I’m on the hunt for new romantic comedies that make me feel. So friend me on NetFlix, so we can share good romantic comedy lists. They can of course be cross-genre romantic comedies–I’m no stickler. I don’t know if there’s a better romantic comedy than Baby Boom, even if it is a little dated. I love it, in particular, because it’s really not about getting the guy, or the guy losing the girl and fighting for her. It’s about thinking your life was the best is was going to be in the past, and coming to realize that you were wrong. She gets the opportunity to have it all back, has it all in front of her, and she passes it up, understanding that unlikely as it was, she prefers what she has now to what she’s spent so much time pining for. There’s also the fun fish out of water element, not just in being a new mom (feeding the baby spaghetti and spraying her with Fantastic spray to clean her), but city mouse goes to the country. It’s a little Private Benjamin that way. I love the components of the film, how we root for her, how she’s torn, and how she knows this baby Elizabeth is going to get in the way of everything she wants, and yet, she just can’t bring herself to give her up. She knows it will change everything, and she hates that, but she can’t help it. I love watching when we make choices from the heart, no matter what it costs us. It’s why I love romantic comedies. People are always willing to give it all up (their career, their inheritance, their addiction, their womanizing ways) for the person they love.
Then I end up turning to my man, saying, "Would you do that for me?" And in return, I get the eye roll. And then there are blog posts about said eye roll, including how I end up asking questions like, "Would you still love me and stay married to me if I lost all my limbs?"
We all want to believe that the person beside us would be willing, if it came down to it, to choose us over whatever else got in the way, be it a job, a city in which to live, taking a stand to their family on our behalf– and we want to believe that, in turn, we would do the same for them.
A YEAR AGO: Ass-pies and Cock-sacs
2 YEARS AGO: Young, Dumb, and Full of Cum, or Something Like That
4 YEARS AGO: LexiKlein and the Terminal Case of Copykat
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Hi Stephanie,
When my husband was watching Mr. & Mrs. Smith, I just had to ask, "Would you leave me for Angelina Jolie?" "Oh yeah", was his immediate response. But I wouldn't leave you for Brad Pitt and by the way, do hold your breath for Angelina.
I'm not exactly sure if P.S. I LOVE YOU with Hillary Swank would fall into the comedy category lately, but I am loving that movie every time I watch it.
I really enjoyed "Definitely, Maybe". More rom com than chick flick, but I think you'd probably like it. Maybe even Phil would too.
I too asked the "what would you do if I lost all my limbs"? He thought about it for a sec and said, "Well I guess I'd just carry you around with me. You know, until we could find you some kind of mouth-controlled wheel-chair".
Amy
WHAT WOMEN WANT
i always fall back on jane austen. if you haven't watched mansfield park (the one with jonny lee miller from like 1998) lately or ever, do it and you won't be sorry. lars and the real girl was really fabulous. and feast of love was not great, but probably worth seeing. those are my recent picks.
i frequently invent something ridiculous to ascertain my husband's love for me. "would you love me if i suddenly grew a non-amputatable third arm out of the center of my forehead?" "would you love me if i morphed into a 6 foot tall rat with human speech abilities?" the jury is out on those.
Truly, Madly, Deeply has long been a favorite of mine – weepy but wonderful & funny too!
I LOVE BABY BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!
Try "Every Time We Say Good Bye"(1986)
With Tom Hanks
The Holiday!! I'm not a huge Cameron Diaz fan, but I can deal with her in this one, and I just adore Kate Winslet and can totally relate to her character in this movie. There was one weekend in December when I watched it 3 times. It was out of my hands – there was nothing I could do to stop myself.
Have you seen Stranger than Fiction? It is one of the few movies I can watch over and over again.
Here are a few of my favorites:
The Family Man
Return to Me
Hitch
Just Like Heaven
Ever After
Its not a rom com, but if you haven't, you should watch Year of the Dog. It'll make you cry, but its great!
Stephanie, I didn't want this latest entry to end. I got down to the bottom paragraph and wanted to keep reading. I wanted to hear the happy ending that someone would do that for you, for any of us. I think as women we are so willing to give those things of ourselves, we wish and hope that our own spouses or significant others would do the same for us, not just tell us about it, but actually do it. That they'd never put us in a position to have to make that choice, that they truly deemed us as worth fighting for, of chasing after that love no matter where it took you, as long as that love didn't go away. As long as they didn't let you slip through their fingers. I'm waiting for that day.
I have so many that I love. Cheesy yes, but they are comforting and fun.
Overboard
Shag
The Money Pit
Romancing the Stone
Playing by Heart
There are tons more!
Have you seen Immediate Family with Glenn Close, James Woods and Mary Stuart Masterson? Oh my gosh, how I love this movie.
