RHYS BOWEN: Having spent two week at home, feeling miserable with an unknown virus (not Covid or flu), I have found myself watching a lot of TV, or seeking out movies on my computer. One thing I found myself watching a lot was reality TV from England: Clarkson’s Farm, in which TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson starts farming and makes horrible and funny mistakes. I also watched the Victorian Farm, in which reenactors spend a year living as Victorian farmers. Why are these so fascinating to me? Perhaps I like learning new things, like how quickly barley sprouts after a rain storm. Perhaps I remind myself I’m glad I’m not a farmer. Or I like watching other people suffer.
The other things I watch are my comfort movies. I have a go-to list of movies for such occasions, and I’m quite happy to watch them over and over. They are:
Midnight in Paris
Mama Mia
Enchanted April
Roman Holiday
Letters to Juliet
Plus Pride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility
Persuasion.
I realize these are really me enjoying traveling to France and Italy vicariously when I’m sick in bed. But they are also warm and happy stories. Nothing stressful. Good people, satisfying endings.
So let’s have your lists. Do you have comfort movies that you rewatch?
JENN McKINLAY: When I was laid low with Covid I watched Rotten Tomatoes list of greatest romcom films. There were a few that did not age well but my go to feel better movie list is…
The Princess Bride
Romancing the Stone
Pride and Prejudice (Firth edition)
When Harry Met Sally
Field of Dreams
If it’s a long hauler illness and I want a series it’s
The Marvel movies – yes, all of them.
Lord of the Rings
Harry Potter Series
RHYS: Watching Colin Firth come out of that lake can cure all ills!
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: oh, great question! Lemme think. Movies I could always watch?
The Philadelphia Story
Working Girl
High Society
Adam’s Rib
The Godfather
French Kiss
The Thin Man
That’s Entertainment (good for short attention spans)
Oh, I know there are so many more, like A Few Good Men, and Suspicion, and Lawrence of Arabia. Cannot wait to see what else everyone picks!
HALLIE EPHRON: So interesting! I do have a few I can watch over and over again. As I look at the list I’m surprised by how many fall into the fantasy/scifi world.
THE FIFTH ELEMENT
MEN IN BLACK
Any of the Harry Potter movies
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO
THE PRINCESS BRIDE
SHREK
SINGING IN THE RAIN
BORN YESTERDAY or BELLS ARE RINGING (anything starring Judy Holliday)
SOME LIKE IT HOT
RHYS: How could I have forgotten the Princess Bride!
LUCY BURDETTE: I would add, MOONSTRUCK, THE GRADUATE, YOU’VE GOT MAIL, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, and of course, LOVE ACTUALLY.
If you’re in need of a long TV series, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS is a gem. I’m always begging people to try that one…
DEBORAH CROMBIE: Rhys, I'm watching Farm2 as well. Fascinating, although I can't blame the residents of Chipping-Whatever for being horrified by the whole endeavor.
I think most of my comfort movies are British, surprise, surprise, the outliers being MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, FIELD OF DREAMS, and if we're going full Kevin Costner, BULL DURHAM. Along with my chicken soup and hot tea, add THE HOLIDAY, FOUR WEDDINGS AND FUNERAL, NOTTING HILL, BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, and, of course, LOVE ACTUALLY. And I'd also watch all the Harry Potter films, straight through.
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Many of the ones already listed are ones I also love to re-watch. When it's chilly and gray, I particularly love to escape to the Mediterranean...
But my comfort watches are a genre no one else has shared yet: disaster movies! There's nothing like the end of the world to make me feel better about life. My faves:
THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW
SAN ANDREAS
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (I prefer the original, with it's amazing cast)
CONTAGION (Too soon?)
THE WAVE (an amazing Norwegian film)
and, as a double feature, DEEP IMPACT and ARMAGEDDON, which came out the same year, and are both about a killer asteroid hitting the earth.
Bonus Round: GOOD OMENS. I just rewatched it!
RHYS: I'm amazed how many we have in common, and how many movies from the other Reds I've said, Oh yes, of course, that one. Harry Potter I can watch over and over but it's not exactly calming or comfort. So now it's your turn: Name your comfort movies!
