Do you feel it? No, I’m not talking about the force. I’m talking about the anxiety that is the in air. With the world still in a state of uncertainty at best and peril at worst, we are all feeling a bit on edge. Personally, I’ve never been as nervous and frazzled as I am now and I don’t think I’m alone in that. And if you’re feeling that same way, just know you aren’t alone either. Going to the movies has always been my mechanism to cope with life and I think a great comfort movie might be what we all need right now so the SiftSquad has assembled our favorite comfort movies for this week’s Best Ever Challenge. After watching an excellent comfort movie in Troop Zero last weekend, I definitely felt a bit better so crack the top off of one of these warm blanket films and settle in for some escapism.
*Boom, tap-tap, boom tap* That Thing You Do is so catchy just uttering that simple rhythm is enough to reinvigorate anyone who has seen this film and loved it. Tom Hank’s directorial debut centers around a small-town Pennsylvania band, “The Oneders,” as they are swept into stardom after striking a perfect chord and capturing the ears of America. The first time they hear their song on the radio is one of my all-time favorite moments in cinema. This film has everything you could ask for in a comfort film. Great music, a group of characters you just can’t help but love, and quotes that will stick with you forever. Throw on “That Thing You Do”, and put it on repeat, till the end of time. (IF you don’t have the time to watch the whole film, the entire soundtrack is also a great mood pick me up. (Evan Lucken)
When it comes to comfort, look no further than this ageless series of films. Based on the equally excellent book series by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter is one of those names that anyone would know, even if they don’t really know it. In times like these, you don’t get more escapist than the story told across these 8 films. Containing wonder comprised of magic, friendship, a good ol’fashioned villain and adventure, there’s enough here to allow anyone to forget about how bleak the real world can get sometimes. While the whole series tells the one story, there’s enough in each installment that popping any of them in will give you the full experience, and not leave you with the dry taste of dissatisfaction in your mouth. The world of witchcraft and wizardry is always there to welcome you home for those of us who are needing a little magic in our lives to escape the realities of outside. Harry, Ron and Hermione are the perfect people to go on an adventure on, if for nothing else that there is 24 hours of content in there to keep you occupied for a few days at least! Whether you’re jonesing for some mythical creature fantasy, some romance, some on-the-edge-of-your-seat action or just a satisfying tale, then Harry Potter is the one for you. So curl up with your favorite blanket as Hogwarts welcomes you home. (Alice-Ginevra Micheli)
During these trying times of isolation, movies can be such a great escape. You cannot go adventure on your own so you want to be able to adventure out into another world instead. But what are you seeking on your adventure? Comfort. These times are tough so you want a film to make you feel warmth and feel better about your situation. We want that warming charm and a sense of adventure. But what else do we need? We need laughs, thrills, lovable characters, relatable themes, and magic. But what we need most is true wuve. There can be only one film and that film is The Princess Bride. Rob Reiner’s fairy tale adventure is one of the most balanced films of all as it really has everything. But what we need most right now is the charming sense of wonder that will cover you like a comfy blanket that will keep you warm inside. The charming cast from the dashing leading man in Cary Elwes, the giant-sized helping of humor and warmth in Andre the Giant, the passion and drive of Mandy Patinkin, and the loving whit of the grandpa portrayed with great love and sass by Peter Falk. You will laugh at the wonderful rhyming and sassy humor. You will be thrilled by one of the greatest sword fights in all of film. You will get great catharsis as Inigo Montoya gets his revenge after many years. In the end, you won’t even mind that it is one of those kissing books! (Shane Conto)
I thought for a good while which movie I would pick. Surprise! I’m writing about a war movie. Even though JoJo Rabbit is pretty recent, I’ve probably had it on in my house about 6 times and I end up feeling great by the time the credits roll every time. JoJo Rabbit is the story of a young boy (Roman Griffin Davis) near the end of world war 2 who lives in Germany and he’s a huge fanboy of Adolf Hitler. So much of a fanboy that he actually has an imaginary version of him played by Taika Waititi. While one day home alone he discovers that his mother (Scarlett Johansson) has been secretly hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in the wall of their house to protect her. They slowly start to become friends during this time as the war moves on, and that’s where a lot of the feel good stuff comes from. A lot of my favorite stuff here has to do with these two kids, just both interacting with each other as they slowly learn more about themselves. They’re also the best actors in this movie and deserve so much credit just from their acting. Although this movie has its lows, the thought of having others during a rough time to lean on makes me feel so good by the end. Not only does this movie have a lot of heart, but also some great comedy that Directer Taika Waititi is known for in his films. With this movie, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and then you’ll smile. (Alex Henderson)
