282 Best Sweet Movies to Watch (Page 17)

Ensemble romance stories are great for exploring different aspects of relationships, but this time, Taiwanese comedy drama Let’s Talk About CHU tackles sexual relationships. Centered on the Chu family, each of the members struggle in that aspect of their relationships– the parents are at the brink of divorce because of it, Ai prioritizes pleasure but not connection, Yu-sen is taken for granted because of it, and Wei struggles with the expectations of having children. It’s refreshing to see the show tackle these issues, which, until recently, has been mostly taboo to talk about, but it also happens to be direct, honest, and forthcoming about them in such a relatable way. While the show does struggle to balance the plotlines, Let’s Talk About CHU is a multi-generational conversation that’s important to have.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family

Actor: Chien-Ho Wu, Hsia Yu-chiao, JC Lin, Kai Ko, Tzu Hsuan Chan

Director: Remii Huang

Rating: TV-MA

Even within the first two episodes of the Japanese reality series Is She the Wolf? (a spin-off of parent show Who Is the Wolf?), it admittedly isn't very clear how the premise works. At least one female contestant in this pool of 22- to 32-year-olds—all of whom happen to be performers of some kind—has been told that they ultimately cannot reciprocate when somebody chooses them by the end, though they don't seem to be told what they win if they comply. And with the reveal of who one wolf is during the first episode, the twist starts to feel more cruel than intended, with the chosen woman feeling genuinely heartbroken about not being able to get closer to the man she's interested in.

But it sure makes for good TV. With this layer of suspicion and heightened emotional stakes, even watching the supposedly regular contestants becomes more engrossing: are they sincere, or are they using their performance backgrounds to good use? And despite the central twist, there's still something calming about Is She the Wolf?, as all of the contestants are refreshingly polite and soft-spoken—avoiding the kind of trashy behavior that often makes American dating shows equal parts exciting and irritating. These are just well-adjusted adults with jobs exercising caution as they get to know one another.

Genre: Reality, Romance

Based on the bestselling book of the same name, Everything I Know About Love follows four roommates fresh out of college making a name for themselves in London, 2012. It's ridiculous how much of the early 2010s this show gets right, from the heavy eyeliner and skinny jeans to the girlboss mindset and the nascent social media boom. The atmosphere alone is addictively nostalgic, but the real draw of the series is the girls themselves, especially lifelong best friends Maggie (Emma Appleton) and Birdy (Bel Powley). 

It’s refreshing to watch their friendship take center stage and be fleshed out and explored this much. Their dalliances are exciting, sure, but they’re also secondary to the relationship at the core of this show. In the end, this is all about bestfriendship—its thrilling highs and its depressing lows, its incomparable joy and tendency for toxicity. It's a blast to watch, especially in the company of your friends.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Emma Appleton

Rating: TV-MA

For a series designed to keep young children still for 10 to 12-minute chunks, Dew Drop Diaries is refreshingly thoughtful—not to mention better-crafted than other things you could be showing kids of the same age bracket. Despite the relative simplicity of the show's animation (and certain elements that repeat in every episode), this is a dynamically directed series with a solid core group of voice actors who manage to be sweet without becoming irritating or patronizing. To be clear, this isn't an educational show made to lecture young viewers, but a fun, light family fantasy that makes the act of helping with everyday tasks seem like an adventure and an opportunity for creativity. Dew Drop Diaries never tries to force itself to be cool, which is exactly what makes it cool.

Genre: Animation, Kids

Actor: Scarlett Estevez, Spencer Moss, Sydney Mikayla, ViviAnn Yee, Zehra Fazal

Rating: TV-Y

Before the late 2000s, people didn’t have social networking sites like Facebook and Instagram to connect with loved ones from afar, but every family reunion, there’s still some posturing in order to feel accepted by older family members. Analog Squad takes this to the extreme as Pond hires actors in order to act out the perfect family. It’s… an interesting solution. This premise naturally delivers some comedic hijinks, as lies pile up over time, but it also drives the plot as it creates two mysteries: 1) What happened that was so bad that Pond needed to resort to this? And 2) Who is crazy enough to accept this job? It takes a while to get there, and the story is uneven between the fake family members, but the ensemble charms Pond’s family (and the viewers) with ease as Analog Squad explores how loving families end up being dysfunctional.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Bhumibhat Thavornsiri, Kritsanapoom Pibulsonggram, Kullanat Preeyawat, Nopachai Jayanama, Surasee Ithikul, Wipawee Patnasiri

Director: Nithiwat Tharathorn