Valentine’s Day is great and all, but some would argue the real holiday of February is Galentine’s Day. Mark your calendars for February 13 and call up the girls — you’ve now got plans to eat heart-shaped pizzas while watching some of the best movies you’ll see all year.
From the classic New York 90s romance flicks to the most heartbreaking movies known to man, here’s your guide to the perfect Galentine’s Day movies.
When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
You’ll hate the fact that this movie is only an hour and a half long. A frustrating will-they won’t-they story that’ll have you screaming at the screen. Bonus points for having that perfectly nostalgic 90s rom-com New York vibe.
Watch if: You love a frustratingly slow burn with that touch of friends-to-lovers.
Pretty Woman (1990)
A (near) modern-day Cinderella story with a free-spirited and charming lead woman. Plus, it stars Julia Roberts. Need I say more?
Watch if: You’re looking for a heartwarming and majorly entertaining rom-com
My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
Probably the most anti-rom-com of the love-filled 90s flicks, My Best Friend’s Wedding follows a girl trying to stop her best friend’s wedding after realizing she’s in love with the groom. Even worse? She’s the maid of honor.
Watch if: You’re looking for a drama with a star-studded cast
How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days (2003)
Matthew McConaughey on Galentine’s Day is a must. The couple in this film might be a little dysfunctional, but as in all Hollywood films, you’ll have full faith in them by the end.
Watch if: You’ve seen that yellow dress in a clip on TikTok and want to see it in what’s the most devastating scene in this film.
The Notebook (2004)
Does this one even need explaining? Bonus points for starring Ken.
Watch if: You want to see perhaps the most romantic yet heartbreaking film of your life.
Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
Drama and plot twists galore! A very Hollywood story with a very Hollywood cast. La La Land isn’t on this list for obvious reasons (though I personally will be watching it on Galentine’s Day regardless of the sense of world-destroying heartbreak it fills me with), but if you want to see what Mia and Sebastian might have looked like in a different (and happier) universe, this is the movie for you.
Watch if: La La Land crushed you, as it does me time and time again.
Honorable Mention:
Weekend at Bernie’s (1989)
Not a rom-com. Couldn’t be further from it. I’m actually not even sure what I would classify this as. A dark comedy? An action movie? A slapstick buddy film? Whatever it is, it’s great. I’m not saying it’s a cinematic masterpiece, but to me, it’s a classic. Watch if: You want a night in with the girls without thinking about Valentine’s Day at all.