Any season can be a season of love with these swoonworthy films. The 24 best romantic movies on Netflix

Any season can be a season of love with these swoon-worthy films.

The 24 best romantic movies on Netflix

Any season can be a season of love with these swoon-worthy films.

By Ilana Gordon,

Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

EW's editorial guidelines

and James Mercadante

on August 2, 2025 08:51AM EDT

LaKeith Stanfield as Nate Davis and Gina Rodriguez as Jenny Young in 'Someone Great'; Emma Corrin as Lady Constance Chatterley and Jack O'Connell as Oliver Mellors in 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'; Robert Redford as Louis Walters and Jane Fonda as Addie Moore in 'Our Souls at Night'. Credit:

Netflix (2); Kerry Brown/Netflix

Tired of going to bed alone? With Netflix, you don't have to. Cozy up to one of the platform's myriad romantic films: They come in all shapes, sizes, and genres. Looking for a historical romance or queer entanglement? What about a journey of self-discovery or a musical romp? All you have to do is swipe and select. And to help you find a movie you love even faster, we here at EW have curated our selection of the 24 best romantic movies worth watching with a date or by yourself.

50 First Dates (2004)

Drew Barrymore as Lucy Whitmore and Adam Sandler as Henry Roth in '50 First Dates'.

Six years after Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore teamed up for *The Wedding Singer*, the two connected on screen for a second time, playing opposite each other in this daffy romantic comedy. Following a commitment-phobic veterinarian (Sandler) who falls in love with an artist suffering from short-term amnesia (Barrymore), *50 First Dates* hones in on and heightens the game of finding the woman you can't stop thinking about — and dealing with the reality that she'll never remember meeting you.

Set on the island of Oahu — a location so consistently beautiful that it alone negates the idea of time passing — this premise-driven comedy finds emotional resonance amidst all the silly gags. Barrymore and Sandler have just as much chemistry as they did in their first film together, leading to what EW's critic describes as, "an agreeably deranged romance with a geeks-in-paradise Hawaiian setting." *—Ilana Gordon*

Where to watch *50 First Dates*: Netflix

**EW grade: **N/A (read the review)

**Director:** Peter Segal

**Cast: **Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Dan Aykroyd

The Age of Innocence (1993)

Michelle Pfeiffer as Countess Ellen Olenska and Daniel Day-Lewis as Newland Archer in 'The Age of Innocence'. Everett Collection

One of Martin Scorsese's greatest, and most underrated films isn't a mobster movie but a costume drama. Based on Edith Wharton's cutting and romantic 1920 novel about New York high society in the 1870s, the film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a young lawyer named Newland Archer whose wedding to a traditional society girl (Winona Ryder) is called into question when he falls for her scandal-ridden cousin, Ellen Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer).

EW's critic compliments Scorcese's direction, writing that it resulted in "a masterfully orchestrated tale of romantic yearning." He adds, "Hypnotic visuals aside, the true signature of Scorsese's art has always been the way his characters pulsate with life." *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Age of Innocence*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+ (read the review)

**Director: **Martin Scorsese

**Cast: **Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

Ali Wong as Sasha Tran and Keanu Reeves as himself in 'Always Be My Maybe'. Doane Gregory/Netflix

Two old childhood friends reconnect in *Always Be My Maybe*, starring Ali Wong and Randall Park. As teens, the pair considered a romantic relationship, but it didn't work out. As adults, she's become a famous chef while he's still stuck in a small-time band and working for his dad's business.

Now, they'll have to try and see if love is their destiny once again while facing her fame and his insecurities. The movie also features plenty of quirky moments, including Keanu Reeves playing an odd version of himself as a love interest for Wong's character. And, as an added bonus, there's also Wong's amazing wardrobe. —*Lia Beck *

Where to watch *Always Be My Maybe*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B (read the review)

**Director: **Nahnatchka Khan

**Cast: **Ali Wong, Randall Park, Keanu Reeves, Daniel Dae Kim, James Saito, Michelle Buteau, Vivian Bang ** **

Blue Jay (2017)

Sarah Paulson as Amanda and Mark Duplass as Jim in 'Blue Jay'. Everett Collection

Twenty years after breaking up, former high-school sweethearts Jim (Mark Duplass, who also wrote the script) and Amanda (Sarah Paulson) bump into each other in their California hometown and end up spending the day — and night — together. As they update each other on what's transpired in their lives in the years since they last spoke, Jim and Amanda reminisce together about the people they used to be while attempting to understand the people they have become.

