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!
So many good ones already mentioned; I’m adding . . . SINGING IN THE RAIN . . . CINDERELLA [with Lily James] . . . SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE . . . IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT . . . SAN FRANCISCO . . . APOLLO 13 . . .
ReplyDeleteOh, those are all fabulous! I love that Cinderella!!
DeleteI don't really rewatch movies (there are so many I missed the first time around), but this reminds me that I never finished watching the Harry Potter movies. I might catch up with those one of these days. I also love BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY for a good weep.
ReplyDeleteJulia, my great goddaughter, age five, loves disaster stories. Cosima will beg her gran (my bestie) to tell her the story (again) of when the house down by the river burned down, or other tales she can widen her eyes at and take in. She might graduate to disaster movies!
Oh! I could watch Dr. Zhivago a thousand times.
DeleteMy list includes many films from all of your lists, most of Jenn's rom coms and Marvel movies, some of Hank's classics, Deb's British rom coms, all the Lord of the Rings (extended versions) and Harry Potter's, Hallie's Sci fi's, plus and especially the first three Star Wars ( The Empire Strikes Back, sigh) and a couple of Star Trek movies, too.
ReplyDeleteMoonstruck, You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle
ReplyDeleteWe are perfectly in tune:)
DeleteOops, I forgot Love Actually
ReplyDeleteoh gosh: Fifth Element, Inherit the Wind (original cast) To Kill a Mockingbird, The Muppet Movie. and so many more.
ReplyDeletethe above was me.
DeleteCoralee! What a joy to see you in Florida! Love, love, love that you came… You are bring tears to my eyes. And thank you for the delicious strawberries!
DeleteSleepless in Seattle. I can (and have) watched that over and over. Also, The American President with Michael Douglas and Annette Bening: He says, "I've loved two women in my life. I lost one to cancer, and I lost the other 'cause I was so busy keeping my job I forgot to do my job. Well, that ends right now." Romantic talk in the White House Press Room -- what's not to swoon over!
ReplyDeleteYes, yes! Those are great!
DeleteThere's a ton of movies that I will rewatch when I don't feel like checking out something new and want to reach for that comforting familiarity.
ReplyDeleteOf course, there's probably a big difference between me and a lot of others. I mean, I consider the Rocky franchise very comforting. Plus the GOOD Marvel movies, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the GOOD Star Wars movies. I like certain holiday movies each holiday season (Love Actually, November Christmas, Comfort and Joy). And of course, The Last Starfighter!
By the way, I went to Hank's signing at the Sandwich (Ma.) Public Library last night. It was another great event. Saw Joan Emerson there too!
DeleteI bet Hank was so thrilled to see both of you!!
DeleteWhat fun!!
DeleteWe should have interactive map for all of Hank's appearances!
DeleteJay, my husband loves the Rocky movies, too. The first is his go to rewatch movie. I believe some of these movies are important to us because of who we were or what was happening in our lives the first time we saw them.
Delete- Pat S.
What a great reminder of some terrific movies--I haven't thought about Moonstruck, The American President, or Born Yesterday in years (and I think I've seen almost all the films that everyone has mentioned so far more than once, except for the disaster movies!) One that I'd add is The Fisher King (1991), with Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams, part sad and part screamingly funny (as anything with Robin Williams is). And what about Tootsie?
ReplyDeleteYes I adored Tootsie! Also Mrs. Doubtfire, with or without kids!
DeleteThe Fisher King was brilliant and clever ( but certainly not a comfort movie for me) and Robin Williams so talented in other movies like Dead Poets Society! ( Rhys)
DeleteAN AMERICAN IN PARIS, SINGING IN THE RAIN, THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, THE THIN MAN
ReplyDeleteSome already mentioned like: Moonstruck, The Holiday, The Philadelphia Story, Mama Mia.
ReplyDeleteI add: The Sound of Music, Dirty Dancing (original), Anna and the King, The King’s Speech, Hidden Figures. Probably any film with Tom Hanks.
Two of my favourites are original Walt Disney’s cartoons: Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan. The stories, the beautiful pictures, the music and the songs bring great relief.
Danielle
Actually, I could rewatch Dirty Dancing or Flashdance any time, or The Big Chill.
DeleteI totally forgot musicals. South Pacific. Enchanted.
DeleteBIG
DeleteFrom Celia: Goodness so hard to choose. Moonstruck, Lawrence of Arabia, Love Actually, certain James Bond’s, Out of Africa, LoTR, Finding Nemo and lots of those watched by you all. But no war movies thank you.
ReplyDeleteCélia, I love Out of Africa, I often listen to the soundtrack of the film. Danielle
DeleteOut if Africa—oh yes. Robert Redford brushing Meryl Streep’s hair! (Rhys)
DeleteI love EVER AFTER and any HITCHCOCK movie or series. For a series binge, I love HEARTLAND.
