With February being the month of love, you may want to watch a romance film to get in the mood. There are many types of romantic films to choose from, from comedies and tearjerkers to the classics. Whether you are looking for some light-hearted, fun romances or serious, emotional films, there are many options for you. There are many ways to celebrate Valentine’s and one way to celebrate is to watch romance films. In the season of love, romantic films are the go, and with plenty of options to choose from, here are five romance films to watch this Valentine’s Day.
“10 Things I Hate About You”
When one of Shakespeare’s plays “The Taming of the Shrew” became adapted into a late-90s romcom, “10 Things I Hate About You,” the reviews were outstandingly positive. Set in an American high school, Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) falls in love with Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik), but he discovers that she cannot date until her hot-headed, shrewish, older sister Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) dates someone. As a result, Cameron finds the perfect match for Kat: the mysterious bad boy, Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger). Although Patrick gets paid money to date Kat, he eventually gets to know her and falls in love. Between the main love interests’ chemistry and the overall story, the film has become a cult classic, and a perfect one to watch on Valentine’s.
“A Walk to Remember”
Although romance can be sweet and fun, it can also have its serious moments and be very emotional. Based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, the underrated film, “A Walk to Remember,” is a coming-of-age teenage romance story. Set in North Carolina, popular troublemaker Landon (Shane West) gets into trouble and to avoid involvement with the law, he has to complete several projects. In one task, he has to participate in the school play, where he meets outcast and unpopular student, Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore). As a result, they change each others’ lives and deal with unavoidable obstacles that will change their lives forever. Jamie and Landon’s love story is a pure and emotional ride that will have you reaching for some tissues.
“13 Going on 30”
Many critics say that romcoms today are just not as good as they used to be. One popular, classic rom-com film from the 00s, “13 Going on 30,” is the best film to watch for the nostalgia factor. Geeky Jenna Rink gets humiliated at her 13th birthday party and wishes to be 30 with the wishing dust gifted by her best friend Matt. The next morning, Jenna (Jennifer Garner) wakes up and her dream of being 30 has come true as she has jumped to the future. However, she finds out that her 30s are not as glamorous as she expected them to be. She must navigate her complicated life with the help of Matt (Mark Ruffalo). This movie is perfect for some light-hearted, nostalgic romance with wonderful performances by Garner and Ruffalo.
“Someone Great”
Often with love, comes the possibility of heartbreak and need to move on past that. In Netflix’s romcom “Someone Great,” Jenny’s (Gina Rodriguez) boyfriend of nine years breaks up with her after she gets her dream job that would have led them to be long-distance. Feeling down from her breakup, she goes on one last journey with her two best friends, Erin (DeWanda Wise) and Blair (Brittany Snow) before moving away. From funny and sweet romantic moments to devastating, heart-wrenching moments, the film offers plenty. It is a relatable movie that will have you cry, laugh and feel empowered. If you are spending this Valentine’s season alone, this film about self-love, heartbreak and friendship might be the one for you.
“Crazy Rich Asians”
As mentioned, romcoms today are not as popular as the ones in the past, but this film is sure to challenge that. “Crazy Rich Asians” is a romantic comedy that depicts the drama and intensity of meeting a significant other’s family. Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is accompanying her longtime boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore and also to meet his family. However, meeting his family was not as easy going as she originally thought it would be. Rachel has to navigate the surprise of his crazy rich traditional family, jealous socialites and Nick’s disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh). This film is filled with comedic and romantic moments that shows how crazy love and families can be.
