Love is in the air, and so is the scent of freshly popped popcorn! Whether you’re spending this Valentine’s Day with that special someone or taking some “me time” by having the couch all to yourself, everyone loves a good “Netflix and chill” moment.
Gather those soft pillows, make a pot of hot tea and get comfortable as our team has come together to share our Top 5 Valentine’s Day movies… and a little more about ourselves!
The Classic Romance
Down for some old school romance? You’ll hit off well with our General Manager, who is all for good old-fashioned romantic chemistry, lifted by genuine laughs and a ton of heart.
Love, Actually (2003)
Love Actually follows the intertwining stories of eight British couples played by Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, and Liam Neeson among others, dealing with love in very different ways. It’s a romantic comedy and a Christmas film, but its sappiness is matched by genuine and heart-warming moments. It’s impossible to watch this movie without laughing, crying, and falling in love with at least one character.
Valentine’s Day (2010)
Sort of Love Actually of Valentine’s Day, this rom-com follows a handful of Los Angeles locals whose lives are intertwined as they navigate through the highs and lows of the most romantic day of the year (for some). An all-star cast by Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts, Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Shirley MacLaine, Bradley Cooper, Taylor Swift, Jamie Foxx, and Anne Hathaway makes this movie the perfect, feel-good V-day treat.
50 First Dates (2004)
Starring the likeable couple Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, after both characters met in Hawaii, Henry Roth (Sandler) turns from a playboy to a devoted boyfriend – the only problem is the girl of his dreams has short-term memory loss, which makes her forget who he is and how they fell in love. Though heart-breaking, it’s tough not to get swept away by Henry’s exhaustive attempts at recreating the perfect first date for Lucy Whitmore (Barrymore) so she relives the same day over and over. This movie brings laughs, but it’s also a sappy romance movie as only Sandler can do.
Music & Lyrics (2007)
A wash-up musician Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) is given a couple days to compose a chart-topping hit for a reigning pop diva Cora Corman (Haley Bennett), but there’s a problem – Alex has never written a decent lyric in his life. Be in for a light and pleasant romantic comedy as Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), whose flair for words strikes a chord with the charismatic and talented musician and their professional collaboration takes a personal turn when the pair gradually finds their relationship developing into something much deeper – as they face their fears, and the music – to find the love and success they both deserve.
The Wedding Singer (1998)
Mousse up your hair and pull your nostalgic records out of mothballs for this sweet and beguiling romantic comedy set in that era of retro-hip. Robbie Hart (Adam Sandler), a vocalist whose rock band stubbornly refuses to get off the ground, and Julia Sullivan (Drew Barrymore), a waitress, are both engaged, but to the wrong people. Fortune intervenes to help them discover each other and forges a blossoming friendship that turns into something more…
The Rom-Com Addict
Witty, comedic and romantic at the same time, our Graphic Designer prefers to have a healthy dose of laughs, watching rom-coms that remind us that love is not dead with her beau.
White Chicks (2004)
White Chicks is far from any romance but nothing is funnier than two fumbling FBI agents who are consigned to baby-sit a pair of empty-headed socialites, disguising themselves as mega-rich princesses to infiltrate high society. Hold on to your tummies and be prepared for nonstop hilarity as the white party girls go from hapless G-men to haute couture G-strings to flush out their would-be kidnappers, all while keeping it real. Sort of.
Set It Up (2018, Netflix)
Cupid’s crew deserve love, too, and in this Netflix original rom-com, that’s just what two matchmakers played by Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell get. On a mission to turn their miserable bosses into authority figures they can actually stand, Harper (Deutch) and Charlie (Powell) decide to foil them into finding love. Cue the misfires, backfires, and spitfires.
Crazy Stupid Love (2011)
The all-star cast of this rom-com includes Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, and Ryan Gosling among others. It weaves a tangled web of love stories that are hilarious, heart-warming, and thoughtful. Fortysomething Cal Weaver has the perfect life… until his wife Emily asks for a divorce. Now Cal has to navigate the single scene, but his heart keeps leading him back to where he began.
Friends With Benefits (2011)
Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake star as friends who go through rough breakups with their significant others, and then decide to try something new by having no-strings-attached sex. But soon they discover that platonic sex is just as complicated as love. The surprisingly sweet film is full of humor – perfect for a light-hearted Valentine’s Day date.
The Last Song (2010)
Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth may have called it quits, but their characters’ romance in The Last Song remains one of our all-time favourites… also our Graphic Designer’s favourite as well!
The Millennial Love
One glance and you can tell that our Social Media & Marketing executive really takes Netflix and chill seriously. I mean, look at the titles – most of them are all on Netflix!
The Notebook (2004, Netflix)
That iconic rain-soaked kiss makes The Notebook a romantic classic, powered by the palpable chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, but what really brings on the tears is that their love story withstands many tests such as time and illness and lasts into their old age. It’s got passion, drama, a whirlwind romance, and an enduring love story – definitely one of those films you can watch over and over again.
The Vow (2012)
Inspired by a true story, The Vow is the tale of a love that refuses to be forgotten. It’s a picture-perfect story as Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) start their life together. Their wedding vows are soon tested when a car accident puts Paige into a deep coma. She miraculously recovers – but the last five years of her memories have vanished. As a devastated Leo struggles and tries to help her remember their marriage by recreating the moments that shaped their romance, can he rekindle the passion before he loses Paige forever?
Isn’t It Romantic (2019, Netflix)
Natalie (Rebel Wilson), a lifelong love cynic, encounters a mugger that renders her unconscious, waking to discover that her life has become her worst nightmare – a romantic comedy.
