Movie night go to picks for the hopeless romantics

Kerry Madden, Reporter

Valentine’s day may have come and go, but that doesn’t mean romantic movies are out of season. As a self proclaimed sap for romantic movies, I have collected a list of some of my favorites. Rom-com, period, classic, musical, you name it, I got it covered. Whether you find yourself with that special someone, a couple of friends, or by yourself and a steady arsenal of chocolate, if you want to watch a movie, you’ll be ready with top notch suggestions provided by yours truly.

In no particular order:

13 going on 30

One of the best rom-coms known to mankind. On her thirteenth birthday our protagonist wishes to escape the horrors that adolescence brings and to instead be thirty, flirty, and thriving. Surprise! She gets her wish and we get to watch as she maneuvers her thirty year old life with her thirteen year old mind, discovering the life she thought she wanted wasn’t all she thought it would be. This is a great watch for a girls night. It’s honest, cute and a great feel good movie.

Titanic

I’m sure you haven’t heard this one before. Yes, it made my list. Flashback to 1912; the luxurious ship of dreams embarks on its maiden voyage, among its passengers a young aristocrat, her fiance and a risk-taking wandering artist. A story about love that transcends all barriers of society and time plus characters that you can root for. I will defend that it’s a classic. Don’t think that you can avoid ever watching it because you already know how it ends, give it a go.

While you were Sleeping

Coincidence tangles a woman into a lie; that she’s engaged to an unconscious man. Nothing can go wrong! As the lie snowballs, our protagonist learns that what you think you want may not be what you really want and that doing the right thing isn’t always a clear decision. Comedic and endearing, this movie leans toward the more romantic side of the rom-com genre.

Moulin Rouge!

Quirky, intriguing, my most unconventional pick. Stumbling into the opulent and curious epicenter of 1899 parisian nightlife, the Moulin Rouge, a young optimistic poet finds himself in the midst of a dangerous love triangle. “Moulin Rouge” is a treat for the senses; visually colorful and energetic, a witty and weird story, and on top of that it’s a musical, recycling songs from familiar modern sources. A love story that has spunk.

10 things I hate about you

The normal cadence of high school drama easily adapts Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” into it’s hallways. In order to date the girl of his dreams, Bianca, Cameron has to get Bianca’s older and very independent sister, Kat, to date someone as well. Messy plans and plots raise the stakes of this rom-com. It’s tense, it’s fun, it draws you in. “10 Things I Hate About You” is a classic late 90’s must see rom-com.

Don’t get me wrong, just because a movie isn’t on this list that doesn’t necessarily mean that I don’t think it’s a good watch. I am also a fan of picks like “The Notebook” and “Pride and Prejudice”(if you’re into that check out “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” on YouTube, it’s an interesting modern adaptation of the classic Austen tale). A few movies I have yet to see but intend to are Richard Linklater’s “Before Sunrise” trilogy. Are you ready for a movie night now? With these suggestions, yes, yes you are. Now all you have to do is pick.