Midterms week has been rough with so many tests and projects and now that it’s all done, all you need is a chill night in. A good way to relax is to watch a movie but…you find yourself scrolling through Netflix and not finding something interesting to watch. This is where I come in with my movie recommendations! Whether you want to swoon, laugh, or cry, these movies will sure get you into a good mood and fuel your inner hopeless romantic!
1. 10 things i hate about you
A classic movie in the rom-com genre – 10 Things I Hate About You follows new student named Cameron who is smitten with the popular girl of his school, Bianca Stratford. Unfortunately for him, Bianca can’t date until her older sister Kat can. Hence, Cameron enlists the services of bad boy Patrick Verona to make Kat fall for him. The dynamic of Kat and Patrick’s relationship and how they help each other grow throughout the movie definitely makes it worth the watch and have you wishing that you had a Patrick in your life!
2. MeAN GIRLS
I’m sure everybody has heard of this movie at some point in their life whether its through iconic quotes such as “fetch” and “On Wednesdays we wear pink” or hype about the 2024 musical revival! Mean Girls is about a new student named Cady who has no experience in a high school setting. She befriends Janice and Damian who have it out for the most popular girl in the school, Regina George. However, Regina happens to take an interest in Cady as well. This movie will definitely make you laugh with its jokes and the growth of each character by them learning from their mistakes provides a sense of relatability, making Mean Girls a classic favorite.
3. Legally Blonde
This movie serves as a reminder that girls can do anything: they can be beautiful, smart, and ambitious to achieve their goals. Elle Woods, a sorority girl at a college in California, gets dumped by her boyfriend Warner because he plans on becoming a lawyer at Harvard Law and doesn’t think Elle is serious to become a lawyer. Elle proves him wrong by working hard to get into Harvard Law and proving to everyone that she isn’t just a pretty face. Elle is the prime example of “beauty and brains” and her dedication and personality disproves the “dumb blonde” stereotype successfully. What, like, it’s hard?
4. cLUELESS
Based on Jane Austen’s Emma, Cher Horowitz is a typical popular high school girl who has the trendiest clothes and could get anything she wants. Despite this, she decides to use her time to help other people such as setting up her teachers together and taking Tai, a transfer student, under her wing. While she learns more about herself by doing good deeds, she also forms a relationship with Josh, the son of one of her dad’s ex-wives. Cher’s efforts and character growth in making other people happy, even if they don’t necessarily work out perfectly, is very entertaining to watch.
5. Drive me crazy
In this underrated favorite of mine, Nicole and Chase used to be best friends growing up but split apart due to their differing personalities and friends groups. Both of them find themselves in relationship troubles – Nicole hopes popular jock Brad would ask her out but he asks out a cheerleader instead while Chase gets dumped by his ex due to their different beliefs. With the two of them having the same goal in mind, they come up with a plan: fake date each other to make their love interests jealous. If you’re a fan of the friends-to-lovers and fake dating trope, this movie is definitely worth the watch. Plus, the movie’s named after Britney Spears’s song (You Drive Me) Crazy!
6. She’s the man
If you want a movie to make you laugh your pants off, this one is for you! Viola Davis’s soccer team gets cut and she attempts to join the boys team at her school. However, the coach refuses to let her join and her boyfriends backs up his decision. If you can’t beat them, defeat them, right? Viola does this by dressing up as her twin brother Sebastian, who attends a boarding school and leaves for London to perform with her band, and aims to get into his school’s soccer team. However, this goal becomes harder through her interactions with her roommate Duke and the affections of popular girl Olivia. Viola’s antics are hilarious to watch and will definitely have you rooting for her!
7. The princess diaries
This movie follows Mia Thermopolis, a seemingly normal high school girl…except she isn’t. Her father is actually the Prince of Genovia and she is next in line for the throne. Her grandmother Clarisse, the Queen of Genovia, comes in to prepare her for becoming princess through strict training and discipline. As she starts to adjust to her new life, her relationships with her friends and family start to change as she’s now under the public eye. It was really refreshing to watch Mia turn from a shy and awkward girl into a graceful princess, similar to a baby bird turning into a swan. There are many moments where you root for Mia and see a lot of her personality. I highly recommend to anyone who wants a fun and sweet movie!
With so many movie options, it can be overwhelming to choose which one to watch. However, I hope that my movie recommendations serves as a choice for movie nights or as a starting point to see which genres you find yourself enjoying. After a rough week, a movie that you find yourself enjoying is all that you need!