Romantic movies from 2023 offer something for every romantic movie fanatic – whether they’re teen love stories, sad dramas about unrequited love, or comedies with hopefully, happy endings.
Here are the best 11 Romantic Movies of 2023.
The Breaking Ice
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Run Time: 1h 37m
The Breaking Ice is more than just a picture of existential crises among young adults; the breathtaking imagery, such as ice skating on a lake illuminated by shafts of sunlight, animals in a zoo being lit up by cell phone flashlights, and light streaming through windows in a chilly modern high-rise building, makes the story come alive.
Chen’s movie doesn’t unfold like the traditional love triangle–although Haofeng and Nana do form romantic bonds–but more as an epic battle against profound loneliness. In the current COVID-19 climate, when individuals are isolating themselves and building walls, this topic is more relevant than ever.
Shortcomings
Stream Now at AppleTV
Run Time: 1h 32m
Park’s film stands out in many ways. Still, one key one is its refusal to rely on racial or gender identity politics to justify depictions of characters with behaviors that could be considered callous or exploitative. At the very start of the movie, cinephile Ben dismisses an action movie he watches with Miko from a theater he manages as being an unnecessary copycat of Crazy Rich Asians.
One cannot help but be drawn into the chemistry between Ben and Alice, his friendly coworker. They trade barbs about work, dating, and culture but never allow disdain between themselves to turn into bitterness or resentment; their intimate banter brings some of Joy Ride’s heartwarming raunch instead of wish fulfillment fantasies that Ben mocks.
Priscilla
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Run Time: 1h 53m
Priscilla is an emotional tale about an everyday woman thrust into a celebrity lifestyle and how she copes with it. The film does a fantastic job at showing how Priscilla developed into her own person after leaving Elvis and started doing what made her happy while also depicting how her wardrobe began to diversify with bolder hues than just the blue and pinks she used to wear in Elvis’ time.
With her signature visual style and direction, Sofia Coppola brilliantly captures the spirit of Priscilla’s life in her directing debut, Priscilla. By choosing a more understated, dreamy approach—something that most biopics don’t do—Sophia makes pains to avoid the usual biopic clichés.
Maestro
Stream Now at Netflix, AppleTV
Run Time: 2h 9m
Maestro is an epic love story focusing on Broadway composer and cultural icon Leonard Bernstein and his longtime wife, Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. Directed and written by Bradley, this emotionally devastating portrait of family life pays a beautiful homage to both art and life.
Although not an exact biopic, this film provides us with an in-depth view of Bernstein’s life and relationships – particularly his decades-long marriage with Costa Rican actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein – as well as why he made such unpredictable life choices. Maestro is a riveting tale about artistic genius that deserves to be experienced on the big screen. Starring Carey Mulligan with an evocative script by Cooper and Josh Singer, this film delivers a compelling symphony worth hearing.
Passages
Stream Now at AppleTV
Run Time: 1h 31m
Passages are unlike many love triangle movies in that it doesn’t settle into an easy melodrama of lust and guilt, instead offering an insightful study of a manipulative sociopath, depicting three intertwined lives where nothing is resolved by love alone.
Passages are an intense and unsettling examination of relationships and the impact they can have on those involved. Sachs is best known for his bittersweet humanity and tender melancholy in films like Love Is Strange and Little Men; here, however, he explores more subterranean regions inhabited by deeply flawed characters whose judgment ranges from toxic to deranged in terms of romantic interactions – together with screenwriter Mauricio Zacharias they have created an intense and provocative depiction of a love triangle.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Stream Now at AppleTV
Run Time: 3h 26m
Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon is an indictment of greed and treachery on both a grand scale and at an individual level. Based on true events from Oklahoma in 1920 when oil discovered beneath Osage Nation land turned them into America’s wealthiest people, with luxurious homes, luxury cars, and white servants – but at its heart was the exploitation of resources by external entities.
