It’s February — the snow has turned to gray slush, the wind-chill is sub-zero and spring still feels eons away. But there’s one silver lining that makes this icy month a bit more bearable — ‘tis the season for love at the movies.
Whether it be Rick and Ilsa in “Casablanca,” Harry and Sally in “When Harry Met Sally…” or Jack and Rose in “Titanic,” we all know and love, the iconic pairings and classic images of the romance genre.
But sometimes, we’re looking for something a little different that breaks outside of the mold of the traditional boy-meets-girl tropes and plot beats. So, here are five — actually, seven — Valentine’s Day movies that range from slightly unique to unequivocally odd.
Falling in love has never been so avant-garde!
The ‘Before’ Trilogy
Director Richard Linklater’s trilogy of romance films starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke is structurally unlike almost anything else. The series of three films, which were released every nine years, follows Celine, played by Delpy, and Jesse, played by Hawke, as their relationship blossoms over time. There are no big set-pieces, no dramatic declarations — just expertly crafted dialogue and some of the most realistic chemistry put to screen.
“Before Sunrise,” released in 1995, follows the pair in their early 20s as they embark on a magical evening exploring Vienna following a meet-cute on a Eurail train. “Before Sunset” picks up in Paris, where Celine and Jesse reunite for an afternoon after nine years apart.
The trilogy’s final installment, “Before Midnight,” may not even qualify as a romance movie — it’s a harsh and biting portrait of a marriage in disarray — but the dialogue and acting are just as well done. Valentine’s Day skeptics may enjoy the 2013 end to the trilogy the most.
“Harold and Maude”
Although it was released in 1971, Hal Ashby’s “Harold and Maude” may be just as strange, taboo and loveable over five decades later. It is also, in its own way, a classic tale of “opposites attract.”
The titular Harold is a 20-year-old wealthy, death-obsessed cynic who attends funerals in his free time and stages elaborate fake suicides. The other main character, Maude, is his inverse — at 80 years old, she is eccentric, joyful and lively in all of the ways that Harold is gloomy. As they embark on an unusual relationship, they learn about the world and each other — in a way that is funny, moving and never cliché.
Fans of the music of the early 1970s will not be disappointed by its soundtrack — the film is accompanied by a slew of classic Cat Stevens songs, including “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out,” “Don’t Be Shy” and “Miles from Nowhere.”
“Lost in Translation”
Sofia Coppola’s Oscar-winning 2003 screenplay is another tale of an unexpectedly perfect pairing. This time it’s a young wife and an older actor who find themselves alone in Tokyo, aching for a sense of human connection as the hyper-modernity of the city whizzes by them.
Like many of the other films on this list, “Lost in Translation” features few supporting characters. Instead, the movie showcases its two principal actors, Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray.
“Lost in Translation” can be interpreted as a melancholic and intimate love story, but it’s much more than that. It’s also a story of friendship, loneliness and growing up at every stage of life — presented in the signature dreamlike way that Coppola first perfected in her debut feature, “The Virgin Suicides.”
“The Lobster”
With the success of his 2023 Frankenstein-esque fantasy, “Poor Things,” Yorgos Lanthimos has become the unofficial 21st-century king of oddities. He is no stranger to the weird, the disturbing and the downright repulsive.
So, some readers may hesitate to describe his 2016 dark humor film “The Lobster” as a Valentine’s Day film. But bear with me — there’s more to it in the romance department than meets the eye.
Set in a strange alternative reality where single people are given a 45-day window to find true love before being transformed into an animal, the film’s fantastical elements satirize the absurdity of modern dating. While it’s certainly not for everyone, moviegoers who delight in the combination of the grotesque and the comic will certainly appreciate the film’s romantic commentary.
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
Michel Gondry’s 2004 nonlinear masterpiece of science fiction and magical realism not only embodies the more emotionally painful side of romantic relationships — it also perfectly captures the painful cold that accompanies the Valentine’s Day season.
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is the ultimate answer to a question that has plagued many of the recently-single: Would everything be better if I could just erase my memories and start over? The film features one of Jim Carrey’s best dramatic performances outside of “The Truman Show” and a personal favorite score from Jon Brion that expertly captures the feelings of longing and regret.
If you’re looking for a film to rip your heart out — rather than warm it up — you can’t do better than this icy modern classic of lost love.
Those are just a few options for outside-of-the-box movies to watch this Valentine’s Day. So, whether you’re watching these with your valentine, galentine or on your own, queue up one of these films and find out what love has got to do with them.
