12 Best Cinematic Love Stories That Oscar Snubbed: From Disobedience to Weekend

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Valentine’s Day can be either dreadful or reaffirming of your love for someone special in your life. Our first love of cinema can be a staple of the day, and there will be plenty of “definitive” rankings of the best love stories of all-time and where you can watch them. The Oscars have recognized many of them in their 92-year history. It would be criminal not to celebrate original screenplay winners like 2005’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” by Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth and “Her” by Spike Jonze. From the adapted side of the house, “Brokeback Mountain” by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana and “Moonlight” by Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney are indeed romanticism’s chef’s kiss.

To produce a diverse list that doesn’t just continue to hammer home a known point, we thought we would assemble the top 12 romantic screenplays from the last 20 years (ending in the year 2001) that were not nominated for the best original or adapted screenplay at the Academy Awards. Some are visibly apparent, while others dive into the complexity of love, all told through different time periods of a human’s life.

Our attachment to cinema will get many of us through Valentine’s Day, whether you are in favor or against the sentiment of the “holiday.” Never definitive and inarguably subjective, many films will not be on the list that you feel should be, and that’s what sharing your thoughts in the comments and social media (respectfully) is all about.

Here are some honorable mentions that didn’t make the cut: Tim Burton’s “Big Fish” (2003) by John August, Zach Braff’s “Garden State” (2004), Max Barbakow’s “Palm Springs” (2020) by Andy Siara, Joe Wright’s “Pride and Prejudice” (2005) by Deborah Moggach and Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris’ “Ruby Sparks” (2012).

Down below is the list of 12 films and click the image to watch the scene that “proves the point” of inclusion.

  • Baby Driver (2017)

    Written by: Edgar Wright

    Studio: Sony Pictures Releasing
    Directed by: Edgar Wright
    Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Eiza González

    Synopsis: After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.

    The scene that proves it: “Song’s Over, Baby”

    A love story within the action genre isn’t frequently explored, but Edgar Wright’s assimilation to pulse-pounding set pieces paired with the chemistry of Elgort’s Baby and James’ Debora easily invests viewers in the story. In one of the film’s most suspenseful moments, their connection is put in imminent danger against the backdrop of Barry White’s classic 1973 song, “Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up.”

  • The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

    Written by: Judd Apatow, Steve Carell

    Studio: Universal Pictures
    Directed by: Judd Apatow
    Starring: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Jane Lynch

    Synopsis: Goaded by his buddies, a nerdy guy who’s never “done the deed” only finds the pressure mounting when he meets a single mother.

    The scene that proves it: “Why don’t you want to have sex with me?”

    A raunchy sex-comedy may not be the pristine go-to example for romance, but Apatow and Carell’s fortitude to bring heart to the genre is successful on nearly every front. It’s elevated exceedingly by a fantastic turn by two-time Oscar-nominee Catherine Keener — who was nominated the same year for Bennett Miller’s “Capote” — and its sincere message of acceptance.

  • A Ghost Story (2017)

    Written by: David Lowery

    Studio: A24
    Directed by: David Lowery
    Starring: Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck

    Synopsis: In this singular exploration of legacy, love, loss and the enormity of existence, a recently deceased, white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to try to reconnect with his bereft wife.

    The scene that proves it: Eating the pie.

    “A Ghost Story” is a film as divisive as they come, and this scene split both audiences and critics. On one side, people will talk about the drawn-out, excruciating silence of the talented Mara sitting on her kitchen floor and devouring an entire pie following the death of her beloved. On the other hand, it’s one of the purest and heartbreaking portraits of grief and despair, as the ghost watches helplessly with no way to communicate. After all, cinema should never be agreeable and should generate hot debate.

  • Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

    Written by: Peter Chiarelli, Adele Lim (based on the novel “Crazy Rich Asians” by Kevin Kwan)

    Studio: Warner Bros
    Directed by: Jon M. Chu
    Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Goulding, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Harry Shum Jr, Ken Jeong, Nico Santos

    Synopsis: This contemporary romantic comedy, based on a global bestseller, follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family.

