Favourite Romantic Comedy Films of the Last 30 years

This was actually a harder list to put together than I first thought. I have noticed that not many pre-1990 movies exist here but I figure that a 'favourites' list should consist of films that you are more likely to have watched more than, say, twice and many pre-1990s rom com movies sit at the back of my video cupboard, collecting dust. This is why I have limited this list to the last 30 years. The screwball comedies of the 1930s are of course, great for their day and thoroughly entertaining but would I watch them again? Probably not. And I love Roman Holiday, The Philadelphia Story, It Happened One Night, Breakfast at Tiffany's....but that would make a very long list here. So here I have added the romantic comedies of recent years that I could watch more than once and feature moments that make me laugh, cry, or just give that little fuzzy feeling in the stomach!- the cheesier the movie, the generally better it rates! And for all you pretentious film critics, I am not making this list based on the quality of filmmaking, acting or writing. I make this list on a purely 'I am really a soppy girl at heart' basis.

10. While You Were Sleeping

I actually really like this movie - as unrealistic as the plot is (what? I hear you say, romantic comedies unrealistic???) because it had a gentle sweetness about it - no sex, no violence, no swearing, no ridiculous car chases or excess action. Lucy, Sandra Bullock's character is laced with loneliness and fragility and I think pulls this off very well; she is uncharacteristically understated in this performance. The film has a lovely feel about it - the filming really highlights the prettiness of Chicago covered in snow. And hey, it opens with Natalie Cole's This Will Be, so how can you go wrong? Peter is a suitably superficial, unlikeable character and the family is quirky, eccentric and funny (Peter Boyle is one of the best comic actors around!). The memorable moment for me is where Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman are trying to walk across the pavement to her apartment but can't stand up on the slippery ice. Very funny slapstick and some good acting there!

9. Never Been Kissed

Two words: Michael Vartan *undoes collar*. I am not usually a big Drew Barrymore fan but I really enjoyed this movie. It has it all: a cool soundtrack, hot love interest, the "geek turned all-round amazing girl" storyline, 80s references to taffeta prom dresses.... Jessica Alba also features, years before she became famous. The soundtrack is one of the best elements - Beach Boys, John Lennon, Semisonic, REM, Remy Zero plus some artists I never heard of but really enjoyed their contributions to this soundtrack. And Ozomatli feature as the band at the club and they rule!! Favourite scene: At the funfair when the teacher rescues her from riding alone on the ferris wheel - awwww...

8. Bridget Jones's Diary

I don't know any girl who watched this film and didn't relate to it, straight off. Helen Fielding got every woman right where they live - Bridget Jones is every woman's neuroses all rolled into one and proves that you can be an attractive girl even with a few extra pounds, even if you don't look like a supermodel every day. The leads are an unlikely couple and that's what makes them great. The end scene with Bridget chasing Mark Darcy down the street in her underwear in the snow is a classic! Renee Zellweger is appropriately awkward, frumpy and plain but the production team have gone to pains to show that beauty inside which is clever. And this movie has the best fight scene of all time - Colin Firth and Hugh Grant girly-fighting....slap slap..... Hilarious!

7. 10 Things I Hate About You

I really enjoyed this film and I'm not usually a fan of modernised Shakespeare adaptations. Heath Ledger was perfectly understated in this role and the best part is that he degenerate to a fake American accent! The scene in which he sings Frankie Valli to Julia Stiles on the soccer field is gold. It has a great eclectic soundtrack (from Joan Armatrading and Semisonic to Brick and Madness) and the lovely filming over the cliffs is a highlight. Julia Stiles is in equal parts bitchy and sensitive. The line of the movie: "I know you can be overwhelmed and you can be underwhelmed but can you just be whelmed? - I think you can in Europe!" The only poor bit about this movie is Julia Stiles' poem at the end - so badly rhymed, it makes me cringe- awful!

6. Only You

This has to be one of the sweetest, corniest rom-coms around and its made all the better with Robert Downey Jr being the lead. There is something very old-time about this movie - it has the feel of movies like An Affair To Remember and Roman Holiday (which it actually imitates in one scene). Marisa Tomei is a little ditzy in this as the slightly nuts star-gazer Faith but Bonnie Hunt (as her matter-of-fact sister in law) and Robert Downey Jr steal the show. The photography and setting of Venice, Rome and southern Italy is exquisite and adds to the ambience of the romantic story. The soundtrack is suitably soppy, combining opera, jazz saxophone and a sweet orchestral score (quite obviously composed by a woman!). Love the line "How could you do this to me? - Cos I'm in love with you - What kind of an excuse is that???" Very funny!

