This Valentine's Day, stay home with your family and celebrate by watching one of these romantic movies.
Valentine's Day celebrations need not burn a hole in your pocket. If you celebrate at home, you can not only save money but also have a more enjoyable and informal celebration. If you are stuck for ideas about what to do, why not consider a nice movie? Here is a list of family-friendly movies about love.
Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown
The lovable characters from the comic strip Peanuts also starred in their very own movie. This 1975 film tells the story of the entire gang, with special emphasis on the character Charlie Brown. Valentine's Day is fast approaching and everyone is excited about the big day. Charlie Brown too hopes that he will receive a card from the red-headed girl he likes.
Until now, your family has probably only seen these characters in the two-dimensional world of their comic strip. The movie brings alive these characters, giving them voices and emotions. At 30 minutes, this movie is brief. In the comic, Charlie Brown never manages to win the affections of his crush. Does he finally succeed in the movie? Watch it to find out.
Shrek
Shrek is a green-skinned ogre who only wants to be left alone. When Lord Farquaad evicts fairytale characters from their homes, they come to live in his swamp. To get back his swamp from the squatters, he agrees to rescue a beautiful princess for the evil Lord. However, the princess has a secret of her own.
Featuring the voice talents of comedy stars like Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy, Shrek is a light-hearted take on traditional fairytales. The movie also tells of an unlikely love story between an ugly ogre and a beautiful princess. The message of the story is that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
Hairspray
Hairspray is a movie adaptation of a Broadway musical by the same name. It is about Tracy Turnblad, a teenager who loves to dance. To everyone's surprise, she gets a chance to appear on a local television dance show in Baltimore. The surprise is because Tracy is a plump girl, whom everyone makes fun of.
Plenty of singing and dancing makes this movie fun to watch. At the same time, it attempts to shatter the myth that only thin girls can have fun and fall in love. This movie is ideal for older children who are starting to become conscious of their body image. Look out for movie star John Travolta in his larger-than-life portrayal of Tracy's mother Edna.
Cinderella
Cinderella is the movie version of the classic fairytale. The animated feature tells the story of beautiful Cinderella who is ill-treated by her evil stepmother and stepsisters. When a fancy dance is announced, Cinderella wants to attend. Instead, she is made to stay behind and clean the house. In her despair, Cinderella cries out for help and is amazed when a fairy godmother answers her.
Cinderella is an old movie. It was first released on Valentine's Day in 1950. The film still retains its charm. It emphasises the spirit of triumph over adversity. Besides, who would not enjoy watching a pumpkin turn into a carriage? In addition, the movie will introduce your children to the old style of animation rather than the computer-generated effects that are prevalent today.
Winnie the Pooh: Un-Valentine's Day / A Valentine for You
This is a movie even pre-schoolers can enjoy. The movie consists of two separate stories based on Valentine's Day in the Winnie the Pooh universe. In the fun-filled Un-Valentine's Day, Rabbit decides that no one will celebrate Valentine's Day and the other residents of the forest agree. However, Pooh finds a Valentine's Day jar of honey on his doorstep, which he assumes is from Piglet. He decides to return the favour and sets off a chain of gift giving among the other characters.
A Valentine for you is slightly serious. The animals are all worried when they find Christopher Robin writing a Valentine to a girl. They think that he will no longer want them so they try to find a way to cure him of his love sickness. The movie is a touching exploration of how friendships remain no matter what the obstacles.
Valentine's Day at home can be a lot of fun. Relive your own childhood memories with one of these movies for the entire family.
Do you celebrate Valentine's Day? What do you think of watching a movie at home on this day? Is it all right to pick a movie that even your children can watch? To share your tips, views, and experiences, click here.
