Better than half a dozen roses is a snuggle with your loved one, a decent bottle of something and a good ol' romantic movie…
If you couldn’t get a babysitter for that romantic feast you had planned for this Valentine’s Day, fear not. All is not lost in the world of romance: put the kiddos to bed early (or at least try!), pop open a bottle of something cold and snuggle up with these feel-good, lovey-dovey Valentine’s Day movies. Rom-com and love stories are where it’s at this Valentine’s Day! We’ve got recommendations from past to modern favourites. Happy watching!
The best romantic movies to watch on Valentine’s Day
No need to scroll endlessly through this list only to find you aren’t subscribed to the right platform. We’ve divided our list up into where you can watch each film, so you can jump straight to your favourite:
Netflix
Amazon Prime
Disney+
Apple TV
Nextflix
1. Marry Me
Who doesn’t love a J Lo rom-com? The unexpected pairing with Owen Wilson surprisingly pulls at our heartstrings in this newly released romantic movie, Marry Me. After being embarrassingly ditched at the musical alter in front of millions, pop superstar Kat Valdez substitutes her groom for a stranger, a humble maths teacher. You can guess what happens next, but it’s a fun one!
2. No Hard Feelings
A brand new Jennifer Lawrence movie, No Hard Feelings has her signature quirky style. A hard-done-by thirty-something bartender answers an ad from a wealthy couple who hire her to romance their socially awkward son. A tender relationship blossoms between the two, and we absolutely love the new rendition of Maneater on the piano!
3. Love, Wedding, Repeat
Love, Wedding, Repeat is a groundhog-day style movie that follows different versions of the same day unfolding. Jack juggles difficult guests, unbridled chaos and potential romance at his sister’s wedding, and we are here for it! This is an especially great movie for those who love witty British humour.
4. Love Again
Priyanka Chopra stars in this sweet romantic movie, Love Again, that features a cameo by her husband, Nick Jonas, and none other than Celine Dion! Celine fans will be excited to hear her new music, and she evens sings a little in the film. Priyanka stars as an artist who is grieving the loss of her husband, and sends texts to his old phone number. This number is owned by someone new, who receives these texts by chance and becomes fascinated, determined to meet the sender…
5. A Perfect Pairing
Cheesy, with a side of cheese, and a glass of wine? This movie has A Perfect Pairing of an American business woman meeting her match in a rugged Australian winemaker. Filled with beautiful Australian scenery, this is worth a watch even though it’s a little cringe. A perfect escapism movie that can be watched with or without your partner!
6. Always Be My Maybe
What happens when you reconnect with an old flame after a good few years apart from each other? Do you resume from wherever you left it, or do you maintain the status quo? This Netflix film was warmly received when it was released, in large part thanks to the winning performances of the two leads. Keep a lookout for an extended cameo appearance from Keanu Reeves. Who knew that the guy could play funny?
7. The Lovebirds
We really enjoyed this hijinks flick! Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani star as a bickering couple who go on the run after witnessing a murder. Who does that? Only in Hollywood! What follows next is a series of unfortunate and surprising hilarious events that really test their relationship. You can see The Lovebirds on Netflix.
8. A Tourist’s Guide to Love
Explore Vietnam without leaving your couch with this feel good rom-com, A Tourist’s Guide to Love. An American travel agent doesn’t receive the proposal she is hoping for from her boyfriend, so she hot foots it out of town to explore Vietnam! Enter Sinh, her Vietnamese tour guide who just happens to be rather gorgeous. A surprise visit from her ex means she has some decisions to make! Rachael Leigh Cook and newcomer Scott Ly will have you booking a trip to Hoi An in no time.
9. The Royal Treatment
Who doesn’t love a fairytale and a handsome prince? Super cute and a fun one to watch with tweens in tow, The Royal Treatment stars Aladdin himself (Mena Massoud), and the very lovely Laura Marano. A New York City hairdresser scores the job of a lifetime as she is offered $50,000 to style hair at the royal wedding of the Prince of Lavinia. Sparks fly, but Prince Thomas is betrothed to someone else! Will he follow his heart?
