Looking for a nice romance to curl up with on a cold winter evening? Check out these movies on Netflix; some were box office hits, but a few will probably be new to you.
P.S. I Love You (2007)
Rating: PG-13
Holly (Hilary Swank) struggles with the death of her husband Gerry (Gerard Butler) until she begins receiving meaningful messages from him arranged before his death. Each message ends with “P.S. I love you.” Over time, the messages help her move on to a new life. Critics were not kind to this movie, but its message of hope in the midst of sorrow is one we all need to affirm from time to time.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Rating: NR
In this Netflix original movie, Lana Condor plays a teenage girl who writes letters she never intends to send to the boys she has had crushes on. When the letters are actually mailed, her life it turned upside down.
This Is Not What I Expected (2017)
Rating: NR
If you’re a foodie, or if you like international films, take a look at This Is Not What I Expected, a 2017 film out of China. It tells the story of Gu Shengnan (Zhou Dongyu), a sou chef in a hotel restaurant who creates the perfect meal and wins the attention of Lu Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro), a wealthy hotel executive. The film is in Mandarin with subtitles, but 86 percent of the audience members on Rotten Tomatoes liked it, and the critics gave it a 71.
Atonement (2007)
Rating: R
Based on a novel by Ian McEwan, this critically acclaimed film begins in 1935 in England. A jealous young girl, Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan), accuses her older sister’s boyfriend, Robbie Turner (James McAvoy), of a crime he didn’t commit. (Keira Knightley plays the older sister Cecilia.) All three lives are changed forever. Critics praised the performances, the cinematography and the musical score.
The Spectacular Now (2013)
Rating: R
Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) is a high school senior with a “spectacular now” and no thought for the future. His perspective on life is challenged when he meets and falls in love with Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley), a “nice girl” with dreams. The Spectacular Now received critical acclaim at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes liked it as well (76 percent rating).
Drinking Buddies (2013)
Rating: R
In case you’re unfamiliar with it, mumblecore is a style of low-budget film that typically uses nonprofessional actors and naturalistic or improvised performances. Drinking Buddies is a mumblecore film that tells the story of Luke and Kate (Jake Johnson and Olivia Wilde), coworkers at a brewery who decide to take a weekend road trip with their significant others. (Ron Livingston of Office Space fame is Kate’s boyfriend.) Critics loved the movie, but audiences were ambivalent.
Love Actually (2003)
Rating: R
Directed by Richard Curtis, Love Actually features an ensemble cast that includes Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Keira Knightley and Alan Rickman. Set in London, it tells five different stories of people seeking love at Christmas.
Set It Up (2018)
Rating: NR
Another Netflix original, Set It Up is a romantic comedy about two overworked assistants who decide their lives would be less stressed if their bosses were more focused on their love lives and less focused on work – so they set them up. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie got a 90 percent rating from critics and a 69 percent rating from the audience.
