Valentine’s Day is a special day. Every February 14th, lovers express their affection with greetings, gifts and romance. The namesake and patron saint of Valentine’s Day is of course Saint Valentine, however there are varying ideas on who this figure was, as well as how he became associated with the February celebration, which was already long considered a month of romance.
There are also varying ideas as to why we celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14th. Some claim that the date commemorates the anniversary of Saint Valentine’s death or burial, said to have occurred around A.D. 270. However others believe the Christian church may have decided to place Saint Valentine’s feast day on this date in an effort to ‘Christianise’ the pagan celebration of Lupercalia.
Valentine’s Day is now a worldwide culture. There are a lot of movies related directly or indirectly to this event, so here are my favorite Valentine’s Day movies that will make you smile, laugh, and cry.
1. The Notebook
The Notebook is based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. This is the kind of movie that you can watch over and over again. Played by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a young couple who fall in love in the 1940s, this movie has passion, drama, a whirlwind romance, and an enduring love story. Perhaps don’t forget a box of tissues if you want to watch this movie.
2. Romeo and Juliet
We cannot speak about Valentine’s Day without mentioning Romeo and Juliet. This movie is an adaptation and modernization of William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the title roles of two teenagers who fall in love, despite being members of feuding families. There are many versions of Romeo and Juliet, but this movie is extraordinary, and it is worth watching it on Valentine’s Day.
3. Bridget Jones’s Dairy
Renée Zellweger plays a 32-year-old single English woman, who writes a diary that focuses on the things she wishes to happen in her life. Her life totally changes after two handsome guys come into it (played by Colin Firth and Hugh Grant). This love triangle is probably one of the best romantic comedies of all time, worth trying out to see what you think.
4. Pretty Woman
A classic romantic drama from the 90s, it is like a modern Cinderella tale, a romance between a handsome, wealthy, and powerful businessman played by Richard Gere and an escort played by Julia Roberts. The song from this movie is ‘It’s Must Have Been Love’ by Roxette. This is one of the best most romantic songs ever.
5. Titanic
This is a love story between two people with different backgrounds: a wealthy woman (Kate Winslet) and an ordinary guy (Leonardo DiCaprio) and it happens on a boat called “Titanic”. You probably already knew that Jack and Rose, the main characters in the 1997 movie Titanic, weren’t real. The movie added its own fictional elements to historical events. But it’s not a problem, this movie is a must-see.
6. Valentine’s Day
If you like the Love Actually movie, you will love this one too. The film follows a group of related characters and their struggles with love on Valentine’s Day. You can see a lot of big stars in this movie: Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts, Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Shirley MacLaine, Bradley Cooper, Taylor Swift, Jamie Foxx, and Anne Hathaway, just to name a few.
7. Maid in Manhattan
Another modern Cinderella tale, the story about a high-profile politician that fell in love with a maid in a hotel in Manhattan. The story became interesting when he caught that she was lying about her status but in the end, love can conquer almost everything.
8. Love Actually
Love Actually is a 2003 Christmas-themed romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The story begins five weeks before Christmas. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories. This movie is becoming a must that everyone loves to watch for Valentine’s Day.
9. Me Before You
Based on the novel by Jojo Moyes with the same title ‘Me Before You’ is set in the United Kingdom, and features various historic locations across the county, including Pembroke Castle in Wales and Chenies Manor House in Buckinghamshire. This is about a girl in a small town that forms an unlikely bond with a recently-paralyzed man she’s taking care of.
10. Ever After
Ever After is like a Cinderella Story. This is a 1998 American romantic drama film inspired by the fairy tale Cinderella. The film is set in the 16th and 19th centuries when Cinderella lives with her cruel Stepmother and her stepsisters after her father died, finally, she meets her Prince and lives happily Ever After.
