a Recommendation - 19 Top Films to Watch on Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day isn’t always about a box of chocolate or couple photos bombarding your feed all day; sometimes, it’s about snuggling under the covers with either your loved ones or love one, watching a comfort movie that makes you feel giddy both in the inside and outside.
Here is a (very long) list, categorized from cliche to not-really-romance-but-romance, of the best rom-com films you could watch on Valentine’s Day:
Well-Known But Not Overrated: from the 00s to the 20s - here are all the romcoms you may or may not have heard.
1. Set It Up (2018) Starring Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell, alongside Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs, Set It Up is a fun New York-based romantic comedy on the spiral of two overworked assistants setting up their bosses.
2. Definitely, Maybe (2008) Nothing weirder than hearing about your parents having a life before you: Definitely, Maybe is a tale of three romantic stories and one mother mystery.
3. Love, Rosie (2014) Starring two rom-com sweethearts Lily Collins and Sam Claflin, Love Rosie is the original formulaic film of the ultimate childhood best friends to lovers + right person, wrong time trope.
4. Emma (2019) With the perfect combination of wit, set, cast, and story, Emma is the perfect love letter to Jane Austen and fans of Regency Romance.
5. The Half of It (2019) Small town and big romance: The Half of It is a quiet yet impactful film on coming-of-age, friendships, and high school crushes.
6. Miss Congeniality (2000) A perfect mixture of comedy and romance, Miss Congeniality will win your heart with the classic undercover cop story.
7. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018) Carrying the charm and chemistry of a teenage rom-com, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before takes an overused trope of fake relationships and makes it its own, with an unforgettable classic high school love tale.
8. The Vow (2012) Changing the entire course of two people’s lives in one accident, The Vow, based on a true story, is a heartbreaking film on love and grief.
A Bit More Than Boy Meets Girl not so much of romance as connecting with friends or yourself; these movies are perfect for movie nights with friends or if simply you’re not in the mood for a classic rom-com:
9. Laggies (2014) Starring Kiera Knightly, Sam Rockwell, and Chloe Grace Moretz, Laggies is a tale not only of unexpected love but the reality of feeling like lagged in your 20s.
10. The Other Woman (2014) The Other Woman is about the other woman, starring the golden comedy trio Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, and Kate Upton, as they set up for the perfect revenge.
11. Paper Towns (2015) In the classic John Green tale of small-town high school and daydreaming for the manic pixie girl, Paper Towns is a tale of friendship and growing up, with a bittersweet ending that feels more real than the classic Disney happily ever after.
12. The Way Way Back (2013) With a ridiculously talented cast, The Way Way Back is a classic comedic and bittersweet summer beach film of love, parenthood, and friendships, all while coming of age in a world that doesn’t always go your way.
13. The Edge of Seventeen (2016) Hilarious but uncomfortably too true to every teenager at one point, is a perfect film for both depth and comedy, dealing in the themes of betrayal, love, friendship, teenage angst, and loss.
Classics to Re-Binge - or Finally Get Around To Watching It from the 90s to the 10s, created in the classic formula of wit, charm, iconic-ness, and of course: romance and comedy
14. How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) Perhaps one of the most famous rom-com of the 21st century, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is exactly as the title suggests; even in the two decades since its release, the film remains fresh, original, and hilariously sharp in the rom-com film department.
15. The Proposal (2009) In the ultimate fake relationship trope, The Proposal is a classic New York-to-small-town romance, unforgettably delivered by Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.
16. 13 Going on 30 (2004) 13 Going on 30 achieves every 13-year-old girl’s dream; the film centralizes around the youthful and comedic 13-year-old-stuck-in-30-year-old body tale with just the perfect amount of true romance.
17. Crazy Rich Asians (2018) Heartwarming and a feast to the eyes of cinematography, costumes, and score, Crazy Rich Asians is the story of Rachel Chu entering the world of crazy rich Asians, and her fight for her true love.
18. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) In the perfect combination of romance and comedy, 10 Things I Hate About You is a classic in fake-relationship-turned-true-love, starring both the brilliant Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger.
and of course: 19. Valentine’s Day (2010) Starring the biggest names of rom-com from Julia Roberts to Anne Hatheway to Jennifer Garner, Valentine’s Day is a film of multiple love stories all interconnected, set in no other date but Valentine’s Day.
