Love and Gelato is a 2022 release that is based on the novel by Jenna Evans Welch, shows a story of an American girl named Lina Emerson and her journey halfway across the world to meet her father.
She travels to Rome as per her late mother’s last wish where she reads her journal and uncovers a lot of truth. So if loved watching this romantic movie, you will surely love this other movie list. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and watch some of the most popular romance films.
1. Blue Valentine (2010)
The movie portrays the love found and then lost between a married couple Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams). Dean and Cindy work as house painters and nurses respectively and live in a simple neighborhood with their daughter Frankie. We see the characters going back and forth in their present and past which is six years apart. The change is visible through a bodily transformation but the major shift is inside.
What starts as a playful goofy love affair at the beginning is soon hit by the realities of married life, earning a living and raising a child. The story switches between past and present where the couple tries to figure out what went wrong and how they end up so distant.
Blue Valentine is a story showcasing real depression and hard-hitting toxicity when romance fades away. The movie makes us question our feelings and how we should be cautious in love or else might end up heartbroken. Director and Co-writer Derek Cianfrance did a commendable job with the detailing and presentation of the characters and scenarios. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams played their parts brilliantly. So the movie may not be your clique Romance but a good watch for sure.
2. The Notebook (2004)
Nicholas Spark’s novel “The Notebook” is one of the most favorite and popular movies of the era. Noah and Allie are teenagers who spend one beautiful summer with each other; falls in love but class difference and family pressure separates them. They meet after a couple of years, sparks fly and they finally are together. Fate, however, brought a different tragedy in their life.
The movie does make us believe in a fairytale romance and true love. When you truly give everything you can, miracles happen. At the beginning, we see an old man reading a few pages from a notebook to his wife in a nursing home. Later, we come to know that they are none other than Noah and Allie and now, Ally is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and doesn’t remember anything.
We witness how his devotion makes her remember him for just a few minutes but that’s enough. The young couple is played by Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling who has great chemistry and passion as lovers. Gena Rowlands and James Garner played the older couple very convincingly, showcasing high emotions. If you are really in classic romance and ready to shed some tears of joy and sorrow, please do watch this movie.
3. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
The movie is a visual representation of John Green’s bestselling novel with the same name, “The fault in our stars”. Hazel Grace Lancaster is 16 years old with lung cancer has to move around with an oxygen cylinder all the time. She meets the very charming Augustus Waters at a cancer support group. He is also a teenager who is suffering from bone cancer and had to amputate his right leg.
The pair is polar opposite in nature where Hazel seems quite practical and covers her fears with dark humour and Gus is always cheerful with positive thoughts. This innocent love story of two teenagers, who become inseparable, shows their bonding through their common interests in books, fears, and heartfelt conversation. But their happiness is doomed as they get separated by death much before time.
Shailene Woodley and Ansel are very convincing as Hazel and Gus respectively. The movie, directed by Josh Boone, pictures a heartwarming story of hope and despair, both at the same time. This may not be your epic love story with a happily ever after but you should definitely witness this beautiful journey of two pure souls.
4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
When it comes to one of the most illusionary love stories, this movie is definitely worth mentioning. A tragedy in which memories are ultimately lost due to self-erasure and direction by Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman. While travelling to New York by train, impulsive extrovert Clementine Kruczynski meets temperamental introvert Joel Barrish and eventually fall in love with each other over the period of two nights.
But soon things are complicated and they separate after two years on a bitter note. Clementine makes an impulsive decision to erase all of Joel’s memories from Lacuna (neurologist). Joel is hurt and decides to do the same with his brain. As he moves back and forth through his memories, he realizes that he still loves Clementine and wants to keep some of her memories.
However, helplessly watches all the things fade along with her face. One might debate the logic behind the story but the tragic ending will make anybody question the fragility of love. The reverse style is used to narrate the story and is interesting to watch. Jim Carrey’s versatility shows as a serious character Joel and Kate Winslet playing Clementine is amazing as usual.
