Profound stories of love during this Valentine's
Profound stories of love during this Valentine’s
Feature art by Abigail Manaluz
Happy Valentine’s Day to all film lovers out there! Whether you’re floating on cloud nine, enjoying a loving relationship or is making the most out of being single and embracing the joys of self-love, the dedicated staff at SINEGANG.ph has thoughtfully curated a list of films just for you—whether you’re thinking of going on a romantic movie date or you’re just craving for something sweet and tender, these films are perfect for the Valentine’s.
Whatever you feel like watching, regardless if you’re in the mood for love and searching for something moving and poignant, or you’re looking for a bit more cheesy and lighthearted like a classic rom-com —we have a film that will undoubtedly capture your heart. With our diverse curated list of films, we promise that you will discover something that will resonate and speak to you and leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling during this month of love.
So, whether you're cuddling up with your significant other or spending some quality me-time, here are the curated films for this month of love from the staff of SINEGANG.ph to you. Happy Valentine’s!
Paulo Avelino and Lovi Poe in Sana Dati
Sana Dati (2013)
Dir. Jerrold Tarog
To start off the list, we have a film for the hopeless romantics. Unlike most conventional love stories that often take the easier route of being overly sentimental, Jerrold Tarog’s Sana Dati captures the palpable, nuanced feelings we all feel from both falling in love and learning how to let go. What’s more admirable about Sana Dati is how it's stripped away of any visual aesthetics and focuses more on the genuine and personal conversations of the characters. It walks us through all of the philosophical musings that transpire from their moments, both being so vulnerable and potent. It shows that sometimes romance films don't have the need to display great technicalities; it just needs to be real and it just needs to make you feel something—and few only come close to capturing the heart and depths of emotions and experiences that Sana Dati achieves. Its romanticism is a deviation from the romance genre of our cinema. It’s a rarity to have a romance film about the people we usually forget about after the most passionate declarations of love have been made.
Dylan Gelula and Cooper Raiff in Shithouse
Shithouse (2020)
Dir. Cooper Raiff
Cooper Raiff’s directorial (and acting) debut, Shithouse, is worth checking out if you’re looking for a fresh rom-com released in the 2020s, and a huge plus if you’re a young adult trying to figure things out. Not only does the film capture the trials and tribulations of freshman year, but Alex’s (Raiff) quest to make friends in college takes an unexpected turn when he meets Maggie (Dylan Gelula) at a frat party. This starts a burgeoning romance that feels sincere, at the forefront of it all are the conversations that start awkwardly but end up natural and free-flowing, a testament to trying to see how things go when you’re talking to someone you really like. Taking cues from Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, the odd chemistry between Alex and Maggie makes for a stellar watch in the confines of a modern-day romantic setting, albeit awkward and sometimes cheesy.
Jennifer Connelly and Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Dir. Ron Howard
Within a world often fraught with dreaded qualms and ambiguity, our mind tries its best in mending the fractures of meaning around us in order to have a semblance of an overarching purpose. In 2002's Academy Award-winning Best Picture, A Beautiful Mind, John Nash, an ingenious and competitive mathematician, is extremely snared by his pursuit of knowledge so much so that he creates parallels of a greater essence in the tiniest of things just like a patterned necktie. But when he finds himself stricken with a different reality brought by his schizophrenia, all of the once-clear arithmetic loses its footing. But where the mind falters, the heart provides solace, as Nash comes to realize that beyond the window panes encrusted with written equations, there is always a love ready to openly embrace him—a love rooted not just in a feeling but in an unconditional commitment and resolve to persevere.
