Rom-Com Is My Favorite Genre, and These 5 New Flicks Are Just Perfect for Valentine's Day

In recent years, Valentine's Day has ceased to be a sugary-sweet holiday – at least in the movies. Viewers' tastes change, and so do romance movies.

Here are five different flicks about love that you can watch with your loved one, alone, or with your best friends.

1. Somebody I Used to Know, 2023

Somebody I Used to Know is a perfect example of a modern rom-com. Born from the creative union of husband-and-wife team Alison Brie and Dave Franco, the movie can be recommended as a modern rethinking of the classic My Best Friend's Wedding.

After the cooking show's cancellation and an industry fiasco, showrunner Ally returns to her hometown. There she reconnects with Sean, whom she dated in high school before leaving her father's house to pursue a career.

The ironic and even bittersweet film speaks of respect for one's own choices and the need to spend vacations at home with parents, even when you are already 30.

2. Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, 2023

Who would have thought that one of the best rom-coms of 2023 would be a horror film by Canadian debutante Ariane Louis-Seize?

Young Sasha, a vampire, refuses to kill and drink the blood of her victims. For the time being, the teenage girl manages to get by on prepared bags of blood, but this cannot last for long.

The situation may change when she meets Paul, who is contemplating suicide, but then romantic feelings intervene.

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is a surprisingly funny and sweet movie that you will want to watch and re-watch not only on Valentine's Day, but on any other night when you are feeling blue.

3. Rye Lane, 2023

One of the most successful attempts to rethink the genre was the movie Rye Lane by Raine Allen-Miller. Structurally, the film is reminiscent of Richard Linklater's Before trilogy: Yas and Dom, like Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy's characters, explore the city and each other at the same time.

The movie tells the story of an eventful day for Yas and Dom – two young people in their 20s who meet on the streets of South London and go for a long walk. The two will discuss painful breakups and their exes, restore faith in romance and love at first sight.

4. Your Place or Mine, 2023

Netflix has invited the masters of the genre, Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher, to our screens. The title does not refer to their first meeting: longtime friends Debbie and Peter swap houses – she takes a break from motherhood, he – from professional activity.

Your Place or Mine does not open new horizons for rom-coms, but rather follows a well-trodden path – and it feels comfortably old-fashioned.

5. Upgraded, 2024

The love story in Upgraded begins on an airplane: Ana flies to London and, by a lucky coincidence, ends up in first class.

During the flight, she meets William and, in an attempt to impress him, decides to change the details of her biography: Ana introduces herself not as an assistant, but as the director of an auction house.

Director Carlson Young is inspired by Cinderella and adds the vibe of The Devil Wears Prada. Those who are tired of excessive sentimentality will appreciate the focus on work problems and the inner workings of the art market.