Steven Hoang, Staff

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. As of right now, you are probably thinking about things like what to give your significant other, writing a fan-fic about your crush to feed your inner delusions or thinking about a rom-com to snuggle up to. With that being said, if you are in the third category, here is a list of a few rom-coms to watch. Be prepared to grab a snack and a drink because you might add some of these films to your watch list. 

The Proposal (2009)

Book editor Margaret (Sandra Bullock) is at risk of deportation back to Canada. For protection, she fakes an engagement to her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds). Andrew agrees to go along with the plan, but has Margaret go along with him to visit his unconventional family in Alaska. Throughout the movie, their facade slowly turns to reality. The intentionally awkward comedy feels very authentic and not forced, which I appreciated, and the chemistry between Bullock and Reynold helps to enhance the overall experience.

Mamma Mia! (2008)

What makes this movie stand out from the pack is its strong musical element. If you’re an ABBA fan, then get ready for a jam fest. The film focuses on Sophie, (Amanda Seyfried) a bride-to-be who secretly invites three men (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård) from her mother’s (Meryl Streep) past in hopes of meeting her biological father. The movie in itself is quite vibrant and the Greek setting helps to convey that. To me, it brings in a summer-like element to help cope with the chilly temperatures that are going on right now. 

10 Things I Hate About You (1999) 

Taking place within a high school setting and based on William Shakespeare’s comedy “The Taming of the Shrew,” it centers around Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a new student, who is infatuated with a girl named Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). Cameron’s father has a very strict rule on dating in which Bianca can start dating once her antisocial sister, Kat (Julia Stiles), gets a boyfriend. Attempts are then made to set up Kat with a “bad boy” named Patrick (Heath Ledger). Overall, the movie does a great job of doing a modern take on Shakespeare’s comedy and has a great combination of comedy and emotional storytelling. 

The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) 

This film focuses on a guy named Andy (Steve Carrell), a virgin who works at an electronics store. His co-workers (Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, and Seth Rogen) are determined to help him lose his virginity. However, Andy struggles with awkwardness when dealing with female customers. At some point, he comes across a local shop owner named Trish (Catherine Keener) and a romance slowly begins to blossom. The film is a lot more on the raunchy and vulgar side compared to the other rom-coms on this list, but nonetheless it is enjoyable underneath all of that. 

Amélie (2001)

Nominated for five Academy Awards, this French rom-com focuses on an introverted and shy waitress (Audrey Tatou) who hopes to better the lives of those around her, while trying to deal with her own respective isolation. The thought of love is not her primary goal, however, this changes when she meets a man named Nino (Mathieu Kassovitz). Though this movie wouldn’t necessarily fit within the traditional rom-com genre, it does have some qualities that are reminiscent of it. Overall, the film is very wholesome and whimsical. The music is also really enjoyable. I highly recommend this film. To me, it is one of the hidden gems of rom-coms.