We looked at the top-grossing romantic movies of the last three years.

FORBES: Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson Top Our List Of Hollywood's Highest-Grossing Romantic Couples

He went on to star in a string of hit romantic movies, and his shy smile won him legions of devoted admirers.

CNN: July 19, 2012 -- Updated 1838 GMT (0238 HKT)

"Before Midnight" is perhaps the most highly anticipated movie sequel this summer that is neither a comedy nor an action-adventure movie, and its predecessors rank high on many lists of best romantic movies.

WSJ: 'Before,' and After | Julie Delpy | Cultural Conversation by Martin Johnson

The model also showed that romantic movies (the most popular kind in America, Sweden, Germany and South Africa) are the least likely to do well in overseas markets, and that movies are likely to do better overseas if they are distributed by local distributors.

ECONOMIST: Film economics

While Affleck has taken a circuitous route through Hollywood, which included some questionable action movies and a romantic media sensation dubbed Bennifer that led to Gigli and Jersey Girl, the actor has emerged as one of the best young directors in Hollywood today.

FORBES: Why Ben Affleck's Argo Should Win The Best Picture Oscar

"You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle, " her romantic comedies starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, were among her movies that featured a lot of the city's iconic buildings as a backdrop.

CNN: Nora Ephron, prolific writer and filmmaker, dies at age 71

Then he suavely juggled two genres: romantic comedy (A New Leaf, House Calls) and 32 years of grumpy-buddy movies with Jack Lemmon.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | Milestones

They see their romantic disasters, shown in copious flashbacks, as Hollywood melodramas, their rustic gunplay in terms of war movies, their erotic dreams as musical numbers.

NEWYORKER: Hallelujah the Hills