A slice of life film that offers a glimpse into the optimism of youthful infatuation, and the bitter realities of aging, living, and loving, *Blue Jay's *simple story is still meaty enough for its two leads to dig their performative talons into. One of the best performances of Paulson's career, according to an EW writer, she is "effortlessly shifting from broken to brazen and everything in between." *Blue Jay *may be shot in black and white, the overall narrative is anything but. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Blue Jay*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A–

**Director: **Alex Lehmann** **

**Cast: **Mark Duplass, Sarah Paulson ** **

Clueless (1995)

Stacey Dash as Dionne Davenport and Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz in 'Clueless'.

Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Nineties teen fashion, music, and vernacular are on full display in Amy Heckerling's *Clueless*. A time capsule preservation of the decade's pop-cultural attitudes — at least as far as the Beverly Hills set is concerned — *Clueless *asks what would happen if Jane Austen's *Emma* was set in a Los Angeles high school during the height of mall culture.

The film's critical reception was mid, but three decades later, *Clueless *has aged as gracefully as Paul Rudd's face, which is to say shockingly well. Alicia Silverstone gives a career-best performance as Cher Horowitz, a spoiled teenager whose worldview and popularity are disrupted by the arrival of a new girl in school (Brittany Murphy, also operating at the top of her game). Whether you're lusting after Cher's wardrobe and digital closet or enjoying Heckerling's virtuosic presentation of '90s teen slang, watching *Clueless *always feels like a return to simpler times.* —I.G.*

Where to watch *Clueless*: Netflix

**EW grade:** N/A (read the review)

**Director: **Amy Heckerling

**Cast: **Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy

Duck Butter (2018)

Laia Costa as Sergio and Alia Shawkat as Naima in 'Duck Butter'. The Orchard

Love gets fast-tracked in *Duck Butter*, a 2018 independent film co-written by and starring Alia Shawkat. Struggling with the local dating scene, actress Naima (Shawkat) and artist Sergio (Laia Costa) meet at a bar and decide to accelerate their relationship by spending 24 hours together and having sex once an hour. But the more time Naima and Sergio spend together, the more they find their quickly-established intimacy tested by new friends and loved ones.

While the Sergio character was originally written for a man, the decision to cast a woman instead adds another layer of specificity and nuance. Heavier on the toilet humor than you might expect, *Duck Butter *is worth a watch for its excellent acting and killer roster of supporting players. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Duck Butter*: Netflix

**Director: **Miguel Arteta** **

**Cast: **Alia Shawkat, Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Mae Whitman, Hong Chau, Kate Berlant, Kumail Nanjiani

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)

Will Ferrell as Lars Erickssong and Rachel McAdams as Sigrit Ericksdottir in 'Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga'.

Elizabeth Viggiano/Netflix

If the Puritans knew that coming to America would later disqualify them from competing in the Eurovision Song Contest, they might have had second thoughts about leaving England. As it is, the closest Americans will get to participating in Eurovision is by turning on Will Ferrell's 2020 parody of the annual competition. Lovingly crafted and full of legitimately good songs — including the always requested "Jaja Ding Dong" — *Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga *is a silly story about a maligned musical duo (Ferrell and Rachel McAdams) who are selected to represent Iceland at the competition after a tragedy befalls the country.

McAdams is particularly delightful as the nightingale-voiced Sigrit who commits to helping her bandmate (not brother) achieve his dream of competing in the Eurovision Song Contest. If you're looking for a musical romp populated by whales and gnomes, this is the film for you.  *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B– (read the review)

**Director: **David Dobkin

**Cast: **Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Dan Stevens, Graham Norton, Demi Lovato, Pierce Brosnan

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society (2018)

Glen Powell as Mark Reynolds and Lily James as Juliet Ashton in 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society'. Studiocanal/Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock

Fans of period romances will fall head over heels for the Netflix original* The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society*. The 2018 film stars Lily James as a writer who gets to know the residents of Guernsey, an island that had recently been under German occupation during World War II. As for the romantic aspect, the lead character is torn between two men: her American fiancé (Glen Powell) and a new man from Guernsey (Michiel Huisman). EW's review of Mike Newell's film calls it "as snug and sweet and congenitally British as a tea cozy." *—L.B.*

