With all the mushy-gushiness going on around February, stores in a sea of red and pink and high-pressure Kay Jewelry commercials that seem to suggest you will never be kissed again if you don’t provide diamonds, you can imagine that the focus will be on romantic movies and shows with a passionate twist this month. For those who would rather steer clear of the kisses and giggles, there are some movies that embrace the single and uncommitted life, as well. Whether you are autonomous or devoted to another, Netflix has many options to choose from.

Let’s start with the romance. Love Actually, The Notebook and Bridget Jones’s Diary are still the reigning favorites among women everywhere when it comes to chick-flickage. Personally, I think there are better suggestions, but I feel the need to include them anyway.

Leap Year is a great romantic comedy that is perfect for this time of year. Amy Adams plays a woman who plans to propose to her boyfriend, and some things happen that may change her determined path. Very cute. Ghost is still one of my favorites a quarter-century later. The acting is just beautiful, and I’m a sucker for the idea of loving someone even after you depart. I Hate Valentine’s Day, despite its title, puts together the same couple from My Big Fat Greek Wedding (another great flick) for this story about a woman who has a policy not to go on more than five dates with any man. Shakespeare in Love takes Romeo & Juliet to a different level and is, in my opinion, one of the most romantic movies of all time. For something that will make you laugh, look no further than The Out-of-Towners, with Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn on a hellish trip to New York, and for something that will make you cry, get your tissues and watch The Fault in our Stars.

Now … for those of you who enjoy the single life or think Valentine’s Day is just a day to remember why love sucks, check out Blue Valentine with Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, a story about a marriage going down the tubes. It’s not easy to watch, to be honest, but it’s a very good movie. Basic Instinct is always a good go-to for a danger-ridden and unhealthy kind of obsession, and Chasing Amy is a really funny take on love gone awry.

Or go completely off the relationship path and just watch something hilarious like I’m Brent Morin, a stand-up comedy special. Or grab some discounted boxes of chocolate post-holiday and get caught up in a series show that pulls you in tighter than a significant other ever could. Try Detectorists for an off-beat, but really funny, British comedy or the newly available first and second seasons of Helix, a sci-fi thriller about a deadly virus.

By Jennifer Russo