We've got a selection of three swoon-worthy romantic classics on re-release this Valentine's Day, so if you need date night inspiration, we've got you covered. (All you singletons are equally welcome to come along to Cineworld and inject some of that Galentine's Day spirit – we're not judging.)
Talking of classic rom-coms, who could resist the 25th-anniversary re-release of Notting Hill? The Roger Michell-directed, Richard Curtis-scripted movie hasn't lost any of its charm, largely thanks to the sharp writing and memorable performances from Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts as the quintessential star-crossed couple.
Grant plays the Notting Hill bookshop owner William Thacker whose chance encounter with Hollywood A-lister Anna (Roberts) blossoms into something beautiful. Here are the movie's most quote-worthy scenes to get you ready for a Valentine's Day re-watch.
1. "Horse and Hound"
Horses in space? What's so implausible about that? William's endearingly deluded attempt to pose as a showbiz journalist to get closer to Anna is filled with classic Richard Curtis quotes.
The scene also contains the greatest mix-up between Leonardos that we've ever heard.
2. "Pathetic attempt to hog the brownie"
In that classic Richard Curtis fashion, Notting Hill is laced with equal parts poignancy and verbal wit. When Anna comes clean to William and his friends about the pressures of her celebrity lifestyle, the room appears to be magnanimous – until it's jokingly exposed as a devious plot to eat the last brownie left on the table.
3. "Whoops-a-daisy"
No one can pull off arcane Britishisms as well as Hugh Grant. William's failed manly attempt to scale a fence remains one of our favourite scenes in the movie, no matter how incidental it is.
4. "You are lovelier this morning than you have ever been"
It's a classic fairy tale set-up. The so-called 'ordinary guy' (yes, if he lives in Notting Hill, he's already doing better than most) appears to be fulfilling a romantic relationship with a Hollywood star who's massively out of his league. It's utterly implausible yet ridiculously charming, and buoyed by the chemistry of Grant and Roberts.
5. "Nice firm buttocks"
Let's face it, the real scene-stealer in Notting Hill is Rhys Ifans. The Welsh actor delivers a break-out performance as William's scruffy flatmate Spike, and the latter can't get enough of the press attention with the paparazzi get wind of William and Anna's relationship. It's all about the butt flex.
6. "I live in Notting Hill. You live in Beverly Hills..."
The success of Notting Hill resides in the way it gets us to believe in the unbelievable. Would a Hollywood star of Anna's magnitude even bump into a man like William, let alone date him?
Who cares? The clash of different worlds, that of London and Tinseltown, is done so charmingly, and is so effortlessly quotable, that we go along with it every time.
7. "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy..."
Roberts gets to deliver the movie's signature line, one that encapsulates the movie's romantic spirit and pipe dream narrative. In the world of Curtis' script, a massive A-list star is capable of dropping their A-list credentials to simply deliver an earnest romantic plea. Thanks to Roberts and her longstanding abilities in this genre, it comes off like a charm.
Book your Notting Hill tickets below. Remember, you can combine the Valentine's Day screening with our new discounted Early Week Special and our Valentine's Day Gift Box for two for the ultimate date night.
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