The Best Rom-Coms to Watch as we Approach the Cozy Season
design: Miranda Fournier
Everyone knows that falling in love is best for the last three months of the year.
by RHYLEE HUDSON ★ JANUARY 17, 2024
It's time. The best time of the year, arguably. Not necessarily a holiday to all, but to the girls that get it, it is the perfect time to sit down and watch a rom-com. And which are best for when it begins to get cold outside? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
13 Going On 30 (Amazon Prime & Max)
Jenna Rink hates being in middle school; her crush doesn’t like her, she is not friends with the “popular” girls, and her parents do not understand her. After reading an article from her favorite magazine, she realizes that her life is not what she wants it to be. So she makes a wish on her 13th birthday that she was 30, the “perfect age” in her eyes. She wakes up and realizes her wish has come true! She has a hot boyfriend and her dream job, but she is missing one thing: her best friend Matt. Matt and Jenna are extremely close, but since she chose a different path, their adult selves are no longer friends. Jenna has to go through the trials and tribulations of being an adult—her awesome but hard job, fake friends, and finding her childhood bestie—as the movie shows us all. Not to mention that Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo both star in this, so that means you are legally obligated to watch it.
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (Paramount+, Youtube, Amazon Prime, Pluto TV)
Andi Anderson, the best advice columnist at a magazine, is stuck with another article about how-to's; this one being how to lose a guy. For years, she has been trying to get into more serious journalism, and her editor gives her one shot: if she can nail this article, she can write about whatever she wants. She finds a male subject, Ben, but little does she know that he is also plotting on her. Benjamin Barry is a top-notch advertising executive, and because of the constant competition in his industry he really wants to work with a luxury jewelry brand. Due to the fact that he is not the only person that wants this job, his boss tells him that if he can make a woman fall in love with him the account is his. Andi and Ben do not know what the other is planning, but as they both progress with their schemes, they start to want more than just a headline and a sales slogan; they want love. Matthew McCongahay and Kate Hudson make a great duo, and possibly even a real couple, in this film directed by Donald Petrie. Plus, this is a fake dating trope that is loved by all (and hopefully you, too).
She’s The Man (Pluto TV, Roku Channel, Amazon Prime & Paramount+)
Amanda Bynes plays a character fighting to save her school's soccer team. But when her efforts don’t work and the team is disbanded, she is left with no choice but to go to an all-boys school and play on their soccer team. Tampons up noses, Channing Tatum, and a witty stylist—what more could you ask for? It could be argued that this is more of a coming-of-age film but, in my opinion, the romance in this movie is what makes it one of my favorites. If you want a good laugh this is the best choice, considering it has some of the best one-liners in cinematic history. This movie is also about Amanda Bynes, and as we all know, she is one of the original stars of our childhoods.
The Proposal (Hulu, Amazon Prime, & Youtube)
Eeek! Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds starring in a rom-com with a fake dating trope is something that no one could’ve ever predicted. Bad-ass CEO Margaret has to pretend to be engaged to her helpless assistant Andrew in order to stay in the U.S.— which in theory sounds like a problematic plot, but it is executed so perfectly. Assistant lives in Alaska? WTF. Now you have to meet his entire family? Absolutely not. But you end up falling in love over an extremely short period of time? Sign us up!
Happiest Season (Hulu)
Any movie that includes Ms. Kristen Stewart is a must-watch for me. Harper and Abby have been dating for some time, and Harper will soon be introducing Abby to her parents as her girlfriend–or so Abby thought. It’s an all-too-real depiction of being the perfect daughter but never being able to satisfy your parents; which is oh so relatable for the audience. We are taken through the holiday season where everyone is on edge, and it ends with a massive plot twist that (spoiler) no one was really hoping for. If you are looking for a funny, relatable, and heart-wrenching film for the holidays, this is your best bet!
So in the last few months of 2023–between studying for finals, family visits and the holidays–if you decide to take a brain break and watch a movie, we hope you pick from this list of staples.