5 non-traditional romance movies for valentine’s day (or any day)

It can be hard to decide on a romance movie that is unique and novel. Generic is the first adjective most people use to define the romance genre and I find that sort of unearned. Here are some non-traditional movies I think you should watch this February:

Drylongso

Drylongso, the debut and only feature by Cauleen Smith encompasses many genres: coming of age, crime, and yes romance. In another life this would be hailed as another bona fide hood classic, standing alongside John Singleton’s early films. I suppose its forgotten status echoes the misogynoir the two leads feel living in their urban community, surviving, living, loving, and losing. Pica uses a Polaroid to commemorate potential lives lost and similarly, this film commemorates a story that's multilayered and as relevant as ever. If you want a story with gravitas and romance and to support a black filmmaker during this month, look no further than Drylongso.

Jackie Brown

The next film is far more widely known by a filmmaker who also needs no introduction although this film is definitely not spoken of as much compared to the rest of his filmography. Starring the icon, the legend—Pam Grier, who is an obvious influence on Tarantino’s conception of female heroines. This film comments on her legacy and that of Robert Forrester, her Co-lead and love interest. Their middle-aged romance juxtaposed against a crime thriller is a surprising and meditative choice for him to tackle at the peak of his career. Equal parts mature, thrilling, and sweet. Well worth a watch and according to the filmmaker, well worth many “hangs.”

Chungking Express

When one thinks of romance, physical intimacy is assumed but it's not a prerequisite between a pair of lovers or even those in that nebulous potential zone of could-be lovers… or merely someone to rest on in a dingy bar after being duped by your drug mules. In Wong Kar-Wai’s Chungking Express, two love stories are featured. Both are different but dualistic and share a chasteness which makes the intimacy more robust. I've often wondered if a person’s preference for one plot over the other could serve as a litmus test for how one sees the world(I'm plot B, just so you know) and sees love or attachments. The profundity of displaying closeness without cardinality or even touch in the bustling and sometimes claustrophobic city of Hong Kong, and the influence Kar-Wai had on his contemporaries (Sofia Coppola and yes Tarantino just to name a few) and subsequent filmmakers makes it well worth a watch this Valentine’s.

Heat

Okay so this may be a stretch…but it also may be one of the most romantic films on this list. Who can say? A millennia ago rugged soldiers made love to one another before going into battle. Now they share a cup of coffee in an LA diner while waxing poetic about what drives them. Romance oozes out of the screenplay for Heat, a crime thriller that places Pacino and De Niro together as complex foils and both are so committed and professional as jewel thief and homicide detective, that they have to respect each other a bit. There is a mutual love of the game. Altogether Mann captures disorderly love in this picture. Decaying marriages and unlawful attractions. I knew I loved this picture when Val Kilmer’s character utters this line while questioned about his commitment to his wife: “For me, the sun rises and falls with her, man.” you just don't get that type of sappy poeticisms in macho movies! Check it out!

Titane

The last flick I’m urging you and your significant other or maybe a gaggle of galentines to try out is called Titane but be forewarned: it's not for the faint of heart. Horror fanatics might even get more than they would expect from a movie with a premise like Titane as it’s not anything as simple as what it says on its lid. But I suppose this is true of most French extremity/body horror films. You get a lot more than the mere spectacle and horror-inducing set-pieces (although there's PLENTY of that to go around!). You get an exploration of identity (sexual, gender, and familial) and love captured with gorgeous lightning and complex performances. Please—if you believe you can stomach it—watch it this Valentine’s Day.

That wraps up my instinctive recommendations of non-traditional romance/love stories. These films encompass many genres, ages, and tones. I don't think love stories are as generic and conventional as many have been led to believe and I don't think they should be. I'm glad we have these movies as just a few of the outliers.