SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

I would put this 2012 movie on this list just for the ending. There are plenty of other high chemistry moments between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence throughout this 122 minute David O. Russell masterpiece, but the ending is all goosebumps and Tobey Maguire tears for me.

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

It doesn’t matter what your sexual orientation is, this movie tugs at the heartstrings and makes us remember all the summer flings we had back in high school. The sheer joy and the volatile rush of an unexpected love, followed by the crushing despair and unrelenting sadness of the breakup that sat on the horizon, like death itself, waving its malevolent little hand. The scene between Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and his dad (Michael Stuhlbarg) is pure poetry and makes me cry every time.

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE

Who doesn’t love SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE? I think enjoying this Nora Ephron romance/comedy is required for entrance into the afterlife. From the chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, to the soundtrack chock full of Jimmy Durante, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong and Harry Connick Jr., to the “have you seen FATAL ATTRACTION?” and “a million tiny things” scene, I can’t think of a more smile-inducing, heartwarming flick for Valentine’s Day that everyone will love.

WHEN HARRY MET SALLY

Remember what I said about SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE? Well the same applies with WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. And surprise, surprise – Nora Ephron was the inspired scribe behind this 1989 classic. It might be 30 years-old, but the lessons still apply. And like SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, you can’t beat that last scene.

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

Ang Lee’s 2005 romance is so breathtakingly beautiful, so vivid and so well-acted you can almost smell the crisp mountain air of the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming (which, in actuality, was Alberta, Canada). Heath Ledger’s brilliant performance, coupled with Gustavo Santaolalla’s achingly beautiful score, reminds us love is unpredictable, imperfect and sometimes love leaves scars. The final scene, as Ledger – living alone in a rundown mobile home, watches his recently engaged daughter drive away, chokes me up every time.

WEDDING CRASHERS

This might be a strange pick, but this 2005 comedy isn’t just motorboatin’ and shut-your-mouth-when-you’re-talking-to-me hilarity. Nope, there are actual true blue tender moments – the beach scene with Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams comes to mind – and it gives one of the funniest comedies of the 2000s a nice mix of sweet and salty. I especially love the scene where McAdams and Wilson are awake and thinking about each other. Is there any better feeling in the world when that spark of love ignites and you can’t stop thinking about your special someone? Add in a little Coldplay and you just might wake up your cold, dead heart from hibernation.

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT

Here’s two things I know for certain: Rob Reiner has made some fine films during his career (A FEW GOOD MEN and WHEN HARRY MET SALLY come to mind) and Aaron Sorkin is one of the finest screenwriters of all-time (if you haven’t seen STEVE JOBS you must correct this forthwith). I also know 1995’s THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT is charming, funny and reminds viewers of a time when politics wasn’t tweeting and grabbing cats. I especially love the state dinner scene when Michael Douglas asks Annette Benning to dance and, as Marc Shaiman’s beautiful “I Have Dreamed” plays in the background, Douglas – with his trademark grin, finishes the scene with “because she said yes.” Can we write him in this November?

LA LA LAND

If you’ve listened to one minute of the KVNU Movie Show in the last three years, you know I absolutely adore LA LA LAND. The entire picture is utterly spellbinding. And while some would argue LA LA LAND doesn’t have a happy ending, I would disagree. Lovebirds don’t have to ride into the sunset holding hands for a movie to be romantic. Part of love is loss. LA LA LAND stirs us to a remembrance of our hopes and dreams, and our loves gained and lost. The scene at Griffith Observatory planetarium makes me smile and get goosebumps every time without fail.

CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE

I missed this when it hit theaters in 2011, but was completely smitten when I caught in on Blu-ray later in the year. My cheeks hurt from laughing and smiling so much at the banter between Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell. Sometimes the most astute movies about life, love and relationships – especially in this era of iPhones, texting and social media – are the ones who teach us through humor. The final scene, when all the puzzle pieces drop, is one for the ages.

PRIDE & PREJUDICE

I can’t believe I’m plopping a British period romance on my list of love, but I can’t help it – this movie, like so many others on this list, has it all: acting, score, cinematography and writing (thanks Jane Austen!) to name the most obvious home runs in Joe Wright’s first feature film. Watching Matthew Macfadyen stride through a foggy English field (can I get another amen for Dario Marianelli’s elegant score) to tell Keira Knightley that she has “bewitched [him] both body and soul” is the stuff of magic.

So, movie fans, what did I miss? Leave your favorites in the comments.