Movies You Have to Watch if You're Dreaming of Italy

 Whether you're going there soon, feeling nostalgic for your study abroad days, or just dreaming that one fine day, you're going to make it there, here's my list of favorite watches to feed that Italophile in you.

1. Only You

Ahhh...this movie, starring Robert Downey Jr. & Marisa Tomei is such a 90s throwback, and reminds me of my formative years in Italy. Classic rom-com. Amazing scenery. Ridiculous scenario. Early music of Eros Ramazzotti featured throughout--5 stars!

2. French Kiss

Yes, I KNOW. It's called French Kiss, and it takes place in France. But it came out around the same time as Only You, and it, more than any other movie, reminds me of my younger years in Italy. So much so, that I used the theme song as my wedding music. I love this movie. It might be my favorite. But lately, it's hard to find. Look anyway. Meg Ryan. Kevin Kline. A whirlwind trip to Europe and a great romance. Watch it!

3. Under the Tuscan Sun

As I get older, I love the premise of this movie. A woman finds she needs to start her life over, and on a whim buys a crumbling villa to fix up and moves to Italy. She finds a new life and purpose as she does so. We all need a little of that! In fact....wait...what am I doing in the suburbs of Detroit???

4. Stealing Beauty

Not one of my favorite favorites, and definitely, with an Italian director, a bit quirky, but love the scenario of a bunch of different bohemian individuals all descending on an Italian villa and having various experiences. I sort of want to make that happen. One of Liv Tyler's breakthrough roles.

5. From Scratch

So this is a series, not a movie. But it really spoke to me, and I felt like it was recounting a lot of my own story. To that end, watching it was fairly traumatic for me, and it definitely has some very emotional moments--the kind that make you openly cry on an airplane, or maybe that's just me! But a great story about an American studying abroad who falls in love and brings her boyfriend back to the States. My story. ;)

6. The Talented Mr. Ripley

I'm sorry, but Jude Law is just BEYOND hot in this film! I could watch it just for the eye candy, but I digress. A fun thriller about a 1950s American youth (Matt Damon) hired by the father of a classmate to bring his son home from Italy, this movie is chock-full of scenery, and I'm not just talking about Jude. Also starring Gwyneth Paltrow, it's a must-see.