WATCH TOGETHER
Casablanca
The classic romance without all the sweeping epic annoying-ness of Gone With the Wind, Casablanca will put you in the mood and not put you off your dinner like so many quease-inducing romances. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman fight for their love amidst all the to-do of Nazi-crawling Morocco, making this film not just a passionate tale of love but also an idealistic case against fascism. Perfect for a date. See it. Love it. Then go fight some Nazis. (Dana Walters)
Up
Possibly the biggest tearjerker Pixar has produced so far, Up follows the adventure of OAP Carl as he goes on a dangerous expedition with his house and a lot of balloons. As well as being beautifully animated and hilariously funny, Up is deeply moving. If your date does not cry within the first ten minutes then they are clearly soulless. This film gives a convincing portrayal of a touching friendship without over doing it on the schmaltz. (Matt Isard)
What Women want
After a market research experiment goes horribly wrong, a high-flying executive gains the ability to hear what women are really thinking. It was never going to win any Oscars but this bubbly comedy hits the spot. This is a film which you can mutually enjoy, Gibson is at his most charming and comedic best whilst full of gags and peppered with a few touching moments: a truly a light-hearted piece of entertainment that appeals to both sexes. (Dean Palmer)
Good Bye Lenin!
A German comedy drama where top actor Daniel Brühl plays Alex, a boy who tries to hide the fall of the Berlin Wall from his fragile mother who has just emerged from a coma: it might not sound like standard Valentine’s fare but there is a love story in there somewhere and the film strikes a perfect balance between the playful and the poignant, making this an amusing yet touching watch. (Josephine Sarchet)
WATCH ALONE
500 Days of Summer
This film is very much an anti-romcom indie flick. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel as the central couple the film chronicles their 500-day relationship and how it quickly grows and slowly falls apart. The film is shown non-linearly with good moments spliced in beside sad moments. It is disheartening to witness the guy get the girl of his dreams only to realise they are not in fact compatible. There is nothing that kills the mood faster than being shown on screen a relationship go through all the right hoops, including that couple trip to Ikea, only not to work out. (Matt Isard)
Bend It Like Beckham
Feel-good British film about football, friendship and cultural divides: what more could you want on an unromantic Valentine’s Day? There is, admittedly, a love narrative, and the vision of Jonathan Rhys Meyers bending down to pick up a football might be enough to send any single girl over the edge on February 14th. Thankfully it’s the relationship between Jess (Parminder Nagra) and Jules (Keira Knightley) and their impeccable ball skills which hold our attention until the final whistle. (Amy Hadfield)
