Recently, our niece (who is so much cooler than we are!) introduced us to Laufey, most notably her song “Like the Movies.” Of course, we immediately fell in love with her vintage, cozy vibe as an artist. She’s also an identical twin (like us), so bonus points!
But as we listened to Laufey’s song, “Like the Movies,” we couldn’t help but think of movies that match that nostalgic, romantic vibe.
You know, romantic films that feel like falling in love when you watch them. Your heart skips a beat. You get butterflies in your stomach. And it just has that feeling of magic you can’t quite put your finger on (but you know it when you see it).
The song reminds us of that quote from Sleepless in Seattle:
You don’t want to be in love, you want to be in love in a movie!
Well, these movies we’ve chosen will remind you to believe in love again (even if some stories are tragic) because they are just like magic.
(Note: The movies have been organized by style, so you can find just the right movie for your current mood!)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIKE THE MOVIES: 35 FILMS THAT FEEL LIKE FALLING IN LOVE
CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD
Here you’ll discover movies that share Laufey’s vintage jazz aesthetic. Think Old Hollywood epic romances, classic rom-coms with bookish or witty vibes, cozy romantic scenes in the rain, and emotional musical scores.
An Affair to Remember (1957)
“Now those were the days when people knew how to be in love!” — Sleepless in Seattle (About An Affair to Remember)
Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr star in this beautiful romance movie about two people who fall in love and decide to meet six months later at the top of the Empire State Building. But fate has other plans.
RELATED: Top 50 Classic Romances in Film that will make you Swoon!
When everything seems hopeless, movies like this one remind us that happy endings are possible. Time, distance, and tragedy can’t keep these two apart. And that painting! Sigh. Make sure to bring tissues for the ending.
Casablanca (1942)
You must remember this.
A kiss is still a kiss.
A sigh is just a sigh.
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by
Casablanca may be the most iconic romance movie of all time, set amid the backdrop of WWII Morocco and smoky jazz clubs. The moment Rick and Ilsa part ways and Humphrey Bogart says, “Here’s looking at you, kid,” is pure movie magic nostalgia.
It’s the sort of romantic story that stays with you forever – even if it is bittersweet. She does end up with the other guy, after all. However, the ending proves that sometimes loving someone means letting them go, which makes it even more romantic. Besides, they’ll always have Paris.
Funny Face (1957)
This list wouldn’t be complete without Audrey Hepburn! Plus, books, Paris, jazz, what more could you ask for? When a bookstore clerk gets discovered, she’s soon swept off to Paris to become a fashion model, where she develops a romance with an older photographer – aka Fred Astaire.
The enchanting film is dreamy, sophisticated, and full of beautiful photography. This one’s for all the book and fashion lovers!
It Happened One Night (1934)
Sometimes the best love stories begin with two people who can’t stand each other. Frank Capra directed this rom-com masterpiece about a reporter and a runaway heiress that every romantic should see. It’s screwball comedy gold with genuine heart and wit.
It’s also famous for being one of the first romantic comedy films and is quintessential and influential to the genre. It has witty dialogue, an enemies-to-lovers trope done perfectly, invented the romantic road-trip genre, and has gorgeous leads, with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert starring.
Now, Voyager (1942)
Bette Davis gives an iconic performance as the repressed Charlotte Vale, who transforms into a confident, independent woman after therapy and a forbidden love affair. Have cigarettes ever been more romantic than when Paul Henreid lights two cigarettes and hands her one?
When we first watched the movie (and every time since), our hearts absolutely stopped. This is Old Hollywood romance at its most cinematic and quotable: “Don’t let’s ask for the moon, we have the stars.”
Roman Holiday (1953)
Okay, so we felt this list needed two Audrey Hepburn movies! In Roman Holiday, Audrey Hepburn (Princess Ann) escapes royal duty for one idyllic day in Rome and falls in love with Gregory Peck (Joe Bradley), an American newsman.
Every moment in the film is memorable, from the Vespa ride through Cobblestone streets and the Mouth of Truth to the press conference at the end. Can you fall in love in a day? Well, this movie, directed by William Wyler, will make you believe it’s possible.
RELATED: La Bella Vita: Exploring Italy Through Classic Cinema & Romantic Period Dramas
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Two feuding co-workers in a gift shop don’t realize they’re also secret pen pals falling in love through anonymous letters. Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan have amazing chemistry, and the moment he discovers who she really is is so beautiful! This film tells the same story as You’ve Got Mail (based on the play, Parfumerie by Miklós László) and shows how sweet it is to fall in love with someone’s heart before their looks.
Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
The image of Gene Kelly literally singing and dancing in the rain is forever imprinted on our brains! And the romance between Kelly and Debbie Reynolds captures pure romantic joy. Every scene and musical number has just the right amount of Old Hollywood magic (and even takes place in 1920s Hollywood). After watching this movie, you’ll want to dance in the streets – even when it’s raining!
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
While this movie doesn’t have a fairytale happy ending, the beautiful colors and romantic style of the film will win over cinema and romantic lovers everywhere with its pastel-colored dream of young love in 1960s France. Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo’s onscreen romance shows the beauty of first love and is set to a gorgeous score. A truly unforgettable cinematic musical experience.
PERIOD PIECES
There’s nothing more swoony than romantic period dramas featuring old-fashioned courtship, fairytale endings, longing stares, intelligent women, and Romantic heroes.
Becoming Jane (2007)
Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy portray Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy in this period romance full of witty banter, longing glances, and a dance sequence that will literally stop your heart! We can’t count how many times we have rewound and watched that scene.
The love story is inspired by the real-life romance between Austen and Lefroy, but it’s guesswork, as not much is actually known about what happened. Still, the film (much inspired by Pride and Prejudice) is gorgeous on its own merits, despite its sad ending.
Becoming Jane is for everyone who’s ever wanted to fall in love with someone who is a cerebral match to you and understands your art.
Belle (2013)
Gugu Mbatha-Raw is wonderful as Dido Elizabeth Belle, the mixed-race daughter of a Royal Navy Captain in this Georgian period romance based on a true story. The underrated film balances social justice themes with a genuine romance between Belle and an idealistic young lawyer.
Ultimately, this is a love story about being seen as your authentic self and valued for exactly who you are, which is quite romantic.
RELATED: Belle Film Review
Brooklyn (2015)
Saoirse Ronan gives a terrific performance as Eilis, an Irish immigrant in 1950s New York, torn between two countries. In Brooklyn, she finds love with Tony (Emory Cohen) in what is a deeply romantic, old-fashioned love story.
The awkward spaghetti dinner with his Italian family, the slow dancing, the sweet way he looks at her, it’s all so lovely but believable. Brooklyn is a movie full of heart and authenticity with the perfect ending.
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008)
Miss Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) is an out-of-luck governess who’s been fired from her job. She soon stumbles into a day in the life of the glamorous actress and singer, Delysia (Amy Adams).
The period rom-com is a Jazz Age confection full of fun costumes, an unlikely Cinderella-inspired romance with Ciarán Hinds, screwball comedy elements, and a vintage aesthetic. It’s a hidden gem that is funny, sweet, romantic, charming, and, at times, poignant as WWII looms in the distance.
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
The hand flex. The rain-soaked first proposal full of Romanticism. The misty dawn where Mr. Darcy appears swoonily in the distance and then says, “You have bewitched me, body and soul.”
Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen’s chemistry sizzles onscreen, and Joe Wright’s film is a gorgeous example of filmmaking, with beautiful shots of the English countryside, longing stares, and restrained passion. Not to mention that breathtaking musical score. This Regency romance adaptation of Jane Austen’s famous novel never gets old.
A Room with a View (1985)
The Merchant/Ivory period dramas of the 80s and 90s were a movement that elevated period drama (at least in the eyes of critics) to the level of cinematic art. And A Room with a View was the one that really started it all. Lucy Honeychurch’s Edwardian repression begins to crumble when she meets the impassioned George Emerson in Florence, and watching her come to life and fall in love is simply beautiful.
Nothing was more memorable, however, than the out-of-nowhere (but heart-fluttering!) kiss between Lucy and George in the idyllic Italian meadow. The film made Helena Bonham Carter a star, and it has an all-star cast, including Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Julian Sands, Daniel Day-Lewis, and more. Plus, it’s visually stunning!
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Emma Thompson’s Oscar-winning screenplay brings Austen’s novel to life with wit, deep emotion, and three-dimensional characters. Ang Lee directed this piece of period drama perfection, with Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Thompson, and Alan Rickman giving performances that are impossible to beat, making every expression feel loaded with meaning.
When Colonel Brandon carries Marianne in the rain, when Edward finally confesses his feelings (and Elinor breaks into sobs), these moments break your heart but also lift your spirit. It’s a tender, intelligent film not to be missed.
RELATED: Sense and Sensibility (1995): The Gold Standard of Austen Adaptations
Titanic (1997)
Okay, yes, the ship sinks, but the romance between Rose and Jack (aka Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio) is so sweeping and epic that it will make you fall in love with romantic period epics, which there should definitely be a whole lot more of in Hollywood.
