As we inch towards Valentine's Day, we decided to give rom-coms a break and go through some of our favourite love stories that hit us in the feels. With that being said, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Love Stories. For inclusion on this list, a film must not be considered a romantic comedy.
Each writer ranks his or her top 15 films in the category. Those lists are then weighted on a reverse point system. After all the points are tallied up, the entries with the most total points make up the Bitesize Top Five.
5. PAST LIVES
Not all love stories have happy endings, but all love stories leave an impact in your life. Past Lives has the potential to grow into one of the most memorable modern romances due to its dueling love stories that intertwine the life of Nora (Greta Lee). You can feel the absolutely heartbreaking love lost between Nora and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) due to Lee and Yoo’s powerfully restrained performances, and the grenade their relationship throws into Nora’s marriage to Arthur (John Magaro) highlights the beautifully contemplative screenplay from writer-director Celine Song. She makes you ponder the lengths a person will endure if they truly love a person, and her movie will wreck you to your core, emphasizing the emotional weight true partners can handle when they do so together. - Amarú
4. GHOST
I adore Ghost, and I can never skip past it on TV, regardless of where it is in the story, because it's just so irresistibly good. Starring the ridiculously gorgeous couple Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze, it’s one of those earnest, original Hollywood romances that you just don’t see anymore, which is part of its enduring charm. Sure, it’s cheesy, but in a sincere way, and it features one of the most iconic romantic scenes ever, complemented by one of cinema history’s greatest love songs. Not only is it one of my favourite love stories, but it incorporates elements of suspense, mystery, drama, and genuinely unsettling horror. The scenes of (spoiler?) Sam (Swayze) chasing his killer before realising he’s dead still take my breath away, and Carl’s (Tony Goldwyn) gruesome demise before being literally dragged to hell by screaming shadow monsters will always stick with me. It also has laugh-out-loud humour thanks to Whoopi Goldberg’s charismatic, Oscar-winning performance and perfect line delivery. On top of all of that, it's wonderfully cinematic, and every viewing reminds me how beautifully lit films used to be. - Katie
3. LA LA LAND
For me, La La Land is the film that opened a whole new world of cinema when I saw it for the first time at 16 years old. I truly felt like I was able to fly. It’s a film that harkens back to the “Golden Age,” with writer/director Damien Chazelle crafting an intricately put-together musical masterpiece to tell the engaging romance of Mia and Seb (Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, respectively). The chemistry between Stone and Gosling truly is remarkable, and not even the most whimsical moments of the film can remove them from the ground as the highs and lows of the relationship feel as real as can be. La La Land has been, and will likely remain, one of my favourite movies ever made. - Adriano
2. I LOVE YOU, MAN
With all the movies we get, the absence of adult friendships is one of the topics that's often neglected, especially in comedies. I Love You, Man not only tackles this concept, but does so in hilarious ways. Sure, we all remember the quotable moments (“slappin' da bass, man!”), but the camaraderie between Paul Rudd and Jason Segel comes so naturally that it makes their bromance infectious. It's a relationship you're immediately invested in and rooting for, which is something all good love stories have. Plus, who doesn't love some Rush content? - Nick
1. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine’s (Kate Winslet) relationship is one of the most inventive and endearing love stories to ever grace the silver screen. However, while their love is certainly passionate, it’s tempestuous. Director Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman do a stellar job of exploring the intricacies of love through the lens of one’s memories and the idea that all emotions and experiences ought to be embraced, even if they’re ugly, as they are necessary to allow one to grow as a person. Ultimately, through all their ups and downs, the couple comes to terms with these morals, deciding to accept one another's imperfections (as well as their own) as they attempt to make the relationship work. If that isn't true love, I'm not sure what is. - Paige
HONORABLE MENTIONS
THE PRINCESS BRIDE
TRUE ROMANCE
THE NOTEBOOK
BEFORE SUNRISE
A STAR IS BORN (2018)