I have to agree with Amy and second "Definitely, Maybe."
But I also happen to have a huge crush on Ryan Reynolds…
Baby Boom is the best movie ! Love it when Sam Shepard corners Diane Keaton by the fridge door for a kiss. And before that when he kisses her by her broken down car in the snow, how she practically collapses in his arms. "Dr. Charm" she calls him.
Truly, Madly, Deeply, DITTO.
In this week's modern love column in the New York Times, the writer answered the 'what would you do if I was crippled' question: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/fashion/08love.html?_r=1&ref=fashion
what a beautiful story about true love.
Have you seen Prime with Meryl Streep and Uma Thurman? That's a great one.
My favorites are:
Steel Magnolias (not a romance but my all time favorite movie)
Overboard
Serendipity
The Notebook
Bridget Jones' Diary – part 1 and 2
Urban Cowboy (can be from Texas and not love this one)
In Her Shoes and Fools Rush In. The only chick flicks I can watch over and over.
My favorite movie of all time is Cinema Paradiso. I've seen it at least 6 times. While there's romance between a man and a woman, the real romance is with the cinema and its place in the life of the small town. There's an updated DVD version but eschew that in favor of the ORIGINAL Oscar-winning film. You won't regret it……and I'll bet you see it more than once.
Cinema Paradiso – one of my top 5 of all time. Epic romantic flick you will love it. Agreed with carole. Beautifully shot.
Also- 'The Lover' a good foreign flick. Romantic but not 'chick flick per see.
'Ghost Town'- ADORABLE. See it!! Ricky Gervais (creator of The Office) and Greg Kinnear. Darling movie.
And also 'In The Mood For Love' a Chinese movie. Beautiful costumes, story and just see it.
I know you asked to be friended on Netflix but I don't really know what that is (d'oh!).
When I think about a romantic comedy, my mind immediately goes to "Alot Like Love". Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet. Absolutely fabulous. Plus there is a really fun "photo shoot" that you would enjoy.
Hope to come back here and get some great suggestions. I love Baby Boom too. And watching Diane walk around all confused and blow the stray hair out of her face and talk to herself and that nervous laugh….makes me feel normal!
Oh! The Holiday! Totally fell in love with Jude Law AND Jack Black in that one.
I too love Baby Boom! Elizabeth is the cutest country baby ever.Sam Shepherd is so perfect too.
Another fabulous one is True Romance with Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette.It's action and romance combined so you can watch it with your husband!!
I friended you at Netflix but it's my guy's account so it's mostly music stuff. Notting Hill. Pure Country. Under the Tuscan Sun. That movie with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton where he's dating her daughter and has a heart attack at her house. Can I keep adding more later as I think of them?
I love, love, love the movie "Heartburn" Nora Ephron's story about her marriage to the philandering Carl Bernstein. And, although it's kind of cheesy, "About Last Night" is good. That scene in the rain? "I gave you love… but you asked me to leave and I left." I also love "Beautiful Girls" with Timothy Hutton, Uma Thurman, a young Natalie Portman, Mira Sorvino… A sweet movie.
Diane Keaton was in a movie called Plan B. Not a romantic comedy but one of the funniest movies I've ever watched. And Station Agent was also very, very good but not a romantic comedy. They both hit my humor spot dead on.
LOVE ACTUALLY…hands down my favorite movie. ever. At the beginning of the holiday season it is always on tv and I can pick up at any part and be instantly hooked time and time again. I own it too.
Also, for its amazing cheesy storyline, MUSIC AND LYRICS is great.
(both obviously Hugh Grant!)
I also like Stranger Than Fiction, listed above, but don't forget the semi-oldies like Foul Play, IQ and Prelude to a Kiss!
I'm a fan of Meg Ryan movies, and my favorite is "French Kiss" with Kevin Cline and Timothy Hutton. "You American's make my ass twitch" lol, great line.
Also agree with The Notebook, and An Officer and a Gentleman.
and favorite oldie but goodie – West Side Story with Natalie Wood and Rita Moreno.
Some of my faves are a bit older but still excellent.
Nobody's Fool with Rosanna Arquette and Eric Roberts and
Happy Together with Helen Slater and Patrick Dempsey.
I friended you under my husband's name to recommend Lars and the Real Girl, but Netflix says you have seen it. Nothing else recent comes to mind.
I do second An Officer and a Gentleman. That's about the last time I found Richard Gere attractive. Whatever happened to Debra Winger anyway?
Oh – also now that you have kids I recommend you DO NOT watch Terms of Endearment.
When Harry Met Sally … have lost track of how many times I've seen it. Time capsule from the '80s, universal themes. Love, love, love it.
kamakazi girls
romy and michelle
The only romantic comedy I can tolerate is Intolerable Cruelty. (And I loved Baby Boom. I was in the test audience for it.)