Consider Jack rescuing Rose, their gorgeous sunset kiss at the ship’s bow, their dancing in third class, and their staying together until the end; these moments are pure cinematic magic. And confession time, when we were kids, we saw Titanic in the theater 7 times!
MODERN ROMANTIC
If you want to believe in falling in love like in the movies in modern day, this is the section for you! These are magical romantic movies with contemporary settings.
About Time (2013)
Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers he can time-travel and uses it to win over Mary (Rachel McAdams) while also discovering the true meaning of love, family, ordinary life, and time.
Richard Curtis directs this heartwarming film in which time travel helps Tim learn to appreciate every small, precious moment with the people he loves. It’s funny, devastating, and ultimately about how every day is extraordinary, even without magic. Oh, and Bill Nighy as the dad is simply sublime.
Content Note: Rated R
RELATED: About Time Film Review: A Love Letter To Life
Amélie (2001)
Audrey Tautou plays a shy Parisian waitress who tries to orchestrate happiness for others while secretly falling for a quirky photo booth collector herself. The French romance movie is whimsical and magical with a memorable score, dreamy cinematography of Paris, and an enchanting, imaginative story. It’s like watching a storybook come to life. Plus, it’s refreshing to watch a lovable, shy female character onscreen find true love.
Content Note: Rated R
Austenland (2013)
If you’ve ever dreamed of what it would be like to fall in love in a movie, look no further than Austenland! Keri Russell plays a woman so obsessed with the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy that she uses her savings to attend the Jane Austen Experience in England, and it’s both hilarious and swoony.
JJ Field as the reluctant love interest is perfectly Darcy-esque, and all the supporting characters are just as flawlessly cast (including the hilarious scene-stealer, Jennifer Coolidge). This movie is for everyone who’s ever wanted their own Mr. Darcy and isn’t ashamed to admit it.
Before Trilogy (1995; 2004; 2013)
Ethan Hawke (Jesse) and Julie Delpy (Céline) meet on a train to Vienna and spend one night walking, talking, and falling in love. Then the sequels check in on the couple 9 and 18 years later.
These gorgeous, intimate films are all conversation and connection, capturing what it feels like to meet someone and feel like you’ve known them forever. The cerebral discussions, the bookish feel, the listening booth in the record store, the walking and talking under the stars, it’s all just so perfectly romantic.
Content Note: Rated R
The Bodyguard (1992)
Frank Farmer (Kevin Costner) is a former Secret Service agent who becomes Rachel Marron’s (Whitney Houston) bodyguard, a difficult superstar singer and actress. What follows is a forbidden, steamy romance set against a backdrop of danger and action, making every viewer want a bodyguard of their own!
The lake house scene, the slow dancing, the rescues, the way he “gazes” at her from the wings, it’s all pretty passionate. And then there’s the ending that pays homage to Casablanca. The epic kiss edited to “I Will Always Love You” is simply unforgettable.
Content Note: Rated R
RELATED: The Bodyguard Review – The Classic Romance Movie is Still Full of Charm
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Crazy Rich Asians helped bring romantic comedies back into mainstream popularity. The modern-day Cinderella romance follows New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend, Nick Young’s (Henry Golding) ultra-wealthy family.
With its all-star cast, funny script, lavish sequences (including that gorgeous wedding scene), and romantic moments, you can’t go wrong when you’re looking for something joyful to watch.
Kate & Leopold (2001)
Hugh Jackman plays a time-traveling English Duke from the 19th century who lands in modern-day New York and sweeps Meg Ryan off her feet with his old-fashioned courtship style while also treating her like an equal.
He writes her handwritten notes in calligraphy, quotes poetry, and treats romance like an artform. Kate & Leopold is the ultimate romantic movie fantasy for everyone who believes in grand gestures and chivalry. Old-fashioned romance done right never goes out of style.
La La Land (2016)
The Oscar-winning romantic musical film has Laufey vibes throughout. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are dreamers in Hollywood, falling in love as they pursue their artistic ambitions. While the ending is bittersweet, the movie itself is still beautiful. The musical numbers, the Griffith Observatory dance among the stars, and the film’s bold color palette only enhance the stunning visuals and romantic style.
The Lake House (2006)
Kate Forster (Sandra Bullock), a lonely doctor, and Alex Wyler (Keanu Reeves), an architect, fall in love through letters sent across time via a magical mailbox. She’s in 2006, while he’s in 2004. But can they solve the mystery and find a way to be together?
The movie romance pays homage to Jane Austen’s Persuasion and focuses on longing, waiting, and finding the faith to believe that, somehow, love will find a way across any distance. And that dance sequence? And their chemistry? SIGH.
