My Daily Nourishment

It’s about that time of year again, when the day of love is in the air and around the corner. Celebrated by many cultures around the world – in respective variants, of course – if you live in the States, you and a significant other are likely gearing up to catch the latest romantic comedy, or a day alone using your internet access to stream time-tested Valentine’s Day movies right into your living room. It’s a good thing, then, that there are so many good ones out there that appeal to both men and women:

1. Love Jones is a well-acted and sexy romantic drama from 1997, starring then-fledgling stars Larenz Tate and Nia Long. Although not short on romance, this tale of shared love diverges a bit from the common perfect ending type and aims for a more plausible finish.
2. True Romance, directed by none other than Quentin Tarantino and starring Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette (with significant parts by the late Dennis Hopper and the formidable Christopher Walken, along with a young Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer and Gary Oldman) an essentially perfect film of romance that any guy – and more than a few gals – will fall for. There’s a reason it’s a cult classic…
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – a romantic and range-extending turn for quintessential funnyman Jim Carrey, and Titanic muse Kate Winslet, this masterpiece from 2004 resonates with men and women alike, capturing perfectly the sense of love and loss in a love story with mild sci-fi elements.
4. When Harry Met Sally is an old classic from 1989 starring Billy Crystal in his movie heyday, and the ever-bubbly Meg Ryan at the very start of hers. Obvious attraction and undefined romance makes this flick work for the ladies, who might have to drag their guy a bit to sit through this one.
5. A better choice for couples with kids might be the widely-acclaimed romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love; released in 2011 and starring the venerableJulianne Moore, Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell, this one keeps the laughs coming while never releasing the pulse it has on your heart.
6. You can also go old school this Valentine’s Day with a gift from 1957, starring the heartthrobs of the day with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, in An Affair to Remember.
7. The Notebook from the year 2004 is about as sweet as it gets. The problem is, although its voted as one of the most memorable romantic movies of all, it might be a little too sweet for most of the fellas. A tale of truly unending love.
8. No Top Ten worth the name could be ratified without an inclusion of 1993’s Sleepless in Seattle. Starring Meg Ryan at the height of her powers of charm, and burgeoning A-list heavyweight Tom Hanks at the trough of his stratospheric curve, this one’s about love at first sound, and the inevitability of destiny.
9. Somewhere in Time from 1980 is a can’t miss romance from the one and only Superman, himself – Christopher Reeve. He travels through time to find the lovely Jane Seymour after falling in love with a picture of her.
10. You knew it was coming: Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in the timeless Casablanca. There’s nothing like being with someone but loving another, and this uber-classic captures it all so very perfectly – not to mention the second-most famous line in all of cinema with “Here’s looking at you, kid.” The most famous line is from Gone with the Wind.

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