The 15 Best Declarations Of Love In Film, Ranked By Someone Who Cries During Every Movie

    There are A LOT of airplane scenes on this list.

    Why, hello there, readers! It's everyone's favorite(?) BuzzFeed dot com writer back at it again with everyone's favorite(?) unsanctioned post series: Allie Ranks Weirdly Specific, Granular Things For Absolutely No Real Reason Whatsoever Other Than The Fact That This Is Her Job, So She Might As Well Have Fun With It, Am I Right, Ladies??? (This is a working title.)

    Doin' a complete 180 from our last blood-soaked ranking, I've decided to reveal yet another unnecessary fact about myself: I'M A BIG OL' SAP. I love romantic movies — both comedies and dramas. I'm a Gemini. I'm complex. I love romantic movies just as much as I love movies where someone has to cut off their own foot to survive!

    So this time around, I've decided to take it upon myself to rank my absolute FAVORITE declarations of love in cinema. Ya know, the scenes where the couples finally admit their true feelings for each other (to some capacity)? There's usually a speech involved...and a lot of them are on airplanes for some reason?!

    Okay, you ready? GOOD! Buckle up, buttercups! Here we go:

    15. The Wedding Singer (1998)

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    New Line Cinema

    Some Context: A wedding singer (LOL, she said the title) who's been left at the altar falls for a server who works alongside him at his gigs. The attraction between them appears mutual, but there's one big problem: The server is already engaged to the worst human man ever to appear in a romantic comedy (seriously, screw Glen, he sucks). The whole thing culminates in this scene where the singer chases the server onto an airplane to stop her from eloping to Las Vegas.

    Why I Love It: This is BY FAR my favorite Adam Sandler comedy, and Drew Barrymore is adorable in it. That hairdo is something else! And this ending is SO sweet. The lil' song makes me tear up every time, even though it's goofy as heck, and it's a perfect callback to Drew's character's simple desire to find someone she can "grow old with."

    14. An Affair to Remember (1957)

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    20th Century Fox

    Some Context: While on a cruise, a pre-Tony Stark era playboy named Nickie falls for a night club singer named Terry McKay (IDK why, but I love saying her full name? It's an excellent name). The issue? They're BOTH engaged to OTHER people (see: the title of the movie). After a lot of snappy back and forth, they agree to run away together. Their plan is to meet at the top of the Empire State Building sixth months hence, after they've broken off their other relationships. However, tragedy strikes when Terry is hit by a car, unable to make their meeting. In the end, Nickie realizes she had a VERY good reason for not showing up. It's a love story so romantic, you almost forget that it's just straight-up cheating!

    Why I Love It: So, I first saw this as one of those "Movies My Mom Made Me Watch One Day At Like 3 P.M. Because It Was On TCM And I Had No Other Plans Because Of Course I Didn't" movies. We all had those, right? Anyway, I obviously loved it, and no man I've seen before or since has measured up to the sheer smoothness of Cary Grant in this role. Tony Stark WHO?!

    13. My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)

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    Sony Pictures Releasing

    Some Context: A high-strung food critic is floored when her lifelong BFF announces he's getting married — mostly because SHE'S still secretly in love with him/wants to marry him. This is one of those situations where the title just IS the plot of the movie, ya know? So, on the literal DAY OF HIS WEDDING, she reveals her true feelings (without realizing his betrothed is also standing RIGHT! THERE!), and it leads to a chase scene wherein we get one of the most poignant lines in any rom-com, ever. ("Michael's chasing Kimmy, you're chasing Michael...who's chasing YOU? Nobody! Get it? There's your answer! You are not the one!")

    Why I Love It: Okay, so a little fun fact about Allie, me, the person writing this post you're reading: I've seen this movie no less than 20 times. I love it so much. It's one of my ~comfort films.~ "Well then, if you love it so much, why is it so far down the list," you ask? Because it's admittedly a weird one since — in the end — it doesn't work out between them. But that IS the happy ending! Because it wasn't supposed to!

    12. The Bodyguard (1992)

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    Warner Bros.

    Some Context: IF I...SHOULD STAY. I WOULD ONLY. BE IN. YOUR WAYYYYYYYYY

    Why I Love It: Can you imagine a world where this wasn't on the list somewhere? That's a world I don't want to live in! It's a wordless declaration of love in which pretty much EVERYTHING is left unsaid. The whole thing depends entirely on the explosive chemistry between our two iconic leads. Similarly to My Best Friend's Wedding, it's a film in which things don't pan out for the couple in the end, but that doesn't stop it from being one of the most romantic moments ever committed to film. Plus, it gave us the best cover of any song. Period. End of sentence. And, even with all of that, it's the sudden "WAIT!" that does it for me...and then the circle shot around the smooch? Yes. Yes, all day.

