Romance: 132

Ridley Scott directed and produced the romantic comedy-drama film, A Good Year (2006). Max Skinner’s parents passed away when he was young, and he spent his summer holidays at his Uncle Henry’s vineyard estate in Provence, France. Now, twenty-five years later, Max is a successful but arrogant trader in London. He inherits his uncle’s property after his passing and travels to Provence with plans to sell it quickly. Unfortunately, while driving and using his cell phone, he accidentally causes an accident involving Fanny Chenal, a local café owner. As if that wasn’t enough trouble, Max’s ...

In the film Paris, I love you (2006), 20 different filmmakers each capture five-minute moments in the magical City of Love. These moments are linked together through transitional interstitial sequences and an introduction and epilogue. The transitions smoothly connect the previous film’s ending shot to the following film’s beginning shot, creating a continuous flow and building anticipation for what comes next. Through this technique, we witness the vibrant life of Paris through a recurring mysterious character and a common theme of love that ties all 20 segments together. 01. Tuileries (

A romantic comedy-drama, A Lot like Love (2005) follows the story of Emily Friehl and Oliver Martin through various pivotal moments in their lives. Beginning seven years in the past and progressing to the present, their first encounter takes place on a flight from Los Angeles to New York City. Despite Emily’s spontaneous actions, they part ways without exchanging contact information. However, fate brings them together again in the city where they spend time exploring and taking photos with Oliver’s camera. As they get to know each other, Oliver shares his plans of becoming an Internet entrepreneur and gives Emily his mother’s phone number, suggesting ...

Barefoot (2005) is a romantic comedy film by German actor and director Til Schweiger. The protagonist, Nick Keller, leads a chaotic life, constantly moving from one temporary job to the next. He also faces challenges with his wealthy stepfather, Heinrich, and his brother Viktor. When he is abruptly let go from his role as a cleaner in a psychiatric clinic, he meets Leila, a patient who was about to end her life before Nick intervened. However, Leila’s background is just as tumultuous – she spent the first nineteen years of her life isolated at home under her mother’s control. After her mother’s ...

The American film Closer (2004), directed and produced by Mike Nichols and written by Patrick Marber, is based on his award-winning 1997 play of the same title. In London one busy morning, writer Dan Woolf encounters a striking American woman who has been hit by a car due to unfamiliarity with driving on the opposite side of the road in England. On their way back from the hospital, they take a detour to Postman’s Park. Dan learns her name is Alice Ayres and they begin a romantic relationship. One year later, Dan writes a novel inspired by Alice’s life. While ...

The anthology film, Eros (2004), showcase three distinct segments: The Hand, directed by Wong Kar-wai in Mandarin, Equilibrium by Steven Soderbergh in English, and The Dangerous Thread of Things by Michelangelo Antonioni in Italian. All three segments explore the themes of love and sex. The Hand (Wong Kar-Wai). During his visit to Miss Hua, a prestigious call girl from the 1960s, timid ...

Woody Allen wrote and directed the American comedy film, Melinda and Melinda (2004), which first premiered at the San Sebastian International Film Festival in 2004. During a dinner conversation, four writers debate the nature of life – is it inherently comedic or tragic? One writer shares a true incident he heard about a woman named Melinda who causes chaos at a couple’s dinner party, leading to affairs and a suicide attempt. As two playwrights in the group tell their versions of the story, one focuses on humor while the other takes a darker approach. In the latter version, Melinda stays with her friends Lee ...

50 First Dates (2004) is a romantic comedy directed by Peter Segal. The movie follows Henry Roth, a marine veterinarian at Sea Life Park Hawaii on Oahu, who has a unique dating approach – he only dates tourists to avoid getting too serious. Henry’s circle of friends includes Ula, an Islander who loves smoking marijuana; Alexa, his androgynous assistant; Willy, his beloved pet African penguin; and Jocko, the friendly park walrus. One day, while waiting for the Coast Guard at the Hukilau Café after his boat breaks down, Henry meets Lucy Whitmore, an art teacher who is making architectural art with her waffles. ...

If Only (2004) is a romantic fantasy drama film directed by Gil Junger and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt and Paaul Nicholls. Ian Wyndham is a British businessman living in London with his American musician girlfriend, Samantha Andrews. The movie follows them throughout a day filled with various mishaps – from Samantha getting burned on a kettle, to Ian’s watch breaking, to Coca-Cola staining Samantha’s clothes, and Ian struggling to focus during an important work meeting due to interruptions from Samantha. ...

Nick Cassavetes directed a romantic drama film called The Notebook (2004). At a nursing home, an old man named Duke reads a love story from a notebook to a female patient. The story takes place in 1940 at a carnival on Seabrook Island in South Carolina. A lumber mill worker named Noah Calhoun meets 17-year-old heiress Allison ‘Allie’ Hamilton and they fall in love. Despite the initial approval from Noah’s father Frank Calhoun, Allie’s parents disapprove of their relationship. One night, Noah takes Allie to an abandoned plantation and promises to restore it for them to live in. However, their ...

