Celine Song’sMaterialistsreleases in theaters next weekend, and the director’s follow-up toPast Livesis one ofthis summer’s most anticipated movies. The film stars Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans in an unlikely love triangle, as a New York matchmaker struggles to choose between her “perfect” match and her ex-boyfriend.
Thankfully, there’s no shortage of brilliantromance movies from the past few yearsto keep audiences entertained while waiting forMaterialiststo finally be released. These kinds of fun, original stories are more than welcome in today’s cinematic climate,offering a much-needed break from the ongoing “franchise” filmmakingthat’s typically on the big screens.
Celine Song’s previous feature,Past Lives, is an excellent debut that immediately put the filmmaker on the map as one of the industry’s leading voices in rich, human stories. The movie followstwo Korean-American immigrants whose complex relationship spans several decades, leading to them reuniting in New York as adults.
What’s so powerful aboutPast Livesis how universal it is; it’s a story that genuinely speaks to the audience with its patient, empathetic narrative that everybody can relate to in some way. It’s a very singular work thatreally understands what it means to be human and connect with other people, which Song explores through complex characters and gorgeous visual imagery.
Kogonada’sColumbusis a very unconventional romance, following the budding friendship between a Korean architect who finds himself stranded in rural Ohio and a young girl tasked with looking after her recovering mother. WhileColumbusisn’t a cut-and-dry romancein the same way thatMaterialistsis, its powerful atmosphere and deeply human characters should work for a similar audience.
Columbustakes a leaf out ofLost in Translation’s book in many ways, blurring the lines between friendship and romance as these two strangers learn about the world around them through the lens of each other’s lives.Kogonada’s screenplay assures the audience that romance and friendship aren’t always the fairytales that movies present, but rather something that evolves in more complicated ways.
Paul Thomas Anderson has always been interested in rich, character-driven stories, butPhantom Threadis the first time he’s centered his narrative so firmly around romance. The story follows atalented designer who falls in love with one of his clients, allowing his newfound romance to reshape his perspective of the world. It’s a very slow, methodical drama that really lets the audience get inside the minds of these characters, with Daniel Day-Lewis’ lead performance remaining some of his most tender and vulnerable work to date.
Noah Baumbach is renowned for his ability to create deeply personal and empathetic characters to lead his stories, andFrances Hais no different. Despite following a fairly simple and formulaic coming-of-age structure,the movie still feels incredibly innovative and subversivein its presentation of early adulthood.
Greta Gerwig delivers her most entertaining performance to date as Frances, a young woman who is forced to tackle the endless challenges of life head-on when her roommate moves away. The result is one ofBaumbach and Gerwig’s best movies;athoughtful, poignant rumination on how life’s early experiences can affect usfor the rest of our lives.
The Souvenirfollows a young film student, played by Honor Swinton Byrne, who falls in love with a close friend but soon realizes that her idealized portrait of romance isn’t quite what she signed up for.The movie offers a darker, more pessimistic view of datingin the modern era that highlights just how complicated human emotions can be.
However, directorJoanna Hogg does a brilliant job of blending this human conflict with a genuine, raw sense of romancethat givesThe Souvenira very powerful and uplifting atmosphere. She weaves so much astute commentary into her screenplay, exploring themes of classism and luxury that are very similar to the ideas Celine Song promotes in bothPast LivesandMaterialists.
Starring Cristin Milioti and Andy Samberg as two unlikely lovers caught in an endless time loop during a mutual friend’s wedding,Palm Springsuses its signature blend of romance and comedy to offer a lighter, more uplifting insight into modern romance. It’s an excellentsubversion of theGroundhog Daytime loop formula, using these recurring moments as ametaphor for the cyclical nature of life and romance.
While the comedy is unsurprisingly great,Palm Springsreally shines thanks to its ability to blend this humor with a more tender, philosophical commentary on human connection. As these characters move through the same day over and over again, it becomes easier to ignore the world around them and merelyseeeach other, which isa really strong message that very few rom-coms manage to effectively get across.
Often cited as the defining romance story of the past decade, there’s no doubt that Celine Sciamma’sPortrait of a Lady on Fireis a modern classic. This heartbreaking drama chartsthe unspoken romance between a female painter and the aristocratic lady she’s commissioned to paint, touching on themes of unrequited love and repressed sexuality along the way.
Portrait of a Lady on Fireis such a mature and powerful story about the ubiquity of love, and how unstoppable the magnetism of romance can be. It’s much more dramatic than projects likeMaterialists, butits commentary on love and relationships is very similar.
Decision To Leavemay not seem like a romantic story on the surface, but the wayPark Chan-wook uses these characters to navigate more universal themes of longing and repressionis what makes it such a staggering piece of work. The movie follows a jaded homicide detective whose work takes him on an arduous journey through South Korea, as he begins to develop strange feelings for his latest case’s widow.
AlthoughDecision to Leaveis often remembered for its brilliant cinematography and thematically rich visual language, Park rarely gets enough credit for the level of writing and storytelling on display in this film.Decision to Leavewas famouslysnubbed at the 2023 Oscars, but there’s no denying that his subtextual analysis of love and longing in this project is some of his most powerful work to date.
Richard Curtis’ films are known for their overt sentimentality and melodramatic storylines, butAbout Timeisa perfect example of how to achieve the same heartfelt vulnerability in a more subtle way. The movie follows a young man who learns that he can travel backwards in time, and uses this ability to spend more time with the woman he’s fallen in love with.
Much likePast LivesandMaterialists, it’s a film where the fairytale romance is just a catalyst for the director to offer a richer, more holistic exploration of what it means to be human.
WhileAbout Time’s concept is brilliant in itself, what Curtis really excels at here isusing this premise as a bridge to explore an even more potent storyabout the fleeting nature of time and the immutability of life’s decisions. Much likePast LivesandMaterialists, it’s a film where the fairytale romance is just a catalyst for the director to offer a richer, more holistic exploration of what it means to be human.
Although less of a traditional romance and more of a coming-of-age drama that celebrateseveryemotion a person could possibly feel during their early adulthood, Joachim Trier’sThe Worst Person in the Worldhas already become a classic of the genredespite being only four years old.
The story follows a young woman named Julie, played by Renate Reinsve, who struggles to balance her personal and professional lives following a major blow to her relationship. The concept is certainly nothing new within this genre, but it’s Trier’s deeply human screenplay that really makes the project stand out withits insightful commentary on love, grief, trauma, and independence. It feels like a spiritual companion piece toMaterialistsin many ways, and it’s very possible that Song was inspired by Trier’s work when crafting her own screenplay.