    11. Ever After (1998)

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    20th Century Fox

    Some Context: It's Cinderella, flanked by the framing device from Titanic. That's it. That's the movie.

    Why I Love It: Anyone who has even a passing relationship with my writing is aware that I ride pretty hard for Ever After, so its inclusion on this list shouldn't be all that shocking. In this fairytale, our princess has rescued herself from the clutches of the creepiest man I've ever seen in my life, only to find her prince waiting for her outside, armed with nothing but a single shoe and a sweet speech. If the "I kneel before you not as a prince, but as a man in love" doesn't get you, IDK what will. Your faves could NEVER — and I mean that.

    10. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

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    LucasFilm Ltd.

    Some Context: A scoundrel annoys a princess into falling for him in the middle of a star war.

    Why I Love It: Tag yourself: I'm Vader's heavy breathing in the background! Honestly, what is there to say about this scene that hasn't already been said 100 times? It's iconic, painfully in-character for both involved, and makes for the perfect callback later on in Return of the Jedi. I love it (and it knows).

    9. Imagine Me & You (2005)

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    United International Pictures

    Some Context: On her wedding day, a shy young woman meets and promptly falls for a too-cool-for-school flower shop owner. The two spend time together as "friends," eventually realizing they're madly in love. It all ends with the shy one using a vocal-throwing technique — which was foreshadowed beautifully earlier — to call out to her lover in a crowd of cars. Yet another love story so gosh darn romantic, I truly don't care that it involves cheating! Am I a bad person or a hopeless romantic?! The jury's still out on that!

    Why I Love It: If you've learned anything about me from reading this list, it's that your girl here loves a callback! We see a character we already know is timid overcome that in real time by using a technique she was taught BY the person she's calling for. It's lovely. Also, "Happy Together" playing in the background (the very song from which the film got its title)? Unmatched! No notes, pure perfection!

    8. Always Be My Maybe (2019)

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    Netflix

    Some Context: A pair of childhood besties go their separate ways after awkwardly losing their virginities to each other, only to end up back in the same place in adulthood — physically. Emotionally, mentally, and monetarily, they're in VERY different places. After reconnecting, they realize they can't be without each other, no matter how different they've become. Also, Keanu Reeves is in this!

    Why I Love It: So, I have a massive crush on both Ali Wong and Randall Park specifically because of this film. They're SO GOOD in it. This confession is simple, sweet, and funny without being ham-fisted or overly romantic. This is my absolute favorite Netflix original rom-com (which is saying a lot, because there's approximately 15 million of them) and, if you haven't checked it out yet, please do! It's so marvelous — and did I mention that Keanu Reeves is in this?!

    7. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

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    Walt Disney Studios

    Some Context: A beautiful bookworm with a penchant for bad boys sacrifices everything to save her ditsy father from the clutches of a "hideous beast." However, upon getting to know the man behind the fur and claws, she comes to realize that his true beauty lies within — and, also, he's got a sick library.

    Why I Love It: Tired: iT's A mOvIe aBoUt StOkHoLm SyNdRoMe LoL. Wired: It's a musical metaphor/parable about the transformative power of empathy, friendship, and forgiveness...and I'm honestly kind of bored of grown-ass adults missing that? Like, it's a fairytale? (Is this take even hot? IDK anymore.) This scene is beautiful, the animation is incredible, and if the Beast's sad, "At least I got to see you one last time" doesn't break your heart, you must be the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz.

    6. Love & Basketball (2000)

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    New Line Cinema

    Some Context: Childhood sweethearts go their separate ways, become basketball stars in their own right, and fall back together through the various twists and turns of different events. In the end, their future together depends on a single game of one-on-one basketball...and it's A LOT hotter than I'm making it sound, I'm doing this no justice. Watch the scene!

    Why I Love It: Oh, y'all wanted SOME STAKES?! I'll give ya some stakes! This scene is unbelievable — like, it almost made me care about sports for a few minutes (but not really...I'm so outta shape). The close proximity of their bodies! The heavy breathing! The sweat! The song! The! Clear! And! Present! Longing! For! Each! Other! And when Omar Epps hits Sanaa Lathan with the, "Double or nothing?" DESTROY. ME.

    5. Pride & Prejudice (2005)

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    Focus Features

    Some Context: Elizabeth (Bennett, not Swann) fights her feelings for this rich guy who seems like kind of a jerk, but really he's a soft, shy boy! In the end, they meet up in a field where they confess their feelings one final time, and nothing that ever happens to me for the rest of my life will ever be as romantic as these three minutes and 28 seconds.

