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7 Romantic Movies to Watch on Your Valentine's Day Date Night


I'm a Tennessee-based freelance writer with a passion for true crime, a thirst for knowledge, and an obsession with lists.

Whether it's cold weather or crowds keeping you in for Valentine's Day this year, snuggling up with your valentine and a romantic movie is the perfect date night idea.


1. Sleepless In Seattle (1993)

Chicago architect Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) is devastated when his wife dies of cancer and decides to start a new life with his eight year-old son, Jonah, in Seatle Washington, Soon after arriving, one night Jonah decides to call into a talk radio show to find his dad a new wife. His pleas result in Sam receiving thousands of letters from women across the United States and Canada who would like to meet Sam and his son.

One of those letters is from Annie Reed (Meg Ryan), a reporter with the Baltimore Sun. Although she is engaged to be married, she feels there is something missing in her relationship with her fiance Walter. After watching the classic movie An Affair to Remember, Annie writes Sam a letter but quickly decides she will never mail it.

Good thing her boss and good friend disagrees and mails the letter anyway, while arranging to send Annie to Seattle "for a story." And the rest is romantic history.

Scene from Pretty Woman

Scene from Pretty Woman

2. Pretty Woman (1990)

Wealthy and sophisticated Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) is in Los Angeles for business following a nasty break-up with his girlfriend. When he finds himself lost on Hollywood Boulevard, he comes across prostitute Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts). Declining her sexual proposition, he asks for directions back to the Beverly Hills Regent.

After personally driving him back to his hotel, Edward makes his own proposition: in exchange for cash, Vivian will act as his girlfriend during his California stay and accompany him to dinners and other events on his schedule. He also declares sex is not a part of the role.

Vivian readily agrees to his terms and what follows is a hilarious tale of a Tinsel Town hooker trying to fit in while rubbing elbows with Los Angeles' elite.

3. City of Angels (1998)

Seth (Nicholas Cage) is an angel who appears to humans only when he's ready to escort them to "the other side." It's during one of these calling that Seth watches, unseen, by Dr. Maggie Rice (Meg Ryan) work vigorously to save her patient's life to no avail.

Seth feels intense desire for Maggie but she doesn't even know he exists - much less, she couldn't see him even if she did. In a desperate effort to win Maggie's affections from her colleague surgeon boyfriend, Seth decides to "fall" to Earth so he can become mortal and pursue his romantic interest.

Falling to Earth is a major decision for someone of Seth's position, but he's willing to do anything - experience the good and the bad, for the woman he has fallen in love with but will it really be worth the sacrifice?

Scene from Titanic the movie

Scene from Titanic the movie

4. Titanic (1997)

In 1996, a treasure hunter and his team explore the sunken ship known in history as the Titanic. During their excursion, the team recover a number of artifacts, including a valuable diamond known as the Heart of the Ocean. and a safe containing a hand-drawn photo of a young woman wearing the diamond on a necklace. The woman is identified as 17 year-old Rose Dawson Calvert, a survivor of the tragedy and present day octogenarian.

The team seeks Rose out and invites them to share her memories of that fatal night in April 1912. She begins an the tale of a young woman whose parents were forcing her to marry a man she did not love in order to spare her family financial ruin. She along with her fiance and parents board as first-class passengers on the ship in Southhampton, England destined for New York.

Distraught over her impending nuptials, Rose decides to commit suicide by jumping ship but her plan is interrupted by Jack and they soon become enveloped in intense relationship with one another.

Until the Titanic collided with an iceberg and the ship sank deep into the ocean. Would any of them survive? And if so, what would become of Jack and Rose?

5. You've Got Mail (1998)

The Shop Around the Corner is a quaint little bookstore in New York City owned by Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan). As Kathleen frets about the upcoming opening of a new big-box bookstore owned by Joe Fox (Tom Hanks). and the effects it will have on her own store, she struggles to maintain the relationship with her social justice warrior reporter boyfriend.

Seeking a little distraction, Kathleen logs onto a 30-somethings chat room under the screen name "Shopgirl." It's there she meets a man known to her only as "NY152." The pair share many intense conversations and eagerly await one another's messages.

There's just one problem with falling in love with anonymous username: they can be anyone. They could be someone you thought you didn't like at all.

Scene from Forrest Gump

Scene from Forrest Gump

6. Forrest Gump (1994)

It's 1982 in Savannah, Georgia when Alabama native Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) sits on a bus bench recounting his life story to a number of strangers who happen to sit on the bench.

His story is an intricately woven stories about his difficult childhood to his oft-accidental adventures, many with significant historical significance. While Forrest's life is constantly changing, there is one thing that remains consistent: his love for Jenny Curran (Robin Wright).

7. When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) have been close friends during their studies at the University of Chicago and agree to carpool to New York after graduation. Sally plans to enroll in journalism school, while Harry will begin his career there.

During the drive from Chicago to New York City, the conversation of whether men and women can be platonic friends is introduced. Harry believes it's impossible but Sally staunchly disagrees and the pair goes their separate ways upon arrival.

As we grow older and wiser, however, our opinions often begin to change, just as it does for Sally and Harry as their paths cross sporadically through life.

© 2017 Kim Bryan

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