Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. What better way to spend time with your significant other than with a romantic movie? Here are some V-Day classics and other unconventional gems to make you fall in love all over again!
The Princess Bride (1987)
In this fairytale romance, a grandfather tells his son the fantastical story of a farmhand named Westley (Cary Elwes) who must overcome the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin to be reunited with his one true love, Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright). Stream on Disney+
Before Sunrise (1995)
Endlessly charming, this Richard Linklater movie follows Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) as they meet on a train from Budapest to Vienna. Although Jesse has plans to catch a flight back to America and Céline must return to Paris, the pair decide to spend one romantic night together wandering the streets of Vienna.
Stream on HBO Max or Amazon Prime Video
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
A retelling of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” this 90s rom-com follows Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) on his pursuit to take Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) on a date. When Bianca’s father says he will only allow her to go out if older sister Kat (Julia Stiles) joins, Cameron enlists the help of the school bad boy, Patrick (Heath Ledger), to win Kat over.
Stream on Disney+ or Hulu
In the Mood for Love (2000)
Taking place in Hong Kong in 1962, this romantic drama portrays the intense relationship between Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) after they discover their spouses are having an affair. Despite this betrayal, the two fall in love over the course of many years.
Stream on HBO Max
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) is a writer for the women’s magazine Composure. When she is tasked with writing a story about how to lose a guy in 10 days, she settles on advertising executive Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey) as her target. However, her plans begin to crumble when she falls for him.
Stream on Paramount+ or Amazon Prime Video
13 Going on 30 (2004)
When nerdy 13-year-old Jenna Rink receives “magic wishing dust” from her friend Matt on her birthday, she wishes to be “30, flirty, and thriving.” The next day, she wakes up as a 30-year-old (played by Jennifer Garner) with no recollection of the 17 years in between. Looking for answers, she reunites with a 30-year-old Matt (played by Mark Ruffalo).
Stream on Peacock
50 First Dates (2004)
Adam Sandler stars as Henry Roth, a veterinarian living in Hawaii who only dates tourists to avoid a serious commitment. He then meets Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore), a local with short-term memory loss, and his days of womanizing come to an end. Lucy forgets about Henry each morning, but he aims to win her over every day.
Stream on Peacock
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
Written and directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, “Howl’s Moving Castle” tells the story of Sophie, a young hatter who is turned into an elderly woman under a witch’s curse. She then seeks help from a wizard named Howl, who is caught in his own battle against the tyrannical king and begins to fall for him.
Stream on HBO Max
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
An adaptation of Jane Austen’s period romance, this movie stars Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet, a rebellious young woman who opposes arranged marriage. When she meets the snobbish Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfayden), she initially despises him but then soon realizes the two share a deep connection.
Stream on Amazon Prime Video
Up in the Air (2009)
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) works for a human resources firm specializing in employment termination assistance. He often flies across the country to conduct company layoffs, earning him frequent flyer miles. While traveling, he meets Alex (Vera Farmiga), and they begin a casual relationship.
Stream on Netflix or Paramount+
Valentine’s Day (2010)
Featuring an ensemble cast including Anne Hathaway, Bradley Cooper, and Taylor Swift, among others, this movie follows multiple couples on Valentine’s Day. Although critics disliked this star-studded rom-com, audiences fell in love with the stories.
Stream on HBO Max
About Time (2013)
On his 21st birthday, Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) learns from his father he is able to travel through time. Instead of using his ability to gain riches or fame, Tim revisits his past to try to improve his future. When he meets Mary (Rachel McAdams), Tim uses his time-travel ability to win her over.
Stream on Amazon Prime Video
The Big Sick (2017)
Pakistani-born immigrant Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani) is an Uber driver living in Chicago who does standup comedy in Chicago in his free time. One night, he is heckled by a woman named Emily (Zoe Kazan), and the two begin a casual relationship. Despite cultural differences and Emily’s illness, the pair’s bond is unbreakable.
Stream on Amazon Prime Video
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Based on James Baldwin’s novel of the same name, this historical romance follows Clementine “Tish” Rivers (KiKi Layne) as she works to clear the name of her falsely accused childhood friend turned lover, Alonzo “Fonny” Hunt (Stephan James), before the birth of their child.
Stream on Netflix
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
In 1770s France, Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), a young woman who has just left the covenant. Free-spirited Héloïse is reluctant to be married, forcing Marianne to paint her portrait from memory. As they spend more time together, they develop intense feelings.
Stream on Hulu
By Emma Maring, TDS Communications Intern
