I’ve always been a sucker for a good Rom-Com, from a young age I was hooked. To be fair Romantic Comedies are easily put into production because its such an easy audience. People want to laugh and watch a relationship bloom, fall apart and then come back. What I want to do for you my readers is countdown a few of my favorites and why they make the genre better. I’m sure you are thinking but why now?
Well if I’m honest it’s been a while since I’ve written for MovieFloss and my editing duties get a little boring and monotonous at times.
Anyways — here’s a list of my favorite Rom-Coms in no particular order.
Never Been Kissed (1999)
Director: Raja Gosnell
Starring: Drew Barrymoore, Michael Vartan, David Arquette
Josie Grossy— need I say more. Oh, I do need to say more. Okay, if you have never watched this movie you are sorely missing out. It has an amazing cast ranging from Drew Barrymore, David Arquette, Molly Shannon, John C. Reilly and Michael Vartan. If you must know I went through a huge Michael Vartan phase as a teen because of a show called Alias starring Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan.. I’m pretty sure it’s still on Netflix and is amazing. That is however besides the point. The reason I love this movie, is because it’s about a woman who returns to high school to write an expose type piece on the life of high school students and what makes being in high school so great. Interestingly Drew Barrymore returns as a student and meets a very handsome teacher (Michael Vartan) and yes they flirt— sort of. To be fair I don’t want to give away this whole movie because it’s gold. But it seriously is one of the best romantic comedies you will ever see, from a drunken induced reggae dance scene to horribly mean teenage pranks at prom it is a film I will always go back to for laughs and to warm my heart.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Director: Gil Junger
Starring: Heath Ledger, Julia Styles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik
So the Lit-Major in me cannot leave out this Taming of the Shrew adaptation at all. Why? because Heath Ledger that’s why. Oh you need more than that, a young Joseph Gordon Levitt— there is that better? Well great now that we are on the same page. Yes, 10 Things I Hate About You is an adaptation of a Shakespearean play titled Taming of the Shrew and to be fair the concept of both the play and the film are very, very good. There is a perfectly lovely daughter and a perfectly un-lovely daughter. Neither of them ugly both of them intelligent one is just NICE and the other is not. I think I saw a lot of myself in this movie which is why I loved it so much. I’m the youngest of 4 girls, I have always compared myself to my sisters whether if that was looks, grades, eloquence, boys etc. I’ve always had someone who does it better than I. But this movie— let me just tell you reader. It is GOLD. There is the out of control house party, the jock ass-hat who thinks he can get whatever he wants with money, the sweet sensitive guy and the mystery man. Everything you could want and more.
The Proposal (2009)
Director : Anne Fletcher
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Betty White
I couldn’t leave The Proposal off this list, it is ridiculously adorable and sweet. To me this was one of the best romantic comedies of the early 2000’s. The thing I think I cherish the most about this movie is the extremely likable characters. Although you want to dislike Sandra B’s Margaret Tate you kind of can’t (I think that is the curse of Sandra Bullock as much as you want to dislike her its very difficult to do so…) Meanwhile, there is also adorable Malin Akerman who plays Gertrude who again you want to dislike but how the hell can you when she’s a kindergarten teacher and she’s Ryan Reynolds high school sweetheart. Oh wait.. I’m talking as if you’ve seen this. If you haven’t seen this because you were under a rock Ryan Reynold’s Andrew, is Margarets assistant and she is the boss from hell but she is also in the career Andrew wants most as an editor at a major publication firm. Margaret is about to get deported back to Canada for letting her VISA expire and plots to just marry Andrew to get around the deportation. Please don’t sleep on this movie if you already have once, here’s an extra fun thing — what do Betty White, Lil’ Jon and Native American traditions have in common… answer: this movie.
Love Actually (2003)
Director: Richard Curtis
Starring: Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, & Bill Nighy + many more
Did you really think I was going to make this list and NOT include Love Actually, it is ridiculously adorable, it’s holiday oriented, it’s multiple intertwining stories that are from different parts of the “love” relationship that at the time was extremely unique. Since this movie came out many have tried to re-create it’s interlaced, multi-character storyline but none in my opinion have been as successful. My favorite story-line from this film is probably Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon who play the Prime Minister and the new secretary, respectively. I love their storyline because it’s really sweet how they are kind of around the edge of each other the whole film until finally coming to the realization of their feelings. There is something I find ridiculously romantic about that moment in a relationship when people come to this moment of awakening when they finally understand their feelings.
Amelie (2001)
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Starring: Audrey Tautou, Mathie Kassovitz
I almost didn’t put this movie on this list, because to me it isn’t that comedic. Maybe because I don’t speak French I didn’t get some of the more subtle humorous things. I think it’s more quirky than anything but still, this movie is in my all time favorite movies list and it is technically a Romantic Comedy. It is about a slightly odd young woman named Amelie who comes across a collection of photographs with a single thread of commonality. It is quite amazing to watch this film as it has creative and fun ways to show it’s characters and story. I highly recommend this, even if you don’t find it laugh out funny.
This list will be TOO long if I’m allowed to just go through Google search results.
- Because there are SO many Romantic Comedies
- Because I love so many of them however here are some honorable mentions.
Honorable mentions:
- Roman Holiday
- Funny Girl
- Funny Face
- (500) Days of Summer
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall
- Juno
- Easy A
- Crazy Stupid Love
- The Wedding Singer
- He’s Just Not That Into You
- The Holiday
- Sweet Home Alabama
- 50 First Dates
- My Best Friends Wedding*
- When Harry Met Sally
- The Wedding Planner (yes the one with JLo)
- Maid in Manhattan (yes also with JLo)
- How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days
- Notting Hill
*This movie holds a special place in my heart because I watched it a lot as a child AND my mom had the soundtrack in our CD player permanently for a year. It has some bangers on it.
I hope you all enjoyed my list and I look forward to writing my next list which is about my top 5 favorite movies ever!
