Confessions of a Closet RomCom Fan

I will admit this up front. I am a little bored. I am waiting on my boss for something and until I get it, I don't have a lot to do. So, here I am. The problem is, I don't have any real family news to blog about. Since New Years it has been the typical "kids are sick now I am sick...kids get well, why am I still sick...I am finally better, oh crap which child just coughed" routine that most of you are probably in as well. So, I have to share something else. Well, today I will share that although my all-time favorite movies fall into the action adventure genre, overall my favorite type of movie is probably the Romantic Comedy. The main reason for this is that I don't enjoy mindless violence action movies. I want there to be a good story where the action is just a component. The exception is of course James Bond, but that is more nostalgia than anything else. My all time favorite movies are: Indiana Jones 1-3, The Hunt For Red October, Maverick, The Dark Knight, Pirates 1 and only Pirates 1 and The Lord of The Rings movies. After that my favorite list is littered with Romantic Comedies. So I will share with you my top 6 favorite Romantic Comedies and from this man's perspective, why they are some of my favorite movies.



6. The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill But Came Down A Mountain - I know everyone knows this movie right? Ok, it actually is an early Hugh Grant movie and is an entirely British production. It is a true story about a village whose claim to fame is they have the first mountain in Wales. Only when two British surveyors during WWI come to measure the mountain, they are actually 16 feet short of the 1000 feet requirement. So the village decides to build their mountain 20 feet higher while sabotaging the English surveyors attempts to get out of town until they do. First of all, I believe that I have a man crush on Hugh Grant. I just love to watch him act. Second, I served my mission in England and Wales and the whole movie is very nostalgic for me. Finally, there is no cheesy Jerry MacGuire line, "You had me from Hello". I hate when the climax of a movie is based on lines no one in their right mind would actually say. If you have never heard of it, try to find it. Great Movie!

Best Scene: The shots of the entire village moving the earth from the valley up to the top. Why not just move some dirt from one part of the top of the mountain to the other? You have to watch the movie.



5. Runaway Bride - I admit, this movie is really hokey, but Julia Roberts pulls it off. This movie could have been awful except you really get drawn into the personal demons that drive this woman's behavior. Too much psychobabble for a silly movie? Probably, but this movie will come on TBS and I will get sucked in just about every time. Richard Gere? Eh. He doesn't move me much either way, but a town that reminds me of my own hometown growing up and a great performance by Julia Roberts gets this movie the nod.

Best Scene: When they have Richard Gere help her "practice" walking down the aisle and they end up making out right in front of her fiance. Priceless! Also, great ending credits when they show everyone in town getting the news that she actually finally got married.



4. Sabrina - Harrison Ford, the life of the obscenely wealthy and the fact that I saw this movie on my wedding day. I have watched it no less that 10 times and would watch it again in a heartbeat.

Best Scene: The climactic scene in Harrison Ford's office when he is blindsided by his brother and "forced" to go to Paris with Sabrina. Don't know why, just a cool scene.



3. Dan In Real Life - Not a widely seen movie, but I love it. Not many romantic comedies are told from the man's perspective and rarely is a guy more vulnerable than this poor dude. Maybe the reason why I connect with him so much is I have a huge fear of ever becoming a widower. Sleepless in Seattle is another good movie, but it feels more contrived. This movie to me feels a lot more real in its characters' reactions to things even though some of the scenarios are a little outrageous. Of course no one pulls off awkward moments like Steve Carell. A couple of other things, his family actually feels like it could be real family. They don't go overboard with quirky characters or "lovable weirdo" family members. They seem like real people who enjoy being together much like my own family. Also, a very clean movie. You don't get that much anymore.

Best Scene: (Spoiler Alert!) Call me a sucker, but when Steve Carell sings for the first time since his wife died and only he and the Juliette Binoche character know why, I get teary eyed. Shannon thinks I am weird, but in my mind, second best connection scene ever.



2. While You Were Sleeping - One of the weaknesses of a lot of romantic comedies is they focus on the romance or they focus on the comedy. This one pulls off a mixture of both really well. The story is great and I watched several Sandra Bullock movies that sucked simply because of how much I enjoyed her performance in this movie. Again, the vulnerability aspect comes in with her character which drives the whole movie. But they never forget to throw in the belly laughs. When the paper boy totally eats it while throwing a paper to meeting Ashley Bartlett-Bacon and finally when Joe Junior says, "It looks like he was leeeaaning."

Best Scene: When she asks Jack if there is any reason she shouldn't marry his brother and he says no. Very few scenes make you yell at your television "SAAAYYY IT! OH YOU IDIOT!" But that one does.



1. Notting Hill - For a guy who served his mission in England, has a man crush on Hugh Grant, thinks Julia Roberts can carry an otherwise silly movie and wants belly laughs mixed into his story, how could this not be number 1? Every person dreams of having the glamorous life touch theirs at some point. Admit it, you know you have. Also, the human connection you feel for both characters is just awesome. This movie has great quotes: "That's not yogurt, it's mayonaisse."; "So these carrots were...? Murdered, yes!"; "You are Horse and Hound's favorite actress...Well, you and Black Beauty...tied."; "James Bond never had to put up with this $@*%". Finally, this movie shows them getting married and starting a family. Something not seen near enough in movies.

Best Scene: A tie. I mentioned Dan In Real Life has the second best connection scene. This one has the first when they have their connection during the news conference at the end of the movie. But just as good as that is the part where they climb over the fence into the garden and open up to each other right as the song "When You Say Nothing At All" starts. That is one of my all time favorite songs and partly due to that scene.

Now before anyone questions my manliness...Oh well, go ahead and question it, but I told you, I am just a sucker for these movies. However, romantic comedies can go south pretty easy as well. I absolutely hate The Wedding Planner, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days and Kate and Leopold.

This has been a really long post and I still don't have the item from my boss.