Love Actually
Most Christmastime romantic comedies are sappy, the kind of movies you watch with a pint of ice cream and not a man in sight. Love Actually has the marked distinction of being a chick flick that appeals to both genders. It's full of touching holiday-perfect moments—a young boy's crush singing "All I Want for Christmas Is You" certainly spreads cheer—but it also provides plenty of chuckles. While it's sweet, it's not saccharine, and it proves that romantic comedies don't have to follow a boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-wins-girl-back formula. The touching new classic is a mosaic of love stories in every form—familial, forbidden, brotherly and true—and is the perfect seasonal reminder that, as the adorable Hugh Grant tells us, "Love actually is all around."