5. Sleepless In Seattle

What girl (and some guys too) didn't just love this movie? It is the mark of a good rom-com filmmaker that you really felt the connection between the two leads and they don't even meet in the film until the final five minutes! There is an element of tragedy and sadness in this film. You know that Tom Hanks character is a damaged one who has no pretenses about who his soul mate was but you really barrack for him anyway. Meg Ryan is well suited to cutesy romantic comedies and was in her element in this movie. The scene when Tom Hanks' sister is tearily recounting the story of "An Affair To Remember" is really funny, especially when the guys join in, talking about the Dirty Dozen. And there is one extremely good song on the soundtrack that ISN'T Celine Dion - an excellent version of Bye Bye Blackbird by Joe Cocker. Just great!

4. How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days

This is one of the funniest movies I've seen in recent times. It has it all - a clever, intelligent and gutsy heroine, a genuinely funny original script and of course, Matthew McConaughey, hotness supreme. The actions that Kate Hudson's character takes in this film ring true for all girls. I'm sure that every girl who has ever dated has probably done one of those things before (albeit probably in a much more subtle fashion than letting their dog wee on the pool table or naming their boyfriend's penis Princess Sofia!). The chemistry between the two leads is very strong (which I notice is rare these days as Hollywood casting agents will usually pair the two hottest actors of the moment together, even though the chemistry is often non- existent) and even towards the end, it doesn't get into too much sentiment, even though it could have. And it has an friggin' ugly dog and a love fern...LOL!

3. The Truth About Cats and Dogs

This movie has a very funny dog. The End. :)

What I like about this film is that even though Uma Thurman's character, Noelle, is supposed to be the more attractive one, the filmmakers go to pains to show us that it is actually the opposite without hitting us in the face with it. Since when is Janeane Garofalo the less obvious choice?? Ben Chaplin is lovely in this (I don't like him as a dramatic actor but he is in his element here) and the dog is adorable and very ugly! I have mentioned on my other blog the funniest scene ever with the guy on the bike - what a memorable scene! And the score by Howard Shore is awesome - a small ensemble of jazz piano and violin! Great. Unfortunately they haven't released it as a whole score, just as an album of songs.

2. Love Actually

I could have added so many of the Richard Curtis movies as I have really liked all of them (except, perhaps Notting Hill, which I thought was just schmaltzy) but I particularly liked this movie. I thought it was clever that even though you only saw snippets of each person, you still cared about each and every one of them. It is a little sad that some of the nicest characters in the film end up alone but I suppose, realistically, they all know each other so what would the odds be of them all finding true happiness on the same night! There are some overly silly moments (ie Colin Frissell and the American girls!) but I really enjoyed this movie, particularly Hugh Grant's dancing, the whole story with Colin Firth and the Portugese housekeeper and of course, little Thomas Sangster - who, incidently still gives me shivers after playing a young Hitler in that telemovie!

1. When Harry Met Sally

The classic 80s romantic comedy! It was a great premise with two great leads, a great soundtrack with Harry Connick Jr, some snappy dialogue and some beautiful settings. Central Park looks lovely with all those coloured leaves. It is unashamedly soppy, funny and the characters are realistic, despite the comedic aspects. Meg Ryan's character is hilariously high maintenance and obsessive, Billy Crystal's simultaneously kooky and damaged. The lovely touch of 'the unrelated people talking about their spouses and how they met' interspersed in the story is a great touch and each is amusing and endearing. I love Carrie Fisher's character in this (a complete departure from Leia). The best scenes (aside from THAT restaurant scene) are the karaoke scene, the wagon wheel coffee table scene and the best one, when Harry leaves the very funny message on Sally's answering machine 'You're either 1. not home, 2. at home but don't want to talk to me or 3. At home, desperately want to talk to me but are trapped under something heavy!' Ha ha ha! A deserving winner on this list!


Honourable mentions must also go to: Pretty Woman (so close to making the top ten), One Fine Day, Romancing the Stone, The Wedding Singer, Moonstruck and Four Weddings and A Funeral (although pipped at the post by Love Actually).