What to watch this Valentine’s Day
By Brian Bowe
Love is in the air, folks! And with Valentine’s Day creeping up, what better way to get you in the mood than to load up on some cozy screen classics and fresh rom-com favs. Sure, if I had my way, February would be one long Valentine’s movie marathon, but for the sake of this paper, I’ll limit myself to five.
Whether you’re planning to snuggle up with your sweetheart or flying solo, these streaming picks will have you feeling the love in no time. So grab some popcorn, dim the lights, and curl up in front of the warm glow of the television.
Nobody Wants This (Netflix)
To start things off, I want to highlight a recent Netflix TV show that went under the radar last year. Starring Adam Brody and Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This centers on Joanne, who co-hosts a podcast about sex and relationships, and Noah (Adam Brody), a rabbi navigating an ugly breakup, who both come into each other’s orbit at a dinner party and proceed to hook-up against the wishes of everyone around them.
The plot may not sound like much; but if nothing else, it provides a fab excuse to witness the winning chemistry of the show’s central pair. Brody and Bell bounce off each other so effortlessly here, their rat-a-tat back-and-forth dialogue is a simple pleasure to enjoy.
Brokeback Mountain (Prime Video)
Ennis and Jack are two shepherds who fall for each other, but their relationship becomes complicated when they both get married to their respective girlfriends.
Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain, also known as “the gay cowboy movie” people knew about but have never actually seen, was something of a watershed moment for mainstream queer cinema back in 2005. It was a big Oscar player, winning Ang Lee Best Director, and controversially losing out to Crash for Best Picture. Looking back, it hasn’t aged perfectly in some ways. But in terms of translating yearning and heartbreak to the big screen, Brokeback outranks most.
Notting Hill (Netflix)
I tried to resist mentioning this — “surely I can find something less obvious?” — but who am I kidding? This is a classic for a reason, and with Hugh Grant having a comeback over the last few years, Notting Hill is a no-brainer to include.
While not my favourite of Richard Curtis’, the writer behind Love Actually and Four Weddings and A Funeral, 1999’s Notting Hill benefits hugely from a bright supporting cast: Rhys Ifans, Gina McKee, and, of course, Irish scene stealer Dylan Moran. And lest we forget, the film also gave Ronan Keating his first solo hit, with his poppy cover of Keith Whitley’s country tune When You Say Nothing At All.
Hit Man (Netflix)
Navigating Netflix can often feel like drowning in a bargain bin, surrounded by mediocrity and gasping for air. It’s almost as if the streaming giants are actively hiding the goods. Case in point, Richard Linklater’s Hit Man from last year. The film got glowing reviews out of the Venice Film Festival, skipped cinemas (as is often the way of Netflix) and got dumped on the app.
Inspired by an unbelievable true story, Hit Man centers around a straight-laced professor (Glen Powell) who discovers he has a hidden talent as a fake hit man. He then meets his match in a client (Adria Arjona) who steals his heart and ignites a powder keg of deception and delight. This has to be the best rom-com of 2024; it’s inventive, genuinely funny and, at times, pretty damn sexy.
Secretary (Prime Video)
Speaking of which, Steven Shainberg’s erotically-charged Secretary, based on the 1988 short story of the same name by Mary Gaitskill, handles the tricky subject of sadomasochism with remarkable tact. It follows Lee, a young woman, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, who gets released from a mental hospital and is hired as a secretary by a lawyer, a terrific James Spader. However, things take a turn when their professional relationship turns into an inappropriate one.
Secretary is believed to have inspired the 50 Shades of Grey book series — quite clearly, if you ask me, seeing as Spader’s character is named Grey — but don’t let that put you off, this is top stuff, as twistedly romantic as it is darkly funny.