    The scene that proves it: The Wedding

    Monumental for its cultural breakthrough and outstanding box office, Chiarelli and Lim’s adaptation was critically acclaimed and was even in the awards conversation. With much credit given to gorgeous vocals by Kina Grannis, the scene is layered with chuckles because of the over-the-top bridal presentation and bolstered by the narrative stitching of Rachel (Wu) and Nick’s (Goulding) deep connection as they lock eyes from across the room and simply mouth, “I love you.” The most straightforward answer is often the best one.

  • It's Complicated (2009)

    Written by: Nancy Meyers

    Studio: Universal Pictures
    Directed by: Nancy Meyers
    Starring: Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, John Krasinski, Lake Bell, Mary Kay Place, Rita Wilson, Zoe Kazan, Hunter Parrish, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Emjay Anthony

    Synopsis: When attending their son’s college graduation, a couple reignite the spark in their relationship. But the complicated fact is that they’re divorced, and he’s remarried.

    The scene that proves it: “Chocolate croissant”

    One of three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep’s very best performances that Oscar didn’t nominate, Nancy Meyers’ romantic comedy about a divorced couple taking one more swing at the plate is an exercise in women reclaiming their independence. Baldwin and Martin, who hosted the Oscars that year as a hilarious pairing, deliver strong yet different performances. One plays the comic equivalent of a horny energizer bunny, while the other is the face of the “nice guy” that continuously gets passed over, no matter how good he actually is. One of the rare stories written for women over 60, it also showcases the effect of divorce on children, even in their adult years.

  • Love Actually (2003)

    Written by: Richard Curtis

    Studio: Universal Pictures
    Directed by: Richard Curtis
    Starring: Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Sienna Guillory, Liam Neeson, Lulu Popplewell, Emma Thompson, Kris Marshall, Heike Makatsch, Martin Freeman, Joanna Page, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Andrew Lincoln, Keira Knightley, Nina Sosanya, Martine McCutcheon, Laura Linney, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Alan Rickman, Rodrigo Santoro, Rowan Atkinson, Claudia Schiffer, Bill Nighy, Gregor Fisher, Rory MacGregor, Carla Vasconcelos, Shannon Elizabeth, Denise Richards, Elisha Cuthbert

    Synopsis: Follows the lives of eight very different couples, all dealing with their relationships in various loosely interrelated tales during the frantic month before Christmas in London, England.

    The scene that proves it: Speaking Portuguese

    Seen at the time, and even now, as “overstuffed” and “too cheesy” for its own good, the Oscar-nominated writer of “Four Weddings and a Funeral” gives multiple examples of love through the eyes of children, grief, infidelity, language and secrecy. The charming all-star cast all find interesting and heartwarming moments to shine through in Curtis’ sentimental construction of life’s most mysterious connections.

  • Drive (2011)

    Written by: Hossein Amini (based on the novel “Drive” by James Sallis)

    Studio: FilmDistrict
    Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn
    Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Oscar Isaac, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman

    Synopsis: A mysterious Hollywood stuntman and mechanic moonlights as a getaway driver and finds himself in trouble when he helps out his neighbor.

    The scene that proves it: “Elevator Scene”

    Refn’s classic is a compelling blend of so many genres, with action, drama, and comedy anchoring the ingenious script by Amini. In one of the most memorable scenes of the 2010s, our unnamed Driver reveals the “scorpion” inside of him to his stunning Irene. But not before he steals a kiss, in the final seconds of his innocence still intact in her image of him. The devastation of removing his mask as she exits the elevator is simply too unbearable to replicate.

  • 500 Days of Summer (2009)

    Written by: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber

    Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures (now Searchlight Pictures)
    Directed by: Marc Webb
    Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Chloë Grace Moretz, Clark Gregg, Matthew Gray Gubler, Geoffrey Arend

    Synopsis: An offbeat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn’t believe true love exists and the young man who falls for her.

    The scene that proves it: “Expectations vs. Reality”

    A 500-day journey through a relationship that may or may not be equally meaningful to both parties is something many of us have felt before. Neustadter and Weber’s quirky and hefty story navigates through the eyes of hopeless romantic Tom (Gordon-Levitt) and his multiple stages of relationship milestones with Summer (Deschanel). The viewer is even torn internally about their own feelings for her. A script and a viewer can rarely be set free simultaneously from the same character, and we all wash our hands of Summer in the house party scene that reveals a ring. It’s because of this pivotal scene that makes “I’m Autumn” in the finale so damn sweet.

