Bring Back the Good Old-Fashioned Movie Date

7 romance movies and wine pairings for those settling in at home—or your friend’s place with the biggest screen, comfiest couch, and favorite takeout.

Do you remember your first movie date?

At a cinema, someone’s home, or a parent’s sanctioned third space—feeling giddy and anxious about what could happen. A darkened room, an enveloping screen, allowing for a moment of privacy and heightened intimacy: a peck on the cheek, a grazing of hands on a shared armrest, or a kiss on the lips. Settling into a movie with a chosen other felt like the ultimate romantic childhood experience.

A movie date is classic. A movie date can be romantic. There’s still magic in movies. It’s one of the few times we allow ourselves to sit, really closely, with one another and experience something new.

Last year, I wrote about my favorite wine-related movies and TV series, but this year, I wanted to do something special. Worthy of your Valentine’s (or Gal-entine’s). A movie AND a wine recommendation. I’m collaborating with a Filmstacker, Taylor Lewis of luzfilms, who dedicates their livelihood to the noble art of films and filmmaking, and who is currently in pre-production for both her grant-winning short, Please, Stay which will be shot on 16mm, and her directorial debut, Dear Uncle Jimmy.

Caveat emptor: these aren’t your standard, straight-forward Valentine’s flicks. At first, the list may seem surprising, but once you dive in, you’ll find films that contain love stories that can be complex, sensual, moody, beautiful, and intense—just like you.

P.S. For Valentine’s Day, Taylor and I are teaming up on personalized wine + movie recs. DM us or comment with a movie you’re watching or a beverage you’re opening (and a reference to what you’ve liked in the past), and we’ll reply within 48 hours.

Cold War:

The love between two star-crossed lovers spanning decades is set to the backdrop of some of the most picturesque settings one has ever seen, making the visuals in this movie as passionate and erotic as the affair itself. Not to mention, the music, which becomes its own language between the lovers; a language that is both tender and rapturous.

Recommended wine pairings: Georgian Saperavi or Austrian Blaufränkisch. Dry red wines that are layered, spiced, and bold with dark fruit and chocolate aromas to match with the complexity of these lovers and their femme fatale attraction.

The Before Trilogy: Before Sunrise/Sunset

In the age of cell phones, the art of conversation can be a lost one. In the first film of the Richard Linklater trilogy, two strangers show us how, over the course of a little over 90 minutes, having a conversation can still be one of the sexiest ways to fall in love. But it’s in the second film, Before Sunset, where that love, longing, romance, and revelation reaches its climax.

Recommended wine pairings: your favorite bottle of Rosé or Lambrusco di Sorbara. Joyful, romantic, not-too-dry bottles of pink and red bubbly to set the mood.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night:

It’s not often you’re shown an entirely new world in a movie, but Bi Gan conjures a breathtaking odyssey of a man searching for a love he has lost and cannot forget in this arthouse drama. A love that seems to surpass time and space and grows into an ending so gorgeous and surreal that you’ll be thinking about it for days after.

Recommended wine pairing: unpasteurized (Nama) rice wine—wild, energetic, and alive, mirroring these character’s internal psyches.

Phantom Thread:

Though the setting of this movie is elegant and tamed (and one would daresay, chic) the love affair between a dressmaker and his muse is anything but. The thrilling psychological game played by these two lovers evokes all the senses and pulls you into an intoxicating world full of beauty and unexpected desire.

Recommended wine pairings: Chablis or Champagne (alt: Crémant). Nothing but excellence for The House of Woodcock, which means drinking wine that is precise and fine-tuned with a clear sense of where it came from.

Fallen Leaves:

The richness of the cinematography creates a lush backdrop to a seemingly doomed romance between two lonely souls in this dark comedy. It is a pleasure to journey alongside them as they connect and reconnect in the beginning of this newfound love.

Recommended wine pairings: Valpolicella Ripasso or Sparkling Rosé. For the protagonist, any wine will do. Should the main character go for the rich, full, higher ABV wine, full of flavor? Or a light, acidic, fun rosé to keep the buzz going?

The Scent of Green Papaya:

A young girl arrives at the home of a wealthy family to work as a servant—set in 1950-60’s Saigon—and ten years later, they send her to work for a family friend, and a new chapter begins. While the movie is a product of its time—the last 40 minutes of this film leave you with a feeling you can’t shake off. The final act is its own lesson on longing and tension.

Recommended wine pairing: Junmai Ginjo or Junmai Daiginjo rice wine—pure, subtle, lightly fruity, with a lingering finish—matching the interiority of the protagonist.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind:

This movie is one of the most well-known on the list and takes place on actual Valentine’s Day. It’s just such a good, chaotic, and exhilarating time—much like a love affair. The scene where the title of the movie is said in a voiceover by Kirsten Dunst is enough reason to watch it for the first time or the tenth time.

Recommended wine pairings: Willamette Valley Pinot Noir or Fleurie (from Beaujolais)—expressive, perfumed, fruity wines with flair—to match the boldness of Clementine.

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If you’re interested in partnering up for a collaboration, event, or just want to say hello—send me an email at ericdo95@gmail.com.