What will you be doing this Valentine’s Day? Sure, you could go out to a fancy restaurant. Or you could go out to any restaurant. But we’re still living in a financially unstable world, people, and anything more expensive than Chinese takeaway seems a bit excessive – especially if you factor in flowers and a hallmark card. So forget dinner and a movie, and embrace Pad Thai and a DVD. To help you with your DVD selection, listed below are some of the obvious Valentine’s Day movie choices, as well as a few more original options.
THE RECENT RELEASES
Valentine’s Day (2010)
By far the most obvious choice, Valentine’s Day is the American answer to Love Actually. Except, Love Actually is good, and Valentine’s Day is somewhat rubbish. With an extensive ensemble cast – including Jessica Alba, Patrick Dempsey, Jennifer Garner, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, and everyone else in Hollywood – and a series of half-baked plotlines, Valentine’s Day is heavy on the star power and light on the script. Then again, if you and your significant other are just going to be make -0ut on the couch anyway, I suppose it doesn’t really matter how quality the film is.
Life as We Know It (2010)
Life as We Know It is a Katherine Heigl film, but don’t let that put you off too much – she is less annoying here than in many of her other films. She is even, dare I say it, watchable. Holly (Heigl) and Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel) are two young, carefree and single adults who (a) hate each other, and (b) become the primary caregivers to a baby girl when their mutual best friends are killed in a car accident. A steep learning curve, life lessons and love predictably ensue. Perhaps only watch this film with your partner if you know where the other stands in regards to children, otherwise he/she might think you’re trying to heavily hint at something.
Going the Distance (2010)
Going the Distance was one of the better romantic comedies from last year. Starring the exceptionally likeable Drew Barrymore as Erin, and the eternally geek-chic Justin Long as Garrett, the film follows a new couple as they attempt to try the ‘long distance thing,’ keeping their romance alive between New York and San Francisco. Surprisingly touching, and with a fun, sexy script, Going the Distance owes most of its value to the two leads. I’d probably watch Drew Barrymore watching paint dry, as long as she looked like she was having fun. Warning: Going the Distance is not the best film to watch for couples that are actually going the distance.
THE CLASSICS
Titanic (1997)
Before James Cameron made a film about blue savages who needed to be saved by the white man, he made one of the greatest (or at least, highest grossing) love stories of all time. Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) meets Rose (Kate Winslet) aboard the Titanic, and although their romance is forbidden by their class status – and, er, her fiancé – love blossoms. It’s the classic story of Boy Meets Girl, And Then The Big Ship Sinks.
Casablanca (1942)
It doesn’t really matter how many times you’ve seen Casablanca, you can still watch it again. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart, my oh my) is a suspicious and world-weary American expat living in North Africa in the early years of WWII. He owns and operates a nightclub that attracts both refugees and Nazi soldiers – but one night his establishment also attracts his former lover, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) and her husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), a Czech Resistance leader. The couple needs help to make it to America, but complications ensue – especially of the heart. Commonly regarded one of the greatest films of all time, Casablanca is a romantic classic. Here’s lookin’ at you, kid.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Based on the Broadway play of the same name, The Philadelphia Story is an old-school black-and-white romantic comedy with a snappy script and smart characters. Tracy (Katherine Hepburn) is a wealthy socialist who has divorced C.K Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) because of his character flaws – and drinking problem. She is about to marry a man of New Money, George (John Howard), when tabloid reporter Mike (James Stewart) shows up on the scene, to cover the impending nuptials and uncover any dirty family secrets. As her wedding day approaches, Tracy is torn between the three men – but don’t worry, there’s not much angsting or pining, just punning!
THE ORIGINAL CHOICES
True Romance (1993)
An incredibly violent romance-crime-thriller written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Tony Scott, True Romance follows Clarence (Christian Slater) as he marries the hooker Alabama (Patricia Arquette), steals cocaine from her pimp, and then sets off to sell it in Hollywood while being hunted by hit men. You can’t help but feel he’s made some bad life choices in there, but love makes people do crazy things. An amazing film, watch it for the blood and guts and/or fabulous early-90s trailer trash outfits. There’s something for everybody!
Amélie (2001)
Okay, maybe not strictly an “original” choice, as Amélie has become the mainstream example of quirky French films, but nonetheless more enjoyable than your average rom-com. Amelie (Audrey Tautou) lives in the bohemian Montmartre in Paris, and takes it upon herself to help the eccentric characters in her life; her reclusive painter neighbour, a blind man, the unhappy concierge of her building, and many more. But eventually she must learn to help herself, and finds love along the way. Amélie is a feel-good, fanciful film, and Audrey Tautou is nothing short of delightful. Immersing yourself in her world is definitely an enjoyable way to spend the evening.
Valentine (2001)
A slasher film set on Valentine’s Day, Valentine stars David Boreanaz, Katherine Heigl and Denise Richards. In short, a group of women are stalked by a boy they rejected in high school. He becomes a serial killer whose nose bleeds as he kills his victims. Um, what? Truly awful, this film would presumably be a lot of fun to watch with a few bottles of wine.
THE ULTIMATE VALENTINE’S DAY FILM
The Princess Bride (1987)
Yes, the rest of this list has been written to give the appearance of choice and diversity, but the only film you really need to watch this Valentine’s Day is The Princess Bride. A classic fairytale with a postmodern twist, The Princess Bride features swashbuckling and swordplay, fencing and fighting, death and pits of despair, giants and ROUS (rodents of unusual size). There’s also a bit of kissing. Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright) is to be married to the arrogant Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), but longs for the love of her life, Westley (Cary Elwes), lost at sea many years before. The way I feel about this film can be summed up by a quote: “This is true love – you think this happens every day?”