Where to watch *The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+ (read the review)

**Director: **Mike Newell** **

**Cast: **Lily James, Michael Huisman, Glen Powell, Jessica Brown Findlay

The Half of It (2020)

Leah Lewis as Ellie Chu and Daniel Diemer as Paul Munsky in 'The Half of It'. KC Bailey/Netflix/Everett

Securing Tribeca's Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature, Alice Wu's queer revision of *Cyrano de Bergerac *introduces viewers to Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis), a booksmart outcast whose writing skills become a lucrative business with her peers as customers. When she starts drafting love letters for himbo jock Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer, a.k.a. Will Poulter's doppelgänger) to popular girl Aster Flores (Alexxis Lemire) — whom Ellie secretly harbors feelings for — the unlikely pair forge a connection far more profound than any high school crush.

Through atmospheric camerawork, whip-smart dialogue, and a sea of film references for cinephiles to bathe in, *The Half of It *spins a coming-of-age love story that bleeds wisdom beyond its years. *—James Mercadante*

Where to watch *The Half of It*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B (read the review)

**Director:** Alice Wu

**Cast:** Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire, Enrique Murciano, Wolfgang Novogratz, Catherine Curtin, Becky Ann Baker, Collin Chou

The Holiday (2006)

Jude Law as Graham Simpkins and Cameron Diaz as Amanda Woods in 'The Holiday'.

Simon Mein/Columbia

*The Holiday* is set during the Christmas season, but the film's early-aughts nostalgia is comfortable and entertaining any time of year. Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and Iris (Kate Winslet) are two career women struggling with their love lives 6,000 miles apart. After deciding to swap houses online, Iris heads to sunny Los Angeles and Amanda jets off to London to spend the holiday, depressed, in a new location. But when Amanda falls for Iris' brother (played by Jude Law) and Iris bonds with one of Amanda's co-workers (Jack Black at his most charming), the season suddenly takes a turn for the sparklier. Director Nancy Meyers doesn't do anything revolutionary with the form here, but she remains the queen of rom-com aesthetics and has a gift for getting the best work out of her actors. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Holiday*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director: **Nancy Meyers

**Cast: **Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Jack Black

How to Be Single (2016)

Dakota Johnson as Alice and Rebel Wilson as Robin in 'How to Be Single'.

Barry Wetcher/Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection

Fresh out of college, Alice (Dakota Johnson) embarks on a new chapter of life by taking a break from her long-term boyfriend, Josh (Nicholas Braun), and relocating to N.Y.C. to start her career as a paralegal and move into her sister's apartment. Now navigating the single life, Alice is feeling way in over her head, but she doesn't have to do it alone: She has her sister (Leslie Mann) and co-worker–turned–best friend (Rebel Wilson) by her side, who add a little spice and humor to her misadventures.

Interweaving multiple story lines, *How to Be Single* captures the chaos of modern dating and the quest to embrace life on your own terms. Whether you're in a relationship, inexperienced in love, or somewhere in between, this film offers something for everyone — and might reveal a thing or two about yourself. *—J.M. *

Where to watch *How to Be Single*: Netflix

**Director:** Christian Ditter

**Cast: **Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann, Alison Brie, Damon Wayans Jr., Anders Holm, Nicholas Braun, Jake Lacy, Jason Mantzoukas

The Incredible Jessica James (2017)

Chris O'Dowd as Boone and Jessica Williams as Jessica James in 'The Incredible Jessica James'. Netflix

Jessica Williams took the world by storm when she became the youngest correspondent on *The Daily Show*. And after leaving the program in 2016, Williams honed in on film — starting by taking on the roles of Executive Producer and lead actor in the rom-com *The Incredible Jessica James. *The role of Jessica James was created especially for Williams by writer-director Jim Strouse, and the character is perfectly customized to flaunt her many comedic and performative strengths.

