Valentines Day, love it or hate it every February 14th comes like clockwork. Now I am not going to weigh the merits of the holiday.  Movies about relationships can be both entertaining and help set the romantic mood. Don’t get me wrong, not every movie about a relationship is good, or even decent. All of the “man approved” romantic movies seem to follow a basic formula. Great acting and situations go a long way to make a romantic movies worth seeing. Keep in mind that this list is a combination of romantic comedies and dramas. Another thing to be reminded of is that this is in no particular order. Consider this a suggestion of “stay in” movies to watch that you and possibly your special lady friend may enjoy.

*She’s Out of my League: Quite possibly one of the lowest rated films on this list. A tale of an everyday guy who lands a girl who well, is out of his league. Once you get beyond the raunchy jokes, Hall and Oates cover band, and a pretty funny script you have a tale of every insecurity that comes with all relationships.

*Garden State: From the brain of Zach Braff this movie combines a great sound-track with a well written script about coming home and finding love in an unusual place. Natalie Portman in any film is a plus as well. Garden State is the perfect character study of emotional baggage people bring to relationships and dealing with it.

*Almost any Kevin Costner sports movie: Bull Durham/Tin Cup/For Love of the Game. Lets discuss for Love of the Game. If you haven’t seen this movie by now…leave. It’s been on many of MWM lists. A perfect blend of sports and romance. Billy Chapel’s perfect game is examined while he is busy thinking about his most recent relationship.

*Groundhog Day: Bill Murray has to relive February 2nd over and over and over and over and over and over and over(you get the point.) Along the course of the film he realizes he is in love with his producer. Murray’s humor and sarcasm are put to extremely good use. *Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet play a couple who decide that the memory of their relationship is too much to bare, so they decide to have the memories erased. Along the lines they remember that not having the memories is even harder to imagine.

Spotless Mind is a perfect symbolic film. Anyone who has been in a relationship longer than a few months will have an understanding that no matter how bad the relationship was there was at least a few bright spots. Really, what a great metaphor for Valentines Day. No matter what your relationship status is you can find something in this film. Found memories, even of what you may consider a “horrible” relationship, and the eternal optimism that a new relationship brings. So fellow readers take comfort in knowing that you never know what is around the corner.