As a self-proclaimed film fanatic, I felt it necessary to voice my opinion on my top favorites. Yes, my lists may be extensive, but I have my (somewhat agreeable) reasons.
#30 Knocked Up "He's playing fetch... with my kids... he's treating my kids like they're dogs."
Take an irresponsible "grown up" boy and a beautiful, successful but drunk woman and give them a night of fun. What comes out of it? A sweet little baby and a forced, and an exceptionally difficult relationship. Hilarious on so many levels, a real sense of discust for the nature of "boys," and a sweet ending makes this film perfect for "comfortable" couples. It's hard not to love this movie-guy or girl.
#29 Picture Perfect
Lie, Lie, Lie...Get your guy.
Give Jen some Mohr and a little bit of Bacon and she is set! A single girl will do anything to climb the business ladder-even lie about having a fiance, who she accidentally falls in love with but has to pretend to break up with so she can get back with her first beau but then doesnt really want to because second guy gave her a Cinderella watch and her mother likes him. Sound confusing? Well it is...but it plays out nicely...and who can resist a "perfect" ending.
P.S. Is this ending too cliche for you? Go watch The Object of my Affection. You will feel a real sense of reality in that film...(cue Debbie Downer sound).
#28 Grease
Drop outs, Pinks, Greasers, and.....Olivia Newton-John?
"Like, does he have a car?" Who can resist this overly dramatic musical about boy meets girl? The single most rediculous ending of all-time, John Travolta hitting notes that I cannot even hit and a song titled with my mothers name. But despite all of that, this is a love story/musical that no one should miss. Need more convincing? Just watch it in remembrance of Jeff and Annette. Eat your heart out!
#27 Kate and Leopold
Isn't her ex-boyfriend technically....her great grandson?!
This has everything I am looking for in a romance...a little comedy, a suave-debonaire man fully dressed in 18th century clothing, Meg Ryan and a certain urgency to make sure this couple stays together....despite the whole "time traveling" problem. It's a completely underrated romantic comedy...if you ask me. But while we are asking questions....Isn't her ex-boyfriend technically her great-grandson?? I want an answer! I just simply cannot over look this fact!
#26 Better Off Dead "Layne Meyer." "Meyer? As in Oscar Meyer?"
This is a romantic comedy for those of you who can watch it with an open mind...and an unusual sense of humor. A bizarre family (who can forget the dessert crawling off the table). Bizarre scenes that make no sense (a mini David Lee Roth hamburger singing Everybody Wants Some while playing the famous Van Halen guitar). But get to the heart of this film and you have a seriously awesome romantic hook-up. Layne is a total nerd, but he is so genuine (and pathetic)-how can you not LOVE him?! Plus...he can ski the K-12. Champ.
#25 27 Dresses
Always a bridesmaid-never a bride.
A romance about Jane, a girl living in the shadow of her beautiful and spoiled sister (who is engaged to the man Jane is head-over-heels in love with) finds love in a more than worthy guy. I was rooting for the Oklahoma native the entire time anyway-I win!
#24 Never Been Kissed
If you are willing to over look the clichés, you may enjoy this film. A news reporter is sent back to high school to do research for a story. Unfortunately, high school wasn't her shining moment. It's sweet, funny and somewhat creepy (that teacher was seriously crushing on her!).
#23 Forgetting Sarah Marshall Oh, the weather outside is weather...
A guy vacations in Hawaii after his girlfriend breaks up with him, only to be shacked up in the same hotel with her and her new douchebag boyfriend. Heartbroken and devastaed he lands in the arms of a native and finds himself...forgetting Sarah Marshall. A sweet, funny and slightly graphic comedy about a boy finding a new love.
#22 10 Things I Hate About You "...I don't care how dope his ride is!"
Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. And boom goes the dynamite.
#21 50 First Dates "Can I have one last first kiss?"
Henry is anti-commitment until he meets Lucy...the girl of his dreams. They seem to be getting off to a good start but Lucy has short-term memory loss and forgets him the next day. Henry has to prove himself over and over again every single day and he will-because he has found the one woman he is willing to do anything for. Adam Sandler was finally able to mix in just the right amount of humor with the perfect amount of practicality...and the outcome was a believable and loveable romance.
#20 No Strings Attached
#19 Reality Bites Welcome to the winter of our discontent
Set in the 90's when a $400 pay check was "rollin in the doh" and greasy hair was acceptable, Reality Bites is an undenyable realistic take on falling in love. I see myself in the main character-I too find the right, somewhat safe, respectable guy but brush him to the side for the over-intellectually, slovenly jerk of a dude because he has sexy hair and dreamy eyes. I hate you Ethan Hawk! I really hate you...
