I'm not an overtly loving person. I do love people, lots, but I have a hard time showing it in typical ways. I can be cold or harsh due to my matter-of-fact personality. I don't really enjoy dating or whatever this desperate-to-find-someone culture is, but every once in a while, I watch a movie, and a scene or phrase or something brilliant about it will make me think "wow, I want that."

I know it's not like the movies, especially for Christians. Have you ever seen a Christian dating movie? They're cheesy, and not in the cute way. It is possible that a level of idolization concerning the fiction is what's keeping me from the reality but that's not what this is about. This is strictly fiction, so let's get to them (in no particular order).

1. Sweet Home Alabama

The characters of Jake (Josh Lucas) and Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) really speak to me. I never dated in high school but I've always thought marrying your high school sweetheart was the cutest thing. There are two parts of this movie that I love and they couldn't be more different.

The first is Patrick Dempsey's character, Andrew, proposing to Melanie in Tiffany's. He proposed. In an empty, New York City Tiffany's. And told her to pick a ring. Talk about a dream! Even though she doesn't end up with him (oops, spoiler), he pulled out all the stops and ultimately follows her home in an attempt to ensure his future with her, because he loves the Melanie that he knows. All girls want to be chased and I think I speak for women across the country when I say, we are so up for a private Tiffany's proposal.

The second is more of a storyline. Jake never tells Melanie that he owns Deep South Glass, a company whose work she adores. The humility and resolve he exhibits when he easily could've thrown his success in the face of hers is amazing. He says that he wanted to make something of himself for her, and he did. Melanie chose the right guy to stay married to.

2. 10 Things I Hate About You

Starring one of my all-time-faves, Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona, this movie allows me to relate to the main character, Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles). Cameron's love for Bianca is cute and his willingness to do whatever it takes to date her is admirable, even if that means paying the scariest guy in school to take out her sister. But my favorite thing about this movie isn't them, it's Kat and all the things in her, that I see in me, that Patrick inevitably loves.

I struggle with guys liking me because I don't put on a fuzzy, warm, or welcoming exterior to lure them in. I'm me. 24/7/365. This is it, baby, and Kat is the same way. She doesn't change herself to appeal to the opposite sex nor shy away from anything that might attract their attention, like getting drunk at a party and dancing on a table to Biggie's Hypnotize (another favorite of mine). Her strong will and ferocity is what Patrick loves about her and it's possible that, one day, someone will love that about me (but God already does, so I'm not too worried).

3. Hitch

This masterpiece houses an amazing cast and should be considered a classic, must watch, rom-com. I'd like to take the script writers out to dinner because it's one of the best written movies I've ever seen—so many good lines.

When Hitch (Will Smith) and Sara (Eva Mendes) initially meet, Hitch plays it exactly right. He interrupts an awful guy trying entirely too hard to hit on her, and reads her perfectly, noting her under two-inch heals and reading glasses in the bar, sans book, as an attempt to deter men like himself. He sits and chats for but a moment and right as she settles into interest, he leaves. The waitress then brings her a drink "compliments of the man that just left." I'd think about that encounter for the next three months. Guys, take notes.

The ending, however, is simply the best. I wish I were talking about Hitch's profession of love to Sara but that just doesn't hit home for me. It's Allegra (Amber Valletta) standing on her yacht with Hitch as she describes all the amazing, quirky things Albert (Kevin James) did that made her fall in love with him. As his date doctor, Hitch told Albert to avoid such wild actions as dancing freely or using his inhaler, but he refuses to not be himself, and thank goodness for that. Allegra didn't think too much of herself and she went for it with true love, despite his quirks, and it paid dividends (that's a joke because she's famous and Albert is her accountant).

So, watch them.

These movies are extremely cute, fun and unique in their own way. I find rom-coms to be disgustingly forgettable, hence listing only three, but these have certainly left their mark on me. They truly stand up to the test of time and are basically perfect. I highly recommend giving them a good look.