"Love, Actually." "The Proposal." "Juno." We love them. We hate them. As girls, we love to hate romantic comedies. We love them when the guy is chasing the girls. We hate them when the lead couple isn’t together. We laugh, we cry, and (secretly) we all pretend that our lives will one day mirror our favorite rom-com.

Forget horror movies. Forget action/adventure. Forget even straight comedies. Here’s why romantic comedies are the only films you need in your life:

1. They make you believe in love — even if it’s just for a little while.
It’s impossible to watch two people fall in love and not get wrapped up in the magic of it all. Even the bitterest heart finds itself thawing when immersed in a good rom-com.

2. They make you laugh AND cry.
Crying is cathartic. Every girl needs to have a good cry every once in awhile. Crying during a rom-com not only does the trick, but it also keeps you from crying over your own drama. And rom-com are always there to pick you up after that cry by making you laugh with a witty one-liner.

3. They always have a happy ending.
And really, who doesn’t love a happy ending? There are few things more satisfying than knowing that all the loose ends of a story are tied up.

4. They bring you back.
Maybe you’ve never had a guy sweep you off your feet. Maybe you’ve never been in love. Nevertheless, watching a good rom-com will always bring you back to a happy memory — be it of a childhood friend, a longtime crush or that one moment that changed everything.

5. They set the bar HIGH.
Girls know that life isn’t a fairytale, and most of us gave gotten past the Prince Charming obsession. But after watching Andrew chase Margaret from Alaska to New York City to tell her that he loves her, we’re not exactly going to be satisfied with a relationship that doesn’t make our heart flutter.

6. They make you feel like anything is possible.
If the nerdy girl can catch the eye of the star quarterback, you can certainly snag that boy sitting next to you in chemistry. If love can cross the mile-high boundaries of high school cliques, you definitely stand a chance with your crush. Rom-coms make it look easy to swallow your pride, gather your courage, and tell someone how you feel.

When it comes down to it, other film genres just can’t compare. Why be scared when you can be inspired? Why watch cars crash and burn when you can see two people find happiness where they never expected it?

Face it: it’s time to push aside your other movies and pop a rom-com into the DVD player.

(In case you need it, here are a few recommendations.)