It's that time of the year again. Once more, it's Valentine's Day, the day of the significant other (or lack thereof). Whether you do or don't have a special Valentine this year, there is at least always an appropriate romantic movie for you.
In case you have a Valentine
"The Notebook" What better romantic movie for the Notre Dame couple than the perfect Notre Dame romance - "The Notebook?" Directed by Notre Dame graduate Nicholas Sparks and based on his novel of the same name, this is easily one of the best romantic films and definitely not something like a stereotypical Valentine's Day rom-com. This is because of the lack of a shallow plot, see-through build ups or clear candidates for "home-wrecker who ruins the couple-meant-to-be." But really, with moments like Noah struggling to sell the house or the ever-famous "And it stillisn't over!" scene, "The Notebook" will always be a Valentine's day favorite.
"50 First Dates" No one ever forgets the first date, right? This movie, starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, captures a spark that seems very rare of Sandler in movies of recent memory. The film chronicles the tale of a womanizer-turned-lover who makes every attempt to make the woman of his dreams fall for him over and over again, redefining what it means to fall in love at first sight. The film is wildly hilarious, as is expected of Sandler, but what really sets this film over the top as one of the best rom-coms out there is the perseverance of Sandler's character Henry Roth, who has faith that love could transcend a seemingly impossible obstacle.
"Something Borrowed" Definitely a sleeper in terms of attention and praise in the realm of rom-coms, this movie celebrates the ideas of "true love triumphing all" and "if it's meant to be, it'll happen." The movie is full of stars, including Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, Collin Egglesfield and John Krasinski (best known as Jim Halpert from "The Office"). Watch out for our very own school to play a role in "Something Borrowed," as Notre Dame becomes an important part of the plot. There are a few hit-or-miss jokes scattered throughout the movie, but the plot is otherwise very solid and the film as a whole very much underappreciated.
In case you don't have a Valentine
"He's Just Not That Into You" - Ladies, just in case you find the sad reality of this title to hold true for you (and really, it's all his fault), then here's a film that will definitely pick you back up. A romantic comedy following a few interconnected stories of couples meant to be and not meant to be, this film takes both a sentimental and humorous approach to love and its falling outs. With an all-star cast of names like Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, Sasha Alexander, Jennifer Aniston and Drew Barrymore, movie watchers can expect to truly feel for their stories and, in the instances of heartbreak, pity their characters more so than themselves.
"(500) Days of Summer" Really, what better film fits into this sub-category of rom-coms than a film that introduces itself with "You should know upfront: His is not a love story." As you may already know or have concluded from such a statement, the guy doesn't get the girl, but the film does a superb job of detailing the phases of a relationship in a non-conventional manner. Not to mention, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are two atypical heartthrobs who offer such great chemistry, making this film an easy and extremely pleasant viewing.
"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" Jason Segel performs as the lovable loser who tries to pick up the pieces following heartbreak and if this movie demonstrates anything, it's that better things are always yet to come. The chemistry Segel and Mila Kunis strike inspires forlorn ex-lovers to focus on the self and have faith that things will work themselves out, and they really get more than a few laughs along the way. Russel Brand is absolutely brilliant in the film as well, playing the role of the superstar yet undeniably eccentric "other guy," the perfect foil to Segel.
Contact Miko Malabute at mmalabut@nd.edu
