Shirley MacLane and Jack Lemmon in a scene from “The Apartment.”

A good rom-com will have elements of everything from romantic love to platonic love, and even self-love. (No, not like that, this is a family-friendly-ish column.)

Maybe you’re in the mood for love, or just a friendship, or maybe you want to fill this Valentine’s Day with some self-care. Well, no matter, whether you’re celebrating solo, with your Galentine or Valentine, here are some romantic comedies (with a couple of dramedies) to pop on while you munch on candied hearts.

Platonic

“How Stella Got Her Groove Back” (1998) — Current Oscar-nominee (and hopefully soon-to-be winner) Angela Bassett shines in this late ‘90s romantic dramedy as hard-working 40-year-old single mom Stella, who travels to the Caribbean and hooks up with hunky Winston (Taye Diggs). But it’s her friendship with bestie Delilah (Whoopi Goldberg) that is the catalyst to Stella getting that groove back. Delilah’s support and Goldberg’s overall comedic performance elevate the film and Stella’s arc and help drive her ultimate decision by the end of the film. Stream it on Starz or rent it from your preferred VOD service.

“My Best Friend’s Wedding” (1997) — Granted, a lot of this blockbusting rom-com does not hold up (making a pact to marry your bestie if you’re both still single at 28 is ridiculous, and planning to sabotage a wedding is icky) and the relationships at play are messy, the friendships are strong. No, I’m not talking about Jules and Michael’s (Julia Roberts and Dermot Mulroney) long-standing friendship at the heart of the film — I’m focusing on George (Rupert Everett). Though his performance is trope-y by today’s standards, his support of Jules’ throughout adds a lot to the movie. And that final scene between the two of them is just perfect. Rent it from your preferred VOD service.

“When Harry Met Sally” (1989) — OK, yes, this is one of the seminal romances of the later 20th century, and the film, with a few exceptions, holds up after nearly 35 years. But one relationship that deserves a highlight beyond the main “Can men and women just be friends?” storyline is the amazing friendships that support Harry and Sally (Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan). Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby are wonderful counterweights to the leads’ constant push and pull throughout the film, and it’s an added bonus when Marie and Jess (Fisher and Kirby) also end up together. Fisher in particular gives one of the all-time great supporting performances with her unyielding love for her friend while still being a fully-formed and functioning character on her own, something many modern rom-coms have forgotten is possible. Stream the Norah Ephron-penned classic on HBO Max or rent it from your preferred VOD service.

Self-love

“Under the Tuscan Sun” (2003) — If you want to drool over the hills and villages of Tuscany, attractive Italians, and the idea of leaving everything behind and starting fresh, then look no further than the Diane Lane-led comedy. Though dripping in romance and its ideas for Frances (Lane), at its heart, the film is about how she ends up finding everything she’s looking for, even if it’s not in the ways she had planned. It also boasts a strong friendship between Lane and Sandra Oh, who plays her bestie, and is steeped in wonderfully romantic scenery throughout. Rent it on your preferred VOD service.

“Legally Blonde” (2001) — A movie capturing the zeitgeist of early the 2000s, with a couple of romances brewing within. The plot is held up by Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) proving to the world and herself that she is cool, confident and capable of great things, regardless of any man whom she chooses to have by her side. Full of quotable moments and fun situations, underneath all that is a compelling and thoughtful story of staying true to yourself. Stream it for free on Tubi (with ads) or rent it from your favorite VOD service.

“Last Holiday” (2006) — Queen Latifah stars in this under-appreciated holiday romantic comedy, which is as much about finding love as finding yourself and living life to the fullest. Single and living a relatively quiet life working as a sales assistant in a department store, Georgia (Latifah) discovers she has a rare brain condition that gives her only weeks to live. So she drains her bank account and heads to Europe to soak in the sweet life of luxury with her remaining time. While there, she rubs shoulders with the rich, befriends a world-renowned chef and impresses the hotel staff with her free spirit, and through her newfound self-worth, she imprints it on those around her. Stream it on Paramount+ or rent it from your preferred VOD service.

Romantic

“Always Be My Maybe” (2019) — The surprisingly sweet and well-made rom-com from Netflix, written by and starring Ali Wong and Randall Park (sharing a writing credit with Michael Golamco). Wong and Perk are two childhood friends who reconnect after 15 years. Living two completely different lives, Marcus (Park) realizes all that he’s missed when he sees Sasha (Wong) again. Hilarious and heartwarming, with a perfect cameo from Keanu Reeves, the film is a wonderful example of the genre entering the modern era. Stream it on Netflix.

“The Lobster” (2015) — If you really want something that subverts the genre, look no further than the absurdist, dystopian black comedy from Yorgos Lanthimos and starring current Oscar-nominee Colin Farrell (also hopefully a winner). David (Farrell) becomes the latest resident of the Hotel, where he must find a partner in 45 days or else be turned into an animal. While the film is all about finding love in an incredibly high-stakes environment, there’s something sweeter beneath the bleak situations at hand, if what Lanthimos is serving about social mores and romance in general jibes with you. Stream it on HBO Max or rent it from your preferred VOD service.

“The Apartment” (1960) — One of my personal favorites of Billy Wilder’s oeuvre of dramedies, Jack Lemmon stars as C.C. Baxter, a man who lends out his apartment to his co-workers as a kind of love nest for their affairs. But when his boss, Mr. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray), begins using the apartment for dalliances with elevator operator Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), for whom Baxter has a growing affection, things get very complicated for everyone. Wilder expertly balances heavy moments throughout the film, thanks in part to Lemmon’s performance, but even he’s nuanced in it, creating something much more substantial than a typical rom-com may deliver. Stream it on Paramount+ or Tubi or rent it from your preferred VOD service.