The 1 Thing 5 Of Your Favorite Romantic Comedies Have In Common

Several months ago, I came across the Twitter profiles of screenwriters Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah and, after reading their bios, almost short-circuited out of excitement. My initial reaction was, “Oh, okay, so they have basically written everything I’ve ever cared about,” which was quickly followed by me spiraling down a Kirsten and Karen Google search wormhole. Not only have they written several movies that are near and dear to our hearts, but they’ve also penned three novels between the two of them (all of which I purchased during my aforementioned Google search spiral, obviously).

As an aspiring female writer, I admire their ability to write incredibly fun movies with kick ass leading ladies and just want to have all of the sleepovers with them, complete with making each other BFF charm bracelets. I imagine we would drink frozen margaritas and watch The First Wives Club and discuss which Sex & the City characters we are. I would say that I’m a “Big” and we would laugh and laugh because obviously I am a “Charlotte”.

These ladies have quietly been the queens of girl power for the past 15 years and I guarantee you’ve seen at least one, if not all, of the classics on this list:

1. 10 Things I Hate About You

10 Things I Hate About You was the first screenplay Kirsten and Karen ever sold. Kirsten was 27 at the time. I’m 27 now and sometimes feel incapable of writing even a birthday card, much less handing something in and it being 10 freaking Things I Hate About You. This is hands down one of the best teen movies ever made. I know you agree. We were all obsessed with how badass Kat Stratford was and don’t even get me started on Heath Ledger’s dance number on the bleachers. Or, you know what, DO get me started because it is my favorite thing to ever happen in a movie and I want to cry just thinking about it.

2. Legally Blonde

How could you not want to be best friends with the women who wrote this? In this adaptation of Amanda Brown’s novel of the same name, we meet Elle Woods, the lovable sorority girl who ventures off to Harvard Law School with the intention of winning back her douchebag ex-boyfriend. I cannot handle how much I love this movie and the fact that it gave us a leading lady who kills it at Harvard all while sporting a fresh set of nails and nice pair of Pradas (even if they were last season).

3. The House Bunny

I will bow down to this movie always and forever. Watching Anna Faris find her way from downtrodden former Playboy bunny to respected sorority house mother is never without laughs. Not to mention, this movie is where I first fell in love with Emma Stone, who is perfection in her role as nerdy, loveable Natalie.

4. Ella Enchanted

Picture Anne Hathaway and Hugh Dancy dancing and singing on a table in a room full of giants on their way to try and lift a fairy godmother spell gone wrong. Need I say more?

5. She’s The Man

This gem has Amanda Bynes pre-Twitter meltdown and Channing Tatum pre-Jonah Hill, what else do you even need? The montage of Tatum’s character Duke teaching Bynes’ character Viola (who is disguised as her brother Sebastian) how to play soccer is my favorite always. This movie is hilarious and I will never not quote it on a daily basis. Also, the image of Channing Tatum with a tampon up his nose will forever be burned in my memory.

Watch their movies. Read their books. Come to our sleepover.