Valentine's Day Special: 5 Romantic Movies That Don't Suck

It's been a while since we've done a Listomania, but we feel we must not allow a holiday about getting some to pass uncelebrated. Still, don't say we're not romantic, there are even many romantic films we actually enjoy! Well.... five.....

So here's our list of Valentine's Day films you can watch with the Mrs and not gnaw your arm off in boredom, Hit the jump:


1) Love Actually

Yes, it's a Christmas film that covers all kinds of love, from familial to platonic, but it is still a film about romantic love and a pretty good one at that. Hugh Grant's, Colin Firth's, Martin Freeman's and Keira Knightley's segments all manage to take chick-flick clichés and make them funny, real and sweet without being saccharine. All thanks to a certain Mr Curtis.


2) Slumdog Millionaire

Was there anyone who didn't like this movie? Everyone from the ardent film geek to someone who hasn't seen a movie since Pretty Woman was won over. On the surface, the movie is about the dreams of Western capitalist game shows corrupting other cultures with their twisted idealism, but when the result is that impoverished Dev Patel can afford to run away with his childhood sweetheart turned gangster moll, only the hardest of hearts could argue politics.


3) Priceless

Whilst seeing sweet little Audrey Tautou as a ruthless gold digger is a little off-putting at first, you can't help but be won over by her charm in any role. This wonderful film shows how the French do everything better by adding a little touch of class. No Adam Sandler for this romcom, just a fantastic cast and a brilliant script that falls somewhere between Breakfast At Tiffany's and Mon Pere, Ce Heros. If you've never seen it, you need to hunt it down.


4) Scott Pilgrim Vs The World

Our review of Scott Pilgrim is one of our most popular posts and we have a long-running disagreement with The Black Dog Podcast regarding the film's quality, so you should well know our love for this movie and the comic that spawned it by now. The central conceit of overcoming your intended's seven evil exes to win her hand is both fantastical allegory and very relateable. The outcome is like Romeo and Juliet meets Streetfighter: a treat for all.


5) 10 Things I Hate About You

Likewise, our review of 10 Things sang its praises. This Shakespeare adaptation has the boon of taking a profoundly mushy concept and peppering it with a cynical, grungy, sardonic twist, not to mention making it very, very funny. However, this tale of star-crossed punks still ends with love conquering all.