Happy Valentine’s Day! This year’s holiday obviously looks different to everyone compared to years prior. Last year, I was in Kansas City, Missouri for a volleyball tournament. This year, I’m spending it at home. It’s hard to comprehend everything that has happened in the past year (and I am sure that there will be long-lasting side effects of living through a pandemic). It’s harder still to be almost an entire year into this and see no end in sight. Therefore, I wanted to share the best romantic comedies to watch with friends or loved ones on Valentine’s Day to share some lightheartedness!
Leap Year
When yet another anniversary passes without a marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Anna (Amy Adams) decides to take action. Aware of a Celtic tradition that allows women to pop the question on Feb. 29, she plans to follow her lover to Dublin and ask him to marry her. Fate has other plans, however, and Anna winds up on the other side of the Emerald Isle with handsome, but surly, Declan — an Irishman who may just lead Anna down the road to true love.
10 Things I Hate About You
Adapted from William Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of the Shrew,” 10 Things I Hate About You starts off with Cameron, new student at Padua High, sitting in the office of the quirky guidance counselor Ms. Perky. He is then shown around the school by Michael, who will become his best friend. During his tour is when Cameron first sees Bianca Stratford, a beautiful sophomore with one problem: she isn’t allowed to date. And neither is her “shrew” sister, Katarina, a senior who loves indie rock and feminist prose and hates conformity. But Kat and Bianca’s father alters his house rule: now, Bianca can date… as long as Kat has a date, too. Now, in order for Cameron to date Bianca, he has to find someone to date Kat. So Michael helps him enlist the help of pretty-boy/jerk/model Joey Donner, tricking him into thinking that *he* will get to take Bianca out if he pays someone to take out Kat. His choice: Patrick Verona, a bad-boy with a mysterious reputation–some say he ate a live duck once!
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
An advice columnist, Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson), tries pushing the boundaries of what she can write about in her new piece about how to get a man to leave you in 10 days. Her editor, Lana (Bebe Neuwirth), loves it, and Andie goes off to find a man she can use for the experiment. Enter executive Ben Berry (Matthew McConaughey), who is so confident in his romantic prowess that he thinks he can make any woman fall in love with him in 10 days. When Andie and Ben meet, their plans backfire.
She’s the Man
Viola Johnson (Amanda Bynes) is in a real jam. Complications threaten her scheme to pose as her twin brother, Sebastian, and take his place at a new boarding school. She falls in love with her handsome roommate, Duke, who loves beautiful Olivia, who has fallen for Sebastian! As if that were not enough, Viola’s twin returns from London ahead of schedule but has no idea that his sister has already replaced him on campus.
These are my favourite romantic comedies! I love all of these movies dearly and think that they are perfect for this romantic holiday. Most are available on Netflix or HBO Max, but Amazon and iTunes would be able to rent these movies for sure. I hope that you have a fun and safe Valentine’s Day!
Lots of love,
Kaitlin
Kaitlin H Powell 