Rom/Com Review

Happy Christmas (as they would say in the UK)! Ale and Anneka take on their second holiday rom-com with an absolute classic: Love Actually (2003, starring way too many people but IMDB has Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon listed as the top stars). While they both love this movie for different reasons, they also tackle what hasn't aged well, which turns out to be a larger category than anticipated. Hopefully this gets you in the holiday mood!

We're back!! After a spontaneous two month break, Ale and Anneka are back with their witty remarks and clever commentary on the movies you love most.What did the two think of The Wedding Singer (1998, starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler) - a new movie for them both! Listen in to hear :)

Ale and Anneka had both seen Crazy Rich Asians (2018, starring Constance Wu and Henry Golding) once before but were excited to dive back in for this review! This book-turned-rom-com is packed with so many of their favorite rom-com tropes, but does the plot deter them from giving it the high rating we'd expect? 

*Ale and Anneka choice* While this was a challenging movie to give a rating to, we both enjoyed watching, rewatching, and reviewing this classic early 2000s rom-com. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003, starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey) charmed us, made us question a lot of underlying morals, made us giggle, and, as always, gave us that NYC high.

*Anneka's choice* Why would we choose My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002, starring Nia Vardalos and John Corbett) to review at this particular moment, you ask? Perhaps it's because we got engaged and are now preparing for our own cross-cultural celebration!! Ale had not seen this movie before but boy is he glad he has now as it quickly became one of his favorites. A true classic, we hope you enjoy our review of My Big Fat Greek Wedding as much as we love watching it.

*Combo choice* Ale and Anneka watched Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020, starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams) on Netflix last year and just loved it. Once again trying to push the boundaries of what's considered a "rom-com," the two dive into this song-filled film and explore what they love about the rom and com aspects of this movie.

*Ale and Anneka choice* You may not think Aladdin (1992, starring Scott Reigner, Robin Williams, and Linda Larkin) – or any Disney movie – would qualify as a rom-com, but it sure does! Romance? Check. Comedy? Check (thank you Genie!). We loved diving into this classic with a reviewer's perspective and were pleased to see how well it held up.

*Ale's choice* This one was a real Ale's choice, not a "saw-the-trailer-a-few months-ago-and-is-now-choosing-it-because-Anneka-feels-bad-that-she-chose-so-many-movies-in-a-row choice." Because he LOVES this movie, as does Anneka. Notting Hill (1999, starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts) is a true classic and checks off all our rom-com boxes. 

*Ale's Choice* We watched this movie last year right before we started the show, so we thought it was time to bring it into the fold. It's a cute, put-on-in-the-background kind of movie and we enjoyed re-watching it and reviewing it. If you're looking for something for a gloomy day, this could be a winner.

*Ale's Choice* We think Ale liked the Keanu Reeves part of this trailer which is why it ended up on his "To Watch" list, although sadly it's not likely to make his "Top 10." Nevertheless, Always Be My Maybe (2019, starring Ali Wong and Randall Park) is a fun Netflix movie that we recommend you check out. Then come listen to our thoughts on it in this episode :)

*Anneka's choice because Ale was making dinner and told her to pick a movie.* We are shocked that this is our first Julia Roberts movie but excited to be starting off with one of her best! My Best Friend's Wedding (1997, starring Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, and Cameron Diaz) is a classic rom-com, but will it hold up under Ale's critical eye?

*Anneka's Choice* How do we loathe thee? We can't count the ways because we mostly love this movie! Our first foray into the depths of an American high school goes better than anticipated with 10 Things I Hate About You (1999, starring Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles). Put on your Sketchers and grab your Prada backpack as we dive into this 90s classic.

A special post-Inauguration Day episode! While most may not think of The American President (1995, starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening) as a rom-com, Ale and Anneka were quick to realize that it absolutely qualifies! While Anneka was a bit harsh on certain aspects of the movie, they both loved the DC politics mashed together with the romance of it all.

*Ale's Choice* If you haven't seen Fools Rush In (1997, starring Salma Hayek and Matthew Perry), do yourself a favor and rent it ASAP. Ale and Anneka certainly think it's worth the money. While it has all the trappings of a typical rom/com, the Mexican/American culture clash sets this movie apart from others and especially spoke to our Mexican/American hosts.

