15 movies to watch on Valentine's Day

There are two traditions of romantic comedy, the Christian tradition and the Jewish tradition. In the Christian tradition, there is a genuine obstacle. In the Jewish tradition pioneered by Woody Allen, the basic obstacle is the neurosis of the male character.

This is how Nora Ephron, the screenwriter behind the most popular 90s rom-coms, explained the inspiration behind When Harry Met Sally. Few words perfectly describe the plots of hundreds of movies, from The notebook to Ghost, that many of us will be watching on Valentine's Day, between a piece of chocolate and a bouquet of flowers that we probably gifted ourselves to boost our mood. 

G-club suggests 15 for everyone: to watch with your partner, if you are single, if you are nostalgic for the 90s, for Bridgerton fans or if you hate Valentine's Day.

With your partner

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind - 2004

Michel Gondry, Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet in their most surreal and poetic film. Joel and Clementine are different, he is shy and melancholic, she is eccentric and charismatic. They meet by chance, they fall in love, and are happy. Until they aren't anymore. Clementine decides to erase all memories of their intense romance and so does Joel shortly thereafter, but the chemistry, beauty and poetry of the perfectly imperfect feeling that bonded them remains.

500 Days Of Summer - 2009

"This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know upfront, this is not a love story".  This is how one of the most beautiful romantic comedies released in recent years begins. It might be for the protagonists; the always delightful Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, it might be for the soundtrack by The Smiths or for the plot that, like an inexorable countdown, shows us Tom's memories and his love for Summer.

When Harry Met Sally - 1989

Can a woman and a man just be friends or not? According to Sally (Meg Ryan) yes, for Harry (Billy Crystal) no. 15 years, many witty one-liners (written by "the queen of Rom-coms screenplay" Nora Ephron) and a fake orgasm later, they'll find out which one of them was right. Well, after you watch the movie you might just fall in love with your best friend or feel the need to order a burger aka "I'll have what she's having".

For single

P.S. I Love You - 2007

You might want to get your tissues ready, because you'll probably need them. Gerry and Holly are married, they fight, but they love each other very much. When he dies, she is desperate, but the letters that her husband left her show her the way to return to life, to smile, to love. 

A fun fact for TV series fans: Holly and Gerry's best friends are played by Lisa Kudrow aka Phoebe from Friends and James Masters aka Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer; while Holly's new love is Jeffrey Dean Morgan, best known for his roles in The Walking Dead, Grey's Anatomy and Supernatural.

 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days - 2003

If Julia Roberts is the queen of '90s rom-coms, Kate Hudson is definitely the queen of those shot in the early 2000s. Matthew McConaughey is the actress' perfect partner in this film that is remembered in history for a huge diamond, a beautiful yellow slip-dress, the ugliest dog in world cinema and, above all, "the love fern".

The Notebook - 2004 

The love story between Noah Calhoun and Allie Hamilton, which can overcome any obstacle and last a lifetime, is what all romantics dream of, and the chemistry between the actors who play the two, Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, who were really in love at the time of the shooting, is fire. These reasons, along with the 1940s-50s costume looks, makes the movie based on a best-seller by Nicholas Sparks, which many describe as "chick flick" stuff, a perfect little guilty pleasure for Valentine's Day.

Valentine's day - 2010

If there is a day in which Hollywood cheesiness is tolerable, almost necessary, it is definitely Valentine's Day. The filmmaker Gary Marshall knows it well, and to celebrate February 14, he has intertwined the stories of several characters, played by a cast full of stars including Bradley Cooper, Ashton Kutcher, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Biel, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Garner and Jessica Alba. To boost the sugary effect of the movie, watch it eating chocolates.  

90s

You've Got Mail - 1998

In the 1990s, there were no dating apps or social networks, but Joe (Tom Hanks) and Kathleen (Meg Ryan) only needed an inbox notification to get their hearts beating. In real life they know each other and are business rivals who both hate each other, but online, when they write anonymously, they are the perfect couple. The icing on the cake of this Hollywood classic is New York City in the fall/winter. 

My Best Friend's Wedding - 1997 

It's a drama when you fall in love with your best friend and your rival is younger, beautiful, blonde, kind, and rich and looks like Cameron Diaz. The elements to hold us stuck to the screen are all there, with the addition of: Julia Roberts, a lilac slip dress, I say a little prayer by Aretha Franklin, Rupert Everett at his best and a wedding to screw up.

Ghost - 1990

A classic. If you can ignore the special effects that are not very special for a generation that grew up with sushi, Netflix and cool series, Ghost still has its magic and Molly's (Demi Moore) hairstyle is definitely cool. Everyone knows the plot: Molly and Sam (Patrick Swayze) love each other, they've just moved into a beautiful apartment in New York, then he's killed, under the order of his best friend, and becomes a ghost. With the help of Whoopi Goldberg in the role of a medium, he protects Molly and revenges against his killers.

A jar of clay and many "Ditto" later, you'll need Kleenex. 

Reality Bites - 1994

More than the love story between Lelaina (Winona Ryder) and Troy (an Ethan Hawke at least as cool as in Before Sunrise), Reality Bites is a cult movie, the manifesto of a group of twenty-somethings who, after school, are struggling to find their place in the world, a portrait of the grunge generation tamed by MTV.

Anti-San Valentino

Get Out - 2017

Do you hate February 14, have no plans to celebrate or, much less, get engaged? Well, at least you prevent that during a trip to meet your partner's parents, the family of your love tries to kill you and use your body to revive their dead grandpa.

Gone Girl - 2014

How many times have you said that marriage is not for you? You may be right, because your partner may pretend to be dead and frame you for his/her murder. And forget about the classic "happily ever after". Ben Affleck docet.

For Bridgerton's fans

Pride and Prejudice - 2005

As in Bridgerton, the five Bennet sisters are also looking for a husband. One of them, the independent and charismatic Lizzie, played by Keira Knightley, who is always perfect in period movies, will fall in love with the unfriendly Mr. Darcy. But forget the flirty spoon licks and hot scenes of the Netflix series.

Emma - 2020

Photographer Autumn de Wilde and Anya Taylor-Joy aka The Queen's Gambit bring the most pop version of Jane Austen's novel to the screen. The scenes follow each other in front of our eyes in a pastel-colored orgy of cottagecore and Regency-era aesthetics.