The month of February is a jack of all trades, and whether it’s black history month you’re looking forward to or the Aquarius-Pisces fusion , there’s no denying Valentine’s Day is always the elephant in that room. If, like me, your idea of a pre Valentine's weekend is a movie marathon, here’s a few suggestions for your watch list. The Royal Treatment The first incentive to watch The Royal Treatment is the main cast. The plot centers around a New York based hairdresser played by Laura Marano, getting the opportunity to render her services in the wedding of a foreign prince, played by the dashing Mena Massoud and before they know it, sparks start flying back and forth between them. The movie has a feel-good vibe and the supporting characters definitely bring out its comedic aspect, but the most appealing thing about it is the ability to pull at your heartstrings, make you laugh and cry in one sitting. Resort to Love Resort to Love is a romantic comedy whose plot centers around an aspiring pop star (Christina Milian) whose dreams were crushed, landing a gig to perform at her ex fiancé Jason’s wedding. She tries to figure out her residual feelings for Jason from a distance and gradually establishes a connection with his brother Caleb. Much like The Royal Treatment, this a movie that gives on all fronts in one sitting. The Sun is Also a Star The Sun is Also a Star is a bi-product of a book by Nicola Yoon with the same name, and if you’re a hopeless romantic, this one’s for you. The plot is built around Natasha, a Jamaican science student skeptical of love who builds a steady connection with Daniel, a Korean poet as they navigate the unusual circumstances they find themselves in. Besides the added bonus of Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton being the main characters, the spontaneity brings out all the feels and you’re in for a good cry should you choose to add it to your watch list. Love Tactics Love Tactics is a Turkish movie about a marketing executive and a blogger who fancy themselves an expert on the opposite gender and make bets with their respective friends to make one another fall in love. It’s all the feels and all the laughs, perfect for a watch party. Grease Grease is one of the classics, right beside the likes of Titanic, The Notebook and Dirty Dancing. The musical brings to life what seems like a one hit wonder love affair between Danny and Sandy on a vacation in Australia and a reunion unbeknownst to them. Seriously Single The South African romantic film is an articulate portrayal of the strides made by South Africa’s film industry over the years. The storyline in Seriously Single centers on Dineo, a social media expert who can’t resist consistently looking into her ex partner’s life despite her best friend’s efforts to get her to embrace singlehood. If an Adele themed playlist appeals to you, Seriously Single might feel like an off broadway version of that. To All The Boys (trilogy) If Noah Centineo floats your boat, you can tell where I am heading with this. Based off a novel series by Jenny Han, The three part film is one for the hopeless romantics. The storyline features the resurfacing of love letters that Lara Jean (Lana Condor) wrote to five love interests amidst her pre teenage years. The coming of age film is a continuous depiction of her relationship with one love interest in particular, Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) The trilogy explores themes like family, reputation and a contrast between deceit and honesty. Love Guaranteed Love Guaranteed is a categorically romance film featuring Susan, a pro bono lawyer who reluctantly decides to represent Nick who was intent on suing a dating website called “Love Guaranteed” for not having found love on the 987 dates he went to, courtesy of the site. The concept of blaming someone for the failure to find love is alluring but the plot twists and the monologues serve as an additional incentive. Love In The Villa The storyline of Love In The Villa starts off as Julie, a teacher obsessed with Romeo and Juliet, planning a trip to Verona, Italy with her then boyfriend to explore the scenery in the Shakespearian play, however what she didn’t see coming is that her boyfriend Brandon wanted to press pause on their relationship. Julie follows through with the trip and ends up sharing “la villa romantica” with an annoying stranger, who just so happens to use an attractive British accent when he speaks. Besides the humor and the feel-good vibe, the movie teases a “will they, won’t they” vibe all through the monologues and explores themes like romance, history and impulsivity.
