6. Blue Valentine
Blue Valentine is the realistic story of what happens after love at first sight. Dean and Cindy (Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams) had a fairytale relationship. After one glimpse of Cindy, Dean was in love and pursued her endlessly. Eventually she succumbed, fell in love with him too, and they lived happily ever after. Or at least, that's how most movies tell it. Blue Valentine is the depressingly realistic look at a marriage in decay. Dean tries desperately to save his marriage, booking a future-themed room at some godawful hotel for a night of passion with Cindy. The cold chrome room is the perfect embodiment of the loveless marriage, which has fallen apart now that the thrill of love at first sight has faded. The sadness is increased significantly by director Derek Cianfrance, who intercuts scenes of the couple when they were happy in between the present scenes of despair. He gives us five minutes to say "oh what a lovely couple" and then brings us back to Earth with shattering reality. Blue Valentine does not end happily. Dean and Cindy break up, and the audience wonders if love is something they should even bother with.