8 Rom-Coms for Your Queue This Valentine’s Day

Sure, classic rom-coms are great, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t options from more recent years to satisfy your craving for all things sappy, sweet and funny. Though great picks year-round, they’ll make wonderful additions to your insert-assorted-streaming-service-name-here queue this Valentine’s Day weekend. Happy binging!

Banana Split

“Banana Split.” Photo from www.flickeringmyth.com.

Why It’s Great: While this movie is more about female friendship than romantic relationships, a breakup anchors our dual protagonist’s friendship meet-cute (it’s actually more of an alcohol-fueled meet-chaotic, if we want to split hairs). It also captures the weird, purgatorial feeling that comes with the summer between high school and college more than any film I’ve seen. Plus, the soundtrack absolutely rules.
Best Line: “I will break into your house and force-feed you ghost peppers.”
Watch It On: Netflix

How Do You Know

“How Do You Know.” Photo from www.empireonline.com.

Why It’s Great: Okay, let me be honest – this movie is not great. Despite its all-star cast of Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Jack Nicholson and Owen Wilson, it’s a cheesy mess. But that’s why it’s fun. Witherspoon is an athlete caught between a straight-laced lawyer (Rudd) and a hapless, partying player on the Washington Nationals (Wilson). Since it takes place in D.C., it’s fun to see our city through the eyes of a romantic comedy. While it gets some things wrong and isn’t a cinematic masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, it’s still a worthwhile (and at times, very funny) watch.
Best Line: “Holy crap. I’m sorry. Oh my lord, what is to become of me? I’ve lost my ability to smile at bastards.”
Watch It On: Netflix

How to Talk to Girls at Parties

“How to Talk to Girls at Parties.” Photo from www.theatlantic.com.

Why It’s Great: Punk music, intergalactic earth invaders, fashion, cannibalism, romance and more – this movie has it all. Directed by the inimitable John Cameron Mitchell, the only person who could possibly bring this Neil Gaiman story to life, it’s truly a punk rock sci-fi fever dream that will give you the warm fuzzies.
Best Line: “Evolve or die, love.”
Watch It On: Amazon

In a Relationship

“In a Relationship.” Photo from www.indiewire.com.

Why It’s Great: Most millennials will see themselves in one of the two couples followed throughout this movie. One is hitting a plateau after years together, and the other seems to hit a stride in their honeymoon phase that doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon. Painfully realistic while at times sweet and hilarious, this movie is a great watch for anyone feeling like those around them are making things look way easier than they actually are – because nine times out of 10, as our protagonists exemplify, there are much more complicated things happening behind closed doors than the moon-faced love a couple might be presenting to those around them.
Best Line: “I don’t think you ever find someone you don’t resent. And that’s part of it. It’s just finding the person you want to resent, you know?”
Watch It On: Hulu

Only Lovers Left Alive

“Only Lovers Left Alive.” Photo from www.screenflower.com.

Why It’s Great: In a nutshell, it’s about sexy, ancient vampires dealing with their mortality (or lack thereof). Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston play the star-crossed vampires in question in this brilliant, beautifully filmed Jim Jarmusch movie. Need I say more?
Best Line: “Just goes to show, we really don’t know shit about fungi.”
Watch It On: Starz, or rent on Amazon

Plus One

“Plus One.” Photo from www.littlewhitelies.com.

Why It’s Great: In addition to melting the iciest of hearts with its “Will they or won’t they?” situation, this film is laugh out loud funny. It follows two college best friends who serve as each other’s plus ones over a very long wedding season stretch – drunkenness and hilarity ensue. It stars Maya Erskine of “Pen15” fame and Jack Quaid (son of none other than Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid), so you know it’s excellent.
Best Line: “Love isn’t about chance run-ins or cute accidents. It’s simpler than that. It’s about finding someone you want to hang out with as long as humanly possible, and just trying not to screw it up.”
Watch It On: Netflix

Set It Up

“Set It Up.” Photo from www.theatlantic.com.

Why It’s Great: This Netflix original film sees two overworked and underpaid New Yorkers setting up (duh) their cranky bosses, hoping to soften their hardened exteriors with love. It’s full of meet-cutes. Oh, and the bosses in question? Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs. Hot.
Best Line: “Why are you so quiet? You move like a Prius.”
Watch It On: Netflix

Straight Up

“Straight Up.” Photo from www.variety.com.

Why It’s Great: A young man, who has identified as gay his entire life, decides to try out dating the opposite sex after experiencing a profound connection with a woman. This poignant, funny and realistic portrait of relationships, both platonic and romantic, feels urgent no matter how you identify and who you date.
Best Line: “I wish I didn’t have any holes. If I didn’t have to worry about things going in and out of my holes, life would be so much easier.”
Watch It On: Netflix

Other Honorable Mentions Worth a Watch

“Flower” – watch it on Hulu
“Ibiza” – watch it on Netflix
“The Intervention” – watch it on Amazon
“Laggies” – watch it on Kanopy
“The New Romantic” – watch it on Netflix
“Operator” – watch it on Netflix
“When We First Met” – watch it on Netflix

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