Whether you call Single Awareness Day, Galentines, or just plain ole February 14th- Valentines day means that the subject of love will be brought forth to our faces whether we want it to or not. Love doesn't always necessarily mean romantic relationships however; friendships are celebrated too. Your Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime queue might be flooded with recommendations for typical romance movies (how many times can you watch the Notebook without gagging or being bored to tears), but there are many more films out there with a more diverse, holistic portrayal of love- and not only love but also heartbreak (we forget that too comes with love, and not only in the form of a breakup). So if you don't have elaborate V day plans, or have a date with a pint of Ben and Jerry's, here are a few films worth checking out that feature black love, heartbreak and everything in between:

A Warm December (1973)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNNTkKe0B5E

This is one of the great Sidney Poitier's directed films, about a swift yet beautiful romance between a doctor (Poitier) and an African princess played by Jamaican actress Ester Anderson. An underrated love story that also highlights a disease unspoken about then and even now.

Watermelon Woman (1996)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEoflQOWoIQ

In the late 90s Cheryl Duyne changed the industry with her first feature length film "The Watermelon Woman." Not only did this showcase the one of the first on-screen accurate depictions of a lesbian relationship, but the overarching story introduced the world to her own style of film-making dubbed a "Duynementary." I recommend it for highlighting the two romances portrayed; though in different time periods, yet both forbidden.

Moonlight (2016)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aENX7BWoslk

This modern coming-of-age film, follows Chiron- a black man navigating the world as comes to terms with his sexual and romantic identity. Debunking stereotypical notions of hyper-masculinity and queerness in black men is portrayed in a beautifully striking, cinematic way.

If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGCvdlaWUF0

James Baldwin's 1974 novel is brought to life in a visually stunning film about love, family, injustice and heartbreak. I particularly enjoyed seeing how the power of the main characters, Tish and Fonny's love since childhood, transcend many boundaries placed on them, from familial to institutional.

Nappliy Ever After (2018)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8nD-gLYxgQ

On a bit of a lighter, more comedic note, Nappliy Ever After is one of the first rom-coms that I felt did a good job in portraying a romance that doesn't turn out the way it is typically expected. Instead, it focuses on cultivating self-love through the main character's dramatic hair journey.

Someone Great (2019)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBd9gcrj2Wk

After the heartbreaking split from her long-term boyfriend, music journalist Jenny and her two best friends embark on a wild adventure before her big move to LA. Even though black love isn't the focus in the film persey, I still enjoy its emphasis on the unbreakable bond between close friends. It's the perfect "Galentines day" flick; hilarious, charming, and bittersweet.

Queen and Slim (2019)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Th84oGDno

After the world's most awkward tinder date, the title characters find themselves on the run for their lives following a deadly encounter with a racist cop. This was one of my favorite films last year, and its excellence is truly underrated; it's more than a "black Bonnie and Clyde," but about the legacy they both left behind, for the world and for each other.

The Photograph (2020)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amDpFI2yviU

And finally, if you 're looking to head to theaters, this love story starring the incredible Issa Rae and Laketih Stanfeld looks super promising. When a famous photographer suddenly dies, her estranged daughter, Mae tries to put together the pieces she left behind. She falls into a whirlwind romance with the journalist who covers the story. It looks like the type of black love we need and deserve to see.