Notting Hill (1999)
“I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her” is one of the most romantic lines in modern cinema. Anna Scott (Julia Roberts), a movie star, falls for William Thacker (Hugh Grant), a bookshop owner in Notting Hill, despite the two coming from very different worlds.
This is a contemporary fairy tale, complete with quirky friends, a witty script from Richard Curtis, memorable performances, and the perfect rom-com ending.
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
Ah, the movie that inspired this article! Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan onscreen together are absolute movie magic. And while they barely share screen time until the final scene, their connection still feels authentic.
The Empire State Building finale, the callbacks to An Affair to Remember, and the belief that some people are just meant to find each other are swoonworthy stuff. Nora Ephron’s signature movie style shines through in a film that ultimately believes in movie love, making it a perfect match to Laufey’s song.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Nora Ephron and Rob Reiner perfected the best-friends-to-lovers trope with When Harry Met Sally, a story that follows Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as friends who have feelings for each other but are afraid of ruining their friendship.
The iconic film has all the fall vibes, vintage feel, and clever Ephron-esque dialogue, making it a nostalgic, inviting watch. And who can forget the “I love that you get cold when it’s 71 degrees out” speech? So so good. Sometimes your best friend really is your soulmate.
Content Note: Rated R
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Lucy (Sandra Bullock) is a lonely transit worker who accidentally gets mistaken for the fiancée of a man in a coma (Peter Gallagher), then falls for his brother, Jack (Bill Pullman), instead. The Christmas-in-Chicago setting, the warm family sequences, the slow-burn romance showcasing real love versus a crush, it’s all so cozy and heartwarming. And Sandra Bullock is at her most lovable here.
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and also a retelling of The Shop Around the Corner and Parfumerie, You’ve Got Mail is about as cozy, bookish, and perfect as a rom-com can get. Autumn (and later Christmas) in New York, a bookstore owner, and anonymous emails that slowly turn into love, this is the ultimate comfort romance film.
The moment Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) says, “Don’t cry, Shopgirl,” while Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) realizes the truth (the movie soundtrack playing a version of “Over the Rainbow”)? Pure butterflies (and a golden retriever, too!) You’ve Got Mail is an excellent example of enemies-to-lovers and is a clever, iconic romantic comedy that can be watched again and again.
MAGICAL/FAIRYTALE
Here, you’ll find literal storybook romances!
Ever After (1998)
Drew Barrymore’s Cinderella (named Danielle) is a Renaissance intellectual who not only can save herself, but Prince Henry (Dougray Scott), too! In what we think is the best version of the tale, the Brothers Grimm are told the “true” story of the Cinderella legend by an elegant, elderly Grande Dame.
From the ball scene where Danielle descends the stairs wearing those beautiful angel wings, the way the prince falls for her mind before beauty, and when she carries him away, it’s all so entertaining and swoonworthy. This is a fairy tale grounded in just enough reality to make you believe this kind of love could actually exist.
RELATED: Ever After (1998): A Romantic Cinderella Story Teeming with Life and Passion
Penelope (2006)
Penelope is such an underrated gem (although it’s necessary to watch the European version of the film rather than the condensed American one) about a young woman (Christina Ricci) cursed with a pig’s nose – unless she can find a blue blood to love her for herself, thus ending the curse. The problem is, who would love a girl who looks like a pig?
The movie playfully twists fairytale tropes in a refreshing way, delivering a good message about self-acceptance to young girls and women everywhere. But it also has a swoony love story to match the heartwarming tale, with James McAvoy as Johnny/Max showing that the best kind of love is always more than skin deep.
The Princess Bride (1987)
“As you wish” is one of the three most iconic words ever spoken in romantic film history. This is a fairytale adventure that unabashedly believes in true love without a single ounce of cynicism: sword fights, pirates, evil princes, and a love that conquers all.
It’s exactly the kind of storybook romance that makes you believe in movie magic, no matter how many times you’ve watched it. Cary Elwes and Robin Wright are absolutely magical together in this film full of memorable quotes, beautiful costumes, and legendary actors (and characters).
Stardust (2007)
A fallen star (Claire Danes), sky pirates, witches, scheming princes, and a young man, Tristan (Charlie Cox), who crosses into a magical realm to win his beloved’s heart, only to fall for the star instead, is an underrated gem.
Claire Danes and Charlie Cox have lovely chemistry in this enemies-to-lovers fairy tale adventure, and watching Tristan realize Yvaine, the star he’s been arguing with, is actually his true love is delightful. This is a fun movie that captures the magic of classic fairytales with humor, heart, and lovely romantic moments.
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