DeleteCelia, on our first trip to Kenya we visited the Karen Blixen Museum in Karen. The exterior is where they filmed Out of Africa, but the movie apparently used a different interior. It was so interesting to see her beloved Ngong Hills in the background, in real life.
DeleteI SO agree. No war movies.
DeleteNot even " The Great Escape" with Steve McQueen? Here's one: OPERATION PETTICOAT with Cary Grant and Tony Curtis? OMG, I loved both of those actors.
DeleteOut of Africa -- yes! I can never forget Meryl Streep on her knees, begging, saying, "I have nothing left to lose." A woman of integrity, fighting for others. Love it.
DeleteI LOVED Out of Africa. My daughter and I went to see a re-screening of it at our really nice theater a couple of years ago and it was lovely to see it on the big screen again.
DeleteSo many great choices already mentioned! I'll add The African Queen, Willow, Red Dog, The Iron Giant, Ladyhawke, Holes, The Tempest (with Helen Mirren), Much Ado About Nothing (with Emma Thompson), Support Your Local Sheriff (w/James Garner and Joan Hackett), Father Goose, and I like movies where the good guys triumph--Ulee's Gold and Thunderheart come to mind. Anything with Alan Rickman. All of Harry Potter, LoTR (extended version, please), and, Jay, of course THE GOOD Star Wars films. Oh and Indiana Jones--the first one for sure.
ReplyDeleteSo many have already been mentioned
ReplyDelete- Princess Bride
- Lord of the Rings (just watched it)
- Harry Potter (just watched it)
- any Marvel movie
- Love, Actually
- Pride & Prejudice (Firth, of course)
For TV, I'll rewatch "Lewis" any day of the week.
I have many of these on DVD, but either my player is dying or the discs have gotten damaged. My Return of the King wouldn't play at all; Harry Potter 3 and 4 skipped horribly. Everything else I can get streaming BUT as soon as I find a place to get it included in my membership, it moves somewhere else I have to pay. Argh.
Liz, just rediscovered Lewis…which I did not like when it was first broadcast, only watched a couple…Lewis, the stories, the dialogue, has improved with age. Been on a binge. Elisabeth
DeleteI'd love to watch Lewis again.
DeleteDeborah, Lewis, all seasons, is available on PBS Passport until August 2023. Elisabeth
DeleteMany of those already mentioned, plus The Sting. Redford and Newman in tuxedos, what's not to like?
ReplyDeleteButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid!
DeleteThis might be my first comment, although I read this blog every day! My favorite movie to watch over and over is “Under the Tuscan Sun”. I think Diane Lane is a fantastic actress and doesn’t get nearly enough credit for her skill.
ReplyDeleteOh, hooray! So wonderful to “see” you!
DeleteThanks, Hank, love this blog, and have read many of the books everyone has written!
DeleteTerri in AZ I loved Under the Tuscan Sun too, ( Francis Mayes.) You might also like A Good Year with Russell Crow which starts in England and moves to a vineyard in the south of France. Funny, romantic, great acting. Based on the book by Peter Mayle.
DeleteOver and over? I can't think of a movie I've watched more than twice except Love, Actually, My Fair Lady, Gone With the Wind. However, if I needed uplifting distraction, I would heavily mine everyone else's lists here, for sure.
ReplyDeleteRoman Holiday and Enchanted April are at the top of my list. Also a really humorous movie I used to show my sixth graders year after year: Monkey Trouble. Also, Dr. Zhivago and Zorba the Greek. I realize the latter two are not warm and fuzzy, but they are so good I never can watch them too many times.
ReplyDeleteCasablanca is still my favorite. So many great lines, exceptional actors, great story.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, I forgot Born Yesterday! Wonderful, wonderful. “A cartel!”
ReplyDeleteI also like High Society, especially the choice of nail polish...cool name!
ReplyDeleteOH, yes, I share reliance on a lot of these, and have several on DVD for emergency illnesses! One don't think I saw here? A League of Their Own. I have zero interest in baseball, but I will stop and watch that any time I catch it on tv. And Legally Blonde, which I did actually discover while recovering from serious surgery.Plus a couple of real oldies that still make me smile - Charade ( I am a teenager again, in Paris, with Cary Grant) and Operation Petticoat ( silly, but fun, just what the dr. ordered)
ReplyDeleteA League of their Own -- yes! Know nothing about baseball, but love this film.
DeleteFull Monty, Four Weddings & a Funeral, Tootsie. Mrs Doubtfire, The new Miracle on 34th St., Butch Cassidy, The Sting.
ReplyDeleteEnjoying part 2 of Jeremy Clarkson, we were really enjoying The Farming Life, but one night it went poof – apparently it is now deleted at least in Canada. If you like farming try The Yorkshire Vet – BBC or Acorn, and now running on PBS Boston.