There’s something so warm and inviting about Greta Gerwig’s Little Women that I am compelled to include this on our list of comfort movies. When I sat down to watch this film back in January, I was honestly not all that excited about it. I had watched the original growing up several times and wasn’t the biggest fan of it then, but this movie was getting so much buzz and was directed by the woman who did one of my favorite coming-of-age films in Lady Bird that I had to check this out. I was blown away by just how incredible this movie was. It took a classic novel and added a modern spin on it while blustering incredible performances from the whole cast—Florence Pugh in particular. I find this movie comforting to watch now because it reminds me of growing up with my 3 older siblings and how much fun we used to have together. The theme of family is something that is near and dear to my heart, and in this dark time is something I feel we should all cling to. (Ben Davis)
There have been many movies that have brought me joy, but when I walked out of the theater after experiencing “Sing Street,” I couldn’t remember the last time a new movie had impacted me to this degree. The story takes place in 1980s Ireland, where a teenage boy forms a band with the hopes of impressing a girl. The performances are all terrific, but it’s Walsh-Peelo and Boynton who lift you up in the film’s celebration of artistic endeavors and breaking out to pursue your dreams. However, I also have to give mention to Jack Reynor’s emotional performance as Connor’s older brother, who encourages Connor to take the chances that he himself never could. Is the story a little formulaic? Yes, but the performances are so endearing, the narrative is so inspirational, and the original songs are some of the best that I’ve heard in a movie in a long time. You’re going to smile from start to finish so I might need to include a “your face will hurt from joy” warning. (Vincent Abbatecola)
I don’t think a movie has to be perfect to be comforting, just like I don’t think a meal has to be completely nutritious for it to be good for your soul. So I find it happenstance that the movie that comforts me the most is one that I do find borderline perfect: How to Train Your Dragon. A story about a boy and his dog, but in dragon form. Here is a boy who’s skinny, clumsy, a disaster walking, trying to live up to his father’s impossible stature. It’s basically my middle school and high school years all rolled up into one movie except, you know, with dragons. It’s one of the most visually spectacular things you can watch, the voice acting is top notch, the dragons are every bit as engaging as the humans are, and the music….my word, the music. The moment where Hiccup actually rides Toothless for the first time (backed by the brilliant song “Test Drive”) is pure joy. That song is literally one of a half dozen I use to test headphones and audio systems for quality. So stop reading this, go find that movie and watch it, because I’m going to do that as soon as I finish writing this!! (Donald Skidmore)
Sensitive Frank here and my comfort movie is The Back To The Future Trilogy. Now I know what you’re thinking, “Frank must be drunk, that’s three movies”. I am sober. To me the trilogy is always one. When I was a kid my dad had them pirated on one VHS (a home video format that pre-dated DVD), and there were no end credits until the end of the third movie. I would pop that VHS in and the next 6 hours would flew by. I find comfort in these movies because it’s well rounded to teach you about all aspects of life. 1 is about Love, 2 is about Loss, 3 is about your Future (and the Wild Wild West y’all.) No matter what is wrong, I can always go to this trilogy of movies, put them on and tune out what ails me. And yes, to this day I always watch all 3 back to back to back to the future. (Frank Kemp)
Growing up I was always a Star Wars guy, but a close second to my heart was The Lord of The Rings Trilogy. This trilogy is probably the greatest trilogy of all time (Star Wars doesn’t count, it’s a saga of films). It earned a grand total of 30 Academy Award nominations, and 17 of those were wins—including Best Picture for Return of The King. Growing up, I have fond memories of playing with all the action figures in my backyard and creating quests of my own for my favorite characters to overcome. Because of that, I always feel very comforted by binge watching these films. But the main reason I find comfort in watching these beautiful and groundbreaking films is the theme of friendship, loyalty, and people coming together at the end of the world to vanquish the darkness. In this very troubling time of uncertainty, I feel a binge watch of these films will inspire all of us to come together and rely on one another in this dark time. If you haven’t seen the extended editions, take this time to cross that off your bucket lists. (Ben Davis)
The iconic poster for the 1952 classic Singin’ in the Rain proclaims “What a glorious feeling!” It’s one of the most accurate tag lines for a film ever written—Singin’ is perhaps the most glorious cinematic experience ever committed to celluloid, so consistently joyous and merry it gives you a certain high while watching it. Some films filter life through the lens of rose-colored glasses—Singin’ in the Rain says “to hell with the glasses, we’re presenting it in spectacular technicolor!” Life is a fantasy where your issues are resolved with a toe-tapping music number and a good pal to banter with. Funny coincidence is favored over chance and a quick wisecrack will get you in and out trouble more than the law itself. It’s the life of your dreams, where the handsome star on the movie screen is suddenly sitting in your car, and the love of your life is professing their love to you against a backdrop of the infinite sky. There is conflict, of course, but with a song in their heart and a smile on their face, it’s nothing our heroes can’t handle. Singin’ in the Rain is the kind of chicken soup for the soul that lifts you up without any feeling of regret afterwards. It’s a three-course meal with dessert and served with a smile. Nothing could be better to cure those quarantine blues. (Devan Meyer)
Honorable Mentions
Morning Glory
When you need a comfort movie what do you look for? For me personally, I look for a feel good film with humor and some romance. Morning Glory gives you exactly that and more. Rachel McAdams plays a young television producer trying to turn around a struggling news station. Enter in Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton as the two anchors and the movie gets even better. This movie is a blast to watch and has one of my favorite performances in McAdams’ career. She seems to specialize in these types of movies and this one is no different. Harrison Ford is hilarious and gives this film an extra push. The script is witty and the plot flows wonderfully. All of these things make Morning Glory my favorite comfort movie. (Kaleb Wolters)
