Valentine's is full of romance, and for some, it is a good time for armchair romance, with a big bag of popcorn. So hit the Hagen Dazs, because here's the AnEVibe recommended list of Romantic Films made in the last decade! 

By: Kindah Mardam Bey 

Valentine's is full of romance, and for some, it is a good time for armchair romance, with a big bag of popcorn. So hit the Hagen Dazs, because here's the AnEVibe recommended list of Romantic Films made in the last decade! 

I've discovered that a few elements are required when speaking the language of love on screen from 1998 to 2008, we are a society of who either likes to live a blissful fantasy world of romance, or we like to have a ‘good cry' when two people fall in love and it can never be. I've also discovered that if you mix and match any of the following actors with these actresses, you are bound to make a successful romantic film; Sandra Bullock, Kate Winslet, Drew Barrymore, Hugh Grant, Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp, Ed Norton. Although we miss the sweeping romances from the previous decades that have brought us fond memories, from Gone With The Wind to Young At Heart to Casablanca, I think you will find a few classics within this collection as well.

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004) - Based on an absurd premise but grounded in real emotion, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind is about a man who wishes to erase his ex-girlfriend from his memory after he finds out she erased him first. Life isn't always that easy as Joel (Jim Carrey) discovers, as he's erasing Clementine (Kate Winslet) from his memory, he's also erasing some of the best parts of his life. Joel starts to fight the memory erasing in a desperate effort to protect what he's discovered he loves most about life...Clementine. A beautifully structured film, which has the story going both backwards and forwards, but always reminding us how precious our memories truly are.

The Lake House (2006) - Some people are meant to make good film romance; Bacall and Bogart, Ryan and Hanks, and Bullock and Reeves. In this French film remake, Alex Wyler (Keanu Reeves) moves into a Lake House and is asked by the previous owner, Kate Forster (Bullock) to forward her mail, the only problem is that she dates her letters 2006 and he dates them 2004. They discover they are somehow two years apart, and as they correspond back and forth, creating an intimate relationship through words, they discover they have a connection that bridges the two year gap. In a plot twist right out of a 1940s classic, Alex of 2004 books a date in 2006 to meet up with Kate at a romantic restaurant, making him wait for two years but Kate just waits until tomorrow. Only, Alex never shows when the day finally arrives and his 2004 self has no answer to give Kate. What would detain him? A lot can happen in two years. This is a really great film, and well worth multiple viewings.

North & South (2004) - Need a Mr. Darcy fix? Watched Mr. Darcy far too many times already (not that Colin Firth looking at Jennifer Ehle at the piano ever gets old)? Still need a decent 19^th Century man? Well I have a solution for you. Meet Northerner John Thornton of the Elizabeth Gaskell classic North & South. Margaret Hale, a feisty southern girl has moved to Britain's industrial Northern city of Milton and her customs are not that of the areas. Mr. Thornton comes off as stern at first (not dissimilar to Mr. Darcy's initial pride) but we are soon to discover that he loves Margaret deeply, but a chance sighting by Mr. Thornton of Margaret bidding farewell to a young man at the train station at night (unattended!) and a dark secret Margaret is unwilling to share, could damage there chances of falling in love. Gaskell's classic works on many levels, it is about class systems, the hardship of the industrial revolution, and missed communications. The novel differs slightly from the film, particularly in regards to the ending, but I would have to admit that the ending of this romance is much better on film than in print. 

The Painted Veil (2006) - Another classic novel brought to film, Somerset Maugham's story of a man and woman who marry first and fall in love later is quite possibly one of the most romantic films on the DVD shelf. Set in the 1920s, Walter (Edward Norton) sees Kitty (Naomi Watts) at a party and is immediately struck by her and after an incredibly brief courtship they are married; but Walter is all practicality and Kitty is frivolous and spoiled. Walter moves Kitty from England to China where he does research. Quickly bored, Kitty dives into a love affair with a married man. When Walter discovers the infidelity he makes her choose between a public disgraceful divorce and moving to the cholera stricken interior of China where he has requested a transfer as a virtual suicide mission. She refuses both options and in a cruel turn Walter tells her she can have a quiet divorce if her lover agrees to leave his wife. Kitty returns embittered to Walter after speaking with her paramour and moves to the China interior. It is a cruel setup, but as Kitty learns to grow up, she understands Walter's complexities and how she almost let the best man she would ever find slip between her fingers, but now she must find a way to regain his trust. This is a beautiful film that will make you want to read the novel as well as soon as the end credits of the film role.  

