Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and unless you plan on going to see Deadpool for the romantic aspect (it’s there I swear), there’s not much in the way of romance in theaters. In tradition with years past and in no particular order, here are some of my favorite movies about love, whether it be comedic, heart wrenching or simply a little odd.
About Time
I tend to forget about this movie until it comes up on television and I’m instantly reminded about how much I love it when I turn into a mess of tears by the films end. Disarmingly sweet with some genuinely charming performances by Rachel McAdams and Domnhall Gleeson, the film hits all the right beats of a good romantic comedy. Where the also soars is the father and son dynamic which informs much of the story. Good luck with the dry eye hope by the end of the film where the biggest message is to cherish the little moments in life that make us smile, laugh and be curious.
The English Patient
How had I never seen this film? Only having watched this last summer, it’s an instant draw with it’s lavish design and epic, decade sweeping romance. Love stories told in two differed time periods, one more tragic than the other. The chemistry between Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas have a tangible chemistry, playing lovers who bring one another their greatest happiness and sadness a scene at the end as he carries her has to be one of cinemas most iconic.
Perfect Sense
Advertisement
There was a part of me that wanted to maniacally giggle to myself while I suggested this film as a Valentine’s Day must, relishing in the idea that you too would have to suffer the way I did while I naively watched this film. Here’s how it happened, one dreary, snowed in night last year in Boston, I, with a glass of red wine in hand, skipped through my options on Netflix and landed on one with pretty people on the cover (Ewan McGregor and Eva Green), saw the genre label “romance” and thought that it was an obvious choice. I did not read the description or google reviews. As 20 minutes of the film passed and the characters began to loose their senses, their futures growing more and more impossibly tragic, I told myself that something will have to happen to make it optimistic again. Emboldened by the traitorous red wine in hand, I kept watching until the end, where sure, love is a conqueror of sorts, but I’m left in an unshakable mood and ditch the movie watching for sleep.
Perfect Sense is an unhappy movie as I learned the hard way. But there are pretty people and there is romance.
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
Advertisement
Sunrise has the ability to transcend the date it was made. Released in 1927 the film is a devastating picture about love, passion and betrayal, as a man is asked by his mistress to kill his wife so that they can be together. However, he’s unable to commit the terrible act and the two end up spending the night together, falling in love all over again. It’s a bittersweet story ripe with an underlying sadness, but the boisterous fun that the two have is infectious. With a thrilling third act that will have you as caught up in the action as you would in a major drama today, the film is a must see not only for romance enthusiasts but for cinephiles as well.
Love is Strange
I apologize for a list so far that has seemed less than joyous. Ira Sachs created a film that is sorrowful in it’s premise but is tinged with enough good natured humor to keep it from becoming depressing. Alfred Molina and John Lithgow give career best performances in a film that demonstrates the idea that love doesn’t equate proximity.
Advertisement
Beyond the Lights
Not only one of the greatest cinematic achievements of 2014 but also one of the greatest onscreen romances ever, period, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s romantic drama is a all encompassing much watch. Likely to render you silent by the opening moments which plummet you into Noni’s oppressive world, the film’s love story is remarkably moving, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Nate Parker possessing instantaneous chemistry. A love story with a message about being comfortable in your own skin and reaffirming your agency, the film bleeds romance.
Definitely, Maybe
Sugary sweet and anchored by a likable performance from pre-Deadpool leading man Ryan Reynolds, Definitely, Maybe seems like a by the numbers romantic comedy whose big secret is that it is And it works! It’s only been in the last ten years or so where romantic comedies have truly taken a bit of a nose dive, the genre populated with half-baked ideas and poor plotting, but while on their A game, such is the case with any movie in any other genre, they can be a success. Charming and self-contained, the film boasts plenty of charming performers (Isla Fisher especially) and is the type of film you leave on when you find it playing on television.
You’ve Got Mail
I’m appalled at myself that this has never ended up on one of my Valentines Day movie lists when I’ve done three previous! Very possibly my favorite romantic comedy and a film I possess an unstoppable amount of affection for, You’ve Got Mail is the best utilization of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan’s effortless charm. Based on the Jimmy Stewart lead The Shop Around the Corner, the film might date itself a little bit upon re-watch (with so much of it surrounding AOL Instant Messaging at all) but the enemies to lovers trope here works wonders, with the entire shot being given a playful and lively atmosphere.
Something New
Sanaa Lathan should be an instant draw. Possessing a confident ease in front of the character and sharing a wonderful rapport with onscreen love interest Simon Baker, Lathan was the immediate sell of this film for me. The film itself is far from shallow, a complicated but wildly entertaining look at expectations in dating put on you due to society and their perceptions of race.
But I’m a Cheerleader
For all of it’s wild and ludicrous satire, at it’s core But I’m a Cheerleader is an earnest and heartfelt love story between two girls, both of whom find themselves lost in a world where they’re told they can’t love who they want. Natasha Lyonne is marvelous and the last five minutes are guaranteed to give you chills.
Advertisement