In the midst of dark times, it can be best to reach towards items that bring you comfort. For me, that is escaping into certain enchanting worlds of cinema. And whether they be those within a fairy tale landscape or those that exist within the fantasy of a fluffy romance, there are a number of movies that help me escape the insanity of my daily life and bring a sense of peace to my chaotic noggin.
In this post, I wanted to give you some silly recommendations of movies that bring me a sense of comfort and may do the same for you. And though many of them match a similar aesthetic of whimsy and shimmering visuals, they all bring something unique to the media table. So here is a list of my personal (and very odd) assortment of comforting movies.
Pretty in Pink
I’ve already written about this teen classic before on here, but needless to say, Pretty in Pink still checks a majority of my comfort boxes. The visual aesthetic matches my own, there are memorable lines of dialog, emotional heart-tugging elements, along with an incredible soundtrack. And on top of that, there’s Duckie – the reason for my nickname. And though certain elements of the character haven’t aged as well as I would have liked them to, Jon Cryer’s performance is still a huge selling point. Overall, Pretty in Pink is a slice of dated nostalgia that never loses its comfy factor.
Bed of Roses
In the pantheon of romantic movies, Bed of Roses certainly is one of the flawed yet charming entries. The concept is a much more grounded one – working girl Lisa finds out that her adoptive father has died. Struck with an immense amount of grief, she stands at her window crying night after night. One day she receives a mysterious delivery of roses. But when she discovers who is behind the bouquet, her life takes a dramatically different (melodramatic, of course) turn. I adore this one in particular because my mom watched it regularly, and the very 90’s cover (plus Christian Slater in general, if we’re being honest) has always remained in my mind. It’s campy, earnest, and dated – but cozy nonetheless.
Purple Rain
The movie that inspired my love of all things purple, Prince’s Purple Rain is one of those movies that no matter what age I watched it in, it still blew me away. Is it perhaps the most detailed of stories? No. But is it an emotional rollercoaster? Absolutely. And of course, the music is every bit as incredible as the artist who made it. It’s melodramatic, theatrical, and incredible – just like Prince, from head to toe.
Beauty
Guess who loves watching questionable Lifetime movies? This girl! And since I also happen to be quite the Beauty and the Beast nerd, this one has always remained one of my cozy and really silly favorites. It tells a modern retelling of the classic fairy tale, but with added elements of mystery novels, a kid getting lost in the snow, along with a whole subplot about acromegaly. Does it sound needlessly melodramatic? Yes, but that’s the whole point – it’s a Lifetime movie!
Fried Green Tomatoes
Oh, look, another Mary Stuart Masterson movie! It’s hard not to put a ton of this cutie’s filmography one here. But when it comes to Mary’s movies, Fried Green Tomatoes will always remain my favorite. It’s the movie that taught me so much about being a woman in a multitude of ways. From the snappy dialog to the emotional struggles, these characters go through quite a bit and always manage to leave quite the impact on any viewer (including yours truly.)
That Thing You Do!
I’m clearly a kid of the ’90s, but I do have a soft spot for anything made at that time that was paying tribute to the ’50s and ’60s, which That Thing You Do is quite the example of. The movie tells the fictional tale of the rise and fame of The Wonders, a band trying to make a name for themselves amidst the advent of Rock n’ Roll. Its got great costumes, one-liners aplenty, and of course, Tom Hanks (who also directed the movie.) Plus, it has one of the best movie soundtracks of all time. Clearly, this flick has got a little something for everyone.
Black Panther
Sometimes Marvel movies bring you a lot of comfort, and that is certainly the case for my number one favorite entry in the MCU, Black Panther. Not only has T-Challa always been my favorite Marvel character since I was little, and his big-screen solo adaptation definitely brought all of the excitement and joy that his comic book tales did as well. Plus, the film is filled with extremely empowering female characters that never fail to be inspiring, regardless of when I’m watching it.
So those are some of my comforting picks, what are yours? Comment below and tell me some of your favorite comforting movies, regardless of how silly they might be. Because in these times we all need to find art that inspires us, even if it just leads to a much-needed smile.
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