Before online dating and text messages, there were emails. In this 1998 Nora Ephron film, Kathleen (Meg Ryan) and Joe (Tom Hanks) send each other emails under the names of “Shopgirl” and “NY152” while being business rivals in real life. After Joe puts Kathleen’s store out of business, she unknowingly confides in him as a friend online. He has become aware of Kathleen’s online identity and decides to reveal how he feels. When meeting, she cries tears of joy for she had hoped that “NY152” would be Joe. An interesting plot and a sappy ending, the two things everyone needs this month. No one could dislike the officially crowned rom-com queen, Meg Ryan. She has been a staple in romantic comedies since the late 1980’s. Any movie with Tom Hanks or Meg Ryan instantly equals a classic. 

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Jane (Katherine Heigl) has been a bridesmaid 27 times in this 2008 chick-flick. She’s secretly in love with her boss, George, before her sister, Tess, falls in love with him and announces their engagement in weeks. Enter Kevin (James Marsden): a cynical wedding reporter who wants to help Jane with her career. He teases her, yet is impressed due to her job as a bridesmaid. He reports on her 27 bridesmaid dresses all while slowly falling in love with her. The most memorable scene from this fantastic film is one of which Jane and Kevin sing along to “Bennie and the Jets” by Elton John in a dive bar. A scene sweet enough to melt anyone’s heart. The movie ends with the pair getting married as the 27 previous brides she helped are her bridesmaids, wearing her dresses. Simply, 27 Dresses is a must-watch this season. No one can resist James Marsden.

Feeling a little down this month? This 2016 musical is for you. In a true love letter to 1940’s cinema and musicals, Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) easily fall in love due to a shared passion for their own dreams. With Mia being an aspiring actress and Sebastian yearning to own his own jazz club, the two bond over their mutual desires. After a multitude of events, Sebastian joining an electric jazz band and Mia starring in her one-woman show, the couple starts to physically drift apart. In a tender moment before Mia’s big break, the pair sits down to have a conversation on the status of their relationship, mentioning that they’ll always love each other. The film then cuts to five years later, where Mia is a successful actress and Sebastian owns his own jazz club. It’s not mentioned how or when they split, but that leaves the mystery of love. This is simply a film that will become a classic within the next decade. Wipe away any tears this Valentine’s Day and cry new ones for the sake of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. 

How do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways. No one competes with 90’s Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles in this outlandish comedy inspired by Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Kat Stratford (Stiles) is the harsh older sister of Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), who can’t date unless Kat does. Enter Patrick Verona (Ledger), an intimidating Australian hunk. When Patrick is paid by new student Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to go out with Kat so he could date Bianca, the film quickly turns into a comical series of events. From parties to heartbroken poems, Kat’s world expands when she realizes she’s fallen in love with Patrick and vice versa. This film is easily a classic, with many MVHS students saying they decide to watch this annually on the special day of love.

Bring out the Razzles and feel like a kid again! After a birthday party in 1987 goes askew, Jenna Rink (Christa B. Allen) wishes to be a thirty, flirty, and thriving adult. When she suddenly wakes up in a new body (Jennifer Garner), yet still herself, Jenna starts to live her new life to the fullest. As a highly esteemed magazine editor, she reconciles with her middle school pal, Matt, who is about to get married. Following a talk over a bag of Razzles and a kiss during a nighttime walk, Matt discovers he’s in love with Jenna, but can’t change the past. Meanwhile, at her job, she finds out her best friend stole her work for a different rival magazine company. A distressed Jenna tries to talk Matt out of his about-to-be marriage, where he tells her he loves her and gives back a dream house he made her 17 years prior. She wishes to 13 again and unbeknownst to her, the wish comes true. Young again, she kisses Matt and changes her future. This is a rom-com for all ages. One student loves it so much they say, “It not only warms your heart with romance, but also with the comforting beauty of growing up.”

Fake dating trope? Absolutely. Margaret (Sandra Bullock) is a powerful book editor, but when she’s faced with a threat to be deported back to Canada, she has to make a decision. On an impulse, she explains that she’s engaged to her assistant, Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), in order to avoid being deported. Andrew gives a few ground rules before completely committing to the bit, one being that Margaret must go with him to Alaska to visit his crazy family. Despite many mishaps, a lurking immigration official, and an overwhelmingly excited family, they must find a way to make the wedding happen. With many iconic scenes with beloved Betty White, this film is simple, yet very loved. So loved in fact that many MVHS students watch it during this time of year, one student’s reason simply being, “Ryan Reynolds is hot.”

“If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.” A simple, heartwarming line that is recognizable to just about anyone. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling star in this 2004 drama as Allie and Noah, respectively. Set in the 1940’s, the two are hopelessly in love while Allie’s parents don’t approve. After Noah serves in World War II, it seems as if the love affair is over. Allie becomes engaged to another man (James Marsden) before Noah returns home. As the pair reconnects and learns to reconcile their differences, it becomes clear that their romance is anything but over. Everyone knows and loves this movie including MVHS students. Explaining why they love it, one student says, “I like movies that will play with your feelings and bring you on an emotional roller coaster, it's full of twists and surprises that definitely bring me on that roller coaster.” An emotional ride indeed, this iconic movie is sure to bring the waterworks this Valentine’s season.