When it comes to romance movies, there is always something for me. While these films tend to not pass the Bechdel test, an exam that features at least two women who speak to each other about something other than a man, I can never escape from the magic of these films. These are my top three comfort movies.
Starting off with a classic, 10 Things I Hate About You, directed by Gil Junger, is a popular movie between Gen Z and Millennials alike. Kat Stratford, played by Julia Stiles, is beautiful, smart, but quite abrasive to most of her fellow teens, meaning that she doesn’t attract many boys. Unfortunately for her younger sister, Bianca, the role Laria Oleynik played, house rules say that she can’t date until Kat has a boyfriend. So, strings are pulled to set the dour damsel up for a romance. Soon, Kat crosses paths with handsome new arrival, Patrick Verona, portrayed by Heath Ledger. Will Kat let her guard down enough to fall for the effortlessly charming Patrick?
Next on the list is 27 Dresses, directed by Anne Fletcher. Perennial bridesmaid Jane, played by Katherine Heigl, always puts the needs of others before her own, making her the go-to-gal whenever someone needs help with wedding plans. So, when Jane’s younger sister Tess, portrayed by Malin Åkerman, snags the man Jane secretly loves, Jane finds herself questioning her role as a wedding junkie for the first time in her life. Meanwhile, a handsome reporter sees Jane’s unusual story as his ticket off the bridal beat.
Finally, a fan favorite: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, directed by Donald Petrie. An advice columnist, Andie Anderson, starring Kate Hudson, tries pushing the boundaries of what she can write about in her new piece about “How to get a guy to leave you in 10 days.” Her editor, Lana, executed by Bebe Neuwirth, loves it, and Andie goes off to find a man she can use for the experiment. Enter executive Ben Berry, played by Mathew McConaughey, who is so confident in his romantic prowess that he thinks he can make any woman fall in love with him in 10 days. When Andie and Ben meet, their plans backfire. Will these two make it or will it all perish?
Romance movies aim to envelop viewers in a world of love and emotion. Whether it’d be a cozy night in or a rainy day pick-me-up, romance movies have a way of wrapping us in a warm embrace of comfort and happiness. There will always be something special about movies like these ones.
