By Mandy Boyle
Advertising Sales Manager/Entertainment Editor
Normally, I’m not the kind of girl who enjoys watching back-to-back chick flicks; however, preparing for this article was not only fun, but it was a great experience to expose myself to several films which I have never had the chance to see before. My journey through the 14 best Valentines Day movies has taken me from days of old Hollywood glamour to love in its present day, showing me an entire spectrum of love and its adaptation to our unique and ever changing standards of love, life, relationships, and the human condition. Without further adieu, I give you, in no particular order, the 14 best Valentines Day movies – films that can be enjoyed either with or without a special someone:
- When Harry Met Sally: As one of my favorite films of all time, this flick is sure to delight couples and best friends alike. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan shine in this 80’s film about how friendship can turn into something more.
- Love Actually: Even though Love Actually is set during the Christmas season, it’s incredibly appropriate as a feel-good movie no matter what the time of year. Outlining an interconnected web of love stories in the UK, Love Actually sparkles with wit, romance, and a touch of humor.
- French Kiss: Starring Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan, French Kiss is a tale of a jilted woman looking to steal her beau back from a Parisian beauty, but meets and falls in love with an odd yet charming French thief long the way.
- Amelie: An indie and foreign favorite, Amelie is the story of a French woman who just wants to make the world a better place. By performing random acts of kindness for strangers, Amelia comes to realize that in order to be really happy, she has to make her own world a better place by pursuing a mysterious man who collects photographs.
- Vicky Cristina Barcelona: This is one of my favorite films of 2008. This Woody Allen film is set on a whirlwind trip to Spain, where two visiting students become wrapped up in a passionately quirky relationship with a mysterious artist named Juan Antonio. Supporting actress Penelope Cruz is simply fabulous as Juan Antonio’s ex-wife.
- Down with Love: If you’re a cynic when it comes to love, I highly recommend this romantic comedy starring Rene Zellweger and Ewan McGregor. Designed to mirror and mock the romantic culture of the 1960’s, Down With Love is filled with innuendo and sarcasm.
- 10 Things I Hate About You: Remember what love was like in high school? This film, starring the late Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles, takes you through the ups and downs, bets and betterments of a group of students just before the senior prom.
- Pride & Prejudice: Based on the novel by Jane Austen, this classic romance stars Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in this wonderfully dramatic and strikingly beautiful portrayal of love and marriage during the early 19th century.
- Sabrina: Avoid the remake starring Harrison Ford at all costs. The original film, featuring old Hollywood greats Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn, details the story of a chauffeur’s daughter all-grown-up who finally catches the attention of two brothers her father serves.
- The Painted Veil: Although sad, The Painted Veil is a beautiful love story set in China during a cholera epidemic. Edward Norton and Naomi Watts both deliver moving performances of a troubled married couple who find love again, despite being surrounded by death at every turn. Not for the faint of heart.
- The Wedding Planner: I’m not much of a Jennifer Lopez fan, but I will give her credit for her performance alongside Matthew McConaughey in this fun and light hearted romantic comedy about a wedding that didn’t go quite exactly as planned.
- The Philadelphia Story: Katharine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, and Cary Grant delight in this romantic comedy about a bold, powerful woman and her relationship with a reporter and her ex husband at a time when she should be thinking about her recent engagement.
- A Life Less Ordinary: A little bit odd but wonderfully imaginative, A Life Less Ordinary shows you what happens when angels get involved with the intricacies of love. Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz star as polar opposites who end up being each other’s “perfect love” after some divine intervention.
- The Illusionist: Guys and girls can both appreciate the magic that goes into The Illusionist. This film, set in Europe before World War I, showcases the talents of Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, and Paul Giamatti in a tale of a magician and his love for a childhood sweetheart, who has recently become trapped in a dangerous royal engagement.