantic Movies for Actual Adults:
1. Out of Africa
2. The English Patient (there are so many types of love, furtive and earnest and otherwise, going on ion this script)
3. Under the Tuscan Sun (yes, the author’s a friend/neighbor of mine, so I may be overly-biased. Still?…it’s about the most sustaining sorts of love…even though the movie’s plot has very little to do with the original book).
4. Annie Hall……..you’re right about that one.
5. It’s not “romantic” (i.e., about a couple)……but I think Bergman’s “Fanny and Alexander” is the Ultimate holiday movie…..much like “The Nutcracker” in its dizzying blend of joy, tragedy, wistfulness, fear, salvation, and the ways folks’ pasts and presents intertwine. The Christmas scene is spectacular.
4. “The Homecoming” (the tv “Special” that began the American tv series “The Waltons”)still makes me cry every time I see it. I’m not as mean or tough or unsentimental as I might come off as seeming….
Back to cooking for Thanksgiving……
David Terry
I am all for “Love Actually”….I still laugh and cry and shake my head at the stupid, stupid Harry (Alan Rickman (RIP) and another Hugh Grant (he is such a British rascally man!), “About A Boy”. I cannot go through a Christmas season without a dose of Julie Andrew’s in “Sound of Music”…not so much romantic but like a warm, fuzzy blanket. Improbable story line, “Something’s Gotta Give”…I get frustrated because as a single woman of a certain age still hoping to find her one and only, I can only say that this one is up in the fairytale category but yes, that beach house! I put “Under The Tuscan Sun” in this same category but who wouldn’t move to Tuscany if one could have a house like that one?! For a rom/com try “We’re The Miller’s” with Jennifer Annston and Jason Sudeikis…other than the fact that Jennifer Aniston as a stripper is a bit of a stretch, this one is unexpectedly funny and heartwarming. “Out Of Africa”, I just have to hear the music on the radio and I pause. And a new one worth watching is “Light Between Two Oceans”…the cinematography, the costumes, the acting…oh my! So there are my picks for Christmas movie watching!
So agree about “Out of Africa” and “The English Patient”. Great movies with seriously good casts – not just frothy romcom stars who mostly haven’t lasted the distance. Many of the movies on the list have seriously dated – while they might have been a fun night out at the time, not really worth watching again. But the seriously good ones we could watch over and over.
Do agree that locations, interior designs and costumes help push a movie a little over the line. One of the reasons I enjoyed “Something’s Gotta Give”. Some of those on the list I like watching almost just for these alone. Would add “Under the Tuscan Sun” – on first watching it’s charming and funny (and a fantasy based only very lightly on the book) but not worth repeated viewings – except for the fabulous Tuscan countryside and coast around Positano. “Light Between Oceans” is wonderful for the cinematography and beautiful light – the sky and seascapes and gorgeous little port scenes – and of course for the cast. Alicia Vikander is luminous. Also great seeing some of our much loved Aussie character actors in small roles
One of my favourite movie series about love is the Three Colours trilogy. But they’re not romantic films. They’re masterpieces and so fascinating the way Kieslowski themed using colours and the three French flag slogans “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”. My favourite is “Blue” – Liberty – about grief, love, awakening to betrayal – and yet also ultimately about struggling through to freedom – from grief and disillusionment – towards a genuinely uplifting generosity of spirit. I could watch this film many more times. Next would be “Red” – themed on Fraternity.
On a lighter note some of the Audrey Hepburn classics are fabulous and worth revisiting. The other night we watched (on Foxtel not Netflix) again after years “How to Steal a Million”. Not a great movie, but light, funny and completely charming. With Peter O’Toole quirkily playing against type as the romantic lead. Also the movie has such style – specially the unforgettable Givenchy costumes for Audrey. Best wishes, Pamela
I’m with you Wendi! Love Actually, About a Boy, Sound of Music and a new one our young niece recommended is The Holiday (not as good as aforementioned but a fun newer one and I love anything British influenced!) I have Light Between Two Oceans on my Kindle and want to read and then maybe that will be my 2016 holiday romance!
Great post thanks Vicki. They’re not on Netflix but over the Holiday season I love watching for the umpteenth time To The Manor Born and The Vicar of Dibley. Never tire of them once a year. I get the CDs from my local library. Mary-Jill
A dear friend (and a man believe it or not) who knew what a crazy silly romantic I am once gave me a DVD box set of Love Actually and Notting Hill for Christmas – and I still watch them (yes I still have a DVD player lurking around) over and over. Love Actually comes out every Christmas and I force the family to sit and watch it with me as I laugh and cry. Must be almost time to dust it off again.
If we are doting on Alan Rickman, and who can stop, we should include “Truly Madly Deeply”.
My favourite of all time is Casablanca! With Rick, Elsa, Victor Laslo . . . .
not to be left out…French Kiss and Only You
another “go-to” for me is A Good Year
Three of my favorite romantic movies are 1. Last Holiday (with Queen Latifah in an endearing role), 2. The Holiday (Kate Winslet and Carmen Diaz switch England and LA houses over the holidays and fall in love on opposite sides of the world), and 3. The Thomas Crowne Affair (the remake with Pierce Brosnan and Renee Russo -a crime/thriller plot that is just so much fun!) Happy Thanksgiving viewing.
The English Patient and Out of Africa are my two all time favorites! Love it when a film draws you in and entices you to get lost there for a couple of hours. Le sigh;) Lest we forget The Way We Were. Streisand and Redford at their best!
Enjoy the show! xx