Celebrating Valentine’s Day doesn’t always have to mean exchanging gifts and eating a fancy dinner. Sometimes, it can just be about relaxing at home and watching a movie. Luckily, the holiday of love has produced its fair share of films.
From loving couples to heartless killers, here are some of the best Valentine’s Day movies ever made.
“Valentine’s Day” (2010)
Of course, no list of Valentine’s films is complete without the most popular, as well as the one that shares its name, “Valentine’s Day.” The story follows a wide array of individuals and couples in Los Angeles as they break up, search for love and navigate the challenges of Valentine’s Day.
This is essentially the magnum opus of Valentine’s films, as there’s a storyline and character that everyone can relate to. It features basically every possible stage of relationship, and it represents singles who both wish for love and dislike the holiday altogether.
It also helps that the cast is loaded from top to bottom with stars, featuring A-Listers such as Anne Hathaway, Bradley Cooper and Julia Roberts, as well as other pop culture icons like Taylor Swift and George Lopez.
All of this comes together to make not only the ultimate Valentine’s Day film but an entertaining time as a whole.
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004)
If there’s a film that represents the challenges of a relationship and what it takes to keep it together, it’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Following a couple that attempts to have each other surgically erased from their minds after a break-up, the story mostly takes place on and around Valentine’s Day.
The film stars Jim Carrey in his first truly dramatic role after his historic comedy run in the 1990s and early 2000s, as well as Kate Winslet, who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance. Their chemistry on-screen is grounded and realistic, making the events of the film that much more captivating than they already are.
Written by Charlie Kaufman, the film also went on to win an Academy Award for best original screenplay at the 2005 Oscars and was nominated at both the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards for its writing.
“My Bloody Valentine” (1981)
One of the oldest Valentine’s Day films is also one of the bloodiest, as George Mihalka’s “My Bloody Valentine” is among the goriest slashers of the 1980s. The story follows a group of couples that are slowly killed off by a deranged murderer on Valentine’s Day.
The film does an excellent job at creating an atmosphere full of dread and eeriness, never letting up on the scares from start to finish. With a large number of brutal kills and a surprising amount of gore for the ‘80s, “My Bloody Valentine” is the first of a handful of quality Valentine’s Day horror flicks.
“The Notebook” (2004)
Although it’s not explicitly set on Valentine’s Day, “The Notebook” encapsulates the feeling of true love more than perhaps any other film. Taking place in the fictional Seabrook, South Carolina, the story follows young couple Noah and Allie as they fall in love and attempt to make their relationship last.
“The Notebook” has been making audiences cry for over 20 years now, and that’s all thanks to the captivating romance brought to life by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Their on-screen chemistry and presence is especially easy to get invested in, thus making the events of the film that much more emotional.
It may not take place on the 14th of February, but for a holiday of love and affection, there may not be a better choice.
