Ah, Valentine’s Day. The day when everything is pink and covered in hearts; the day where we spend too much money to be in crowded restaurants with others who are trying just as hard as we are to impress significant others; the day we’re told we must not only tell, but show, our girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, or wives how much we love them with overpriced gifts; the day of chocolates and conversation hearts. If I sound bitter, I’m really not. I’ve just  never personally cared for Valentine’s Day, nor have I ever celebrated it. Still, there are some amazing movies out there to get you in the mood for love. So check out my list below, and let me know what you think.

1. Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (2004)

This film is a great choice for those of you who like a little more to your love story than just the dramas that come with relationships. In this drama/sci fi, we get some typical things you’d expect from a romantic movie (i.e. broken hearts and tears), but we also get some interesting science mixed in. The movie has a lot of twists-and-turns and two different storylines, but the main one is about Clementine (Kate Winslet) and Joel (Jim Carrey). It shows the good, the bad, and the ugly of their relationship in a reverse order. If you haven’t seen this one and are into seeing a movie which offers beautiful visuals, some mind-boggling plot, and an accurate representation of what it’s like to love and lose someone, then this is definitely the movie for you! Plus, you get to watch what it’s like when a person’s memory gets tampered with! If you haven’t seen it and it sounds like your cup of tea, check it out soon!

2. Dirty Dancing (1987)

Okay, so this is an obvious one. In order to fully enjoy this film, however, you really have to not take it so seriously and ignore some strange things. For starters, I don’t want to think too hard about the fact that Johnny (Patrick Swayze) is an adult man who falls in love with 17-year-old Baby (Jennifer Grey). If you just have fun with this film and enjoy the dancing, the music, and the playfulness it offers up at times, it is a great love story. It also does touch on some controversial topics (i.e. abortion) and shows you a family struggling to understand and accept one another, which gives the film some serious layers!

3. Love and Basketball (2000)

I haven’t seen this movie in a really long time, but I remember it being a personal favorite when it first came out. With my half-memory of it, plus some research online, I’m pretty sure I’d love it even today. In the film, Monica (Sanaa Lathan) is a tomboy who lives next door to Quincy (Omar Epps). They are childhood friends with the same aspirations; to be professional basketball players when they get older. We watch them fall for each other, and then fall apart when their lives take them on separate paths. In the end, they end up meeting again and reminiscing about their past. Regardless of my thoughts on the ending, their story is told and shown in such a natural and beautiful way. Also, I love seeing Monica’s experiences growing up as a tomboy. Definitely give this one a watch for some laughs, some tears, and some (obviously) basketball!

4. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)

I’ll start off by saying that the way Andie (Kate Hudson) and Benjamin (Matthew McConaughey) come together is awful. However, just keep on watching. If their story doesn’t have you cheering for them in the end, then you can come complain to me about it. This movie has it all; some of the best and most hilarious stereotypes of both men and women, badass friendships, “You’re So Vain,” “bullshit,” and that adorable dog…you just can’t go wrong! Plus, Kate Hudson is gorgeous and that yellow dress at the end is to-die-for! You’ll be laughing, crying, and wanting someone (or something) to snuggle in the end. Trust me, check it out!

5. Up (2009)

My heart can hardly contain the beauty of this movie. First of all, the love story of Carl (Ed Asner, Jeremy Leary) and Ellie (Elie Docter) is the purest and most beautiful of all of the love stories in the universe. Then, we have Russell (Jordan Nagai, Sebastian Warholm). Russell is one of my top ten favorite animated characters! He’s so sweet and innocent! We also have the adorable Dug (Bob Peterson), who is such a great representation of dogs it’s ridiculous! This movie is quotable, beautifully animated, and so very heartwarming. Fair warning, you will cry many times so keep a box of tissues nearby. 

6. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

As if the love story between Kat (Julia Stiles) and Patrick (Heath Ledger) isn’t enough to draw you in, they included a second one which is just as sweet. Not to give anything away, but seeing Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) be so in love with Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) and try to win her over is just heart-melting cute! There’s also a background, semi-hidden love story that I adore in this film, but I won’t give anything away so you can enjoy it for yourselves in case you haven’t yet seen this one. Aside from all of that, there are also great lines. Plus, Kat and Bianca’s dad, Walter (Larry Miller), is hilarious! Also, 90s kids, remember Andrew Keegan? ‘Cause yeah, he’s in this, too! If you’re still not convinced, maybe the sistership we see grow throughout the film might convince you? Because it’s great to see Kat and Bianca start understanding one another a little better at the end.

7. A Single Man (2009)

This movie is based on the novel with the same name by Christopher Isherwood, which is one of my all-time favorite books. With that said, the movie is actually pretty great. The actors are perfectly chosen, the lines are wonderfully delivered, and the music beautifully matches the emotions of each and every scene. The story itself is one of love and heartache, but also one of self-discovery. Colin Firth shows off his acting brilliance throughout the film, and his ability to convey so much devastation and heartache by simply sitting still is mind-blowingly moving. Plus, this is my favorite role for Julianne Moore, and Nicholas Hoult has grown into a fine actor. I don’t want to give much away about the storyline, but I do recommend the movie. Whether you watch it first or pick up a copy of the novel first, I don’t doubt that you’ll enjoy this pick! 

8. Crazy/Beautiful (2001)

Carlos (Jay Hernandez) and Nicole (Kirsten Dunst) are teenagers from two very different social classes. They are also very different people; one of them is hardworking and has big dreams, and the other is, well, “crazy.” Despite the very different worlds they live in, they fall in love. This movie follows their journey and shows us their struggles in both worlds. It’s a slower movie than most of the others on this list, so it’s a good one to enjoy if you’ve had a long day and just want to relax with a film. This is definitely a movie worth checking out, even though it didn’t get rave reviews.

9. Crazy, Stupid Love (2011)

Two beautiful love stories in one? Yes, please! Also, cute kids and funny lines? Okay, I’m definitely in! This movie shows us the heartache of breaking up as well as how falling in love can change someone completely. I was rooting for Jacob (Ryan Gosling) and Hannah (Emma Stone) all the way! The cast also consists of Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Marisa Tomei, and Kevin Bacon. Add to that some quotable lines (“Seriously? It’s like you’re photoshopped!” and “The war between the sexes is over. We won the second women started doing pole dancing for exercise.”) and you’ve got everything a movie needs to be awesome!

10. 50 First Dates (2004)

This is one of those fun movies with the type of comedy you’d expect from an Adam Sandler love story. It’s cute and playful, even with the more serious and dramatic moments mixed in. Don’t overthink this one, just enjoy it for what it is. I could watch Lucy (Drew Barrymore) fall for Henry (Sandler) over and over again. I also love Rob Schneider and Blake Clark in general, and the beefhead Doug (Sean Astin) is one of those characters you can’t help but love. And a bonus tidbit? The soundtrack is amazing!

What do you think of this list? Did I leave off your personal favorites? Let me know in the comments!

(None of the gifs in this post belong to me. All of them were found via Google searches.)