The Way We Were. Period. End dot.
Oh Hubble and Katie, how I love them…
Careful with P.S. I Love You- that film KILLED me, it is so damn depressing. Hillary Swank has you sobbing in one scene and then laughing in the next so you think- it is going to get better- and then you're sobbing again. Seriously, watch out.
My favs that I don't think were already mentioned:
Sweet Home Alabama
Legally Blonde- I can't get enough of it!
27 Dresses- watched it a couple of times recently
Love Actually- I love the little boy and girl love story.
Oh man, now I want to call in sick tomorrow and watch chick flicks!
I just thought of another one-
Priceless.
It's french and it's amazing.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482088/
Something's Gotta Give
A Lot Like Love (can't believe I like it so much, great soundtrack).
Family Stone
Pride and Prejudice the AE version
Knocked Up
Dream For An Insomniac!!
Lars and the Real Girl
Stranger Than Fiction
Definitely, Maybe
In Her Shoes
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Under the Tuscan Sun
The last one I saw recently, cried, and instantly set a date to rewatch it. Something about building a home for yourself, emotionally and physically, really resonated with me. My Best Friend's Wedding is probably my favorite romcom/chick flick though. And To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar has Patrick Swayze in drag. That's always a good time.
ok so these I always turn back to, over and over…
A Little Romance (1979)
(with a preteen diane lane! LOVE!)
Dream for an Insomniac (1996)
( with Ione Skye, has probably the best quote ever, "Anything less than mad, passionate extraordinary love is a waste of time. there are so many mediocre things in life and love should not be one of them!")
He Said, She Said (1991)
(Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Perkins, in a fun battle of the sexes!)
Paris je t'amie (2006)
(has me loving and longing for a city i've never met)
Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
(with Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh, yes shakespeare, but so fun!)
Can't Buy Me Love (1997)
(Patrick Dempsey from nerdy to yum!)
French Kiss (1995)
(can't help but watch this anytime its on!)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
(really makes me cry and think no matter what, you're destined for someone, somewhere, somehow)
Made in Heaven (1987)
(timothy hutton falls in love in heaven and gets reincarnated to find her… just the kind of movie to make a girl crazy!)
of course, there are a million more, but that is my start :)
"Desperately Seeking Susan" with Madonna, Aidan Quinn, and Rosanna Arquette
"Tootsie" with Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" with Kate Winslet and Jim Carey
"Annie Hall" with Diane Keaton and Woody Allen (the original deconstructed rom com)
"Sliding Doors" with Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah
And I second "True Romance" and "Romancing the Stone" as well as its sequel, "Jewel of the Nile"
if you haven't seen "the umbrellas of cherbourg", an old catherine deneuve film, it's wonderful. the fashions, the colors, the music, the story…all of it!
Me recs:
-French Kiss
-Bridget Jones Diary
-Overboard
-Fools Rush In
-Maid In Manhattan
– Sabrina (I like both the old and the new version)
-Moonstruck
-Hitch
Just to name a few. For me the cheesier the better!
Bridget Jones. Hilarious. One of the few chick flicks guys like too! (as a pop question for him: "Would you still be attracted to me if I wore those grandma undies?")
And I secretly liked "What happens in Vegas" even though the story is extreeemely unrealistic.
Confessions of a Shopaholic is due to come out soon, I hope that'll be ok. At least it'll have fabulous outfits to stare at.
Family Man (with Nicolas Cage) left me wrecked. I got dumped by a guy who did the opposite of the entire movie's theme – chose his carreer over the 'choice from the heart' stuff.
Love Baby Boom!!
Chances Are
Hello Again
Big Business
All of Me
Working Girl
Pride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility
Sarah Plain and Tall/Skylark (the Sequel)
Anne of Green Gables/Anne of Avonlea
Ever After
Mystic Pizza
Kiss Me Goodbye
Many of these don't fall into the romantic comedy genre, but they are some of my girlie favorites just the same. I will keep adding!
Oh yeah, sorry for double posting, but this site may help out too: listsofbests.com has a lot of chick flick lists both created by users and from 'official' sources, like for instance: http://www.listsofbests.com/list/21959
It reminded me to watch 'Mermaids' again. Total chick flick.
I 2nd or 3rd the Holiday!!! Or for a not so traditional rom com So I Married An Axe Murderer. I could keep that movie running on a loop!
Romantic Comedies:
Something New
The Terminal
Under the Tuscan Sun
In Her Shoes
Cinema Paradiso
And for understated romance and not so much comedy, a beautiful film:
In The Mood For Love (HK director, English subtitles) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Enjoy!