If I had to put my finger on the moment when I first fell in love with "love stories," it'd be on a long car ride to God-Knows-Where, Montana. My mother turned around, set a Barbie and a Ken on her head rest and said, “Pretend it’s a ship." What followed was a condensed version of An Affair to Remember, followed by an encore of Psycho (spoiler alert) starring Ken in a dress holding a toothpick. Obviously, it would become a vivid memory, not only as the origins of Barbie theater, but as the beginning of my film education when, later that night, I got acquainted with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr on VHS. (I was way too scarred to attempt Psycho for at least eight years.)

I could wax poetic on the importance of what one movie critic contemptuously branded “chick flicks” as a tradition between mothers and daughters that culminates into an universal bonding experience among females, but I’ll save it for the dissertation. Instead, I’ve crafted a list of neglected cinematic romances (this means no Casablanca, no Gone with the Wind, no When Harry Met Sally). That’s 28 films, one for every day, creating an epic love letter to the month of February, the only month that asks you to approximate your feelings of romantic love (George and Abe, your birthdays will never mean as much to me).

Obviously, I can’t ask you to run alongside me on this marathon. A few of the movies aren’t on DVD, and not everyone can stomach Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman. Even so, I have attempted to account for all tastes, ranging from so sweet your tooth hurts, to so bloody you’ll vomit. These are just for your consideration this Valentine season, whether it comes back to you in the form of a spot on your Netflix queue, or as a bouquet of marigolds for your sweetheart.