Arts & Entertainment
17 Feel-Good Movies To Watch At Home This Weekend
Looking for some flicks to lighten the mood? Check out this list with upbeat titles including "When Harry Met Sally" and "Bridesmaids."
Watching a feel-good flick is a great way to help lift your spirits during these difficult times. And from romantic comedies and musicals to sci-fi adventures and documentaries, we've compiled a list of movies that will keep you smiling day in and day out.
If you're hoping to laugh a little this weekend, check out rousing comedies such as “Groundhog Day,” “Bridesmaids” and “School of Rock.”
For a visually thrilling flick that the whole family will enjoy, both “Coco” and "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" are available on Disney Plus and Netflix, respectively, for your streaming pleasure.
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When it comes to the rom-com genre, “Moonstruck,” “When Harry Met Sally” and “The Big Sick” will certainly warm your hearts.
And finally, if you’re looking for inspirational films that celebrate the human spirit, “Queen of Katwe,” “McFarland, USA” and “Brittany Runs a Marathon” are must-see movies.
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So while you stay in this weekend, get ready to stream these lighthearted and cheerful picks, all from the comfort of your couch:
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“Big” (Amazon Prime) — Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins; Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall’s box-office hit made an indelible mark in Tom Hanks’ acting career — an excellent showcase of the actor’s range and versatility in his portrayal of an innocent 13-year-old boy suddenly trapped in a grown-up man’s body. With natural ease and charm, Hanks navigates viewers through an adventure filled with confusion, love, laughter— and heartbreak.
“Bridesmaids” (Amazon Prime) — Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy; directed by Paul Feig
Paul Feig’s infectiously funny and smart film is about bonds of friendship further strengthened on a wild ride down the road to matrimony. Kristen Wiig shines as a maid of honor who leads the bride (Maya Rudolph) and her bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper) to an enjoyable bachelorette getaway. But suddenly, the seemingly perfect trip goes awry.
“Brittany Runs a Marathon” (Amazon Prime) — Jillian Bell, Jennifer Dundas; directed by Paul Downs Colaizzo
Based on an inspiring true story, the movie stars Jillian Bell as the titular character Brittany Forgler, a 27-year-old New Yorker who feels her life is up against a brick wall. At her wits’ end, she nonchalantly laces up her sneakers and runs a block to vent off her frustrations. Then, the next day, she runs two blocks. And it will just be a matter of time before Brittany plans to conquer the New York City Marathon.
"Coco" (Disney Plus) — Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina
The joyous, uplifting and visually thrilling animation tells the story of Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez), who aspires to become a famous musician, despite his family's puzzling ancestral ban on music. In his quest for fame and success, he meets a very adept trickster (Gael Garcia Bernal). Together, they set off on a magical journey through the Land of the Dead to search for the youngster's family secrets.
“Free Solo” (Disney Plus) — Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell; directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
The Oscar-winning documentary feature chronicles one of the most daring athletic endeavors of any kind: free soloist climber Alex Honnold’s attempt to climb the face of the 3,000-foot El Capitan rock in Yosemite National Park — without a rope. A truly inspirational film, “Free Solo” reminds us that the human spirit can triumph over the most distressing circumstances in our lives.
“Groundhog Day” (Netflix) — Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell; directed by Harold Ramis
In this fantasy comedy, Bill Murray plays a self-centered TV weatherman who gets stranded in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 2, 1992, due to a snowstorm, while covering the annual Groundhog Day event. Meanwhile, he is caught in a time loop sequence, seemingly living the same day over again when he wakes up the next morning. Can love and romance break the maddening déjà vu?
“Hairspray” (Netflix) — John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah; directed by Adam Shankman
This 2007 musical remake will get you dancing in no time along with an exuberant ensemble cast that includes John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow and Zac Efron. Set in 1962 Baltimore, the story centers on the pleasantly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) and her fight for equal opportunity.
"La La Land" (Amazon Prime) — Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Rosemarie DeWitt; directed by Damien Chazelle
Damien Chazelle's poetic ode to bygone movie musicals, Oscar-winning "La La Land" stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as two aspiring artists who meet and fall in love in Los Angeles. With a contemporary setting and vibrant mood, the screenplay emits a colorful palette that creates a dreamy and exhilarating sensation — what a feeling!
