Cinema Snapshots: Romantic Comedies
From old Hollywood to a modern classic, these are some of my favorite Valentine's Day watches.
Welcome to this month’s Cinema Snapshots! Typically with Cinema Snapshots, I reflect on what I watched the prior month and provide a quick “snapshot” of my thoughts on those films. But this Valentine’s Day on Meet Me at the Movies, I talked about three of my favorite romantic comedies (though I stretched the definition of that genre a tad).
So without further ado, enjoy a few romantic comedy Cinema Snapshots.
Father of the Bride (1991)
George Banks is an ordinary, middle-class man whose 22 year-old daughter Annie has decided to marry a man from an upper-class family, but George can’t think of what life would be like without his daughter. His wife tries to make him happy for Annie, but when the wedding takes place at their home and a foreign wedding planner takes over the ceremony, he becomes slightly insane.
It’s hard to go wrong when your main cast in a film is Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Martin Short. Father of the Bride may not be considered a traditional romantic comedy, but I like the fact that it focuses on a different aspect of romantic relationships: the dynamics with your family after falling in love. In this film, romance takes a backseat so the story can focus on the titular “father of the bride” (Steve Martin) in one of his most heartfelt and hilarious roles. It’s full of over-the-top hijinks and comedic situations, but it’s never fully unrealistic; in a strange way, one can imagine any of these sequences happening in real life. That’s the real magic of the film: it’s rooted in real relationships, real feelings, and then taken to their logical extremes.
★★★★☆
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
It’s the battle of wills, as Andie needs to prove she can dump a guy in 10 days, whereas Ben needs to prove he can win a girl in 10 days. Now, the clock is ticking—and the wildly entertaining comedy smash is off and running in this irresistible tale of sex, lies and outrageous romantic fireworks!
Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey star in one of my favorite rom coms, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. It’s fairly unique (or at least it was at the time), with Kate Hudson playing a magazine writer, working on an article about “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” She plans to do every imaginable terrible thing that a girlfriend could ever do to drive a guy away in an attempt to help girls learn the mistakes they make. Little does she know, her chosen “bait,” Matthew McConaughey, is on a mission to prove he can make any girl fall in love with him in ten days. Hudson is doing absolutely anything she can to make his life miserable, and McConaughey is doing everything he can just to be the best boyfriend he can be, making for some hilarious moments. The two have incredible chemistry together, simultaneously at odds with each other but also slowly falling for one another. Check this one out; it’s a classic for a reason!
★★★★☆
Singin’ in the Rain
In 1927 Hollywood, a silent film star falls for a chorus girl just as he and his paranoid screen partner struggle to make the difficult transition to talking pictures.
The 1952 musical film is another unusual pick, not commonly selected as a famous rom com. But to me, this is a classic in terms of romance, comedy and musicals. It’s almost seventy years old now, and yet there remain countless memorable moments. You can still sing a few songs from the film (especially the titular “Singin’ in the Rain”) and almost everybody immediately recognizes it. It’s directed by and starring Gene Kelly, who has remarkable chemistry with co-star Debbie Reynolds as they slowly fall in love. But just as fascinating is the behind the scenes drama, such as Kelly running a 103-degree fever when they were filming the “Singin’ in the Rain” musical sequence. Going back and watching that scene with the production details in mind makes it all the more impressive to see how it all came together to form one of the most iconic musical films – and rom coms – of all time.
★★★★★
What are some of your favorite romantic comedies? Comment below, and watch the full episode of Meet Me at the Movies for more of our selections.