A movie marathon is never a bad idea. And watching a romantic and cheesy movie every day leading up to Valentine’s Day might just be one of the best ideas.
This year, we’re embracing all our guilty pleasures, even if they are cringe to others, and accepting that there is nothing wrong with a little bit of fun. Romance is in the air for the lucky ones among us, but whether you’ve found the perfect partner or are still looking, romantic comedies are up everybody’s alley. Especially unconventional rom-coms.
Whether you’re watching with your partner for the cutesy-moments you share in your own relationship, or with your girlfriends to imagine the perfect relationship that you can concoct, this Netflix-and-chill list is for anyone and everyone. So, here’s our list of 9 off-beat flicks for you to watch every day of this romantic week.
1. Desperados
The pandemic has turned most of us into desperadoes, so it only seems fair to add this flick to the list. With a main character who is nothing short of a trainwreck, it’s refreshing to see a less-than-perfect character in a rom-com.
Who doesn’t love a rom-com that centres around having gal-pals and travelling to another country to fix things with ‘the one’? Well, Desperado might scratch that itch. With drunk emails being sent to new beaus, who other than your girlfriends to rely on to save your new relationship? ‘Desperate’ might be an ugly term that society has bestowed upon women who might go out of the way for the person they love, but keeping stalker-like behaviours in check, we think everyone’s allowed to be a bit desperate.
2. The Half of It
A coming-of-age flick, The Half of It follows Ellie Chu, who is known at school for writing other’s assignments for a fee. But what happens when you fall in love with the girl that a jock is trying to woo with the love letters that he is paying you to write?
The unseeming friendship between Paul and Ellie is a beautiful one to witness — sure, most friendships blossom out of shared interests and likes, but the same girl? If you want to know who gets the girl in the end, you might just have to watch the movie to find out.
3. Always Be My Maybe
Any good Hallmark rom-com follows a successful woman who returns to her hometown and ends up falling love with the next-door neighbour/childhood best friend. Always Be My Maybe is no different, but with a slight twist.
When your best friend is still the nerdy but definitely attractive guy who fits the ‘ideal boyfriend’ frame (because Netflix wouldn’t cast unattractive men for you to fall in love with), who wouldn’t fall in love? Except maybe when Keanu Reeves also comes into the picture (which he does).
4. Love Hard
If you’re tired of watching the same old rom-coms over and over again, Love Hard might be a refreshing add-on to your watchlist.
Some of us may have experienced being catfished, but who ends up staying and falling in love with the man who clearly isn’t who he said he was? Well, Nina Dobrev’s character Natalie does and it just makes us dream of a world in which we can actually trust catfishes and fall in love with them. Maybe one day.
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5. All The Bright Places
Manic pixie boys do exist, and All The Bright Places has a good one. Living up to its name, the movie collects the beautiful memories that Violet and Theodore create together as they deal with their own mental health and help each other in surprising ways.
The two high school students partner up on a sightseeing project and find that they have something beautiful to share with each other even when they’re struggling. Oh, and we would definitely recommend you keep some tissues close, because waterworks are a sure thing!
6. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
We’ve all had crushes in school, and might even have written them a love letter that never got to see the light of day. But Lara Jean’s crushes find out nevertheless when her younger sister decided to mail her secret letters — to not one, but four of them!
Bold yet hopeless when it comes to pursuing her love, Lara Jean finds herself falling for the guy she pretend-likes. And so when she has to choose between Peter and Josh, whom does the confused Lara Jean choose?
7. Dil Chahta Hai
This list almost seems incomplete without Dil Chahta Hai on the menu. A story about finding yourself, mid-20s angst, and feelings that may come as relatable to many, we see Sameer, Siddharth, and Akash finding happiness amidst unconventional desires and madness that caused a rift in the trio’s friendship. After all, how long can you be mad at your besties?
8. Barfi
Barfi, who is deaf and mute, woos Shruti through his comical actions. But society has different expectations of whom the rich Indian girl can marry and it’s definitely not the differently-abled Barfi.
This movie, with very few dialogues, somehow still had a lot to say, and the complex relationship between Barfi and Jhilmil has won our hearts over and over again. Through an interesting turn of events, Jhilmil — who is autistic — falls in love with Barfi. And so this fairytale-like world embraces the magic that is lost in our mundane worlds and convinces us that you needn’t be fully-abled to find love or happiness.
9. Someone Great
Not to say that all relationships end, but if you’re going through a bad break-up, here’s something on our list for you.
If you’re determined to get through your new single-dom, you might find some comfort in Jenny’s route to self-discovery with her besties, unlike the overused trope of how the girl goes to extreme ends to get the boy back. The titular ‘someone great’ isn’t her ex, but herself, and what relationship is more beautiful than that?
So grab your laptops, a few snacks (yourself included), a partner, a pet, or just gather your friends over a Zoom call and watch away!
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