  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

    Written by: Stephen Chbosky (based on the book “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky)

    Studio: Summit Entertainment
    Directed by: Stephen Chbosky
    Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd, Dylan McDermott, Kate Walsh, Nina Dobrev

    Synopsis: An introverted freshman is taken under two seniors’ wings who welcome him to the real world.

    The scene that proves it: “Charlie’s Breakdown”

    The inclusion of Chbosky’s masterpiece was an obvious choice, but not for the reasons you might think. While Charlie’s (Lerman) devotion to Sam (Watson) is the center of the narrative, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is an examination of the distorted image of love that one can gain through life’s experiences and the bad hand we can be dealt. Charlie’s internal battle with love and what it’s supposed to mean is horribly fractured from a young age. Some of us know this pain all too well. There are a few lucky ones that come out on the other side, while others are still battling it day-by-day. Let it serve as a reminder — you, me, and all of us are worthy of love, the purest and most significant kind. Please don’t assume that any wicked memory arguing otherwise is your fault. No matter what Valentine’s Day symbolizes, or if you are spending this day alone, you are worthy of that love.

  • Moulin Rouge! (2001)

    Written by: Baz Luhrmann, Craig Pearce

    Studio: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)
    Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
    Starring: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh

    Synopsis: A poet falls for a beautiful courtesan whom a jealous duke covets.

    The scene that proves it: “Your Song”

    This jukebox musical is divine in almost every sense, and despite eight Oscar nominations, including best picture, the film was passed over in the screenplay category (also in director). While the film is pretty straightforward as a romance where one of them is doomed from the opening scene, all the musical numbers complement one another, gorgeously cementing the audience’s view on their connection. While you can pick any other song as the most crucial example of their love, the Elton John number captures the global swoon for McGregor (grotesquely snubbed for Oscar too) and helps the viewer to understand Kidman’s natural attraction to him.

  • Weekend (2011)

    Written by: Andrew Haigh

    Studio: Sundance Selects
    Directed by: Andrew Haigh
    Starring: Tom Cullen, Chris New

    Synopsis: After a drunken house party with his straight mates, Russell heads out to a gay club. Just before closing time he picks up Glen — but what’s expected to be just a one-night stand becomes something else, something special.

    The scene that proves it: “A Costly Mug”

    A film that is honest and sinless about the connection between two men, Russell (Cullen) and Glen (New), who after a chance encounter, are both exploring two new ventures of themselves with one another. In Russell’s kitchen, the undeniable attraction between the two is apparent, as Glen inches his way to a shy man still not comfortable with his own self. What’s most notable is the deep yearning for affection, buried within a story concerning the origins of a mug.

  • Disobedience (2018)

    Written by: Sebastián Lelio, Rebecca Lenkiewicz (based on the novel “Disobedience” by Naomi Alderman)

    Studio: Bleecker Street
    Directed by: Sebastián Lelio
    Starring: Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz, Alessandro Nivola

    Synopsis: A woman returns to the Orthodox Jewish community that shunned her for her attraction to a female childhood friend. Once back, their passions reignite as they explore the boundaries of faith and sexuality.

    The scene that proves it: “Group Hug”

    It’s one of the most underrated and enriching love stories of the last decade, and people let it just pass through the awards season with no recognition for the three career-topping performances from Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz and Alessandro Nivola. The director of “A Fantastic Woman” really knows how to invite a viewer into forbidden love, keeping us engaged and showcasing all the nuances those restricted face to express their devotions. With co-screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Lelio assembles magic.

    A critical note that “the scene that proves it” is not the one that will show when you click the play button. This is one of the few examples in which I feel so strongly that the weight of a moment is too powerful to see isolated. It’s too much of a risk to rob future cinephiles the tear-jerking gymnastics they will do when they witness the “group hug.” Instead, the second choice will serve as the “proof” when Ronit (Weisz) leaves her beloved Esti (McAdams), short and sweet.

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