Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or a hopeful romantic, or something in between, Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love in all its forms. From the romantic to the platonic, it’s a day to celebrate all the relationships we hold near and dear.
If your plans for the day involve pouring out some wine, popping the popcorn, and snuggling up on the couch with some romantic movies then we have a few suggestions for you. We’re giving you 10 suggestions for unique romantic stories that will make you laugh, cry, and reach for the popcorn.
Keep scrolling for 10 romantic movies that were made for Valentine’s Day screenings.
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
If you’re after a tearjerker (let’s face it, most romance movies fall under that category) then this 2018 film adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel is right up your alley.
The film follows the story of childhood friends, Tish and Fonny, who fall in love and move in together. The young couple faces up to challenge after challenge, but their biggest one emerges when Fonny is falsely accused of rape just before Tish falls pregnant with their first child.
If the enduring power of love, as it faces up to every injustice the world can throw its way, is on your mind this Valentine’s Day, this film is what you should be watching.
William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996)
This one barely needs an introduction.
If you love a classic love story, then the love story to end all love stories should be your movie of choice. Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet is a visual feast in its modern retelling of Shakespeare’s timeless tale of love. It tells the story of the doomed Romeo and Juliet who follow their hearts despite their feuding families. While the union delivers them to their early graves, their passionate story lives on.
Full of Shakespeare’s swoon-worthy words that romantics and English students have been quoting for centuries, the tale of these star-crossed lovers is a perfect watch.
Valentine’s Day (2010)
Ensembles don’t get much more star-studded than it does in Valentine’s Day.
If your Christmas movie of choice is Love Actually, then you’ll love Valentine’s Day. Full of interlocking stories of people of all ages navigating new loves, tried-and-tested loves, familial love, and love that goes the distance, this movie will leave you feeling the love in every way possible.
Explore the many thousands of ways love exists this Valentine’s Day with this film.
Love, Simon (2018)
A coming-of-age movie all about acceptance, growing up, and of course, love (this list wouldn’t be complete without it) Love, Simon tells the story of a closeted gay teenager Simon who falls in love with a fellow high schooler going through the same thing he is.
As the two write and develop feelings for one another despite only knowing the other by their pseudonym, Simon tries to uncover the identity of this mystery boy while navigating the romantic entanglements within his friend group and peers.
This happy ending will leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.
Before Sunrise (1995)
The Before trilogy is one of the best film series to chart honest human connection, which is why Before Sunrise deserves a spot on this list.
This film is the first in the trilogy and follows Celeste and Jesse through their first chance meeting on a train and the magical night they share on the streets of Vienna. If you love travel as much as you love love, this film is a dreamy Valentine’s Day watch. While the film is a great testament to one of our favorite romantic movie tropes, the meet cute, this film takes you way beyond the tropes and keeps you guessing.
The trilogy form also means it’s a great choice for you if you’re feeling like a movie marathon.
Under The Tuscan Sun (2003)
Take a trip to the Italian countryside this Valentine’s Day with Under The Tuscan Sun.
This sunny romantic comedy is dedicated to all the unexpected ways love can appear in your life. Post-divorce, writer Frances Mayes is convinced by her best friend to take a trip to Italy. While there she sees a villa for sale that she ends up purchasing after a series of events that she believes are signs that she was meant to be the villa’s owner.
The rest of the movie follows her as she builds a life in her villa, meets new people, and is a reminder that even when love doesn’t seem to last it truly is an ever-present force.
The Last Five Years (2014)
If you love a musical and romance, then this romantic musical will have you singing along (and maybe even shedding a few tears).
This story is told by Cathy and Jamie as they take you through their five-year relationship, from their meeting and marriage to their eventual divorce. While Cathy sings their story from the end to the beginning, Jamie takes the audience through his side of the story from beginning to end until the two intersect.
Their struggle to fix their marriage and their perspective on their failures in it are just what you need if you want your Valentine’s Day movie choice to tug at your heartstrings with catchy tunes.
Disobedience (2018)
The complexities of choosing your own life and love within a community that believes it to be taboo take center stage in Disobedience.
When Ronit’s father dies she returns home and is thrown back into the life and the lives of the people she left behind. This film follows childhood friends Ronit, Esti, and Dovid in a love triangle that threatens to uproot their lives and make them a target of the community.
With Ronit and Esti grappling with their renewed passion for each other, and all that it threatens in their lives, you’ll be at the edge of your seat throughout this romance.
Love and Basketball (2000)
If you’re looking for a romance with a more unexpected premise then Love and Basketball will itch that scratch for you.
It follows childhood friends Monica and Quincy whose relationship throughout the years is tied to their shared love of basketball and mutual ambition for the sport.
With time jumps that take you through their childhood to their college years right up to their reunion after a career-threatening injury, Love and Basketball is all about the balancing act in everyone’s life. For these two, it’s all about leading a life filled with love and basketball. If you’re a sports fan or settling down for a movie with one, this one’s a great option.
It's Complicated (2009)
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from every movie in this list, it’s that love often is much more complicated than we may think. This movie is a testament to that fact from the very title.
While reignited love seems like it should be the best scenario for divorced couple Jane and Jake, it starts to present problems to Jake’s second marriage, Jane’s connection with architect Adam, and the couple’s three children who are still learning to cope with their parents’ separation.
For a Valentine’s Day movie that’s all about unexpected twists and a happily ever after that looks a little different from what you may be used to, this movie is for you.
What will you be watching this V-Day? Tell us all about it in the comments below.
Until next time, Happy Valentine’s Day!