#18 TheProposal
To the windows, to the walls...
Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock. Sounds like fun. Now add some Betty White and Mary Steenburgen and you have yourself one hell of a party! Personal assistant Andrew Paxton is forced into marrying his devil-woman boss so she wont be deported back to Canada. A shotgun wedding and a quickie divorce is what they are hoping for...but it looks like they can't help falling in love...with each other.
#17 Overboard "bub bub bu buub."
I have always loved this film-even when I was a kid and still to this very day...I find it enjoyable. An unkind, snobby, rich woman, Joanna, has fallen overboard her yacht and has temporary amnesia. A carpenter, who has been exposed to Joanna's cruelty, takes her in as his wife only to treat her as a housemaid.
#16 The Wedding Planner "You smell like red plums and grilled cheese sandwiches."
Mary Fiore is the wedding planner. She's ambitious, hard-working, extremely organized, and she knows exactly what to do and say to make any wedding a spectacular event. Bt when Mary falls (literally) for a handsome doctor her busy yet uncomplicated life is turned upside down - he's the groom in the biggest wedding of her career! Will she help him walk down the aisle with his internet tycoon girlfriend, or will Mary finally get to be the bride herself?
#13 Far and Away "I loved you. I loved you from the first time I saw you."
A young man (Cruise) leaves Ireland with his landlord's daughter (Kidman) after some trouble with her father, and they dream of owning land at the big giveaway in Oklahoma ca. 1893. When they get to the new land, they find jobs and begin saving money. The man becomes a local barehands boxer, and rides in glory until he is beaten, then his employers steal all the couple's money and they must fight off starvation in the winter, and try to keep their dream of owning land alive. Meanwhile, the woman's parents find out where she has gone and have come to America to find her and take her back. I don't care how much you hate Tom...you will end up loving Joseph!
#14 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days "Our love fern! You let it die!"
Benjamin Barry is an advertising executive and ladies' man who, to win a big campaign, bets that he can make a woman fall in love with him in 10 days. Andie Anderson covers the "How To" beat for "Composure" magazine and is assigned to write an article on "How to Lose a Guy in 10 days." They meet in a bar shortly after the bet is made...hilarious, fun, sweet.
#13 Sense and Sensibility "My heart is, and always will be, yours."
When Mr. Dashwood dies, he must leave the bulk of his estate to the son by his first marriage, which leaves his second wife and three daughters (Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret) in straitened circumstances. They are taken in by a kindly cousin, but their lack of fortune affects the marriageability of both practical Elinor and romantic Marianne. When Elinor forms an attachment for the wealthy Edward Ferrars, his family disapproves and separates them. And though Mrs. Jennings tries to match the worthy (and rich) Colonel Brandon to her, Marianne finds the dashing and fiery Willoughby more to her taste. Both relationships are sorely tried. But this is a romance, and through the hardships and heartbreak, true love and a happy ending will find their way for both the sister who is all sense and the one who is all sensibility.
#12 A Walk to Remember
"You have to promise you won't fall in love with me."
The story of two North Carolina teens, Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan, who are thrown together after Landon gets into trouble and is made to do community service. Yes, the acting is terrible the entire first half of the film (thank you teen actors) and there are some "hip" lines of the late 90's that you would never hear today. But the film turns out to be one of the most heart-felt romantic dramas that I have ever seen. The soundtrack is also one of my favorites.
#11 The Wedding Singer "Sounds like a country song."
Robbie, the singer and Julia, the waitress are both engaged to be married but to the wrong people. Fortune intervenes to help them discover each other. This film has one of my most favorite endings, one of the sweetest songs ever written and it still makes me laugh!
#10 Beauty and the Beast "At-at least... I got to see you... one last time."
Belle, whose father is imprisoned by the Beast, offers herself instead and discovers her captor to be an enchanted prince. Above all others, this is the best Disney movie.
#9 Jerry McGuire "Show me the money!!!"
When a sports agent has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent with the only athlete who stays with him. It may seem like a sports movie (it is...) but on the other side you have Renee and Bonnie. This is an enjoyable film-romantic or not, for everyone to enjoy. Besides, "you had me at hello."
#8 Titanic "Draw me like one of your French girls wearing this. Wearing only this." Haha
A boy and a girl from differing social backgrounds meet during the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. We have about a month or so until the new 3D version of the film hits the theatres-or in my case, theatre-and I am stoked! I've seen the film a billion times but my gosh, but this is the way the film was intended-so you could feel like you are part of the action! I cannot wait!
