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15 Romantic Movies to Watch for Valentine's Day

15 Romantic Movies to Watch for Valentine's Day

Posted by Jade Nicolette on 12th Jan 2017

Forget about Fifty Shades of Grey and Titanic. We’re looking for movies that’ll give us a laugh or two, or even revisit the days of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Choose from picks for the hopeless romantic, to tormented tales of unrequited love, or even the utterly sappy. We’ve covered everything from mainstream titles to more obscure picks, and everything in between. Snuggle up with your sweetie and enjoy, or opt to celebrate with friends this year. Who can possibly resist another excuse to eat chocolate, drink wine and be merry? Whether you love the holiday, or would rather choose to ignore it’s existence, here are a few entertaining films to help ease the pain. Here’s our roundup of 15 must watch romantic movies, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

15. Pride and Prejudice

“You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on.” Known for being a staple of classic literature, Pride and Prejudice was penned by Jane Austen in 1813. Since then, we've seen plenty of films who have been inspired by the story, and other on-screen adaptations of the tale. Binge watch the Emmy-award winning Pride and Prejudice mini series starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle from 1995. In the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice, doe eyed Keira Knightley plays Elizabeth Bennet, opposite of Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy. If you're looking for something with a little bit more action involved, turn to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Starring Lily James and Sam Riley, the comedy/horror flick was originally inspired by the 2009 satire novel by Seth Grahame-Smith.

14. The Fault In Our Stars

“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” Based on the novel by John Green, The Fault in Our Stars is a heart-wrenching romantic drama that'll have you teary eyed. A coming of age tale, the story follows two young teenagers as they struggle with cancer, relationships and life's complexities. Up and coming actress Shailene Woodley gives an emotional performance as Hazel. Ansel Elgort, who also starred in the 2013 remake of Carrie, plays her boyfriend Gus. Warning, you’ll definitely need tissues for this one.

13. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

“How happy is the blameless vestal's lot! The world forgetting, by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd.” Directed by Michel Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an indie favorite from 2004. Featuring elements of science fiction, fantasy and of course, romance, the story centers on a couple that decides to go through a procedure to remove all of their memories with one another. Riveting and unexpected, the film is a breath of fresh air amidst tons of other boring romantic comedies. Jim Carrey, also well known for his role as Ace Ventura, stars as Joel Barish, opposite of Kate Winslet as Clementine Kruczynski.

12. Pretty in Pink

“May I admire you again today?” An eighties classic, Pretty in Pink set the bar for high school centered romantic comedies. Molly Ringwald stars as Andie Walsh, with Jon Cryer as Philip "Duckie" Dale, Andrew McCarthy as Blane McDonough and James Spader as Steff McKee. Directed by Howard Deutch, the film was released on February 28, 1986 and has since become a cult favorite.

11. 500 Days of Summer

For a quirky pick, look to 500 Days of Summer. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who also starred in The Dark Knight Rises, plays a charming role as Tom. The adorkable Zooey Deschanel, who voiced Mary Spuckler in The Simpsons, seriously shined as Summer in the film. Right off the bat, the narrator says that this is not a love story, but you'll definitely enjoy the ups and downs experienced by the zany couple in the film.

10. Bridget Jones’ Diary

Inspired by Pride and Prejudice, British author Helen Fielding created a column called Bridget Jones' Diary as a weekly column in The Independent. Fielding wrote about a single thirty-something woman who struggles to navigate dating, love, and relationships in London during the nineties. Naturally, the column became a huge success, and eventually led to a novel and several film adaptations throughout the years. Renée Zellweger is laugh out loud hilarious as Bridget Jones, and will have you cracking up with her amusing antics. Colin Firth stars as Mark Darcy (for the second time since his BBC miniseries) and Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver.

9. The Princess Bride

“As you wish.” A beloved classic, The Princess Bride is action-packed with hilarious quotable lines and epic adventure scenes. The story follows Buttercup, a country girl who is betrothed to Prince Humperdinck of Florian, much to her dismay. However, the princess bride still loves the dashing Westley, who supposedly died five years ago. Embark on the fairytale this Valentine’s Day by watching the timeless film.

8. 50 First Dates

Relive each and every moment with the romantic comedy 50 First Dates. Starring Adam Sandler as Henry Roth and Drew Barrymore as Lucy Whitmore, the two share an electric chemistry with their hilarious adventures. Afraid of commitment, Henry Roth thinks he has everything all planned out until he meets the girl of his dreams. When Henry discovers that Lucy suffers from short-term memory loss, suddenly he has to face his fears of settling down in the name of love. Set in Hawai'i, the film has tons of laugh out moments that'll make you want to watch this one again and again.

7. Love & Basketball

“It's a trip, you know? When you're a kid, you—you see the life you want, and it never crosses your mind that it's not gonna turn out that way.” Starring Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan, Love & Basketball is riveting drama which tells the story of love and sports. Monica and Quincy have shared dreams of becoming professional basketball players since they were young. A coming of age story, the two wrestle with balancing their love for each other and their sport.

6. Romeo + Juliet

"Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow." Originally published in 1597, William Shakespeare set the standard for tragic romantic dramas. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, Romeo + Juliet is a modern film adaptation of the timeless love story. With young Leonardo Dicaprio as Romeo, John Leguizamo as Tybalt, and Claire Danes as Juliet, the film created a fresh revamp of Shakespeare's famous play. Claire Danes also starred in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

5. Grease

“You’re the one that I want…” Relive all the magic moments and summer lovin’ with Sandy and Danny in Grease. The 1978 musical took the world by storm with Olivia Newton John as Sandy and John Travolta as Danny. Since it’s release, the film has been adapted on Broadway and television productions. With infectious lyrics and catchy tunes, you'll be singing along and dancing the hand jive long after this film is done.

4. The Notebook

“So it's not gonna be easy. It's going to be really hard; we're gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me... everyday.” Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook consistently ranks as one of the best romantic movies of all time. Featuring Ryan Gosling as Noah and Rachel McAdams as Allie, this is an emotional story about love in the face of obstacles. Watch with your beau, or plan a get together with friends to recite every line.

3. Beauty and the Beast

“Tale as old as time…” With a live-action adaptation on the way, Beauty and the Beast is a timeless animated classic about love and loss. The nineties animated film from Disney remains a beloved staple for so many. With a huge fan following, the first trailer for the live-action film recently broke records as being the most viewed movie trailer of all time. Fans of all ages and generations can appreciate this heart-warming classic.

2. Love Actually

“Love, actually, is all around.” Directed by Richard Curtis with a star-studded cast, Love Actually follows eight different love stories in London. With a slew of renowned actors and actresses like Bill Nighy, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Martin Freeman and Chiwetel Ejiofor, each story intertwines with each other in amusing ways. If you’re in need of a story that’ll guarantee tons of laughs, look to Love Actually.

1. Gone with the Wind

For our top picks, we’d have to stick to two very well-renowned classics, Gone with the Wind and Casablanca. Based on the 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell, the epic story of Gone with the Wind was originally released on screen in 1939. Featuring Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland, the movie is critically acclaimed for being a classic historical romance. Released in 1942, Casablanca is another iconic romantic drama starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Both movies set the bar high for epic romances in cinematic history. Whether you prefer a laugh out loud comedy or a sweeping drama, choose from some of these romantic movies to watch for Valentine’s Day.

Written by Jade Nicolette

Twitter: @nicolette_style

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