About a Boy
I’ve always been a fan of British films. It doesn’t matter what it is. With About A Boy, it was just a sweet film about a thirty-something-year-old man Will living his life lavishly and irresponsibly before a peculiar young boy Marcus comes into his world and flips it upside down. It’s one of those movies, where you can just sit down, under a heavy blanket with a good drink and just zone in. It’s very comforting and fun watching this coming of age story about a man and a boy having this father/son, brotherly bond all mixed up in one. Will shows Marcus how to be a cool kid, but Marcus shows Will how to grow up. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry, it’ll make you feel all the things. Also, the soundtrack is very catchy. I actually found it for my mom on a trip to Ameoba Hollywood a couple of years back. She’ll still break out once in a while. Either way, it’s a very good film, and you should at least watch it once in your life. (Chantal Ashford)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
In times of great uncertainty and not knowing when normalcy will return, a solid comfort film goes a long way. That movie for me is the 9th Entry in what now is dubbed The Infinity Saga, Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) directed by The Russo Brothers. Already being a huge Captain America Fan at the time, I was beyond ecstatic to see the film. When I hit the theaters to see this I was floored by how terrific this was and it shattered all my expectations. It contained action, tragedy, betrayal, friendship, conspiracy and heroics on a grand scale. I adore Captain America, The Star Spangled Man is great for the spectacle, but Steve Rogers is the true heart of the film. He is someone to aspire to and I think to myself, if I can be half the man Steve Rogers is, then I can hold my head high. Chris Evans up to this point had done an excellent job, but I think here is where he turned the corner into making the character iconic and he started to really garner everyone’s respect. His portrayal is so true to the character and it is as if he has leapt off the page. I can’t even help when reading comics not to read in Chris Evans voice. The film itself has a world that has been compromised and Steve doesn’t know who to trust or turn to. Steve being a man out of time has to fight with the world that once was and the world he now inhabits. His morals are put into constant question and deemed old fashioned in an ever changing world that is seldom cut and dry. This film grabs you from the get go with a running scene around the Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial that never ceases to get a chuckle out of me. Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Blackwidow provides her best performance of the character in my opinion. The banter shared between her and Steve give off a great younger sister, older brother vibe. You can tell that these two are friends off screen and have off the charts chemistry. The third act contains one of my favorite speeches from any film period. On top all of this Henry Jackman produces a powerhouse score that fuels every scene from the gentler more intimate sequences to the pulse pounding action scenes throughout the film. Not to mention the way that the Winter Soldier is handled. The film gives me the sense that it is okay to question what is going on around you and sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe is right. This film and the character of Steve Rogers will always provide me with a sense of comfort in times of uneasiness and uncertainty, no matter the time and place. (Joseph Vargas)
Blazing Saddles
Is this the perfect comfort movie? Yes! The zany and irreverent style of Mel Brooks seeps onto the screen in this love letter to western movies. The rapid fire nature of Brooks’ jokes make it so I have to pause the movie to catch my breath. By the time Gene Wilder’s character is introduced, we have already seen a complete transgression of the troupes and taboos, that his introduction only adds to the hilarity. This doesn’t even approach the all out meta ending. I wipe away tears every time. But we shouldn’t think of this as JUST an irreverent comedy. Brooks brilliantly skewers the idiocy of racism throughout making this a timely and heartfelt comedy that I will always love. (Dexter Hansen)
About Time
About Time isn’t necessarily my favorite movie, nor is it the movie I’ve seen the most (though it’s getting quite close). The Lord of the Rings trilogy takes the cake on both of those counts. Those movies are obviously incredible and huge parts of my life. But in terms of a movie that I can turn on at any time, that I can watch in one brisk sitting, and that will bring me comfort, the choice is definitely About Time. This movie is not only hilarious, brilliantly acted, fun, interesting, thought-provoking, emotional, and entertaining, it is also incredibly and deeply meaningful. Its first half sets itself up as a rom com with time travel, but it brings everything home as a lesson on valuing family, accepting what we can’t change, and cherishing every moment in our lives. Specifically, the father – son relationship is the actual meaningful heart of the movie from which everything else derives its meaning. I’ve recommended about a thousand movies to my own dad throughout my life, and About Time and Good Will Hunting are the only two which have actually connected deeply with him, and because of that, I love this movie that much more. The time travel definitely creates paradoxes in the timeline, but honestly, what time travel movie doesn’t? When the movie keeps your attention and sends such a simple yet powerful message, little inconsistencies that show up on repeat viewings don’t matter at all. The film goes through every stage of life and should have something for everyone. It certainly does for me. (Robert Bouffard)