"Late Night" (Amazon Prime) — Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling; directed by Nisha Ganatra
In "Late Night," Emma Thompson plays Katherine Newbury, the queen of late-night TV for nearly 30 years. As a legendary talk-show host, she holds the sole distinction of being the only woman ever to have a long-running program on late night. However, her days are numbered. Unless her plummeting ratings recover, she is bound to lose her coveted seat to a younger, hipper male host. What is the TV veteran to do? Chemical-plant efficiency expert Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling) might just have the answers.
“Mary Poppins Returns” (Netflix) — Emily Blunt, Lin Manuel-Miranda; directed by Rob Marshall
The endearing nanny who has captured the hearts of millions returns for a sequel, starring Emily Blunt in the titular role. In a timely fashion, Mary Poppins re-enters the lives of the Banks family to help them rediscover joy and happiness in their lives as they grieve over a personal loss. Joining her in this adventure is her friend Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), a happy-go-lucky street lamplighter who helps bring light — and life — to the streets of London.
“McFarland, USA” (Disney Plus) — Kevin Costner, Maria Bello; directed by Niki Caro
Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a predominantly Mexican American high school, Niki Caro’s rousing sports drama is about forging new beginnings and embracing the unknown. In the film, Kevin Costner plays Jim White, who — after losing his last job as a football coach — leads a cross country team of underdogs to victory against all odds.
“Moonstruck” (Amazon Prime) — Cher, Nicholas Cage; directed by Norman Jewison
In a career-defining moment for Cher, the legendary multi-talented artist won Best Actress in 1988 at the 60th Academy Awards for her portrayal of a widower who suddenly falls for her future brother-in-law (Nicholas Cage). This rom-com celebrates love with profound passion and tenderness.
“Queen of Katwe” (Disney Plus) — Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo; directed by Mira Nair
Mira Nair’s movie is the remarkable true story of chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga), a young girl from the impoverished slum of Katwe in Kampala, Uganda. For the illiterate 10-year-old, life is all about helping her mother (Lupita Nyong’o) make ends meet by selling corn on the squalid Kampala streets — that is, until she is introduced to the game of chess. Aided by a missionary (David Oyelowo), Phiona becomes determined to become a Chess Olympiad champion, ultimately breaking a cycle of misery and poverty for her family in the process.
“School of Rock” (Amazon Prime) — Jack Black, Joan Cusack; directed by Richard Linklater
In this delightful comedy, Jack Black plays a substitute teacher who upends a private elementary school when he introduces the legends of rock— Led Zeppelin, The Who and AC/DC — to a group of its elite students. His goal? Get the school kids to compete against his former rock band for a cash prize. But it won’t be an easy feat, especially when the school’s headmistress (Joan Cusack) is one step ahead of his game plan.
"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (Netflix) — Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, directed by Bob Persichetti and Peter Ramsey
Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore), a young high schooler from Brooklyn, is accidentally bitten by a radioactive spider while exploring the subway tunnels. In the process, he acquires Spidey powers and gets propelled into a universe full of more Spidey characters from other quantum dimensions. Their mission? To vanquish their evil foe named Kingpin (voiced by Liev Schreiber) so they can finally return to their respective worlds.
"The Big Sick" (Amazon Prime) — Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, directed by Michael Showalter
Here's one rom-com that will melt your heart with big laughs — and big jolts. "The Big Sick" is the endearing and incredible love story between a young Pakistani comic (Kumail Nanjiani) and his girlfriend Emily (Zoe Kazan), who has fallen inexplicably "sick." Nanjiani and his wife/co-writer Emily V. Gordon crafted this story out of her real-life medical crisis and their culturally conflicted relationship.
“When Harry Met Sally” (Hulu) — Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan; directed by Rob Reiner
Hailed as the gold standard for the modern romantic comedy genre, Rob Reiner’s irresistible film is the love story of the high-strung Harry (Billy Crystal) and the levelheaded Sally (Meg Ryan), who have known each other for nearly 12 years. Deep inside, they know there’s a love connection brewing between them, but somehow, they can’t seem to face the music. Do they end up together in the end? Perhaps — but first, brace yourself for the movie’s most iconic scene, the explosively amusing “I’ll have what she’s having” restaurant segment.
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