    Why I Love It: The 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice is as close to a perfect adaptation as a movie can get. I will die on this hill (or should I say — in this field! Lololol.) That blaring piano in the background is incredible, and the way Matthew MacFadyen stumbles over the "I love, I love, I love you" at the end of his little speech makes me feel ~some type of way.~

    4. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

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    Universal Pictures

    Some Context: Two co-workers fall in love while working on a ranch, and then proceed to destroy me emotionally for two hours and 14 minutes.

    Why I Love It: Brokeback Mountain? More like Rip My Heart Out Of My Chest And Snap It In Half-Back Mountain, am I right? You can FEEL the tension in this scene. You can FEEL the love and anger and passion they're holding back. When a performance is so good you can feel it, it's going to stick with you forever. I know I'm breaking my own fake rule here — seeing as this is pretty high up on the list even though these two (tragically) don't end up together — but, hey, this is my list! I'm allowed! Plus, I'm fully making these rules up as I go! Anyway, I'm sorry in advance if anything I've written after this is misspelled, because I'm not going to be able to see my typing through my tears.

    3. Pretty Woman (1990)

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    Buena Vista Pictures

    Some Context: Edward is a quiet corporate raider and Vivian is an outgoing sex worker with the best hair I've ever seen on a human woman. When Edward hires Vivian to be his escort (double meaning here) for a full week while he's in town, the two fall deeply in love, culminating in this not-so-literal take on the whole valiant-prince-on-a-white-horse trope.

    Why I Love It: This movie is my guiltiest guilty pleasure that, simultaneously, I don't feel guilty about at all. For me, it's the part when Richard Gere asks, "So what happened after he climbed up the tower and rescued her?" because you fully expect Julia Roberts to say, "They lived happily ever after!" since it's the '90s and of course she would — BUT NO. Instead, she says, "She rescued him right back." Perfection. And he's afraid of heights! Which we know because of foreshadowing earlier! And he climbed all the way to the top(ish) floor for her! I love love!

    2. Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

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    Warner Bros.

    Some Context: Nick (a comically wealthy man whose jawline is so sharp, it could actually murder someone) falls in love with Rachel (a self-assured professor with the most beautiful happy-cry face I've ever seen) and takes her home to meet his family in Singapore. One big problem: Nick's mother isn't too fond of Rachel, believing her American sensibilities make her different from them. Rachel breaks up with Nick, telling his mother afterwards that she doesn't want to rip him from his family. Rachel is then surprised when Nick follows her onto her flight home, where he proposes to her with his mother's ring — signifying her approval.

    Why I Love It: THIS! MOVIE! Y'ALL! It's the best rom-com to come out in YEARS, fight me (but also, please don't, I'm so soft)! The scene itself is so awkward, but so romantic. I'm obsessed with Henry Golding trying to move past people, helping them with their luggage, being a cinnamon bun in general, all while trying to propose. And — the first time I saw this in theaters and he revealed his mother's ring in the box — I audibly gasped and put my hand over my heart because I was THAT SHOCKED (and, frankly, I'm just very dramatic). It's *chef's kiss.*

    1. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

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    Columbia Pictures

    Some Context: Harry's an emo boy, Sally's a high-maintenance girl — can I make it any more obvious? He was a jerk, she ordered strange — what more can I say? (Do you get it? Do you get the bit? I can stop now? Okay, good.) This film, in its most basic description, is about two unlikely friends who come to realize over the course of a decade that "friendship" might actually the best foundation for true love.

    Why I Love It: This wasn't a fair race to begin with because this movie's not only my number one favorite rom-com of all time, but it's also on my personal top five list for BEST MOVIES OF ALL TIME. The way this scene had the patience to stay on Billy Crystal while his character slowly came to figure out what we as the audience already knew, without needing him to say it out loud or have some cheesy voiceover. "It Had To Be You" playing in the background. The countdown to midnight as they fight, setting the stage for his confession. Meg Ryan's '80s-tastic dress and adorable furrowed brow. It's everything. IMHO, it's a perfect scene in an already perfect movie. I could seriously talk about this forever, so I'm just going to stop here. If you've never seen it, I implore you to watch it. Knowing the ending doesn't diminish it at all, and I still cry every single time!

    Okay so, you've read my list — but what's yours? What do YOU believe are some of the best declarations of love in movies? Share your picks in the comments below! I seriously read ALL OF THE COMMENTS! (I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it! Try and stop me!)

    Thanks for readin'! Until my next ranking — see ya around, buttercups!