The movie event of the season, and possibly of our time, is almost here. Fifty Shades of Grey opens in theaters Friday, Feb. 13, just in time for Valentine's Day.
But in case you don't want to spend $14 just to listen to soccer moms squeal for two hours, you have plenty of other options for your Valentine's Day plans. If that's the case, it's probably best to stay away from movie theaters altogether that weekend.
Luckily, we can always rely on Netflix Instant Streaming to entertain us. Netflix is basically like the best boy/girlfriend you could ever have, anyway. It's always there for you, whether you need a laugh, a shoulder to cry on or to feel like the most special person in the world. So whether or not you have a real-life honey to snuggle up with, the warm embrace of Netflix is all you need this Valentine's Day. These 14 movies are sure to fill you up with butterflies.
1. His Girl Friday (1940)
For some reason, many romantic comedies feature journalists in the lead roles, and 1940's His Girl Friday is one of the earliest examples of this. In the film, newspaper editor Walter Burns (Cary Grant) does whatever he can to prevent his ex-wife, reporter Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell), from remarrying. It may sound like Hildy is your typical submissive and easily manipulated leading lady from the old days, but that is definitely not the case. Hildy's witty repartee with Walter throughout this classic Hollywood film will make you stand up and cheer for her — and their relationship.
2. The Apartment (1960)
The Apartment is a classic rom-com, but its plot is kind of messed up when you think about it. C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) hopes to climb the corporate ladder by letting executives use his apartment for their extramarital affairs. Aside from never being able to enter his apartment, this arrangement works out fine, that is until he falls for his boss' mistress, Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine). Even though the plot is a bit far-fetched, it really doesn't get much better than watching Lemmon and MacLaine's on-screen chemistry.
3. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
This is the movie that has made every woman want to be Audrey Hepburn and subsequently distorted any real-life concept of love we have. Hepburn, of course, plays social climber Holly Golightly. She becomes interested in a writer named Paul Varjak (George Peppard), who moves into her apartment building. Throughout the film, Holly struggles with marrying for money or marrying for love.
4. Annie Hall (1977)
Annie Hall isn't the most romantic movie ever made. In fact, this film about the relationship between neurotic Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) and quirky Annie Hall (Diane Keaton) can make you feel downright uncomfortable at some parts. However, with its wit, humor and honesty, Annie Hall helped give way to the modern romantic comedy, in addition to just being a really great film.
5. Dirty Dancing (1987)
I mean... that dance sequence at the end. We're all just looking for someone to lift us up like Patrick Swayze's Johnny Castle did with Jennifer Grey's Frances "Baby" Houseman.
6. Moonstruck (1987)
Today, a rom-com starring Cher and Nicolas Cage in the lead roles sounds completely bonkers, but back in 1987, the pair were slightly less eccentric and more respected. In Moonstruck, Cher plays Loretta Castorini, a widow who falls in love with Ronny Cammareri, the estranged brother of her current fiance. Got all that? Cher even won an Academy Award for her performance in this movie, in case you need any further proof as to why you should check it out.
7. Ghost (1990)
Another Patrick Swayze movie, another iconic movie scene. Aside from having the sexiest scene involving pottery that there ever was or ever will be, Ghost also has a plot. The movie is about Sam Wheat (Swayze), the late boyfriend of Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), who visits her as the hottest ghost to ever be in a movie ever.
8. Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
The queen of romantic comedies, Meg Ryan, lends her greatness to Sleepless in Seattle as a journalist (yup) who's engaged but gradually falls in love with a widower, Sam (Tom Hanks), whom she hears talk about losing his wife on the radio. Sam's son attempts to bring the two together in one of the most heartwarming rom-coms you'll ever see.
9. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
It's about time we started talking about Hugh Grant, isn't it? In this film written by Richard Curtis, who also brought us Notting Hill and Love Actually, Grant plays Charles, a bachelor that discovers he actually might want to settle down with the woman he's falling in love with. As the title suggests, there are four weddings in this movie, which should be encouragement enough if you really want to get in the romantic mood.
10. Muriel's Wedding (1994)
Speaking of weddings, in this early turn from the always amazing Toni Collette, the actress plays the titular character who dreams of getting married. There's just one problem: She's never been on a date. However, once Muriel decides to turn off her ABBA music for a second and venture outside of her small town of Porpoise Spit, Australia, her dreams actually start coming true. Now if that's not the most uplifting thing you've heard all day, you might not have a soul.
11. Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Finally, we get a costume drama up in here. Jane Austen novels just ooze romance, and with stars like Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson in this film adaptation, you'll be feeling nothing but love by the end too.
12. The Birdcage (1996)
I love so many things about The Birdcage but mostly I love that it shows love in its many different forms. Not only do we get to see a longtime homosexual relationship depicted on film, but we also see the lengths that people will go to protect the ones they love, and that is always magical to watch.
13. Shakespeare in Love (1998)
The title of this movie pretty much says it all. With beautiful period costumes and Shakespeare's poetic writing throughout this film, it will make you want to go out and find your very own Shakespeare.
14. Notting Hill (1999)
I just had to close out this list with one more Hugh Grant movie. Julia Roberts stars alongside Grant in this one, playing a Hollywood actress who falls in love with Grant's character, just a regular bookstore owner in London. Notting Hill has everything you expect from a rom-com (Grant as a star, the city as a character in and of itself, a grand, romantic gesture), but still, it's hard not to be charmed by this film.