Despite its long running time, it remains riveting throughout thanks to editor Thelma Schoonmaker’s and director Martin Scorsese’s mastery of pace. Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio’s performances, especially DiCaprio’s portrayal of Hale in GoodFellas, Cape Fear, and The Irishman, contribute greatly to this.
The Taste of Things
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Run Time: 2h 15m
The Taste of Things is an engaging culinary romance that is both sensuous and emotional, making it one of the most pleasurable films of 2023. French Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung beautifully unwraps the artistry behind an early 20th-century cook and her gourmet employer. Lingering over steaming broths, sizzling meats, and decadent sauces, this sensuous film engages more senses than sight and sound alone.
The movie follows the tale of Eugenie, an accomplished chef, and Dodin, her dedicated employee and wealthy gourmand. Dodin spends his days contemplating culinary art and feasting upon lavish dishes. Yet, his passion also lies with Eugenie, who holds great affection between them both. Dodin’s refusal to marry Eugenie sparks their romance. As their affair progresses, they grow closer through Dodin’s taking an active part in her kitchen and the tender love shown through his preparations that make viewers smile.
Rye Lane
Stream Now at Hulu, Disney+, AppleTv
Run Time: 1h 22m
Rye Lane is an endearingly quirky slice of London life directed by Raine Allen-Miller. Utilizing its vibrant backdrop as her canvas, Raine fills every frame with vignette-like side stories that enrich and deepen the main narrative arc. While some wide-angle shots may overstate Rye Lane as a living world beyond its two charming protagonists.
The film deftly handles its familiar plotting thanks to an entertaining script and strong performances by its cast. Although the story veers off course by going beyond one day’s timeline, its endearingly sweet central relationship ensures this remains a satisfying romantic comedy. Its charming leads keep the momentum chugging forward throughout this captivating walk-and-talk romance.
All of Us Strangers
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Run Time: 1h 45m
All of Us Strangers is a captivating film adapted from Taichi Yamada’s novel of the same name, exploring some large themes within a modest package. Boasting an engaging script that mixes horror, love story, and drama elements together into an engaging whole thanks to powerful performances from its four actors, Scott stands out among them. Mescal and Foy also make impressive turns as supporting players.
The movie takes viewers deep inside the mind of screenwriter Adam. Living alone in his vast tower block apartment in modern London, Adam distracts himself with television and ’80s pop before sinking deeper into depression and creative paralysis. But then one fateful meeting with Harry disrupts this cycle, and they slowly form an unlikely bond over time.
Past Lives
Stream Now at AppleTV, Prime Video
Run Time: 1h 45m
Past Lives uses New York as its backdrop and features captivating performances by its two leads to take viewers on an intriguing journey of self-reflection and relationships–full and partial–that can shape our paths. Furthermore, it explores the powerful language of love, which remains long after words have been spoken and distance is closed between two people.
Past Lives shifts the focus away from romantic comedies that show couples doing heroic things to make their relationship survive forever. Instead, it examines how even the most insignificant connections may change our lives in surprising ways. Its narrative delves into profound philosophical and aesthetic themes, including inyun and fate, which are central to Korean Buddhism.
Poor Things
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Run Time: 2h 21m
In Poor Things, we follow Victorian-era woman Bella Baxter as she spends her days exploring a peculiar and bucolic version of 19th-century America after dying and having an infant brain transplanted into her adult body. Poor Things is ultimately a satirical look at male power and its pursuit while simultaneously affirming female autonomy and self-actualization – with Hollywood-level doses of sexuality mixed into its narrative.
Canted angles and fisheye lenses are used to distort Bella’s world while her life unfolds. His film blooms into an explosion of colors and textures while depicting gouged eyes, spatchcocked bodies, and violent deaths – but all within its confines! Lanthimos excels brilliantly, and Stone is absolutely stellar in her role. The special effects are among some of the most creative and unique seen in recent memory.
