Looking for some films to carry you through the Valentine’s Day weekend? Here are some feel-good and romance recommendations for your next V-Day watch.
“10 Things I Hate About You”
A 1999 classic, “10 Things I Hate About You” follows Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) – a prickly high school student who has no interest in boys – and Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) – the bad-boy being paid to try and date her – as they fall in love before the prom.
While titled particularly non-lovey-dovey, this film is home to one of the most famous lines in romance history: “But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.”
This is a movie you’ll want to watch all the way through, so get some popcorn, chocolates and candy before tuning in. Ledger’s and Stiles’ acting is superb, but be sure to watch out for the school counselor, Ms. Perky (Allison Janney), who’s busy writing the next-best romance novel.
“Groundhog Day”
If one movie from the 1990s wasn’t enough, here is another. Made in 1993, this is the story of weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) who reports on Groundhog Day each year. Connors strongly dislikes the beat but finds himself stuck in an endless loop of reliving Groundhog Day.
Upon realizing that he can do whatever he wants since the loop will reset and effectively erase his actions, Connors decides to commit increasingly dangerous and illegal acts before setting his sights on seducing Rita Hanson (Andie MacDowell), his co-anchor on the news.
While not inherently a romance, Feb. 2 is only 12 days from Valentine’s Day, and everyone – couples, gal pals or singles – are always in need of a good laugh and a cute groundhog.
Quick note on Groundhog Day, it stems from a pagan holiday that German immigrants, in 1886, brought to the United States and, upon finding no hedgehogs – as was originally used – settled on groundhogs, which there were plenty of in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
“A Charlie Brown Valentine”
Charlie Brown and his friends, thankfully for viewers everywhere, tend to have adventures that coincide with beloved holidays, and Valentine’s Day is no different. In fact, there are two Valentine’s Day specials: “A Charlie Brown Valentine” (2002) and “Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown” (1975).
In all honesty, you could watch either – or both – and be completely satisfied, as they are both only 25 minutes long. In the 2002 film, Charlie Brown’s crush on Lucy grows as their friends get ready to celebrate the love and flower-filled holiday.
If the Charlie Brown plot lines don’t interest you, the music certainly makes the specials worth watching. A classic for every occasion, the Charlie Brown Valentine’s Day specials are must-sees for the season.
“Titanic”
Let’s travel back to 1997 when young Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet graced our screens with a fictional depiction of the sinking of the ship “Titanic.”
Aside from watching to determine whether Jack Dawson (DiCaprio) would fit on the door with Rose DeWitt Bukater (Winslet) and admire the beautiful costumes and ship decor, this film is a classic love tragedy focused on forced and lost love.
At a whopping 3 hours and 15 minutes long, this movie has its tense moments, but not every moment is jaw droppingly exciting, and there is certainly room to pay less attention to this film than others on this list. But, whether you come up for a quick breath of air or to take a break, this film is certainly worth the watch.
“Grease”
You better shape up, because this movie-musical showcases drive-ins, summer loveing and beauty school dropouts. The first installment came in 1978 as Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John) spend the film falling in love while wholeheartedly changing who they are to satisfy the other person. The bad-boy becomes a studious fellow, and the nerdy girl dawns leather.
Full of musical numbers and featuring a car race, this catchy movie-musical will soon become a relationship favorite. With classics like “Grease Lightning” and “You’re the One That I Want,” you’ll soon find your favorite song and characters.
