Upbeat, positive movies for Valentine's Day that don't involve cheesy romance, unrealistic endings or the idea that you have to be in a relationship to be happy.
Valentine's Day is annoying enough with all the candy, bears and forced romance shoved down your throat, but it's also when so many horrible romantic movies get pushed from every direction: the theatre, video store, even the cheap sales at the grocery store. Those movies can certainly be fun guilty pleasures (who doesn't get a tiny craving for Sandra Bullock or Julia Roberts from time to time?), but sometimes it's really refreshing to see a movie where the world won't end if the girl and guy don't get together. Five really great movies for just this occasion:
1. Living Out Loud (1998):
Judith Nelson (Holly Hunter) is a recent divorcee: her husband left her for another woman. Judith is now coming to terms with being on her own and being nearly friendless ("Our friends were his friends"). She left behind her old life and old friends when she married a rich doctor and gave up her own studies and became a nurse instead of a pediatrician. Now she's alone and sinking into loneliness--but not for long.
She soon befriends the elevator man in her luxury apartment, Pat (Danny DeVito). Pat has his own troubles--he owes a gambling debt and his daughter recently died. The two form a unique friendship that Pat would like to become more. Judith, however, is not ready for romance and has no desire for things to turn to love. She also befriends Liz (Queen Latifah), a nightclub singer who teacher Judith to enjoy being herself and to enjoy going out and having fun. By the time Judith is in a happier place, there is a vague hint of having missed other opportunities, but she is more than happy with her choices and where she is now, both emotionally and mentally. This is a tremendous movie about being happy on a personal level.
2. In Good Company (2004):
Tow guys mostly star in this one (Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace)--the romantic interest is Scarlett Johansson and she has little screen time. But the way things turn out in this movie are so unexpected and refreshing, it doesn't matter who stars in it. Topher Grace plays Carter Duryea, the new twenty-something boss of Dennis Quaid. Carter is prematurely promoted in the artificial corporate world; initially he's elated, but soon his new bride leaves him and deep down, he knows he doesn't have a single skill or reason to be where he is.
Things begin to slowly fall apart for Carter, but he learns a few things of value from his "employee" Dan Foreman (Quaid). There are a few things to mess up along the way, such as a rush romance with his daughter (Johansson). Carter stumbles as he struggles to find his own identity and path and it makes for a very compelling story. Not only does the romance not pan out the way an audience might expect, but the focus is on choices that matter more for this character. The story and its path are original and the lines both witty and refreshing.
3. Bandits (1997):
There is very little, if any, romance in this German flick. It's a tale of four women who have a band in prison. When circumstances force them to escape, their music escalates up the charts and their fame begins to follow them. All four women have very different personalities but all are new and a little endeared to the idea of fame.
Luna is the tough lead singer, Angel is the sexy sweet bass player, Marie plays guitar and functions as the backbone of the group, and newcomer Emma (with her own mysterious past) plays drums. There is plenty of clashing to be had, but escaping out of the country is their primary goal. It's just that the taste of fame and getting to play their music for appreciative crowds makes things a little more complicated. A really great soundtrack, some impressive action scenes (terrific suspense) and some very moving emotional scenes make this a must-see.
4. Ruby In Paradise (1993):
This movie stars Ashley Judd in a very unusual film. Her character, Ruby, moves to a resort town to start fresh. While she does periodically try out new relationships, she is more intent on self-discovery and making choices for herself rather than anyone else. The film is a character study and it's one of the few not hellbent on forcing two people together by the end. It's far more realistic and meaningful for anyone who can identify with learning to be by themselves. It also manages not to be depressing or to paint the single life as a terrible alternative.
5. Party Girl (1995):
This film stars Parker Posey as Mary, a girl in her early twenties who is frustrated with her role in life. After her godmother has to bail her out of jail for illegally charging for her party, Mary finds herself working at her godmother's library. Initially resistant to the people around her and the foreign ways of the library, Mary soon finds herself wanting to learn more and loving it.
She does meet an interesting man along the way, Mustafa, a Lebanese teacher who currently runs a falafel stand. And maybe the girl and guy end up together in the end, but the whole point of this movie is that Mary is terribly unhappy until she figures out what she wants to do with her life. Mustafa is a great friend to her, even when she acts terribly towards him, but he is a minor character as she works things out for herself. Party Girl is a really unique, fun movie about a girl finally trying to make sound choices for herself and her future--and it's very sassy in its style.