Fear and Trembling (2003) is a French film adapted from Amélie Nothomb’s novel of the same name. The story follows Amélie, a young Belgian woman who spent her childhood in Japan, as she returns to live and assimilate into Japanese society. Despite her determination to fully embrace the culture and become a ‘real Japanese’ before her one year contract expires, her strong will clashes with the humble nature of Japanese society. She secures a prestigious role as a translator at an import/export company, but her lack of understanding of Japanese customs and unsuitable work assignments lead to demotions ...

The O.C. (2003–2007) is an American teen drama series that aired on Fox from August 2003 to February 2007, spanning four seasons. The show is named after Orange County, California, where it takes place. It follows the journey of Ryan Atwood, a troubled youth from a broken home who finds a new family in wealthy couple Sandy and Kirsten Cohen. With his socially awkward but witty adoptive brother Seth by his side, Ryan navigates life as an outsider in affluent Newport Beach. Along the way, they encounter Marissa Cooper, Seth’s lifelong crush Summer Roberts, and fierce loner Taylor Townsend. The series explores the clash between the idealistic Cohen family and their ...

Buddy (2003) is a Norwegian film directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Lars Gudmestad. The film features music composed by Lars Lillo-Stenberg from the band DeLillos. It was met with positive reviews and received two Amanda Awards in 2004. The main character, Kristoffer, is a 24-year-old billboard hanger with a carefree attitude. However, his life takes a turn when his girlfriend Elisabeth breaks up with him for her boss at the trend bureau. He begins to feel like a failure. By chance, some of Kristoffer’s video ...

Love Me If You Dare (2003) is a French romantic comedy-drama film directed by Yann Samuell. The story follows the unlikely friendship between Sophie, a young girl being bullied, and Julien, a kind-hearted boy. After helping her retrieve her belongings from bullies, Julien gives Sophie a tin box as a token of their newfound bond. In return, he asks to borrow it back occasionally, which she agrees to. However, when Julien requests the box back immediately after giving it to her, Sophie challenges him to prove its significance. Without hesitation, Julien disengages the bus handbrake and their game begins – with each ...

Starring Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi, Heaven (2002) is a romantic thriller film directed by Tom Tykwer. Co-screenwriter Krzysztof Kieślowski intended it to be the first part of a trilogy, but unfortunately passed away before its completion. This Italian-set film begins with a prologue showing Filippo, a young Carabinieri clerk, learning to fly a helicopter using a simulator. After crashing due to his overly ambitious ascents, his instructor warns him against excessive ...

The Third Wheel (2002), an American romantic comedy film directed by Jordan Brady, follows Stanley as he finally musters up the courage to ask out his co-worker, Diana Evans. In the meantime, their fellow office mates, including Michael, start an office pool to bet on how their first date will go. One of their colleagues even spies on them during the evening. However, things take a turn when Stanley accidentally hits a homeless man named Phil with his car while leaving their initial location. Instead of the romantic night planned, Stanley ends up offering to pay for Phil’s broken items and even takes him to the ...

The American coming-of-age romantic drama film, A Walk to Remember (2002), directed by Adam Shankman and written by Karen Janszen, is based on Nicholas Sparks’ novel of the same name. In North Carolina, teenager Landon Carter and his friends get caught drinking underage at school and injure a fellow student in a prank. As a consequence, the principal gives Landon an ultimatum: either be expelled or participate in tutoring and the school play. During these activities, Landon finally notices Jamie Sullivan – the ...

Amélie (2001) is a French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The titular character is born in 1974 and raised by eccentric parents who, believing she has a heart defect, choose to homeschool her. To combat her isolation, Amélie develops a vivid imagination and mischievous nature. Tragically, her mother Amandine is killed when a suicidal tourist jumps from Notre-Dame de Paris. As a result, Amélie’s father Raphaël retreats further into seclusion. At the age of 18, Amélie leaves home and starts working as a waitress at the Café des 2 Moulins in Montmartre – a haven for an eclectic ...

Sweet November (2001), the film directed by Pat O’Connor and set in San Francisco, tells the story of Nelson Moss, a hardworking advertising executive. One day, he meets Sara Deever, a woman unlike anyone he has ever met. When she cheats on her driving test and he tries to confront her, she charms him with her request for him to spend a month with her, promising to change his life for the better. On the first night of November, after Nelson is fired and dumped on the same day, they sleep together. The next day, Sara’s close friend Chaz arrives and refers to Nelson as ‘November’. As they spend ...

Bounce (2000) is an American romantic drama film starring Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow, directed by Don Roos. In Chicago’s O’Hare airport, advertising executive Buddy Amaral finds himself delayed by a snow storm on his return flight to Los Angeles. Coincidentally, it happens to be the same airline that Buddy just signed as a big client. During this time, he crosses paths with writer Greg Janello. When boarding for his flight eventually begins, Buddy selflessly gives his ticket to Greg so that he can make it ...