I've been watching rom-coms my entire life. We all have. We know the couple will end up together but we relish the drama anyway, and while it seems like harmless fun, they've given us a terrible blueprint for how to date. I admit that I'm indoctrinated, but at least I've come to recognize it.

I'm not talking about the no-brainers. Everybody knows that you don't wake up one day and realize you love your best dude friend. I'm talking about the stuff that you may not even think you learned from Eternal Sunshine, but that you're secretly sabotaging your relationships because … Read More

Starring: Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Vince Vaughn

Directed by: Peter Billingsley

Official Site: Couples Retreat

The Plot: Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia's (Kristen Bell) marriage is at a turning point. They haven't been able to conceive, and time is running out. Taking their friends through a carefully constructed PowerPoint presentation detailing the five stages of grief and a hypothetical relationship Gantt chart, it is clear that the time has come to either poop or get off the pot (an image that recurs throughout the movie). The time is now to figure out whether or not they can make it as a couple, … Read More

Ah, date movies. Your chance to escape into a world where men are gallant, or at least endearingly flawed; where lovelorn boyfriends throw rocks at windows; where poor guys marry rich women; and couples kiss in fields of green grass without noticing the rain on their faces.

According to writer Keith Blanchard, date movies are "a little bit of pink syrup, a little bit of blue syrup; the spine of a love story and an evolving relationship for the ladies; some edgy jokes or a hot lingerie scene for the fellers." But, says Blanchard, guys never like them. "We go … Read More

Allow me to make three outrageous assumptions, so I don't have to keep saying "Of course, not all women…" and "That being said, some men…" and so forth. Here goes: 1) Women love romantic movies. 2) Men love action movies. 3) Men love women, and women, for some reason, love men.

I'm totally overgeneralizing and I know it. Somewhere, at this very moment, a heterosexual man is renting Beaches. But Guy Movies and Chick Flicks clearly appeal powerfully to their respective genders.

Hollywood's solution for the middle ground, the Date Movie, is supposed to appeal perfectly to both men and women. I'm … Read More

 Love Bytes: four must click sex, dating and relationship links.

Your man may say the meanest things sometimes, but don't worry, you're not alone. [The Frisky]

What do sex and playing video games have in common? [College Humor]

Tips on how to pick up a bartender. [Lemondrop]

Strutting down to a nearby bar, I perched myself on a vacant bar stool next to my friend and casually batted my eyes at the disheveled bartender. He abruptly asked what I wanted without even recognizing my delicate flirting.

Romantic comedies make finding love more difficult. [Limelife]

Look out Julia and Clive! There might be a new romantic comedy king and queen in town. Brad Pitt and Natalie Portman will team up as first-time co-stars in a forthcoming romantic comedy.

Variety reports that the two stars and their production companies have purchased the rights to Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion, and Jewelry, which is a mock auction catalogue offering the mementos from a couple's failed love affair. Lenore and Harold's artsy, culture-filled relationship is chronicled through the black … Read More

I took in the new flick Definitely, Maybe last Thursday. Not surprisingly, it was a popular place to be in Manhattan on Valentine's Day. Most of the prime-time showings were sold out (thankya now-concluded writer's strike). And judging by the fact that people were sitting on the floor (illegally) they probably could have added many more screens. The audience was a mix of girl-power trios and couples, as you might expect.

It's hard to classify this movie as a romantic comedy. Most of the comedic moments stemmed from Abigail Breslin's (Little Miss Sunshine) aw-shucks, kids-say-the-darnest-things lines. And Ryan Reynold's (who … Read More