Staff Picked Valentine’s Day Movies

By Lauren D’Ambra

Well Orediggers, it’s that time of year again: snow is falling, the color pink is showing itself more and more, and chocolate boxes are popping up in grocery stores. It’s Valentine’s Day! Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is a great reason to show your loved ones how much you care about them, and what better way to do that than with a movie? We at The Oredigger have put together a pretty fantastic list of movies that you can watch with your significant other or by yourself this Valentine’s Day. Some of these movies would make for a great friends movie night too! 

The Princess Bride (1987): Do I even need to explain this one? This is the ultimate classic, romance with dashes of adventure and a fantastic cast of classic characters. The Princess Bride tells the story of Westly and Buttercup as they work to overcome various obstacles so they can be together. If you have yet to see this classic story of true love, you need to sit down and watch it this Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day (2010): All right, I’m sure you’re thinking this one is a little on the nose, but it’s a pretty great movie. Valentine’s Day follows various couples and singles in the LA area on a fateful Valentine’s Day that will change everybody’s life. I can guarantee you won’t see some of the plot twists coming! Plus, Taylor Swift’s Today Was a Fairytale was written exclusively for the movie and it adds a nice little touch here and there.

You’ve Got Mail (1998): Tom Hanks is known for a variety of wonderful roles, but did you know that he filmed several romantic movies with Meg Ryan that were all instant romantic classics? You’ve Got Mail tells the story of a small bookstore owner and manager of a mega book store as they fall in love anonymously over the internet. Little do they know that they are sworn adversaries fully intent on taking each other down in real life! You’ve got Mail is a fantastic movie and is absolutely worthy of your consideration this Valentine’s Day!

Sleepless in Seattle (1993): Remember those Tom Hanks romantic classics we were just talking about? Here’s another one for you to consider: Sleepless in Seattle. Also starring Meg Ryan (she and Tom Hanks are such a great onscreen pair) this movie tells the story of a recently widowed single father who calls into a radio talk show to talk about his romantic troubles. Unbeknownst to him, a woman hears his story and sets off to find him. If you’re not watching You’ve Got Mail this Valentine’s Day, you should definitely watch Sleepless in Seattle!

Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998): You really can’t go wrong with a fairytale-style romance on Valentine’s Day and Ever After perfectly fits that bill. This movie is a retelling of Cinderella, but don’t let that deter you! Full of swoon worthy characters and beautiful costumes, this movie twists the story of Cinderella in a way you haven’t seen before and won’t anticipate coming! (and come on, Drew Barrymore plays the main character, what more could you want out of a romance movie?)

Are you single this Valentine’s Day? Or looking for a best friends movie night get together instead? Don’t worry, I got you! Check out these five movies!

Legally Blonde (2001): 

Sorry boys, this movie is a total chick flick, but it’s still a great movie to watch! After being dumped by her boyfriend, sorority girl Elle Woods decides to follow him to law school and discovers that she has a passion for law and that she never really needed her boyfriend after all. Legally Blonde is a great movie to chase away your Valentine’s Day blues and makes for a great girls night movie. Mines Little Theatre is also getting ready to perform Legally Blonde: The Musical this semester, so watching the movie is a great preview for that!

Gone Girl (2014): Admittedly, this one is at the far end of our proposed movie spectrum, but if you’re feeling very anti-Valentine’s Day in every way, this is definitely the movie for you. Based on the novel of the same name, Gone Girl focuses on a man who has become the prime suspect in his wife’s mysterious disappearance. Part drama, part psychological thriller, Gone Girl will definitely deter any romantic feelings you may be feeling.

How to Be Single (2016): This one should be relatively self explanatory, but How to Be Single will definitely get you laughing this Valentine’s Day! Set in New York City, the movie shows the rather hectic lives of several young adults trying to figure out how to navigate the single life. This movie sports some good laughs and an impressive array of actors and is worth the watch if you need a reminder that sometimes all you really need is yourself.

This Means War (2012): All right, you could totally watch this one with your significant other on Valentine’s Day too, but it’s also a great movie to watch by yourself. This action-adventure romantic comedy shows two CIA agents in an intense battle of intelligence and wit after they both fall in love with the same girl. Did I mention that the two CIA agents are played by Chris Pine and Tom Hardy? Together or alone, This Means War is sure to be a hit!

Mamma Mia (2008): If nothing above seems quite your style, chase away those Valentine’s Day blues with a musical! Yes, there are romantic elements to Mama Mia, but it also explores the various relationships that exist between women. For those who have not seen this movie musical classic, Mama Mia is also set to the tune of ABBA’s greatest hits, so you’re guaranteed to enjoy the music at the very least. And come on, if belting “Waterloo” of “SOS” doesn’t make you happy, I don’t know what will!