#7 Pride and Prejudice
Mrs. Darcy. Mrs. Darcy. Mrs. Darcy. Mrs. Darcy.
A rich and arrogant man and a girl who could care less about marrying, find themselves falling in love with each other. But was he really ever an arrogant man? Perhaps just protecting his heart. And could she be in love with a man she said she would never marry? My sources say, yes! This film brings forth the best actors, the most real-like state of British regency and I dare say, the best declaration of love!
P.S. Check out the Colin Firth version or watch the "updated" version-see # 4
#6 The Notebook
"It still isn't over!"
Of course I had to have a sappy ol' love story on this list...so what better film than The Notebook? And oh that Ryan Gosling. No appeal what-so-ever in any other film...but slap a beard on him and I will fight to the death to make him mine! Also, best kiss scene-EVER.
#5 Dirty Dancing
"...most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you."
Not only is this a top 5 on everyone's list but my gosh have you heard the soundtrack?! It is awesome on every spectrum...storyline, music, actors and not to mention, dancing. No one puts Baby in the corner and Patrick Swayze made sure of it. Patrick was spectacular in Ghost, but Dirty Dancing shows his true potential in every way. He can move better than any guy I have ever seen, he has the singing voice of an angel (She's Like the Wind) and you can feel his energy when he spins Jennifer Grey around that dance floor. Superb. Awesome. Love it!
#4 Bridget Jones Diary "I choose Vodka. And Chaka Khan."
You may question why this film ranks so high on my list...but I have an explanation! A woman, who sees herself as an overweight lush who smokes a few too many cigarettes, has two men fighting for her attention. One man may be a complete tool but the other has that familar Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy sense about him...perhaps it's because this film is loosely based on Pride and Prejudice (and his last name is still Darcy). Can you imagine anyone else playing the part? Yeah, me either.
P.S. Are you sick of Hugh being a bad guy? Watch # 13. You will not regret it!
#3 Edward Scissorhands
Super white goth dude with hands made of scissors seeks hott cheerleader
Sounds pretty disturbing huh? But don't confuse this timeless, classic love story with the horror genre. Set to the beautiful/haunting music of Danny Elfman, this film is a borderline fairy tale with its dream-like scenes and extraordinary main character. I do declare that Johnny Depp had me at "don't go..."
#2 Ghost
"I love you Molly. I've always loved you." "Ditto."
Just the word ditto brings a tear to my eye. Ghost has been declared and filed under the romance genre but involves more drama, thriller and mystery-like qualities...it's clearly more than just some chick-flick romance. The main character is shot to death, two men's souls are literally dragged off to hell and Whoopi Goldberg is in the film! This is truly a beautiful, every genre included, film that is guaranteed to make someone-if not everyone-in the room cry.
#1 When Harry Met Sally "You see? That is just like you, Harry. You say things like that, and you make it impossible for me to hate you. AndI hate you Harry. I really hate you."
Harry and Sally meet when she gives him a ride to New York after they both graduate from the University of Chicago. The film jumps through their lives as they both search for love, but fail, bumping into each other time and time again. Finally a close friendship blooms between them, and they both like having a friend of the opposite sex. But then they are confronted with the problem: "Can a man and a woman be friends, without sex getting in the way?"
Around the World is an event held every year by the TKE fraternity. Each house chooses a Country of their choice and serves beverages (shots, beer, liquor) from said location. The house and host are also dressed according to the chosen location. The whole party travels from house to house, country after country, enjoying the "fruit of the land." Keeping that in mind...
We are moving into our new home next month, which is located in the same neighborhood as our 3 favorite couples: The Farmeritavilles, The Trinsons and The Terrances. We have decided to do an Around the World-suburb style-as soon as we move in. My husband was thinking UK-it's easy to do-or Germany-because we are both German. I was thinking the Scottish Highlands or more specifically...Hogwarts. I will do everything in my power to host anything having to do with HP but I think it is going to be tough convincing my husband. Perhaps we say Scotland and a wizard robe is placed here or there...and I happen to serve some of Fleur's Cream of Brie Soup served with a French Baguette or treacle tart as appetizers.
It does sound a bit like a Rubeus Hagrid right? Or how about this one:
Lord Voldemort Ingredients:
1 oz Tequila
1/3 oz Tabasco sauce
1 jalapeno pepper
Directions:
Muddle jalapeno pepper and Tabasco sauce.
Strain into shot glass.
Add tequila.
Garnish with thin slice of jalapeno.
Sounds painful! After the event, I will post pictures and update on how it went! Let me know if you have an suggestions or if you have played a part in Around the World.