In the film, Jessica is an aspiring playwright and employee at a children's theater workshop who just broke up with her boyfriend (LaKeith Stanfield). After her friend Tasha (Noël Wells) sets her up on a date with Boone (Chris O'Dowd), Jessica must decide if their romance is worth pursuing, and what she wants her love life and work life to look like going forward. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Incredible Jessica James*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+ (read the review)

**Director: **Jim Strouse

**Cast: **Jessica Williams, LaKeith Stanfield, Noël Wells, Chris O'Dowd** **

The 20 best romantic comedy movies on Netflix

The 22 best romantic comedies on HBO Max

Lady Chatterley's Lover (2022)

Emma Corrin as Lady Constance Chatterley and Jack O'Connell as Oliver Mellors in 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'. Netflix

If* Fifty Shades of Grey *and *Bridgerton* welcomed a child, its name would be *Lady Chatterley's Lover*. Enduring decades of bans for its salacious content, D.H. Lawrence's 1928 avant-garde novel gets a fresh adaptation under the heedful eye of Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, who deftly explores the depths of female desire. In this soft-core romance about emotional and bodily fulfillment, an unhappily married aristocrat (Emma Corrin) defies gender roles by acting on her own urges — starting a clandestine affair with the gamekeeper (Jack O'Connell) of her husband's (Matthew Duckett) estate.

While EW's critic observes a lack of dramatic conflict in the film, they highlight that "what's left is just an unabashedly heady romance, rich in pretty costumes — when they're wearing them — and lush, lusty atmosphere." *—J.M.*

Where to watch *Lady Chatterley's Lover*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B+ (read the review)

**Director: **Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre

**Cast:** Emma Corrin, Jack O'Connell, Matthew Duckett, Faye Marsay, Ella Hunt, Anthony Brophy**

Love at First Sight (2023)

Ben Hardy as Oliver Jones and Haley Lu Richardson as Hadley Sullivan in 'Love at First Sight'.

Rob Baker Ashton/Netflix

The year 2022 saw the rise (and slight meme-ification) of *The White Lotus* star Haley Lu Richardson, thus paving the way for her lead role in this 2023 adaptation of Jennifer E. Smith's best-selling novel, *The Statistical Probability of Love at First* *Sight*. Here, Richardson's quirky charm is on full display as Hadley Sullivan, a 20-year-old American who spends her seven-hour flight from New York to London engrossed in banter with her charismatic British seatmate, Oliver (Ben Hardy). (Alexa, play "London Boy" by Taylor Swift.) Once the strangers part ways upon landing, fate works its magic.

Without venturing into cringe territory, *Love at First Sight *pulls off a time-worn, formulaic trope by simply embracing its sweetness — thanks to Richardson and Hardy's onscreen magnetism, a carefully curated indie soundtrack, and Jameela Jamil's intimate narrations — leaving you plotting your next trip in hopes of an airport meet-cute. *—J.M.*

Where to watch *Love at First Sight*: Netflix

**Director:** Vanessa Caswill

**Cast:** Haley Lu Richardson, Ben Hardy, Jameela Jamil, Rob Delaney, Sally Phillips, Dexter Fletcher

The Lovebirds (2020)

Issa Rae as Leilani Brooks and Kumail Nanjiani as Jibran in 'The Lovebirds'.

After four years of dating, Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) and Leilani (Issa Rae) are prepared to call it quits — until the couple finds themselves involved in a murder that requires them to put their break up aside and go on the run. Too concerned about racial profiling to involve the police, Jibran and Leilani must hunt down the identity of the man who was murdered so they can find out who killed him and clear their own names.

Directed by Michael Showalter (*Wet Hot American Summer*), *The Lovebirds* is a romantic evening gone wrong in the style of films like 2010's *Date Night* and 2018's *Game Night*. Boasting a high ratio of jokes per minute and a pair of lead actors who know how to wield their witticisms like machetes, Nanjiani and Rae's on screen bickering and loving needling will have you rooting for their relationship, even as it's falling apart. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Lovebirds*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B (read the review)

**Director: **Michael Showalter** **

**Cast: **Kumail Nanjiani, Issa Rae, Anna Camp, Paul Sparks ** **

The Notebook (2004)

Ryan Gosling as Noah Calhoun and Rachel McAdams as Allie Hamilton in 'The Notebook'.

New Line/Courtesy Everett Collection

Based on Nicholas Sparks' best-selling romance novel, *The Notebook* is a period drama on a personal mission to make you cry. Allie (Rachel McAdams) and Noah (Ryan Gosling) meet as young people in the 1940s and fall in love. The audience learns the story of how their relationship unfolds from Duke (James Garner), an older man who relays the tale in the present to a nursing home resident (Gena Rowlands).

