Nicole Kidman as the tragic Satine in Moulin Rouge

For many single people, Valentine’s Day is just another day to commiserate about being single. These days, true love seems to be in short supply, with all the current breakups going on. So the best thing to do is turn to movies for comfort.

Unfortunately, the majority of romance movies today either have stupid plots or ridiculously tragic endings. I realize that not all stories should have happy endings, but isn’t real life depressing enough without movies making us feel worse about it?

Besides, the whole “terminal illness/sudden death” ending has been done to death. I can tell you right now that movies such as Love Story, City of Angels, Sweet November, A Walk to Remember and Here on Earth basically have the exact same ending. Note that most of these titles are terrible movies.

So why not watch movies that are actually light-hearted? I have come up with a list of ten movies that are not only good, but will also take your mind off your lack-of-love life:

1. The Wedding Singer -: After being dumped at his own wedding, the life and career of a normally popular wedding singer (Adam Sandler) takes a downward turn. With the help of a sweet-natured waitress (Drew Barrymore), he attempts to get his life back on track while preventing her from marrying her ne’er-do-well fiancé. This is a rare movie in which Sandler’s character doesn’t come off as a complete buffoon. Quite possibly the funniest scene in the whole movie is when he vents his anger on an unsuspecting wedding reception with the song “Love Stinks.”
2. The Princess Bride - This classic fairy tale has developed a cult following over the years. A noble pirate (Cary Elwes) has to save his beloved (Robin Wright) from an evil prince (Chris Sarandon), assisted by an expert swordsman and a giant (Mandy Patinkin and the late André the giant). However, audiences have discovered that the zany characters have brought more to the film’s appeal than the actual story. Patinkin’s line, “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die” may be one of the funniest lines in movie history.
3. Beauty and the Beast - Yes, it’s a Disney movie. But unlike most of the direct-to-DVD sequels we have been forced to endure throughout the past five years or so, this is actually good. The theme of love regardless of appearances is a “tale as old as time” that can be enjoyed and appreciated by everyone. And while it may seem like a kid’s flick, it was nominated for Best Motion Picture Oscar of 1991 (losing to The Silence of the Lambs) and was made into a hit Broadway musical.
4. Moulin Rouge - A struggling, starry-eyed poet (Ewan McGregor) falls in love with a night club dancer (Nicole Kidman). Even though this movie does violate the rule of no sad endings, the musical numbers are spectacular and the love story is poignant. Though Kidman’s Oscar-nominated performance is well done, it is McGregor’s acting and swoon-worthy singing that steals the show—at least if you’re female. Besides, if you don’t want to watch the ending, just do what some fans do and stop the DVD at the scene 33 for a happy ending.
5. Addicted to Love - Anyone who has ever been dumped, let alone cheated on, can understand why Matthew Broderick and Meg Ryan want revenge on their significant others in this underrated movie. Though it has the clichéd outcome of the two falling for each other, it is enjoyable nonetheless. After all, what is a better ice-breaker than plotting revenge?
6. Say Anything - Arguably one of John Cusack’s best movies, in which he assumes the role of Lloyd Dobbler—kick boxer, underachiever, and true gentlemen. Lloyd wins the heart of his school’s valedictorian (Ione Skye) only to have her dump him because her father told her to. He pulls out all the stops to get her back: leaving a million messages on her phone, driving out the middle of nowhere while talking to himself with a voice recorder and standing under her window playing their song on his radio.
7. Back to the Future - This is an unlikely choice for a romantic movie, but science fiction aspects aside, it’s the basic story of boy (Michael J. Fox) finding out—not to mention altering—how his parents got together. You just have to try to ignore the part with his teenage mother getting a crush on her soon-to-be son!
8. Ever After - The best Cinderella movie yet, just because Drew Barrymore’s character is a strong, independent woman. It is debatable whether or not she should have ended up with the prince (Dougray Scott), considering the way he treats her near the end. All the same, it’s still a good date movie.
9. When Harry Met Sally - A classic story of two friends (Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal) who commiserate about their romantic troubles, all the while unaware that they’re perfect for each other. Even if it seems depressing at certain moments, it has plenty of laughs ( the diner scene).
10. Dirty Dancing - A pampered teenager (Jennifer Grey) has a fling with a dance instructor (Patrick Swayze) at a summer resort. It features fantastic choreography, not to mention a soundtrack that’s much better than anything that was played at my school’s dances. Amusing that Grey and Swayze actually couldn’t stand each other—at least before the movie released. It’s a good thing that they got over whatever issues they had with each other, because it wouldn’t have been the same if Billy Zane had ended up with the lead role.

There you have it: most of these movies are guaranteed to put a smile on your face rather than leave you in tears. Even if you’ve seen them a million times, why not watch them again? If you know any other light-hearted movies, e-mail me so that I can add them to the list.