10. Isn’t it Romantic
Rebel Wilson leads this talented comedic cast great for Valentine’s Day viewing. Isn’t it Romantic tells the tale of an architect who bumps her head, and wakes up the star of her own romantic comedy. Cute and cliche-driven, we cracked a few smiles but not a belly laugh.
11. Your Name
No, this is not that South Korean revenge drama (that’s My Name). Your Name is a Japanese anime about a teenage boy in Tokyo and a teenage girl in the Japanese countryside who are able to swap bodies. But what happens when they fall in love with each other? Animation, romance, and science fiction all wrapped up in one movie. We suggest watching this in its original glory. It hits differently compared to the dubbed version.
12. Persuasion
Jane Austen’s novels have been adapted countless times, and here’s a Hollywood take on her last novel, Persuasion. What do you do when “the one that got away” comes back into your life? That’s what happens to Anne Elliot when Frederick Wentworth, to whom she was previously engaged, returns after his stint with the military. Should Anne get back together with him, or should she put the past behind her and move on? This film was negatively received upon its release, but we thoroughly enjoyed it for its modern spin – and the appearance of our homegrown star, Henry Golding!
13. Kabhi Kushi Kabhie Gham…
Bollywood has no lack of romantic films, and this blockbuster is often cited as the best Valentine’s Day movie to watch. Boasting the top Bollywood stars in its roster, the movie touches on love, filial piety, and how background status still plays a factor when it comes to matchmaking in India. The movie is almost three hours long, but everything else about it – the soundtrack, cinematography, emotional scenes, and performances – will keep you engaged from start to finish. You may want to have a box of tissues ready before your watch. We’ve seen this too many times, and it still makes us bawl buckets!
14. Pretty Woman
One of our favourite retro-but-still-cool movies of all time: ultimate Pretty Woman Julia Roberts and Richard Gere give the age-old Cinderella tale a bit of a twist. Disclaimer: we’re not for a moment suggesting Cinderella was a lady of the night. Poor girl meets rich boy, and voila: it’s love. Vivienne shopping at posh Hollywood boutiques in that outfit above is a movie moment for sure. Oh, and we challenge you NOT to be singing that song right about… now.
15. Hitch
Will Smith is in top form in this romantic comedy, Hitch, where he portrays a dating coach teaching men how to woo women. As he’s assisting a client, Will’s character finds himself falling for a gossip columnist, played by Eva Mendes. He tries to connect with Eva’s character but realises that none of his romantic methods work on her. Does that make him a fraud? Gasp! Tune in to this flick to find out if he’s really a sham…
16. Eating Air
If you think that Singapore doesn’t have any romantic movies, think again. This cult classic, described as a “motorcycle kungfu love story”, follows the lives of two teenagers during the country’s hottest month. Boy and Girl are two people that couldn’t be more different from each other, but that didn’t stop them from falling in love. For those curious about locally-produced films, be sure to put this rom-com on your watch list.
Amazon Prime
17. Meet Cute
Kaley Cuoco is back, after her acclaimed performance in The Flight Attendant, starring with SNL favourite Pete Davidson in Meet Cute. This quirky comedy / fantasy film follows Sheila and Gary, who seem to fall in love at first sight. But all is not as it seems. Sheila has a time machine, and we discover that this couple have been falling in love on repeat. When the perfect night is never quite enough for Sheila, she travels to Gary’s past determined to change him into her perfect man…
18. Something from Tiffany’s
While this is a feel-good holiday film filled with Christmas music and fairy lights, we’ve added it to our Valentine’s Day movie list as well. Who doesn’t love to dream of receiving Something from Tiffany’s? One woman’s life is changed forever by engagement ring meant for someone else. One to watch if you are hoping for a proposal from your other half! (Insert cheeky wink here).