Set before, during, and after World War II,* The Notebook* is a story about the life circumstances that pull people in relationships apart — and the choices that push them back together. A period romance led by actors whose chemistry sizzles regardless what decade they're in, you don't have to be going through a breakup to enjoy* The Notebook*, but it certainly doesn't hurt. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Notebook*: Netflix

**EW grade:** N/A (read the review)

**Director:** Nick Cassavetes

**Cast: **Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner, Gena Rowlands, James Marsden, Kevin Connolly, Sam Shepard, Joan Allen

Our Souls at Night (2017)

Robert Redford as Louis Walters and Jane Fonda as Addie Moore in 'Our Souls at Night'. Kerry Brown/Netflix

Some partnerships just keep getting better with age, and the onscreen relationship between Robert Redford and Jane Fonda — now in its fourth iteration — is one of those unions. In the Netflix original movie *Our Souls at Night*, Redford and Fonda play longtime neighbors and widowers Louis and Addie, who find comfort in spending their nights together as platonic friends. Aware that their unorthodox relationship and sleeping arrangement is eliciting side eyes from the town and their adult children, the pair must eventually choose between their growing emotional dependence on each other and the needs of their respective families.

With a cast of only seven actors, the strength of *Our Souls at Night* lies mainly in the steady hands of its two leads, who make falling in love look just as appealing as they did half a century ago in *Barefoot In The Park*. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Our Souls at Night*: Netflix

**Director: **Ritesh Batra** **

**Cast: **Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Judy Greer, Matthias Schoenaerts, Bruce Dern, Iain Armitage

Past Lives (2023)

Greta Lee as Nora Moon in 'Past Lives'.

Courtesy of Twenty Years Rights/A24 Films

One of 2023's standout romantic movies, *Past Lives *is the story of Nora Moon (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), childhood friends from South Korea, but lose contact when Nora's family moves to Canada. The two reconnect at different points throughout their adult lives, and conversations arise about what their relationship might have looked like if they had never been forced apart. The film is semi-based on director and writer Celine Song's life, and, as an EW writer explains, the movie's philosophy "is rooted in in-yun, a Korean concept about fate and the destined connections people make with one another in their past lives."* —I.G.*

Where to watch *Past Lives*: Netflix

**Director:** Celine Song

**Cast: **Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro

Set It Up (2018)

Zoey Deutch as Harper Moore and Glen Powell as Charlie Young in 'Set It Up'. Netflix

If you found Glen Powell to be perfect boyfriend material in *Anyone but You* (2023), wait until you see him paired with the dynamic Zoey Deutch in *Set It Up*. When two stress-ridden assistants from adjoining companies, Harper (Deutch) and Charlie (Powell), conspire to set up their Type-A bosses (Taye Diggs, Lucy Liu) in hopes of freeing themselves from the nonstop office grind, it sparks an enemies-to-lovers fling between the two matchmakers that's as satisfying as a sublime slice of pizza. *Set It Up *ranks among Netflix's finest rom-coms, injecting the genre's familiar elements with an extra dose of heart — all fueled by the palpable chemistry between Powell and Deutch. *—J.M.*

Where to watch *Set It Up*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B (read the review)

**Director:** Claire Scanlon

**Cast:** Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Lucy Liu, Taye Diggs, Joan Smalls, Meredith Hagner, Pete Davidson, Jon Rudnitsky, Tituss Burgess**

She's Gotta Have It (1986)

John Canada Terrell as Greer Childs, Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon, and Tommy Redmond Hicks as Jamie Overstreet in 'She's Gotta Have It'.

Island Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Spike Lee's first feature film as a writer and director, *She's Gotta Have It* presents intertwining romances as lead character Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) decides which of the three men she's dating (Lee, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell) she wants to have a monogamous relationship with. Luxuriating in Lee's creative sensibility and shot in crisp black and white, Nola's journey towards picking a partner is funny, thought-provoking, and unique in every respect.

