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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Friday, March 29, 2024

The best, less obvious Valentine's Day movies for a stellar night in

Moonrise-Kingdom

Valentine’s Day does not have to be a lavish day. It can be celebrated just as well at home curled up with a movie. Many people might resort to the obvious and cliched romances for Valentine's Day, such as "The Notebook" (2004) or "Titanic" (1997). However, some of the most touching, heartwarming depictions of love in film appear in more unconventional love stories.

For example, one of the most subtle-yet-touching depictions of an interracial relationship in film unfolds in a New York crime drama starring Robert De Niro. "A Bronx Tale," (1993) directed by De Niro, follows the life of a young Italian-American who struggles to navigate his family life and his connections to the mafia. He also falls in love with a young black girl from the other side of the Bronx. This movie offers crime scenes and star-crossed love all at once, resembling an Italian "West Side Story" (1961) with a more complicated view of city crime and violence. Any man who loves "Goodfellas" (1990) would find this film moving. It is a powerful, engaging story of loyalty and love, without a single song number.

For those looking for an artsier film, Wes Anderson’s "Moonrise Kingdom" (2012) tells the story of two 12-year-old outcasts, Sam and Suzy, devoted to their whirlwind summer affair despite concerned community leaders, jaded parents and a threatening nearby storm. The film's setting on a visually stunning, fictional New England island along with its engaging score contribute to the film's magical qualities. Sam and Suzy (played by Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) are at an age when everyone around them begins to stop tolerating their idealism and their quirks. The film's depiction of a pre teen relationship is uniquely heartwarming, realistic and satisfying. Though some aspects of their relationship are childlike, the young lovebirds are painfully aware of reality and refuse to give in to adult defeatism just yet. It may be young love, but its depiction is sweet enough to make adults believe in it.

While viewers of "Moonrise Kingdom" might feel nostalgia for their first loves, those looking for a depiction of a more sophisticated, long-term romance should consider "The Incredibles" (2004) for Valentine’s Day viewing. Although released as a kids' movie, "The Incredibles" is also a movie about rekindling love as an adult, as the animated superhero movie is also about the relationship between married parents Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl. The marriage is not perfect, as Mr. Incredible lies to Elastigirl throughout the first half of the movie and pays for it later, and their arguments will seem painfully accurate to anyone with parents who don't always get along. But if one is interested in finding a touching, realistic look at married life and love that ends on a happy note, it is sure to be found in this Pixar masterpiece.

The most satisfying romantic movies are those where the love prevails not only over family or circumstance, but also stands strong in the face of the complicated and ugly world around it. Such is the love portrayed in Hong Kong-Chinese satire "Kung Fu Hustle" (2004). Upon its release, it was considered a kung fu movie in its own right. It also, however, is the setting for an epic love story. The romance is between Sing (Stephen Chow), a loser who defends Shanghai from the Deadly Axe Gang, and Fong (Eva Huang), a girl from Sing's childhood who is mute. Although there are a lot more martial arts scenes than love scenes, this story of heroism and determination seeks to find the true meaning of kung fu: not just to destroy, but also to unite.

If "Kung Fu Hustle" isn’t goofy enough, there's always "Tootsie" (1982). This film emerges from the comedy movie renaissance of the 1980s with a level of warmhearted, slapstick romance that is almost Shakespearean. The hero, Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman), is forced to hide his male gender when he lands the role of a middle-aged woman named Tootsie on a soap opera. He meets a gorgeous fellow actor, Julie (Jessica Lange), and things get complicated. It teaches us that to be loved, we do truly have to be ourselves. The mix of romantic travails, feminist sensibilities and happy endings makes "Tootsie" the ideal Valentine’s Day night-in treat.