If you’ve been struck with a case of the grumps on Blue Monday, don’t worry: these are the best feel-good movies to put a smile back on your face.
It’s official: today, January 15, is the most depressing day of the year. The sun is still falling from the sky as soon as it rises, the bite of chittering frost no longer has the comfort of yuletide, bank accounts are still reeling from all the “f**k it, it’s Christmas” spending of yesterweeks – of all the Mondays, it’s earned the right to feel a little blue.
There’s an upside to hitting the calendar’s rock bottom: things can only get better. Plus, there’s an easy antidote to the doom and gloom: to borrow Dumbledore’s words, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the TV.
Movies are more than passing entertainment, more than two hours at the cinema or on a computer screen. They’re a total escape, an other-worldly tunnel to a thousand different lives that help people cope with their own – and these are the ones that have helped us along the way.
Sing Street (2016)
First, the feel-bad stuff. Sing Street concerns Conor, a kid whose parents are breaking up, and who finds himself sent to a new school where he’s bullied. That’s the darkness before the light. But then that light is blinding, with Sing Street a gloriously upbeat coming-of-age tale about forming your first band, and finding your first love. Set in Dublin in the mid-1980s, the film has fun with the fashion and sounds of the time. But the music – by singer-songwriter Gary Clark – is superb, most notably bona fide banger ‘Drive It Like You Stole It.’ Proceedings then build to a fist-pumping feel-good finale that’s fuelled by optimism and romance, and suggests that for our young hero, anything is possible.
How to watch: Free on The Roku Channel and Pluto TV
Author: Chris Tilly
Jackass 3D (2010)
There was an idea: to bring together a group of (un)remarkable people, to see if they could become something more, to see if they could laugh together when we needed them to; to vomit, shit and hurt themselves in ways we never could. Jackass 3D is the ultimate grotesque catharsis and one of the most joyous movies of the 21st century; if you’re a franchise rookie looking to dive head-first into the Jackson Pollock cacophony of bodily fluids, come for the Poo Cocktail Supreme, stay for their unsullied alliance. They’re idiots of the highest kind, quality, or order, surpassing all else, or others; supreme.
How to watch: Paramount Plus
Author: Cameron Frew
Nuts in May (1976)
Whether it’s the crackly, comforting sounds of the tranquil British countryside, the nostalgia for a time I never knew, or the hilarity of the Pratts’ banjo-backed, SJW crooning, Nuts in May never fails to melt those worries away. Created by Mike Leigh as a TV film – and first broadcasting in 1976! – Nuts in May was certainly of its time, centering on a self-righteous couple’s “dream” camping holiday. Their love for nature doesn’t quite translate when it comes to social settings, causing a fair few conflicts with their fellow holiday-makers. Although it puts a microscope up to the human condition, there’s a level of safety in this film, allowing viewers to sit back and watch the absurdity (and hilarity) unfold.
How to watch: Britbox, The Criterion Channel, and YouTube
Author: Daisy Phillipson
But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)
Sure, coming out is never a fun time – but when Natasha Lyonne and Clea DuVall are heartwarmingly at the helm, it’s nothing short of endearing. Megan (Lyonne) is an all-American girl until her parents ship her off to a conversion therapy center. While there, she meets and falls for Graham (DuVall), while establishing that she’s a lesbian. With drag legend RuPaul acting as a stereotypical straight dude hilarious on its own, Megan’s journey to self-acceptance is peppered with laughs, color, and a happy ending. 1-2-3-4, this is the one that we adore.
How to watch: The Roku Channel and MUBI
Author: Jasmine Valentine
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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
On the face of it, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is the last movie you should watch for a pick-me-up. After all, this high-concept 2004 comedy-drama’s central couple, Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet), are so unhappy, they undergo a mind-wipe procedure to forget their relationship. But then Joel gets cold feet midway through and fights to keep his memories – good and bad – of life with Clem. What follows is a funny, romantic, heart-breaking, and ultimately uplifting reminder that it’s the journey that matters, not the destination.
How to watch: Starz
Author: Leon Miller
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993)
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, the heartwarming follow-up to 1992’s Sister Act, sees Vegas performer Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg) don her persona as Sister Mary Clarence once again to take up the mantle of St. Francis Academy’s music teacher and team up with a group of rowdy teenagers in order to save the school from closure. This movie is one of my all-time favorite feel-good favorites; there’s nothing better than seeing a group of underdog kids go from zero to heroes, especially when the journey involves nurturing their existing talent. Sister Act 2 is the perfect blend of comedy and musical – plus, the music in the film is absolutely iconic, with the choir’s rendition of “Oh Happy Day” and “Joyful, Joyful” becoming instant cultural staples that will resonate with anyone regardless of their background.
How to watch: Disney Plus
Author: Kayla Harrington
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
When needing a carefree feel-good movie, straight to the romance comedy I go. Bridget Jones’s Diary follows 32-year-old Bridget as she tries to control her life – and dating life. Amid her zest for a change, she finds herself in a quirky love triangle. The movie is a favorite all thanks to Renée Zellweger’s flare for comedy. Above all, it’s a feel-good movie you sit back and watch to have a good laugh and see an ordinary working woman who’s relatable in a teeny weeny skirt.
How to watch: Paramount Plus
Author: Gabriela Silva
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro is a movie hand-crafted full of heart. Detailing the experiences of two young girls who befriend the nearby woodland spirits at their rural home, Studio Ghibli’s mascot picture made its themes of environmentalism and the joys of the countryside accessible to children. And over 35 years after its release, the movie continues to inspire creators of animated pictures with its heartwarming messaging and rich animation. Its slice-of-life appeal makes it a feel-good movie for those gloomy days when you want to revisit the wonder of life you felt as a child. For Hayao Miyazaki, imagination and amazement in the smallest of things never go unexplored.
How to watch: Max
Author: Olly Smith
All of these movies are also available to rent or buy digitally on-demand via Amazon Prime, which you can sign up for here.
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