Maybe you’re a strong believer in Valentine’s Day, or maybe you’re someone who believes that Valentine’s Day is nothing more than a way for flower and candy companies to make some extra cash. If you’re the former, you might be looking for some new movies to help get you in that Valentine’s Day spirit. If you’re looking for some recommendations—some older, some new, a couple funny and a few serious—read on!
Let’s start things off with a straightforward romance. If you haven’t seen “The Notebook” yet, you’ve at least probably heard of it. It’s ingrained in the public consciousness, with several scenes from the movie being endlessly referenced and parodied. It centers around a couple, played by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, whose romance evolves through the backdrop of the ‘30s and ‘40s. For those of you who don’t want their romance presented comedically or ironically, the movie is currently streaming on HBO Max.
What if you do like your roms to go with your coms? If you’re in the mood for that kind of thing, then “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” might just be the thing for you. It stars Kate Hudson and Mathew McConaughey. Hudson is writing an article on how to lose a guy in 10 days—hence the title—while McConaughey wants to prove that he can get any girl to fall in love with him in 10 days. Naturally, hijinks ensue and real emotions start coming into play. The movie isn’t currently streaming on any platform but is available to rent.
How about something a little more classic? If you haven’t seen “When Harry Met Sally” yet, do yourself a favor and watch it. It stars Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally, who are two friends that gradually get closer and closer over the course of a decade. The chemistry between the two leads made this movie a classic, so make sure to watch it if you haven’t already. If you want to see more of something similar after you’ve finished the film—which is currently streaming on HBO Max—then check out “Sleepless in Seattle” starring Ryan and Tom Hanks on Amazon Prime.
If classics aren’t what you’re looking for, then give something more recent a try. Netflix’s “To All the Boys” trilogy has proven itself to be extremely popular in recent years. The adaptations of Jenny Han’s wildly popular Young Adult book series stars Lana Condor as Lara Jean, a girl who has written letters to five of her crushes with the intention of never sending them. However, there’s one problem: They end up getting sent anyway. If that plot sounds like it might be fun, all three movies are waiting for you on Netflix.
Do you like the ‘90s? Do you like Shakespeare? Here’s something that’s a little of both. “Ten Things I Hate About You”—starring Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Heath Ledger—is a recreation of the Shakespeare play “The Taming of the Shrew” that takes place in high school. Levitt’s character wants to date Stiles’ character’s sister. Their father decides that if Stiles starts dating then he’ll let her sister start dating too. So, Levitt hatches a plan to get Stiles to start dating Ledger. It’s a great deal of fun and is currently streaming on Disney+.
There’s a great deal of romance movies out there. Romantic comedies, tragedies and everything in between. Hopefully you find these movies a good way to spend your Valentine’s Day. If not, then at least you still have chocolate.