Summer’s coming to an end (along with my “holiday”). Some may have spent their entire summer in another distant country (I didn’t), or playing in the sandy beaches (I didn’t), or doing internship with some potential company they hope to be a part of (I didn’t). Either way, I really hope that everyone has made some special memory of their summer.
But if you’re missing out on summer romance here is a list of romantic movies you can sit down and watch as a marathon montage. I left out the bigger blockbusters for more quirky favourites. ‘Cause come on everyone probably knows those sappy classics like Titanic and Moulin Rouge. But I warn you, Kate Hudson appears in a lot of my favourite romantic movies – probably ’cause she is one of my favourite sassy female leads in romantic roles ever.
1. Friends with Benefits (2011)
Lead duo: Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis)
The hook: They say they want to get into a relationship with no emotional attachments, but you know it’ll end up otherwise and it’s funny how you know you’ll be a hypocrite about it, i.e. if they do end up together you’ll scorn the plot for being unoriginal and so typically a romance and if they do not end up together then you’ll be incredibly unsatisfied by the ending (so what will be your pick?); yet it’s still incredibly endearing watching the chemistry between the two heighten and Timberlake and Kunis’s quirky offbeat sense of humour just tickles you in all the right places.
2. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Lead duo: Patrick (Heath Ledger) and Kat (Julia Stiles)
The hook: Honestly, if I had to immortalise the late Heath Ledger in any one of his movie roles it has to be this one, the Australian bad boy who is bribed to woo Kat so that Cameron (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) can date her sister, Bianca. This movie was probably one of my favourite teen romcoms. Oh, and a shout out definitely goes to Larry Miller for playing such an awesome dad in this film.
3. She’s Out of My League (2010)
Lead duo: Kirk (Jay Baruchel) and Molly (Alice Eve)
The hook: The message of this film is really awesome, in my opinion. ‘Cause we’re always surrounded by this kind of scenario in our day-to-day lives: how can that girl like that guy, he’s not even good looking, or vice versa. And the problem is that a lot of movies will perpetuate that stereotype ’cause there will always be equally good looking couples. In Hollywood’s superficial minds, that is what equates perfect chemistry, i.e. you need to be of the same ‘number’ so perfect tens can only date perfect tens. But I love this movie ’cause it teaches you that beauty is subjective/in the eye of the beholder. Oh, plus it has some really awesome and quirky actors like Krysten Ritter (in my opinion, she’s just awesome).
4. It’s a Boy Girl Thing (2006)
Lead duo: Woody (Kevin Zegers) and Nell (Samaire Armstrong)
The hook: Woody and Nell are very different people, i.e. (sorry, using i.e. too much in this post – I notice, I can self-reflect on these things and yet never change my initial wordings) Woody is the jock and Nell is the smart and brainy ivy-league hopeful. One day they wake up and they’re in each other’s bodies. Like many other body switching movies like Freaky Friday, this one may sounds like such a terribly cheesy romcom and set-up, but I have to defend it for how well it turned out. Zegers and Armstrong play each other so well that at some points I actually forget that they are not actually in each other’s bodies. Plus, the O.C. girl, come on.
5. I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009)
Lead duo: Denis (Paul Rust) and Beth (Hayden Panettiere)
The hook: Similar to She’s Out of Your League, but with a more younger premise to it. Plus it’s all worth it for that moment in the end when Beth finally opens up to him and says, “Thank you for loving me.”
6. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Lead duo: Ben (Matthew McConaughey) and Andie (Kate Hudson)
The hook: Both Ben and Andie work in companies which give them a specific task that requires each other to succeed. Ben must prove that he can make any girl fall in love with him in 10 days and Andie is writing an article on how she can lose a guy in 10 days. Obviously this kind of situation will never happen in real life – and that’s what makes it so much more hilarious and exciting. I think I’ve watched this movie far too many times for me to count. I loved McConaughey and Hudson in their roles. They were perfect for them.
7. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008)
Lead duo: Nick (Michael Cera) and Norah (Kat Dennings)
The hook: Norah makes Nick pose as her boyfriend for a few minutes without knowing that her classmate, Tris, had recently broken up with him and he was still in love with her. To be honest when I first watched this movie I wasn’t in love with it. But after watching it four more times in a row (’cause the plane had no other good movies on it) I was absolutely hooked on Nick and Norah together.
8. Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)
Lead duo: Prince Henry (Dougray Scott) and Danielle (Drew Barrymore)
The hook: Definitely different from the others on this list, but don’t be fooled there is a lot of bite to this movie. Danielle always stood out to me as a very strong character. I always loved it when the main female character had a more independent streak to her and I think Barrymore did a really good job in making her shine.
9. Little Manhattan (2005)
Lead duo: Gabe (Josh Hutcherson) and Rosemary (Charlie Ray)
The hook: These children will put any adult relationship to shame with its surprising maturity and yet incredible innocence and sweet-nature.
Suddenly, I knew what I had to do. Love isn’t about ridiculous little words. Love is about grand gestures. Love is about airplanes pulling banners over stadiums, proposals on jumbo-trons, giant words in sky writing. Love is about going that extra mile even if it hurts, letting it all hang out there. Love is about finding courage inside of you that you didn’t even know was there. – Gabe
Plus, come on, Josh Hutcherson (Peeta in The Hunger Games) as a ten-year-old in this movie is too adorable. If anything, watch it as an entree before the main course, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
10. Alex & Emma (2003)
Lead duo: Alex (Luke Wilson) and Emma (Kate Hudson)
The hook: Alex is required to write a novel pronto and seeks assistance for a stenographer in Emma. I don’t know why, but this movie somehow stood out to me as a possible candidate to this list. Probably ’cause I only watched it once in my life and yet I still remember how I found Alex and Emma’s relationship just adorable. Or maybe ’cause I just loved Kate Hudson in every romance she’s played in.
I hope this list has given you guys at least one movie to check out and watch on one of those lazy afternoons or nights this summer.
Till next time!
cumuloq ❤
Cumuloquoise Blog 