As Valentine’s Day draws closer, it can be maddening trying to avoid seeing anything that isn’t associated with relationships, especially in the media. If you’re looking to escape the whirlwind of romance-related TV and film, here are four movies to take your mind off of the love in the air and all over the screen.
“Evil Dead 2”
Horror movies are an obvious choice when it comes to taking someone on a date to a movie theater. “Evil Dead 2” kicks down the door and chases you with its blend of comedy and horror. The film follows Ash Williams, played by Bruce Campbell, as he tries to survive another night under the constant assault of demonic Deadites. Ash attempts to make it through the night without succumbing to the insanity he finds himself in. Memorable scenes take all these disparate tones and create harmony between them that will leave you forgetting all about romance.
“John Wick”
This series needs almost no introduction, but the Keanu Reeves franchise undoubtedly makes for an enjoyable experience. In the first installment, the titular character’s checkered past as an assassin catches up to him, resulting in the murder of a close friend while those responsible get away. Wick is tasked with tracking them down and inventively orchestrating his revenge against them. If you’re a fan of thrills and suspense, these films are an excellent choice.
“Bullet Train”
This slick, stylish action film is willing to take as many risks as its characters. There are plenty of backstories and non-chronological sequences in this box-office hit. You can expect it to take place on the titular bullet train but surprises await with an enjoyable script that only suffers from some annoying quips. Performances from Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry as Lemon and Tangerine, respectively, display a great duo that future films could benefit from. Brad Pitt adds a nice performance as the straight man to guide the audience through this cutthroat world of hitmen. The film captures and keeps the viewer’s attention throughout.
“Knives Out”
“Knives Out” is a beautiful film with the twists and turns of an unconventional mystery. The setting is one that comes straight out of Romantic literature and is associated with the likes of Frankenstein, where emotion triumphs over logic. Here Benoit Blanc, played by a southern-twanged Daniel Craig, aims to uncover the murderer of a famous mystery writer. Marta Cabrera, played by Ana de Armas, works with Benoit to reveal the culprit amongst a den of vicious relatives. The comedy here is quick-witted and hit-or-miss, but the plot moves along briskly and the mystery is satisfying. I would recommend this movie and its sequel, “Glass Onion,” if you’re in the mood to get away from romance and aren’t interested in the action and violence shown in the other films on this list.
