Classics to Cliche
The best films to make you laugh, ugly-cry, and get the warm fuzzies
As we grow older we start to long for an ending like in the movies. An ending where the main character drives away from their old life and looks in the rear view mirror to see an empty road with the sun setting, leaving a burst of various colors to spill all over the sky, feeling like somehow it is engulfing you. The credits roll and the music is some 90s song while the breeze combs through the character’s hair. The grass dances while the car speeds by. Everything’s perfect. That is the feeling that rom coms provide.
In every stage of a person’s life, there comes trials and tribulations. To ease the burdens of the day, a quick film to escape from reality is a perfect solution. With the switch of a remote, the audience member dives into each adventure with the characters. Riding a motorcycle with Matthew McConaughey or dancing in the stars with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, each film provides an escape with an embracing glow of warmth with each minute.
These decade old movies bring light to the darkest days with charm and laughter. The golden era of these films from the 19-
80s to 2000s was a surge of hundreds of romantic comedies everyone fell in love with.
Characters overcome a series of funny and adventurous obstacles that are thrown their way with proof that their love is worth fighting for, creating feel-good movies. To “When Harry met Sally” or “10 Things I Hate About You,” there is a rise of rom-coms that everybody loves, even decades later with this list:
“When Harry Met Sally” (1989)
The story follows the title characters from the time they meet in Chicago, share a drive to New York, and then 12 years of chance encounters that follow as the film contemplates whether a man and woman could ever really just be friends
“10 Things I Hate About You” (1999)
On the first day at his new school, Cameron instantly falls for Bianca, the gorgeous girl of his dreams, but she is forbidden from dating until her ill-tempered, completely un-datetable older sister Kat goes out, too. Kat Straford is smart and pretty with an abrasive attitude. Strings are pulled so that Kat starts to date a guy, but it is all a set up so Biance can go out. This film explores identity, relationships and a perfect coming of age movie.
“13 Going On 30” (2004)
Jenna Rink wishes she could just grow up after being humiliated at her 13th birthday party, only to wake up the following morning as a 30-year-old fashion magazine editor. Her childhood friend and the lesson of character over popularity becomes evident with each passing day.
“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” (2003)
This film centers around the cool girl that sparks chemistry with an undeniable attraction with a ladies man. Ben bet his friends that he can get a woman to fall in love with him in 10 days, but unbeknownst to him, the woman he is dating is actually a magazine columnist working on a new column called “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” and she is doing everything in her power she could to drive the guy she’s dating crazy.
“La La Land” (2016)
Starring Ryan Gosling as a struggling jazz pianist and Emma Stone as an aspiring actress, the two fall in love while pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles and throughout the film attempt to balance career success and accomplish lifelong dreams. Right person wrong time, heartbreak and navigating the right path with beautiful flourishes of music and color.
“Crazy Rich Asians” (2018)
The film follows a Chinese-American professor, Rachel, who travels to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick and is shocked to discover that Nick’s family is one of the richest families in Singapore. With extravagant parties and a peek into Nick’s secret life, love and family issues clash into a storm of questions for any future.
“She’s the Man” (2006)
The film centers on teenager Viola Hastings, who enters her brother’s new boarding school, Illyria Prep, in his place and pretends to be a boy in order to play on the boys’ soccer team.
“Notting Hill” (1999)
The film details a blooming romance between a British bookseller, portrayed by Hugh Grant, and a famous American actress, portrayed by Julia Roberts, who happens to walk into his shop in London’s Notting Hill district.
“Love, Rosie” (2014)
From the age of 5 Rosie Dunne and Alex Stewart have been best friends, as they take on life they just end up getting separated time and time again. Love, friendship and the conflicts of time, with the lesson that everything will work out how it should be.
“The Proposal” (2009)
A pushy boss forces her young assistant to marry her in order to keep her visa status in the U.S. and avoid deportation to Canada. As time goes on and time is being spent together, feelings are starting to get a little too real for a fake relationship.
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (2002)
Romance, comedy and culture shock along with the secret power of windex, this film contains an ode to Greek culture through Toula, a young greek-american woman, who falls in love with Ian, an American man. There are the challenges of cultural identity and accepting her heritage with each character holds immense personality and detail.
“Me Before You” (2016)
Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She becomes a caregiver for a rich man that cannot communicate his emotions with a tragic past. As days go on, love starts to sweep them together into a heart wrenching and beautiful story.
