10 best romantic movies you can watch on Netflix Philippines

It’s February and Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. For some, it is the most anticipated day of the month, but if you plan to stick around solo, maybe take a friend or a family member for a movie date: we got you covered.

For years, Netflix has been the perfect ‘hang-out spot’ for lazy days and get-togethers. It offers a variety of movies and shows ranging from different genres for all ages to enjoy. Its popularity calls for audience who are looking for a great film or series to binge on.

Since it’s the month of romance, it’s time to gather 10 films you can easily access on Netflix Philippines which will make you laugh, cry, and blush.

#10 – Barcelona: A Love Untold

Let’s start with a Filipino movie that features one of the country’s famous love-team: KathNiel. Starring Daniel Padilla and partner, Kathryn Bernardo, Barcelona: A Love Untold tells the story of young Elly (Padilla) who is pursuing an architecture degree in Barcelona, Spain amidst an emotional struggle over a past relationship. He then meets Mia (Bernardo) who is also in Spain to escape from her life in the Philippines and prove her worth to her family before she can come back to the country.

It’s one of the unique KathNiel films out there which tugs on heartstrings because of how Filipinos may relate to the individual characters’ situations amidst the love story. Here are two youths in pursuit of their personal goals—to live a better life, to please their families—despite grappling with their harsh pasts. It’s when love, in time of difficulties, made itself known to lift Elly and Mia throughout their battles. But how could the young juggle love and life?

#9 – Call Me by Your Name

If you have never heard of Call Me by Your Name as a novel written by American writer, Andre Aciman, then perhaps it’s time for you to know about it through its movie adaptation.

Starring Armie Hammer as the handsome Oliver and Timothee Chalamet as young Elio, it is a story set during the summer of 1983 in Lombardy, Italy. Oliver, pursuing a doctoral degree and working as an intern under Elio’s father, arrives in their 17th-century villa to stay for the summer and provide help for his academic paperwork where he meets their son, Elio. Little did they know the budding relationship that’s slowly pulling them closer together.

A story of both love and drama, described with a tinge of bittersweet pain; Elio and Oliver’s relationship is pure and heart-warming. It is moving in a sense that love appears as a powerful force which does not limit itself to age or gender alone.

#8 – Titanic

Just in time for the month of love, Netflix decided to add Titanic back to their newly-released film list. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the stowaway Jack, and Kate Winslet as the beautiful Rose; who wouldn’t be familiar with this disaster film-slash-love story?

Set on 1912 aboard the historic but fated cruise ship Titanic; it recalls the fictional story of two, young lovers Jack and Rose. It is a complicated relationship with a girl from the upper-class, and a boy who was lucky (or not?) enough to be aboard the luxurious ship. From then on, their love is tested between their status difference as they try to hide the building relationship most especially from Rose’s family.

The ultimate test of love, however, is when the RMS Titanic—as we all know too well—collided with an ice berg and jeopardized the life of everyone on board. Oh, we can almost hear the popular My Heart Will Go On sung by Celine Dion playing all over again; an enthralling, yet also haunting, soundtrack which wraps up why Titanic is still considered one of the emotional, tragic love stories to date.

#7 – 100 na Tula Para kay Stella

This heart-warming Filipino romance stars JC Santos as Fidel Lansangan and Bella Padilla as Stella Puno. Now, if you’re a writer by heart, you’ll easily relate to Fidel’s predicament and his goal to win over Stella’s heart. How? By writing 100 na Tula Para kay Stella.

Set in a 4-year span of Fidel and Stella’s college life; Fidel is taking up a degree in Psychology, loves to write poetry, but is flawed with a speech impediment so he stutters when he speaks. On the other hand, Stella is a punk-rocker who pursues to have a recording contract for her band. What is the language of love between a poet and a musician? Written words.

What ups the kilig factor of this film is when a shy Fidel strives to compose a hundred poems for Stella as this is the only way he could express his feelings accurately. But then a lot of factors get in the way which tests the confidence of Fidel to achieve his love towards Stella. The question ever lingers as one watches the film: when will Fidel find the guts to read his compositions to a free-spirited girl such as Stella?

#6 – Edward Scissorhands

Who says love only occurs toward those living normal lives? If you want to spend a rather-dark valentines, let Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder take you on a memorable movie of a man with scissors for hands.

A relationship falls between Edward Scissorshands and Kim Boggs after the family took him in because Edward’s ‘inventor’ left him with no company. At first, Kim is afraid of him, but then she slowly starts to realize and accept his gentleness after Edward performs various services for the neighborhood. Things turn for the worst when Edward starts getting framed for crimes he did not commit.

It’s interesting to note that love here isn’t just directed towards a boy and a girl like your usual romance films; rather, Edward felt loved through acceptance from the Boggs family who ‘adopted’ him, as well as the people around him. It was this kind of love which redeems Edward’s strange being that, though he had blades for hands, he is still useful to ‘normal’ human beings. Most certainly, he felt that someone truly loves him for who he is.

