10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day
I have a fairly low threshold for enjoying bad movies. I’m not a person who loves to dive into cheesy Hallmark movies, and I’ve never managed to enjoy any movie described as “so bad you just have to love it!” Nevertheless, I enjoy seasonal viewing. So every year on Valentine’s Day weekend, I end up sifting through the streaming platforms looking for a love story that’s not eye-rollingly cringey or too horribly acted. Here are a few favorites!
Pride & Prejudice (HBO Max)
My favorite of the Pride and Prejudice adaptations is this 2005 version, which I think must be my favorite movie. Fun fact: because I was so young when this movie was released, it was my first introduction to both period pieces in general and Jane Austen specifically. Did this movie change my life forever? Maybe.
Knightley and Macfayden are the perfect Elizabeth and Darcy. Macfayden is so good here that I almost cannot enjoy Succession, because what is Darcy doing acting like a moron?
Save Yourselves! (Hulu)
Onto the indie side: an Extremely Online couple heads to upstate New York to completely unplug. While they’re gone, the world ends, and they don’t know until it’s too late.
This movie is ridiculous and has no business being as good as it is. It’s essentially a gentle roast of the Millennial generation wrapped in a low-budget apocalypse film. It’s not overtly romantic, but it centers on a couple, so I’m including it! It’s smart, funny, charming, and so well acted. We loved every minute. (I even put my phone down to watch it.)
Always Be My Maybe (Netflix)
A true romcom, and a truly good romcom. Childhood sweethearts that reconnect after not seeing each other for 15 years. Do they even still like each other? (Obviously yes - it’s a romcom.)
Park and Wong are great on their own, and together they’re amazing. I don’t want to spoil anything, but there’s also a truly incredible Keanu Reaves appearance in here.
About Time (Netflix)
I’m mad at the world that I didn’t discover this movie until yesterday! A man finds out that all the men in his family can travel through time, but only to the past, and only in their own life. (So they can redo a bad date, but not go back to kill Hitler.)
It’s a British comedy, so the humor is a little darker and is more situational than jokey. It’s a love story, but mostly it’s a reflection on life and happiness. It’s super sweet, but so good. In a world where it feels like we’re always waiting for the bad twist, I loved disappearing into this for 2 hours.
Palm Springs (Hulu)
This is a Groundhog Day timeloop situation, but the main character isn’t alone, and his never-ending hellscape is someone else’s wedding day.
I thought this would be predictable and derivative, but it’s funnier and more clever than I thought it could possibly be. I don’t want to give anything away, because there are a few good twists, but this is a very good romcom!
The Lovebirds (Netflix)
This one is more of a straight comedy than a romcom, but I thought it was great. The plot is all over the place, but Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjaiani are so funny that it didn’t bother me at all. You’re not here for the murder mystery; you’re here for their chemistry.
It’s similar to the Tina Fey / Steve Carrel Date Night in the off-the-wall caper of it all, but The Lovebirds rises a couple notches above it in my opinion.
Emma. (available to rent)
I’m back with another Jane Austen period piece! This one didn’t get the attention it deserved upon release last year, because it premiered right as the whole world was shutting down.
But this movie deserves praise for its fresh take on the novel. Jane Austen was so funny, and a lot of adaptations don’t take enough advantage of her wit. This one does. It’s also so well acted that there are a few scenes that inspire intense second-hand cringe.
Finally: yes, that is Anna Taylor-Joy from The Queen’s Gambit, and yes, she is just as amazing here.
My husband will never share my abiding love for regency romance, but he had fun watching this one with me. His review: “Yeah, I really liked it.”
Holidate (Netflix)
I will admit that this movie is borderline bad. I also must acknowledge that it’s technically a Christmas movie (in that it starts and ends on Christmas). But the premise is that the leads are each other’s plus-one to every holiday for a whole year, so Valentine’s Day is in here!
It’s predictable and relies on too many tropes for me to even bother critiquing, but there are some A+ scenes in here. If you like cheesy things, this one is for you! Not highbrow, but highly enjoyable regardless.
Crazy Rich Asians (Hulu)
Based on the bestselling novel by Kevin Kwan, this movie is Blockbuster-level good. It broke the internet when it came out a few years ago, for lots of good reasons.
It’s fun to watch rich people be rich (there’s a lot to look at here), but there’s so much great chemistry in the different character pairings. Yes, you’ve definitely seen a commoner-in-love-with-a-prince story before, but Crazy Rich Asians brings a lot more to the table.
We’re still waiting for the sequel, but in the meantime, I guess we can all re-read the second book?
10 Things I Hate About You (Disney+)
An oldie but a goodie. This one is a classic for so many reasons, and not just because it’s based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of The Shrew,
I’ve always loved an acerbic female lead, which Styles absolutely delivers. And Ledger is at his best as the charming bad boy here.
I won’t go on and on. It’s 20+ years old, you’ve heard of it. But if you’ve never watched it, now’s the perfect time.
