Comfort Movies

You've heard of comfort food. I was thinking about comfort movies recently. Have you ever watched a movie because you were having a bad day? What about when you were sick? (If you weren't sleeping?)



Mary Poppins is one of my comfort movies. Really - how can anyone, other than a complete cynic, or an inmate at Guantanamo Bay, keep from laughing during the scene at Uncle Albert's house? Or even hear the elder Mr. Dawes' voice without smiling? "A wooden leg named Smith!" It's like trying to keep a straight face while saying "You've got to put down the duckie" three times. But I digress...



Another Julie Andrews classic, The Sound of Music, is also one of my comfort movies. On bad days, it feels just as nice as a flannel blanket on a cold winter's day. "When the dog bites/when the bee stings/when I'm feeling sad/I simply remember my favorite things/And then I don't feel so bad!"



Hoosiers is another comfort movie. When I was a kid, the opening scenes of Gene Hackman driving through rural Indiana made me think of southern Illinois where my grandma lived. It's just a good story.



Some Disney movies are comforts as well. Although it depends on what kind of bad day/mood I'm in as to which one I end up watching.



Musicals like My Fair Lady and The Music Man are simply timeless and are good escape fare, with good music to boot. Clue is a comfort movie to me at times when I'm craving a good laugh.



The common thread in comfort movies (at least to me) is that when they're done, I feel better. Movies that are too cynical, or sarcastic (and most everyone who reads this blog knows how much I loathe sarcasm) or dark just won't do on bad days. That's why it's more difficult to think of films from recent times that satisfy that particular need. During the "Golden Age" of films, there was more of a balance between realistic/gritty films and upbeat ones. Life is gritty enough. Sometimes people just need an escape. The Matrix is an alternative world, but upbeat it ain't.


As for comfort food, the local grocery store was having a sale in their deli for fried chicken. Eight pieces for $4.99. Yep, I had a really nice dinner. :)

And no, I did NOT eat all eight pieces!

What are your comfort movies?