Action-Packed Movies to Share with Your Valentine
Romance doesn’t have to be sappy or corny. Here are some love stories that pack a punch for you and your Valentine to enjoy.
For the Martial Arts fan: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Ang Lee’s lush and romantic Qing Dynasty epic is a martial arts classic. It’s simple on paper – a warrior asks his lover to pass his legendary sword to a dignitary, but the sword is stolen and must be recovered. Intertwined with that story is an examination of honor, devotion, love, and compassion. Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, and Zhang Ziyi give brilliant performances. It’s one of the most beautiful movies put to film, and it embraces both romance and action.
For the Sci-Fi Fan: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Laundromat owner Evelyn Wan’s journey through the multiverse allows her to enter lives she may have had. Those glimpses include touching moments, new relationships, and some of the most romantic dialog ever written. And a raccoon.
“When an interdimensional rupture unravels reality, an unlikely hero must channel her newfound powers to fight bizarre and bewildering dangers from the multiverse as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.”
For the Heist Fan: Out of Sight
Out of Sight is one of the better adaptations of Elmore Leonard out there. It’s a complex crime caper that’s carried by great characters and a direction from Steven Soderbergh. The ensemble cast is spectacular, and the chemistry between Lopez and Clooney is sizzling.
Meet Jack Foley, the most successful bank robber in the country. On the day he busts out of jail, he finds himself stealing something far more precious than money … Karen Sisco’s heart. She’s smart. She’s sexy, and unfortunately for Jack, she’s a Federal Marshal. Now, they’re willing to risk it all to find out if there’s more between them than just the law.
For the Spy Movie Fan: The Bourne Identity
Love and badass hand-to-hand skills help Jason Bourne survive the first movie of the trilogy. The two leads are an unlikely pair, but they bond quickly during a frenetic cross-continent chase.
The story of a man salvaged, near death, from the ocean by an Italian fishing boat. When he recuperates, the man suffers from total amnesia, without identity or background… except for a range of extraordinary talents in fighting, linguistic skills, and self-defense that speak of a dangerous past. He sets out on a desperate search-assisted by the initially rebellious Marie – to discover who he really is and why he’s being lethally pursued by assassins.
For the Car Chase Fan: Baby Driver
Boy meets girl and falls hard, but there’s a catch. Boy is beholden to a career bank robber and has to find a way out. Bonus for the fantastic Edgar Wright soundtrack.
“Talented getaway driver Baby relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. After meeting the woman of his dreams, he sees a chance to ditch his shady lifestyle and make a clean break. Coerced into working for a crime boss, Baby must face the music as a doomed heist threatens his life, love, and freedom.”
For the Comic Book Fan: Spider-Man (2002)
After being bitten by a genetically altered spider, student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) gains superhuman strength and the spider-like ability to cling to any surface. He vows to use his abilities to fight crime, coming to understand the words of his beloved Uncle Ben: “With great power comes great responsibility.”
Also: this happens.
For the Cult Movie Fan: True Romance
Written by Quinten Tarantino and directed by Tony Scott, this bonkers story about a drug deal gone wrong is a 1990s gem. It’s got humor, young love, and a spectacular shoot-out. Plus, everyone and their mom is in it – including Gary Oldman and an early career Brad Pitt.
“A comic-book nerd and Elvis fanatic, Clarence, and a prostitute named Alabama fall in love. Clarence breaks the news to her pimp and ends up killing him. He grabs a suitcase of cocaine on his way out, thinking it is Alabama’s clothing. The two hit the road for California hoping to sell the cocaine, but the mob is soon after them.”
