“Beginners” (2011)
Last year, writer/director Mike Mills made his cinematic tribute to his mother with the wonderful “20th Century Women,” and while it doesn’t quite reach the same heights, 2011’s “Beginners” is lovely look at fathers and love. While it sometimes relies a little too heavy on its quirks and eccentricities, it’s nevertheless a gorgeously idiosyncratic work. Mills’ brings a deft touch and confidence to material that might play out like any other Sundance feature on paper, but the film’s warmth is impossible to ignore.
“Liberal Arts” (2012)
Josh Radnor didn’t stick the landing with “Happythankyoumoreplease,” his earnest, sporadically charming but ultimately muddled foray into indie filmmaking. Thankfully, “Liberal Arts,” his sophomore writing/directing effort, hit its stride handsomely. More confident and focused in this effort, Radnor doesn’t quite live up to Woody Allen’s standards, his clear influence with this one, but it’s nevertheless a breezy, enticing step in the right direction, especially with strong supporting turns by an excellent Elizabeth Olsen and a surprising Zac Efron.
“The Graduate” (1967)
Depending on whom you ask, “The Graduate” is either one of the best or one of the absolute worst films you could watch on Valentine’s Day. This groundbreaking, game-changing character study is at once hopelessly romantic and strikingly self-aware of its underlying cynicism. Either way, it’s a remarkable film, anchored by Dustin Hoffman’s exhilarating performance, director Mike Nichols’ firm hand, Calder Willingham and Buck Henry’s brilliant screenplay and, of course, the soothing strums of none other than Simon & Garfunkel. It’s an undeniable classic. But whether it’s a romantic delight or a solemn slice of nihilism is up to the eye of the beholder.
“Your Sister’s Sister” (2011)
The best romantic comedies are simple, elegant, and refined. And you’ll find those qualities in writer/ director Lynn Shelton’s sweetly-humming, compassionately subdued “Your Sister’s Sister.” Short on narrative and locations, Shelton’s rom-com doesn’t attempt to become anything it’s not, and relies on the richness shared between lead actors Mark Duplass and Emily Blunt that make this one work as well as it does. They play spectacularly well off each other, and they’re rewarded by Shelton’s assured guiding hand.
“Shakespeare in Love” (1998)
These days, “Shakespeare in Love” is often known as the film that stole Best Picture from Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan.” We’re not going to argue otherwise. But we also gotta admit: it’s, you know, still a pretty good movie. A grand, sweeping, richly-written, passionately acted delight, filled with gorgeous cinematography, winsome characters and fantastic production designs, it’s perhaps not exactly the very best film of that particularly year, but it’s not a bad one either. An emotional, dramatically-fulfilling romance, what else could you ask for on Valentine’s Day?
“2 Days in New York” (2012)
Actress Julie Delpy is at the center of what might genuinely be the greatest romance in cinematic history: the “Before” trilogy. Beyond her nine-year commitment to Richard Linklater’s excellent continued romance, however, Delpy found her own way as a filmmaker. Most notably, she formed her own romantic series, the “2 Days” films, which brings us to “2 Days in New York,” the unexpected sequel to Delpy’s underrated “2 Days in Paris,” but also a film that rightfully stands on its own, in many different ways. Replacing Adam Goldberg with Chris Rock, Delpy’s warm storytelling voice continues to demonstrate how much she’s learned from Linklater’s guidance. It’s not quite as thoughtful, thematically rich or poignant as anything she produced alongside Linklater and Ethan Hawke, but it’s a charming romantic comedy all-the-same. If you loved Delpy inside the “Before” series, be sure to also check out her own “2 Days” films.