5 Quirky Films for Valentine's Day (Or Any Day)

    With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, many are looking forward to plans... or scrambling to make them. One thing's for sure, there is no shortage of movies dealing with romantic love. Unfortunately, that means there are a lot of romances, rom-coms, etc. that blend together (I tend to steer clear of romantic comedies for this reason). However, that doesn't mean there aren't fun, original (even profound) romantic movies out there. Here are 5 movies you should enjoy at some point-- alone, with friends, or with a sweetheart on Valentine's Day.  

Amélie (2002, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

    To say this film is happy or cute is a bit of an understatement. Amélie is a truly joyful experience, and you might find yourself smiling uncontrollably by the end of it. Not only do I consider Amélie one of the ultimate feel-good movies, the story is genuinely creative and well-written. Audrey Tautou wonderfully plays a heroine that truly resonates with the audience, making the romance toward the end much more meaningful and interesting. The creative cinematography, whimsical characters, and warm narrator give the whole film a feeling of magic and real-life fantasy. 

Punch-Drunk Love (2002, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson)

    This is another one with a lot of whimsicality. The colorful fades between scenes and surreal characters give the film a dream-like quality. Adam Sandler shows us a different side of his acting abilities here, dropping the over-the-top comedy he usually does to convey a depth you don't usually see in his other movies. Lonely and frustrated, Sandler's character falls in love with an English rose (Emily Watson), and there's an interesting sub-plot with a phone sex line, which is run by a shady character played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. As is to be expected of a P.T. Anderson work, the film hints at some darker themes, but overall, this movie is light in tone and a refreshing, fun watch.  

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, directed by Michel Gondry)

    This colorful story (seriously, check out Winslet's hair), starring Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey, creatively plays with time and technology to give us a complicated look at human relationships. The film asks us to imagine the ability to erase people from our lives, and the ability to meet someone with knowledge of all their worst traits. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is romantic, sad, funny, even bitter-- but, ultimately, beautiful. 

Lost in Translation (2003, directed by Sofia Coppola) 

    Some say this film instigated the Spike Jonze (ex-husband to Coppola) film Her, whether or not this theory is true, Lost in Translation stands out as a complex look at human connections. Scarlett Johansson plays a young newly wed who falls in love with an older actor (Billy Murray) who is past his glory days in the acting world. The two feel disconnected from the world until they meet each other, a fact accentuated by the fact that the film takes place in a country of which neither of them are natives. Lost in Translation explores themes of love, isolation, and, as the title suggests, communication, and is a must-watch for film lovers. 

Moonrise Kingdom (2012, directed by Wes Anderson)

    Anyone who has seen Wes Anderson's other work knows that they can expect an exceptional amount of quirkiness and comedy, with some more profound themes very stealthily snuck in, and this film certainly delivers in those areas. The well-known cast plays a wide variety of strange characters and the setting and story-- along with the general look and feel of the film-- give it a story book feel as it tells a story of young love.