Top 10 Romantic Valentine’s Day Movies
There’s nothing better than curling up on the couch with some best friends or a significant other to watch a super cheesy chick-flick to wind down at the end of Valentine’s Day.
Here are some of the cutest, feel-good chick flicks to celebrate Valentine’s’ Day this year.
- The Notebook
- The Prince and Me
- 13 Going on 30
- Letters to Juliet
- Definitely, Maybe
- 10 Things I Hate About You
- Valentines Day
- Princess Bride
- Princess Diaries series
- Overboard
- The Notebook
It’s hard to go wrong with the Nicholas Sparks classics.
The Notebook tells the story of two headstrong young lovers who part ways, eventually to find each other again. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling star in this delightful story about young love, and the barriers that often beset love. McAdams and Gosling’s love story is narrated by James Garner, as he seeks to help Gena Rowlands, a nursing home resident regain her memory. Tissues not required, but might be necessary.
- The Prince and Me
Julia Stiles plays Paige Morgan, a college student in Wisconsin who is studying pre-med. The crown prince of Denmark decides to leave his life of royalty to find out what college life is like, and moves to Wisconsin after a tv advertisement for the school Paige is studying at peaks his interest. Upon arrival he meets Paige, who isn’t keen on anything but keeping her grades up, until she decides to invite the crown prince to her home for the holidays. After a few unlikely plot twists, the film ends on a happy and cute note.
- 13 Going on 30
Jennifer Garner stars in this cutesy teenage film with only one birthday wish: the chance to be popular. When some unlikely bullies tease her at a party, she changes her wish slightly, wishing to be 30 years old. This film follows Garner’s adventure as a writer for her favorite fashion magazine while her best friend and boss seek to thwart her progress and vision for the magazine. Garner reconnects with her old teenage crush and seeks to make things right with him, eventually ending up back in her parents’ basement, wishing for a second chance. The film ends with Garner getting her best wish granted.
- Letters to Juliet
Amanda Seyfried plays a young American girl, who goes to the beautiful city of Verona, Italy to celebrate her impending marriage with her chef fiance, Victor. Victor spends most of his time in Verona with his other love, his restaurant business, and less time with Sophie. As if by happenstance, Seyfried ends up exploring the the courtyard of Juliet Capulet, from the Shakespeare classic “Romeo and Juliet.” She comes across a letter written by a lady named Claire who had been searching for her Lorenzo for 50 years. Sophie’s aspiring writer heart becomes intrigued with Claire’s story, writes Claire back, and offers to help her find her happy ending, falling out of love with Victor. Claire and Sophie both receive the happy endings they deserve.
- Definitely, Maybe
Political consultant William Hayes, played by Ryan Reynolds, seeks to help his spunky 11-year- old daughter Maya, played by Abigail Breslin, understand his divorce from her mother. Reynolds shares with Breslin the stories of his past relationships, and how he met her mother. The mystery unfolds throughout the entire plot of the movie, but can you figure out who Maya’s mom is before the ending credits roll? I picked this one because it’s a super feel-good and happy movie about love, and not always getting things right on the first try.
- Ten Things I Hate About You
Who can resist a mysteriously good-looking Heath Ledger? This classic twist on William Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” takes place in the 1990’s, retold with Julia Stiles playing bad-girl Kat Stratford. Joseph Gordon Levitt plays Cameron, the new kid on the block who takes a liking for Bianca, Kat’s sweet and innocent younger sister. Leavitt convinces Ledger to take out Kat, so that he can date Bianca, who isn’t allowed to date until her sister does, per their dad’s strict dating rules. The title of the film comes from a poem Kat wrote about her romance with Patrick, and is a perfect title for this sassy, dramatic high-school love story.
- Valentine’s Day
What’s Valentine’s Day without a movie about Valentine’s Day playing in the background. This film follows several intertwining love stories and several commendable actors and actresses, including Julia Roberts, Patrick Dempsey, Taylor Lautner, Jessica Alba, Hector Elizondo, Kathy Bates, Ashton Kutcher, Anne Hathaway and Taylor Swift among others. This super relatable movie showcases several different aspects of Valentine’s Day, from the heartbroken and lonely, to the giddy teenagers, to a few couples who have been married for at least 30 years. As if anyone needs more of an excuse to watch this movie, the trailer should be enough to relate to the weird and crazy holiday that perfectly sums up what Valentine’s Day is all about.
- The Princess Bride
There’s romance, sword fighting, rodents of unusual size and sorcery what’s not to like? This feel-good classic love story is also a book, narrated by Peter Falk, and told to his grandson who is home sick from school. The dread Pirate Roberts must enlist the help of some unlikely friends to help him rescue his fair maiden, Princess Buttercup, before she marries the persistent Prince Humperdink. The funny catch-phrases, the adventure and everything in between make this movie the perfect movie for the little kid in all of us.
- Princess Diaries 1: Anne Hathaway makes her first appearance in this delightful, light-hearted film about Mia Thermopolis, a high-schooler just trying to make it through school without losing her lunch. Thermopolis finds out her grandmother, played by Julie Andrews, is royalty, which by blood, makes her next in line for the throne. This film tells the story of her journey towards the crown, with a little bit of romance tied in.
Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement stars the same cast members, with an added hunky Chris Pine. Mia, played by Hathaway, anxiously awaits her rule as Queen, with Andrews on her ascent to step down from the throne. According to Parliament rule of the fictitious kingdom of Genovia, Thermopolis must be married in order to ascend the throne, which causes some interesting plot twists as Mia searches for a husband. The guy she falls for has a crazy uncle who wants to take over her crown. All in all, two films that are sure to warm hearts this Valentines’ Day.
- Overboard
Heiress Joanna Stayton, played by Goldie Hawn, lives a life of royalty on a yacht in the middle of the ocean. Stayton hires a young Dean Proffitt, played by Kurt Russell to help her repair her closet. While in the midst of the repairs, the two begin arguing, and Proffitt is pushed off the ship. Joanna also ends up following suite, falling overboard, is eventually picked up and is placed in a mental hospital where she suffers from amnesia, and can’t remember who she is or where she is. The love story progresses as Proffitt ends up taking Stayton home with him, pretending that she is his wife and the mother of his 4 children. This feel-good oldies show is one that has been loved and continues to be loved for generations.
Whether looking for a classic, feel-good movie or a cheesy chick-flick, one of these movies is sure to suit your fancy this Valentines’ Day.
Happy day of love!
-kortni.marie.wells@aggiemail.usu.edu
@kortniwells