19. 50 First Dates
One of our favourite Hollywood pairings of Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore will have you swooning in this super cute, heartfelt comedy. A lonely vet, who’s closest friend is a walrus, falls in love at first sight with a woman at a cafe. Little does he know, she suffers from recurrent short term memory loss. So begins his quest to make her fall in love with him every day, feeling like they have 50 first dates.. it doesn’t get more romantic than that.
20. Four Weddings and a Funeral
An oldie but a goodie: love is all around, left, right and centre in this nuptially-focused film, and there are plenty of tears too. In Four Weddings and a Funeral, an American meets an Englishman, and the path to true love runs anything but smoothly in this super funny, super lovely movie, but of course, they get there in the end. Plus, who doesn’t love Hugh Grant?
21. The Vow
Rachel and Channing make a beautiful couple in The Vow, with another memory-loss storyline. Paige and Leo are newlyweds, who are in a fateful car accident. When Paige awakens and has no memory of Leo, he has to win her heart all over again. Will he succeed?
22. Mamma Mia
From the glorious Abba music to the wooden acting and beautiful Greek island scenery, we love everything about this cheesy film series. Mamma Mia stars Meryl Streep stars as Donna and Amanda Seyfried as her daughter Sophie, who discovers Donna’s diary from the Summer she fell pregnant. With three possible fathers, the only way to discover her lineage is to invite them all to her upcoming wedding! Yes, we will be watching the sing-a-long version, and the sequel back to back. Cher and Lily James star in Here We Go Again, and we can’t get enough.
Disney+
23. West Side Story
Directed and co-produced by none other than Steven Speilberg, the classic stage musical is brought to life on screen in this musical adaptation. West Side Story is a musical movie exploring the rivalry between two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds, the Jets and the Sharks. The Sharks, who are recent migrants from Puerto Rico, and the Jets, who are white, compete for dominance in the neighbourhood. Of course a romance begins between two of the rivals, Tony and Maria, which takes us on a Romeo-and-Juliet star-crossed-lovers kind of journey, and we love it!
24. Elemental
Want to watch a sweet movie with the kiddos? You could choose any of the classic Disney films (yes, we have a list of our favourites). Elemental is a winner for the whole family. A teenage love story and a tale about being true to yourself and following your dreams, we laughed and cried in this one.
23. The Proposal
With a cameo from Betty White, this cure rom com starring Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock gives us all the giggles. There is something to be said for the power dynamic – not gonna lie, it feels a little wrong for a boss to blackmail her subordinate. If you can let that slide and just go along for the ride, then watching these two fall for each other is a great pick for a V-Day movie. You can catch The Proposal on Disney+.
24. Ever After: A Cinderella Story
If you still believe in happily ever after, this movie’s for you. A 16th century spin on the classic fairy tale, Ever After follows a young woman who pretends to be a princess and falls in love with an actual prince. She struggles to hide her true identity after learning that one of her stepsisters is going to marry the prince.
25. Date Night
Awesome comedy combo alert! Tina Fey and Steve Carrell play a married couple who have lost a little bit of their romantic spark but rediscover it in some unlikely situations on a Date Night. Marky Mark and Kristen Wiig feature in this one too. There’s nothing we don’t like about it!
26. Love, Simon
While Love, Simon is as much about teen angst and the worry of living under a cloud of social disapproval, it’s also about love. Simon is gay, only nobody knows this yet. He’s not embarrassed by it, and he’s not worried about it, but he wants to tell the world on his own terms, in his own time. What Simon doesn’t bank on is meeting an online love interest who may just be The One, but who won’t reveal his identity. Funny, witty, sensitive and bucketloads of smiles in a movie that your other half will like just as much as you will.
27. Titanic
There simply cannot be a roundup of Valentine’s Day movies without a nod to the epic romance that is Jack and Rose in Titanic. If only there had been more room on that damned bit of wood from the shipwreck…
28. 10 Things I Hate About You
Plenty of films are inspired from, have adapted, or revised Shakespeare’s works. Out of the many, this coming-of-age romantic comedy stands out the most. It remains fresh even after repeated viewings, and we can’t help but regurgitate that particular scene whenever it comes up. You know, the one with that poem. Bring us back to our teenage years, please!