Jason Abalos and Ina Feleo in Endo
Endo (2007)
Dir. Jade Castro
Love isn't enough to sustain a relationship, especially if you live under a capitalist system that does not care for it. Still as relevant today as it first premiered 16 years ago at the 3rd Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, Jade Castro's Endo tells a relatable and all-too-familiar story rarely seen on the big screen about two peons from the working class finding solace in each other's warmth as they are forced to endure the weight of an uncaring world that's inhospitable for their dreams and aspirations. Its bare-bones, cinéma vérité style of filmmaking lends a naturalistic and mundane feel to the film that's almost documentary-like, setting aside all of the flashiness and paving the way for the story and earnest performances from Jason Abalos (Leo) and Ina Feleo (Tanya) to stand out. It's not the usual romantic film filled with "kilig" and cheesy moments that we're used to seeing in the mainstream, but if you're in the mood for something genuine and honest this Valentine's Day, Endo is a film worth checking out.
Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz in The Lobster
The Lobster (2015)
Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
I know Valentine's Day can be frustrating for some of you, especially for the single people out there (go cry about it), so let’s try something unusual, shall we? If you’re a little bit (or full-blown) cynical about all things romance, Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Lobster might just be the perfect watch for you. This film is set in a dystopian world where single people must stay inside a hotel where they have to find a romantic relationship for 45 days or be transformed into an animal of their choice. It’s a premise so dark and absurd that you just have to see it for yourself. It goes to places you wouldn’t expect, offering a satirical commentary on how we view and form relationships in this modern world where societal expectations for being single are too high, so people often settle for who they can find and force themselves to believe that they can forge some sort of authentic connection with them. If you’re planning to spend your time endlessly swiping left and right on a dating app this Valentine's Day, probably hoping to find “the one,” maybe consider watching this so you’ll be miserable instead? Just a suggestion.
Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard in Brief Encounter
Brief Encounter (1945)
Dir. David Lean
The most beautiful event in history is meeting your soulmate. It’s also the most devastating. Destiny and tragedy intertwine in David Lean’s Brief Encounter. Two strangers begin a clandestine romance after crossing paths at a railway station. Later, the local diner, the cinema, then a friend’s vacant flat, a darkened alleyway. The transient spaces of their meeting places mirror the fleeting nature of their impulsive relationship, doomed from the start by the permanent band on their hands. But as with all fateful encounters the aftermath is indelible and forever lingering.
Joel Barish (Jim Carrey) in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Dir. Michel Gondry
Regardless of how you plan to celebrate the occasion, Charlie Kaufman’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is guaranteed to be an emotional watch for Valentine’s Day. The 2005 Academy Award Winner for Best Original Screenplay maximizes its use of dialogue and voiceovers to make the audience confront their unrecognized feelings and longing questions about their relationships from both their past and present. At the end of the day, it leaves you with the ultimate revelation that the memories that exist within us also exist beyond our minds. Not to mention, all the quotable lines. It takes a lot to admit to ourselves what and who makes us happy or sad, but watching this takes you a step closer to being able to do so and coming to terms with the truth.
Sakura Ando handling a bird in Love Exposure
Love Exposure (2008)
Dir. Sion Sono
Love Exposure is WILD with a capital W. An exhilarating odyssey about a bizarre love triangle between a Catholic upskirt photographer, a Christian misandrist and a psychopathic cultist. Further elaborating on the premise would lead to a slippery slope—paragraphs of gibberish that won’t make sense unless you’ve seen it, so let’s just say that the film explores how the sudden ‘exposure’ to love in a person's life after its life-long absence can lead them down a dangerous, destructive and desperate pursuit that would distort beliefs and sense of morality with its plotting delivering more than enough surprises and layers to sustain a nearly four-hour runtime. Populated with an ensemble of tormented and love-stricken characters who are badly in need of therapy, the film's excessive and inappropriate nature is definitely not for everyone. But rest assured, Sono lets the audiences know that they’re very much aware of how wrong the film can be, and balances the tone between pitch-black absurdity and a looming ominosity. It’s simultaneously perverse and wholesome; ridiculous and harrowing. And for all its unapologetic lunacy, Sono manages to interweave every single thread of this labyrinthine narrative with surprising cohesion and emotional, thematic depth, culminating in an intense and satisfying climax where an erection is portrayed as a cathartic breakthrough; a declaration of love that displays as much heart-racing power as a simple holding of hands. So if you and your loved ones are crazy and adventurous enough to strap yourselves in on this four-hour-long rollercoaster ride this Valentine’s Day, then you’re in for a one-of-a-kind treat.
Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in Before Sunrise
Before Sunrise (1995)
Dir. Richard Linklater
A deep love isn’t always about labels set or weeks spent; sometimes, it’s just a single day full of spontaneous moments. Richard Linklater’s 1995 classic Before Sunrise takes us on a trip with Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy), two charming strangers who discover a deep connection with each other, through free flowing conversations about life and loitering along the poetic streets of Vienna. With the lingering uncertainty of parting ways after sunrise, every second spent with these two becomes a profound expression of romance and a carefree bonding of two incidental soulmates in real time. Whether you’re alone or with somebody this Valentine’s, this film will surely make you fall in love all over again.
Jolina Magdangal in Kung Ikaw ay Isang Panaginip.
Kung Ikaw ay Isang Panaginip (2002)
Dir. Wenn V. Deramas
If there's one Jolina Magdangal rom-com movie that deserves more attention, it's Kung Ikaw Ay Isang Panaginip. It narrates the interesting twist in Rosalie's life when the image of a handsome man on a billboard suddenly communicates with her. One might say it is a typical rom-com movie, but its appeal lies in the seamless integration of fantasy and dance production elements, making the storytelling both creative and enjoyable to watch. In addition to that, there is the late Wenn V. Deramas's distinctive brand of comedy, characterized by its outright absurdity coupled with a hint of genuine emotion. To be frank, whether the movie's message clicks with you or not is up in the air. But one thing's for sure: this movie will have you laughing, especially if you share the same humor. If you're searching for a comedic and effortlessly entertaining yet decently-made film this Valentine's Day, Kung Ikaw Ay Isang Panaginip is available on IWantTFC.
Jane Brakhage in Window Water Baby Moving
Window Water Baby Moving (1959)
Dir. Stan Brakhage
Valentine’s is a time to celebrate love and there’s no better way to do so by celebrating life itself. Stan Brakhage’s most beautiful short captures on 16mm the birth of his first child, Myrrena, by his wife Jane. There’s nothing quite like it. From shot to shot we witness the first person view of Brakhage, gently gazing at his beloved at her most vulnerable, moments away from bringing forth life into the world. She’s as gorgeous as all mothers are at the precipice of birth, glowing with inner light. In brief glimpses we see them together in frame, laughing, kissing, grasping each other’s hands. And although it’s completely silent, their love exudes powerfully through every shot. It’s all so magical to watch, eventually ending how we all begin. Brakhage assembles here a paean to love in its purest form. We’re all so lucky to be able to revel in its everlasting beauty.
Hina (Nana Mori) and Hodaka (Kotaro Daigo) in Weathering with You
Weathering With You (2019)
Dir. Makoto Shinkai
To fall in love is to be pulled towards an unexplainable, intangible force that will consume & relieve you simultaneously. Something so simple yet grandiose—Makoto Shinkai has built his movies around this relatable plight with his bittersweet tales of adolescent pining and romance torn apart by distance of many forms, but never has he pushed his pet themes, stylistic choices and obsessions to its breaking point farther than with Weathering with You. A runaway boy and an orphaned girl with a little brother uses her power to control the weather as a business venture, so they can survive the cold, dangerous streets of a Tokyo beset by a never-ending rain. I’ve grown to love it even more since my initial viewing, because it is one of the few films that present the reckless, headlong rush of falling in love with such clarity, exhilaration and sincerity that it becomes awkward, exhausting and cringe. This messy process of falling in love is just as romantic as loving someone, even if it causes the two leads to act out in seemingly irrational, selfish ways. And why wouldn't they, when they could only find solace in each other? When the world has turned its back on you, the only sane thing to do is to submit to love's irresistible pull, let it overtake you until everything you do just cuts to the feeling.
Click here to see the complete list on Letterboxd.
