Good evening, loverboys, lovergals, and loverpeople! This time last year, I published an article about 10 movies you should watch on Valentine's Day. It went pretty well and it inspired this Weekly 7 series, but there were a couple in there that weren't so romantic... like mother! So to make it up to you, here are 7 Movies to Move Your Heart on Valentine's Day...actually!
1. Once
Best known for the song "Falling Slowly," Once is a micro-budget Irish film about two musicians who've had bad luck with relationships and come together because of their shared love of song. Even if you don't dig musicals (though this is almost entirely grounded in reality), it's hard not to get enraptured in the relationship of our unnamed protagonists. Some may be turned off by its production value, but if you push through, be prepared to get enveloped a most lovely story.
2. Your Name.
So this is an anime - don't change the page yet! Your Name. takes a typical Freaky Friday story about a city boy and a village girl and takes it to places you'd never expect. It will make your jaw drop, and it will probably make you cry. It's got so many dimensions to it, has some of the most stunning 2D animation work I've seen, and it's a story about life, love, and tradition like no other. It's a great film to watch with a friend or partner!
3. Won't You Be My Neighbor?
It's not a romantic film, no, but the story of Fred Rogers and the depths of his simple kindness has both the ability to move your heart and to draw you closer to your significant other. The film is about being a good person, and on Valentine's Day and every day, you want to look your best. You may find yourself wondering what you can do to better the world. You may realize the person you want by your side as you try.
4. Before Sunrise
Richard Linklater's romantic drama follows an American traveler (Ethan Hawke, Dead Poets Society) and a Parisian student (Julie Delpy, Three Colours) who meet on a train and spontaneously decide to spend a night in Vienna together. The film follows these young lovers at first sight practically in real time, an intimate picture consisting of sheer charm, excellent dialogue, and the sneaking countdown until they must part. If you like this one, you can spend the rest of the night with the two sequels, which comprise the critically-acclaimed Before Trilogy, now considered one of the best and most classic film trilogies.
5. Moulin Rouge!
As somber as it is raucous, as passionate as it is trippy, Moulin Rouge! is one of those rare films that were nominated for Best Picture for the simple reason that there's no other film like it. It's a head-to-toe musical consisting of stunning remixes to a farrago of popular music, boasting an eccentric edit not usually seen outside of art cinema. But art cinema this is not. It's the love story of a poet (Ewan McGregor) who joins a colorful theatre troupe and falls in love with a courtesan (Nicole Kidman), with a simple morale borrowing the words of John and Paul: "All you need is love!"
6. Stranger Than Fiction
Hey look: a happy entry! Stranger Than Fiction is the story of an IRS agent, Harold Crick (Will Ferrell), who, little does he know, is a character in a book that is about to die. Hijinks and drama ensue as Crick tries to come to terms with his impending doom, but a core part of it is the love story between him and a baker totally different from him (Maggie Gyllenhaal) that'll make you wish you thought of that flower pun yourself. It's one of my favorite movies, and it's one that's not seen enough. Regardless of the day, you should watch it, but, hey, Valentine's Day is a good excuse!
7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
What better to watch on Valentine's Day than a film about two people who broke up so terribly they decide to permanently erase their memories of each other? Happy Lovers' Day! But seriously, though, despite (or really because of) writer Charlie Kaufman's quirkiness, it's a wonderfully charming if melancholy story of Jim Carrey's Joel trying hard to save the memories of him and Kate Winslet's Clementine, a journey through the value of experiences and that thing inevitability. You'll be happy you checked it out!
Any of these pique your interest? Is there any you've got lined up that I should have included? Whatever you have to say about me and the movies, comment below!