The Notebook (2004) - A film about a romance that induces a real-life romance has to be considered one of the best in the last decade! Rachel McAdams and real-life beau Ryan Gosling fell in love with each other on the set of The Notebook, and play Allie Hamilton and Noah Calhoun, two people from different walks of life who meet at a carnival in the 1940s and spend the next bulk of years fighting for love or hiding from it. The story of this couple is relayed back from an elderly man to his wife via a notebook. Also derived from a novel, Nicholas Sparks story sounds like a straight boy meets girl scenario, which it is, and does not shy away from being a sentimental romance; but something is truly captivating about this film. Bring out the hankies for this one!

Finding Neverland (2004) - Instead of a film based on a book, Finding Neverland is a film about an author; J.M. Barrie of Peter Pan fame. In a much disputed take on the past, Finding Neverland explores the relationship between J.M Barrie (Johnny Depp) and a widowed woman, Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet), with a family of four young boys. Barrie is portrayed as a playmate to the children and a confident to Sylvia. One of the four boys is Peter, who will eventually be the inspiration for Peter Pan, but when the film takes place, we see a disillusioned young boy who has lost his father and it is up to Barrie to help the boy remember how to live again inside the world of imagination. The story is an untraditional romance, but has the essence of heart on every level. It is beautifully directed (Marc Forster) and effortlessly merges reality with the imagination of Barrie's Neverland. Not only that, who was the complete genius to match Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet in a romantic film together?   

Love Actually (2003) - This would appear to be the two part section of the Hugh Grant/Colin Firth ‘make great leading men' part of the recommended Romantic Films list, as both Love Actually and Bridget Jones' Diary have both men playing romantic lead. Love Actually is a mega-cast of actors (Emma Thompson, Hugh & Colin, Liam Neeson, Kiera Knightley, Laura Linney, Alan Rickman, to name a few) who portray a sequence of stories about relationships and love that all culminate in the end to one romantic sequence of events. From the brain-child of Richard Curtis (Four Weddings & A Funeral, Notting Hill), who manages to balance love and humour beautifully, Love Actually is a delightful film to watch as it is both inspiring and poetic. 

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) - Based on the best-selling novel by Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary is about a woman who is a complete mess, living in London and trying her absolute best to change her current circumstances of being single, change an uninspiring job, and drinking too much in her PJ's while singing ‘All By Myself,' in her infinitely small flat. Face it, most women (the one's who didn't stand long enough in the ‘model' line-up, but slipped over to the ‘brains' line-up temporarily when being born) have all lived the fate of Bridget at one point or another. No matter how hard Bridget tries, she just seems to always make a mess of things. Yet, despite all of Bridget's hardships, she manages to date a complete playboy (Hugh Grant) and in typical Pride & Prejudice fashion, fall in love with Mr. Darcy...who is played by Colin Firth...but whose name is Mark Darcy in this (tongue-in-cheek anyone?). Anyways, if you are bound to commiserate and hope for the completely fantastical story ending, you might want to watch Bridget Jones's Diary, followed up with Bridget Jones's Diary: The Edge Of Reason this Valentines, followed up with a little ‘All By Myself` directly afterwards.

Something's Gotta Give (2003) - Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton are wonderful together playing complete opposites, who despite his desire to skirt chase substantially younger women and her desire to remain single as relationships are far too complicated, they end up having a romantic interlude. Screenwriter Nancy Meyers (The Holiday) weaves a hilarious romantic comedy that welcomes Nicholson and Keaton`s quirky personalities into the plotline. Keanu Reeves makes a delightful guest spot as a young doctor with a heart intended on the `sophisticated` Diane Keaton character. Something's Gotta Give is a great film about grown-ups finding romance, and in a day and age where society is so youth-obsessed, this film is welcomed for those who are not.

Ever After (1998) - What would romance be without Cinderella? Ever After is a charming remake of the age old story of a kind hearted young woman who is downcast by her wicked step-mother and yet through a sequence of magical events, captures the Prince's heart in the end. Drew Barrymore is the perfect Cinderella (called Danielle in this version) as she shows she is both feisty and yet always seeking to please those around her. Dougray Scott plays Prince charming well, but it is Angelica Huston who captures the story as the wicked and self-indulgent step-mother. Leonardo Da Vinci lays a claim to this rendition and the sweeping landscape of the Loire Valley in France is perhaps the most fairytale inducing part of the world. Perhaps the greatest difference between this Cinderella and any other is that the Prince falls in love with her for beliefs, and values as opposed to her stunning debut as the mystery girl at the grand ball. 

As if the above list won't keep you busy enough this Valentine's, here is a list of Romantic films that didn't quite make the cut, but still have a respectable amount of romance in them:

Practical Magic (1998)

Away From Her (2006)

Sweet November (2001)

Music & Lyrics (2007)

Moulin Rouge (2001)

Notting Hill (1999)

Never Been Kissed (1999)

Down With Love (2003)

Two Weeks Notice (2002)

Kate & Leopold (2001)

The Illusionist (2006)

Shakespeare In Love (1998)

Message In A Bottle (1999)