Thursday, June 4, 2009

Best Romantic Comedies


Okay, I'll admit it: Despite my high cinematic standards, I enjoy accompanying my wife, my crush, to the occasional romantic comedy. In fact, when done right, I think a film like When Harry Met Sally can be a meaningful and lasting piece of art. Paste Magazine listed their picks for the 17 Best Romantic Comedies of This Decade. Paste can be pretty artsy, so you won't find a lot of what we'll call "Jennifer fare" (i.e. Garner, Aniston, Lopez, etc.). But some of their picks are pretty original; some are absurd. I'll list them here, and readers feel free to share what you think of their picks and/or share your picks for ALL-TIME BEST ROMANTIC COMEDIES.


17. Waitress (2007--Keri Russell; dir. Adrienne Shelly)

16. The Science of Sleep (2006--Charlotte Gainsbourg, Gael Garcia Bernal; dir. Michel Gondry)

15. Ghost Town (2008--Greg Kinnear, Tea Leoni, Ricky Gervais)

14. Bridget Jones's Diary (2001--Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth)

13. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005--Steve Carell, Katherine Keener, et al; dir. Judd Apatow)

12. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008--Scarlett Johannson, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem; dir. Woody Allen)

11. Lars & the Real Girl (2007--Ryan Gosling, a sex doll)

10. About a Boy (2002--Hugh Grant, Rachel Weisz)

9. Juno (2007--Ellen Page, Michael Cera)

8. Knocked Up (2007--Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, et al; dir. Apatow)

7. Sideways (2004--Paul Giamatti, Virginia Madsen, Thomas Haden Church)

6. Punch-Drunk Love (2002--Adam Sandler, Emily Watson; dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)

5. High Fidelity (2000--John Cusack, Iben Hjejle; dir. Stephen Frears)

4. Wall-E (2008--Disney/Pixar)

3. Amelie (2001--Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz; dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

2. Before Sunset (2004--Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy; dir. Richard Linklater)

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004--Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet; dir. Michel Gondry)



3 comments:

robert c. pelfrey said...

Well, if you scores of people who have read this don't want to post your faves, I'll go ahead. Here's my top three (two of which were already referenced in the post):

3. The Princess Bride (1987--Robin Wright, Cary Elwes; dir. Rob Reiner)

2. It Happened One Night (1934--Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert; dir. Frank Capra)

1. When Harry Met Sally (Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan; dir. Rob Reiner)

Hmm. Hadn't thought about the fact that Rob Reiner directed two of my top three. Interesting...or not.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, there were some odd ones on that list. But I'm glad Wall E made it and I'm gonna have to see that Richard Linklater one with Ethan Hawke.

I have to admit I still watch some of Sleepless in Seattle when it's on TV. Also from the last few years I really liked 50 First Dates.

Anonymous said...

Being a huge Hal Hartley fan, I loved Waitress, a fantastic piece of work by Adrienne Shelly who starred in Hartley's early films.
A fierce, beautiful and magically comedic actress and director --may she rest in peace.

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