Two Very Similar Movies

Scotty Corrigan buys an antique desk and finds a Civil War-era letter inside it, written by a woman who died over a hundred years ago. Fancifully, he writes and mails a reply...only to have it reach its destination in the past. As Elizabeth and Scotty continue their remarkable correspondence, they find themselves falling in love, and more than restless about their impending, respective, marriages. --The Love Letter

A lonely doctor (Sandra Bullock) who once occupied an unusual lakeside home begins exchanging love letters with its newest resident, a frustrated architect (Keanu Reeves). When they discover that they're actually living two years apart, they must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it's too late. --The Lake House

The two movies sound very similar; I saw 'The Love Letter' last summer and when I saw the preview with 'The Lake House' I couldn't help but be confused. Was it a remake? Nope, it has no movie connections. Strange is all I claim.