Movies are great. Whether you’re a die hard hopeless romantic or a cynical realist, they allow you to escape your reality for an hour or two. Whatever your plans might be this Valentine’s Day, here are the ultimate indie romance films for indulging in this February.
1. Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNzzCN4dVFA
This one’s for the die-hard music lovers who are convinced they were born into the wrong decade. The awkward chemistry between Norah (Kat Dennings) and Nick (Michael Cera) is undeniably adorable as they star in this refreshing love story. The plot follows the two as they embark on an adventure in New York City to find the location of a secret concert hosted by their favorite band. Dealing with a drunk best friend and an obsessive ex, the two somehow start to develop an attraction to each other.
2. Submarine (2010)
If you’re into Arctic Monkeys, or Alex Turner in general, chances are you’ve probably heard of this one. Main character Oliver Tate, is head over heels for his classmate Jordana: a cold raven-haired girl who he tries to win over. As Oliver himself states, this is the kind of story we’ve seen a dozen times before: yet with a bittersweet twist.
3. It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010)
Based on the book by the late Ned Vizzini, It’s Kind of a Funny Story is not your typical teenage love story. It follows Craig, a high school student who’s having a hard time dealing with the stress that is often experienced in coming of age stories. His battle with depression and his journey to self-discovery and self-acceptance leads him to check himself into a mental health facility where he meets a girl named Noelle (Emma Roberts).
4. Stuck in Love (2012)
Lily Collins, Greg Kinnear, Logan Lerman, and Natt Wolf star in the 2012 fan-favorite Stuck in Love. Yup–that’s a total of three love stories. Samantha is a 19-year-old college student/writer who has problems with commitment because of her parent’s divorce. Rusty is a 16-year-old hopeless romantic who falls in love with his classmate who happens to have a drug problem. And together, Samantha and Rusty have an ordinary brother/sister relationship, especially since their dad just can’t seem to move on from his failed marriage. Greg Kinnear plays the ultimate cool hipster dad who is convinced his wife is going to come back to him one day, despite his kids’ frustrations, and all the characters are dealing with discovering their own idea of what love is.
5. 500 Days of Summer (2009)
It’s pretty safe to say that 500 Days of Summer is a cult favorite, if the cult consisted of lonely lovers. The heart-wrenching performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel will completely break your heart as their “no labels” relationship implodes when one of them finds something better. Completely worth the watch and emotional investment.
6. The First Time (2012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K3DPrrP2nw
Dave Hodgeman (Dylan O’Brien) is in love with his best friend (Victoria Justice) and the feeling is not so reciprocated. At a house party, he meets Aubrey Miller, an independent mainstream loathing powerful soul who is stuck in a one-sided relationship. The two of them spend time together but one of them becomes more attached than the other. But unlike the others, this one might just have a happy ending.
