Well, guys, next week is October which means once again it will be time for LGBTQ+ History Month!! Buckle up for that, cause I have got a whole month of gay entertainment. But, before we get there, I thought I would share with you some of my thoughts on the straightest thing there is: the cliche romantic comedy. If you know me, you know that I hate these kinds of movies. Passionately. And yet, even I admit that some of them are well-made and worth the watch. Obviously, there are millions of these, and I actually have a much (much) longer list, but I decided to select just a few. So, custom made just for you, here are some rom coms that are acceptable to watch, and some that are indisputably garbage:
Acceptable:
“You’ve Got Mail”
Okay, this movie came out in 1998, and it FEELS old, but it doesn’t matter. This movie is such a classic. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks fall into a very cliche situation where they are anonymous email friends but hate each other in real life, but then they end up being friends in real life, and then they decide to meet up with their mysterious email friend and WHAT DO YOU KNOW it’s the same. I love this movie.
“When Harry Met Sally”
I would argue (and have, many times) that this is the best rom com ever made. Familiar with the iconic line, “I’ll have what she’s having?” That’s from this movie, baby. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan (Meg Ryan just did a lot of rom coms in her day, all right? Let her live.) start off as not friends, but over the course of roughly 12 years they eventually fall in love. Again, the best rom com ever made.
“A Cinderella Story”
All I can say is this: “Waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this drought: useless and disappointing.” I did that off the top of my head, people, because that is how pivotal this movie has been in my development as a person, as a woman, as an American. Critical viewing. Required watching. Chad Michael Murray. Hilary Duff.
“The Big Sick”
This one is more recent than a lot of the others on this list, but it deserves to be here. Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily wrote the script, which is based off of their real-life relationship. It’s actually a little bit dark at times (Emily is in a coma for a good part of the movie) but it’s incredible. Also, diversity.
“10 Things I Hate About You”
Heath Ledger singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” is one of the best scenes in cinematic history. This movie is just great. Kat is the original feminist icon and I quote this movie everyday of my life, so if that tells you anything.
“Crazy, Stupid, Love”
Don’t get me wrong, parts of this movie are WEIRD. The babysitter having a crush on Steve Carrell is one of the worst things I have ever experienced. But overall, this is a great rom com. A star-studded cast and genuinely heartfelt moments–also hilarious. This one is very accessible and a crowd-pleaser all around.
Unacceptable:
“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”
What even IS this movie?? I do not like a single character in this God-forsaken film. Literally our two leads are using each other for financial gain?? Matthew McConaughey (allrightallrightallright) made a bet with his friends that he could get a girl to fall in love with him in 10 days, and Kate Hudson is writing an article about how to get a guy to break up with her in 10 days (by making mistakes that apparently women make in relationships according to the men writing this movie). What are the odds that the two monsters who would do that kind of thing to a person would end up picking each other to do terrible things to?? They deserve each other.
“27 Dresses”
Truth be told, I used to love this movie. I really did. But then, one morning, I realized that this movie is basically the least feminist thing in the world. To be fair, James Marsden has a perfect face and can deceive you into liking this movie, but resist. Katherine Heigl wants to get married but she’s always a bridesmaid. And the movie ends with her….getting married. It’s just terrible.
“The Wedding Planner”
Again, WHAT IS THIS? Matthew McConaughey (allrightallrightallright) is back and this time he is cheating on his fiance with Jennifer Lopez!!! That’s fun, right? Cheating on your fiance makes for the start of a GREAT relationship!! Yay, love!!!
All the Other Cinderella Story Movies (“Another Cinderella Story”, “A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits”, “A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song”)
The first one was perfect, and everything that followed has been garbage. GARBAGE. G A R B A G E.
Some other unacceptable rom coms include: “50 First Dates”, “Monster-in-Law”, “Along Came Polly”, “Maid in Manhattan”, “The Wedding Date”, “Life as We Know It”, and “Letters to Juliet”. I could go into the reasons why all of those are bad, but honestly, if you like these movies, I just don’t know what to say to you.
Okay, enough of that. Next stop, LGBTQ+ History Month!!!