Valentine’s Day. It’s the most romantic day on the calendar. It’s also a day where you might end up spending a lot of money on dates and candy for your partner or friends. Luckily, there are less expensive ways to celebrate this day of love. For example, movies. There are thousands of movies out there to watch on Valentine’s Day, and here are specific movies you could watch to celebrate:
With Your Pals:
- The Mamma Mia! Movies: What’s better than a fun, romantic musical on Valentine’s Day? The Mamma Mia movies are cult favorites and discuss themes of family and love — with some great music from ABBA as a bonus. The music performances by actors Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep and Lily James make these great feel-good movies to celebrate happiness and love.
- Love, Simon: This romance movie tells the story of Simon who is hiding his sexuality, only forming a bond with a mysterious emailer named “Blue.” When his secret is threatened to be exposed by a fellow student, Simon is forced to stand up and profess who he is. This movie is a comedy, a love story and a feel-good movie with a focus on friends as well as romance. It’s a great choice to watch on Valentine’s Day to celebrate not just the love between you and your partner, but any kind of love you have.
- Hitch: Will Smith channels the Fresh Prince for his role in “Hitch.” He plays a “dating coach” who helps a dorky client get the girl of his dreams, while he ends up falling for his match: a beautiful reporter named Sara Melas, played by Eva Mendes. It’s a rom-com story that will melt your heart as Smith finds himself loving someone who could destroy everything he’s worked for. It’s the perfect laugh out loud and heartfelt movie for your friends to enjoy on the day of love.
With your Partner:
- The Wedding Singer: Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore have incredible on-screen chemistry and have worked together over the years in three movies, which are all perfect to watch with your partner on Valentine’s Day. One of their movies together is “The Wedding Singer,” where Sandler’s character Robbie attempts to win the heart of Julia just days before her wedding after they formed a connection.
- Always Be My Maybe: “Always Be My Maybe” is a feel-good rom-com about reconnection. Ali Wong and Randall Park star in the film, which details the reconnection of Sasha, who became a celebrity chef, and Marcus, an unsuccessful rocker, reconnect after a fight in their teenage years. The dynamic chemistry between Sasha and Marcus will warm your heart, and it is a surefire pick to watch with someone special to you if you need a laugh.
- Warm Bodies: You wouldn’t expect it, but there are plenty of good horror movies to watch on Valentine’s Day. They can create a mood where you and your partner just cuddle up and comfort each other and hold each other while you scream. For example, look at “Warm Bodies” with Teresa Palmer and Nicholas Hoult. Even though it’s a zombie movie and doesn’t sleep on the fact that there are scenes where people lose their heads (literally and figuratively), the end focuses on the love between two characters and how it can heal all.
By Yourself:
- Classic Disney Channel Movies: If you wanna just celebrate Valentine’s Day by yourself, try watching some classic DCOMS. They all make you feel good and hit the perfect nostalgia chord. You can enjoy Mitchie and Shane bonding in “Camp Rock”, see Troy and Gabriella fall in love in “High School Musical”, see a guy meet a girl whose father controls the military in “My Date with the President’s Daughter”, or see what happens to four best friends who want to be stars in “The Cheetah Girls.”
- Dreamworks Animated Movies: Dreamworks’ movies are stunning, both visually and emotionally. They tell stories that can warm the heart of the audience, and on Valentine’s Day that might be just the thing you need if you are flying solo. You can watch the “Rise of the Guardians” and see the underdog become a hero, find a familial bond in the Madagascar movies as Alex and his friends find where they truly belong in this crazy world, or watch Hiccup meet Toothless and change the world in “How to Train Your Dragon.” These movies will inspire you with their stunning storylines and make sure your Valentine’s Day can be great even if you are not with someone.
Don’t feel worried about spending lots of money on your Valentine’s Day — instead spend some quality time watching these movies on Eagle Cinema, Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+.
Graphic: Victoria Howard/ The Johnsonian
