Back to university is upon us! Time to cozy up in a weighted blanket after a day of lectures and watch some classic romantic comedies that bring out your inner ‘delulu’. From the initial meet-cute to the heart-stopping, jaw-dropping last kiss that has us giggling. These rom coms are classics for a reason. So, grab your favourite mugs and curl up while we list our choice of the top five timeless romantic comedies.
1) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003):
“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” follows leading protagonists Andie Anderson and Benjamin Barry. The film follows magazine writer Anderson aspiring to be a serious writer and Barry an advertising sports executive who is a part of a diamond campaign. Their paths cross at a gala where Anderson bets she can lose a guy in ten days for her next writing column “How to Lose a Guy in 10 days”’. Barry’s campaign to oversee the diamond ad leads him to make a deal with his boss that he could make anyone fall in love with him in ten days. However, a series of hilarious mishaps leads to unexpected feelings.
Twenty years later the film’s cinematography shots of New York, Andie’s iconic outfits, the great 2000s soundtrack, and the most popular on-screen kisses make it the ultimate rom com classic. It’s a must watch!!
2) 10 things I hate about you (1999)
Cameron James, a new student at Padua High School, falls in love with Bianca at first sight. However, before he can ask Bianca on a date, her older feminist sister Kate who has no interest in boys must begin dating before her due to their Dads rules. Enter bad boy Patrick who agrees to date Kat for a bet. Watch as two seemingly opposite teenagers fall in and out of love and come to accept one another in this hilarious and adorable rom com! This one is for the enemies-to-lovers girlies. It might be one of the more cliché films on this list with its big musical ‘promposal’ that captured our hearts. It’s fun to at least believe for an hour and a half about the possibility that high school romances like these really do exist.
3) She All That (1999)
In an opposite-attractive plot, Zack Siler wagers with his friends to transform the socially awkward Laney into their high school’s prom queen. The film follows what happens when he succeeds in making the once-geeky girl the most popular student in the school.
Even though this movie is a snapshot of teen culture from the 1990s, its famous transformation storyline still hits all the right notes. The cliché that “she was beautiful without her glasses” may be our least favourite part of the film, but it’s still charming. It’s the kind of movie where you can suspend disbelief and enjoy the romantic fantasy of a high school prom, complete with unforgettable prom dance-off scenes, red cup house parties, and art projects covered in paint.
4) To all the boys I’ve loved before (2018)
Careful, introverted sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Covey writes secret letters over the years to her five crushes that she never intended to send. However, the letters arrive to each one of her crush’s years later and she thinks it’s going to destroy her life.
One person in particular, the school’s heartthrob Peter comes back into her life disrupting her formerly peaceful and uneventful life when they begin to ‘fake date’. Do you like over-the-top cliches and cheesy plots that will leave you with a sweet tooth rotting feeling? Why not watch “To All the Boys I Have Loved Before” which will leave you feeling a warm giddiness inside.
5) Bottoms (2023)
Best friends PJ and Josie start a high school fight club to hook up with their cheerleader crushes, but before PJ can kiss Isabel, she needs to expose her football star boyfriend Jeff.
It’s filled with hilarious twists and turns as the girl’s schemes are exposed and they all must band together before disaster strikes at the big football match.
Not all rom coms have to be boy meets girl. Bottoms notably goes beyond the typical rom-com constraints by following a queer romance with a fresh and hilarious twist. This film also gets bonus points for the cast’s amazing wardrobe. It’s a refreshing take on the genre that still delivers the heart, humour, and chaos we love about rom coms.
So, what are you waiting for? Watch our top five romantic comedy films to help pass the stressful time of university and romanticise your life. Why not let your inner ‘delulu’ come out?