Love sometimes comes in unconventional forms

Above: Sally Hawkins plays a character who falls in love with an amphibious creature in "The Shape of Water." (Photo: Fox Searchlight)

Hallmark’s holiday for lovers, Valentine’s day, is nearly upon us. And even in this time of pandemic lockdown, for many couples that means flowers, perhaps candy and likely a special home-cooked meal.

For movie fans, it probably also means some sort of screen romance.

And for many people, that might mean something inspired by, say, Nicholas Sparks. “Message in a Bottle,” for example. Or “A Walk to Remember.” Or even “The Notebook.”

Some of us, though, are a bit more adventurous. And that’s where IMDB.com can help with its suggestions for “Unconventional Romances to Stream Now.”

“We've curated a list of romances that break free of the typical fare of humans falling in love,” the site says. “These are love stories without bounds that offer unique viewing options for Valentine's Day.”

Unique indeed. Here is the list:

“Lars and the Real Girl” (2007): Ryan Gosling plays a guy who falls in love with a life-size doll. Strangely enough, the town he lives in goes along with the fantasy.

“Edward Scissorhands” (1990): In the role that made him famous, Johnny plays a character with scissors instead of hands. The object of his affections: Winona Ryder.

“Beauty and the Beast” (1991): Of the many versions of this French fairy tale, the one IMDB.com refers to is Disney’s animated film (though I prefer Jean Cocteau’s 1946 version “La belle et la béte”).

“Let the Right One In” (2008): And of the two versions of this story, the original Swedish release and the subsequent 2010 U.S. remake, I prefer the first – featuring a relationship between a young boy and a vampire.

“Splash” (1984): Tom Hanks’ character, a regular guy, falls for Daryl Hannah, a mermaid.

“Starman” (1984): Jeff Bridges plays an alien who takes the form of a man who just happens to be the late husband of Karen Allen’s widow.  

“her” (2013): Joaquin Phoenix falls for his AI virtual assistant (voiced by Scarlett Johansson).

“The Shape of Water” (2017): Known for his strange obsessions, Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro follows this story of a lonely woman (Sally Hawkins) who falls for a kind of fishman. Nominated by many as the strangest film ever to win a Best Picture Oscar.

And make sure to have a Happy Unconventional Valentine’s Day.