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Sure, long-stemmed roses are great, but what's more romantic than a pistol-packing Brangelina? EW offers a selection of offbeat Feb. 14 films...plus one pick for traditionalists.

Crazy Love
(2007) This doc follows the twisted tale of New York lawyer/nightclub owner Burt Pugach and his lover Linda Riss. In 1959, she strayed — so he hired thugs to throw lye in her face, thinking she'd come running back. (Instead, she lost her sight and he spent 14 years behind bars.) Here's where it gets romantic: Pugach successfully won Riss over after getting out of jail. Guess some things are just meant to be. — Vanessa Juarez

Mr. & Mrs. Smith
(2005) Apologies to Jennifer Aniston sympathizers. The heat between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in this actioner about married secret agents assigned to kill each other is not only tangible — it's scorching. The duo's budding real-life passion inhabits every scene, especially the brawl that morphs into violent lovemaking. And there's nothing cuter than Pitt crooning along to Air Supply's ''Making Love Out of Nothing at All''...before leading a car chase. — Jill Bernstein

My Best Friend's Wedding
(1997) We've seen it all when it comes to romantic comedies — bosses bewitched by assistants, jocks falling for nerds, princes captivated by commoners. But a story without a Hollywood-happy ending, where radiant Julia Roberts doesn't get the square-jawed guy (Dermot Mulroney), despite their undeniable chemistry — That's classic. Roberts' brutal, we've-all-been-there heartbreak makes this rom-com a real — and realistic — gem. — Lindsay Soll

Modern Romance
(1981) Romance still feels modern decades later, thanks to its proto-Curb Your Enthusiasm cocktail of anxiety and self-loathing. Albert Brooks rifles through his girlfriend's phone bills, strings along other women, and falls into depression. (Yes, it's a comedy.) Note: If you're watching with a loved one, do not admit to relating to Brooks' Robert. — Sean Howe

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown
(1975) There's wisdom to be gleaned from this timeless Peanuts special, no matter your age. Says Linus: ''The amount of money that you spend on a present should be in direct proportion to the amount of affection that you have for that person.'' If that goes over a child's head, Charlie Brown's pure heartbreak on Feb. 14 won't. Eileen Clarke


Posted Feb 20, 2008 | Published in issue #978 Feb 15, 2008 | Order Article Reprints