The Yorkshire Vet? Is that the Remake of All Creatures Great and Small on PBS? If so it is excellent!!
ReplyDeleteNo, but it is about two vets who took over the original practice in Darrowby. Lots of reference to the family - one vet trained under the real James Herriot. Both are great personalities. Lots of vet stuff, lots of countyside, just in most cases heartfelt stories - even when they have to put something down. We loved it. Try and start at the beginning - think there are about a doz series.
DeleteHow have I not seen The Yorkshire Vet??? I will check Britbox and Acorn!
DeleteDoes no one else love Ferris Bueller's Day Off?
ReplyDeleteOh! Hubs is the family movie maven, but there are some I can watch over and over - Thunderball (all those dive scenes), REDS, The Bird Cage, Good Morning Viet Nam, Notting Hill, When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail, Bridget Jones's Diary, It's A Wonderful Life, The Thing from Another World, if I'm in it for the long haul, Upstairs Downstairs and Downton Abbey.
ReplyDeleteWhen I don’t feel well. I usually don’t watch movies, because I don’t have the attention span for it. But I’ll rewatch TV programs, detective programs or comedies. I have a preference for British programs but among American programs I rewatch are The Closer, Major Crimes, Castle, Elementary, Mary Tyler Moore.
ReplyDeleteDebRo
I don't feel like I watch a lot of movies over and over again, at least like I used to. I have movies I'm trying to watch for the first time. You should see my DVR at the moment.
ReplyDeleteHowever, a few that spring to mind:
Toy Story
Monsters, Inc.
Up
Beauty and the Beast
The Greatest Showman
Annie (1999 TV movie edition)
I don't think I've ever seen Emma Thompson and didn't like her (I'm not crazy about her as Sybil Trelawney). Our favorites include Emma's S&S, Ken and Em's Much Ado, A Room with a View, The Princess Bride, A Little Romance, and occasionally a TV show such as As Time Goes By. My wife would NOT want anyone to think that she shares my love for Foul Play and Castle.
ReplyDeleteI loved Castle and was so sorry when it ended but now love The Rookie with Nathan Fillion again, so I guess I really like him!
DeleteWe love The Rookie. Not just Nathan Fillion but the entire cast. We've watched it from Season 1 and I think it's the only thing we still watch on broadcast TV.
DeleteComfort movies...
ReplyDeleteTHE HOLIDAY
FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL
ENCHANTED APRIL
MARY POPPINS (1962?)
ROMANCING THE STONE
There are many tv series on Acorn TV and Britbox.
AS TIME GOES BY, AGATHA CHRISTIE MYSTERIES, MIDSOMER MURDERS, among other mysteries are my favorites.
Surprise! Since my iPad got a upgrade, Now I can Access Netflix though I no longer can get Apple TV plus. I have been exploring many shows on Netflix in February.
Diana
The main movies I have watched more than once are Wizard of Oz, Sound of Music, and Mary Poppins.
ReplyDeleteLocal Hero, To Kill a Mockingbird, Julie and Julia, The Shop around the Corner, The Mortal Storm, Mrs Miniver, White Cliffs of Dover, Nobody’s Fool with one of Paul Newman’s best performances,
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, Nobody's Fool is a wonderful book and Paul Newman, and the movie, did it justice. It is one of his very best.
DeleteWe saw Top Gun (the sequel) and it was suspenseful, romantic, just a super movie. I hope it gets an Academy Award nomination. It was nominated in several categories for the Golden Globes. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteComfort movies for me:
ReplyDeleteThe Holiday
Notting Hill
Love Actually
Broadcast News
Young Frankenstein
Sweet Home Alabama
Mama Mia
Harry Potter, all the movies
Moulin Rouge
I love a musical movie. Strictly Ballroom ((Australian), Disney’s Newsies and the Greatest Showman.
ReplyDeleteA Little Romance (Diane Lane's first movie, Sir Lawrence Olivier's last movie), Dr. Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia, Tea With Mussolini.
ReplyDeleteThis is so much fun! I'm scanning everyone else's and saying "Oh yes, that too!" Limiting myself to 10: Persuasion (the Cieran Hinds version) Sense and Sensibility (the Emma Thompson version), Broadcast News, Local Hero, Love Actually, Notting Hill, The Bishop's Wife (Cary Grant as an angel), The Fifth Element, Diva, ...oh, how can I pick just one more? maybe Moonlight, or maybe Mamma Mia....
ReplyDeleteOh, I forgot Tootsie, which I just watched. I adore all the main characters!
DeleteHarry Potter movies, The Holiday (pretty much any Nancy Myers movie), The Quiet Man, Philadelphia Story, Desk Set, Vicar of Dibley, the original Parent Trap, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. There are more but I’ll stop here. 💐
ReplyDelete