In a review of Netflix's 2017 *She's Gotta Have It *adaptation (also directed by Lee), EW's critic describes the original movie, writing, "*She's Gotta Have It *was Spike Lee's first feature film, and few movies feel so joyfully first." A dramedy that questions sexual, relationship, and gender norms of the time, *She's Gotta Have It *is notable for its subject matter, aesthetic, and for launching Lee's storied Hollywood career. *—I.G. ***

Where to watch *She's Gotta Have It*: Netflix**

**Director:** Spike Lee **

**Cast: **Tracy Camilla Johns, Spike Lee, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell**

Someone Great (2019)

LaKeith Stanfield as Nate Davis and Gina Rodriguez as Jenny Young in 'Someone Great'. Sarah Shatz/Netflix

Heartbreak just hits different in Netflix's *Someone Great*, a film about Jenny (Gina Rodriguez), a music journalist who goes through a breakup after accepting her dream job in San Francisco and learning her boyfriend (LaKeith Stanfield) doesn't want to come along. Emotionally buttressed by her best friends Erin (DeWanda Wise) and Blair (Brittany Snow), Jenny decides to make the most of her last night in New York City, and along the way encounters an eclectic supporting cast including Rosario Dawson, RuPaul, and *SNL's* Alex Moffat.

In addition to being a solid modern rom-com, *Someone Great* also has great significance in Swiftie lore: Taylor's 2014 song "Clean" off the *1989* album was one of the inspirations for the film's story, and Swift wrote *Lover's* "Death by a Thousand Cuts" after seeing the movie. Deeply relatable for anyone who's been blindsided or suffered a broken heart, *Someone Great *is about endings, beginnings, and finding the joy in both. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Someone Great*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+ (read the review)

**Director: **Jennifer Kaytin Robinson** **

**Cast: **Gina Rodriguez, DeWanda Wise, Brittany Snow, LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, RuPaul, Alex Moffat ** **

A Star Is Born (2018)

Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine and Lady Gaga as Ally in 'A Star Is Born'.

Neal Preston/Warner Bros.

*A Star Is Born *is a tale almost as old as Hollywood itself. The doomed romance about two artists who fall in love and struggle to navigate the shifting dynamics of their careers was first made in 1937, then again in 1954 and 1976. The 2018 attempt stars Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine, a musician whose career is in decline when he meets the up-and-coming singer/songwriter Ally (Lady Gaga) and falls hard.

Cooper, who also directs and co-wrote the screenplay, takes the best elements from the 1976 version, but adds a stronger script and score. Gaga gives her best acting performance as the gifted but insecure Ally and her chemistry with Cooper – the target of many a red carpet meme – keeps the ending feeling tragic, even when you know it's coming. EW's critic writes "*Star* is less a story now than a myth — not so much reborn as recast and passed on to the care of the next generation." *—I.G.*

Where to watch *A Star Is Born*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B+ (read the review)

**Director:** Bradley Cooper

**Cast:** Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle, Sam Elliott

The Theory of Everything (2014)

Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking in 'The Theory of Everything'.

Liam Daniel/Focus Features/Everett

The name Stephen Hawking elicits certain images, but in 2014's *The Theory of Everything*, the world gets a closer look at the theoretical physicist before (and while) his health noticeably declined from a motor neuron disease. A biographical film that holds multiple love stories within, *The Theory of Everything* is a solid drama, but the movie's real power rests with its actors.

Felicity Jones, is excellent as Hawking's wife, Jane, but it's Eddie Redmayne as Hawking who blows minds. EW's critic writes, "It's like watching an escape artist who's bound and gagged break free from a straitjacket. What Redmayne does is breathtaking — and it never feels like a performance." *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Theory of Everything*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+

**Director:** James Marsh

**Cast: **Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Charlie Cox, Emily Watson

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

Lana Condor as Lara Jean Song-Covey and Jordan Fisher as John Ambrose in 'To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You'. Bettina Strauss/Netflix

Navigating high school is painful enough without all of your crushes finding out you like them — at the same time. A modern rom-com that EW's critic calls "breezy and charming," *To All the Boys I've Loved Before* follows Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) as her worst fears are realized when the love letters she never meant to send find their way to the boys who inspired them.

Cornered by love, Lara Jean negotiates a sham relationship with her former crush to throw off her current one, but when feelings start catching, Lara Jean must deal with the consequences of both her lies and the truths she's starting to realize. The first in a series of three films, which also include 2020's *To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You* and 2021's *To All the Boys: Always and Forever*, the original still hits the hardest. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *To All the Boys I've Loved Before*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B (read the review)

**Director:** Susan Johnson

**Cast: **Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, Andrew Bachelor, Trezzo Mahoro, Madeleine Arthur, Emilija Baranac, Israel Broussard, John Corbett

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Movies"

Read More

---

Source: Astro Blog

Full Article on Source: Astro Blog

#LALifestyle #USCelebrities