Friends With Benefits (2011)
Oh finally something in common among the team! Seems like our Graphic Designer and Social Media & Marketing executive hit it off well!
Always Be My Maybe (2019, Netflix)
There’s nothing better than a good, light-hearted reunion flick. This fun Netflix original sees Ali Wong and Randall Park, two childhood sweethearts who live in separate worlds coming together after 15 long years. And while the chemistry is still there when they reconnect, will the timing ever be right for their future? Spoiler: Keanu Reeves shows up, so you know it’ll be worth it!
The Teenage Love
Puppy love is what captures the attention of our Quality Control executive – innocent, thrilling and devastating at the same time. Sometimes, teenage love tends to be a little exaggerated, but hey, as the saying goes, you’ll never forget your first love.
Midnight Sun (2006)
Sheltered since childhood, 17-year-old Katie (Bella Thorne) lives with a life-threatening sensitivity to sunlight that makes it only possible for her to leave her house at night. Sparks fly when she meets her lifelong crush, Charlie (Patrick Schwarzenegger). As fate leads to a budding teenage romance, Katie risks her life for a little romance but she’s also presented with the gut-wrenching dilemma of whether she can lead a normal life with her newfound soulmate. Will Katie find her happily ever after in this romantic tearjerker?
Love, Rosie (2014)
If you’re in the mood for a solid cry, Love, Rosie will certainly do the job. Rosie (Lily Collins) and Alex (Sam Claflin) have been best friends since they were 5. So, obviously, now that they’ve grown up and live on different continents, what is there left for them to do but fall in love? The classic story of love lost and found again will put tears in your eyes…
Endless Love (2014)
Based on a best-selling novel by Scott Spencer, Endless Love details the teenage romance between 17-year-old David (Alex Pettyfer) and 15-year-old Jade (Gabriella Wilde). When beautiful Jade meets charismatic David, her sheltered world of privilege is turned upside down as the pair’s instant desire sparks a reckless summer love affair. While Jade leaves behind her inhibitions and innocence as she falls for David, he works to prove himself worthy of her love. But when David’s mysterious past and Jade’s overprotective father threaten to tear them apart, their romance will be put to the ultimate test.
The Vow (2012)
Yet another similar choice of movie with our Social Media & Marketing executive. Perhaps it’s time for a movie night in the office?
The Longest Ride (2015)
This 10th Nicholas Sparks film adaptation centers on the star-crossed love affair between Luke Collins (Scott Eastwood), a former champion bull rider looking to make a comeback, and Sophia Danko (Britt Robertson), an art student at Duke University who is about to embark upon her dream job in New York City’s art world. Their romance is unexpectedly impacted when Sophia and Luke make an unexpected connection with Ira, whose memories of his own decades-long romance with his beloved wife deeply inspire the young couple. Spanning generations and two intertwining love stories, The Longest Ride explores the challenges and infinite rewards of enduring love.
The Weirdo
Last but not the least, just like how every team has a quirky, odd team member, our e-Commerce Executive has very distinctive choices when it comes to what she watches on Valentine’s Day. Sappy or comedic love stories are not quite her style, as she prefers something more action packed… or you can call it dark humour.
Fractured (2019, Netflix)
Driving cross-country, a couple and their 6-year-old daughter stop at a highway rest area where his daughter (Lucy Capri) falls and breaks her arm. After a frantic rush to the hospital and a clash with the check-in nurse, Ray (Sam Worthington) is finally able to get her to a doctor. However, something strange is going on there – an exhausted Ray passes out in a chair in the lobby while his wife (Lily Rabe) and daughter go downstairs for an MRI, only to never return. Upon waking up, Ray founds out that the hospital has no record or knowledge of his family ever being checked in.
Hustlers (2019)
This female-led heist movie portrays the real-life events that took place in the late 2000s, as the global financial crisis pulled the rug out from under the sex industry and led a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. Having the story told in flashbacks, Destiny (Constance Wu) relays the events to a journalist (Julia Stiles), talking through things from her early experience as a stripper, the golden days after Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) took her under her wing, the crash, and the chaos that followed.
Joker (2019)
In Gotham City, mentally troubled comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is disregarded and mistreated by the fractured society. A clown-for-hire by day, he aspires to be a stand-up comic at night… but finds the joke always seems to be on him. Caught in a cyclical existence between apathy and cruelty, he then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: the Joker.
V for Vendetta (2005)
If you are in for some visually stunning and thought-provoking film, V for Vendetta’s political pronouncement may rile some, but its story and impressive set pieces will nevertheless entertain. An unassuming young woman Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) plays an unlikely but instrumental part in bringing down the fascist government that has taken control of a futuristic Great Britain. Rescued by a vigilante named V (Hugo Weaving) – a caped figure both articulate and skilled in combat from a life-and-death situation, she helped V to lead a revolution sparked by assassination and destruction, newly aware of the cruelty of her own society and her role in it.
Ex Machina (2014)
Into something futuristic? Ex Machina is a visually polished and uncommonly engaging sci-fi piece that tells about 26-year-old programmer Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), who works at the world’s largest internet company and won a retreat competition. Little did he know that he is selected to participate in a strange and fascinating ground-breaking experiment in synthetic intelligence by interacting with and evaluating the human qualities of a highly advanced humanoid A.I., housed in the body of a beautiful robot girl (Alicia Vikander).
And there you have it! We’re pretty sure we have covered every (or most) permutation of hilarious courtship and love… and a bit of dark humour – courtesy of our weirdo e-Commerce executive (don’t worry, we still love her) captured on camera. With that, no matter if you’re snuggled up in bed with your loved one or spending time with yourself (because you know, self love), Happy Valentine’s Day!
Sending lots of love your
way,
LX