Why 14? Two reasons. One: Since Valentine's Day is Feb. 14th I figure it's somewhat acceptable to branch out from 10 and Two: It was too hard to narrow down past 14. So win win. Anyways, here are my top picks for movies to watch with a date/girlfriend/loved one this Valentine's Day that should be enjoyed by guy and girl alike:

 

14. Happy Accidents - I like this because it's just such an unusual and unique story. Plus, I'm a sucker for time travel.
13. 10 Things I Hate About You - For those who enjoy the teen comedy, this is the cream of the crop. It's much better than She's All That or American Pie. Perhaps becuase it's a retelling of Taming of the Shrew. Maybe.
12. Love Actually - One of the best movies that you might think would be an average chick flick. It's got a large, great cast and several diverse types of love stories all taking place around Christmas time. And I like Christmas.
11.The Lady Eve - This movie is silly but what can I say, it's just likeable.


10. Roman Holiday - Audrey Hepburn's first movie role is a great one and who doesn't like Gregory Peck. That guy is just cool. Several movies have used this exact same story line of the princess/royalty/president's daughter who escapes to try and have a normal experience, but this is by far the best.
9. Shaun of the Dead - Supposedly this was originally pitched as "A Romatic Comedy. With Zombies" and that stuck as the tagline so I'm throwing it in there. Amidst all the satire and zombies there is a great love story going on. Hopefully you can convince a girl to give this a shot this Valentine's Day.


8. True Romance - This is a pretty violent movie. But it's right there in the title. This is 100% completely a love story and everything in it happens out of complete and total love between the two characters. This is written by Quentin Tarantino so it is quite an unusual romance movie, but nevertheless it works.
7. City Lights - My favorite Chaplin movie. This has some of the most famous of Chaplin's scenes in it and if the end doesn't make you happy, you just might be made of stone.
6. (500) Days of Summer - This is the Annie Hall for this generation. And, in my opinion, it's better than Annie Hall. A uniquely structured and well acted movie that (according to the opening narration) is not a love story. But it's still funny and emotional. Plus there is a really awesome dance scene.
5. Bringing Up Baby - The king of screwball comedies. Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn make a great team. Cary Grant's revelation of love may be a bit silly and underdeveloped but you just accept it because to question the absurdity of it and not the rest of the movie would be silly.
4. Before Sunrise/Sunset - These movies should be considered as one because the complete story is what makes them so great. Richard Linklater made two movies that are full of romance and emotion although the characters do nothing more than walk and sit around while talking an awful lot. It's spectacular.


3. His Girl Friday - Cary Grant is back again. The guy just gets me. He is super cool in this as a newspaper man who's ex is about to be remarried. It's fast talking. Repeat watches are a must to catch all the dialogue. But not in a bad way. Plus Ingrid Bergman is goodlooking!
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - One of the few movies to have the ability to get me teared up. I get chills when I am talking about one of the last scenes in the movie when the house is fallin apart. I love a good sad movie and this is one of the saddest and most emotional I have ever seen. Jim Carrey's best performance.


1. Punch Drunk Love - I just realized that my top 2 picks both contain dramatic roles from usually silly comedians. Perhaps that's more than just a coincidence but who knows. Paul Thomas Anderson is my favorite working writer/director. Quite possibly my favorite of all-time. He makes a very unusual romance movie that is funny, sad and emotional. This is easily Adam Sandler's best role and it will be hard for him to ever top it. The soundtrack is amazing and has anyone heard the theory that Emily Watson's character is an alien? I don't see it but maybe I need to watch it once more. Anyways, for my money, this is the undisputed best romance movie ever.