Whether you’ve got yourself a special someone or not — as Valentine’s Day approaches, you’ll definitely want to check out these movies to get into the lovey spirit. Here are some of my personal favorite romantic films.
“Love, Simon”
“Love, Simon” is about a 17-year-old who’s coming to terms with his homosexuality. He hasn’t told anyone, and the thought of doing so terrifies him, but Simon falls for a mysterious anonymous classmate, Blue, after they open up to each other online about the struggles that come with being gay. As Simon tries to discover who Blue is, he discovers himself in the process and takes on life with a new approach. It’s the perfect LGBTQ+ rom-com if you want to see a vibrant cast of characters approach this topic in a funny, endearing way.
“Sixteen Candles”
This movie is an ‘80s classic. Samantha, a newly turned 16-year-old, feels unseen by her family — they forget her birthday in lieu of her older sister’s wedding. Meanwhile, Samantha has fallen for Jake, a senior at her high school. While she’s always trying to get his attention, a nerd named Ted is pining after her. I think this movie is super funny and cute. It’s perfect if you want a good laugh for Valentine’s Day.
“Your Name”
Calling all anime lovers — “Your Name” is definitely one of the best of the best. It’s about Taki and Mitsuha, two high school students who develop a powerful, magical connection after discovering they’ve switched bodies. Things become more complicated when the two meet up, and they’re forced to save Mitsuha’s small country town from disaster. The timeline is somewhat confusing, but the cinematography is beautiful and it’s a super compelling story. I definitely recommend this movie, even if you’re not into anime.
“500 Days of Summer”
Unlike the other movies on this list, “500 Days of Summer” doesn’t begin happily. Tom, a greeting card writer and a hopeless romantic, is completely thrown off track when his girlfriend Summer dumps him. Throughout the movie, Tom reflects upon the 500 days he spent with Summer to try and figure out what went wrong. His friends and family help him cope with the breakup, but he’s stuck on getting her back. This film gives a super realistic look at how devastating love and relationships can be. I highly recommend it for the single or even heartbroken ones this Valentine’s Day.
“Always Be My Maybe”
This has to be one of my favorite romantic comedies, hands down. “Always Be My Maybe” delves into the love story of Sasha and Marcus, childhood sweethearts that eventually lost touch as adults. Fifteen years into their adult lives, they reconnect in San Francisco. Although Sasha and Marcus grow closer, they live in completely different worlds, so it’s unclear if they’ll work things out at all. This movie is not only romantic, but super entertaining — plus, the best song of the movie is “Always Be My Baby” by Mariah Carey.
“10 Things I Hate About You”
“10 Things I Hate About You” is another classic rom-com that I adore. It follows the story of Kat, a girl who doesn’t often attract the attention of guys. Her little sister Bianca is the complete opposite, but her parents won’t let her date unless Kat gets a boyfriend, so Bianca attempts to set Kat up with the new guy in school, Patrick. Trouble is, Patrick has a hard time getting Kat to let her guard down for him — which makes for a riveting movie.
“Clueless”
“Clueless” revolves around Cher, a rich, popular queen bee who doesn’t have time for boys — instead, she spends her time helping others with their love lives. She pairs two teachers together and gives Tai, the new girl, a complete makeover and takes her under her wing. However, Cher’s plan soon backfires, and Tai becomes more popular than her. Meanwhile, her ex-step-brother Josh waltzes back into Cher’s life and she falls for him, hard.
