The Greatest Love Stories

The middle of February is known for one thing, and one thing only ... Valentine's Day. I figured what better way than to acknowledge the holiday of love than with a countdown of Cinema's Top Five Love Stories of the Past Decade. While compiling my list I wanted some diversity. There are many modern classics that you can't ignore, but for the most part I wanted to consider the actual story at hand. This is not a list of the best romance movies or the best movies with love as a main theme. Rather, I wanted to find, literally, the greatest love stories told on screen in the past ten years. First, let's recognize the honorable mention selections.

*** View January's Movie List of the Month HERE

Honorable Mention: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Perfect Sense, Silver Linings Playbook, Crazy Stupid Love and Ruby Sparks.

#5 - Flipped (2010)

There's just something about that Juli Baker (played by Madeline Carroll). Rob Reiner's tale of young love centers around Juli and her longtime crush Bryce Loski (played by Callan McAuliffe). Flipped shows overlapping dual perspectives on a complicated middle school relationship that's guaranteed to elicit childhood nostalgia. The beauty of Flipped is that we've all been there, and it serves as a wonderful way to re-live your childhood through the story of Juli and Bryce. With a running time south of 90 minutes, Flipped is a charming love story that packs an enormous punch.

#4 - I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

Although many of you were probably expecting to see another Jim Carrey movie on my Top Five list (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), I Love You Phillip Morris tells too much of an unbelievable and insane love story to ignore. A huge epiphany turns a closeted homosexual named Steven Russell (played by Carrey) into an extravagant and free-spending openly gay man. But when financial troubles land Steven behind bars, he unexpectedly meets his one true love, Phillip Morris (played by Ewan McGregor). As a wildly convincing con man, Steven will literally stop at nothing to assure that he and Phillip spend the rest of their lives together. I Love You Phillip Morris is such a crazy love story that it could only be true, and it's one definitely worth checking out.

#3 - (500) Days of Summer (2009)

In this constantly evolving world in which we find ourselves, sadly, it's equally as important to be able to identify when you're not in love. No movie captures this heartbreaking reality better than Marc Webb's eye-opening relationship film, (500) Days of Summer. Going against the grain, the film jumps around the 500 days of a relationship between a love-seeking romantic named Tom (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his non-committal and independent girlfriend, Summer (played by Zooey Deschanel). Unique in every way, (500) Days of Summer reminds about a very different, yet significant, side of love. 

#2 - The Notebook (2004)

What kind of "love story" list would this be without author Nicholas Sparks' bestselling timeless classic, The Notebook. Brought to screen through the vision of director Nick Cassavetes, The Notebook follows an aging man's frequent nursing home visits to a female resident. The man reads her stories from an old faded notebook which tell of a young couple's (played by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams) struggling relationship during World War II. Romantically reminding us all of the everlasting power of love, The Notebook is an extremely touching account of true love at its strongest.

#1 - Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

As for me, I enjoy my love stories with a little bit of pizzazz. In my opinion, there's no better tale of unrelenting love than the one that exists in Danny Boyle's 2008 Best Picture Winner, Slumdog Millionaire. While even ignoring its spectacular visuals and impressionable score, Slumdog Millionaire dazzled audiences with an unforgettable love story. Forced out into the cruel world of India at a young age, brothers Jamal and Salim must quickly learn how to survive. While doing their best to stay alive, they meet a young female drifter named Latika. After Jamal and Latika begin a budding romance as childhood sweethearts, they spend the next decade or so of their lives continually being separated and torn apart from one another. This sets an older Jamal on the most miraculous quest to find his soul mate, Latika. Outside of being a phenomenal film, Slumdog Millionaire's most lasting impression is its remarkably original story of unforgotten love.

I hope you enjoyed my list and I wish everyone a wonderful Valentine's Day!