It's the most wonderful time of the year and what better way to celebrate than by watching a classic holiday rom com? Ale and Anneka chose what has emerged as a Christmas favorite since its debut in 2006: The Holiday (starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet). It was Ale's first time seeing this movie, but it seems it will be an annual Christmastime "must watch" for him and Anneka going forward. Hope you enjoy and a Happy Holiday to all!

*Anneka's Choice* Ok, so maybe When In Rome (2010, starring Kristen Bell and Josh Duhmal) isn't the best rom com out there. But Anneka was captivated by the trailer and here we are.Unlike the traumatic Wedding Planner episode, Ale and Anneka are in general agreement about both the redeeming and not so redeeming qualities of this movie. When In Rome does spark an interesting conversation about rom coms vs. chick flicks - a convo that is sure to be continued in future episodes. Enjoy, or, "divertiti," as they would say for the full 10 minutes of this movie that is actually set in Rome.

*Ale's Choice!* Though apparently not a highly popular opinion, Ale and Anneka both really enjoy A Lot Like Love (2005, starring Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet). Though it certainly has some questions (how does she afford that apartment??), the soundtrack, sexy desert scene, and relatability of their lives all make this an above average film for these two reviewers.

The rom com Anneka loves most in the world: When Harry Met Sally (1989, starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal). Has she made life decisions based off of this movie? Yes. Has she incorporated many of Sally's mannerisms into her own repertoire of quirkiness? Yes. Can she recite this entire movie? Of course. The good news is, Ale loves it as well which makes her very happy. Join the two for a lengthy episode as they deep dive into the magic Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron created for them.

Ale's first ever solo pick is About Time (2013, starring Domnhall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams) – one of his, and Anneka's, favorites. But did it pass the "we're reviewing this for a podcast" test? Yes. It did. Or at least mostly.

It shouldn't have been a surprise to Anneka that The Wedding Planner (2001, starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey) would not be Ale's favorite movie, but the rating Ale gives this movie shocks her to her core. Find out what it was that made this movie slightly redeemable for Ale and why Anneka claims it as a nostalgic favorite.

Crazy, Stupid, Love was a movie both Ale and Anneka knew they loved before sitting down to review it. But did it stand up to their high standards this go round? Tune in to hear about how this movie played a pivotal role in his life when Ale was living in Mexico City and the important messages the two take out of the film.

Ale and Anneka actually recorded this episode as their second episode, so the format is old, but the content is new! 50 First Dates has so much charm, but both Ale and Anneka agree that they could do without certain aspects of the film. So what rating does that culminate to for each of them? Listen along to find out!

Hitch may have proven itself to be a little too predicable for Ale and Anneka, but they loved chatting about why this movie still brings them joy. Ale waxes poetic about Albert’s dancing skills and Anneka take befuddlement to a new level trying to grasp why Sara’s newspaper employer is so obsessed with Allegra Cole. Enjoy!

500 Days of Summer turns out to be the most controversial movie for Ale and Anneka yet as they work through the underlying themes of expectations vs. reality and whether Summer or Tom is to blame for the downfall of their relationship (and whether that matters at all). Here's the timeline we found: https://www.tingkagol.com/2014/04/500-days-of-summer-chronological.html

Ale LOVED Two Weeks Notice as much as Anneka was hoping he would. Join them as Anneka lists the million reasons why she can rewatch this movie anytime and Ale (per usual) explains how he sees himself in George and Lucy.

Ale and Anneka dissect their FIRST MOVIE together and they quickly realized they were going to have to watch most of these movies twice to really take them in. Both Ale and Anneka love Sleepless in Seattle (it was Ale's first time seeing it!) and the two spend a lot of time trying to dissect the underlying themes of fate vs. reality.

Welcome to Rom/Com Review with Ale and Anneka! This introduction gives you a brief overview of what it is we'll be talking about on Rom/Com Review with a little background on who we are and the categories that we've selected to help guide our conversations. Thanks for tuning in!