Watch on Disney+
29. While you were sleeping
Sandra Bullock is at her sweet best in While You Were Sleeping. A down on her luck, lonely railway worker saves a handsome businessman who falls on the tracks. She’s been fantasising about speaking to him for months, and then is whisked to the hospital to answer questions after his accident, where he lay in a coma. There she meets his family, who mistake her for his fiance. They welcome her so warmly that she finds it hard to tell them the truth, and to complicate matters further, finds herself falling for his brother! We can’t get enough of this one and the innocent romance factor is high.
30. Moulin Rouge!
Even if you’re not into musicals, Moulin Rouge should rank pretty highly on your list. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor portray star-crossed lovers who confess their feelings for each other through various musical numbers. This film deftly mixes a touching love story with bombastic show tunes, gorgeous sets, and amazing costumes. You wouldn’t realise two hours have passed since you pressed play. The great Ms Kidman turned in such a performance that it’s no surprise she was nominated for an Oscar for this. Plus that luscious red hair (even if it’s a wig)!
Apple TV
31. Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians showcases Singapore at its very best, and it’s worth a watch for that alone (and also to salivate over the amazing clothes and jewellery adorning the cast). If we’re honest (and we are), the movie wasn’t a patch on the book by Kevin Kwan, and the cheese factor ramped up too high even for us in places. Still, this film left us with smiles on our faces and a decent feel-good factor. Also: Henry Golding!
32. Valentine’s Day
A plethora of stars means that the Valentine’s Day movie will always feature on this list! Featuring a star-studded cast, this movie intertwines stories with different kinds of love represented, as they navigate the (supposedly) most romantic day of the year. You can say this is the Valentine’s Day equivalent of Love, Actually, another holiday-themed romantic comedy.
33. The Notebook
Oh, that kiss. If you haven’t seen The Notebook, this classic film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in one of the most heartbreaking stories of recent times. Following Ally and Noah from the beginnings of their relationship all the way through to the end, this is one that will linger in your mind long after you’ve finished watching.
34. Silver Linings Playbook
This offbeat romance/comedy/drama gets us right in the heart. In Silver Linings Playbook, two slightly broken and unconventional people (played by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence) cross paths and heal each other through an amusing dance partnership. Then love blossoms, warts and all. If there’s one thing we’ve learnt from watching this movie, it’s to always see the good in all experiences.
35. The Time Traveler’s Wife
Rachel McAdams is back at it again with another book-to-movie adaptation of The Time Traveller’s Wife. This time around, she plays the titular character who meets her future husband, Eric Bana, when she is only six years old. Similar to Your Name, this film centres around romance and science fiction (minus the animation). If you ask us, we much prefer the book. Watch this only for Rachel and Eric’s sexy chemistry.
36. Bridget Jones’s Diary
A perennial charmer of a movie and one we never tire of, no matter how many times we see it. In Bridget Jones’ Diary, Colin Firth is perfectly British and stoic, while Hugh Grant is epic as a cheeky bad boy. And what’s not to love about Bridget and her ‘bottom the size of Peru’? We’ve all been ‘Bridget’ at some point in our lives which is probably why this is one of our all-time favourite movies, romantic or otherwise.
37. A Star is Born
A Star is Born in this beautiful film. Music vet Jackson (played by Bradley Cooper) discovers and eventually falls in love with young, struggling vocalist Ally (played by Lady Gaga). Get the tissues ready – this movie destroyed us and left us with a newfound respect for Lady Gaga. And yes, you’ll want to add the whole soundtrack to your Spotify playlists.
38. Collateral Beauty
Collateral Beauty stars Kate Winslet in this utterly charming movie that you WILL need a box of tissues on standby for. With its stellar cast, including Will Smith, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley and Helen Mirren, it is the clever tale of a father who writes letters to time, death and love following the sad passing of his daughter. It’s clever, it’s funny and yes, it’s a little bit (okay, a lot) sad in places. It got panned by the critics, but we loved it!
Happy Valentine’s Day, lovers!