5. Amour (2012)
Amour is not at all a delicate love story to watch as the beginning, where the firemen break into the house, already reveals it’s sad ending. It revolves around an elderly couple, Georges and Anne who are both classical music lovers, music teachers and reside in their beautiful home. When Anne suffers a heart stroke, they start preparing themselves for the hollow journey aftermath.
We see how devotedly a husband takes care of his ailing wife with ongoing visitors. She suffers a second stroke and the situation becomes even worse. It is a raw representation of reality where nothing is sugar-coated as one approach the inevitable end. You might even feel the helplessness and sorrow of the couple as if you are there to witness it. Michael Haneke has crafted a beautiful piece of old age love and natural reality of death. Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva are brilliant with their performances and you should definitely watch this movie.
6. A Star is Born (2018)
A Star is Born is yet another love story with a gut-wrenching tragic ending. This one starring Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine and Lady Gaga as Ally Campana is the fourth version of the film. Jackson is a famous country-rock musician who is already on the verge of self-destruction under booze and drugs.
He first sees Ally at a drag club where she sings a beautiful “La Vi en rose” cover and as they start flirting with each other fall in love. He introduces her to the world and eventually, she becomes a star. Thus the journey of her rising and his decline began and they struggled to keep their love afloat.
Although they still loved each other Jackson realized there is no hope for him and he is bringing her down too. But hoping against hope doesn’t always lead to a happily ever after. Bradley Cooper is a fantastic actor known for showing emotions perfectly has also directed the movie. Lady Gaga adds a very natural and refreshing touch to the movie. One of the best parts is the soulful music and both of them have sung beautifully. A must-watch for all.
7. La La Land (2016)
La La Land is such a vibrant and colorful musical movie with catchy tunes, blazing songs and instrumentals. It will surely make you dance along with the characters. The movie shows how love and dreams affect each other and can ruin the best of the relations. Sebastian, a piano player hoping to open his own Jazz Club meets Mia, an aspiring and struggling actress by chance and falls head over heels in love.
The story is so magical and mesmerizing as we see the couple move through the season. But ambition does come with a high price as people have to sacrifice so much and love is lost in the process. Beautiful Emma Stone and Handsome Ryan Gosling make a dazzling pair. They have great chemistry on screen and the cinematography is brilliant as well. The end is beautiful but heart-breaking. This musical is a must-watch if you love emotional romance and excellent music and dance performances.
8. A Walk to Remember (2002)
Based on Nicolas Spark’s novel, “A walk to remember” is a slow-burn romance movie. The two eighteen-year-olds, Jamie Sullivan and Landon Carter are completely opposite to each other. While Jamie is modest and studious, Landon is popular and rebellious. A stupid bet gets him into trouble and Landon has to attend a community service where he meets Jamie. Thus an innocent love blossoms between the pair.
They help to bring out their best versions. Jamie falls sick and so they decide to get married at the church where her mother got married but death truly moves them apart at the end. Mandy Moore as Jamie and Shane West as Landon make a really adorable pair. It is not just a movie for women as some predict lots of tears flowing but can be enjoyed by all. Its a really beautiful movie to watch.
9. Love, Simon (2018)
The movie may seem like a clique teenage rom-com but is much needed in this new age. Adapted from the popular young adult book “Simon –vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda” by Becky Albertalli, it narrates the coming out of a seventeen-year-old boy as gay. He has not revealed his identity to his family and friends and is extremely desperate and terrified to do so. The love and emotional bonding between Simon and his unidentified love ‘Blue’ are very soul-touching.
Things deteriorate further as fear and manipulation lead to some major chaos and hurt among friends. It would be interesting to observe how Simon’s bewilderment fades and how he comes to terms with who he really is. Nick Robinson as Simon is subtle and adorable. He really portrays the turmoil and sentiments of the character well. The movie supports LGBTQ+ and highlights some extremely convincing and important plots. Everybody should watch the movie for sure.