Five romantic films to rent this Valentine's Day
By Angie J. Han, Managing Arts and Living Editor
"Kill Bill Vols. 1 and 2" starring Uma Thurman, David Carradine. Directed by Quentin Tarantino.

What it's about: Four years ago, Bill (Carradine) and his team of assassins attacked their former teammate, "The Bride" (Thurman) on her wedding day and left her for dead. Unfortunately for them, it turns out she was just in a coma. She's awake now and mad as hell. She vows revenge on all parties involved and starts picking them off one by one, saving the best-Bill-for last.

Why watch it: Because it's so ... cool.

Who to watch it with: Cynical, embittered singles who can appreciate a good fight scene when they see one.

"West Side Story" starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer. Directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins.

What it's about: This updated, musicalized version of the ultimate love story takes place in 1950s New York and features two lovers (Wood and Beymer) with allegiances to rival gangs.

Why watch it: Wouldn't Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 production of "Romeo and Juliet" have been so much better if there had been more singing and dancing?

Who to watch it with: The hardcore romantic whose idea of a good movie experience involves an entire box of Kleenex.

"About a Boy" starring Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette. Directed by Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz.

What it's about: Charming but unapologetically self-absorbed Will (Grant) unwillingly befriends an awkward, precocious boy named Marcus (Hoult) and finds that the two of them have much to learn from each other.

Why watch it: There's something refreshingly real about a film that manages to be both cheerfully unsentimental and strangely moving.

Who to watch it with: A friend or significant other who's a softie at heart but would die before admitting it.

"Amelie" starring Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

What it's about: Amelie (Tautou) is a shy, delightful young woman who gets her kicks from secretly doing good deeds to cheer up those around her, but her own life becomes complicated when she falls for one of her targets.

Why watch it: You won't be able to stop smiling after you watch this film-it shows you the unique beauty in everything from garden gnomes to true love.

Who to watch it with: An optimist who loves you-or an optimist you hope will love you.

"Out of Sight" starring Jennifer Lopez, George Clooney, Ving Rhames. Directed by Steven Soderbergh.

What it's about: Jack (Clooney) is a career criminal who's just broken out of jail with the help of his friend Buddy (Rhames). Karen (Lopez) is the FBI agent whose job it is to track him down. But when the two meet, there is irresistible chemistry between them.

Why watch it: If there's anything sexier than this killer combination of Clooney, Lopez and forbidden love, I'd like to know what it is.

Who to watch it with: That hottie you've been trying to hook up with since Interterm.

... and the one to avoid like the plague

"A Cinderella Story" may look harmless, but it is in fact one of the most utterly painful experiences a moviegoer could imagine. This modern-day fairy tale takes place at a California high school, with Hilary Duff as Sam, a frustratingly spineless goody-two-shoes and Chad Michael Murray as Austin, the popular boy with a heart of gold. Duff tries her hardest but fails to endear herself to us while Murray sleepwalks through a wooden performance. My favorite moment in the film is when Austin finds out the identity of his Cinderella. He looks like we feel-disappointed and perhaps even a little disgusted.

Issue 16, Submitted 2005-02-08 18:07:39