Some days, the world feels like it is on fire. One look outside, a few clicks on social media—and then my soul feels overwhelmed. Sometimes, it’s impossible to bear or handle it all. Getting out of bed is cumbersome. Smiling, laughing, and having to go through the motions of normalcy are impossible.
As a child, I found films to be an escape. A place where I could be comforted, even for a moment. These are the films, characters, and worlds to whom I have found myself returning, time and time again, to find some hope or just a moment of happiness. I hope some of these films can bring the same to you:
The Farewell
Courtesy of A24
When I first saw Lulu Wang’s The Farewell, I was stunned. There was something so starkly genuine and familiar about it, yet I couldn’t quite put a finger on it. It wasn’t until I went back and watched it again (and again, and again) that its humanity and heart were uncovered for me. Wang’s writing and personal touch shines through in every detail and from each character. It compels you to care, and to love, in surprising ways.
Available on Prime Video.
Juno
Courtesy of Fox Searchlight
Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman have constructed a compelling cinematic universe in Juno. It is one of sisterhood, being a mother, and trying to refocus in a modern world that feels impossible to navigate sometimes. Juno is so deeply grounded by specificity and authenticity that I can no longer see a hamburger phone without thinking of the film. In Juno, you discover something about the titular character, but you may also discover something about yourself.
Available on Prime Video.
Little Miss Sunshine
Courtesy of Fox Searchlight
Family is uniquely complicated for everyone. Little Miss Sunshine follows the Hoover family, who, after a complicated series of events, must stuff into a van and drive halfway across the country. In a situation that would likely divide many, the Hoover family instead finds closure and bonds that bring them together. It’s extremely tender and touching to see the whole family reconnect after their many hardships. Each member is flawed and a little messy, and yet they find more to bond over than not. Who knew a van ride halfway across the country could solve your family problems?
Available on Hulu and Prime Video.
Shoplifters
Courtesy of Gaga Communications
This 2018 Palme d’Or winner follows a complex, multilayered band of outsiders connected by luck and love. They are misfits, tucked away into a tiny Tokyo house constantly under threat from the ever-expanding metropolis surrounding them. The makeshift family is connected by simple acts of shoplifting, but eventually, they create deeper bonds as good as blood ones. It is through their subtle interactions and delicate moments that this emotional masterpiece uncovers humanity with humble origins.
Available on Hulu.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is propelled by excellent performances by Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys, as well as near-perfect direction from Marielle Heller. The film follows Lloyd, a tortured and prisoned journalist meant to cover Fred Rodgers in a fluff piece. The viewer goes on a journey of healing with Lloyd as we witness the wisdom Rodgers passes along to him. Comforting and therapeutic, it’s a touching drama about rediscovering the importance of human connection and the love we can share with one another when we let our walls down.
Available on Hulu.
Away We Go
Courtesy of Focus Features
Expecting parents wandering the country, looking for somewhere to call home and settle down, initially sounds like a stressful and anxious journey, but with the stellar performances of Verona (Maya Rudolph) and Burt (John Krasinski) and poignant writing from David Eggers and Vendela Vida, we are presented with a touching and sweet story about the true meaning of a home. What Verona and Burt uncover, through quirky interactions and charming moments of heart is that family and home are not things you can buy or artificially fabricate. Home is unexpected, it it a feeling we find within one another every day. It isn’t a concrete foundation, stucco walls, or redesigned bathrooms; it is the love with which we surround ourselves, and the people we welcome into our lives.
Available on Hulu.
You’ve Got Mail
You’ve Got Mail is a rom-com—nothing revolutionary or revisionary—and yet I still manage to find something new every time I watch it. Director Nora Ephron is at the top of her form, depicting her uncompromising love of New York. Released in 1998, this is an examination of modern love and its relationship with now-dated technology. And yet, it all feels oddly familiar—sharply relevant, contemporary, new. You follow the story of Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), a retail book store giant, and Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan), a quaint bookstore owner passed on from her mother. It is an unlikely love and romance that blooms, but that very heart of the story, love from unlikely sources and places, makes this one of the sweetest comfort films out there.
Available on Prime Video.
I hope this list of films can bring a couple of hours to you filled with warmth and momentary happiness. As the world feels colder and scarier, we need these, and we need each other.
By Jarred Gregory
