The Wonderful World of Minotaur

I am not a movie person; I’m one of those people that would rather read the book than watch the film. On the rare occasion that I watch a film, it can take me more than a day to get through it. But one genre I will always be sat for is a romcom. 

Romantic comedies, colloquially referred to as romcoms, are a subgenre of romantic and comedy fiction. As a hopeless romantic, the fairytale endings in romcoms help to feed my delusions of true love. The comedy is also a huge bonus since I love a good laugh. 

It would be very hard for me to pick my favourite romcoms of all time. So here is a random list of some of my favourites:

13 Going on 30 

This movie fuelled my excitement about turning 30. In this 2004 classic, Jenna Rink is tired of her adolescent years. After an embarrassing 13th birthday celebration, she wishes to more than double her age. When her wish is granted, she is left to use her 13 year old brain to figure out life as a 30 year old woman. So she enlists the help of her childhood best friend. 

Trope: Friends to lovers 

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days 

Another early 2000s classic, this film follows a journalist and an advertising executive who make bets with their colleagues that bring them together. While Andie’s instructed to date and lose a guy in 10 days for a magazine article, Ben is instructed to make any woman fall in love with him. The allure of this movie for me is in the glimpses we see of them beginning to genuinely fall for each other. 

Trope: Fake relationship / Enemies to lovers 

The Holiday 

This one’s more of a Christmas movie but it’s still a romcom – a holiday romcom. Two heartbroken women decide to switch places. Amanda, a big-time movie exec from LA, and Iris, a journalist from London, find each other on a home swap website and decide to travel far away to nurse their broken hearts. Of course, they happen to find love on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. This film convinced me that the cure for heartbreak is to book a trip (I mean, was I wrong?). 

Trope: Holiday romance 

Just Wright 

One of my absolute favourite films of all time, Queen Latifah and Common captivated me in this basketball romcom. Queen Latifah is Leslie Wright, a physical therapist and die-hard basketball fan that is unlucky in love. When she meets her star basketball player, Scott McKnight, it doesn’t start off as a romantic love. The initial spark is extinguished by her godsister Morgan. But when tragedy occurs and Morgan disappears, Scott and Leslie are able to slowly fall in love with each other. 

Trope: Friends to lovers / Work romance 

About Last Night 

This romcom was conveniently released on Valentines Day 2014. Starring Kevin Hart (as Bernie) and Regina Hall (as Joan), you already know this movie will be hilarious. But the main characters are Danny (Michael Ealy) and Debbie (Joy Bryant). Danny and Debbie meet on a double date with Bernie and Joan. The film takes us on a journey of their relationship. When they break up after many arguments, it seems like all hope is lost. But the end isn’t always the end. 

Trope: Second chance 

Always Be My Maybe 

The most recent film on this list, the 2019 Netflix original had me in a chokehold for months following its release. Between the obvious and corny friends-to-lovers trope and the movie name being a play on one of my favourite Mariah Carey songs, I was absolutely obsessed with this film. Sasha and Marcus grow up living next door to each other. They experience life’s tragedies together before being pulled apart by… well, life. But in the end, as it sometimes does, it all works out. 

Trope: Friends to lovers 

What do you think of my list? What are some of your favourite romcoms?