#5 – Your Lie in April The Movie

Some knows it by its Japanese title: Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso. It initially started as an animation, but it was turned into a live-action film on the year 2016.

Following its animated series, it tells the story of a young piano prodigy—Kosei Arima—who quits playing the piano after the death of his mother. Fast forward to his teenage years, in the month of April, Kosei meets a violinist, Kaori Miyazono. From there on, Kaori has been asking Kosei to play the piano accompanying her violin performances. However, Kaori is seriously ill, and time is ticking for her career as a violinist.

If you were a fan of its anime version, then you know how amazing the producers placed so much emotion and appeal to come up with a tear-jerking show. The film’s just as heart-warming. It is that which makes you reflect on the different people who gave inspiration in what you love to do, especially when you are becoming dispassionate with your interests.

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#4 – Breakfast at Tiffany’s

If you are looking for something vintage, a touch of classical rom-com movies you might enjoy this 1961 film which stars charming Audrey Hepburn (Holly Golightly) and handsome George Peppard (Paul Varjak).

Miss Holly Golightly is a socialite with a bitter background—she is trying to support her ill brother Fred and an estranged husband from the past. She then meets Paul Varjak, a writer who has not been published before and is confronting dilemmas of his own. Together, the two formed a bond through a series of ups and downs to find themselves amidst their life’s trials.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s may not ring any bells towards the ‘millennials’ of today, but it speaks in all levels; that relationships don’t always have to center on two people trying to please one another, rather it’s about two people helping one another to rethink about their decisions in life. It’s through meeting someone who can contribute to your becoming a better person which marks true relationships.

#3 – 500 Days of Summer

It may or may not be familiar, but 500 Days of Summer featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom Hansen and Zooey Deschanel as Summer Finn is one unique Romance film that will make you believe that that “right one” will come in the right time.

Tom Hansen is a trained architect but works as a writer for a greeting card company. He then meets Summer Finn, his boss’s assistant. After discovering that they both have similar tastes in music, the two started a conversation on love. From there on, their friendship eventually blossomed to a relationship and romantic dates. However, nothing lasts forever, and soon the bond started going downhill.

From young love, to complications, to depression, to success; Tom and Summer’s adventures with romance reminds everyone—not just the youth—that not all relationships end up the way we imagined it to be. To experience being ‘in love’ has its trials, and it’s that period which either breaks you, or alters you for the better. Love is kind, Love is cruel, but definitely Love is patient.

#2 – Kita Kita

Set in Sapporo, Japan between a budding bond starring Alessandra de Rossi’s Lea and Empoy Marquez’s Tonyo; Kita Kita literally sets the tone for the cliché quote, “love is blind”.

Lea, a Filipino tour guide, witnesses her Japanese boyfriend flirting with another woman. Crushed from this revelation, her stress eventually led to temporary blindness. Tonyo, a fellow Filipino and her next-door neighbor, strives to cheer her up and help her get through her brief disability. Soon, a deep bond formed between the two, awaiting the day when Lea finally gets to recover her sight and finally see the man who has been taking care of her through her difficulties.

Comedic, witty, and touching, Tonyo’s attitude towards Lea proves that love defies all odds: it goes beyond the physical (or mental) defects of a person. In fact, Tonyo’s intentions for assisting Lea were pure. It wasn’t about taking advantage of her blindness. It was about feeding her with all his guidance and love for the blind to feel she is truly appreciated.

#1 – The Notebook

Who wouldn’t be familiar with this 2004 gem of a romance movie? Based on Nicholas Sparks’ novel maintaining its title, The Notebook stars Ryan Gosling as lowly lumbermill worker, Noah, and Rachel McAdams as young heiress, Allison “Allie” Hamilton.

It tells the story of how Noah and Allie met in a carnival one day, falls in love with one another, only to the disapproval of Allie’s mother. Anne (Allie’s mother) tries her best to ensure that the lovers have no contact with one another. This leads to Noah join the fight during World War II. However, all through Noah’s adventures, he never forgot Allie. Even when he returns from war, his hope remains that Allie might return to him also.

A heart-wrenching, emotionally moving film, The Notebook poses a question on what is the limitations of love? Does it end when someone disapproves of a relationship? Does it end when your partner disappears from your life? Noah and Lea answer these questions through their journey of falling in love, then falling out of it, but rekindling it again. Even then, they are still wracked with trials.

Amidst our sana all or believing that being a supportive friend towards others’ relationship is enough, love is an inevitable aspect in life. It doesn’t just touch the youth, but it ripples even to the elders of humanity.

Some of these Netflix films may be a familiar face, but some may also be new discoveries you might want to consider. All the same, they speak the language of love in various levels.

What do you think of these film suggestions? How many have you watched? You can place your comments and personal suggestions on the comment section below.