5 romantic movies to stream for Valentine’s Day
If you’re looking for romance in a movie theater on Valentine’s Day, it’ll have to come with a side of iceberg.
Hollywood is being stingy with love stories this year, unless you count multiplexes bringing back a 3D version of “Titanic,” which does not end as happily as most of us hope our Feb. 14 will. But if you’re up for staying in to snuggle, below are five recommendations, at least one of which should suit you and your heart’s desire. (And if the kids are horning in on your “date,” maybe try something like “Shrek,” which is fun for everyone but also surprisingly effective in its love story.)
All of these are streamable.
“In the Mood for Love”
Wong Kar-wai’s woozy melodrama features Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung at their impossibly sexiest. They play new neighbors who learn that their spouses are having an affair. That should give them license to indulge, as well, right? Instead, it’s a tale of near misses and unacted-upon — but, somehow, still erotic — love as the two keep reaching out to each other at exactly the wrong times. HBO Max
“Moonlight”
Barry Jenkins’ best picture Oscar winner works on many levels but it’s mostly a story of unrequited-and-thenpossibly-requited love. Young Chiron and Kevin dance around each other in the film’s first two sections, in which we’re pretty sure they’re into each other even if they haven’t figured it out yet. Nothing overt happens in the stunning third section, either, but the romantic tension is thrilling when the two meet in a diner and realize they might have a future. Showtime
“Notorious”
If you like your passion in black and white, revisit this Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece. Usually categorized as a thriller instead of a romance, it features Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman in one of the all-time great screen kisses. As two spies in love, they defied Hollywood censors — who limited the duration of onscreen smooches when the movie was released in 1946 — with a five-minute kiss that’s repeatedly interrupted for bits of sexy talk and even a phone call. Prime Video
“The Princess Bride”
This one could work for the whole family, too, since the kissing parts are kept to a minimum but it is, as Mink Deville’s gorgeous theme song promises, a “Storybook Love.” A very young Robin Wright plays the title character and Cary Elwes is the handsome hero who can reunite with her only after he teams with other valiant souls to defeat kings, villains, treacherous trees and a murky swamp. Disney+
“Sense and Sensibility”
Emma Thompson won an Oscar for her screenplay adaptation, which preserves the restraint and wit of Jane Austen while satisfying our modern taste for at least a brief display of emotion. It comes in the finale when, after months of near-misses, Hugh Grant’s Edward finally stammers out his long-hidden ardor for Thompson’s Elinor and she responds with a crying/laughing/wheezing outburst that reveals the effort it has taken to bury her hopes. The sterling cast also includes Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Imelda Staunton, Harriet Walter and Thompson’s real-life husband, Greg Wise, as a dashing cad. Prime Video