12 Feel-Good Movies to Lift Your Spirits Anytime
Sometimes we all require a bit of uplifting. Here are 13 timeless comfort films that could provide just that.
**Spirited Away (2001)**
A still from Spirited Away, Studio Ghibli – Credit: C/O
If this isn't considered one of the finest animated films ever, I’ll eat my shoe. Spirited Away, produced by Studio Ghibli, has a magical quality about it. The story follows Chihiro Ogino, a young girl who gets separated from her parents while they explore an abandoned amusement park before dusk.
Upon discovering that her parents have been transformed into pigs, Chihiro enters a bathhouse filled with spirits and befriends a boy named Haku, who assists her on her quest to reunite with her parents.
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Screenwriter: Hayao Miyazaki
Cast: Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takashi Naito, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Tsunehiko Kamijō, Takehiko Ono, Bunta Sugawara.
Where to Watch: Max (with subscription)
**Pride & Prejudice (2005)**
A still from Pride & Prejudice, Focus Features – Credit: C/O
Adapted from the 1813 novel by Jane Austen, this version delights in numerous ways. It captures the romantic, nostalgic feel of the 1800s exquisitely. If you want to envision yourself racing through the English countryside by day and strolling through candlelit hallways by night, this film will transport you there in your mind. Additionally, it tells one of the greatest love stories ever. Truly one of the best comfort films.
Director: Joe Wright
Screenwriter: Deborah Moggach
Cast: Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland, Rosamund Pike, Jena Malone, Tom Hollander, Penelope Wilton, Judi Dench
Where to Watch: Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video (for purchase)
**Some Like It Hot (1959)**
Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot, United Artists – Credit: C/O
This classic features Marilyn Monroe in one of her most memorable performances. She portrays Sugar, a jazz singer who encounters saxophonist Joe (Tony Curtis) and his friend Jerry (Jack Lemmon) as they flee for their lives after witnessing a mob murder. They disguise themselves as women and join Sugar’s jazz band, boarding a train to Florida.
Director: Billy Wilder
Screenwriter: Billy Wilder
Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Joe E. Brown, Pat O’Brien
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video (with subscription), Tubi (free)
**The Princess Bride (1987)**
A still from The Princess Bride, 20th Century Fox – Credit: C/O
This beloved fantasy film includes everything: pirates, princesses, heroes, villains, and of course, rodents of unusual size. It tells the story of young Buttercup and her love for Westley, the farm boy. It’s an epic tale filled with romance, action, drama, and humor.
Director: Rob Reiner
Screenwriter: William Goldman
Cast: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Robin Wright, Peter Falk, Billy Crystal
Where to Watch: Disney+ (with subscription)
**Good Will Hunting (1997)**
A still from Good Will Hunting, Miramax – Credit: C/O
This film never ages. Featuring Robin Williams in one of his best roles alongside Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Good Will Hunting is a poignant tale that pulls at your heart. Damon plays Will Hunting, a recent parolee who is secretly a mathematical genius. He works nights as a janitor at MIT, where he solves a complex math problem, beginning his hero’s journey.
While out with friends, including Affleck’s character Chuckie Sullivan, he meets Skylar, a charming British student at Harvard, portrayed by Minnie Driver. Robin Williams plays Will’s required therapist, helping him confront his past traumas.
Director: Gus Van Sant
Cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Robin Williams, Minnie Driver, Stellan Skarsgård, Casey Affleck
Where to Watch: Max, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video (with subscriptions)
**Groundhog Day (1993)**
Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, Columbia Pictures – Credit: C/O
In this delightful comedy, a television weatherman finds himself caught in a time loop, reliving the same day repeatedly. While covering Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, he meets a woman who changes his perspective on life. This is definitely one of our top comfort films!
Director: Harold Ramis
Screenwriters: Danny Rubin, Harold Ram
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12 Feel-Good Movies to Lift Your Spirits Anytime
At times, we all require a little uplift. Here are 13 beloved comfort films that could provide just that.