Of course, I am not asking you to eat ice-cream on what is already a windy, rainy and hence, cold day. (I would not stop you from doing that either!). It is a metaphor. Some days can get pretty rough. That’s just life. But even though the celluloid has been a hit and miss in its representation of human emotions, it does offer us a few treats. These treats are the feel-good movies you can watch when you are feeling especially low.
The ones I have chosen also happen to possess an evergreen aesthetic to them: the plot may be very weirdly specific, you may not ‘relate’ to any character specifically, but you sure will love the lasting feeling they leave you with. So, while distraction is not necessarily the best coping mechanism to deal with life’s problems, whatever gets you through the day is acceptable!
Without further ado and with a mush alert, here we go:
1. Bridget Jones’s Diary
This list is bound to have a lot of romantic comedy by virtue of it being light on the heart, so this classic is a good way to begin. Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant are charming on screen which means the movie is also easy not just on the heart but also on the eyes. And even though we’d all love to watch it with the same innocence as we used to, it would be especially interesting to see how we react to it in a post #MeToo era.
2. Anything starring Julia Roberts
I say this with utmost awe that Roberts brings an aesthetic to any movie she is a part of. Her aesthetic is synonymous with a heart balm you need on the rough days. Movies like Pretty Woman, Notting Hill, My Best Friend’s Wedding, among others are memorable for more than one reason. They’ve delivered some of the most iconic dialogues in the history of romantic cinema, and some of the most memorable characters were brought to life.
3. Dirty Dancing
Jessica Day (aka Zooey Deschanel) isn’t the only one watching Dirty Dancing on loop after a heartbreak. Baby and Johnny will always be an iconic couple and their dance and chemistry is enviable. But for me, watching a classic that doesn’t make me cringe, and reminds me of Bollywood deserves to be on this list.
4. Up
The reason Up has been listed here is not because there had to be at least one animated flick here. It is because this is probably a 10x more heart-warming story than most stories with actual humans will ever be. Pixar gets it: life is chaotic and there’s only so much you can control.
5. The Pursuit of Happyness
This is usually my father’s day staple watch, because I clearly remember my own father asking me why they have spelt happiness incorrectly. This movie tears me apart, and I have no shame in admitting that I am often a sobbing mess at the end of these two and a half hours. I think the reason I recommend this movie is so you can direct the emotional avalanche and blame it on the movie and the father and his son.
6. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
This is the latest addition to this list, because Netflix gets all Pinterest-y and has created a ‘gram-worthy movie. Noah Centineo and Lana Condor are absolutely adorable and convincing in their roles, and so are the supporting characters. As a steady consumer of Netflix, you can tell it is impossible to actually ignore this movie. It tickles at your heart, and leaves you with a happy feeling, so definitely recommended to watch on a bad day.
7. Matilda
Based off Roald Dahl’s book of the same name, this is reminiscent of childhood and all the cheerful things it entails. Even when it is not a perfect one, that time of our life is certainly a tale to tell. You would love watching this even more if you are a nerd. Being able to relate to matilda helps, but even without it, it is hard not to be amused at the mischief spelled in the entire movie.
Bonus Recommendations
If you’re into musicals, and want to revisit the good old days, the depending on your age, High School Musical franchise or Mamma Mia would be a great watch too.
And, if rom-com as a genre appeals to you, and you love a happily-ever-after, When Harry Met Sally or 27 Dresses could be your pick.
If you like a little bit of music in the mix, then Begin Again will strike the right chords, and if food is more your palate, then Chef would do the trick (ALL PUNS INTENDED)